Washington, DC – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), the only African-American woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), testified during a full Committee hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Defense Budget Request. During this annual hearing, witnesses provide perspectives as the Committee builds the National Defense Authorization Act for the upcoming year. Witnesses included Secretary of Defense, Mr. Lloyd Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley. Strickland attended the hearing and asked questions for the record in support of investing in our servicemembers and military families by addressing defense community infrastructure needs, improved access to quality housing on and off-post, improving employment outcomes for military spouses, addressing military hunger, expanding access to childcare, and boosting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Department of Defense.
“As our Committee begins building the National Defense Authorization Act for the upcoming year, Congress and the Department of Defense need to show that we value servicemembers and their families, like those at Joint Base Lewis McCord in my district, who sacrifice so much to keep us safe and secure,” said Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland. “We need to invest in the infrastructure that helps servicemembers and their families thrive. From supporting housing security in high-cost, high-growth areas, to making sure no military family goes hungry, to expanding child care access and jobs for military spouses– investments in military communities are an investment in our nation’s readiness. As we examine our workforce within the Department of Defense, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion not only supports our readiness but ensures that we can both recruit and retain the most talented and innovative servicemembers in the world. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues, Chairman Smith, and President Biden to make sure that we are investing in our military communities in the FY22 NDAA.”
Read Congresswoman Strickland’s questions submitted into the record for Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin below:
- Secretary Austin, one of the issues I have heard extensively about in my district is the cost of housing. I’ve had many military spouses reach out and saying how hard it is for them to find a home. The South Sound is one of the fastest growing markets in the United States for civilians and servicemembers alike. Between 2010 and 2019 over 180,000 households moved into my district compared to almost 54,000 households the decade prior. Housing affordability and increasing housing stock is a major focus of mine in both of the committees that I serve on. The Department assumes nationally, that E5s will spend between $84-$95 out of pocket for housing off post. I have heard very clearly that this is not the case. Additionally, DOD’s own guidance regarding calculating BAH says that a military member should not be put into a situation in which a spouse is required to work. However, many spouses are required to work not just to cover housing costs but to put food on the table. It is clear to me that BAH is not sufficient to cover the sharp rise of housing costs – especially in areas like JBLM. On post, there are currently 776 households on the waiting list at JBLM and, while Lincoln Military Housing and JBLM are working on an extensive renovation project, there is more work that needs to be done. We need to seek creative solutions both in addressing housing stock on post to provide families options and off post to ensure that servicemembers can afford to live in our communities. Will you work with me to find creative solutions to resolve the housing affordability crisis that is currently affecting our servicemembers?
- Secretary Austin, I understand that all of the services are performing data reviews and will have their own metrics for improving outcomes, but can you expand on how you are tracking data across the joint force? How does the Department plan to measure “success”? Are you focused on improving equity in recruiting, retention, promotion, and discipline? Or are you looking at other factors? How are you going to keep members accountable for improving outcomes – from the Services from the Secretaries and Chiefs down to the enlisted service member entering basic training?
- Secretary Austin, it is all well and good to do a one-time report to get a snapshot of the problem in recruiting, retention, promotion, and discipline regarding servicemembers from underrepresented groups. However, addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion will require regular assessment. Can you tell me how the Department will continue to collect data? Will questions be added to the annual command climate survey? Are the specific metrics that the Department is tracking regarding recruiting, retention, promotion, and discipline regarding servicemembers from underrepresented groups?
- Secretary Austin, the military is a pipeline program, and unlike in the private sector, it is very rare for someone to come from the outside and join at a relatively senior position. Can you tell me how the Department is examining recruitment from underrepresented communities?
This effort follows up on Strickland’s work in Congress since Day 1 as a strong advocate for servicemembers, military families, defense communities, and veterans. In June, Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland co-led the entire bipartisan Washington House delegation in sending a letter urging the US Department of Veterans Affairs to take immediate action to resolve the systemic issues plaguing the veterans’ health care system. One week prior, Strickland made a statement to the Veterans Affairs Committee, to shine a light on the delays and communications breakdowns that veterans living in Washington’s 10th Congressional District are experiencing through the VHA’s Community Care program. In March, Strickland co-led a letter to President Biden urging a boost in funding for the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) which would enable investments to enhance military family quality of life, resilience, or military value – including at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Strickland co-led the introduction of the bipartisan Military Hunger Prevention Act to help low-income military families living with food insecurity make ends meet. She also led her fellow Korean American Members of Congress in introducing legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Colonel Young Oak Kim in recognition of his extraordinary heroism, leadership, and humanitarianism.
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland serves as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and is the only African-American woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee. She is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress and the first African-American to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
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