Earlier this week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced his intention to elim
inate the Virginia-based Joint Services Command, which employs about 6,000 military and civilian workers who account for at least $240 million in the defense budget’s personnel costs. He declared that while some military and civilian employees could be reassigned elsewhere, a substantial number of full-time workers would have to leave the DOD. Gates also explained he would seek cuts elsewhere in the defense budget.
But Senator Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), a member of the Armed Services Committee, does not think Congress should suggest slashing Defense Department jobs while at the same time wanting to add a misguided additional expense at military health facilities.
“We’re going in the wrong direction in this defense re-authorization bill. There is a provision in the Senate version that would allow abortions in military health facilities, not only for military members, but their families,” the senator reports. “Now if we’re looking to save money, the first thing we need to do is not add additional expenses and additional demands on our healthcare professionals and our facilities by saying that abortion on demand can be performed in our [military] health facilities.”
Wicker feels pro-abortion senators should even understand that it makes no sense to put this additional burden on the defense budget at a time when there are so many more important and pressing priorities that should be dealt with first.
