Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, delivered the following remarks at a Readiness subcommittee hearing on an energy, installations, and environment update.
Rep. Bergman's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Before a single shot is fired or a plane takes off, readiness is built – or broken – in the barracks, on the training fields, and across the bases where our servicemembers prepare for the fight.
Today’s hearing is about making sure that foundation is strong, reliable, and ready for the demands of a dangerous world.
Unfortunately, there are serious challenges standing in the way.
First, the military construction cost premium should concern us all.
Every year, we spend billions of dollars to build new facilities for our forces.
Last year alone, Congress authorized $17.5 billion, and according to the Department’s own estimates, it costs the military about 40% more to build the same facility than it would cost in the private sector.
That means nearly $7 billion last year was effectively wasted – eaten up by outdated policies and red tape.
That’s not just bad budgeting.
It’s billions stripped away from real readiness, from the facilities our servicemembers depend on, and from the future of our force.
Second, we’re carrying too much dead weight.
The Army and Air Force are spending hundreds of millions maintaining empty facilities we don’t need.
That money should be going toward modernization, new barracks, and quality of life improvements – not excess infrastructure.
As to barracks, we cannot ignore the urgent need to fix the unacceptable living conditions too many of our young servicemembers are facing today.
Poorly maintained barracks are not just a quality of life issue; they are a readiness issue.
Each of our witnesses should be asking themselves how swiftly they can implement the barracks privatization provisions included in our reconciliation bill so that we can quickly reverse the negative readiness provided by our current barracks infrastructure.
Environmental cleanup is facing similar challenges.
PFAS contamination remains widespread, and while the Department is beginning to plan for remediation efforts, it must move faster and pursue technologies that are safe, effective, and fully protective of servicemembers and surrounding communities.
On the energy side, the Department spends nearly $5 billion a year keeping the lights on at our bases.
We need to continue pushing for energy solutions – like advanced nuclear power technologies and utilities privatization — to make sure our bases can efficiently support sustained operations.
Lastly, I want to recognize the clear success Army has provided in its move to privatize its lodging program and my support of Air Force in following that model.
Yet strangely, the Navy continues to run its lodging operations in-house, diverting resources away from its core mission.
The Navy’s focus should be on warfighting and lethality – not on managing hotels.
Taking care of our servicemembers – giving them safe, functional places to live, work, and train – is not a luxury.
It’s a necessity for readiness, retention, and ultimately, victory.
I thank the witnesses for being here today. I look forward to your testimony and to working together to fix these problems.
And with that, I turn it over to Ms. Strickland for any opening remarks she may have.
