Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Releases Details of National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

Press Release

The chairman and ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness today unveiled details of the portion of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 which will be marked up by the subcommittee on Wednesday. The Readiness Subcommittee, led by Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), oversees $275.8 billion in resources for military construction and the operation and maintenance of military equipment and installations--the single largest account within the Department's budget.

The Readiness Subcommittee is responsible for making sure that U.S. troops are properly trained and their equipment is properly maintained so they can succeed in their missions, and it makes sure they have the facilities and services they deserve when they return home. It also oversees civilian personnel, service contracting, energy security and environmental issues that affect the Department of Defense (DoD).

"The mission of the Readiness Subcommittee is to answer one simple question: are we ready? After months of engaging independent experts and Department of Defense officials, Ranking Member Madeleine Bordallo and I are proud to lead the subcommittee in putting forth a mark that will significantly improve the readiness posture of our Armed Forces. This mark will ensure our troops are properly trained and their equipment and facilities are suitably maintained so they can succeed in their missions," said Chairman J. Randy Forbes.

"From increasing funding for Navy ship and aircraft depot maintenance to fully funding accounts for daily operations, training, and administration of U.S. armed forces at home and abroad, this mark will make certain that the military remains the finest in the world and that our men and women in uniform are ready to meet any challenge. It also takes steps to address critical national security issues, including the promotion of energy efficiency and related returns on investment, the strengthening of our force posture in the Pacific, and renewed investment and a sustained focus on corrosion mitigation to preserve vital equipment. The mark does all this by realigning unspent and underutilized funds to meet our nation's most important strategic goals, wisely spending the taxpayer dollars entrusted to Congress," concluded Forbes.

"The Readiness Subcommittee mark to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 is a bi-partisan mark that works to ensure our men and women in uniform are well trained and equipped," said Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo. "This mark also continues to make critical investments in renewable and alternative energy solutions that help to reduce our dependency on foreign oil and ensure that the Department of Defense remains a responsible steward of our environment. The bill also continues our Committee standard of providing stringent oversight of the military realignments in the Pacific, with specific focus on Guam."

As part of its efforts to bring a new level of transparency to this once closed process, the House Armed Services Committee under the leadership Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-Calif.) will make the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 available to media, interested parties and the general public prior to consideration by the full committee or one of its subcommittees. More information about the legislation is available at http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/ndaa.

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