But the spending comes at a price, according to Pentagon and administration officials. "If members try to restore their favorite programs without regard to an overall strategy, the cuts will have to come from areas that could impact overall readiness," Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in a May news briefing.
"Every dollar that is added will have to be offset by cuts in national security," Panetta added. "And if for some reason they do not want to comply with the Budget Control Act, then they would certainly be adding to the deficit, which only puts our national security further at risk."