GOP lawmakers in the Senate are getting serious about the looming cuts to the defense budget, which could have catastrophic consequences for the U.S. national security apparatus. Roll Call reports:
A group of Senate Republicans are attempting to force Democrats and the White House to deal with the defense sequester and the effect it might have on the nation’s military readiness.
To do that, at least four GOP Senators are vowing to offer an amendment to every bill that moves to the Senate floor in an attempt to secure language requiring Defense Secretary Leon Panetta to conduct a study by August detailing the effect $487 billion in automatic spending cuts will have on defense programs once the sequester starts in January.
At the moment the Senators are eyeing the farm bill, currently on the Senate floor, as a legislative vehicle.