Sorensen to serve on Armed Services, key subcommittees

endorsement sorensen Arned Service House
U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, whose 17th Congressional District includes the Rock Island Arsenal, has been appointed to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.

U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Moline, whose 17th Congressional District includes the Rock Island Arsenal, has been appointed to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. He also will serve on the panel’s subcommittees on Readiness and Tactical Air and Land Forces. 

Mr. Sorsensen’s office said in a news release that these new roles will enhance the second-term congressman’s ability to advocate for the arsenal as well as the  Peoria Air National Guard Base, which is home to the 182nd Airlift Wing. He called them “vital to our national defense and the backbone of our local economy.”

Armed Services is responsible for funding and oversight of the Department of Defense and the United States Armed Forces. Its duties include writing the National National Defense Authorization Act. That document sets the annual budget and expenditures for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Previous 17th Congressional District representatives who have served on or led the House Armed Services panel include U.S. Representatives Cheri Bustos, Bobby Schilling and Lane Evans.

Regarding the subcommittees to which he was appointed, Mr. Soresen said they will “allow me to ensure these installations get the resources, support, and investments they need to continue their critical missions. I’m proud to fight for our service members, civilian workers, and military  families here in Illinois.”

Congressman Adam Smith, D-Washington, D.C., is the ranking member and a leader of the House Armed Services Committee. 

Unique skill set

“As a trusted TV meteorologist for nearly 20 years and member of Congress since 2023, Congressman Sorensen brings a truly unique and valuable set of skills to the House Armed Services Committee,” Mr. Smith said in the announcement release. “His representation of the historic Rock Island Arsenal on the Mississippi River and the 182nd Airlift Wing at the Peoria Air National Guard base will be equally important in informing the committee’s work on behalf of service members, military families, and civilian workers.”

In addition to Armed Services, Mr. Sorsensen also will make an impact through his position on following key subcommittees, the release said: 

  • Subcommittee on Readiness. It focuses on key areas of military preparedness, like training, logistics, and infrastructure. It also oversees military construction and the operations of facilities like the Rock Island Arsenal. On this subcommittee gives Mr. Sorensen  can work to expand the Arsenal’s role in supporting the U.S. military with cutting-edge manufacturing and innovation, the release said.
  • Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces. It handles matters related to military aircraft that includes the Peoria Air National Guard Base and the 182nd  Airlift Wing, which the release said, “plays an essential role in our national defense.”

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