U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released the following statement after President Biden announced his administration's budget request for fiscal year 2023. Last week, ahead President Biden's budget announcement, Senator Tuberville joined his fellow Republican members on the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to urge President Biden to include a 5 percent increase above inflation for defense spending in his fiscal year 2023 budget request.
"Our nation faces grave threats at home and abroad, none of which are adequately addressed in President Biden's budget," said Senator Tuberville. "The world tests our resolve every day as Russia continues its war in Ukraine, China eyes Taiwan, and malign actors from North Korea to Iran race to expand their arsenals. Yet President Biden's budget ignores reality and shortchanges our men and women in uniform. The president's budget proposal, accounting for inflation, cuts our defense budget at a time when real growth is needed. We cannot ask our military to choose between maintenance and modernization or investment and deterrence. But that's exactly what the president's budget proposal does.
"This budget is equally problematic on the domestic front. Gimmicks and smoke screens are used to hide the true cost of expanding social programs and prioritizing clean energy policies that will continue to strain Americans' bank accounts and fuel inflation. New taxes will offshore American jobs and investment. At a time when Americans are paying more for almost everything and our economy is struggling, we need a budget that seriously addresses inflation -- this does not. It's clear that the Biden administration would rather dramatically expand social programs, champion so-called climate justice, and add taxes on the backs of job creators than support our defense and address surging inflation."