East Central Alabama News

Washington, D.C.– U.S. Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, recently delivered an opening statement at a hearing focusing on the military construction program and infrastructure, including barracks, housing, and range infrastructure. The hearing also encompassed discussions on environment and energy programs, as well as facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization accounts.

During the hearing, Rep. Waltz expressed gratitude to the witnesses for their participation and emphasized the significance of the topics under consideration, stating, "Thank you to our witnesses for their time and participation in today’s hearing to discuss military construction, housing, infrastructure, environmental and energy programs, as well as base and facility accounts. It’s a vast hearing, but these issues are important. Getting it right is critical to our overall readiness."

Addressing the FY25 budget request, which includes $17.5 billion and authorizations for over 120 new construction projects, Rep. Waltz highlighted the importance of not only constructing new facilities but also modernizing and maintaining existing ones. He voiced concerns over the neglect of funding for facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization, noting the adverse impacts of disrepair on various aspects within the military.

Furthermore, Rep. Waltz expressed specific concerns regarding the state of barracks and sought further discussion on how the budget request addresses this critical issue. He also raised questions about the potential of privatized barracks as a solution. Additionally, he emphasized the necessity for the Department to address operational readiness in response to evolving threats.

Regarding energy resilience and security, Rep. Waltz stressed the importance of ensuring installations are not dependent on adversaries for energy supply. He cited previous NDAA warnings about reliance on Russian energy and urged adherence to Congressional mandates. Moreover, he shared reservations about the administration's focus on climate change as a national security priority, emphasizing the need to consider operational realities and mitigate vulnerabilities in the energy supply chain.

Rep. Mike Waltz's remarks underscored key concerns and priorities related to the FY25 budget for the Department of Defense's energy, installations, and environment programs, emphasizing the critical nature of these issues for overall military readiness and national security.