DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1989

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1988

U.S. SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS,

Washington, DC.

The subcommittee met at 9:58 a.m. in room SD-192, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. John Stennis (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Stennis. Johnston, Sasser, Stevens, D'Amato, and Kasten.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

STATEMENT OF THE HON. WILLIAM H. TAFT IV, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

OVERVIEW OF DEFENSE BUDGET

OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN STENNIS

Chairman STENNIS. Ladies and gentlemen, we will start just a couple of minutes ahead of time here. There is an uncertainty about the votes that may occur on the Senate floor this morning.

All of us are anxious for Mr. Taft to come and testify and give us the benefit of his opinion and suggestions, not only for those who can be here today, but all members of the committee. And further than that, it is for the benefit of the public as a whole, and will be in a recorded form where it will be available to anyone.

So for that and other reasons, Mr. Taft, we are delighted to have you here today. These are crucial times. It is a time of expenditure of a great deal of money, as we all know. Maybe things are going a little better right now, but it will continue to involve a great deal of planning from both military and civilians.

We do not have any money to spare, so we are going to listen closely to what you have to say. You have impressed us favorably in this field since you have been here. But we are not here today to pass compliments along.

PREPARED STATEMENT

This is the first meeting we have had this year before the entire Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and I am just going to ask consent