Cmte Armed Services (R) RSS Articles

Rogers: The President's Budget Ends the Trade-Off Between Sustainment & Modernization

Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the Air Force FY27 Budget Request.

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Today we close out our FY27 budget and posture hearings with the Department of the Air Force.

I want to thank the Members for their hard work and dedication as we worked through the dozens of hearings and briefings necessary to inform our approach to this year’s NDAA. I also want to thank the Department for their cooperation as we conducted this critical oversight.

I welcome our witnesses and thank them for their service to our nation.

For too long, we’ve underfunded defense. And now we’re seeing the consequences.

Our munitions are low and we don’t have enough aircraft and autonomous systems to ensure victory over every adversary. There have been unacceptable declines in readiness. And our defense industrial base has shrunk and is no longer capable of rapidly scaling production.

That’s why I was so pleased to see that the President is requesting a significant increase in the budget for Air Force and Space Force.

This budget puts to an end the old divest-to-invest strategy that has done nothing but pit modernization against sustainment. The result of several years of that strategy is an Air Force that suffers today from unacceptably low mission capable rates, while it continues to wait on the delivery of modernized assets that are still years away.

This budget includes a 23 percent increase for operations and maintenance – crucial funding required to better sustain our legacy systems.

The budget also invests in modernization with a 54 percent increase to develop and procure critically needed capabilities. It will enable us to accelerate key deterrent capabilities, including the Golden Dome, B-21, and Sentinel.

I am very pleased with the budget request for the Space Force which recognizes its growing importance as a warfighting domain. It enables the Space Force to increase its support to the joint force and our combatant commanders, and it funds new mission areas like defending our space assets and breaking red kill chains.

We cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to developing our capabilities in space. Our adversaries are well-aware of the importance of space-based capabilities and the advantages they provide.

I also want to highlight the increase in this request for munitions and the industrial base. These funding areas are especially critical to restoring American deterrence.

We began this restoration last year with funds in reconciliation and multi-year authority in the NDAA. I hope to hear about the Air Force’s progress on implementing that authority and increasing production.

Finally, I’d like to hear how you plan to use the acquisition authorities given to you by this committee to make sure that the money in this request will be well spent and accelerate capability to the warfighter.

As we have seen recently in Operation Epic Fury and Operation Absolute Resolve, our Air and Space Forces are central to the success of the joint force and our national security. Their personnel, capabilities, and readiness are crucial to our ability to prevail in the conflicts of today and to deter our adversaries moving forward.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver a budget that will enable our airmen and guardians to continue to successfully fulfill their mission.

Before I close, I’d like to thank you, General Saltzman, for your years of dedicated service, and congratulate you on your retirement.

Kelly: We Must Turn the Tide on Shipbuilding

Wed, 20 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Seapower and Projection Forces (SPF) Subcommittee Chairman Trent Kelly (R-MS) delivered the following remarks at a hearing on the Navy FY27 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces

Chairman Kelly's Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Good afternoon, and thank you all for being here for today’s hearing. As we discuss the Navy’s needs in the Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee’s jurisdiction for the upcoming fiscal year, I am pleased that we have both the 30-year shipbuilding plan and the Future Years Defense program to help inform our discussion here today.

The global threat environment has only grown more complex and nuanced over the last year. Now more than ever, we have to turn the tide of divestment – retiring more hulls than we procure is simply not an option anymore. We are not going to sacrifice capability in a critical window for deterrence.

For starters, we need to keep at our rate of procuring two Virginia class submarines per year and ensuring our production rate improves. We also need to speed up both production and procurement of amphibs – our current procurement timelines are hamstringing our Marine Corps and making a continuous 3.0 ARG/MEU presence more and more difficult.

These and countless other programs have long been hampered by hot-and-cold demand signals from Congress, but as we work together to revitalize our maritime industrial base and begin putting money towards the arsenal of the future, that is no way to be doing business.

We could discuss shipbuilding for the entire hearing, as we often do around here, but I cannot neglect the aviation and munitions programs that are needed for great power competition. I look forward to discussing the plans for critical platforms like the P-8 and KC-130Js as well as critical munitions like the SM-6 and heavyweight torpedoes that underpin our deterrent posture.

