Funding sources for Drum are sought

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers trying to reverse budget cuts at Fort Drum favor working with Army officials to find money within this year's budget, rather than turning to their last resort — a supplemental war spending bill Congress may not even consider before mid-spring.

"Basically, what we're doing is exploring every possible path to restore the cuts," Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, said Thursday.

Sources say that the Army may have found as much as $500 million to reprogram to Army bases across the country. Once that is allocated some time in the near future, Fort Drum leaders will know how much they will have to cut from the operations budget.

Lawmakers have two basic choices: encourage the Army to fill the money gap through reprogramming or other budget maneuvers, or boost funding themselves through legislation.

The second route is less certain and may take longer.

"That's one possibility," Mr. Owens said. "It is certainly not the direction I want to go."

A spokeswoman for the House Appropriations Committee, Jenilee Keefe Singer, could not say Thursday whether lawmakers are considering using the supplemental bill for such a purpose, or even whether the issue has gained their attention.

In any case, Ms. Keefe Singer said, she could not comment about it until the committee receives a supplemental request from the Pentagon; that has yet to happen.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said this week he would like Congress to pass a supplemental war spending bill by Memorial Day.

In the past, critics of war supplemental bills have complained about the inclusion of funds for anything other than direct combat needs. In this case, Army officials have said the cuts result from the service's need to pour as many resources as possible into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The cuts being implemented at Fort Drum and other installations are reminiscent of threats the Defense Department made in past years to gain quicker passage of war spending bills. In this case, officials have made no such link.

Installations are facing cuts in operations and maintenance of 30 percent or more. Fort Drum is looking at 30 percent, or $36 million, including canceling some maintenance contracts with the Jefferson Rehabilitation Center, reducing mowing of lawns, canceling an annual air show and not filling positions that have been vacant.