U.S. Representative Jim Banks (R-IN), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, 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. Banks’ remarks as prepared for delivery:
The Military Personnel mark was developed in a bipartisan manner and includes member priorities focused on taking care of service members and their families to ensure we have the most ready and able fighting force in the world.
We have been informed by our rigorous oversight in developing the provisions included in the mark…
To address historic recruiting difficulties and the war for talent in the military, we professionalize the Army’s recruiting force, establishing new occupation specialties for talent management.
We paid particular attention to the education of the children of our service members, ensuring that our DOD schools maintain adequate student to teacher ratios—continuing to make them competitive with some of the best private schools.
We reinforce the subcommittee’s oversight of the Military Health System and support research into cutting-edge medical technology to care for our servicemembers and their families.
Also, I am pleased to support the provisions recommended by the Quality of Life Panel which will continue to improve the lives of our servicemembers and their families.
I am proud to say this mark continues the development of focused policy to recruit, retain, and care for service members and their families.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge the committee staff’s efforts…they have all worked tirelessly and always in a bi-partisan manner to develop the subcommittee mark
