Military Construction, Family Housing Needs Focus of MilCon-VA Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, today conducted a hearing to review the budget requests for military construction and family housing in FY2018.
“I think it is important to note that the dollars this subcommittee appropriates will directly improve the quality of life for those who volunteer to serve in uniform and their families,” Moran said.
“After years of our military taking on increasing levels of risk in infrastructure, the MILCON increase is a welcome change. This change does not take place in a vacuum, however. The FY18 budget request – when viewed in total – leaves this committee with some very difficult decisions to make, on both the defense discretionary and non-defense discretionary sides of the ledger,” he said.
The following is Moran’s opening statement, as prepared for delivery:
The Subcommittee will come to order. Good afternoon. We meet today to discuss the President’s fiscal year 2018 budget request for military construction (MILCON) and family housing for the Department of Defense. The request represents a sharp departure from the historically low MILCON requests of the last few years. The base budget request of $9.8 billion is a 27 percent increase over last year’s enacted levels. In addition, the Overseas Contingency Operations, or OCO, request is $638 million.
After years of our military taking on increasing levels of risk in infrastructure, the MILCON increase is a welcome change. This change does not take place in a vacuum, however. The FY18 budget request – when viewed in total – leaves this committee with some very difficult decisions to make, on both the defense discretionary and non-defense discretionary sides of the ledger.
I don’t think it is a stretch to say that this subcommittee will have to find savings and efficiencies and that not every project in the request will be funded when all is said and done. To that end, I would welcome a dialogue with our witnesses about large projects that could be funded incrementally. I understand OMB frowns on this practice, but with tight budgets, incremental funding is an effective tool the Congress has at its disposal.
I think it is important to note that the dollars this subcommittee appropriates will directly improve the quality of life for those who volunteer to serve in uniform and their families. I want to hear about how this budget request improves the quality of family housing, of schools, and of health care for military families.
Military construction is more than bricks and mortar – it supports important strategic goals. I want to hear from our witnesses how the projects they are requesting fit into our military strategy, how they enhance our warfighting capability, and how they will help our forces project power more efficiently.
Today we will hear from representatives of all the military services as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Joining us are:
• Mr. Peter J. Potochney, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment;
• Lieutenant General Gwendolyn Bingham, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Army for Installation Management;
• Vice Admiral Dixon R. Smith, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Fleet Readiness and Logistics;
• Major General John J. Broadmeadow, Commander of Marine Corps Installations Command and Assistant Deputy Commandant, Installations, and Logistics (Facilities); and
• Major General Timothy S. Green, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection and Director of Civil Engineers.
The subcommittee looks forward to your testimony.
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