THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 1996 TAG: 9603090439
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
The military secretaries said Friday they would put money into submarines, fighters and Army tactical missiles if given more cash by Congress.
Conspicuously missing from the wish list: the B-2 bomber and missile defense.
Repeating a pattern set last year when they took control of Congress, Republicans on the House National Security Committee asked the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force how they would spend money added to the defense budget by Congress. Last year the figure was $7 billion; this year it is expected to be twice that.
Navy Secretary John Dalton warned that the service's shipbuilding needs will create a demand for more money than the service expects to have available.
As a result, Dalton recommended putting more money into submarine construction. The Navy expects to build four attack submarines at Newport News and in Connecticut from 1998 to 2001.
KEYWORDS: DEFENSE SPENDING BUDGET by CNB