A six-month stopgap funding bill would hamper the Army’s recruiting momentum as well as several key investments in transformation and weapons programs, the service’s top civilian leader wrote in a letter to Congressional appropriators.

“Under a six-month [continuing resolution], funding would remain at [fiscal year 2024] levels, and the Army would have to delay as much as $8.2 billion in critical investments for recruiting, training, and capability development, including 23 new start procurement programs valued at $400 million,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth wrote in the Sept. 18 letter. “The Army's inability to start new programs or realign funds to match emerging needs would reduce our purchasing power and create meaningful cost as well as schedule risk in Army programs.”

The current fiscal year ends Sept. 30, and lawmakers continue to work on legislation to keep the government open and funded. A proposed six-month stopgap bill, known as a continuing resolution, failed in the House of Representatives on Sept. 18.

Wormuth’s letter follows a similar missive sent to lawmakers on Sept. 7 by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who warned of the impacts across the Pentagon and services.

Continuing resolutions keep funding at the previous year’s levels and prevent new program starts. The Association of the U.S. Army has repeatedly urged Congress to pass on-time and adequate defense budgets. In August and September, AUSA joined like-minded military and veterans groups in sending letters to key lawmakers to urge swift action.

Additionally, the groups said, if stopgap funding is required to avert a “harmful and counterproductive government shutdown, it should be a short one.”

“Funding the government at last year’s rate diminishes national security and the capabilities of the uniformed services (both Regular and Reserve Components) by hurting readiness, modernization, and quality-of-life programs,” the letter sent on Sept. 9 says.

In her letter, Wormuth cited the “real progress” the Army has made in recruiting. “A CR would cap funding at FY24 levels and restrict transfers across accounts, which would limit funds available to invest in initiatives essential to achieving these objectives,” she wrote.

As an example, the Army would not be able to support improvements to its recruiting stations or fund digital training. A continuing resolution also would impact the Army’s flexibility to fund recruiting bonuses and incentives.

A continuing resolution also would postpone a $403 million planned award for a battalion-sized order of Patriot missile hardware and delay development of the Integrated Battle Command System. It also would delay several planned investments in uncrewed aerial systems as well as delay a production rate increase and fielding of the Army’s new Next General Squad Weapon to two brigade combat teams, Wormuth wrote in the letter.

There also will be delays to production of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, investments to modernize Army organic industrial base facilities and military construction projects at installations in Alaska, Kentucky, Washington, Texas and Michigan, Wormuth wrote.

“The Army stands ready to work with Congress to support full and timely funding of the Army's FY25 budget request through the swift passage of the FY25 Defense and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations bills,” Wormuth wrote.

Read the letter here.