These and so many other programs are essential to projecting peace through strength around the globe. I am encouraged by the strong budget authority for shipbuilding, aviation platforms, and critical munitions requested in the President’s historic budget, but I also recognize that these are the first steps in what will be a long effort towards a thriving national defense and a rejuvenated defense industrial base. Only then can we truly deliver on the promise of peace through strength.

I now recognize my good friend, Ranking Member Joe Courtney, for any opening remarks he might like to make.

Rogers: Iran Can Never be Allowed to Obtain a Nuclear Weapon

Tue, 19 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Greater Middle East and Africa.

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Today, we continue our posture hearings with CENTCOM and AFRICOM.

For 47 years, the Iranian regime and its proxies have murdered Americans, attacked our allies, and terrorized the Middle East.

On October 7, 2023, the world saw exactly what Iran’s terror network was capable of when Hamas carried out the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

The lesson is clear: Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. And President Trump is committed to ensuring that never happens.

Last summer, Operation Midnight Hammer delivered a destructive blow to Iran’s nuclear program. And Operation Epic Fury shattered the regime’s ability to shield that program with its conventional forces.

Despite the criticism, there should be no confusion about what this operation set out to achieve:

Destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities.
Cripple Iran's navy.
And dismantle Iran's defense industrial base to prevent it from projecting power outside its borders.

The results were decisive.

To quote Admiral Cooper’s written statement, “In 38 days, we rolled back 40 years of Iranian military investment.”

More than 85 percent of Iran’s ballistic missile, drone, and naval defense industrial base has been damaged or destroyed.
The regime’s ability to stockpile ballistic missiles and long-range drones has been set back by years.
Iran’s air force is no more.
Over 90 percent of Iran’s traditional Navy has been sunk.
And Iran is now far less capable of sustaining terrorist proxies like Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Hamas.

This operation also demonstrated the unmatched professionalism, lethality, and courage of the American warfighter. Every American should take pride in what our forces accomplished under extraordinarily demanding conditions.

And we must honor the 13 brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Operation Epic Fury also demonstrated the enduring strength of America’s alliances and partnerships.

That begins with Israel, a model ally that fought alongside the United States throughout this campaign. Our Gulf partners and Jordan provided critical access, basing, and overflight support.

So too did our NATO allies. Almost without exception, our NATO allies opened their bases and airspace to support this mission. That access was critical to sustaining an operation of this scale.

But this conflict also reminded us who our friends are not. China and Russia reportedly assisted Iran during this conflict. That should concern every American.

Any effort by our adversaries to help Iran rebuild its military must carry consequences. And while Operation Epic Fury has concluded, pressure on the Iranian regime continues.

I want to hear more from Admiral Cooper about how CENTCOM’s current posture, including the blockade of Iranian ports, is supporting diplomatic efforts by increasing pressure on what remains of the regime.

My understanding is that damage to Iran’s oil infrastructure and the loss of millions of dollars in daily revenue are imposing severe economic costs on Tehran. That pressure matters because not only must Iran never obtain a nuclear weapon, but it must also never be allowed to dominate the Strait of Hormuz.

China is watching closely to see whether the United States will defend freedom of navigation, protect global commerce, and respond decisively to aggression. We must not falter in our resolve.

At the same time, we must not forget that areas of the Middle East and Africa remain hotbeds for terrorism. It’s imperative that we continue hunting ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab, and other terrorist groups before they can threaten the homeland.

I want to hear from both commanders about how they are working with regional partners to keep terrorists on the run.

The successful operation over the weekend targeting the second-in-command of ISIS in Nigeria demonstrated once again that terrorists have no refuge from the United States military and our partners.

General Anderson, to sustain that pressure, I want your assessment of whether AFRICOM has the necessary resources.

I look forward to hearing from all our witnesses today.

Rogers: The Army's Readiness Depends on a Robust Organic Industrial Base

Fri, 15 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the Army FY27 Budget Request .

