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Budget extension will hurt training and readiness, Mattis warns

Military Times: Operating under a continuing resolution for three months will impact dozens of personnel and construction projects vital to keeping the military operational, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis is warning top congressional leaders.

In a six-page letter dated Sept. 8 and obtained by Defense News, Mattis wrote to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., outlining the impacts of a budget extension. The analysis was requested by committee leaders earlier this month, before lawmakers approved a three-month continuing resolution last week.

In the letter, Mattis warns the longer the budget extension, “the greater the consequences for our force.” He said defense officials will realign priorities to ensure that funding shortfalls related to the fiscal 2017 spending continuations do not affect deployed forces, but the military as a whole will still see significant disruptions.

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