Group campaigns for defense tech
- By George I. Seffers
- Jun 08, 2000
Six national defense and security associations have demanded that Texas
Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore prioritize attention on building
effective defenses against chemical, biological and computer attack.
The group of associations, known collectively as the Technology-Industrial
Base Coalition, issued a report Wednesday called "Presidential 2000." The
report recommends the presidential candidates focus on issues that include:
* Establishing a clear, overall national security policy consistent
with military capabilities.
* Making security objectives consistent with military strength.
* Modernizing aging military equipment by funding shortfalls in the
Pentagon's budget, including the $15.5 billion gap in the 2001 budget.
* Incorporating commercial business practices into Pentagon business
processes.
* Providing more money for military research and development. Only $7.5
billion of a $38.6 billion R&D allocation in the fiscal 2001 budget
request for defense is committed to science and technology, the group's
report stated.
The coalition is made up of the National Defense Industrial
Association, the Association of the United States Army, the Navy League,
the Aerospace Industries Association, the Government Electronics and Information
Technology Association, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
The coalition report can be found on the National
Defense Industrial Assocation's home page.