Read a full transcript of her line of questioning below:
Chairwoman Stefanik: Secretary Driscoll, thank you for your service to our country, particularly your service in my district at Fort Drum. You know you're well aware of Fort Drum's strategic importance and modernization efforts for the army and how vital they are for our nation's readiness. Nearly every facet of the Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield has been modernized to support a rapid deployment force, and the airfield's 10,000-foot runway can accommodate any aircraft in the US Air Force inventory matching DoD's air defense capabilities to threats and deterring our enemies today. Fort Drum's, Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield has, unfortunately, a failing electric power system, and it's currently programmed for funding for FY27. I reached out to you via a letter about the importance of this issue, and I would just like your commitment to work with us about potentially moving up that critical funding to FY26?
Secretary Driscoll: Congresswoman, I deployed from that runway, so I know it well. I commit that we will take a look at it and follow back up with your office.
Chairwoman Stefanik: Thank you so much. Fort Drum has relied on energy from the local power grid since closing its on-post energy facility in 2023. This is an issue my office has been engaged in for a number of years. The Army Corps of Engineers determined that a small modular reactor would be an optimal option to supply Fort Drum's energy needs. This is an issue that I worked on with my colleague, Congresswoman Tenney, who shares Jefferson County with me, in terms of representation, I would just like your commitment today to work with our offices to ensure Fort Drum returns to energy independence and security, including the potential deployment of this small modular reactor to the installation as soon as possible.
Secretary Driscoll: Same answer, Congresswoman, I commit, we'll look at it and follow up quickly.
Chairwoman Stefanik: And then lastly, in a previous NDAA, my office worked to secure a provision that required DOD to review their ability to conduct electronic warfare training and leverage this defense ecosystem in upstate New York that we have helped develop between Fort Drum and the Air Force Research Lab in Rome, New York, which I also represent. This has been an ideal environment led to the Army’s decision to choose Fort Drum to host the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force in 2025 and PEO IEW&S’s incredible work to partner with AFRL’s Future Flag series of limited experimentation, which I strongly support and has led to great tactical outcomes. Can you speak to the importance of placing as much of the second multi-domain Task Force at Fort Drum as possible to leverage this unique experimentation that will be continued between Rome and all the great work we're doing there?
General Randy A. George: I'll jump in on that one, Congresswoman. First, I think, you know, we did the big exercise last November up there. So I'm really proud of what 10th Mountain has been one of our most deployed units anywhere in the Army, and they're doing a phenomenal job right now. General Naumann down on the border. I think what we're looking at is that every installation is going to have to do what we started to do. You know that you have helped with up at Drum, we're going to have to be able to train EW, we're going to have to be able to train drones, and working through that. So we're going to have to expand all of those systems. And we're certainly looking into this, on the stationing, we can come over and talk to you about that. In detail right now, I don't know if we've made any changes or finalized any of that, but happy to come over and walk you through that in detail.
Chairwoman Stefanik: I appreciate that this is something my office has advocated for a number of years to develop this defense ecosystem, specifically in upstate New York, because of our unique capabilities, because of both Fort Drum, but also the emerging technology that research that's being conducted at Rome AFRL. I also want to invite you, Secretary Driscoll, to come back to Fort Drum. I've hosted the president there, where he signed an NDAA. I've hosted previous secretaries of defense. I've hosted previous secretaries of the Army and I would love to host and welcome you back to Fort Drum.
Secretary Driscoll: It would be an absolute honor my XO who was working with me when I got into the office just went up there and so I would be delighted to visit her with you.
Chairwoman Stefanik: Great, thank you. I'll take you up on that.
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