Under angry questioning from Republican lawmakers, Defense Secretary Ash Carter again supported the idea of vetoing the annual defense authorization bill over concerns that the funding mechanisms involved would hurt other federal programs and security efforts.
"I haven't changed my view," he told members of the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday. "I still fervently hope everyone can come together and find a (budget) compromise."
The comments drew immediate, familiar criticism from GOP lawmakers who have repeatedly accused the White House of choosing bloated government bureaucracy over troops' pay and benefits.
Last month, the House passed its draft of the $612 billion authorization bill largely along party lines, over Democratic objections that the funding total gets around mandatory spending caps on the military by adding billions to overseas contingency accounts. The Senate is expected to finalize a similar draft this week.
Republicans have argued the move fully funds Defense Department needs for fiscal 2016, but Democrats have labeled it a budgeting gimmick designed to prevent meaningful work on finding a more sweeping compromise for all federal spending.
President Obama has threatened to veto the measure and every other appropriations bill pending in Congress over the funding fight.
Carter earlier this year drew the ire of the committee's conservatives for supporting that veto threat, even if the Defense Department gets its full funding. He argued that cuts to the State Department and Homeland Security would have secondary effects on military operations, and that fixing one budget problem was not enough.
On Wednesday, he said the budget uncertainty has caused significant stress on multiyear planning and career department employees, who wonder whether they'll face furloughs or layoffs in coming months.
He also called the budget fight "very damaging" to foreign allies' confidence in the military. "I travel the world, and this looks terrible."
The authorization bill contains a host of military pay and benefits policy changes, including an overhaul of the current military retirement system.
Leaders in the House and Senate have already predicted a quick conference committee to resolve the difference in the chambers' plans, which could put the bill before Obama later this summer.
Meanwhile, Democrats in the Senate have promised to block any appropriations bills which rely on the current Republican spending plans, starting with the annual defense appropriations bill next week.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
