A month after the new session of Congress began, the House Armed Services Committee formally organized Feb. 2, setting its subcommittee rosters and introducing the new members who will help oversee the Pentagon.
In his first opening statement as chairman, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) focused on the Pacific, promising a hearing next week to “examine the threats we face from China and how best to prepare our military to deter and defeat them.”
Rogers emphasized the committee’s oversight responsibilities, and his Republican majority is expected to aggressively question so-called “woke” Pentagon programs pursued by the Biden administration.
With the President’s fiscal 2024 budget request expected to be released in March, Rogers pledged to cut Defense Department programs that don’t address future threats. “We’ll find a lot of savings at the Pentagon,” he said. But Rogers also said “modernizing our military will cost a lot of money,” and under his leadership “we cannot shy away from that investment.”
Ranking member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) “concurred” with all of Rogers’ opening remarks and emphasized the need to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
How exactly all these priorities will play out in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act and budget will be the business of the next nine months or so. There is growing interest among some members of both major political parties in holding defense spending in check or even cutting it. But at the same time, growing concern about whether the U.S. military is funded and equipped to deter China or others from going to war with U.S. allies and partners.
tThe HASC will have 17 new members, including 11 Republicans and six Democrats, meaning nearly 30 percent of the committee is new to DOD oversight.
Among those six new Democrats: freshman Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.), the fourth U.S. Air Force Academy graduate ever elected to Congress. Davis left the Air Force as a captain after eight years on Active-duty. He worked as a mortuary officer; coordinated operations for the VC-25A “Air Force One” at Joint Base Andrews, Md.; and served at an ROTC detachment in North Carolina.
Two other former Airmen are already on the committee—Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) is a retired brigadier general and ISR pilot with experience in the EC-130H and RC-135 and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas) served for four years at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
Also new to the committee are two representatives whose districts include Air Force bases: Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) represents Holloman Air Force Base and parts of Kirtland Air Force Base—as well as White Sands Missile Range and Los Alamos National Laboratory—and Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-Ala.) has parts of Maxwell Air Force Base in her district.
In addition to the new members, Democrats also named their ranking members for each of the seven subcommittees, including three new to leadership roles.
On the Strategic Forces subcommittee, which oversees nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defense, and national security space programs, longtime Rep. Jim Cooper (Tenn.) has been succeeded by Rep. Seth Moulton (Mass.). A retired Marine, Moulton briefly ran for president in 2019, during which he dismissed the need for a separate Space Force, instead calling for a separate military branch focused on cyber. He has also argued in favor of nuclear arms control, but against a “No First Use” policy.
On the Military Personnel subcommittee, Rep. Jackie Speier (Calif.) will be succeeded by Rep. Andy Kim (N.J.), whose district includes Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Kim has co-sponsored legislation that would expand health care for National Guard members.
On the Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems subcommittee, Rep. Jim Langevin (R.I.) will be succeeded by Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.), whose district includes much of Silicon Valley
Full list of subcommittee rosters
Cyber, Information Technology, and Innovation
- Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.)—Chairman
- Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
- Lisa McClain (R-Mich.)
- Pat Fallon (R-Texas)
- Dale Strong (R-Ala.)
- Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas)
- Jen Kiggans (R-Va.)
- Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.)
- Rich McCormick (R-Ga.)
- Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)—Ranking Member
- Seth Moulton (D-Mass.)
- Bill Keating (D-Mass.)
- Andy Kim (D-N.J.)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.)
- Jared Golden (D-Maine)
- Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.)
- Chris Deluzio (D-Penn.)
Intelligence and Special Operations
- Jack Bergman (R-Mich.)—Chairman
- Austin Scott (R-Ga.)
- Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)
- Trent Kelly (R-Miss.)
- Ronny Jackson (R-Texas)
- Nancy Mace (R-S.C.)
- Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas)
- Cory Mills (R-Fla.)
- Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)—Ranking Member
- Bill Keating (D-Mass.)
- Jason Crow (D-Colo.)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.)
- Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.)
- Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.)
- Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.)
Military Personnel
- Jim Banks (R-Ind.)—Chairman
- Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)
- Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
- Jack Bergman (R-Mich.)
- Michael Waltz (R-Fla.)
- Brad Finstad (R-Minn.)
- James Moylan (R-Guam)
- Mark Alford (R-Mo.)
- Cory Mills (R-Fla.)
- Andy Kim (D-N.J.)—Ranking Member
- Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.)
- Veronica Escobar (D-Texas)
- Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.)
- Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii)
- Don Davis (D-N.C.)
- Terri Sewell (D-Ala.)
- Steven Horsford (D-Nev.)
Readiness
- Michael Waltz (R-Fla.)—Chairman
- Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)
- Austin Scott (R-Ga.)
- Mike Johnson (R-La.)
- Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.)
- Brad Finstad (R-Minn.)
- Dale Strong (R-Ala.)
- Jen Kiggans (R-Va.)
- James Moylan (R-Guam)
- John Garamendi (D-Calif.)—Ranking Member
- Jason Crow (D-Calif.)
- Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.)
- Veronica Escobar (D-Texas)
- Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.)
- Gabriel Vasquez (D-N.M.)
- Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii)
- Don Davis (D-N.C.)
Seapower and Projection Forces
- Trent Kelly (R-Miss.)—Chairman
- Rob Wittman (R-Va.)
- Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.)
- Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.)
- Jack Bergman (R-Mich.)
- Mike Johnson (R-La.)
- Ronny Jackson (R-Texas)
- Nancy Mace (R-S.C.)
- Jen Kiggans (R-Va.)
- Mark Alford (R-Mo.)
- Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)—Ranking Member
- John Garamendi (D-Calif.)
- Donald Norcross (D-N.J.)
- Jared Golden (D-Maine)
- Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.)
- Chris Deluzio (D-Penn.)
- Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.)
Strategic Forces
- Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.)—Chairman
- Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)
- Mike Turner (R-Ohio)
- Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.)
- Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.)
- Don Bacon (R-Neb.)
- Jim Banks (R-Ind.)
- Michael Waltz (R-Fla.)
- Dale Strong (R-Ala.)
- Seth Moulton (D-Mass.)—Ranking Member
- John Garamendi (D-Calif.)
- Donald Norcross (D-N.J.)
- Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.)
- Ro Khanna (D-Calif.)
- Chrissy Houlahan (D-Penn.)
- Gabriel Vasquez (D-N.M.)
Tactical Air and Land Forces
- Rob Wittman (R-Va.)—Chairman
- Mike Turner (R-Ohio)
- Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.)
- Sam Graves (R-Mo.)
- Don Bacon (R-Neb.)
- Lisa McClain (R-Mich.)
- Pat Fallon (R-Texas)
- Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.)
- Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.)
- Rich McCormick (R-Ga.)
- Donald Norcross (D-N.J.)—Ranking Member
- Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)
- Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.)
- Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.)
- Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.)
- Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.)
- Jeff Jackson (D-N.C.)
- Steven Horsford (D-Nev.)