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

I welcome our witnesses and thank them for their service to our nation.
Today we’ll hear from the Department of the Army regarding their FY27 budget request.

As my colleagues are aware, I’m laser focused on bolstering and expanding our industrial base.

Last year, we worked to fundamentally reform the defense acquisition system via the SPEED Act.

The reforms enacted in the FY26 NDAA, streamline the process and significantly reduce the time it takes to field new military capabilities.

This year, the focus of the NDAA will be expanding the industrial base – both organic and defense-wide.

Our Defense Industrial Base, long the envy of the world, has atrophied significantly.

Our global munitions stockpiles are low and we lack the capacity to rapidly restock magazine depth.

The industrial base has shrunk and so has our ability to manufacture for our warfighters at speed or scale.

Our government owned depots, arsenals, ammunition plants, and shipyards are a vital component of our overall capacity to manufacture and sustain critical capabilities.

But as bad as the contraction has been in the private sector’s manufacturing capability, it’s arguably been worse in our organic industrial base.

The OIB has suffered from decades of neglect and underinvestment.

Recent conflicts have exposed weaknesses in the OIB.

And weakness in the OIB directly affects our readiness.

Mission capable rates for critical weapon systems have fallen well below acceptable levels.

I have been beating the drum for a long time on the decline of the OIB and the defense industrial base as a whole.

I am glad President Trump shares my concerns and has released a budget that will finally addresses this problem.

The President has requested a historic $1.5 trillion budget for our national defense.

This budget directly confronts the challenges in our defense industrial base with over $100 billion in investments to revitalize manufacturing, expand domestic and allied critical minerals projects, and secure our supply chains.

We need to enact that budget and we need to rapidly turn that historic investment into capability for the warfighter.

That’s why it is so critical to understand from the services how they plan to accomplish that goal.

Last year, the Secretary presented the Army’s Transformation Initiative, or ATI.

The goal was to position the Army for future fights, streamline force structure, and eliminate wasteful spending.

Congress shared those goals, but as questions arose, it became clear the Army hadn’t done all of its homework.

ATI has since evolved into “continuous transformation”. The name may have changed, but our questions remain.

We’d like to see a concrete plan on how the Army intends to modernize.

Where will investments be made?
What risks to readiness do we absorb?
And what impact will it have on the industrial base?

We want to make sure the Army has done a careful analysis of how transformation will affect our capabilities and force structure.

We want to understand how the Army intends to sustain the legacy capabilities our servicemembers still need and use.

We want to avoid spending this historic influx of money ineffectively and wasting this opportunity to bolster the DIB.

I’m confident that by working together, we can transform the Army and revitalize our industrial base.

Rogers: We Must Restore American Maritime Dominance

Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the Navy FY27 Budget Request.

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

I welcome our witnesses and thank them for their service to our nation.

Today we’ll hear from the Department of the Navy regarding their FY27 budget request.

As a maritime nation, our national security requires a strong and ready naval force, with sufficient vessels and capabilities to deter our enemies. That’s especially true now, as the Navy is instrumental to the mission of combatting narco-trafficking in the western hemisphere, ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and safeguarding freedom of navigation around the globe.

And of course, we have to remain vigilant to the threat from China, whose maritime strength continues to grow.

So it’s critical that America prioritizes growing our fleet. And doing that requires rebuilding our shipbuilding industry.

Years of uncertainty and inconsistent demand from the government and the commercial sector have significantly weakened our maritime industrial base.

That atrophy is apparent in both military and commercial shipbuilding and the statistics are grim. China builds 47 percent of the world’s ships. The U.S. builds one tenth of one percent.

This decline in our maritime industrial base is not surprising given how long we have been underfunding our national security.

Defense spending has shrunk dramatically both as a percentage of GDP and as a percentage of federal outlays. That’s resulted in a reduction in our shipbuilding capacity, our ability to scale production, and our fleet readiness.

To maintain deterrence and ensure maritime dominance, we need a robust constellation of shipyards with modern infrastructure.

