Ranking Member McCollum Statement at Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the United States Air Force and Space Force
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 2025 budget request for the United States Air Force and Space Force:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would also like to welcome Secretary Kendall, General Allvin, and General Saltzman.
For Fiscal Year 2025, the President has proposed $832 billion within our subcommittee’s jurisdiction for the Department of Defense of which $213 billion is for the Air Force and Space Force.
The Air Force has requested a 1% increase, and the Space Force remains relatively flat following a large growth year in 2024.
Each one of these dollars represents an effort to remain vigilant in our national defense, and ensure that America meets our pacing threats.
We are operating under the umbrella of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and I know tough choices were made in this budget in order to conform to what the law allows.
As I said at the hearing with Secretary Austin, I hope Congress has learned a hard lesson that we should not hold the national debt limit hostage over arbitrary spending caps.
So, for those who have buyer’s remorse over their vote last May, and who are now criticizing the overall levels in the budget request, I wish to remind them that the fundamental strength of our nation’s defense is the strength of our military personnel and their families.
That requires a whole of government approach.
Our national security is supported through our entire budget, which includes health care, education, and transportation - and not just the Defense budget.
Growing our technological superiority in the air and space domain is also critical.
And it is as important as ever to educate and train the next generation of mathematicians, physicists, aeronautical engineers, and computer scientists.
In addition, Congress set the Department’s hiring and new start schedules 6 months back by enacting a final appropriations bill in March.
We must do better to break the cycle of continuing resolutions.
Turning to the budget at hand, modernization is a key theme for the Department of the Air Force.
But it is concerning that several Air Force programs are struggling.
F-35 deliveries are delayed along with associated plant repair and infrastructure projects – and Mr. Secretary we have had several conversations about that now.
The Sentinel program is under a critical review because of timeline delays and major cost overruns.
The E-7 program has been delayed and the budget does not advance the program to procurement.
At the same time, the Air Force is proposing fielding new capabilities that require complex technological development.
For example, how can we be sure that programs that support long-range kill chains will be a success – when the Air Force continues to struggle with existing programs of record?
I’m also concerned about the state of the Air Force’s infrastructure.
It is deficient, and does not seem to be a high priority.
We have discussed sinkholes at Vandenberg Space Force Base and the continued deterioration of runways and early warning radar stations in Alaska as climate change continues to have a costly impact on our national security.
Infrastructure on Guam still needs repair following last year’s typhoon, which Congress should have acted on.
Our service members need all of us – Congress and the Department, to do a better job working together to provide and maintain the infrastructure necessary for them to do their jobs.
Mr. Chair, as I close, ten days ago we had series of overwhelming bipartisan votes on the components of National Security Supplemental to support Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific.
I hope that serves as the model for moving appropriations bills expeditiously through fiscal year 2025 because we do not have time to waste.
Gentleman, thank you for your service to the country and for appearing here today.
With that, I yield back.