Remarks

Thank you Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member McCollum. Welcome Secretary Hegseth, General Caine, and Undersecretary Hurst. Thank you for appearing today and our sincere appreciation for your service to our nation. I join Chairman Calvert, and members of this Subcommittee, by saying at the outset of this hearing that the men and women of our Armed Forces are the finest in the world. They deserve our full support and our commitment to giving them the resources they need that will keep them ready for the fights of today and tomorrow.

Today, the Subcommittee will convene for an open hearing to receive testimony from The Honorable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Mr. Jay Hurst, Acting Under Secretary of War Comptroller. Mr. Secretary, General Caine, and Mr. Hurst, a warm welcome to you.  Thank you for your service to our great nation and thank you for appearing before the Subcommittee today.

Good morning, everyone. I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Indian Health Service Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton. Mr. Fulton has assumed the delegable duties of the IHS Director, and I thank him for being with us today to discuss the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request.

We are here to discuss the Department of the Air Force’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2027.

Thank you, Chairman Valadao, and thank you to Ranking Member Espaillat, Ranking Member DeLauro, and to all the members of the subcommittee for being with us today. What we are considering this morning goes to the very foundation of American governance. This bill is about whether the People’s House – and Congress overall – has the capacity, the security, and the discipline to do its job – and to do it well.

I am pleased to introduce the Fiscal Year 2027 Legislative Branch Appropriation bill for the subcommittee’s consideration. I’d like to begin by thanking Ranking Member Espaillat for the respectful and bipartisan process as we’ve worked together to develop the FY27 bill. I’d also like to thank each of our subcommittee Members for being actively engaged in the appropriations process this cycle that has resulted in the bill that we present for consideration this morning.

Thank you, Chairman Rogers, and thank you to Ranking Member Meng, Ranking Member DeLauro, and all the members of the subcommittee. From the frontlines of law enforcement to the frontiers of space, the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies bill covers a full spectrum of priorities that keep our nation safe, competitive, and prepared for the future. This wide policy scope, of course, matters – but clarity of mission and discipline in investments are ultimately what deliver results.

Welcome to the Subcommittee Markup of the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. Welcome Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, and Ranking Member Meng. Not only are we marking 250 impressive years for our country, but we are also marking a remarkable recovery that has been ushered in since President Trump returned to office.