The Association of the U.S. Army has joined with more than 30 other military and veterans’ organizations to urge Congress to approve a timely defense budget to avoid unnecessary disruptions in programs.

The Military Coalition, a consortium of organizations including AUSA, urges in a Sept. 9 letter for lawmakers to pass a fiscal year 2020 budget before the current fiscal year ends at midnight Sept. 30.

“We remain a nation at war,” the letter says. “The total force simply cannot remain effective, absent adequate and timely defense authorizations and appropriations passed by the Congress.”  The letter also urges on-time funding for veterans benefits and programs.

The letter cautions of the harm that would result if Congress fails to pass a full-year funding bill and instead passes a shorter stopgap measure that allows federal programs to continue at current spending levels. The House Appropriations Committee is preparing what is known as a continuing resolution that would fund the government through Nov. 21.

AUSA and the other organizations worry about the impact. “Continuing resolutions would stymie the military services’ ability to grow, equip and train the total force—Regular, Guard, Reserve and civilians—necessary to meet today’s dynamic and growing threats,” the letter says. 

“The crippling strain would be worsened by preventing the military services from starting new programs that are needed to improve readiness, lethality and overmatch. Resources would tighten severely, procurement programs would languish, and taxpayer dollars would not be spent where most needed.”