▶ 0:33:44Pursuant to rule 7A and with the concurrence of the ranking member, the committee will come to order. Uh I want to welcome uh our colleagues to the HASK uh member day. Thank you for taking time to be here with us today. Uh we look forward to hearing from you all on your priorities for the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. In addition to the testimony provided today, several members have submitted statements for the record.
▶ 0:34:11I ask unanimous consent that all members written statements be made part of the record without objection. So ordered. Uh the committee will recognize members to give statements one at a time in the order of which they arrived. Uh we will limit testimony to four minutes today, but we will enter your full remarks into the record. Thank you for being here and I want to yield to the ranking member for any opening statement he may have. Uh just quickly, it's great to have members uh from outside the committee here as the chairman and I always do.
▶ 0:34:40It's a big bill, a lot of policy in it. We want to make sure we reflect the entire Congress uh not just those in the armed services committee. So I appreciate you being here and uh look forward to hearing your testimony. I yield back. Thank the ranking member. Our fir first witness today is Miss Captor from Ohio. You're recognized. The floor is yours. Thank you, Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, and distinguished members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before your committee.
▶ 0:35:09Uh, today I wish to address three issues for which I seek inclusion as your committee develops the 26 FY26 defense authorizing bill. First of all, to expand congressional engagement in maintaining our transatlantic relationships and security commitments to NATO, Central Europe, and Ukraine. Second, to improve the health benefits provided to Gold Star spouses and children.
▶ 0:35:34Third, to afford proper and equal VA and DoD health benefits to guard and reserve members who were wounded in combat but are treated differently for long-term eligibility for injury and illness treatment such as PTSD. and four fourthly to strike a new service medal entitled last service member standing. Let me briefly describe each.
▶ 0:36:00First, for at least 76 years, the nations represented by NATO have worked together in mutual self-interest for liberty and security under the umbrella of the strongest alliance for liberty in history. NATO. However, as we speak, the everexpanding spiderweb of tyranny, including Vladimir Putin's Russian dictatorship with North Korea, Iran, prey again on the people of Ukraine and encroach on other adjacent nations that seek to be free.
▶ 0:36:27The fight for liberty is a global effort and it requires a global response. For our part, Ohioans, like other parts of our country, care deeply about liberty. We know liberty's cost. We know its worth. And just like you, we stand in unwavering support of freedom's cause.
▶ 0:36:44And that is why I call upon this committee to consider requiring through legislation early notice mandates to Congress should any administration seek to withdraw US troops below the levels necessary to deter Russian aggression against our allies. And two, consider making clear that in negotiating a ceasefire with Ukraine, we will not seed to Russian demands.
▶ 0:37:07Putin must be held accountable for the crimes of aggression and theft of thousands of childrens he has committed against the people of Ukraine. The kidnapping of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children already has been deemed a war crime by the international criminal court. In addition, Ukraine through our NATO alliance must continue to provide the weapons and material needed to push Russia back inside its own borders.
▶ 0:37:34Number two, um a second request I place before your committee involves my legislation, the Gold Star Spouse Healthcare Enhancement Act. This bill will allow surviving spouses and minor children who meet the criteria for a gold star lapel button to maintain Triricare Prime or Triricare Select coverage as active duty family members for as long as they retain eligibility for Triricare coverage.
▶ 0:38:03The debt our nation owes to the brave men and women who make the ultimate sacrifice while serving overseas is not a debt that can be paid within three year three years. It is our sacred responsibility to honor their sacrifice by caring for their surviving spouses and minor age children. My third request involves a gap in current long-term military health system coverage related to surviving combat veterans who served in the reserve or guard.
▶ 0:38:30I met with such a group again just two weeks ago and it is my understanding that eligibility for longer term health care services um can expire despite a veterans having endured major combat wounds and uh a lifelong need for example for serious PTSD intervention uh that remains raging and debilitating. Uh my fourth and final request involves a new medal.
