At a recent joint hearing between the Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Chaired by Congressman Forbes, and the Readiness Subcommittee, Chaired by Congressman Wittman, Navy sailors testified about the challenges that commanders of Navy ships and aircraft face equipping, resourcing, and training our fleet.

Over the past eight years, the United States military has faced a series of significant cuts, resulting in less training, aging equipment, and fewer resources. In the Navy, an average deployment has gone up from 5.5 months to 7 months, and many deployed sailors are away from their families for more than half of a year.  In the Air Force, our pilots are flying 12 types of aircraft that would qualify for antique license plates in Virginia.  In the Army, only 9 brigades of soldiers are ready to deploy.

As a leading voice in the House of Representatives on the importance of investing in tomorrow’s military and a strong national defense, Congressman Forbes authored legislation in his Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee to stop the Administration’s plan to scrap 1 out of 10 Carrier Air Wings, protect 1/12th of the Navy fleet from inactivation, procure more warships and aircraft than the Administration requested, and begin building the 350 ship Navy that the U.S. requires. This legislation was included in the annual defense policy bill and passed by the House of Representatives.