H. Res. 994 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

July 17, 2018. 

Whereas since fiscal year 2010, United States Marine Corps 

active duty end strength has shrunk by 8 percent from 

202,100 to 186,000; 

Whereas, on March 1, 2016, Marine Corps Commandant 

Robert Neller stated, ‘‘The fiscal reductions and instability of the past few years have impacted our readiness. 

As resources have diminished, the Marine Corps has protected the near-term operational readiness of its deployed 

and next-to-deploy units in order to meet operational 

commitments. This has come at a risk.’’; 

Whereas, on February 26, 2015, now Chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff Joseph F. Dunford stated, 

‘‘[a]pproximately half of our non-deployed units—and 

those are the ones that provide the bench to respond to 

unforeseen contingencies—are suffering personnel, equipment and training shortfalls.’’; 

Whereas, on February 8, 2017, Assistant Commandant 

Glenn Walters stated, ‘‘A focus on [ongoing] operations, 

the decrease in funding levels from Fiscal Year (FY) 

2012, fiscal instability and the lack of an inter-war period have left your Marine Corps insufficiently manned, 

trained and equipped across the depth of the force to operate in an evolving operational environment.’’; 
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•HRES 994 EH 

Whereas the Marine Corps’ Assault Amphibious Vehicle 

(AAV–7A1) and Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) average 

over 40 and 26 years old, respectively; 

Whereas the Marine Corps has a stated requirement for 38 

amphibious ships to support the operations of 2 Marine 

Expeditionary Brigades, but the amphibious fleet numbers only 32 ships today; 

Whereas former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan 

Greenert testified on March 12, 2014, that, ‘‘[t]oday, in 

the world that we live in, the world that the Navy and 

Marine Corps lives in, and the future, we probably need 

50 [amphibious ships].’’; 

Whereas, on April 5, 2017, Marine Corps leaders testified 

that, ‘‘The most dire readiness situation lies within our 

Aviation element. An unhealthy percentage of our aviation units lack the minimum number of ready basic aircraft (RBA) for training, and we are significantly short 

ready aircraft for wartime requirements. We simply do 

not have the available aircraft to meet our squadrons’ requirements.’’; 

Whereas during parts of 2016, only 43 percent of the Marine 

Corps’ total aviation fleet was available for operational 

employment, including less than 1⁄3 of its F/A–18 Hornets; 

Whereas from fiscal year 2013 through fiscal year 2017, Marine Corps aviation accidents increased by 80 percent 

from 56 to 101 per year; 

Whereas between 2011 and 2017, aviation accidents killed 

more than 60 Marines, including 19 over a 2-month period in 2017; and 
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•HRES 994 EH 

Whereas, on March 10, 2017, Deputy Commandant Gary L. 

Thomas stated, ‘‘Unstable fiscal environments prevent 

the deliberately planned, sustained effort needed to recover current readiness of our legacy equipment in the 

near term, and to modernize in the longer term * * *. 

We must work to avoid a budget-driven strategy and return to a strategy-driven budget, informed by the strategic requirements of the current and future operating 

environments. Unless we do so, the range of options we 

have to address current and future threats will further 

erode.’’: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) recognizes that the United States Marine Corps 

faces significant readiness challenges, as well as shortfalls in end strength and delayed modernization; 

(2) finds that failing to provide the Marine Corps 

with stable, robust, and on-time funding impedes its 

ability to meet ongoing and unexpected security threats, 

putting United States national security at risk; and 

(3) commits to enhancing the Marine Corps’ ability 

to meet our Nation’s threats ‘‘In the air, on land, and 

sea’’. 

Attest: 

Clerk.