Opening Statements

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing on a programmatic update on military construction (MILCON), environmental programs, energy programs, base operations support (BOS), and facility sustainment. 

Rep. Bergman's Statement As Prepared For Delivery:

Readiness does not begin on the battlefield. It begins on our bases – in the barracks, in our shipyards, in our training facilities, and across the infrastructure that supports the force.

Unfortunately, we continue to face serious challenges.

First, military construction costs are too high.

A recent study found that barracks cost, on average, 68 percent more than comparable private-sector projects.

Physical fitness facilities cost 126 percent more.

At current funding levels, that gap translates into billions of dollars in lost buying power each year.

We need better discipline in design, estimating, and execution.

I look forward to continuing to work with the Department to address this issue and to seeing how you implement the MILCON reforms included in the FY26 NDAA.

In addition, the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program requires continued oversight.

We have already seen sharp cost growth – Portsmouth Naval Shipyard’s dry dock rose from $528 million to $2.2 billion, and Pearl Harbor Shipyard’s overall master plan increased from $6.1 billion to nearly $45 billion.

As we increase the ambition of this program, projects of this scale must be tightly managed to prevent further overruns from crowding out other readiness priorities and overwhelming the Navy’s construction budget.

At the same time, the Department continues to carry too much excess infrastructure.

The Army estimates more than 20 percent of its facilities are excess, costing roughly $12 per square foot each year to maintain – which translates to hundreds of millions of dollars spent on buildings that no longer serve a real mission.

Those resources should be redirected to higher readiness priorities.

The Department must present a clear plan to right-size its footprint.

Barracks conditions remain a serious quality-of-life issue.

Secretary Hegseth established the Barracks Task Force, which has begun inspections and directed new funding toward urgent fixes and recapitalization.

That is a good start, but decades of underinvestment will not be solved overnight.

I expect sustained focus and real progress.

Congress included important housing reforms in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including tools that allow for expanded privatization of barracks.

These authorities are temporary.

The Services should move quickly and responsibly to use them.

Taking care of our servicemembers – giving them safe housing and functional infrastructure – is not optional.

It is fundamental to readiness.

Environmental cleanup continues to lag behind requirements.

The Military Munitions Response Program has more than doubled in scope since its creation, and projected costs now exceed $14 billion.

Execution delays and rising costs have strained both contractors and affected communities.

We need better planning, clearer accountability, and faster results.

Small modular reactors and microreactors offer a promising path to provide reliable, on-site power for installations, as the Department evaluates pilot programs and future deployment.

Energy resilience is essential to mission assurance, and this Committee will ensure these efforts are cost-effective, properly regulated, and aligned with long-term mission needs.

PFAS cleanup remains a significant challenge following EPA’s 2024 drinking water standards, with projected costs exceeding $9 billion and cleanup timelines recently extended at roughly 140 installations, including ongoing concerns at Camp Grayling.

We expect greater transparency, clearer execution plans, and steady progress, and this Committee will continue to closely oversee remediation efforts and the responsible transition away from AFFF.