Indiana member asks for $200 million to modernize National Guard Humvees, urges strong JLTV funding in FY26 defense request

A member of the House representing Indiana told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense during an open hearing on the fiscal 2026 Department of Defense appropriations that he is requesting $200 million for a National Guard Humvee Modernization Program and the highest possible funding level for Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs).

The representative said the request is driven by concerns about an aging Humvee fleet and the need to maintain military readiness and the domestic industrial base. "By 2030, the average age of our Humvee fleet will be 20 years old, and the oldest vehicles will be over 40 years old," the representative said. He asked committee leaders to include "$200,000,000 for the National Guard, Humvee Modernization Program as well as the highest possible funding for JLTVs in fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill."

Chairman Calvert opened the hearing by stressing global security challenges and the need to begin planning for FY26. "It is vital that The United States have the capability and capacity to respond to those who wish us harm," he said. Ranking Member Rep. McCollum noted other security concerns and asked the committee to keep civilians caught up in conflicts in mind during deliberations: "let us keep in mind the children of Ukraine who have been kidnapped and held captive in Russia."

In his remarks the Indiana representative highlighted AM General's role in the LTV industrial base: "AM General has proudly been manufacturing Humvees in Mishawaka, Indiana for the past 40 years." He said the JLTV A2 variant offers greater payload, blast protection and armoring compared with the Humvee and that the army has publicly stated there will be "over 49,000 JLTVs and 55,000 Humvees in the fleet until at least the year 2050."

The representative linked the funding request to domestic jobs and supplier networks, saying AM General "employs more than 1,100 hardworking Americans" across Midwest facilities and that the broader light tactical vehicle industrial base "stretches across 43 states into over 1,100 supplier businesses." He also said Humvees are currently being used by the National Guard in missions along the southern border and referenced presidential directives in that context.

Another member attending the hearing added a brief endorsement from personal experience in combat, saying the vehicle "was a stalwart for us in, for US forces in Iraq and, protected many of our, of our service members' lives and delivered them on target, rapidly and and, and safely."

Committee procedure noted that all member testimony submitted to the record would be entered and that each member was allotted five minutes for remarks. No formal vote or amendment occurred during the session; members provided testimony for the record to inform the subcommittee's FY26 defense appropriations work.

The hearing concluded after members urged quick completion of the FY25 work and the committee's start on FY26 planning. "We need to get '25 done, start working on '26," Rep. McConnell said, and the chair adjourned the session.