▶ 0:38:58I seek your committee's authorization through the Department of Defense to perform necessary research and create criteria including character, circumstance, nature of the battle, war wounds, and medical records to define, strike, and administer the award of a new category of service medal acknowledging the heroism and exceptional valor of our last service member standing. One more paragraph. Presently, the Department of Defense only processes medals for soldiers who served in battle if there are two living witnesses that can verify their service.
▶ 0:39:28For soldiers who served in horrific battle with all unit soldiers dead but one remaining alive and critically wounded yet standing ground, the current regulations simply make no sense. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Smith for the opportunity to speak today to your committee and present these vital suggestions. I look forward to working with you and your staff to develop these proposals and move them across the finish line. Thank you so very much. Thank you, Miss Captor. Those very thoughtful suggestions.
▶ 0:39:57Miss Randall, you're Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, thank you for the opportunity to share my priorities for the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act. My district is home to Puasan Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Army Reserve Center in Tacoma, as well as Naval Base Kitapp and Naval Hospital Burton. More than 15,000 active duty service members, reser and their families call Washington's sixth district home.
▶ 0:40:26In the Washington State Legislature, I had the opportunity to lead the creation of a law to strengthen transition support for military connected students, ensuring they could more easily enroll transfer credits and access services after a PCS move. I'll soon be introducing the bipartisan assuring navigation of compact help for ongoing relocations or anchor for military families act and urge you to include the bill in the NDAA.
▶ 0:40:52Military families, especially those with children in special ed or the exceptional family members program, face significant challenges during permanent change of station moves. Although all 50 states and Washington DC have adopted the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission, many families still don't know their rights. My bill would require the Department of Defense to provide standardized accessible relocation guidance using existing platforms at least 45 days before a PCS.
▶ 0:41:21And we've gotten good feedback from DoD on this policy. This will ensure that families are better prepared and supported before arriving at their new duty stations. I also urged this committee to increase authorization for the dep def defense community infrastructure program or DIP. As you know, this program supports off-base infrastructure that is vital to readiness and quality of life such as water systems, schools, and emergency services. Demand remains really high.
▶ 0:41:49In FY24, only 14 DIP projects were funded with the currently authorized $100 million, underscoring the urgent need for expanded support to meet growing infrastructure needs. In my community, there's a particular um need for increased support for multimodal projects so that students can get to school alongside the workers headed to base. Those two things don't have to be in contrast with each other. We can ensure that our infrastructure works for all families around our bases.
▶ 0:42:20Increasing the authorization for DIP would strengthen the connection between military installations and the communities that support them. My district is also home to companies like Safeboats International who exemplify how employee ownership drives workforce stability and delivers exceptional value to the DoD.
▶ 0:42:38I appreciate the committee's FY22 NDAA language to support contracting with companies that are wholly owned by employee stock ownership plans or ESOPS and I would like to work with the committee on ways to further strengthen this language to support businesses like safe boats. Lastly, I want to express my concerns about the continued reductions in services at military treatment facilities and hospitals.
▶ 0:43:03In my district, obstetric care and impatient mental health services have been removed from our local naval hospital, forcing families to travel for routine and specialized care. And while the uh a map might say that we're only 14 miles from another facility, in my district that means taking a ferry to Seattle, which is not always easy for families.
▶ 0:43:25They've already had to make the difficult decision at Naval Base or that the Naval Hospital to close their ER and labor and delivery unit and will soon lose their last remaining OB/GYM. This shift places additional strain on civilian providers and delays access for military families who already face complex health challenges. We must reverse this trend and restore core services at military treatment facilities, especially in regions with large military populations. Thank you again for the opportunity to share these priorities.
▶ 0:43:55I appreciate the committee's effort and the staff who make this work possible. My team and I are ready to assist in any way we can. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Randall. Did you put in there a recommended authorization level for DIP? You said you wanted to be raised. Did you Did you say how much? Uh um Congresswoman Strickland has the recommendation for that level. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Miss Gluten Camp Perez, you're recognized. Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Smith, it's good to be with you today. Thank you for making time to hear from us about our communities and our interests here.
