U.S. Senator John Boozman, who chairs the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, conducted a hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for military infrastructure and family housing. These projects are vital as they support infrastructure related to new weapons platforms and facilities like hospitals, schools, and housing. Boozman stressed the importance of delivering facilities on time and within budget.
In his opening statement, Boozman acknowledged Ranking Member Jon Ossoff and congratulated him on the birth of his daughter. He highlighted the $18.9 billion MILCON request for 2026, noting it is an increase of $1.4 billion over the previous year. Despite this growth, he expressed concern about rising costs without a proportional increase in what is being delivered.
Boozman pointed out that hitting $100 million on single projects has become routine and noted that nearly $6 billion in this year’s request accounts for projects requiring incremental funding due to their high costs. He attributed these increases to multi-billion-dollar recapitalization efforts and the growing complexity of necessary facilities.
He emphasized that inflation and economic pressures continue to drive up costs, which he deemed unsustainable for future budgets. Boozman mentioned ongoing discussions within the Department of Defense examining factors affecting MILCON costs—some influenced by Congress or DoD policy—and expressed hope for improvements in efficiency.
Boozman also referenced a recent injunction reinstating Project Labor Agreement requirements as an example of external influences introducing uncertainty into MILCON processes. He hopes reviews led by the Deputy Secretary of Defense will lead to faster project timelines.
The senator reiterated the importance of MILCON in supporting critical infrastructure tied to weapons platforms and quality-of-life facilities for servicemembers. He urged collaboration between Congress and the Department to ensure timely delivery of high-quality facilities while managing costs effectively.
Boozman concluded by looking forward to engaging with witnesses during the hearing to advance a successful MILCON program.
