Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has said a long-term continuing resolution would force the service branch to operate “with over $13 billion less” and could affect some of its modernization programs in an interview with Air Force Times published Monday.

James told Air Force Times reporter Stephen Losey the service branch would have to delay about 50 programs, including efforts to increase in the number of F-35 fighter jets and KC-46 military transport planes.

“So across the board, a long-term continuing resolution would do us a lot of damage, and [Air Force Chief of Staff] Gen. Mark Welsh and I and others are working this very hard on Capitol Hill to get that point across,” James said.

“We need a full-up appropriation bill, and we need a full-up authorization bill.”

James also said she hopes to get 4,000 additional airmen and airwomen for the service branch and has initiated efforts to modestly increase the number of uniformed personnel in order “to address some of our highest-priority areas.”

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