Ken Calvert named chairman of Defense Appropriations Subcommittee
Ryan King
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Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) was named the chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday.
The move was expected because Calvert served as the ranking member of the powerful committee, which helps oversee the allocation of national defense spending. Calvert welcomed the news and foreshadowed a renewed focus on countering military capabilities from Russia and China.
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“Congress needs to be wide-eyed about the growing capabilities and aggression of nations like China and Russia. America cannot expect to lead the free world in the decades to come if we are not in the position of being the unquestioned defense superpower we have been for decades,” Calvert said in a statement.
One of the key questions that could emerge during his tenure is military funding for Ukraine as the war-torn nation seeks to stave off a Russian invasion. A cacophony of Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), have vowed to step up scrutiny of that funding and not give Kyiv a “blank check.” Meanwhile, officials are warning that weapons given to Ukraine have been draining U.S. military stockpiles.
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Calvert visited Eastern Europe last year to huddle with foreign officials on the war and implored the Biden administration to ramp up support for Ukraine during the early days of the war. Late last year, Congress greenlighted an additional $45 billion in both humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine, bringing total aid approved up to nearly $100 billion since the outbreak of the war.
He emphasized that while he believes the U.S. must commit extensive resources to shoring up its military capabilities, there are limits.
“As we know all too well, American tax dollars are very much finite. Our Subcommittee must prioritize efforts that eliminate waste, create efficiencies, and prioritize investments in the tools that will provide the foundation for our defense for decades to come,” Calvert said in a statement.
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The House has been rolling out committee assignments now that the new Congress has been sworn in and a rules package has been enacted. Calvert’s appointment to the key appropriations subcommittee comes as the federal government is expected to hit the debt ceiling later this week if Congress does not raise the limit.