Washington, D.C. – Former Senator Dale Bumpers, now the Director of the Center for Defense Information, strongly objected to the Clinton Administration's proposal to drastically increase Pentagon spending over the next six years.  Said Senator Bumpers, "We are about to squander a golden opportunity to address pressing problems in education, health care and Social Security.  With no credible military threat to the United States, we should be looking for additional ways to reduce military spending, not increase it."

    "A 4% pay raise for our men and women in uniform, and improving their living conditions are certainly warranted, but we don't need to increase spending to achieve them," said Senator Bumpers.  "We agree with Secretary Cohen's call for additional base closures.  Congress should give careful consideration to Senator McCain's recent proposal for more closures."

   "It is no longer necessary or wise for the United States to spend $25 billion annually to maintain and enhance our ability to wage a nuclear war," said Rear Admiral Eugene Carroll, USN (Ret.), CDI's Deputy Director.  "Congress should act promptly on Senator Bob Kerrey's call to lift legislative restrictions on nuclear arms reductions – an action strongly favored by many Pentagon planners in order to reduce spending for unneeded weapons."

    "We are pleased that President Clinton is proposing nearly $5 billion in new spending for the Cooperative Threat Reduction program," said Admiral Carroll.  "There is no greater threat to U.S. national security than the 'loose nukes' problem in Russia today."  Also known as the Nunn-Lugar program, after its two original Senate sponsors, this program assists Russia and other former Soviet republics dismantle and safeguard nuclear weapons and materials.

    Senator Bumpers also singled out the Administration's proposal to add almost $7 billion to the National Missile Defense program.  "This program, which could very well rekindle the Cold War, is an example of money being thrown at the Pentagon."

Media Advisory: Senator Bumpers and the CDI staff will be available for comment on the Defense Department's Fiscal Year 2000 spending plan after the release of the federal budget request on February 1.  Information on DoD's budget request will also be available on CDI's web site at: http://www.cdi.org/issues/usmi/highlightsFY00.html