U.S. Representative Jack Bergman, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, addressed the issue of declining U.S. military readiness during a hearing on April 15 regarding the posture of military preparedness for Fiscal Year 2027.
Bergman said that declining readiness trends are causing operational challenges such as aircraft being cannibalized and ground vehicles left idle, emphasizing the need for Congress to prioritize maintaining existing military assets over acquiring new equipment.
"I think that we can all agree that the declining readiness trends are unacceptable," Bergman said in his prepared remarks. He continued, "We have allowed our military readiness to decline across the board because we are more focused on procuring shiny objects than on holistically managing the day-to-day maintenance necessary to sustain our military." Bergman also pointed out issues with specific programs: "Cannibalizing our Joint Strike Fighter fleet because we have not provided the basic parts to support this superior platform is not a reasonable long-term solution to maintaining current readiness." He added that proposed budget increases and supplemental funding could help address these issues by breaking what he called a cycle of cannibalization and putting critical platforms like the Joint Strike Fighter on a sustainable path.
Bergman highlighted concerns about naval capabilities as well: "Years of neglect, misplaced priorities, and open derision from certain Navy pundits have left less than half of our amphibious ships available for tasking. That is not a maintenance problem — it is a leadership problem." He concluded by calling for accountability from Navy leadership and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring existing forces are maintained through their expected service life.
The House Armed Services Committee includes members such as Reps. Joe Wilson, Michael R. Turner, and Robert J. Wittman according to its official website. The committee oversees national defense programs and agencies under jurisdiction defined by Rule X of the U.S. House Rules and Manual according to its official website. Rep. Mike Rogers served as chair during recent sessions according to its official website, while legislative processes like community project funding via National Defense Authorization Act fall within its influence according to its official website.
The committee's work falls under congressional oversight related to national defense matters according to its official website.
