
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s recent letter to congressional appropriations leaders warned a six-month continuing resolution (CR) would put the schedule and cost of the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines at risk when there is already no margin left in the schedule. Austin’s letter, dated Sept. 7, warned the CR plan from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) would have “devastating” impacts on the Pentagon plans overall (Defense Daily, Sept. 9). His letter argued one of the biggest impacts to a…