About Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-VA

Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-Va., is chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee.

Recent Posts By the Author


Randy_Forbes,_official_Congressional_photo_portrait,_standing

J. Randy Forbes Talks Sequestration

By:

Rep. J. Randy Forbes is chairman of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee. The Virginia Republican has held several hearings on naval readiness in the current Congress. He will be part of a panel on the looming fiscal cliff— that could result in a 10 percent reduction in defense spending—at Defense Forum Washington hosted by the U.S. Naval Institute next week.

Randy_Forbes,_official_Congressional_photo_portrait,_standing

Rep. Forbes, you said Wednesday that you’re expecting to see sequestration in some form in January. Could you expand on that?

Obviously we are still hopeful to divert sequestration from taking place. The clock is ticking. We continue to believe that defense has already paid its share and shouldn’t be cut in such an arbitrary and drastic fashion. But it’s going to take an awful lot to keep from going over the cliff.

Read More →

USS Harry S. Truman underway in the Atlantic on Sept. 5, U.S. Navy Photo

Atlantic Naval Forces Have a Future

By:

Since Congress passed the “Two-Ocean Navy Bill” in 1940, the U.S. Navy has been sized to operate simultaneously in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. First during the Second World War and then later against Soviet naval forces, the “Atlantic Fleet” held the line against America’s enemies.

USS Harry S. Truman underway in the Atlantic on Sept. 5, U.S. Navy Photo

USS Harry S. Truman underway in the Atlantic on Sept. 5, U.S. Navy Photo

Today, with the high-end threats in the Atlantic Ocean subdued, the Navy has called for posturing “credible combat power” in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One question I am often asked is if this will result in a diminished role for U.S. naval forces on the Atlantic coast as the Navy turns its attention to the Indo-Pacific region. The answer: Far from it. Our East Coast forces will continue to play a major role in regions beyond the geographic scope of their “Atlantic” posture, taking the lead in contributing to sea control and power projection missions in the Arabian Gulf/Indian Ocean while also performing ballistic missile defense, constabulary, intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance, and partnership-building missions in the Southern Command, Africa Command and the European Command areas of responsibility.

Read More →