Opening Statements

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Chairman of the Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks on the Intelligence and Special Operations Print at the full committee markup of the FY26 NDAA. 

Rep. Jackson's opening statement as prepared for delivery:

I would like to begin by thanking Ranking Member Crow for his support and contribution, as well as the members of the subcommittee for their efforts as we developed this bipartisan subcommittee print.
 
The ISO print, in conjunction with approximately 2.2 billion dollars in reconciliation funding, continues to focus on providing our Special Operations Forces, the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, and the security cooperation enterprise with the tools required to ensure their capabilities can support the Department’s efforts in strategic competition and in countering malign Chinese actions.

This main effort to counter China must be accomplished in every geographical Combatant Command, because China’s attempt to influence through malign activities is in every GCC.   
 
The subcommittee print provides the U.S. Special Operations Command the ability to accelerate research, development, testing, and procurement at speed and scale to affect outcomes against adversaries through the Urgent Innovation Technologies and Capabilities Pilot Program. 

This authority will allow SOCOM to continue to be our strategic hedge in an increasingly contested and denied battlespace by peer adversary capabilities and malign influence.
 
The subcommittee print supports the President’s budget request for the Defense Intelligence Enterprise’s continued efforts to develop capabilities needed to ensure we maintain the strategic edge against our competitors.

These resources and capabilities will ensure our intelligence professionals can enable leaders to make informed decisions in an increasingly complex world, enhancing the U.S. military lethality.

The subcommittee print supports the president’s budget request for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to ensure our security cooperation activities support our strategic objectives.
 
Finally, this subcommittee print coupled with reconciliation is just the beginning of increased resourcing needed to ensure our Special Operations Forces, the Defense Intelligence Enterprise, and the security cooperation enterprise can support the Department’s efforts in strategic competition and countering malign influences, especially China. 

It is our Article 1 responsibility to ensure we provide the men and women who volunteer to serve in these roles, with the capabilities and tools to protect our Special Operators, intelligence professionals, and security cooperation professionals and keep them in the fight.
 
I also want to take this opportunity to thank our tremendous professional staff of Craig Greene, Alex Igleheart, Mark Morehouse, Will Johnson, Katy Quinn, Austin Richards, and my personal office staff, Evan Hanson and Asher Thompson; without this team, the mark would not be possible.