Durbin Urges Navy Leadership To Improve Quality Of Life, Housing For Military Families
In today’s Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Durbin expressed his concern about the condition of the barracks at Great Lakes Naval Station
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today participated in a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Navy. During the hearing, Durbin asked Navy leaders about the politicization of the military and urged them to prioritize improvements to military housing and education for service members and their families.
“All of our branches of service have been careful to draw the line when it comes to partisanship and political involvement… Men and women in the military do not display partisan feelings when it comes to politics in America. This side of the table is largely political animals, and that side, particularly those in uniform, we expect them to be somewhat down the middle of the road, not involved in any partisan identification or activity,” Durbin said. “Why is that important?”
General Eric M. Smith, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, replied that it’s critical for military leaders to remain apolitical in order to support the president, regardless of who they may be. Both John Phelan, Secretary of the U.S. Navy, and Admiral James Kilby, Acting Chief of Naval Operations, concurred with General Smith.
“I hope that [the politization of the military] does not happen. It shouldn’t happen. It shouldn’t favor my party or their party or any party in that regard,” Durbin said.
Durbin then pivoted to asking about quality of life concerns for military families stationed at naval bases, particularly at Naval Station Great Lakes, which is located in northern Illinois.
“I’d like to you say a word, or have you say a word, about the ‘Quarterdeck of the Navy,’ which is what we characterize Great Lakes Navy Training Station [as]. It is the only [Navy] bootcamp and primary surface warfare specialty training in the United States. And in the state of Illinois, we are damn proud of it. I think one of the things I am concerned about is quality of life, always. I can recall speaking to a chief petty officer who was transferred from Virginia to Illinois, and [I] asked him how his family liked the Great Lakes. He said, ‘I didn’t bring my family. I left my family behind in Virginia. I said, ‘Why?’ And he said, ‘Because the schools are not good for navy families.’ I think that’s changed because that observation was made many years ago,” Durbin said.
“But I’d ask you, Mr. Secretary, when it comes to quality of life, what efforts are you making, and what efforts should I be making, to address any quality of life issues for those who are part of Great Lakes?” Durbin asked.
Secretary Phelan responded by explaining that he is examining the private management of military housing. He noted that he’s visited bases that offered condemned buildings as housing for service members. After seeing the deteriorating building, he instructed the base’s leadership to move service members into the base’s newly built barracks immediately. Secretary Phelan emphasized that he is prioritizing a review of all barracks to ensure that service members are living in safe, suitable homes.
“One of the privatized military housing communities [at Great Lakes Naval Station] sat empty because 70 percent of its units were condemned and unlivable. Imagine that. It strikes my heart to think the men and women who might have occupied that would be in those circumstances. We can’t let that happen,” Durbin said.
“When it comes to access to education, it is one of the highest priorities of all families, including navy families and marine families,” Durbin said in reference to the chief petty officer who did not move his family with him to Great Lakes Naval Station. “It is my priority too.”
Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s question in Committee is available here for TV stations.
Durbin has been a strong advocate for military families stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station. In 2015, he secured a special provision providing increased funding for North Chicago, where the naval base is located, through the Department of Education’s (ED) Impact Aid Program to supplement schools that are affected by a lack of state and local tax base due to federal property being in the district. The Navy has extended North Chicago’s eligibility for this higher funding at Durbin’s request for future school years. Durbin is also working with the Navy on efforts to improve conditions at the long-neglected privatized military housing community Halsey Village near Great Lakes Naval Station.
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