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Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks Media Engagement at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility

STAFF: So, this is Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks. We're going to do 10 minutes. We're on record. We're going to be on camera. She's going to give a brief opening statement and then we'll do a couple of quick questions and then move on.

So it's a short one, but ma'am, I'll turn it over to you.

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE KATHLEEN HICKS: Absolutely. Great. Well, thanks to everybody for coming out today. We've been focused here at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, where there's a huge amount of improvements underway that we think will be helpful to the workforce that's here and of course really vital to national security. So really want to thank Senator Hirono, Congressman Case, who were here today. 

But this is part of a longer set of trips I've been doing back and forth to Hawaii, in large part because of its incredible importance to national security, and really want to thank the state leadership as well who've worked really closely with us.

The people of Hawaii are part of this workforce here at this shipyard, and that's just emblematic of all that the people of Hawaii do in support, and working alongside, the Department of Defense. So we're really focused on how do we make sure we're responsible partners in that, and a lot of the investments that we're doing here are a good example. 

This is the largest investment in a military construction project in DOD history that we're doing here, about $3.6 billion just into this shipyard, and then overall, over the next five years, including this year, there is more than $6 billion worth of military construction going on throughout Hawaii.

So again, those are just examples of the ways in which we're collaborating to really bring the workforce. Jobs at peak here- we think there'll be up to 800 jobs just at this shipyard, and that is -- we were told today more than 90 percent of that is Hawaiian workforce. 

So let me stop there and turn it over to Eric.

STAFF: Ma'am, we'll go left to right. So Kevin Knodell with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: Hi.

MR. KNODELL: I guess let me start with, you know, big investment but, you know, some of the members of the delegation have voiced concerns that current draft legislation doesn't have sufficient funding for the next year to keep it on schedule. Is that something that they have raised with you? Do you share those concerns? How do you feel on the funding that you guys are getting to get this through?

DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: Sure. So we're very comfortable with the funding we got in the year that we're in, Fiscal Year '23, and the delegation's been really supportive of that. For Fiscal Year '24, we're going through that budget process right now, and things are complicated right now on Capitol Hill. 

Our biggest concern, which we do share with the delegation is making sure the appropriations actually come and that they're on time, that we avoid a continuing resolution, or even worse, a government shutdown.

So we've been really trying, alongside them, to make the point that projects like this cannot proceed on-time and on-schedule unless we can get those appropriations. So that's been our focus.

STAFF: OK. Sabrina Bodon with Hawai'i Public Radio?

MS. BODON: Yeah, so I think you've heard a lot about timeline and kind of outdated, antiquated technology and facilities here, like 20 years for temporary housings, and I think part of your questions were really about kind of the quality of life and how do we make, you know, these dilapidated conditions and “how do we make it better for the workforce?”. Can you talk to me a little bit about your initial thoughts, if the answers were adequate for you?

DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: Yeah I think the answers were good. I think they're thinking from the perspective of the workforce, both in terms of -- we talked a lot about productivity, right? So quality of life -- obviously, that's good for the workforce, but what's good for the workforce is good for productivity -- better parking, faster commute times, making sure they have, you know, bathrooms and ventilation and places to eat, and all of that seems to be built into how they are thinking through this.

I think my biggest concern, and you probably heard this, is schedule, so that we can move to that world, to that reality as quickly as possible. That's what we need to help us get submarines out, you know, repaired and out the door and maintained, but it's also going to make sure that that workforce is having, you know, the quality of life that they deserve.

STAFF: OK. Patrick Tucker, Defense One?

MR. TUCKER: Yes, thank you. One of the things that we've learned about today during the brief was how this new construction is meant to be adaptive to climate futures and anticipating a sea level rise. In the House-passed version of the NDAA, there's a block on money for environmental research for DOD. And so I wondered if you could briefly comment on how amendments like that will impact future construction like this, as well as the Defense Department's broader effort to adapt to climate change?

DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: So it's very destructive. We have to make sure that our military can operate in all kinds of conditions, and those conditions can be under fire, those conditions can be a loss of communication, meaning cyber attacks, but also those conditions can be everything from a wildfire to sea level rise to drought, and we know this, and we have to learn how to operate that way.

So I think any time we see, you know, challenges to the military just trying to be as resilient as possible, and as effective as possible, in the range of futures that we face, I think that's destructive to the military's capability and to its readiness, and we're all about making sure we're ready, we're all about making sure those warfighters down range here in the Indo-Pacific, of course the region of greatest concern for us right now, that we can, you know, deliver that military effect that they'll be called on to be able to do. And we have to be able to do that in -- you know, in the face of climate change. So yes, it's a challenge.

MR. TUCKER: Thank you. 

STAFF: Ma'am, that's it. Do you have anything else you'd like to add?

DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: Yeah, thanks all. I really appreciate it. And thanks for coming out today. This is a great project.

STAFF: Thank you, ma'am. Thank you.