Despite GOP calls for fiscal restraint, senators on both sides of the aisle are calling for a larger Pentagon budget after the United States shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon, arguing now is not the time for defense cuts.
The specter of cuts is already top of mind as Kevin McCarthy negotiates with President Joe Biden to roll back spending levels in exchange for a hike in the nation’s borrowing limit. The House speaker has indicated defense is not off the table, yet the prospect is facing bipartisan opposition from defense hawks in both chambers of Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been vocal about opposing the president's prior increases to the defense budget, voting for higher top-line numbers instead. The Kentucky Republican released a statement after the military shot down the Chinese spy balloon, tying the incursion to a broader need to counter China's growing military might.
“There are requests for significant upgrades to detection, over-the-horizon radar capability, and obviously, Congress will take those requests more seriously in the appropriations process,” said Sen. Chris Murphy , who sits on the Appropriations Committee, on Wednesday following a classified briefing.
Sen. Mike Braun is also in favor of reining in defense spending and said Republican defense hawks are already leveraging the spy balloon incident in a bid to inflate defense spending.
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