▶ 0:44:26Um one thing I'd like to rise today raise today is u military right to repair legislation. Um, when our service members are required to be on hold with a manufacturer, ship parts overseas, uh, for simple repairs, um, when they have to fly an authorized contractor out to work on their equipment, it's not just costly and demoralizing, candidly, to the technician, it also deprivives them of the skill to go out into the workforce and build that asset nationally.
▶ 0:44:56This is a long-term cost uh not just to our military readiness but also to our um our our embodied skill set in this nation. And so I would um love to have your support in the uh service member right to repair act that requires manufacturers to provide the defense department with fair and reasonable access to repair materials. Um last month the Trump administration announced that the army would be prioritizing right to repair provisions in its contract. This is very welcome news.
▶ 0:45:25Uh, and I hope that other branches of the armed services follow suit. There's actually a report recently in um the public uh the PRG about military right to repair and a statistical study um seven out of eight Americans support military right to repair. I don't know what's up with the other one person, but this is a broadly held sentiment that this is something that we should be doing as a nation.
▶ 0:45:47Um, it's my hope that the my committee can build on this bipartisan momentum in this year's National Defense Author authorization act by including my service member right to repair ledge act in base text uh by prioritizing repair and defense contracts. We can save our tax dollars that we work so hard to build. Thank you so much for your leadership on this committee. Thank you for your um continued support for Ukraine. Our community has suffered greatly. Um they have suffered bitterly as a nation advancing the values that we share in this nation. Um so thank you so much for your work. look forward to working with you.
▶ 0:46:17Thank you. And I fully not only support Ukraine, but I fully support the right to repair legislation, and I'm I'm hopeful that it will be this uh done this year. All right, Miss Stanberry, you're recognized. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With your permission, I know Representative Shrier's under a time crunch. Can I punt to her first? Thank Thank you, Chairman Rogers. Thank you, uh, Ranking Member Smith. Thank you, Representative Stanberry.
▶ 0:46:46Uh, I I treasure the opportunity to be able to testify before you here today. Passing the National Defense Authorization Act each year is some of the most important work we do in Congress. The bill authorizes funding for the Department of Defense to enhance our national security and provide for our service members and their families. Uh, I'm honored to represent many of those service members and their families who are stationed at Joint Base Lewis McCord.
▶ 0:47:12Washington state has a very high cost of living and that's especially true for our service members. They and their families already make so many sacrifices to serve their country and it's only right that we take care of them. I was proud to vote for the FY25 NDAA which included a significant pay raise for junior enlisted members, expanded child care fee assistance, and recognized the importance of child care workers on base. But there's still so much work to be done.
▶ 0:47:41Housing and child care continue to be particularly difficult expenses for many military families. Outside military bases like JBL, raising the basic allowance on housing actually leads to landlords increasing their rents by the exact same amount, leaving service members really with no benefit.
▶ 0:48:03Service members based out of Seattle were previously eligible for a cost of living adjustment, but this was reversed in the most recent announcement of COLA eligible locations for 2025. COLA gives service members more power than a simple housing allowance increase, whether in Seattle or elsewhere in Washington state. Service members deserve fair compensation.
▶ 0:48:25Many of their civilian defense colleagues reserve uh receive locality pay to address rising costs in the area and this should be no different for service members. They also desperately need more affordable and accessible child care options in Washington. Pay for childare workers on base is not close to on par with the pay they can receive elsewhere. And so when a childare worker has to decide where to work, it is probably not going to be the military pace.
▶ 0:48:52So, in increasing pay for childare workers at military uh operated childare centers is a critical step to ensuring uh child care is provided. Continued investments in child care fee assistance are also incredibly important for those who don't utilize or can't utilize military operated child care centers.