Maritime dominance also demands a large, skilled workforce capable of meeting the increased demand for building and repairing ships.

The President’s FY27 budget request of $1.5 trillion is crucial to reversing that decline. The Navy topline of $377.5 billion provides the resources necessary to restore our shipbuilding capacity and reestablish our maritime deterrence.

We began the work of revitalizing shipbuilding last year via Reconciliation. That legislation invested $34 billion in Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base to expand the size and enhance the capability of our naval fleet.

We’re starting to see the results of that funding, and we will be paying close attention to how that investment is handled and how efficiently it’s being spent.

Last year, we also made critical reforms to make the Pentagon a better customer for the defense industrial base. We created a new, accelerated requirements process to rapidly seek innovative private sector solutions. We cut red tape and enhanced contracting flexibility. And we streamlined decision-making by centralizing acquisition programs under single Portfolio Acquisition Executives.

I’m pleased to see the progress the Navy is making on implementing these reforms.

However, I remain concerned with the overall readiness of our Naval fleet. If we are to strengthen our deterrence and protect our maritime interests, we need to realize the 80 percent surge-ready vision for the entire fleet, including our amphibious forces.

Nearly half of the amphibious fleet is in unsatisfactory condition. As a result, we can no longer support heel-to-toe deployments of our Marine expeditionary forces.

I am a strong supporter of a continuous 3.0 MEU presence. Our amphibious forces are the bedrock of our rapid response force and essential for the projection of power.

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on how we can work together to make these goals a reality and give our Sailors and Marines the resources they need to defend our nation.

Bacon: Maintaining our National Security Means Maintaining the Edge in Next-Gen Technologies

Thu, 14 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee Chairman Don Bacon (R-NE) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the Science, Technology, and Innovation Posture of the Department of Defense.

Chairman Bacon's Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Good afternoon and welcome to today’s Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee hearing on the science, technology, and innovation posture of the Department of Defense. Thank you to our witnesses for being here today – we are looking forward to hearing from you.

We live in an era of unprecedented innovation in critical areas like quantum computing, artificial intelligence, autonomy, cyber, and biotechnology. Given this progress, our nation’s adversaries are working tirelessly to undermine American leadership and upset the world’s security and stability. Put simply, the battlefield is changing on a fundamental level, and our opponents are dead set on using this paradigm shift in technology as an opportunity to degrade American dominance.

One of the U.S.’s greatest competitive advantages is our ability to out-think and out-innovate our adversaries. At the Pentagon alone, there is an immense science and technology enterprise dedicated to advancing new ideas and technologies to arm our warfighters with necessary tools to win.

Equally as important as our in-house minds is our ability to coordinate and collaborate with the other brilliant professionals at our nation’s academic institutions, defense industrial base, and other U.S. departments and agencies to ensure we are exploring every innovative path forward.

Earlier this year, the Department rolled out a massive reorganization to its Research and Engineering enterprise, focusing on streamlining decisions, concentrating technology investment areas, and providing clear demand signals to industry. Four months in, I look forward to hearing about how this transition is going and the main lines of effort moving forward.

Kelly: We Must Invest in the Capabilities that Project American Power Across the Globe

Wed, 13 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Seapower and Projection Forces (SPF) Subcommittee Chairman Trent Kelly (R-MS) delivered the following remarks at a hearing on the Air Force FY27 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces.

Chairman Kelly's Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Good afternoon. I’d like to thank the witnesses for being here at today’s hearing as we discuss the Air Force’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. I look forward to hearing how this budget will get at the challenges of our increasingly complex security environment.

I want to start by acknowledging the brave servicemen and women who are serving so honorably overseas to make the world a safer place for us all. I speak for everyone when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with them.

One of my most important responsibilities as chairman of this subcommittee is ensuring that our airmen have the resources, training, and capabilities that maintain and grow our edge over our adversaries. Today’s discussion of fleet modernization, strategic deterrence, and emerging technologies will inform our work towards that goal as we head into the heart of this year’s NDAA cycle.

I also want to thank President Trump for this year’s historic budget request, which will not only get our servicemen and women the tools they need to succeed, but also boost the ongoing revitalization of our defense industrial base.

