U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, delivered the following opening statement at the full committee markup for H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).
Rep. Lamborn’s remarks as prepared for delivery:
I want to thank all the Strategic Forces Subcommittee members, especially Ranking Member Moulton, for the work they’ve done this year. I would also like to thank the subcommittee’s professional staff for their efforts to produce a successful bill –Whitney Verett, Peter Schirtzinger, Maria Vastola, and Owen McGeary. Also, I thank my National Security Advisor, Michael Curcio, and Defense Fellow, Bradley Bahley, for their work throughout this process. The mark we have before us continues the tradition of the bipartisan work that this subcommittee has long been known for.
While I am proud of what this subcommittee accomplished within this mark, I remain highly concerned with several issues confronting our strategic forces. For example, I believe this administration’s homeland and regional missile defense budget accepts too much risk and does not meet the current threat environment we see every day. The subcommittee attempts to address some of these risks by partially restoring funding to the SM-3 production line, but it is not enough.
Our mark also supports the ongoing effort to modernize America’s nuclear deterrent and the laboratory and production infrastructure managed by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. While we wait for the results of the Nunn McCurdy process, we cannot lose sight of the importance of our nuclear deterrent and its place as the bedrock of our national security.
I am particularly pleased with the provisions in this mark that ask the Space Force to continue to budget and plan for the integration of cutting-edge commercial systems. As in other areas of the mark, we had to make hard choices such as GPS modernization. However, I want to underscore that this subcommittee strongly supports the ongoing upgrades of the GPS system and appreciates the vital role it plays for the joint force and civilian services.
Finally, I would like to add my voice to those who say this defense budget is inadequate to meet the growing threats in the current security environment. There is still much work to be done but I firmly believe our work here today is a good first step.
I strongly urge all members to vote in favor of this bipartisan Strategic Forces Subcommittee mark.
