Ranking Member McCollum Remarks at the Department of Defense Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), Ranking Member of the Defense Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the subcommittee's oversight hearing on the Department of Defense:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank all of you for appearing today. I would like to thank all of the men and women who serve in our military, both wearing the uniform and as civilians.
As I say often, national security is holistic – not just the Defense spending level. Do Americans have the healthcare they need? Are we providing good nutrition to our kids, so that they can eventually grow up strong and serve in our Armed Forces? Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in the reconciliation bill put the whole of our society at risk, and I believe that this weakens our national security. All so billionaires can have their tax breaks.
It is also irresponsible to assume for us to assume you can fund Defense programs through an unstable reconciliation process. That is why it has never happened before in our nation’s history. What else has never happened before? The Department of Defense operating under a full year Continuing Resolution.
The CR was endorsed by President Trump, OMB Director Vought, and you, Mr. Secretary. After enactment of the CR, the Department had 45 days to submit a spend plan to Congress. In many cases, it ignored Congressional intent.
OMB has an obligation to get money to the Services so that contracts can be executed in a timely fashion. But every defense company from the smallest start up – to the largest prime – has told me that this going too slow. Time and taxpayer dollars are being wasted.
Our national security has been put at risk because of the lag time. CR’s are wasteful. But the point of this hearing is the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request. We don’t have it. It was due in February – today is June 10th. Four months from now is the end of the fiscal year, and all we have is a very rough draft. DoD has failed to submit a complete request.
So today, we are forced to mark up a rushed, and for me – an incomplete Defense Appropriations Act. I don’t blame Chairman Cole, or Chairman Calvert. The fault is squarely on the Trump administration. But just like the CR – this has national security ramifications. We did not have the critical information – the granular details on DoD programs that we need to make effective and efficient decisions.
The President proposes – Congress disposes – that is how our government works. How can I work with this administration in good faith, if I don’t have the full blueprint of the President’s priorities?
For example, Golden Dome at this point is merely a concept – not a plan. None of us have been briefed on how you intend to spend $175 billion, or deliver it in just three years. We do not know if priorities like Golden Dome will survive the reconciliation process. What will the Department do if they don’t? You can’t come back to this Committee and ask us to fill those gaps. Defense spending should never be included in Reconciliation.
Mr. Secretary, it is still incumbent on you to provide us with a real budget request. That is the only way to finish a full year bill that will address DoD’s complex issues – like delays to Virginia and Columbia Class Submarine programs, the skyrocketing costs of the Sentinal Program, ensuring our F-35 fighters are operational, and taking care of quality of life issues for our service members and their families.
We must also understand the administration’s approach to geopolitical events - like Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. Or plans to address the military capabilities of the People’s Republic of China. Or adequately support our future military posture in the Arctic, as the Polar Ice Caps continue to melt.
We don’t know the answers - because the administration failed to submit a budget.
Mr. Secretary, let me close with this. It is no secret that we have serious disagreements.
The President’s decision to call up National Guard troops to Los Angeles was premature. And the decision to deploy active-duty Marines as well is downright escalatory. The active-duty military has absolutely no role in domestic law enforcement – and they are not trained for those missions.
I ask you, Mr. Secretary, and I ask the President: follow the law. I was appalled by your decision to fire Chairman Brown, Admiral Franchetti, and other senior military leaders who served our nation with distinction – without giving a single reason why.
Many Americans, myself included, have witnessed what is a deliberate effort to silence and diminish the achievements of minorities and women in the military. Their dedication, heroism, and sacrifices, on behalf of our nation deserve recognition – not erasure. As a former history teacher, I know that acknowledging uncomfortable truths about our own history is the only way we move forward together. Since World War II, the Department of Defense has made great strides in building a military that is more reflective of the population of the nation it defends. That should be celebrated – not reversed. That is how we build a more perfect union – together.
But today, Mr. Secretary, we have a job to do. We must provide the resources necessary to make sure our men and women in uniform can accomplish their missions and come home safely. On that, Mr. Secretary, I’m sure you and I do agree. To do that, we need a budget from you as soon as possible.
I look forward to your testimony, and I yield back.
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