I want to focus today’s hearing on the role of the bomber and mobility platforms that help us overcome the tyranny of distance and project American power across the farthest reaches of the globe. Our bomber fleet is the cornerstone of our strategic deterrent, and our mobility platforms are the backbone of our operational effectiveness, allowing us to move personnel, equipment, and supplies around the world with unmatched efficiency.

In today’s constantly evolving threat environment, our adversaries are investing heavily in advanced capabilities as they try to close in on our lead. It is critical that we ensure that never happens.

I look forward to hearing from our distinguished witnesses as we work to find solutions to ensure that our Air Force remains the best in the world.

Chairmen of Armed Services Committees Release Statement on Withdrawal of Troops from Germany

Sat, 02 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, (R-MS), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to the Pentagon's decision to withdraw approximately 5,000 troops from Germany and cancel the planned deployment there of a Long-Range Fires Battalion.

"We are very concerned by the decision to withdraw a U.S. brigade from Germany.

"Germany has stepped up in response to President Trump’s call for greater burden sharing, significantly increasing defense spending and providing seamless access, basing, and overflight for U.S. forces in support of Operation Epic Fury.

"The reality remains that even as allies move toward spending 5% of GDP on defense, translating that investment into the military capability needed to assume primary responsibility for conventional deterrence will take time. Prematurely reducing America’s forward presence in Europe before those capabilities are fully realized risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.

"Rather than withdrawing forces from the continent altogether, it is in America's interest to maintain a strong deterrent in Europe by moving these 5,000 U.S. forces to the east. Allies there have made substantial investments to host U.S. troops, reducing costs for the U.S. taxpayer while strengthening NATO’s front line to help deter a far more costly conflict from ever beginning.

"Finally, any significant change to the U.S. force posture in Europe warrants a deliberate review process and close coordination with Congress and our allies. We expect the Department to engage with its oversight committees in the days and weeks ahead on this decision and its implications for U.S. deterrence and transatlantic security.”

Rogers: For the First Time in 40 years, We’ve Been Presented a Budget that Accounts for the True Cost of American Deterrence

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing on the Department of Defense FY27 Budget Request, emphasizing the need to fund President Trump's $1.5 trillion budget request.

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

I welcome our witnesses and thank them for their service to our nation.

We are meeting today to review the Pentagon’s FY27 budget request.

Each year the budget presentation gives us an opportunity to take a hard look at the threats we face and our ability to deter and defeat them. It helps us decide on a level of investment that will actually secure our homeland and protect our interests across the globe.

Here are the facts that underlie this budget request:

We are confronting an unprecedented global threat environment with multiple adversaries working together to undermine our security and that of our allies. They are building alliances and supporting each other with drones, munitions, missile technology, and energy supplies.

China is leading the charge against us.

As you can see from this graphic, 25 years ago, the PLA was a defensive force with little ability to project power beyond their borders.

Today, the PLA is a modernized military force capable of projecting power well into the Pacific.

Their rapid military buildup has delivered thousands of new ships, subs, missiles, and space assets that that severely challenge our ability to safeguard our national security interests in the Indo-Pacific.

China continues to invest heavily in the PLA’s military modernization, announcing another 7 percent increase in defense spending for this year. As a result, they are spending more of their GDP on defense than we are.

In fact, as you can see from this graphic, all of our adversaries are spending more of their GDP on defense than we are.

Meanwhile, our defense spending as a percentage of GDP has steadily fallen since World War II.

That yellow line cutting across the bars represents from 4 to 5 percent of GDP. History has shown that meeting or exceeding that level of investment ensures we can truly deter our adversaries.

That’s also the level of investment we are asking our allies to make.

But for years, we have chosen not to do the same. Since World War II, defense funding has shrunk significantly as a percentage of federal outlays.

Defense spending now accounts for 13 percent of all federal spending. Nondefense spending accounts for over 85 percent.

This underinvestment in our defense has had very real consequences. Our Defense Industrial Base, long the envy of the world, has atrophied significantly. We are no longer capable of manufacturing for our warfighters at scale or speed.

