McCain: Hagel should present Obama’s Pentagon budget

The new head of the Senate Armed Services Committee believes current Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, not his pending successor, should present the Pentagon’s budget for fiscal 2016 to lawmakers next month.

The White House is expected to roll out its budget for next year on Feb. 2, according to media reports. If that date holds, it could overlap with when the powerful committee plans to hold its confirmation hearing for Ashton Carter to be the new Defense Department chief.

“It does conflict a little but that’s the first time he’s able to appear so we’re going to try to cram in both,” Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters on Wednesday.

{mosads}He said it would be difficult for Carter to defend the administration’s request “because he’s brand new.”

“That’s why it’s probably appropriate for Hagel to do it because I can’t expect [Carter] to know the complete budget when he just is confirmed,” McCain added.

The Arizona lawmaker had originally intended to hold a confirmation hearing in January but delayed it because Carter needed more time to recover from back surgery.

McCain said he spoke with the nominee earlier on Wednesday and “he’s still alive, so that’s good.”

McCain also weighed in on the upcoming recommendations by a congressionally appointed commission studying military pay and compensation. 

“We’re going to have to do some very serious examining of that committee’s recommendations,” McCain said.

The panel, created two years ago, is expected to release its suggestions in a few weeks.

“We all know there needs to be reforms made,” McCain said, noting that his close ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), would helm the Armed Services personnel subpanel that will scrutinize the commission’s recommendations.

The full roster of subcommittee chairs and rosters has yet to be released.