Senator led hearing with witnesses from the U.S. Department of Defense, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Space Force examining the President’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema chaired her first Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs hearing examining the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request for military construction and family housing.
Sinema asked witnesses from the U.S. Department of Defense, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and Space Force about the impact of funding opportunities and shortfalls. She focused on the services’ plans to address and strengthen housing availability and quality throughout all the services, but in particular at vital training locations in Arizona such as Marine Corps Air Station – Yuma and Luke Air Force Base. Also, she addressed the importance of adequately funding infrastructure needed to support the vital testing and evaluation mission at the Army Yuma Proving Ground, and pressed the Air Force to deliver its construction plan to support standing-up a Power Projection Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base as they committed to start basing in Fiscal Year 2026.
“We have a duty to provide the resources our military communities in Arizona and across the globe need to keep Americans safe, and to ensure our service members and their families have good, affordable housing. Because of the growing cost of doing business, we’re looking at how to creatively meet facility needs that more efficiently – and cost effectively – accomplish the mission,” said Sinema, Chair of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.
Sinema focused on the need for greater efficiency and cost effectiveness by noting that despite an $870 million increase in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget request, there are fewer major construction projects included than last year as projects have increased in cost, complexity, and scope.
The Senator questioned witnesses about how they are ensuring military construction needs at installations are met, as this year’s request focuses heavily on training and maintenance infrastructure, as well as quality of life facilities.
Sinema additionally spoke to the need to address unaccompanied housing needs, asking witnesses about their long-range plan to address barracks capacity and condition quality shortfall, as well as resourcing plans for barracks modernization.
Taking care of our servicemembers and their families, including those in Arizona, means ensuring they have a safe place to work and to come home to.
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Senator’s remarks and questions.
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