Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 3159 - Ensuring Military Readiness Through Stability and Predictability Deployment Policy Act

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)

(Rep. Tauscher (D) CA and 21 cosponsors)

The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 3159. This legislation would substitute the mandates of Congress for the considered judgment of our military commanders and would impose inappropriate, operationally unsound, and arbitrary constraints on how the Department of Defense should prepare units to deploy. It is unwise to codify in law specific deployment and dwell times, since this would artificially limit the flexibility of our commanders to conduct operations in the field. Further, and notwithstanding certain waiver authorities, H.R. 3159 would infringe on the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief to manage the readiness and availability of the Armed Forces. If this legislation were presented to the President, he would veto the bill.