Gaetz Appointed To House Armed Services And House Budget Committees

January 11, 2017

Congressman Matt Gaetz has been appointed to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and the House Budget Committee.

“Matt’s always been a fiscal conservative and strong defender of our military. As a member of the Armed Services and Budget Committees, he will continue to fight for the tools and funding our military needs to defeat terrorism and combat foreign threats,” said Speaker Paul Ryan, who made the appointments.

“I am humbled by the appointments and the opportunity to serve those who protect our freedom,” said Gaetz.  “We are blessed in Northwest Florida with a strong military presence.  My job is to protect our bases and to make sure government is keeping its promises to the warfighter, and their loved ones.”

The HASC sets policy and provides oversight and guidance for defense policy generally, ongoing military operations, the organization and reform of the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, acquisition and industrial base policy, technology transfer and export controls, joint interoperability, the Cooperative Threat Reduction program, Department of Energy nonproliferation programs, and detainee affairs and policy.

The 1st Congressional District of Florida has maintained a large military presence ever since John Quincy Adams persuaded Spain to sell Florida to the United States in 1819, in part to gain a deepwater port at Pensacola. The U.S. Air Force also has a large presence in Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field. Nearly 14,000 people are employed at the base, which is one of the largest air bases in the world. Pensacola Naval Air Station was the first Navy base devoted to the specific purpose of aviation, and is the home of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Whiting Field is one of the Navy’s two primary pilot training bases and home to Training Air Wing FIVE.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News