Rep. Jeff Crank Questions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Missile Defense and Border Security

Missile Defense and Adversary Capabilities

• 🎯 Golden Dome missile defense shield is discussed, with concerns raised that it might provoke China and Russia.
• 💡 Rep. Crank argues that the premise that China and Russia aren't already advancing missile technology is flawed, as they are actively developing new capabilities.

Military Installations and Land Use

• 🏞️ El Paso County's growth necessitates balancing development with protecting military installations through initiatives like the Security, Open Space, and Agriculture Resiliency (SOAR) program.
• ✅ The Department of Defense plans to continue supporting the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program in the FY26 budget.
• 🤝 Assistance is requested from the DoD to work with USDA to resolve funding reviews for land acquisition projects essential to protecting the US Air Force Academy's training capabilities.

Military Support for Southern Border Security

• 🇺🇸 The US military is providing support for securing the southern border, leveraging new authorities granted to US Northern Command.
• 🛡️ This support is framed as foundational to national security, with military personnel assisting Border Patrol to interdict illegal crossings.
• 🌍 The military's expertise, honed over two decades of guarding other nations' borders, is now being applied to the US southern border.
• 🤝 The military's role is described as a support function, not direct law enforcement, focusing on providing manpower and expertise.