Shelby Reviews Army Budget Request, Highlights Concerns Surrounding Decreased Funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and its subcommittee on defense, today questioned top U.S. Army officials during a defense subcommittee hearing to review the President’s funding request and budget justification for the U.S. Army.  During the hearing, Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth and General James C. McConville, Army Chief of Staff, testified before the subcommittee.

Senator Shelby’s remarks, as prepared, are as follows:  

“Thank you Mr. Chairman.  Secretary Wormuth, welcome to your first hearing before our subcommittee in your new role.  General McConville, thank you for being here.

“I look forward to hearing about the Army’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2022.

“This discussion is particularly important because the Army’s budget proposal reflects a two percent reduction from fiscal year 2021.

“The reduction is proposed despite the need to maintain readiness and make progress on key modernization priorities like the long range hypersonic missile and improved lethality capabilities.

“You are both very well aware that our adversaries, including China and Russia, pose new and increasing threats that erode our traditional technological and battlefield advantages.

“They are making unprecedented investments in their capability and capacity, and China, specifically, has a stated objective of surpassing us by the middle of the Century. 

“Given that the overall funding request for the Department of Defense does not keep pace with inflation and the Army budget proposal reflects a decrease from last year, I am concerned that we are sending the wrong message to both our allies and our adversaries.

“I look forward to hearing how your fiscal year 2022 budget request fully meets the needs of the Army and maintains our advantage over our adversaries.  Thank you.”