“Today the President released his Fiscal Year 2017 budget, which outlines the Administration’s priorities for the funding the Department of Defense. The primary responsibility the House Armed Services Committee is to support the Department of Defense with predictable funding that enables our Armed Services to provide for our national defense.

“The House Armed Services Committee should focus on policies that continue to build a more effective military that is prepared to combat the challenges we face. I want to fully understand the President’s budget proposal before making any decisions on overall funding levels or individual programs, and I welcome a debate about the appropriate funding for FY17 for the Department of Defense to ensure that our military has the resources that it needs. Moving forward, I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join together to support members of our military and their families while strengthening American diplomacy and development as part of a truly holistic approach to national security.”