▶ 0:49:14Um, some families live up to an hour away uh from base and so it is not feasible to travel that distance back and forth for child care and this is especially true for military spouses who already face other challenges. Um, they should have the ability to choose which child care services support their family the best, whether that be on base or closer to home. We also need to ensure states have the information available to fully understand the extent of child care needs.
▶ 0:49:44Demographic and childcare fee assistance utilization data is currently offered only at the state level. We need that at the zip code level to reflect what's going on with our military. Lastly, and I'm speaking as a physician here, I was extremely disappointed to see significant cuts to the congressionally directed medical research program in the fullear continuing resolution.
▶ 0:50:07CDMRP is a catalyst for groundbreaking innovations in healthcare, but the program was only funded at $650 million in fiscal year 25. That is a 57% cut. This resulted in more than 20 programs uh being cut included research for spinal cord injuries, cancer, HIV, AIDS and epilepsy. And we need to do better here in the United States of America. Uh research here imp impacts people around the globe.
▶ 0:50:36We need to remain the leader in research around the world. And I hope that you will uh reverse these cuts and enhance research in the 26 NDAA. Thank you. I yield back. Did the authorizers cut that or did the appropriators cut it? Do you know? Uh I believe that was just in the CR. So it was the appropriators. I I just don't remember us cutting that in the authorization bill. We may have, but if you could have your staff let me know.
▶ 0:51:06And and I also wanted to say I appreciate your continued focus on child care, not only the wage for the workers, but the reimbursement. Uh, as you know, that was the big thrust of last year's bill, and I don't know that those changes have had time to make their way, but I I appreciate the fact you're staying on top of that.
▶ 0:51:25I hope you will continue to give us feedback about what you're hearing about u any shortcomings that may still exist after the new relief that we've just funded and authorized uh percolates into those systems. Thank you. I really appreciate it. And they do, too. Thank you. Now, Miss Stanberry, are you ready? Yes. You're up. All right. Well, good morning. Thank you, Chairman Rogers. Thank you to our ranking member Smith.
▶ 0:51:50Uh, I'm delighted and honored to be here today in front of the Committee on Armed Services to testify on the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. Uh, I represent New Mexico's first congressional district and that includes Kirtland Air Force Base in Sandia National Labs. And as you know, this is integral to our national nuclear security apparatus. I want to start by saying thank you, Mr.
▶ 0:52:16Chairman and ranking member, for your tremendous leadership this last NDAA for the pay raise for our active duty service members, especially in a base that is expanding in a population in Albuquerque that is heavily uh service member families. It was long overdue. So, thank you for your leadership.
▶ 0:52:35I'm here today to testify on two main priorities for Albuquerque and for Kirtland Air Force Base in our communities uh and which your staff have been a tremendous support in the last NDAA in helping us to get report language to help hold uh the Department of Defense accountable and continuing to work with our communities.
▶ 0:52:56The first has to do with unexloded ordinance and demining at Sandia National Labs and the Kirtland Air Force Base and the adjacent tribal lands. Dating back to the Manhattan project in World War II, there has been years and years of testing of both nuclear and other materials on the base and adjacent lands.
▶ 0:53:18And unfortunately, the tribe who's directly south of the baselands for many years uh was uh subjected to having their lands utilized for testing of munitions. Uh increasingly, especially as weather events have exposed those munitions, they do pose a direct risk to our tribal community.
▶ 0:53:38And so our ask is to include language once again uh to ask the department of defense to coordinate with the department of energy because it also falls under the national nuclear security administration and with our tribes to coordinate the removal of those materials. We're also looking for continued funding for NAMP which is the program the Army Corps uses to contract and work with tribes to remove those materials.
▶ 0:54:05So, uh, we look forward to hopefully having the opportunity to work with you on that. The second is that for the last 26 years, we've have had a jet fuel leak on Kirtland Air Force Base. And unfortunately, due to the slow pace with which the cleanup is happening, it is threatening the groundwater aquifer, which is the drinking water for the city of Albuquerque.
