Chrissy Houlahan: Service Members 'Should Really Demand' Nonpartisan Efforts In Committee

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During a House Armed Services Committee markup meeting before the Congressional recess, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) spoke about the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act.

Transcript

00:00Chair, and I recognize the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel,

00:03the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania, Ms. Houlihan, for any comments she would like to make.

00:07Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I also want to echo my appreciation to the ranking member, Smith,

00:12and to you, Chairman, for the work that we were able to accomplish last cycle

00:17in terms of quality of life and the opportunity that we have to continue to build on that.

00:21I also want to make sure that we collectively thank Chairman Fallon

00:25and all of the members of this subcommittee on both sides of the aisle

00:28for largely keeping this process not just bipartisan but, frankly, a-partisan.

00:33The American people and those who serve and sacrifice for us in uniform

00:37should really demand this of us and deserve this very much from us.

00:42So this mark, as Mr. Fallon mentioned, includes many quality of life priorities

00:46for our service members and their families,

00:48and these issues have an immeasurable impact on our recruitment and our retention efforts

00:53as well as on our readiness.

00:54This bill includes a 3.8% pay raise for service members

00:58and it increases the family separation allowance for service members

01:02to $400 per month.

01:05It also excludes the basic housing allowance from service members' household incomes,

01:09so a greater number of them should become eligible for basic needs allowance.

01:13These and several other provisions in the Military Personnel Subcommittee mark

01:18should very much positively impact service members' pocketbooks

01:21and their ability to put food on the table as well.

01:25The Military Personnel Subcommittee mark expands ongoing access

01:28to provide safe and quality child care

01:31by extending the Child Care in Your Home Pilot project through 2029.

01:35This project provides in-home child care options tailored to the unique needs

01:40of military families, many of whom work very much non-traditional work hours.

01:45Additionally, the bill requires the department to conduct an annual review

01:49of child care fee assistance rates.

01:51These regular reviews will ensure that the fee assistance program remains aligned

01:55with the ever-evolving needs of our military families

01:58and is responsive to changes in child care costs.

02:01The Department of Defense recognizes the very critical role that child care plays

02:06in the overall mission and in readiness, which is why the largest operator

02:10of employer-sponsored child care in the country is here.

02:14Although recruitment efforts across the services have improved,

02:18this bill also increases access for military recruiters at high schools

02:21and at other institutions of higher learning to make sure that we have access

02:25to the greatest number of eligible individuals as are possible.

02:28And finally, the bill addresses the ongoing health care needs

02:32of our servicemen and women and their families.

02:35It requires the establishment of an occupational resilience program

02:38for cyber personnel to meet their unique mental health challenges.

02:42The bill waives fees and co-pays for the TRICARE dental program

02:46for all members of the Selected Reserve, and it also increases health care costs

02:50and access, I'm sorry, health care access by improving the reimbursement

02:54of travel expenses for specialty care and by ensuring that the department doesn't further reduce

02:59the current number of military medical personnel.

03:03This is particularly important at a time when there are medical professional shortages

03:07across this country.

03:09Our service members and their families make considerable sacrifices for this nation,

03:13and we must fulfill our commitments to them and to their families.

03:17Finally, I'd like to acknowledge our staff and the committee's staff efforts,

03:21Ilka Regino and Michaela Reardon in particular for their fantastic work,

03:26and Mr. Yatiketti, as well as Ms. Kaufman and Sapna Sharma,

03:30who is welcoming a little one into the family as well.

03:33They have worked tirelessly and diligently to develop this subcommittee package

03:38that is for us today, and for that I'm appreciative.

03:41I'm also deeply appreciative to Team Houlihan, who are both here in this room

03:45as well as back in the office watching and helping.

03:47I yield back.

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