{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=5F9B460F-64DA-4795-9FA9-8A3877AEF9BF", "Scott, HASC Republicans Stress Need to Maintain National Defense in Letter to Budget Conference", "2013-10-24", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "GA", "Austin Scott", "S001189", "austinscott.house.gov", "austinscott", "https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) joined House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Republicans in sending a letter to FY14 Budget conferees, Chairman Paul Ryan and Chairman Patty Murray, highlighting the need to maintain national defense at the House budget level. The letter describes the impacts of defense cuts both to the overall force and readiness, while urging support for entitlement reform in lieu of cuts to our military.\n\n\u201cTime and time again over the last 24 months, the committee has received testimony that sequestration will be devastating to our Armed Forces, their family members, and the defense industrial base, as well as local communities and the economy,\u201d stated HASC Republicans in their letter.\n\n\u201cThe members of this committee believe that everything should be on the table in order to address our Nation\u2019s deficit spending. However, while defense represents only 17 percent of our national budget, our military has absorbed 50 percent of the cuts to date.\n\n\u201cIn closing, we look forward to working with you and the members of the Conference on the Budget to construct a budget plan that reflects our commitment to meet emerging threats and secures our national defense.\u201d\n\nThe letter serves as a companion to the formal Views and Estimates the HASC sent to the Budget Committee in March. The letter included an attachment with testimony we\u2019ve received at the HASC from the service chiefs and others.\n\nA pdf version of the letter is available here, and the following HASC members joined Rep. Scott in signing on to the letter:\n\nChairman Howard \"Buck\" McKeon, California\n\nVice Chairman Mac Thornberry, Texas\n\nRep. Randy Forbes, Virginia\n\nRep. Jeff Miller, Florida\n\nRep. Joe Wilson, South Carolina\n\nRep. Frank LoBiondo, New Jersey\n\nRep. Rob Bishop, Utah\n\nRep. Mike Turner, Ohio\n\nRep. John Kline, Minnesota\n\nRep. Mike Rogers, Alabama\n\nRep. Trent Franks, Arizona\n\nRep. Bill Shuster, Pennsylvania\n\nRep. Mike Conaway, Texas\n\nRep. Doug Lamborn, Colorado\n\nRep. Rob Wittman, Virginia\n\nRep. Duncan D. Hunter, California\n\nRep. John C. Fleming, Louisiana\n\nRep. Scott Rigell, Virginia\n\nRep. Chris Gibson, New York\n\nRep. Vicky Hartzler, Missouri\n\nRep. Joe Heck, Nevada\n\nRep. Jon Runyan, New Jersey\n\nRep. Austin Scott, Georgia\n\nRep. Steven Palazzo, Mississippi\n\nRep. Martha Roby, Alabama\n\nRep. Mo Brooks, Alabama\n\nRep.Paul Cook, California\n\nRep. Jim Bridenstine, Oklahoma\n\nRep. Brad Wenstrup, Ohio\n\nRep. Jackie Walorski, Indiana\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T22:39:21Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://austinscott.house.gov/press-releases?ID=5F9B460F-64DA-4795-9FA9-8A3877AEF9BF"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6319840215146542, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}