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HEAR Matt Kaye's report HERE>>>7-28 levinmccainwebbcsis.mp3

Senate Armed Services Chair Carl Levin, ranking republican John McCain and member Jim Webb says they’re still reviewing the report and its “classified annex.”

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But they say the Pentagon-commissioned study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies “raises a number of issues…worthy of further consideration.”

Among them, CSIS concluded DoD has not adequately spelled out its strategy to realign Pacific forces, nor aligned that strategy with “current budget realities.”

Levin, McCain and Webb warn again, as they have so many times, support in Congress for major overseas efforts in the current budget climate depends on how well the Pentagon spells out its plans, and how spending meets them.

Guam build-up officials and leaders last week acknowledged CSIS's criticism of DoD for underestimating costs, but insist the report still means a quicker path forward since it seems to agree with pentagon plans, especially the number of Marines to redeploy on Guam.

And the report calls for a sustained build-up of infrastructure, regardless of the number of troops.

There are also recommendations to add bombers at Andersen, nuclear subs at the Naval Base Guam, and a Patriot Missile defense system.

But Congress is faced major budget decisions before January first, whether to let automatic defense and domestic cuts and tax hikes take effect then under last year’s budget control act, or come up with new numbers.

The Pentagon will face at least half-a-trillion in automatic cuts on top of some $400-billion-plus Congress has already ordered.

Levin, McCain and Webb state, “Congress must be confident that the DoD force planning and realignment proposals are realistic, workable and affordable.”