A Bigger Defense Budget Is Nothing to Celebrate
Congress’s failure to impose discipline on Pentagon spending will only make the U.S. weaker in the long run.
Neither wanted nor needed.
Photographer: James Gilbert/Getty Images
In some ways, the passage of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act counts as a significant achievement. Leaders in the House and Senate overcame grandstanding and obstruction by lawmakers on both sides to pass a bill with broad bipartisan support. In doing so, they addressed a range of critical issues, from reforming how sexual-assault cases are handled to combating hunger among military families.
So much for the good news. As a budgeting exercise, the NDAA underscores Congress’s inability to set clear priorities. Rather than free up resources to modernize the military’s capabilities, the legislation extends the lifespans of weapons systems that the Pentagon says it no longer needs. By failing to impose greater fiscal discipline, Congress risks weakening the U.S.’s ability to respond to future threats.