Opinion Pieces by Rob

In the early 2000s, Congress tracked a rising discussion in defense circles about the extent to which a revolution in the character of war — driven by technological advancement — would shape how war is fought in the future. By the early 2010s, former Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work introduced the concept of the “third offset” strategy, urging the US military to… Read more »

As vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, I often get asked by my constituents why my work on the committee matters directly to Virginians. My answer is twofold: The work we do on HASC serves the large population of veterans, active-duty service members and their families throughout the commonwealth, and a strong national defense directly and indirectly fuels Virginia’s… Read more »

One year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine, which began a ground war in Europe not seen at this scale in over 70 years. This simultaneous land, sea and air assault rocked not only Ukraine itself, but the West’s understanding of the global balance of power. The 118th Congress must adjust to this new reality. We learned lessons over the past year; we must not be forced to learn them… Read more »

This new year brings an exciting new chapter to Congress and the 1st Congressional District of Virginia. Through redistricting, the 1st Congressional District welcomes new areas and new constituents that I am looking forward to representing. I have been fortunate to meet so many of the incredible folks of Virginia’s 1st District. With the addition of Henrico and Chesterfield counties, I… Read more »

Congress is building a stronger fleet than the Navy By Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) December 15, 2022 Defense News Last Thursday, the House voted on a final National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2023 that secures the future of our naval fleet for another year. Fortunately, Congress improved the Navy’s FY23 inadequate shipbuilding plan in critical ways: We rejected… Read more »

We find ourselves at an unprecedented time in history — one that demands material progress in transitioning critical commercial technology into the U.S. Department of Defense. As the largest ground war since World War II rages on NATO’s borders—a war to which the United States has already committed $15 billion in security assistance to Ukraine at the time of writing—our own… Read more »

In recent years, lawmakers on the Armed Services Committees in Congress have attempted to work with Republican and Democratic administrations to strengthen the posture of the United States military in the Indo-Pacific and confront the challenge posed by China. Yet U.S. efforts to truly align resources accordingly have been frustrated since President Barack Obama’s… Read more »

As Congress returns to Washington after spending the last two weeks out of session, we find ourselves with just three session weeks left in Washington to complete our legislative business before we adjourn again on July 29 for six weeks of August recess. I know the value of spending time in our districts, which is why I make the almost two hour drive in from my home in Montross,… Read more »

Congress must deliver an NDAA that meets the world as it is By Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) July 7, 2022 Breaking Defense The House and Senate are currently working to deliver robust defense funding for Fiscal Year 2023. Each Chamber continues to advance their version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), reflecting the sense of urgency that is… Read more »

What it looks like when competing with China comes last By Rep. Rob Wittman June 17, 2022 Defense News When U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attempted to lay out the Biden administration’s stance toward Taiwan in his recent speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, he reaffirmed the president’s commitment to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.… Read more »