Copyright Breaking Defense
DesJarlais leads a subcommittee that oversees critical DoD operations. Chairman, House Armed Services (HASC) Strategic Forces Subcommittee Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-4st District, Tennessee Responsibilities Chair of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee for the 119th Congress, DesJarlais mantles a subcommittee that oversees critical DoD operations including: strategic deterrence and stability policies; nuclear arms control; nuclear weapons; non-proliferation; nuclear safety; missile defense; and space. In addition, the subcommittee has jurisdiction over Department of Energy operations relating to national security, as well as programs and accounts related to: nuclear weapons; strategic missiles; nuclear command and control systems; DoD intelligence space; space systems, and intermediate and long-range missile defense systems. Given its portfolio, markups from the Strategic Forces Subcommittee play an important part in the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Quote During a 2025 posture review of DoD Strategic Command, Space Command, and Northern Command, DesJarlais said “I think it’s worth noting that the three officers in front of us today represent different combatant commands, with different missions, and different priorities, but they each face a common problem. All of you are responsible for mission areas where the United States once enjoyed superiority, but we are now increasingly confronted by adversaries.” He went on to say that adversaries “cannot compete with our conventional forces, so they have chosen to target our homeland, hold our space systems at risk, and expand their nuclear arsenals to challenge our deterrent. These threats have been building for some time, but the pace is accelerating.” Committees/Caucuses Chairman: HASC Strategic Forces Subcommittee. Member of: Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces; Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittees on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture and on Nutrition. Caucuses include: House Freedom Caucus; Republican Doctors Caucus; General Aviation Caucus; Border Security Caucus; Congressional Taiwan Caucus; Congressional Range and Testing Center Caucus; Congressional Aluminum Caucus; Congressional Diabetes Caucus; Cystic Fibrosis Caucus; Malaria Caucus; and Second Amendment Caucus. Political/Professional Career US Representative of Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District since 2011, serving his 8th term in office. Much of the district is rural, and encompasses both Coffee and Franklin counties, home to Arnold Air Force Base, named for General Henry “Hap” Arnold, considered the father of the US Air Force. The Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) is headquartered there, its large-scale operations designed to test and evaluate aircraft, missile, and space systems and subsystems. Moved to East Tennessee in 1993, setting up office as a general practitioner in medicine. Education Received his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Psychology; and his Doctorate of Medicine from the University of South Dakota, in 1987 and 1991 respectively. Personal Born February 21, 1964, in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Joe and Sylvia DesJarlais. He grew up in Sturgis, South Dakota. Divorced, and remarried, he and his wife Amy have three children and live in Sherwood, TN, where Amy grew up. Topics:
