Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, highlighted the importance of funding for military construction projects in the Indo-Pacific region at a hearing today. Sen. Fischer also secured a commitment from high-ranking military officials to prioritize funding for the renovation of STRATCOM’s former headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base.
The Fischer-backed FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) fully authorized the U.S. Air Force’s request for $235 million in military construction funding, which is needed to continue rebuilding all the destroyed Offutt facilities.
Last year, Senator Fischer attended the Offutt runway re-opening ceremony and received a briefing on flood recovery efforts at Offutt.
Click the image above to watch video of Sen. Fischer’s questioning
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Following is a transcript of Senator Fischer’s questioning:
Senator Fischer: General Miller, I’d like to ask you what I asked the previous panel. When we’re looking at improving our posture in the Indo-Pacific, what specifically in your budget for MILCON support is going to provide that deterrence there? You mentioned Sentinel, which I appreciate. You mentioned the B-21 Bomber, which I appreciate. Modernization of all three legs of the triad are tremendously important and need to be kept on schedule. There’s a little concern there. So, we need to make sure that we can keep those on schedule. But what specifically in this budget is going to help?
General Miller: … So, for the Indo-Pacific broadly, from your previous question: Basa, Darwin, Joint Region Marianas, Andersen, Kadena, three projects at Tindal, Australia, three projects at Tinian — and actually two projects at Kadena. So, $574 million in FY24 across those 12 projects, and I think the committee has already addressed the concern over what’s the sequencing of that. And it’s got to be in accordance with the supported commander so the INDOPACOM Commander—in our case, the PACAF Commander. Actually, Mr. Hollywood and I just had the opportunity, about a month ago, to go to Guam and to see and to talk to the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps missions that are there and the competing requirements — the H-2B visa discussion — incredibly important for not causing delays for both. Because, if you have the workforce and then you incur a delay in supply chain to get the materials there, you will lose the workforce to a higher need. So I hope that gives somewhat of a flavor across INDOPACOM.
Senator Fischer: Thank you. General Vereen, do you have any comments on what the Army is doing in order to make sure we have that deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region in this budget?
LTG Vereen: Yes, Senator. Really good question, and thank you. I think, for the Army, we definitely are challenged with some of the same constraints and concerns of the other services. First and foremost, it’s going to be a coordinated effort, I think, in the INDOPACOM to ensure that, you know, we don’t overburden the island chains that are there. And, for us, it’s going to be significant as we focus primarily on Guam. That’s the significant growth with regards to the Army. And, if looking at the current budget the way we have it, there’s about $800 million that we have projected, which will cover 11 of our sites that we currently are considering in Guam and a headquarters, the C2 element, there as well. But, again, we are going to be challenged by, you know, by capacity workforce and trying to synchronize with the other services to be able to get our facilities built and using the workforce that is very concerning as well to complete projects. So, we’re comfortable where we are now. But we also know that delays will cause us to have to shift, and, of course, we may not necessarily be able to stay on timeline.
Senator Fischer: Thank you. General Miller, I appreciate the Air Force’s commitment to rebuilding Offutt after the devastation caused by the floods in 2019. And, while the Air Force is making strong progress executing the funding that Congress has provided through the Natural Disaster Recovery Fund to rebuild what was lost to the floods, I remain concerned that the Air Force has not adequately prioritized the FSRM funding to renovate the former STRATCOM headquarters. Right now, we have 32 organizations and over 1,500 personnel to move out of buildings on Offutt that are slated to be demolished, like a World War II bomber factory, and move into that renovated office space. So, do you commit to working with me to find a path forward for that project?
General Miller: Yes, Senator. The focus of Offutt, especially since the spring of 2019 when that flood occurred, I was actually at Air Combat Command as the A4 then, which Offutt, of course—the 55th Wing is in Air Combat Command. And, although I don’t have the FSRMdollar specifically to address your question right now, absolutely will continue to commit.
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