Crow and Colorado’s entire bipartisan congressional delegation urge Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Troy E. Meink and Air Force Chief of Staff General Kenneth S. Wilsbach to tell Congress when a remissioning decision for the airmen will be made, when funds to retrain them will be available, and when new equipment will be fielded.
Urge the Air Force to tell Congress when the remissioning decision will be made, when retraining funds will be available, and when new equipment will be fielded.
Occurrences
Evidence
Congressman Jason Crow introduced the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act, which would require the Secretary of the Air Force to submit regular reports to the congressional defense committees on fighter inventory, recapitalization, and related timing, including a timetable through October 1, 2030 and an annual report due by July 1 each year.
GovInfo shows S.873 was introduced on March 5, 2025 and referred to the Senate Armed Services Committee, with no later action listed in the bill record provided.
Crow said the bipartisan NDAA headed to the President’s desk included Colorado wins, but the highlighted Air Force item in the release concerned the Air Force’s Flying Communications System rather than a disclosure of remissioning decision timing, retraining-fund availability, or new-equipment fielding dates.
The Congressional Record includes references to the Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025 and related amendments, showing the issue was being actively considered in Congress during 2025.
GovInfo lists S. 873 as introduced in the Senate on March 5, 2025 and referred to the Committee on Armed Services; the page still shows March 5, 2025 as the last action date.
Assessments
Crow made a serious oversight and legislative effort on the issue, including introducing legislation to require Air Force reporting on recapitalization timing. But the evidence provided does not show that the Air Force actually told Congress when the remissioning decision would be made, when retraining funds would be available, or when new equipment would be fielded. The related bill appears to have stalled at referral, so the promised outcome was not delivered.
The promise was to urge the Air Force to provide Congress specific timing information on the remissioning decision, retraining funds, and fielding of new equipment. The evidence shows Crow took serious, concrete action by introducing legislation aimed at requiring Air Force reporting on recapitalization timelines and related planning, which materially aligns with the oversight goal. However, the record provided does not show that the Air Force actually gave Congress the specific disclosures promised, nor that Crow's effort was enacted into law during the term window covered. Under the rule for serious but unsuccessful attempts, this is best judged as not delivered with an effort badge.