Senate Committee on Armed Services

The Committee on Armed Services is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Defense, military research and development, nuclear energy (as pertaining to national security), benefits for members of the military, the Selective Service System and other matters related to defense policy. The Armed Services Committee was created as a result of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 following U.S. victory in the Second World War. It merged the responsibilities of the Committee on Naval Affairs (established in 1816) and the Committee on Military Affairs (also established in 1816). Considered one of the most powerful Senate committees, its broad mandate allowed it to report some of the most extensive and revolutionary legislation during the Cold War years, including the National Security Act of 1947.

Subcommittees

 * Subcommittee on Airland


 * Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities


 * Subcommittee on Personnel


 * Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support


 * Subcommittee on Seapower


 * Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

Walter Reed
The Armed Services Committee announced on February 26, 2007 that it would be investigating the events and practices that led to Walter Reed, the premiere military medical facility in the U.S., slipping in to a state of "neglect." The announcement stated that on the 6th of March the committee would hear the testimony of several top military medical officers regarding this issue. 

Boeing contract
Sen. John McCain, the Ranking Member in the 110th Congress, began scrutinizing a $15 billion contract awarded to Boeing for search and rescue helicopters granted in 2006. McCain has previously derailed contracts, such as a Boeing midair refueling tanker contract several years before.

Petraeus report
On September 11, 2007, General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the Senate Committee on Armed Services. During his testimony he was questioned by five Presidential hopefuls, Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Joe Biden (D-Del.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), and John McCain (R-Ariz.), along with many other senators. During the questioning, Democrats sought to portray Petraeus's description of the situation in Iraq as overly optimistic, while Petraeus and Crocker defended their assessment.

Votes and legislation in this committee covered by Congresspedia

 * Military Commissions Act of 2006 (War on Terror detainee legislation) (9/12/06)

External articles

 * "Senate panel rejects Bush military tribunals plan," AFP (delivered by Yahoo! News), September 14, 2006.
 * Spencer Ackerman. "Senate to Investigate Walter Reed Scandal," TPMmuckraker, February 26, 2007.

Contact information
Committee Web site

228 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 202 224-3871