Just look at shipbuilding. China builds 47 percent of the world’s ships. The U.S. builds one tenth of one percent.

We build fewer ships than Croatia and the Netherlands.

Our global munitions stockpiles are low and we lack the capacity to rapidly restock magazine depth. We have very little industrial capacity to mine, refine, or process critical minerals. As a result, many of our defense supply chains are reliant on the very adversaries we seek to deter.

Beyond the impact on our industrial base, inadequate investment in our defense has resulted in a vicious cycle that has pitted sustainment against modernization.

For years, administration after administration has come before us with budgets asking us to decommission weapon systems they admit we still need. Or to cut funding for training, parts, and supplies. Or to put off needed maintenance to the facilities where our servicemembers live and work. Or to reduce the number of military personnel.

These budgets have asked us to make these sacrifices and accept the near-term risk so we could afford to reinvest in military modernization - which is something we also desperately needed to do.

But we in Congress consistently rejected that mutually exclusive choice. Instead, we divided up the limited budget we were given and made a worse choice. We underfunded both sustainment and modernization.

The result is that we don’t have nearly enough munitions, ships, aircraft, or autonomous systems to ensure dominance against every adversary. And the ships and aircraft we do have suffer from unacceptably low mission capable rates. Fortunately, that’s about to change.

The President has requested a historic $1.5 trillion budget for our national defense. For the first time in 40 years, we’ve been presented a budget that accounts for the true cost of American deterrence. This budget fully funds both sustainment and modernization.

It provides a 24 percent increase in operation and maintenance, including a 20 percent increase for core readiness programs, like flight hours and combat exercises.

It includes a 115 percent increase in funding to repair and improve facilities for our servicemembers and their families.

It increases military end strength by 44,000 and provides for a historic pay raise for our servicemembers.

It calls for an unprecedented 76 percent increase in procurement and a 64 percent increase in research and development. This will enable us to truly catch up in our modernization efforts by quickly fielding new munitions, aircraft, ships, land, space, and autonomous systems to replenish and expand our arsenal.

It directly confronts the challenges in our defense industrial base with over $100 billion in investments to revitalize manufacturing, expand domestic and allied critical minerals projects, and secure our supply chains.

Finally, this level of investment gets defense spending back to 4.5 percent of GDP.

That’s where we need to be if we want to truly deter conflict. It also ensures America leads by example as our allies heed the President’s call to increase their defense spending and improve their military readiness.

I would just note that it is critical we do not reduce deterrence as our allies ramp up their own capability. That is something we are paying close attention to on this committee.

Before I close my remarks, I want to highlight the bravery, dedication, and professionalism of our warfighters throughout the conflict with Iran.

Their tremendous work to achieve the very clear military objectives of this operation has given the President the opening he needs to negotiate a true and lasting peace that will ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.

Mr. Secretary, General Caine, thank you for being here.

I look forward to hearing how this budget request will ensure our military can preserve American deterrence for generations to come.

Rogers: We Must Invest More in Defense to Deter China and North Korea

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Today, we continue our posture hearings with INDOPACOM and U.S. Forces Korea.

As we meet, our adversaries are deepening their cooperation. China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are working together to challenge the United States. Recent reports of China and Russia’s support for Iran during Operation Epic Fury are just the latest example of this cooperation.

In his threat environment, President Trump was right to commit to a historic $1.5 trillion defense budget. This investment is essential to rebuild our military and ensure peace through strength. I look forward to working with President Trump and Secretary Hegseth to get it enacted.

In particular, this investment is critical to addressing our most pressing challenge: deterring China in the Indo-Pacific.

Under Xi Jinping, China is pursuing a historic military buildup. It now fields the world’s leading hypersonic missile arsenal. The PLA is on track to exceed 1,000 nuclear warheads by 2030.

China is the world’s preeminent shipbuilding nation. And its growing arsenal of conventional long-range strike, cyber, and space capabilities increasingly puts not only U.S. interests in the region at risk, but also the U.S. homeland.

