Congressman Kim Prioritizes Support for Military Families by Accepting Position as Ranking Member on Military Personnel Subcommittee for U.S. Armed Services

WASHINGTON DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) released the following statement about his appointment as Ranking Member on the Military Personnel Subcommittee as part of the House Armed Services Committee.

“Some of the toughest conversations I’ve had since becoming a Member of Congress have been with military personnel who aren’t getting the health care they need or military spouses who are struggling to find jobs as they move around the nation from base to base. We have a crisis of suicide and mental health with our servicemembers and veterans, but the response has not yet risen to meet the challenge. We need to do better, much better for our military personnel and their families. We spend billions on weapons and hardware but then tell servicemembers in need of help that they aren’t eligible for mental health support.

“That’s why I’m stepping up to be the Ranking Member of the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the Armed Services Committee in Congress. 

“I get it that politics is broken, and that partisanship is stagnating our ability to get things done. But if there is ever one place where we can find common ground, it should be with helping those who serve and protect us.

“I’ll work to help our families here at home, and I’ll work to support our national security abroad. To do so, I’ll also return to the Foreign Affairs Committee as well as join the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.

“These are tough times and I know that families are feeling a lot of anxiety. We want stability and predictability in our lives. In order to get there, we need a real national security strategy that harnesses the full range of tools across diplomacy, defense, and economic engagement. We need to be thoughtful about the challenges we face and have composure and clear eyes on our actions. We also need to move past the tribalism in our politics and act with collectivity and unity for the security of our nation. Let’s get to work.”

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