▶ 0:54:26We've been asked by the state and our city and county as well as our utility to try to get an accelerated timeline working with Department of Defense and the Air Force to get that jet plume cleaned up because it is directly threatening the water supply for our city which of course affects a million people but it also affects the readiness of the base itself because our families live in town and drink that water as well.
▶ 0:54:51So, uh, I very much appreciate the opportunity to be able to testify here today and really truly do thank you for your leadership and with that I yield back. Have you have you made a a direct inquiry of the service about that remediation and and speed and have they replied to you? Absolutely.
▶ 0:55:09We are in constant contact with the command uh with the commander of the base but there have been ongoing challenges shall we say uh with um the cleanup and I can get into more details but I know we don't have sufficient time here.
▶ 0:55:25You know, the the mission of Kirtland Air Force Base is primarily a nuclear mission and so our commanders necessarily are often focused on uh the mission of national security and so other important activities that need to happen are not happening oftentimes at the pace they need to. Okay. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. All right. And now Budzinski, you got it. Chairman. All right. You're up. Thank you, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith.
▶ 0:55:54I appreciate this opportunity to provide testimony before the House Armed Services Committee as a part of the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act member day. Um I am here before you again this year to advocate for the inclusion of a policy that would stimulate domestic manufacturing, create new jobs, and protect the health and safety of our military service members.
▶ 0:56:18The bipartisan boots act would ensure that all optional optional combat boots available to our military personnel are berry amendment compliant meaning that they are made in the United States and sourced with American materials. Right now the DoD regulations permit soldiers to purchase foreignade boots that mimic the appearance of regulation boots but fall far short in quality and durability.
▶ 0:56:46Not only does this leave our troops vulnerable to injury, it also undermines our defense supply chain. These concerns are underscored in the 2024 Camoland clothing and textile industrialbased war game report commissioned by the DoD's Defense Logistics Agency. The report warns that in the event of a major conflict, the current clothing and textile supply chain would be too fragile to meet demand.
▶ 0:57:13Among its recommendations is that military exchanges stock only Barry compliant uniform items, including boots, citing a troubling increase in reliance on foreignmade footwear, a critical vulnerability in our supply chain. The Boots Act addressing this issue passed the House in last year's NDAA, but was ultimately stripped in conference negotiations.
▶ 0:57:39However, the final bill did include language directing DoD to report to Congress on the feasibility of requiring Barry amendment compliant boots. In its response, DoD acknowledged that continued reliance on foreignade boots risk further weakening of our domestic footwear industrial base and job market.
▶ 0:57:59The report also raised repeated concerns about quality as foreign made boots may not meet the same quality standards as domestic made boots, potentially compromising again the safety and well-being of our service members. Lastly, select branches noted that requiring Barry amendment boots could support domestic job creation and stimulate investments in US footwear manufacturing infrastructure.
▶ 0:58:26That is why we must include the Boots Act again in the NDAA this year. This bipartisan policy aligns with President Trump's stated commitment to revitalizing American manufacturing and bringing jobs back home. Uh by including this provision in the NDAA, we can protect our troops with higher quality equipment, strengthen our industrial base, and reduce dependence on foreign supply chains.
▶ 0:58:52I thank Congressman Boston for his partnership on this important provision and I ask that the committee support inclusion and passage again of the Boots Act in this year's National Defense Authorization Act. I want to thank you again for this opportunity to testify and I look forward to working together on this important issue. Thank you and I yield back. Thank you and I appreciate you staying after it. Thank you. All right, Miss Escobar, you're up. Good morning, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith.
▶ 0:59:22I miss serving on the House Armed Services Committee so much that I'm here today to testify before you on member day. I want to thank you both for your leadership. Um I so appreciate the bipartisan process in crafting the NDAA every year and I'm here to offer my own recommendations since I cannot do it as a member of the Armed Services Committee. As you both know, I have the incredible privilege of representing Fort Bliss.