And China is not just building capability, it is demonstrating intent. In a December exercise, the PLA encircled Taiwan and rehearsed operations to isolate and seize the island.

To ensure the Department can deter China through strength, we must:

improve integrated air and missile defenses, including the Guam Defense System;
scale production of innovative, low-cost munitions and attritable unmanned systems;
replenish our munitions stockpiles, especially long-range fires; and
rebuild and modernize U.S. shipbuilding.

Moreover, we need a strong network of alliances and partnerships.

Fortunately, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia are increasing their defense spending and providing critical access and basing that enable our forces to operate throughout the region.

Taiwan, too, has made strides in strengthening its self-defense capabilities and is already spending about 3% of GDP on defense. And like President Trump, the Taiwanese President is also proposing a special budget to bring their defense spending closer to 5% of GDP. I encourage their legislature to pass it as soon as possible.

The stakes are clear for not only Taiwan, but also the United States: a cross-Strait invasion would disrupt the global economy and enable China to dominate the Pacific and its key sea lanes to America’s detriment.

The time is now to strengthen Taiwan’s defenses. I urge the Department to move quickly to execute congressionally-appropriated funds for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The recently announced $11 billion U.S. arms sale is a positive step, but we must make use of every available authority to arm Taiwan.That is consistent with the 2026 National Defense Strategy’s call to build a strong denial defense along the First Island Chain.

While China is our pacing challenge, North Korea remains a persistent threat that cannot be ignored. North Korean forces are gaining real-world combat experience fighting for Vladimir Putin against Ukraine. In return, Putin is giving Kim advanced technologies to greatly enhance his military capabilities. North Korea’s advancing cyber, nuclear, and missile arsenals threaten both South Korea and the U.S. homeland.

Therefore, I am encouraged that South Korea is demonstrating a clear commitment to taking on significantly greater responsibility for its own defense. But that progress must not be undermined by a premature reduction of U.S. forces from the Peninsula or a premature transition of wartime operational control.

I want to thank our witnesses for being here and for their service to our nation.

I look forward to hearing how we can work together to ensure our warfighters have what they need to maintain stability and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.

Full Committee Markup: FY27 NDAA

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Markup of H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27 NDAA)

*Amendments will be updated live here*

Opening Statement

Chairman Mike Rogers

Legislation to be Considered

Full Text of the Chairman’s Mark of H.R. 8800

Subcommittee Prints

Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation
Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations
Subcommittee on Military Personnel
Subcommittee on Readiness
Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces

Livestream:

***Please note: because YouTube limits the length of livestreams, the markup will be broadcast in two parts. The first will broadcast from 10am to 7pm and the second will broadcast from 7pm to the close of the markup.

PART 1: 10am to 7pm

PART 2 - 7pm to end of markup

Full Committee Hearing: Air Force FY27 Budget Request

Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Mike Rogers

Witnesses:

Joint Testimony

The Honorable Troy Meink
Secretary
Department of the Air Force

General Kenneth S. Wilsbach
Chief of Staff
United States Air Force

General B. Chance Saltzman
Chief of Space Operations
United States Space Force

Livestream:

SPF Subcommittee Hearing: Navy FY27 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces

Wed, 20 May 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Trent Kelly

Witnesses:

Joint Testimony

Mr. Jason Potter
Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition
Department of the Navy

Lieutenant General Eric E. Austin
Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Combat Development and Integration
Department of the Navy

Rear Admiral Mark Behning
Acting Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Requirements and Capabilities
United States Navy

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Greater Middle East and Africa

Tue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Mike Rogers

Witnesses:

The Honorable Daniel Zimmerman
Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
Office of the Secretary of Defense

Admiral Brad Cooper, USN
Commander
U.S. Central Command

General Dagvin Anderson, USAF
Commander
U.S. Africa Command

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Army FY27 Budget Request

Fri, 15 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Mike Rogers

Witnesses:

Joint Witness Testimony

The Honorable Daniel P. Driscoll

Secretary of the Army

Department of the Army

General Christopher C. LaNeve, USA

Acting Chief of Staff

U.S. Army

Livestream:

