Opening Remarks by Gen. Steve Nordhaus, Chief, National Guard Bureau, at the Senate Committee on Appropriations Hearing – A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget[...]

Before I provide my opening remarks, I ask that we remember our fallen service members across the Joint Force, who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They will always be remembered.

Chairman McConnell, Ranking Member Coons, esteemed members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the strength of your locally-based, globally-engaged National Guard.

I thank our 54 Adjutants General and Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines - who is with me today - for their counsel.

Moreover, I want to thank you, Congress, for your support that underpins everything we do, ensuring a stronger and more secure tomorrow.

It is an honor to represent 435,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the National Guard. Today, nearly 44,000 Guardsmen are engaged worldwide-securing our homeland and supporting every Combatant Commander around the globe.

Your National Guard has had a remarkable year, defined by the scale and simultaneity of our operations. We are powered by our core advantage: the Citizen-Soldier. They combine the warrior ethos and civilian-acquired skills, creating an organization that is as innovative, as it is lethal a force that is community-based and engaged worldwide.

Defending the homeland is the Department of War's number one priority. This is the National Guard's foundational mission. Our dual mission-serving as the primary combat reserve of the Army and Air Force while also serving as a military first responder in domestic crises-This is a challenge we proudly accept.

Without hesitation, during Operations MIDNIGHT HAMMER and EPIC FURY, National Guard crews delivered decisive blows to Iran in lockstep with our Joint partners.

Your National Guard is an indispensable return on investment for America. We represent 20% of the Joint Force, yet we operate on less than 4% of the Department's budget.

Our decisive capabilities are only possible if our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen train with modernized equipment, fully interoperable with the Joint Force. To sustain strategic dominance, we must modernize concurrently with our Services to aggressively out-pace and overmatch tomorrow's threats with robust investments for today.

This year, I remain laser-focused on sharpening our warfighting edge, to increase our Guard's readiness and bolster our capabilities and our core missions for Homeland, Warfighting, and Partnerships.

When we serve our citizens in a State Active Duty status // current policy sends those reimbursement funds back to the Treasury. We ask for your support in restoring those State Active Duty funds that get spent back to our readiness and back to our formations.

Our warfighters are our most critical asset, and to support their service we must enact duty status reform and compensate equal work with equal pay and benefits.

In closing, I want to again thank this committee for your unwavering support. Let us pray and continue to support our warfighters in harm's way. Let us stand by them and their families and we are thankful for their service.

We will always keep our promise to our Nation and to our citizens to be Always Ready, Always There.

Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.