Pentagon Says It Could Survive A Shutdown

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters Tuesday that Defense operations will continue if the government shuts down at the end of the week.

“Even if that were to come to pass, which we hope it doesn’t, we would retain the ability and the authority to continue to protect our vital interests around the world, to continue to safeguard the nation’s security and wage the wars we’re fighting and the operations that we are conducting right now,” Morrell said from the Pentagon briefing room. When pressed, Morrell would not say what precautions the Defense Department have taken so far.

The spokesman could not answer whether U.S. servicemen would receive their pay on time in the event of a shutdown.

“It is something that we are still working through,” Morrell said. “It’s premature for anyone to suggest a determination has been made one way or the other.”

Both parties of Congress continue to butt heads over a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year. Funding is currently set to expire Friday if a solution isn’t reached.

Republican leaders have proposed an additional continuing resolution that would fund the government at 2010 levels, albeit with $12 billion in cuts, for an additional week while also committing Defense funds for the remainder of the fiscal year.

However, according to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), the White House has rejected the proposal.