06/17/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/17/2025 18:07
HYDE-SMITH ADVOCATES FOR MISS. DEFENSE FACILITIES IN LONG-RANGE MILITARY CONSTRUCTION PLANNING
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Reviews FY2026 DoD Military Construction Request
VIDEO: Senator Hyde-Smith Advocates for Mississippi Defense Facilities in Long-Term Defense Budget Planning.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today sought assurances that the U.S. Department of Defense properly considers the "smaller, but strategically-essential installations" in long-term infrastructure planning.
Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee that conducted a hearing to review the FY2026 defense budget request for military construction and family housing.
"A concern of mine is how the Department is ensuring that smaller, but strategically-essential installations such as those in Mississippi, are not overlooked when it comes to long-term planning for necessary infrastructure upgrades and resource prioritization," Hyde-Smith said.
Dale Marks, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, reiterated the administration's goal make a comprehensive assessment of all installations to ensure they combat capable in light of existing and new threats.
"As we think about things like Golden Dome, when we think about the defense of our installations to counter small UAS and other things, is the importance of our installations again not only as force protection platforms but as warfighting places themselves," Marks testified. "I assure you that we are taking that seriously as we look across the entire portfolio of our installations and their importance to the future defense of our national security."
Hyde-Smith also asked whether the Trump administration would be more responsive than the previous administration on reporting restructuring for Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) projects. MHPI projects can require restructuring for various reasons, particularly to improve living conditions or to account for account shortfalls.
"What is your team doing to expedite these evaluations and reports to this committee and OMB so that our service members can benefit from the much-needed improvements these restructurings will provide for them?" Hyde-Smith asked.
"As a past resident of military housing, I assure you that I appreciate greatly what you are discussing here today," Marks said. "What we are doing right now is to take a hard look at that working with my service partners to ensure that the investments that are being made are there. The care of our families is of utmost not only for their own readiness but their health, life, and safety."
Hyde-Smith also thanked the Department of the Air Force for its support of the $25 million appropriated in FY2025 by Congress to replace the air traffic control tower at Keesler Air Force Base.
The Pentagon is expected to soon release more detailed justifications for its FY2026 military construction budget request, which totals $18.9 billion, an increase of $1.4 billion over the fiscal year 2025 enacted levels.
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