Members press services to use supplemental funds to fix failing base housing at rural installations
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Summary
Lawmakers pressed service leaders about deteriorating family and unaccompanied housing at remote bases such as Holloman AFB and White Sands Missile Range and asked how reconciliation funds would be applied to address long‑standing deficits.
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers representing rural installations urged service leaders to use supplemental funding to repair and expand on‑base housing, citing overcrowding, aging units and recruitment impacts.
Representative Gabe Vasquez, representing New Mexico districts that include Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, said Holloman is at or near 99% on‑base housing occupancy and that many units date to the post‑World War II era. Lieutenant General Spain said the Air Force initiated a housing requirements analysis for Holloman that should finish this summer to determine community‑partnered solutions and capacity adjustments.
General Mingus confirmed a previously allocated $7 million for White Sands housing improvements remains earmarked and said a proposal to distribute those funds is ‘‘about ready to go out.’’ Witnesses emphasized deferred maintenance and family housing were top priorities and said that, if reconciliation funds materialize, both barracks and family housing projects are high on the services’ lists.
The subcommittee asked for concrete timelines and execution plans so funding can be tracked and evaluated for results; members emphasized that quality of life investments affect recruitment, retention and readiness.