▶ 0:59:50And um as the representative for Fort Bliss, I'd like to highlight some of the concerns uh that I have, which I've shared with you all before. Um so none of this is is new. One of my primary concerns is regarding this administration's unprecedented use of DoD assets for operations that traditionally fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland of of Homeland Security.
▶ 1:00:15In recent months, we've seen this administration use military airlift to deport migrants out of Fort Bliss, an absurdly expensive operation to set up a migrant detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, and a plan to establish migrant detention camps on military installations around the country. DHS has requested these DoD support operations be provided on a nonreimburseable basis, which is egregious.
▶ 1:00:44as funds appropriated to DoD should be used to provide for our service members and focus on global threats, not misuse assets and resources when more costeffective alternatives are available. As we near the start of construction of a migrant detention facility on Fort Bliss, the first installation subjected to such plans thus far, I would like to iterate my opposition to this misuse of our military bases.
▶ 1:01:12The last time Fort Bliss was required to build and support a holding facility, it was part of Operation Allies Welcome when a large facility was built to hold over 10,000 Afghan refugees that the US evacuated and processed in coordination with DHS. That mission alone set Fort Bliss back on readiness levels by approximately 2 years.
▶ 1:01:36I remain deeply worried that allowing migrant detention facilities onto our military bases and directing surges of troops along the border will have similar effects on our readiness at a time when we cannot afford to do so. I would also like to add that such operations also jeopardize civil military relations in communities like my hometown of El Paso where we are so proud of Fort Bliss, our soldiers and their families.
▶ 1:02:03At a time when border crossings are at historic lows, constituents in my district have few answers as to why strikers, armored fighting vehicles, are patrolling our community carrying DHS personnel who have patrol vehicles of their own.
▶ 1:02:19I think it's important to note that in President Trump's first term, his own secretaries of defense opposed using the military for federal law enforcement matters as they revered our military as an institution and understood that involvement of our armed forces in domestic political matters set a dangerous precedent both for our military and our communities at home. I have another a number of other requests, but as I'm running out of time, I will make sure to submit those to you all.
▶ 1:02:48I also look forward to working closely with you as I serve on the uh Milconva subcommittee of the appropriations committee and would like to ensure that the work we did last Congress under the quality of life panel that we fulfill that promise through our appropriations as well as through the authorization process. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking member. I yield back. Great.
▶ 1:03:12Glad to have you back here where you belong and but I'm glad I'm also glad to have you as an appropriator to make sure that things that we authorize get funded. So, welcome. Thank you. All right. Next, we have Mr. Gonzalez of Thank you, uh, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for holding today's member hearing. Um, as you prepare the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2026, we appreciate the opportunity to speak before this committee.
▶ 1:03:40Um, I have a couple of pressing infrastructure issues on NAS Kingsville in my district in Texas 34. A new pass and tag facility and a fire station training facility uh located in 30 in the 34th Congressional District in South Texas. NAS Kingsville plays a critical role in training the next generation of Navy and Marine Corps aviators. Uh, it's been doing so since it opened its doors in 1942.
▶ 1:04:06Today, NAS Kingsville is home to uh to training Airwing 2 and trains nearly 50% of Navy and Marine Corps tactical jet pilots every year. Last year, I was incredibly excited to bring former Secretary uh of the Navy Carlos Del Torto, to NAS Kingsville and discuss ongoing efforts uh to improve the well-being of the base and its personnel.
▶ 1:04:29NAS Kingsville is not only a premier location for jet and strike aviation training, but also plays a vital role in the region's local economy. The installation is economically important as it employs over 4,000 employees, including over 1,800 active duty military personnel. It also contribute contributes at least a thousand a billion dollars to the Texas economy. As you can see, NAS Kingsville plays a crucial role not only to my district, but to the nation.
▶ 1:04:58And that is why we must act quickly to address these long overdue infrastructure issues. The installation uh the installation's current pass and tag facility is located 1.3 miles beyond the south entry control point which uh requiring gate security personnel to escort visitors and contractors over a mile into the installation before they can obtain uh their credentials. This poses a significant security risk for NAS Kingsville.
