Turner Statement on President Biden's Proposed Budget

 I released the following statement on President Biden’s proposed budget:

DoD officials and military experts were clear: A 3-5% increase in defense spending over the inflation adjusted FY21 enacted level is necessary to keep America and our allies safe. However, President Biden’s proposed 'skinny' budget fails to account for this growth, and this could mean cuts to critical programs. While I'm encouraged that the Biden Administration intends to support nuclear modernization, amid growing threats from China, North Korea, Iran and Russia, any defense cuts will be cause for concern. Instead of prioritizing spending for partisan policies, President Biden should put American national security interests first by following the advice of military experts as he prepares the full details of his budget proposal.

I am Ranking Member of the House Armed Service Committee Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, where I have jurisdiction over the nation's nuclear arsenal, the Department of Defense's intelligence programs, and also over missile defense systems. 

I am a key advocate for a 3-5% increase in the defense budget adjusted for inflation. I recently led a letter with top HASC Republicans calling on President Biden to support the modernization of the U.S. nuclear deterrent.