Maryland Delegation Members Push for Funding for Mental Health at U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade

For Immediate Release

October 7, 2026

Contact: Francesca Amodeo / Nico Ballón (Van Hollen)

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representative Sarah Elfreth were joined by Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Representatives Steny Hoyer, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.) in requesting $11 million for U.S. Cyber Command as Congress works to complete the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Defense appropriations. In the letter to Appropriations Committee leadership, the lawmakers stressed the importance of the health and wellbeing of the service members and civilian employees of U.S. Cyber Command, as well as the importance of their work to our national security. The $11 million program increase would fund U.S. Cyber Command's high-performance team training, an operation aimed at improving care for service members, including helping commanders establish sustainable training, recovery, care, and resilience practices.

The lawmakers begin, "We respectfully urge you to retain the $11 million program increase for U.S. Cyber Command high-performance team training under Budget Activity 12D, Cyberspace Operations, as Congress completes the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. Headquartered at Fort George G. Meade, U.S. Cyber Command is central to Maryland's national security community and relies on service members, civilian employees, and families throughout our state to conduct some of the Nation's most demanding and persistent military operations missions."

"As the Congressional Delegation of Maryland, we are troubled by recent public reporting describing several deaths by suicide among personnel in cyber operations and the Fort Meade community over a short period. These deaths have a severe impact on the family, friends, and wider community. The concentration of these tragedies within a small, highly specialized workforce demands sustained attention and an institutional response proportionate to the operational strain these personnel bear," they continue.

On the need for funding for High Performance Team Training at Cyber Command, the lawmakers note, "The requested $11 million would help U.S. Cyber Command close this gap by funding the FY26 NDAA provision. Embedded support would improve access to care for service members inside secure facilities, give providers a better understanding of the mission and its operational tempo, identify concerns earlier, and help commanders establish sustainable training, recovery, and resilience practices. Models used in other high-demand military communities, including special operations and remotely piloted aircraft units, and dedicated intelligence commands demonstrate the value of treating psychological health and human performance as readiness requirements. Cyber Command noted that without this funding, burnout and force degradation will increase."

"Preserving this funding would demonstrate Congress's commitment to the health and readiness of the cyber workforce at Fort Meade, Maryland, and across the Nation. It would also help ensure that the Department establishes an enduring system of prevention, care, and operational resilience rather than relying solely on short-term interventions following a tragedy. One loss of life is one too many. We must do everything we can to make sure our servicemembers and everyone at the Fort has the full mental health support and resources they need, so that a tragedy like this does not occur again. We appreciate your continued leadership and support of Maryland's servicemembers, federal employees, and families," the lawmakers conclude.

The full text of the letter is available here.

###