As MOAA hails the annual passage of a defense authorization bill, our work on behalf of those who serve and have served, and their families, as part of the 2023 year-end cycle is far from over … as Congress has yet to allocate a dollar to pay for what’s in the new legislation.

And yet, inaction on the many improvements to compensation, benefits, and quality-of-life issues included in that bill somehow ranks low on DoD’s list of problems connected to a lack of a full-year budget. While no appropriations mean no new programs, it also forces planners to scramble to maintain existing ones, leading to severe cuts and billions in misaligned funds.

And because of a bipartisan budget deal triggering sequestration if the budget isn’t complete by Jan. 1, more billions would vanish from DoD coffers. While this money would be restored after a deal is in place, there’s no guarantee such a deal will materialize. The longer it takes to reach a deal, the less time DoD will have to adjust programming to incorporate the funding — leading to more waste.

[ACT NOW: Ask Your Lawmakers to Pass a Budget]

The math is staggering: In 2021, DoD estimated a full-year continuing resolution would’ve cost the department more than $40 billion. And that estimate didn’t include any sequestration-related cuts, which would further reduce DoD budget toplines by between $26.5 billion and $36.5 billion, according to a Senate Appropriations Committee fact sheet.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. “CQ” Brown Jr., USAF, outlined some of the damage a full-year CR could do in a recent letter to Congress, calling such a situation “historically costly.” Many of the issues raised in Brown’s letter mirror top MOAA legislative priorities – it’s a strong indication of the fallout these critical programs would face if lawmakers can’t reach an agreement:

• Personnel: A year without a full budget would trigger a $5.8 billion personnel shortfall, Brown wrote. Programs designed to improve recruiting and retention would suffer, and PCS moves would stall, leading to an array of problems for military families.
  
  
• Construction Projects: No new budget means no new buildings, ending all manner of modernization efforts as DoD looks to address horrendous barracks conditions, among other concerns.
  
  
• Readiness: Ships would face delayed or canceled maintenance, munitions contracts would be jeopardized, and procurement and modernization efforts would suffer – Brown’s letter notes particular threats to the nuclear triad and Indo-Pacific initiatives.

[RELATED: Join MOAA’s Legislative Action Center]

MOAA’s Role

A yearlong CR could erase many of the advocacy gains made possible by the ongoing grassroots support of MOAA members across the nation. MOAA will continue to work on both sides of the aisle, in both chambers of Congress, to ensure lawmakers live up to the “support our troops” banner many have raised proudly.

As constituents of these legislators, you can help us make a difference – send a message today and make it clear the time for grandstanding is long over, and a deal must be made to ensure the continued strength of the all-volunteer force.

If you’ve already sent that message, send another with your personal story of service to reengage with your House member or senator. Or reach out to your lawmaker via MOAA’s toll-free congressional hotline, 1-866-272-6622, and encourage them to take a leadership role not only in fixing this year’s budget debacle, but in ensuring future sessions fund the government in a timely fashion.

[RELATED: As Servicemembers Spend the Holidays Deployed, Work Remains at Home]

The true cost of this delay is coming into focus – tens of billions of dollars wasted, all funds that could be used for much-needed quality-of-life improvements, or to shore up existing retiree benefits, or to keep construction and procurement projects on pace. Let your lawmakers know this irresponsibility can’t be tolerated, especially as our force faces recruiting challenges and an ever-growing list of global threats.

Take action today, and stay tuned to MOAA’s advocacy news for the latest updates on this and other issues.