Wittman, Robert J.

Robert Joseph Wittman is a Republican representative from Virginia's 1st Congressional District who has served in Congress since 2007. As chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, Wittman leads oversight of one of the committee's largest portfolios, with jurisdiction over Army and Air Force acquisition programs related to aircraft, ground equipment, missiles, ammunition, and other defense procurement. He also serves as vice chair of the full House Armed Services Committee, which has historically been one of Congress's most bipartisan committees. His role gives him significant influence over military modernization priorities and defense spending decisions.

Wittman brings substantial expertise to his position through both professional background and legislative experience. He earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Virginia Tech. Before entering Congress, he worked for 20 years with the Virginia Department of Health as an environmental health specialist and field director for the Division of Shellfish Sanitation. He also served on local government bodies, including as mayor of Montross from 1992 to 1996 and on the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors from 1996 to 2005.

Since taking the chair of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, Wittman has focused on military modernization and readiness. He has overseen major defense initiatives including the modernization of the B-21 Bomber and Columbia-class Submarine, investigated naval readiness issues following the Fitzgerald-McCain collision, and worked to maximize ammunition production capacity at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. He has also championed efforts to increase the lethality of U.S. munitions and ensure adequate force projection capabilities to counter threats from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Beyond defense matters, Wittman serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources and is a leading advocate for Chesapeake Bay restoration. He authored the Chesapeake Bay Accountability Act, which was signed into law in 2014 and increased transparency in how cleanup dollars are spent. He also serves on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, where he works on both sides of the aisle to counter military threats and economic coercion from China.