Lawmakers want to limit PCS funds

House appropriators have voted to reduce funding for permanent change-of-station moves in their defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2014.

Lawmakers recommended reducing the PCS budget by $151 million. Committee members said they believe there are areas for potential cost savings in PCS moves beyond longer tours of duty, according to the report accompanying the 2014 Defense Appropriations bill, passed by the House Appropriations Committee on June 12.

They direct the DoD Inspector General to review the PCS program to see if savings can be found. The bill will next move to the House floor for consideration.

Lawmakers already had required DoD to conduct a separate review of the PCS program for savings this year, but the appropriations committee has not yet received the report.

That said, lawmakers commended DoD and moving companies for reducing costs and improving the quality of household goods moves for service members, noting the successful shift to the Defense Personal Property Program to handle the claims process.

The committee’s bill recommends $512.5 billion in base defense non-war spending, $3.4 billion below what the administration requested, and $5.1 billion below the 2013 enacted budget. It includes $85.8 billion in war funding, an increase of $5 billion. Next, the bill moves to the full House for consideration.