Video Clips
Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.
Mitch McConnell
“It's also a recipe for major disruptions in the very possible event that party-line reconciliation fails. The administration's choice to structure an ambitious $1.5 trillion request in this way is yet another missed opportunity to put key aspects of our common defense on a stronger and more enduring fiscal footing.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Mitch McConnell
“If fielding the F-35 remains an operational necessity, both for the United States and for our allies, there's really no excuse for not placing it squarely in full-year appropriations.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Mitch McConnell
“Also glad to see the fiscal year '27 request begin to address the issue of operational readiness rates by investing more in F-35 spares. But the department will continue to step on its own tail if it insists in housing procurement with new airframes, primarily in one-off reconciliation spending.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Chris Coons
“This year, more than most, this subcommittee understands and must understand your goals in building this budget, whether or not it's realistic to grow this fast, and the smartest ways to reprioritize your budgets in the case that reconciliation does not occur.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Susan Collins
“I would just suggests that it is taking a terrible risk and creates instability when you're counting on a third reconciliation bill for the bulk of the money rather than doing base funding through the defense appropriations bill.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“The fiscal year 2027 President's Budget breaks that pattern with the $338 $1.8 billion request for the DAF, a 34% increase from last year.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“Foundational readiness. Boosting readiness requires increased and stable funding, particularly given the age of many of our platforms. The FY27 budget request increases our foundational readiness investment by 34%, providing the jump needed to truly recover.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
General Saltzman
“the FY27 budget boosts our top line by 130% and our end strength by 27%.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“Across the fight, about 60% of that 30,000-plus weapons are coming from there, so that That tells you the level of investment, 60% of the weapons going forward across the fight.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Kenneth Wilsbach
“the F-35 has performed marvelously in Epic Fury. And you're right, the aircraft availability averages out over the course of time at about 50%, but of the jets that we actually had forward performed much, much greater than that.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Chris Coons
“it is also demonstrably the case these current operations and recent operations have strained readiness, sharply reduced important munitions inventories, and weakened our hand to respond to tomorrow's threats.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Chris Coons
“the administration has at times, um, talked in competing ways, with one breath insisting our current operational tempo is risk-free, and in the next requesting billions for additional vital munitions.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Chris Coons
“The request places critical resources, multi-year munitions procurements, spare parts for the F-35 program, key missile defense space programs into a reconciliation package that I doubt will ever be enacted.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Chris Coons
“The Department of the Air Force is requesting nearly $100 billion in the defense discretionary budget, from $257 enacted to $351 billion that we're evaluating here today.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“The DAF's lean budget over the years has also resulted in a $50 billion facilities maintenance backlog.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Kenneth Wilsbach
“Weapon systems sustainment funding increased to over $24 billion and flying hours to nearly 10 billion.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
General Saltzman
“the FY27 budget landmark investment of $71.1 billion for the Space Force represents a generational opportunity to position the force to meet the rapidly expanding threats and demands of the nation.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“this budget leverages existing commercial production capacity and takes full advantage of multiyear procurement for our most critical munitions, totaling 39,000 weapons of all types by FY '33.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Mitch McConnell
“I think it's safe to conclude there will not be another reconciliation bill. So it's really not an option.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“It is the appropriate amount of money to, to build the KC-46s. Essentially, Senator, it's the max rate that Boeing's able to produce the aircraft.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Kenneth Wilsbach
“What that tells us is that when you prioritize the funding for the parts and the weapon system sustainment, the jet flies really well. And that's why in this budget we have $24 billion for weapon system sustainment and $10 billion for flying hours and $4.5 billion for the working capital fund, which funds the necessary parts and weapon system sustainment. A large portion of that is for F-35”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Mitch McConnell
“Core pieces of the President's defense agenda, like multiyear procurement contracts for critical munitions, Half of the F-35 program, Golden Dome, and DROME dominance initiatives are all requested as a one-off reconciliation spending, not a full year base appropriations.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Susan Collins
“The administration is proposing that a significant portion of funding for both of these modernization programs be done through a third reconciliation bill, a bill that may never happen. For example, of the $154 million request for the power thermal management upgrade for the engine, only $10 million is requested in the base budget. What is the impact on these programs if they are not fully funded in fiscal year 2027, and what would be the implications for the defense industrial base?”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026
Troy Meink
“Without a reconciliation and a year-long CR that keeps us at the $890-ish total, that would have significant impacts on our readiness. A lot of the investments we've just been talking about to meet the the unmanned vehicles, as well as, you know, the increased readiness for weapons systems to increase the F-35 readiness, as well as the munitions procurement. All that is substantially impacted if we stayed at 890 without a reconciliation or other mechanism.”Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of Defense (Murkowski): Hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Air Force. · Jun 9, 2026