Ranking Member Betty McCollum Statement at the Department of the Army Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Request Hearing

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's hearing on the fiscal year 2024 budget request for the Department of the Army:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Secretary Wormuth, General McConville, thank you for testifying before us today.
General McConville, I understand this may be your last appearance before the subcommittee in your current role.
I want to take the opportunity to thank you and your family for your decades of dedicated service to our nation.

The Department of the Army's budget request reflects the continuity of purpose toward the goal of the Army of 2030. At $182 billion, it is a one percent increase from the FY 23 enacted level

The Army is not a regional force – it is a global force. The Army must meet the different demands of each of the combatant commanders and adjust to the many different environmental situations. And the Army has accomplished this over the years with strong ties to NATO nations, South Korea, Japan, and many other new partners in Asia under Operation Pathways.

While the hearing today will cover a range of topics, I want to highlight a few that are important to me and to Ranking Member DeLauro.

Continuity – the Army seems to be taking risks in the number of Blackhawks, tanks, and other medium and heavy vehicles in the FY 24 request. I realize that you're moving toward more technologically advanced systems, but what if they are delayed? What will the Army fall back on to execute its mission?

The second is climate change. I am pleased to see the Department's overall increased request for resources, but I believe the Army still has a long way to go to meet the resilience targets necessary to secure the Army's many installations.

In particular, I am concerned about how climate change is impacting
not only our bases but also, the geopolitics of the Arctic and how the Army's Arctic strategy is meeting our national security goals.

Finally, I would like to hear more about how the Army is addressing its recruiting challenges. What cities are you expanding to and what metrics are you using to determine success?

Again, thank you to our witnesses for appearing before us today. We appreciate your testimony and answers to our questions. With that, I yield back.