Republican senators seek defense, non-defense spending parity

摘要

Top Senate Republicans have introduced an amendment that would require parity between defense and non-defense spending increases for fiscal year 2022, arguing it is needed to compete with China. Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-OK) have introduced an amendment that, if adopted, would require defense and non-defense parity across all budget resolutions, reconciliation bills, and appropriations legislation. "China is our nation's top threat, and the Chinese Communist Party is investing in the People's Liberation Army at record rates," Shelby and Inhofe said in a joint statement. "In our efforts to counter China's quest for global hegemony, it would be shortsighted to ramp up our domestic investments in technology without also increasing defense spending and leveraging our expansive defense research and development enterprise."