Rep. McKinney: "DOD To Cancel
Controversial Crusader Program"
May 8, 2002
"Now that the Crusader is gone,
I hope to see high-deployment per diem overtime
pay reinstated for our personnel."
(Washington, DC) --- The Office of Congresswoman
Cynthia McKinney today received a phone call from
the Pentagon informing her of Defense Secretary
Donald Rumsfeld's intention to cancel the Army's
controversial Crusader artillery program. The
Pentagon indicated that an announcement on the
cancellation would occur later today. Made by
United Defense, a subsidiary of the Carlyle Group,
the National Defense Authorization Act of 2003,
H.R. 4546, contains $475 million for research
and development for the Crusader in the next year
alone. Representative McKinney offered an amendment
to this week's consideration of H.R. 4546 to strike
the $475 million authorized for the Crusader.
"I welcome the Defense Secretary's action to
cancel the Crusader program. The Crusader's design
is a relic of the Cold War, it has cost nearly
$2 billion to date, and would cost at least $9
billion more to enter into service. Now, this
half billion dollars should be set aside for military
high-deployment per diem overtime pay," Representative
McKinney stated. "With the questionable relationship
that the Crusader's parent company, the Carlyle
Group, has with the White House and senior Cabinet
officials, it is a step towards accountable and
responsible government for this program to be
cancelled. Now that the Crusader is gone, I hope
to see high-deployment per diem overtime pay reinstated
for our personnel."
The Carlyle Group has been the target of criticism
from an array of organizations, notably Judicial
Watch, a conservative watchdog that found fault
with the Clinton Administration. Less than a year
ago, Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) request regarding the high level access
that the Carlyle Group had to the Bush Administration's
Defense Department. Judicial Watch has urged former
President George H.W. Bush, to cease his employment
with the Carlyle Group, where former Defense Secretary
Frank Carlucci, former British Prime Minister
John Major, and former State and Treasury Secretary
and former White House Chief of Staff James Baker,
III also work.
During the House Armed Service Committee mark
up of H.R. 4546, an amendment was added to prevent
the impending termination of the Crusader. On
this, McKinney noted in her dissent that "It is
unfortunate that, even when the Pentagon seeks
to shelve needless and wasteful programs, this
defense authorization and the defense industry
are capable of keeping the Crusader and other
questionable projects alive." "It is my hope that,
when considering how to make use of the newly
available half-billion dollars, that he will apply
it where it can have the most immediate effect-
to increase the compensation that our service
men and women receive for their defense of our
nation and its values, including the high-deployment
per diem overtime pay that President Bush cancelled
back in October," McKinney concluded.
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