***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***
Washington, D.C. – Today, at her first hearing as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies subcommittee, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), underscored her commitment to using every tool at her disposal to make good on our nation’s promise to our servicemembers, veterans, and their families by supporting them and ensuring we meet their needs—and she reiterated her commitment to delivering on robust bipartisan funding bills to help do just that. Today’s hearing offered senators an opportunity to review the President’s fiscal year 2024 budget request for military construction and family housing.
“As the daughter of a World War II veteran, this work is personal to me. I take seriously our nation’s obligation to our servicemembers, veterans, and their families. We have to make sure we are meeting their needs and keeping our promises to them,” said Senator Murray. “I’ve worked to do that every day since I first came to the Senate. It was my top priority when I led the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and it is my number one focus as chair of this subcommittee too.”
At Wednesday’s hearing, Senator Murray emphasized her commitment to working with Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) to produce a bipartisan spending bill in a timely way that supports our servicemembers and their families and ensures we are keeping pace with our global competitors, not falling behind.
“I’m glad to have Senator Boozman as my partner across the aisle—we’ve worked closely together on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and I know he takes this responsibility seriously as well,” said Senator Murray. “I look forward to working with him on this subcommittee, and with all of our colleagues, on these important issues—starting by making sure we continue our progress on returning to regular order. Because we cannot keep up with our competitors like China if we let critical investments like military construction fall behind or fall into uncertainty due to partisan fighting.”
Senator Murray emphasized the importance of investing in modernizing our military infrastructure, including maintenance and training facilities, and supporting our servicemembers who keep everything running.
“After all, our ships, submarines, aircrafts, and more are only as good as the infrastructure they rely on, and they are only as well supported as the troops who operate them,” said Senator Murray.
She also discussed the importance of ensuring our bases are resilient and prepared in the face of the climate crisis and of providing resources to address the threat that PFAS and other toxins pose at installations.
“Climate change is an urgent national security threat—and if we want to keep our nation ready for anything, we have to make sure our bases are resilient in the face of climate disasters,” said Senator Murray. She also noted that President Biden’s budget “includes key funding to strengthen our alliances and partnerships around the world by supporting NATO infrastructure projects and funding to address PFAS and other toxins at former installations that could put our communities in harm’s way—an issue that must also be dealt with on active installations.”
Senator Murray made clear we have to support our servicemembers and their families by ensuring they have affordable child care, good housing and schools, and high-quality health care, and more—and that doing that isn’t just the right thing to do, it also makes our military stronger: “These investments improve our recruiting, retention, and overall readiness.”
Senators questioned two panels of witnesses. The first panel included Brendan Owens, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment for the Department of Defense; Vice Admiral Ricky Williamson, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics for the United States Navy; Lieutenant General Edward Banta, Deputy Commandant for Installations & Logistics for the United States Marine Corps.
The second panel included Lieutenant General Kevin Vereen, Deputy Chief of Staff for the United States Army; Lieutenant General Tom Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection for the United States Air Force; and Mr. Bruce Hollywood, Associate Chief Operations Officer for the United States Space Force.
Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:
“I’m glad to have you all here, and especially glad to be leading this important subcommittee with Senator Boozman.
“As the daughter of a World War II veteran, this work is personal to me. I take seriously our nation’s obligation to our servicemembers, veterans, and their families.
“We have to make sure we are meeting their needs and keeping our promises to them.
“I’ve worked to do that every day since I first came to the Senate. It was my top priority when I led the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and it is my number one focus as chair of this subcommittee too.
“And I’m glad to have Senator Boozman as my partner across the aisle—we’ve worked closely together on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and I know he takes this responsibility seriously as well.
“I look forward to working with him on this subcommittee, and with all of our colleagues, on these important issues.
“Starting by making sure we continue our progress on returning to regular order.
“Because we cannot keep up with our competitors like China if we let critical investments like military construction fall behind or fall into uncertainty due to partisan fighting.
“Today’s hearing is an important opportunity to assess what our nation needs to stay ready, support our servicemembers, and keep families safe.
“And I’m pleased to see President Biden showing he takes this seriously by proposing significant investments to improve the quality of life for servicemembers and their families, modernize maintenance and training facilities, and make military installations more resilient against growing threats, like climate disasters.
“This budget request increases military construction by more than a third compared to last year’s request… continuing a trend of increases that is especially critical after roughly a decade of decline and amid rising constructions costs and growing needs.
“After all, our ships, submarines, aircrafts, and more are only as good as the infrastructure they rely on, and they are only as well supported as the troops who operate them.
“That’s why the investments in this budget are so important.
“For example, the billions in funding proposed in this budget to modernize our public shipyards.
“Back in Washington state, the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard is a key naval asset.
“And I’m pleased to see this budget includes funding for electrical infrastructure to help it prevent unexpected power outages.
“I also expect to hear more about the Navy’s plans for progress on the Multi-Mission Dry Dock at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard—including construction plans to address the unique threats posed to the shipyard by the potential for earthquakes in the area.
“Of course, earthquakes aren’t the only natural disaster we have to be prepared for.
“Climate change is an urgent national security threat—and if we want to keep our nation ready for anything, we have to make sure our bases are resilient in the face of climate disasters. Which is why the funding requested for 30 projects focused on improving energy and water resilience at our military installations is such an important investment.
“The Department should also continue developing projects that enhance installation resilience in the face of severe weather.
“This budget also includes key funding to strengthen our alliances and partnerships around the world by supporting NATO infrastructure projects and funding to address PFAS and other toxins at former installations that could put our communities in harm’s way—an issue that must also be dealt with on active installations.
“And, last but not least, there are the investments here focused on improving the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families, like good child care and schools for our troops’ kids, or good housing and dining options.
“These investments improve our recruiting, retention, and overall readiness.
“And what’s more: they are what our troops deserve. They’re part of what we owe them for the sacrifices they make.
“So I’m glad this budget request includes a boost in funding for troop housing—for individuals and families alike—including $100 million for a barracks project at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.
“There’s a significant housing gap at the base, and I look forward to hearing more about how this project will help close it.
“I’m also interested to hear more about the Air Force’s plans to strengthen family housing projects as well…
“It’s important to me that we are maintaining the housing stock we have and not letting the houses military families are living in right now fall into disrepair.
“I’m also pleased to see this request includes funding for five new child development centers.
“We have a child care crisis in this country.
“Too many parents can’t find high-quality, affordable child care options that work for them.
“Staffing shortages—worsened by the low pay in the sector and high demand—have made it hard for families across the country to get child care, and our troops are no exception.
“This crisis is keeping parents out of the workforce and holding them back from pursuing their careers—including careers in the military.
“I have been pushing to pass my Child Care for Working Families Act because we need bold change and bold investments to end the child care crisis nationwide.
“And as that effort continues, I’m glad to see President Biden understands how important child care is to our troops and to keeping our nation strong, and ready for anything.
“Because at the end of the day, we could have the best equipment—ships, aircrafts, tanks, you name it—but none of it can do any good without the brave and talented men and women who work to keep our country safe.
“I look forward to hearing more from our witnesses about how the investments in this budget strengthen our country and working with my colleagues in a timely manner to pass a funding bill that lives up to our obligation to support our troops and their families, and to protect our nation.
“Thank you, and now I’ll turn it over to Ranking Member Boozman.”
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