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Forbes Opening Statement for Hearing on Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request for Military Construction
Washington D.C. – U.S. Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA), the senior Republican on the Readiness Subcommittee, today released the following statement for the subcommittee’s hearing on the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Fiscal Year 2009 budget request for military construction:
“I thank the chairman. This hearing is the first of a series of budget and oversight hearings the Readiness Subcommittee will conduct on the current state of military readiness and how this budget addresses the real readiness needs of the services. I share the chairman’s great concern about the state of our military readiness and our nation’s ability to respond to troubled areas throughout the world. I agree that our military needs more resources to replenish and repair equipment worn out in fighting the Global War on Terrorism. But as we all know, building readiness is a complex art with many components. Like most complex subjects, success begins with a strong base.
“I bring this up today to underscore that installation readiness, the subject of today’s hearing, is a vital component of military readiness and the base upon which readiness is built. Readiness begins with the military services real property infrastructure: the training ranges, airspace, sea lanes, and buildings used by our troops to prepare for the arduous missions they face around the world. In that regard, it is important that the record note the significant increase proposed in the Defense Department’s military construction budget for Fiscal Year 2009, both in the recurring military construction budget and the BRAC accounts.
“This is important for a number of reasons. First, it shows the administration and the Department of Defense are serious about effectively implementing the base closure round of 2005. Base closure authority was requested as a means to consolidate DOD assets more efficiently. A range of projects around the United States bear witness to that result, from improving medical facilities in the National Capital Region to consolidating Army communications-electronics work at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and a similar consolidation of Army logistical activities at Fort Lee, Virginia. Even though I was opposed to authorizing this BRAC round, it is the law and needs to be executed properly. Indeed, committed, prompt execution of the round will build readiness.
“Secondly, the budget provides substantial sums to the Army and Marine Corps to provide infrastructure in support of these services’ Grow the Force initiatives, another important readiness component that will ultimately relieve stress on the active force.
“I applaud these increased military construction budget and BRAC requests, while realizing that execution of such large projects will be challenging. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you and our witnesses to make these transformational changes a reality and thereby doing all we can to improve the readiness of tomorrow’s military.
“Finally, I’d like to ask the witnesses to comment on some unfinished business from last year. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of the last session reduced BRAC funding by over $1 billion. To my mind, that money is as critical to restoring readiness to our armed forces as anything we do, as it helps the Army and Marine Corps build the needed infrastructure for a larger force. I would like the witnesses to describe the impact on their services if that money is not restored.”
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