McConnell Gets Pentagon to Increase '08 Weapons Disposal Budget
Request
CHEMICAL
WEAPONS WORKING GROUP
P.O. Box 467, Berea, KY 40403
Phone: (859) 986-7565
Fax: (859) 986-2695
www.cwwg.org kefcwwg@cwwg.org
for
additional information contact:
Craig Williams - (859) 986-7565
(859) 302-1103
Craig Williams - (859) 986-7565
(859) 302-1103
for
immediate release: Tuesday, February 6, 2007
McCONNELL GETS PENTAGON
TO INCREASE '08 WEAPONS DISPOSAL BUDGET REQUEST
Discussions With Secretary Gates Lead to $54 Million Increase In The President's Request
Discussions With Secretary Gates Lead to $54 Million Increase In The President's Request
The
President's 2008 budget request arrived on Capital Hill today and
contained an increase of $54 Million for the Assembled Chemical Weapons
Alternatives (ACWA) program beyond the Pentagon's earlier
predictions. This increase is a direct result of discussions
between the newly appointed Secretary of Defense and Senator Mitch
McConnell.
On January 11th, the Pentagon released its new funding profile for the ACWA program which cut annual funding levels and therefore extended scheduled completion of the chemical weapons disposal in Kentucky and Colorado by eight years. Citizens and elected officials in the communities nearby are very concerned with having these weapons stored any longer than absolutely necessary due to the risks associated with possible accidents or terrorist activities.
In a letter to Secretary Gates, dated 24 January 2007, Senator McConnell stressed the importance of getting rid of these weapons saying this initiative is "vital to ensuring the safety of communities situated near chemical weapons facilities." He added, "This issue is particularly acute with respect to my constituents, as Kentucky is home to the Blue Grass Army Depot which houses perhaps the nations most dangerous and unstable stockpile."
At the bottom of the letter, handwritten was the following, "This is very important to my state".
Yesterday's increased budget request shows McConnell's message was received and acted upon by the Secretary.
"It's a good sign," said Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, based in Berea. KY. "As we hoped, the Senator has once again acted on our behalf at the highest levels. We know we can count on his continued engagement in trying to change the Pentagon's long-term funding plans so the ACWA team and their contractor can have the resources necessary to get rid of these weapons as quickly and as safely possible. "
The current Pentagon funding profile stretches disposal out an additional eight years and will also wind up costing taxpayers an additional $3 billion to complete the program due to inflation, elongated storage costs and costs associated with keeping the program activated over a longer period.
"McConnell's efforts are not only reducing risk to our community," said Williams,"they're saving us money."
On January 11th, the Pentagon released its new funding profile for the ACWA program which cut annual funding levels and therefore extended scheduled completion of the chemical weapons disposal in Kentucky and Colorado by eight years. Citizens and elected officials in the communities nearby are very concerned with having these weapons stored any longer than absolutely necessary due to the risks associated with possible accidents or terrorist activities.
In a letter to Secretary Gates, dated 24 January 2007, Senator McConnell stressed the importance of getting rid of these weapons saying this initiative is "vital to ensuring the safety of communities situated near chemical weapons facilities." He added, "This issue is particularly acute with respect to my constituents, as Kentucky is home to the Blue Grass Army Depot which houses perhaps the nations most dangerous and unstable stockpile."
At the bottom of the letter, handwritten was the following, "This is very important to my state".
Yesterday's increased budget request shows McConnell's message was received and acted upon by the Secretary.
"It's a good sign," said Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, based in Berea. KY. "As we hoped, the Senator has once again acted on our behalf at the highest levels. We know we can count on his continued engagement in trying to change the Pentagon's long-term funding plans so the ACWA team and their contractor can have the resources necessary to get rid of these weapons as quickly and as safely possible. "
The current Pentagon funding profile stretches disposal out an additional eight years and will also wind up costing taxpayers an additional $3 billion to complete the program due to inflation, elongated storage costs and costs associated with keeping the program activated over a longer period.
"McConnell's efforts are not only reducing risk to our community," said Williams,"they're saving us money."
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