Defense secretary: Budget drama 'embarrassing'

By Pete Kasperowicz, Pete Kasperowicz

Published December 20, 2015

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter wrote Wednesday that the failure of Congress to agree to a long-term funding plan is a national embarrassment, one that is creating doubts among enemies and allies about the U.S. commitment to fighting terrorism around the world.

"It's dangerous for military strategy," Carter wrote in the Wall Street Journal about the lack of a spending plan for 2016. "Frankly, it's embarrassing around the world. And it is deeply dispiriting to the U.S. military's talented people and their families."

Congress is facing several key deadlines in the coming weeks, including the debt ceiling. The ceiling must either be raised by Nov. 3 in order to maintain current spending levels, or spending must be cut back to match the level of federal tax revenues coming in.

Funding for the federal government expires in mid-December, and Congress is looking for a two-year budget plan that will help it write a spending bill for the rest of fiscal year 2016.