▶ 1:05:27It delays vehicle entry into the base and places an additional burden on on base security personnel. Uh then there's the issue of NAS Kingsville fire station which was built in 1956 almost uh what 75 years ago almost 80 years ago and it's in desperate need of renovation or replacement.
▶ 1:05:48The facility is too small to accommodate modern fire firefighting equipment and is plagued by a variety of issues including leaky roofs, mold, ineffective climate control. Um, in case I need to remind you, it's really hot in South Texas and and we can really use some help there.
▶ 1:06:05NAS Kingsville is requesting funding to renovate and expand the fire station to both accommodate modern fire firefighting equipment apparatus, train NAS firefighters, and increase quality of life for an onduty for on duty fire uh first responders. For years now, NAS Kingsville uh command has requested funding to complete the new pass and tag facility and fire station training facility.
▶ 1:06:30However, they've been unsuccessful as uh DoD requires projects to be included in future years defense programs or unfunded priority lists to be eligible for funding. Last year, uh we introduced two amendments for FY25 NDAA highlight highlighting the importance of these two projects for NAS Kingsville, but they were not uh they were not made in order. I urge you and your colleagues to consider including similar language in this year's NDAA. Thank you and I yield back.
▶ 1:07:01Thank you, Mr. Gonzalez. Mr. Yakam, you're recognized. Thank you, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for holding this hearing today. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be before this committee and share some really important things uh to the Hooser State. My district is the proud home of AMG General, which has been manufacturing Humvees for our military for the past 40 years. They have strived to consistently innovate and make Humvees safer, effective, and more reliable for our war fighters.
▶ 1:07:28As a result, the Humvey has served on countless missions at home and abroad. Currently, the National Guard is deploying Humvees in their mission to secure the southern border. In addition to Humvees, AM General also committed to investing over $380 million in a new facility to manufacture joint-like tactical vehicles, A2 variant, or JLTV A2.
▶ 1:07:52The JLTV A2 has a greater payload, blast protection, and arming capability due to its weight and size relative to the Humvey. The JLTV A2 is now in production in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that features more than 250 enhancements to the original JLTV, which provides greater mobility, reliability, and technological In April, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll announced a new modernization plan for the Army which included eliminating the Humvey
▶ 1:08:23and JLTV. I fully understand and support the need to evaluate defense spending in order to adequately prepare for the future warfare. However, this announcement was disappointing news for Indiana. AMG General alone proudly employs more than 1100 hardworking Americans across their Midwest The broader light tactical vehicle or LTV industrial base stretches across 43 states and over,00 supplier businesses.
▶ 1:08:53My staff and I have been actively engaging with Secretary Durkll, the administration, state and local officials and AM General to understand the modernization strategy and the process. Mr. Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member Smith, I ask that you as you engage with the Department of Defense, you work to gain more information on the implementation and timeline of the Army's modernization plans.
▶ 1:09:16I'm happy to partner with you throughout this process and provide you with any information as you that you may need as these discussions continue. I know AMG General can play a strong role in equipping our war fighters for decades to come. So, I ask that you keep them at the table as discussions around the future of the Humvey and JLTV continue. Thank you again for this opportunity to testify. And with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. I thank you, Mr. Jackman. We will do just that. Thank you, sir. Mr. Stalber, you're recognized.
▶ 1:09:46Thank you, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith, for this opportunity to testify before you this morning. As you finalize the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Appropriations Act, I urge you to prioritize authorizing the procurement of the next generation man fighters and the recapitalization of active duty reserve and air national guard units by including the fighting the fighter force preservation and recapitalization act in this year's bill.
▶ 1:10:13Unfortunately, these are dangerous times, wars waging in Europe and the Middle East, while communist China continues to threaten stability and peace in the Indonesia uh and the Pacific. Thus, we must do all we can to deter the expansion of conflict and if necessary meet these threats with force. However, the Air Force has decreased fighter capacity at a 2:1 divestment procurement ratio since 2022.
