RI Senator Opposes Defense Budget Increase

Rhode Island U.S. Senator Jack Reed says he opposes President Trump's "unjustified" defense budget increase.

The Democratic lawmaker is vowing to challenge the administration to justify every penny of the proposed one-point-five-trillion-dollar defense budget and he's urging colleagues to work on a bipartisan basis to develop a more responsible budget that better prioritizes national security and America's domestic interests.

“This is not a serious budget. From what little information we have, this flawed, irresponsible proposal is unjustified and fails to acknowledge the negative impacts of Trump’s Iran war and faltering economy. This proposed spending spree doesn’t take into account the fact that this Administration is also likely to request a major emergency war supplemental budget."

Reed, the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, says he will not rubber-stamp a bloated, undisciplined budget, adding U.S. forces and their families deserve a defense budget and strategy worthy of their sacrifice.

 (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)