Smith targeted waste

I would like to thank Congressman Adam Smith for his leadership during consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act last week. His amendment proposed a transparent and independent process for considering realignment or closures of military installations, an important step toward realizing budget savings and efficiencies in the Pentagon budget.

It’s a shame that the amendment was defeated. Wasting taxpayer dollars is unacceptable, and every dollar wasted is a dollar that could have been invested in ways that truly strengthen our national security and economy.

As the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Smith’s leadership to ensure that our tax dollars are being spent effectively is critically important. I hope that Congress will follow his example.

State Sen. Karen Keiser

Olympia