▶ 1:10:37This accounts for 303 fighters divested and 155 new fighters procured in that same time frame. Since 1991, total Air Force fighter squadrons have been reduced by 58% while the average age of the fighter inventory has increased 200%. 51% of the Air Force's service retained fighting force is in the Air National Guard. Most of the Air National Guard's fighter wings do not have recapapitalization plans and this trend must be reversed.
▶ 1:11:06The Air National Guard protects our nation from foreign threats both at home and abroad. They are simultaneously out frontline and the last line of our defense. These brave men and women are dedicated patriots and the best of the best. I would know my wife was the first female command chief of Deloo 148th fighter wing in Duth, Minnesota. The most deserving home for the next generation man fighters in the air national guard.
▶ 1:11:30The 148th fighter was 148th Fighter Wing was the only fighter wing that kept on flying dur during COVID. They never stopped. Without the procurement of the new aircraft, fighter wings will lose their mission and our nation will be less safe without them. In the case of the 148th fighter wing, we will lose the closest fighter wing to Russia in the lower 48 and the best airspace in the United States of America. North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the upper peninsula of Michigan is the airspace that they train in.
▶ 1:11:59the best in our nation. Most concerningly, we will lose the healthiest, most prepared, and most effective Air National Guard fighter wing in this nation and many others like it. We would be most without we we would be without significant defense assets and more vulnerable than ever. But this is avoidable. By authorizing the procurement of new aircraft, we will extend the life of these crucial installations and their paramount missions of our national and state defense.
▶ 1:12:29Further, we will be ready in the event of crisis should one arise. Given the age of our fleet and the geopolitical landscape of today, the time to act is now. We are asking our fighter units, our international guardian units to do more than they ever have. We should give them the best of the best. In closing, I would like to thank both of you again for allowing me to testify before your committee today.
▶ 1:12:52And I am confident that you will deliver the best product possible to equip our war fighters with the tools necessary to make them the most lethal fighting force in the world. My staff and I are available to answer any questions you may have. And again, thank you and I yield back. Thank you very much. Mr. Finer, you're recognized. Thank you, Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith and the members of the subcommittee.
▶ 1:13:16Thank you for the opportunity for me to testify be on behalf of my priority involving the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sous City, Iowa, known as the ARW. The 185th ARW and its frequently evolving mission over the years has served our nation with distinction since 1946. Originally a fighter wing, the unit transitioned in 2003 to take on the KC1 135 Strat tanker air refueling mission.
▶ 1:13:47This shift significantly increase the operational wear and tear on the base and the runways. The KC 135 R is roughly 250,000 pounds heavier than an F-16 Fighter Falcon it it replaced. It requires infrastructure that can accommodate its size and mission scope.
▶ 1:14:08Unfortunately, in the two decades since the transition, the 185th is still operating from the same runways designed for the lightweight jet aircraft. The Department of Defense initially pledged to replace a runway as part of its mission conversion when it was planned in the 1990s, but those plans were understandably put on hold after the aftermath of the 911 and the demands of the war on terror. However, the promise has not yet materialized.
▶ 1:14:38It's why my staff and I are working to find funding in the fiscal year 2026 for the long overdue replacement of this runway 13-31. I led a letter joined by the full Iowa delegation and from US senators and representatives from South Dakota and Nebraska to Secretary Pete, Defense Secretary Pete Hgse asking it for the inclusion in the FYDP.
▶ 1:15:04This project is a promise that should have been fulfilled two decades ago. I respectfully urge this subcommittee to prioritize funding for the 185th runway to re to be replaced in the FY2026 budget. Thank you for your time on and on this commitment to our nation's defense. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Penstra. And uh with that, I don't have any closing comments to you. Okay.
▶ 1:15:33Uh we want to thank our colleagues for appearing before us today and the committee stands adjourned.