This may be true, but then I would also ask why the Congress approved it. I've continued over all those years to be unimpressed with the ability of our Republican Congress to stand up for itself.
I think this cut in tanker spending occured in the early 90s when Democrats still controlled Congress. And when the GOP took control, I don't think it was one of those things that made it onto anyone's radar screen.
Do a search using these words:
Bottom-Up-Review
This was the Clinton administration's plan to severely cut our military from 1993-2000.
The US Military (and the Bush administration TO THIS DAY,)is STILL trying to play "catch-up" with the cuts that were made for Clinton's "Peace Dividend".
IMHO, that's why Clinton IGNORED any and ALL possible conflicts or terrorist attempts on the US, because he and the Dem's needed the money for "programs", (IE get certain folks hooked on more Gov't "crack"= free handouts with military money.
The "Bottom-Up-Review" was supposed to (according to Les Aspin, and the Clinton Admin) leave us STILL able to fight a two-theatre war, even with the massive cuts.
It did not.
I find it ironic that the Dems are the ones screaming "We need MORE troops", etc, like Murtha and the Dem bunch, when it was THEIR President who slashed and burned the military that their "Billy Boy" LOATHED.