Ranking Member McCollum Statement at Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request for the United States Navy and Marine Corps

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 Navy and Marine Corps:

Mr. Secretary, Admiral, General, thank you for testifying before us today.

Admiral, General, welcome to your first appearances before the Committee.

The Department of the Navy's budget request reflects the enormity of your mission to defend freedom, preserve economic prosperity, and keep the seas open and free.

At $258 billion, including military construction, this is the largest request we've seen yet.

The Navy and Marine Corps work together to solve and address some of our most pressing challenges.

You are at the forefront of all we do to compete with China, and counter threats from Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

And as we all know, the Navy is fighting daily in the Red Sea to defend our ships and sailors while ensuring freedom of navigation. And we thank all our service members involved in operations there for their service.

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

First, great power competition has expanded to a region you've heard me talk about a lot – the Arctic.

I'd like an update on our training activities in that region, and Navy force planning with respect to the Arctic.

Second, recent legislation was enacted updating the Compacts of Free Association.

I feel this is vital to our success in the Indo-Pacific region.

I would like an update on the Navy's interactions with our allies across the region, and how this budget request supports that.

Finally, the Committee is concerned about recruitment and retention across the Services and would like to hear how the Navy is addressing this.

What plans and funding proposals are included in the FY 25 budget to achieve your FY 25 recruiting goals?

Before I yield back, I want to commend the Marine Corps on achieving an unmodified audit opinion.

General Smith, a clean audit is a tremendous achievement.

You've set an example for the rest of the Department of Defense,and as Appropriators, we applaud your efforts.

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.