SPF Subcommittee Hearing: Air Force FY27 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces

Wed, 13 May 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Trent Kelly

Witnesses:

Joint Witness Testimony

Mr. William D. Bailey
Performing the Temporary Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
Department of the Air Force

Lieutenant General David H. Tabor, USAF
Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs
Department of the Air Force

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Navy FY27 Budget Request

Thu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Mike Rogers

Witnesses:

The Honorable Hung Cao
Acting Secretary of the Navy
Department of the Navy

Admiral Daryl Caudle
Chief of Naval Operations
United States Navy

General Eric M. Smith
Commandant
United States Marine Corps

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Department of Defense FY27 Budget Request

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Chairman Mike Rogers

Witnesses:

The Honorable Pete Hegseth
Secretary of Defense
Department of Defense

General Dan Caine
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Department of Defense

Live Stream:

Joint SPF Subcommittee and T&I Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Hearing: Revitalizing Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:30:00 GMT

Opening Statements:

Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Chairman Trent Kelly

Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Mike Ezell

Witnesses:

Mr. Jason Potter
Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition
Department of the Navy

The Honorable Stephen Carmel
Administrator, U.S. Maritime Administration
Department of Transportation

Rear Admiral Mike E. Campbell
Director of Systems Integration and Chief Acquisitions Officer, U.S. Coast Guard
Department of Homeland Security

Dr. Eric Labs
Senior Analyst for Naval Forces and Weapons
Congressional Budget Office

Ms. Shelby Oakley
Director of Contracting and National Security Acquisitions
Government Accountability Office

Livestream:

STR Subcommittee Hearing: FY27 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Opening Statement:

Strategic Forces Subcommittee Chairman Scott DesJarlais

Witnesses:

The Honorable Brandon Williams

Under Secretary for Nuclear Security

United States Department of Energy

The Honorable Dr. Robert Kadlec

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs

Office of the Secretary of Defense

General Dale White

Direct Report Portfolio Manager for Critical Major Weapon Systems

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Vice Admiral Johnny Wolfe Jr.

Director, Strategic Systems Programs

United States Navy

Lieutenant General Andrew Gebara

Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration

United States Air Force

Cmte Armed Services (R) RSS Articles

Rogers: The President's Budget Ends the Trade-Off Between Sustainment & Modernization

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Kelly: We Must Turn the Tide on Shipbuilding

Chairman Kelly's Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Rogers: Iran Can Never be Allowed to Obtain a Nuclear Weapon

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Rogers: The Army's Readiness Depends on a Robust Organic Industrial Base

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Rogers: We Must Restore American Maritime Dominance

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Bacon: Maintaining our National Security Means Maintaining the Edge in Next-Gen Technologies

Chairman Bacon's Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Kelly: We Must Invest in the Capabilities that Project American Power Across the Globe

Chairman Kelly's Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Chairmen of Armed Services Committees Release Statement on Withdrawal of Troops from Germany

Rogers: For the First Time in 40 years, We’ve Been Presented a Budget that Accounts for the True Cost of American Deterrence

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Rogers: We Must Invest More in Defense to Deter China and North Korea

Chairman Rogers' Statement as Prepared for Delivery:

Full Committee Markup: FY27 NDAA

Opening Statement

Legislation to be Considered

Subcommittee Prints

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Air Force FY27 Budget Request

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

SPF Subcommittee Hearing: Navy FY27 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: U.S. Military Posture and National Security Challenges in the Greater Middle East and Africa

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Army FY27 Budget Request

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

SPF Subcommittee Hearing: Air Force FY27 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Navy FY27 Budget Request

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

Full Committee Hearing: Department of Defense FY27 Budget Request

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Live Stream:

Joint SPF Subcommittee and T&I Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee Hearing: Revitalizing Shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base

Opening Statements:

Witnesses:

Livestream:

STR Subcommittee Hearing: FY27 Budget Request for Nuclear Forces and Atomic Energy Defense Activities

Opening Statement:

Witnesses:

Stream the Hearing Live Here: