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I believe we're reconvened and with 

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that I will , if we get someone to shut 

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that door um then we will call on 

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Mr Norcross Norcross , you're 

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recognized for five minutes . Thank you 

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Chairman and to Secretary Austin Darren 

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Millie . Thank you for your service 

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very much appreciate you coming by 

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today . A number of issues that have 

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been illuminated over the past year , 

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particularly with pandemic , is our 

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industrial base uh certainly told those 

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who continue to work during the 

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pandemic , incredibly helpful for 

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us in our country to continue to move . 

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But one thing it has done is really 

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illuminate some of the problems that 

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we're having with our industrial base 

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and supply chain . As the chairman 

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mentioned , we have the task force so 

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critical supply chain that has pointed 

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out a number of issues whether 

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semiconductors , where earth 

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propellants , explosives . But one of 

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the things that was somewhat surprised 

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to the committee was the workforce uh 

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and that goes hand in glove with the 

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industrial base . Uh what is the 

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department doing or plan on doing for 

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these supply chains to get more 

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visibility ? We don't get caught 

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shorthanded on some of the surprises 

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that uh report upon us during a 

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pandemic . 

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Well , thank you , sir , let me say up 

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front that I absolutely agree with you 

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that you know , making sure that we 

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have sound and protected supply 

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changes is critical . Supply chain 

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vulnerability uh winds up 

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being a national security vulnerability . 

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I certainly appreciate the president's 

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leadership in this as as he has 

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emphasized this over and over again Um 

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in this budget , you'll see that we're 

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investing $341 million dollars uh 

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to uh partner with U . S . 

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Companies to make sure that we're doing 

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our part to boost defense industrial 

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base activity and onshore some of the 

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some of the supply chain activities 

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that have been offshore in the past . 

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Well , thank you for that because 

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obviously we have trusted partners that 

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we care very much about , but I think 

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we can move from the 55% where we are 

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incrementally and predictably , so that 

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that supply chains become more secure . 

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And that brings me to my second 

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question , in particular about the 

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Navy's long term aircraft inventory 

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plan . We have no in this year's 

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president's budget , the F A 18 E N F 

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get that have previously been focused 

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on uh , the 

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loss of a critical supply chain . And 

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there's F eighteens is very much in 

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question , not only from what we need 

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in terms of our tactical force , but 

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the minimum sustaining rates . Can you 

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talk about the issue with the F 18 ? 

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Why we are dropping back on that and 

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the problems that might cause . 

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What I can say serious is that we 

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continue to invest in those 

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capabilities and technologies that we 

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think will be relevant in the future 

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and and make sure that we have uh 

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sufficient lifespan and those 

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capabilities going forward . So , and 

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it cause for us to calls for us to make 

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trade offs . Uh and so as we invest in 

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one type of aircraft or capability , 

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we'll have to either divest of some 

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current capability or or not 

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reinvest in that capability 

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now , incredibly important . But it's 

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also keeping that industrial base alive , 

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which we all agree with that . Uh that 

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Mr Chairman , I yield back . Thank you . 

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Thank you . Dr . Desjarlais is 

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recognized for five minutes . Thank you . 

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Mr Chairman and thank you General 

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Milley and Secretary Austin for your 

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service . I'd like to start with 

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General Milley . We know from Admiral 

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Richards testimony before the committee 

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that the United Kingdom has reached out 

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and expressed concerns about the United 

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States adopting a no first use for sole 

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purpose policy . I personally heard the 

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same from the polish ambassador , the 

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french japanese South Koreans have also 

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expressed similar concerns about the U . 

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S . Possibility changing its 

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declamatory policy . You know , the 

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words used its sole purpose . Have you 

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heard similar concerns from the allies 

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to the top ? And a NFU or sole purpose 

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policy would be destabilizing . I 

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have frequently engaged with allies and 

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partners , both Asia , europe all the 

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place . And that particular issue has 

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not risen of a particular concern with 

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respect uh Michael uh 

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counterparts that I've dealt with in 

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april . And the Richards further 

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testified that the U . S . Adoption of 

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no first use policy would remove a 

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level of ambiguity that has deterrence 

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value and that such a move would have a 

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negative effect on the extended 

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deterrence and assurance to our allies . 

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Would you agree with that ? Yeah , 

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absolutely . I think the the President 

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of the United States should always have 

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as many options as possible . Um And 

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that's my position . He further told us 

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that available evidence indicates that 

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Russia and china will not be you . Such 

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a shift in US policy is credible . Do 

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you agree with Admiral Richards on that 

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as well ? I have not talked to Emma 

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Richards on that specific point . I 

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would have to get with the intel 

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community to determine if their 

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assessment was what the view of Russia 

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and china would be on a declaration . 

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But again , maximum options always 

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available to the President is my 

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position . Okay , so not to beat a dead 

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horse , but in short , the US declaring 

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the sole purpose or and a few policy 

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would be destabilized , destabilizing 

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alienate allies . Undermine our 

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extended deterrence guarantees would 

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have no impact on Russia . China's 

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calculus . So generally , given all 

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this , what's your best military advice 

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as to whether the US should adopt an 

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NFU or sole purpose nuclear declaratory 

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policy . My view my you're asking for 

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my personal best military advice is to 

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maintain all options are available to 

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the President of the United States at 

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all times . Uh So I would not recommend 

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making a declaration of no first use . 

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It is a topic for which I think would 

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take away an option for the President . 

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Always maintain options for the 

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President . Thank you . Uh General 

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Milley Secretary Austin , same question 

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to you , given the corrosive impact 

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that such a change in policy would have 

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on our alliances and extended 

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deterrence guarantees as well as the 

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men going back on Russian and chinese 

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nuclear calculus , what is your best 

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military advice on tank and uh nuclear 

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declaration policy or to know , profuse 

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or sole purpose ? You know , I 

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absolutely agree with the chairman that 

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are goal is to provide as many 

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credible options to the president as 

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possible . Uh And uh I would also say 

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though that this is a policy issue and 

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one that uh that you know , the 

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administration will will sort through 

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sort out going forward as it it does a 

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strategic reviews in the future . 

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Okay . And Secretary Austin shifting 

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topics , I would like you to provide uh 

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you can have the rest of my time to 

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describe why it is so critical that 

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Congress worked quickly reimburse the 

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National Guard for the over 500 million 

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spent on its mission here at the 

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capitol earlier this year . And what 

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impact on ready to uh could result if 

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these funds are not repairing the in a 

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timely manner . So I'll just make a 

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brief comment and the Chairman might 

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want to comment on this as well . I 

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think you've heard me say before that , 

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that if we don't resource the 

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Guard and and what will happen is it 

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will begin to erode readiness . It will 

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disallow them to uh , to conduct their 

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training in accordance with the 

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schedules that they should be on . And 

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so this is very , very important to us . 

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And uh , and I would encourage you and 

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ask for your help in providing those 

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resources and I would add to that 

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congressman , I would dido what 

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secretary just said $500 million in the 

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grand scheme of a $715 million budget . 

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May not seem like a lot , but the 

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National Guard that is a lot . Uh , so 

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reimbursing them for their efforts , of 

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the great efforts . And this is also a 

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year in which the guard's been doing , 

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covid their overseas . Uh , there's a 

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very high optempo in the guard So that 

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$500 million dollars is very important . 

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I would like to see it reimbursed uh 

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for for the National Guard in order to 

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maintain their training and their 

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standards . Do we know that ? Thanks to 

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you both Chairman of your back . Thank 

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you . Representative uh Secretary 

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Austin . Earlier this year we discussed 

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our shared interests for strong , 

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consistent civilian oversight of the 

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armed forces . As chairman of the 

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Intelligence special operations 

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subcommittee , I appreciate your 

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commitment to ensure civilian 

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leadership are Special operations 

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forces with the restructuring of the as 

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diastolic to include resourcing and 

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staffing the office consistent with its 

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oversight responsibilities . Can you 

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please highlight the steps you 

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alongside Deputy Secretary Hicks are 

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taking to increase civilian oversight 

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of the soft community to ensure an 

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agile and lethal force ready for 

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strategic competition , particularly 

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regards to acquisition and diversity . 

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Uh Thank you . You you may have heard 

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me say earlier that there's a direct 

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recording chain now too , uh linked to 

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me and uh you know , uh 

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that secretary will uh will sit in on 

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all of uh all of my key leader meetings , 

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report to me routinely on the uh on the 

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on going efforts in the in the 

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department and we'll discuss will be 

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cited on those service like 

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requirements and needs for for the 

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special operations community . Uh Thank 

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you Secretary . More than 18 months ago , 

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nine combatant commanders articulate an 

255
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immediate need for intelligence 

256
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community to help combat provocative 

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actions of china and Russia and the 

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public domain . The Director of 

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National Intelligence establishing a 

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malign foreign influence response 

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center that will lead coordination and 

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integration of intelligence related to 

263
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foreign malign influence . What changes 

264
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are you directing within the department 

265
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to help address this urgent requirement ? 

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We've had uh Chairman and I have had uh 

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first of all , I I do believe that it 

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is an important issue . All of the 

269
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combatant commanders have identified a 

270
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need for resourcing to address this 

271
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issue . Um You know , we've as we've 

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talked for the combatant commanders , 

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uh we want to make sure that that we're 

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synchronizing our efforts and that 

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we're putting the resources in the 

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right place . So this is the thing that 

277
00:11:17,144 --> 00:11:19,170
that were getting our arms around a 

278
00:11:19,170 --> 00:11:21,337
little bit better . But I would say up 

279
00:11:21,337 --> 00:11:23,114
front that we will resource the 

280
00:11:23,114 --> 00:11:25,226
combatant commanders based upon their 

281
00:11:25,226 --> 00:11:27,337
request . Uh but we want to make sure 

282
00:11:27,337 --> 00:11:29,640
that that we're using those dollars to 

283
00:11:29,650 --> 00:11:31,960
get best value . And I'm confident that 

284
00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,550
we'll be able to thank you secretary 

285
00:11:34,560 --> 00:11:36,727
for over 20 years . The soft community 

286
00:11:36,727 --> 00:11:38,671
has been focused on anti terrorism 

287
00:11:38,671 --> 00:11:40,893
operations in permissive environments , 

288
00:11:40,893 --> 00:11:43,004
but the growing threat posed by china 

289
00:11:43,004 --> 00:11:45,227
and Russia underscore the need to pivot 

290
00:11:45,227 --> 00:11:44,570
our focus to the great power 

291
00:11:44,570 --> 00:11:46,840
competition . Can you expand how this 

292
00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,062
budget proposal addresses ? The need to 

293
00:11:49,062 --> 00:11:51,118
refocus special operations to combat 

294
00:11:51,118 --> 00:11:55,100
near pure adversaries ? Well , I 

295
00:11:55,100 --> 00:11:57,270
I think , uh , you know , you've seen 

296
00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,790
uh Special operations forces began in a 

297
00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:02,800
first of all , they have incredible 

298
00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:05,100
capability across the spectrum of 

299
00:12:05,100 --> 00:12:08,050
activity . Whereas we've been focused 

300
00:12:08,050 --> 00:12:10,272
on transnational terrorism to a greater 

301
00:12:10,272 --> 00:12:13,200
extent in the past . Uh they , you know , 

302
00:12:13,210 --> 00:12:15,154
over the last several years , that 

303
00:12:15,154 --> 00:12:17,190
began to lean into great power 

304
00:12:17,190 --> 00:12:20,260
competition , developed capabilities 

305
00:12:20,260 --> 00:12:22,630
and and resources that will be a bit 

306
00:12:22,630 --> 00:12:24,950
more relevant to , to that near pier 

307
00:12:24,950 --> 00:12:28,950
competition . Uh , as as 

308
00:12:28,950 --> 00:12:31,006
you look at what we've invested in , 

309
00:12:31,006 --> 00:12:33,228
you know , throughout the budget here , 

310
00:12:33,228 --> 00:12:35,506
in terms of the major items , you know , 

311
00:12:35,506 --> 00:12:38,600
uh research development , uh , uh , 

312
00:12:38,610 --> 00:12:41,820
technology , uh , you know , long range 

313
00:12:41,820 --> 00:12:43,987
fires , lethal air force that sort all 

314
00:12:43,987 --> 00:12:46,570
of that really kind of contributes to 

315
00:12:46,570 --> 00:12:48,737
the overall effort there and a special 

316
00:12:48,737 --> 00:12:50,737
operations forces as a part of that 

317
00:12:50,737 --> 00:12:52,848
obviously . But but we're setting the 

318
00:12:52,848 --> 00:12:54,903
stage to make sure that not only the 

319
00:12:54,903 --> 00:12:57,014
special ops , but every other element 

320
00:12:57,014 --> 00:12:58,959
on the battlefield can be , can be 

321
00:12:58,959 --> 00:13:00,626
effective . And again , we're 

322
00:13:00,626 --> 00:13:02,570
emphasizing that this is , this is 

323
00:13:02,570 --> 00:13:04,980
competition across all domains and not 

324
00:13:04,980 --> 00:13:08,450
just not just uh land , air and sea . 

325
00:13:08,940 --> 00:13:11,107
Could I just add something congressman 

326
00:13:11,107 --> 00:13:13,430
gallegos ? If I could uh , go ahead , 

327
00:13:13,430 --> 00:13:16,470
john uh , training is the key here . 

328
00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,313
They're so comes reorienting the 

329
00:13:18,313 --> 00:13:20,258
training of the special operations 

330
00:13:20,258 --> 00:13:22,424
community for higher end fight against 

331
00:13:22,424 --> 00:13:24,536
china and all of the core fundamental 

332
00:13:24,536 --> 00:13:26,702
task of unconventional war , strategic 

333
00:13:26,702 --> 00:13:28,813
reconnaissance and the entire list of 

334
00:13:28,813 --> 00:13:30,980
of core tasks . And it's really got to 

335
00:13:30,980 --> 00:13:32,869
do with training and getting them 

336
00:13:32,869 --> 00:13:32,250
aligned with the various war plans 

337
00:13:32,250 --> 00:13:34,361
against the pacing through to china . 

338
00:13:34,361 --> 00:13:37,160
Thank you , jeremy . Any time we have 

339
00:13:37,170 --> 00:13:39,720
last year , Congress Party appropriate 

340
00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,210
$169 million Initiative to increase 

341
00:13:43,210 --> 00:13:45,321
military aid and cooperation with the 

342
00:13:45,321 --> 00:13:47,488
Baltics . Do you have an update on how 

343
00:13:47,488 --> 00:13:49,432
the department spending this money 

344
00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,150
caramel ? Our Secretary Austin ? Yeah . 

345
00:13:54,150 --> 00:13:56,740
With with respect to the Baltics ? Yeah , 

346
00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:00,490
we are doing exercises . We are doing 

347
00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:02,500
back to special operations forces . 

348
00:14:02,500 --> 00:14:04,500
There's a lot of special operations 

349
00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:06,667
things going on in there . The train , 

350
00:14:06,667 --> 00:14:08,778
advise assist with them and we are as 

351
00:14:08,778 --> 00:14:11,111
part of the european Defense Initiative . 

352
00:14:11,111 --> 00:14:13,000
Part of that is exercising in the 

353
00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,111
Baltics . So under the purview of you 

354
00:14:15,111 --> 00:14:17,167
come , all of that is happening . So 

355
00:14:17,167 --> 00:14:19,333
that's where that money is going . And 

356
00:14:19,333 --> 00:14:21,389
the president just recently met with 

357
00:14:21,389 --> 00:14:23,389
the three key senior leaders of the 

358
00:14:23,389 --> 00:14:26,180
Baltics there and uh in brussels in the 

359
00:14:26,180 --> 00:14:28,236
margins of the summit of NATO summit 

360
00:14:28,236 --> 00:14:30,430
there . So thank you . Secretary , 

361
00:14:30,430 --> 00:14:32,652
thank you . General and I now recognize 

362
00:14:32,652 --> 00:14:34,819
ranking member to the ISO subcommittee 

363
00:14:34,819 --> 00:14:37,097
represented kelly . Thank you Chairman . 

364
00:14:38,540 --> 00:14:40,762
First of all , I wanna kinda double tap 

365
00:14:40,762 --> 00:14:42,940
what I think Mr Desjarlais said dr 

366
00:14:42,940 --> 00:14:45,630
Desjarlais . Uh it's important that we 

367
00:14:45,630 --> 00:14:47,686
get those dollars back to the garden 

368
00:14:47,686 --> 00:14:49,630
reserve uh so that they don't miss 

369
00:14:49,630 --> 00:14:51,852
drills . You know , we have our 155 B . 

370
00:14:51,852 --> 00:14:53,852
C . T . Out of Mississippi that has 

371
00:14:53,852 --> 00:14:55,963
done covid response , we put shots in 

372
00:14:55,963 --> 00:14:57,908
orange . We've done we've been the 

373
00:14:57,908 --> 00:14:59,852
logistical backbone for our entire 

374
00:14:59,852 --> 00:15:01,797
state . They're ntc and a rotation 

375
00:15:01,797 --> 00:15:03,797
right now . And then those guys and 

376
00:15:03,797 --> 00:15:05,963
girls are going to come back and we're 

377
00:15:05,963 --> 00:15:07,852
going to tell them in a august or 

378
00:15:07,852 --> 00:15:07,830
september we can't pay you for drills , 

379
00:15:07,830 --> 00:15:09,997
so stay home and we're gonna lose that 

380
00:15:09,997 --> 00:15:12,219
readiness that we've been building . So 

381
00:15:12,219 --> 00:15:14,330
please help us get those dollars back 

382
00:15:14,330 --> 00:15:16,330
to the garden reserve . You have my 

383
00:15:16,330 --> 00:15:18,330
commitment that we will advocate uh 

384
00:15:18,330 --> 00:15:21,400
winning wherever possible . Uh and just 

385
00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,210
a dovetail on what you just said there . 

386
00:15:24,210 --> 00:15:26,432
I am absolutely proud of what our guard 

387
00:15:26,432 --> 00:15:28,860
has done over the last year especially 

388
00:15:28,870 --> 00:15:32,400
and they have been a significant factor 

389
00:15:32,410 --> 00:15:34,760
in our ability to begin to bend the 

390
00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,150
curve with respect to Covid and uh 

391
00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:40,440
now we're entering the firefighting 

392
00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,329
season and the hurricane season . 

393
00:15:42,329 --> 00:15:44,950
Absolutely . They will continue to be . 

394
00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:47,127
Thank you mr Secretary . Now I want to 

395
00:15:47,127 --> 00:15:49,127
talk a little bit about tricare and 

396
00:15:49,127 --> 00:15:51,460
having been through this process myself , 

397
00:15:51,460 --> 00:15:53,516
we have a garden reserve which don't 

398
00:15:53,516 --> 00:15:55,349
have tricare except when they're 

399
00:15:55,349 --> 00:15:57,460
deployed or there's a cost associated 

400
00:15:57,460 --> 00:15:59,571
with it , which is greater . You have 

401
00:15:59,571 --> 00:15:59,040
certain members , federal technicians 

402
00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,207
which are not allowed to get tricare . 

403
00:16:01,207 --> 00:16:03,780
It is very difficult going on and off 

404
00:16:03,780 --> 00:16:05,947
of deployments , especially as much as 

405
00:16:05,947 --> 00:16:07,724
we're being used and not having 

406
00:16:07,724 --> 00:16:09,980
continuity of healthcare . You agree 

407
00:16:09,980 --> 00:16:12,036
that the primary readiness issue for 

408
00:16:12,036 --> 00:16:14,750
Garden Reserve is having health issues , 

409
00:16:14,750 --> 00:16:16,861
whether it's teeth issues , dental or 

410
00:16:16,861 --> 00:16:18,917
other . Uh what what are we doing in 

411
00:16:18,917 --> 00:16:20,972
the D . O . D . To make sure that we 

412
00:16:20,972 --> 00:16:23,230
have continuity of health care for our 

413
00:16:23,230 --> 00:16:25,452
Garden reserve , whether traditional or 

414
00:16:25,452 --> 00:16:29,440
full time healthy health welfare and 

415
00:16:29,450 --> 00:16:33,110
safety of our forces . Utmost important 

416
00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:34,898
to me . And I thank you for the 

417
00:16:34,898 --> 00:16:36,731
question and I would welcome any 

418
00:16:36,731 --> 00:16:39,780
initiative that enables us to 

419
00:16:39,790 --> 00:16:42,770
provide better health care , more 

420
00:16:42,770 --> 00:16:44,790
efficient health care to all the 

421
00:16:44,790 --> 00:16:47,120
components of our service . Uh the 

422
00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,420
issue always is resources and and so , 

423
00:16:50,430 --> 00:16:53,800
you know , as you know , currently , uh 

424
00:16:53,810 --> 00:16:55,920
we're only resource to do a certain 

425
00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,110
amount and uh and I agree the members 

426
00:16:59,110 --> 00:17:01,460
of our , all the members of our armed 

427
00:17:01,460 --> 00:17:03,682
forces are important . And if we make a 

428
00:17:03,682 --> 00:17:05,682
decision that we're going to expand 

429
00:17:05,682 --> 00:17:08,430
services Uh certainly will need to be 

430
00:17:08,430 --> 00:17:10,652
researched . Thank you know , I want to 

431
00:17:10,652 --> 00:17:12,652
get on to the next one is so uh the 

432
00:17:12,652 --> 00:17:14,600
Intel are special operations . The 

433
00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,170
budget in Fy 21 was cut 495 million 

434
00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,820
Is the proposed cut this year ? Or it 

435
00:17:21,820 --> 00:17:24,490
was 600 million cut from Fy 20 and 

436
00:17:24,490 --> 00:17:28,130
21 , million this year . They're having 

437
00:17:28,130 --> 00:17:31,910
to do more with less as we shift to 

438
00:17:31,910 --> 00:17:34,000
china and Russia and are near peer 

439
00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,590
adversaries . Uh We still have to do 

440
00:17:36,590 --> 00:17:38,810
the work that are special operators so 

441
00:17:38,810 --> 00:17:40,921
often do , and many times they're the 

442
00:17:40,921 --> 00:17:43,300
only people who can do that . Um what 

443
00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:45,467
are we doing to make sure that we have 

444
00:17:45,467 --> 00:17:48,340
them ready to be in places like Africa , 

445
00:17:48,350 --> 00:17:51,060
the Middle East and those things with 

446
00:17:51,060 --> 00:17:53,227
these budget cuts were resourcing them 

447
00:17:53,227 --> 00:17:55,600
less , but in reality we're asking them 

448
00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:57,711
to do more with less . Do you agree ? 

449
00:17:57,711 --> 00:18:00,140
Secretary Austin ? Well , I think when 

450
00:18:00,140 --> 00:18:02,140
we look at the entire picture , you 

451
00:18:02,140 --> 00:18:04,251
know , we we are we are retro grading 

452
00:18:04,251 --> 00:18:07,750
from Afghanistan as we speak . Uh and 

453
00:18:07,750 --> 00:18:09,972
and that will create some opportunities 

454
00:18:09,972 --> 00:18:12,194
for us to shift some resources around . 

455
00:18:12,194 --> 00:18:14,600
But to your point , uh Special 

456
00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,290
Operations Forces , there's always high 

457
00:18:17,290 --> 00:18:19,401
demand and there's a very low density 

458
00:18:19,401 --> 00:18:23,250
of these elements uh and we'll need to 

459
00:18:23,250 --> 00:18:25,417
make sure that they have the resources 

460
00:18:25,417 --> 00:18:27,528
they need to be successful . So we'll 

461
00:18:27,528 --> 00:18:29,583
continue . And Secretary , I'm sorry 

462
00:18:29,583 --> 00:18:31,417
Chairman Millie , I'm sorry . Uh 

463
00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:36,700
I've been traveled recently to the 

464
00:18:36,700 --> 00:18:38,920
Middle East and Africa and in the 

465
00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,500
Middle East specifically . And what 

466
00:18:41,500 --> 00:18:43,222
when we as we're coming out of 

467
00:18:43,222 --> 00:18:45,530
Afghanistan , we still have centcom . 

468
00:18:45,530 --> 00:18:47,308
So I understand we'll have less 

469
00:18:47,308 --> 00:18:49,252
resources . Many of our allies and 

470
00:18:49,252 --> 00:18:51,120
partners in the region like our 

471
00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:54,240
presence there . So can you tell me 

472
00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:56,440
what what are we doing to build the 

473
00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,551
confidence in our allies and partners 

474
00:18:58,551 --> 00:19:00,440
in the Middle East and europe and 

475
00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,551
Africa that we're still going to be . 

476
00:19:02,551 --> 00:19:04,718
There is a great partner , even though 

477
00:19:04,718 --> 00:19:06,940
we're coming out of Afghanistan because 

478
00:19:06,940 --> 00:19:08,996
we've got some work I think with our 

479
00:19:08,996 --> 00:19:08,680
allies and partners to do their So 

480
00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,736
Chairman Millie , if you can address 

481
00:19:10,736 --> 00:19:12,791
that place well , let me give you an 

482
00:19:12,791 --> 00:19:15,013
units of time congressman . Let me give 

483
00:19:15,013 --> 00:19:17,180
you an answer for the record with some 

484
00:19:17,180 --> 00:19:16,710
details of what we're doing . But in 

485
00:19:16,710 --> 00:19:18,740
general for the same company or the 

486
00:19:18,740 --> 00:19:20,851
Middle East is important . The United 

487
00:19:20,851 --> 00:19:22,962
States is going to be important to us 

488
00:19:22,962 --> 00:19:22,960
in the future . We are looking at under 

489
00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:25,580
the direction of the Secretary Austin , 

490
00:19:25,590 --> 00:19:28,360
uh an entire global posture review . Uh 

491
00:19:28,370 --> 00:19:30,481
we have a lot of work left to do that 

492
00:19:30,481 --> 00:19:32,703
uh back brief . The Secretary on that , 

493
00:19:32,703 --> 00:19:35,050
but exercises forward presence bases . 

494
00:19:35,140 --> 00:19:37,362
All of those things are working closely 

495
00:19:37,362 --> 00:19:39,584
with our allies and partners and all of 

496
00:19:39,584 --> 00:19:39,530
the region's you just mentioned and I 

497
00:19:39,530 --> 00:19:41,419
owe you an answer in writing on . 

498
00:19:41,419 --> 00:19:43,419
Absolutely . Thank you . Now you're 

499
00:19:43,419 --> 00:19:45,530
back . Thank you . Mr bolton's reckon 

500
00:19:45,530 --> 00:19:47,641
after five minutes , Secretary Austin 

501
00:19:47,641 --> 00:19:49,863
and Chairman Billy , thank you for your 

502
00:19:49,863 --> 00:19:52,030
lifetimes of service and leadership to 

503
00:19:52,030 --> 00:19:53,919
our country . As we withdraw from 

504
00:19:53,919 --> 00:19:56,120
Afghanistan , we have not seen an 

505
00:19:56,120 --> 00:19:58,720
operational plan to save our brave 

506
00:19:58,730 --> 00:20:01,200
Afghan partners and allies . Now , I 

507
00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,510
recognize that the trump administration 

508
00:20:03,510 --> 00:20:06,440
left you with no plans and even earlier 

509
00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,730
withdrawal date . Not to mention that 

510
00:20:08,740 --> 00:20:10,573
trump's policy of banning muslim 

511
00:20:10,573 --> 00:20:12,740
immigrants would probably have led him 

512
00:20:12,740 --> 00:20:14,890
to abandon our allies in Afghanistan 

513
00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:17,122
the same way he abandoned our allies in 

514
00:20:17,122 --> 00:20:20,250
Syria . Nonetheless , all of this now 

515
00:20:20,250 --> 00:20:22,950
falls on this administration . 

516
00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:27,980
We have 80 days until our formal 

517
00:20:27,980 --> 00:20:31,630
withdrawal date . It takes 800 days 

518
00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,090
or more to process a special immigrant 

519
00:20:34,090 --> 00:20:36,940
visa . So it's too late for the special 

520
00:20:36,940 --> 00:20:38,980
immigrant visa process . Secretary 

521
00:20:38,980 --> 00:20:41,920
Austin , why have you not started an 

522
00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:43,160
evacuation yet ? 

523
00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:48,896
Well , thanks for the question . And 

524
00:20:48,896 --> 00:20:51,062
let me say up front that , I know this 

525
00:20:51,062 --> 00:20:53,118
is a topic that's near and dear to a 

526
00:20:53,118 --> 00:20:55,284
number of people in this room who have 

527
00:20:55,284 --> 00:20:58,040
served alongside some of the the 

528
00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,262
interpreters and people who have helped 

529
00:21:00,262 --> 00:21:02,484
us in the past . And so this is this is 

530
00:21:02,484 --> 00:21:05,170
important to all of us . Uh , we are 

531
00:21:05,170 --> 00:21:07,226
working with the Department of State 

532
00:21:07,226 --> 00:21:09,337
who has the lead on this , along with 

533
00:21:09,337 --> 00:21:13,040
DHS Uh two as one part of a whole of 

534
00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,490
government effort uh , to address this 

535
00:21:15,490 --> 00:21:18,970
issue , we are encouraging uh to move 

536
00:21:18,970 --> 00:21:21,980
as quickly as we can uh and we stand 

537
00:21:21,980 --> 00:21:23,647
ready to provide resources to 

538
00:21:23,647 --> 00:21:25,950
accelerate this if at all possible , if 

539
00:21:25,950 --> 00:21:28,117
it's possible and it is possible . And 

540
00:21:28,117 --> 00:21:30,440
in some cases , uh they've shorten the 

541
00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,050
timeline for uh for from application 

542
00:21:34,050 --> 00:21:37,940
to completion there . Uh there's a 

543
00:21:37,950 --> 00:21:40,210
number of people in the pipeline . I am 

544
00:21:40,210 --> 00:21:42,870
confident that at some will begin to 

545
00:21:42,870 --> 00:21:45,092
evacuate some of those people soon . Uh 

546
00:21:45,092 --> 00:21:47,600
but but again , I would refer to 

547
00:21:47,610 --> 00:21:49,610
Secretary Blinken to really outline 

548
00:21:49,610 --> 00:21:52,830
with the the Secretary , I don't need 

549
00:21:52,830 --> 00:21:55,670
to tell you this , but these brave 

550
00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:59,350
afghan partners , these afghan and 

551
00:21:59,350 --> 00:22:02,370
american heroes , people who we asked 

552
00:22:02,370 --> 00:22:05,230
to risk their lives , not just for 

553
00:22:05,230 --> 00:22:07,452
Afghanistan , but for America . Because 

554
00:22:07,452 --> 00:22:10,560
we had their backs , their 

555
00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:13,660
future is in your hands . 

556
00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,560
And this much is certain 

557
00:22:19,110 --> 00:22:22,560
the taliban will kill them if they can , 

558
00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:27,080
and they will rape and murder their 

559
00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,160
wives and kids first 

560
00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:35,370
if they can . Chairman 

561
00:22:35,370 --> 00:22:37,370
Millie , if the Service Chiefs were 

562
00:22:37,370 --> 00:22:39,481
ordered to evacuate our afghan allies 

563
00:22:39,481 --> 00:22:41,960
Today , is there a plan in place to get 

564
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,760
that started immediately ? We have the 

565
00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,880
military capability to do whatever is 

566
00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,824
directed by the President , United 

567
00:22:49,824 --> 00:22:52,047
States with respect to our allies uh in 

568
00:22:52,047 --> 00:22:54,102
and those that have worked with us . 

569
00:22:54,102 --> 00:22:56,324
And I consider it a moral imperative to 

570
00:22:56,324 --> 00:22:58,324
take care of those that have served 

571
00:22:58,324 --> 00:23:00,324
along our side . We are prepared to 

572
00:23:00,324 --> 00:23:02,269
execute whatever we are directed . 

573
00:23:02,269 --> 00:23:04,310
Thank you . Mr . Chairman Changing 

574
00:23:04,310 --> 00:23:06,850
subjects , Secretary Austin last week , 

575
00:23:06,850 --> 00:23:08,517
General Brown highlighted the 

576
00:23:08,517 --> 00:23:10,739
importance of suicide prevention in his 

577
00:23:10,739 --> 00:23:12,961
opening statement and then committed to 

578
00:23:12,961 --> 00:23:15,072
supporting the Brandon Act . Later in 

579
00:23:15,072 --> 00:23:17,239
the hearing , a bill that I introduced 

580
00:23:17,239 --> 00:23:19,406
last week to provide service members a 

581
00:23:19,406 --> 00:23:21,628
mechanism to seek mental health support 

582
00:23:21,628 --> 00:23:21,270
if they are contemplating suicide . 

583
00:23:21,540 --> 00:23:23,707
However , we've received pushback from 

584
00:23:23,707 --> 00:23:25,762
other elements within D . O . D . On 

585
00:23:25,762 --> 00:23:27,818
the Brandon Act , but no alternative 

586
00:23:27,818 --> 00:23:29,929
suggestion for how we can tackle this 

587
00:23:29,929 --> 00:23:31,596
epidemic . Are you personally 

588
00:23:31,596 --> 00:23:33,596
comfortable with how D . O . D . Is 

589
00:23:33,596 --> 00:23:35,596
managing suicide prevention ? Given 

590
00:23:35,596 --> 00:23:37,762
that we have lost more service members 

591
00:23:37,762 --> 00:23:39,762
to suicide last year than we did in 

592
00:23:39,762 --> 00:23:41,596
combat ? And are you prepared to 

593
00:23:41,596 --> 00:23:43,818
support efforts like the Brandon Act or 

594
00:23:43,818 --> 00:23:46,040
present a better alternative to address 

595
00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,670
this ? Um , 

596
00:23:50,240 --> 00:23:52,960
Mhm . I think this is a very important 

597
00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:55,280
issue and I am prepared to do whatever 

598
00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,270
it takes to improve in this area . This 

599
00:23:58,270 --> 00:24:00,700
is uh this is something that I have 

600
00:24:00,700 --> 00:24:02,867
personally been swinging at for a long 

601
00:24:02,867 --> 00:24:05,150
time as a part of one of the senior 

602
00:24:05,150 --> 00:24:08,410
leaders of the of the military uh and 

603
00:24:08,420 --> 00:24:10,990
uh and try as we may , we have not made 

604
00:24:10,990 --> 00:24:13,970
the progress that we we we need to make . 

605
00:24:13,980 --> 00:24:17,440
Um There's a stigma associated with uh 

606
00:24:17,450 --> 00:24:21,080
with seeking help , uh seeking mental 

607
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,510
health care . And uh and we got to do 

608
00:24:24,510 --> 00:24:26,732
more to relieve to remove that stigma . 

609
00:24:26,732 --> 00:24:29,110
And we've got to do more to provide uh 

610
00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:32,330
adequate healthcare to uh to our troops . 

611
00:24:32,340 --> 00:24:34,930
So the answer to your question is , you 

612
00:24:34,930 --> 00:24:37,152
have my commitment that I will continue 

613
00:24:37,152 --> 00:24:39,152
to work this . And I would tell you 

614
00:24:39,152 --> 00:24:41,263
right now that our service chiefs are 

615
00:24:41,263 --> 00:24:43,670
absolutely focused on this uh and we'll 

616
00:24:43,670 --> 00:24:46,480
work with the uh you know , the greater 

617
00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,270
community at large to get best 

618
00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:51,391
practices and lessons learned so that 

619
00:24:51,391 --> 00:24:53,613
we can get better at this . Thank you . 

620
00:24:53,613 --> 00:24:53,270
Secretary , grateful for your 

621
00:24:53,270 --> 00:24:55,190
leadership and I yield back Mr 

622
00:24:55,190 --> 00:24:57,023
Gallagher is recognized for five 

623
00:24:57,023 --> 00:24:59,246
minutes . Thank you . Chairman Millie . 

624
00:24:59,246 --> 00:25:01,412
Last week in front of this committee , 

625
00:25:01,412 --> 00:25:03,301
both the Cno and the commandant , 

626
00:25:03,301 --> 00:25:06,160
General burger concurred with Admiral 

627
00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,340
Davidson's assessment that we have a 

628
00:25:08,340 --> 00:25:11,170
growing risk of appeal invasion of 

629
00:25:11,180 --> 00:25:13,520
Taiwan within the next six years , 

630
00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:15,464
which is an alarming timeline . My 

631
00:25:15,464 --> 00:25:18,420
understanding , excuse me , is that you 

632
00:25:18,420 --> 00:25:20,476
sort of publicly disagreed with that 

633
00:25:20,476 --> 00:25:22,587
timeline . I'd be curious to get your 

634
00:25:22,587 --> 00:25:24,309
alternative assessment and the 

635
00:25:24,309 --> 00:25:26,309
justification for it . But I mean , 

636
00:25:26,309 --> 00:25:28,309
would you agree with just the basic 

637
00:25:28,309 --> 00:25:31,430
idea that the PLS capability is growing 

638
00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:34,200
that the unification of Taiwan with the 

639
00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,910
mainland is a legacy issue for General 

640
00:25:36,910 --> 00:25:38,854
Secretary XI and that this creates 

641
00:25:38,854 --> 00:25:41,021
problems for our deterrent posture and 

642
00:25:41,021 --> 00:25:44,450
end up a cop . Yes . So what 

643
00:25:44,460 --> 00:25:47,000
Davidson and equally , no . And others 

644
00:25:47,010 --> 00:25:50,520
have said is that chinese 

645
00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,510
capability To invade and seize the 

646
00:25:53,510 --> 00:25:56,230
island of Taiwan is being accelerated 

647
00:25:56,230 --> 00:25:59,060
to 2027 , 6 years from now . I don't 

648
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,540
dismissed that at all . What I said was 

649
00:26:02,540 --> 00:26:05,190
near term In my definition . That's 1-2 

650
00:26:05,190 --> 00:26:09,120
years . I don't see uh china , they 

651
00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:11,176
have that they could they could make 

652
00:26:11,176 --> 00:26:13,231
decisions whatever they want to do . 

653
00:26:13,231 --> 00:26:15,342
But I don't see it happening uh right 

654
00:26:15,342 --> 00:26:17,564
out of the blue . There's no reason for 

655
00:26:17,564 --> 00:26:19,731
it . And the cost of china far exceeds 

656
00:26:19,731 --> 00:26:21,842
the benefit . Uh And President Xi and 

657
00:26:21,842 --> 00:26:23,953
his military would do the calculation 

658
00:26:23,953 --> 00:26:26,009
and they know uh that an invasion in 

659
00:26:26,009 --> 00:26:28,176
order to seize an island that big with 

660
00:26:28,176 --> 00:26:30,009
that many people And the defense 

661
00:26:30,009 --> 00:26:32,120
capability of Taiwanese have would be 

662
00:26:32,120 --> 00:26:34,287
extraordinarily complicated and costly 

663
00:26:34,287 --> 00:26:36,287
and at this point in time near term 

664
00:26:36,287 --> 00:26:39,690
next 12 , months . Um I don't I'm not 

665
00:26:39,690 --> 00:26:41,801
seeing indications and warnings yet . 

666
00:26:41,801 --> 00:26:43,968
Could've happened six years from now . 

667
00:26:43,968 --> 00:26:46,134
Eight years from now . 10 years , 20 . 

668
00:26:46,134 --> 00:26:48,301
Sure . A lot of things can happen . Uh 

669
00:26:48,301 --> 00:26:50,134
The chinese are clearly building 

670
00:26:50,134 --> 00:26:52,301
capability . There's no question about 

671
00:26:52,301 --> 00:26:51,470
that . They've been doing it for quite 

672
00:26:51,470 --> 00:26:53,526
a while and we're monitoring it very 

673
00:26:53,526 --> 00:26:55,470
closely and that gets back to this 

674
00:26:55,470 --> 00:26:57,470
budget . We need to continue to get 

675
00:26:57,470 --> 00:26:59,526
this budget through , get it done on 

676
00:26:59,526 --> 00:27:01,692
time in order for us to keep pace with 

677
00:27:01,692 --> 00:27:01,390
the chinese to stay ahead of them . We 

678
00:27:01,390 --> 00:27:03,600
want overmatch in order to deter a 

679
00:27:03,610 --> 00:27:05,832
great power war and stay at great power 

680
00:27:05,832 --> 00:27:07,832
competition , recognizing there are 

681
00:27:07,832 --> 00:27:09,777
limitations to the format we're in 

682
00:27:09,777 --> 00:27:11,832
right now , just given your position 

683
00:27:11,832 --> 00:27:14,054
and the time you spent interacting with 

684
00:27:14,054 --> 00:27:16,277
your counterparts in the region is your 

685
00:27:16,277 --> 00:27:18,499
son and an understanding that there are 

686
00:27:18,499 --> 00:27:20,554
that to some extent , the intentions 

687
00:27:20,554 --> 00:27:22,443
that she himself and the party in 

688
00:27:22,443 --> 00:27:24,480
general are unknowable and a lot of 

689
00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:26,758
things could change in the environment . 

690
00:27:26,758 --> 00:27:29,091
Um , what is your , your basic sense of , 

691
00:27:29,091 --> 00:27:31,313
of the priority that the CCP in the P . 

692
00:27:31,313 --> 00:27:33,591
L . A put on Taiwan And to what extent , 

693
00:27:33,591 --> 00:27:35,647
as I said before , it's bound up and 

694
00:27:35,647 --> 00:27:37,702
she's personal legacy . I think both 

695
00:27:37,702 --> 00:27:39,869
are true . I think the issue of Taiwan 

696
00:27:39,869 --> 00:27:41,647
and the unification Taiwan with 

697
00:27:41,647 --> 00:27:43,980
mainland china . I think that is a core , 

698
00:27:43,980 --> 00:27:46,258
I said it before in previous testimony , 

699
00:27:46,258 --> 00:27:48,369
CRE accord national security interest 

700
00:27:48,369 --> 00:27:50,870
of china . Uh , and it's also a core 

701
00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:52,824
national security interests of the 

702
00:27:52,824 --> 00:27:54,936
United States to ensure that whatever 

703
00:27:54,936 --> 00:27:57,102
happens with respect to Taiwan happens 

704
00:27:57,102 --> 00:27:59,430
peacefully and we don't have a general 

705
00:27:59,430 --> 00:28:02,350
conflict in the region or globally . So 

706
00:28:02,350 --> 00:28:05,670
we support , you know , that the 

707
00:28:06,140 --> 00:28:08,307
with the Taiwan Relations Act etcetera 

708
00:28:08,307 --> 00:28:10,750
for a peaceful resolution of the issue 

709
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,600
between Taiwan and china and I 

710
00:28:13,610 --> 00:28:15,832
completely agree the sentiment you just 

711
00:28:15,832 --> 00:28:17,888
expressed about . And I think it's a 

712
00:28:17,888 --> 00:28:17,680
shared goal in this committee of 

713
00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,460
deterring such a conflict as as one of 

714
00:28:20,460 --> 00:28:22,627
our core priorities , because it would 

715
00:28:22,627 --> 00:28:24,627
be messy indeed , uh , which is why 

716
00:28:24,627 --> 00:28:26,460
earlier this year in Delta . Com 

717
00:28:26,460 --> 00:28:28,404
submitted to Congress the detailed 

718
00:28:28,404 --> 00:28:30,571
requests for exercise funds , training 

719
00:28:30,571 --> 00:28:32,293
ranges , military construction 

720
00:28:32,293 --> 00:28:34,349
munitions , defensive Guam systems . 

721
00:28:34,349 --> 00:28:36,571
But the pacific deterrence initiative , 

722
00:28:36,571 --> 00:28:38,738
as requested by the department in this 

723
00:28:38,738 --> 00:28:40,738
budget consisted of non Indo pak on 

724
00:28:40,738 --> 00:28:42,900
specific list of procurement items 

725
00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:44,733
including a destroyer , some jet 

726
00:28:44,733 --> 00:28:46,622
fighters , a logistic ship . What 

727
00:28:46,622 --> 00:28:48,733
caused the difference between the two 

728
00:28:48,733 --> 00:28:51,120
versions of PD ? Why were so many of 

729
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,580
the top needs identified in the section 

730
00:28:53,580 --> 00:28:55,670
12 51 report ? That's Indo pak calms 

731
00:28:55,690 --> 00:28:58,490
report mostly or completely unfunded in 

732
00:28:58,490 --> 00:29:02,140
the budget request sector . Yes , 

733
00:29:02,150 --> 00:29:05,960
our intent is to is to 

734
00:29:06,740 --> 00:29:10,420
realize the intent of Congress and 

735
00:29:10,420 --> 00:29:12,850
resource P . D . I . In accordance with 

736
00:29:12,860 --> 00:29:15,260
uh with you know what's been laid out . 

737
00:29:15,740 --> 00:29:17,018
I think there are some 

738
00:29:17,018 --> 00:29:18,907
miscommunications in terms of how 

739
00:29:18,907 --> 00:29:21,018
things were been . We're working with 

740
00:29:21,018 --> 00:29:23,240
the committees to try to try to clarify 

741
00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:25,407
that now and we'll continue to do so . 

742
00:29:25,407 --> 00:29:27,573
But the intent is to make sure that we 

743
00:29:27,573 --> 00:29:29,573
follow along with Congress's intent 

744
00:29:29,573 --> 00:29:31,810
with the P . D . I . And then , I mean 

745
00:29:31,820 --> 00:29:34,420
in my remaining 25 seconds I'm tempted 

746
00:29:34,420 --> 00:29:36,587
to ask Mr McCord question because he's 

747
00:29:36,587 --> 00:29:40,180
gotten off easy I think . Uh but I and 

748
00:29:40,180 --> 00:29:42,236
I don't have enough time for my army 

749
00:29:42,236 --> 00:29:44,124
and strength question for for the 

750
00:29:44,124 --> 00:29:46,124
chairman . So instead I will I will 

751
00:29:46,124 --> 00:29:48,180
yield back my my 12 seconds and hope 

752
00:29:48,180 --> 00:29:50,180
that somebody gets Mr McCord on the 

753
00:29:50,180 --> 00:29:54,130
record . Thank you . Uh Mr Carver Hall 

754
00:29:54,140 --> 00:29:56,307
is recognized for five minutes . Thank 

755
00:29:56,307 --> 00:29:58,720
you . Mr Chair Mr McCord kidding . Uh I 

756
00:29:58,730 --> 00:30:00,980
want to thank you all for being here 

757
00:30:00,980 --> 00:30:03,300
today . Uh Let me start with Secretary 

758
00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:06,370
Austin . Uh I want to start by asking 

759
00:30:06,370 --> 00:30:08,481
you about the Department of Defense , 

760
00:30:08,481 --> 00:30:10,537
audit and financial accountability . 

761
00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,062
Congress robustly funds the D . O . D . 

762
00:30:13,062 --> 00:30:15,600
In order to defend the nation and 

763
00:30:15,600 --> 00:30:18,120
detour conflict . We also have a 

764
00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,231
responsibility to our constituents to 

765
00:30:20,231 --> 00:30:22,390
conduct oversight and ensure that the 

766
00:30:22,390 --> 00:30:25,110
funds are obligated effectively and 

767
00:30:25,110 --> 00:30:27,690
responsibly . How important is the 

768
00:30:27,690 --> 00:30:30,230
ongoing audit to your work as secretary 

769
00:30:30,430 --> 00:30:32,374
and how's the department using the 

770
00:30:32,374 --> 00:30:34,370
results of the audit to impact the 

771
00:30:34,370 --> 00:30:37,280
budget process ? Uh It's not only 

772
00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,300
important , it's it's critical and uh 

773
00:30:40,310 --> 00:30:44,160
you know , we're we've made progress a 

774
00:30:44,170 --> 00:30:46,630
lot of progress since I was last uh 

775
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,473
affiliated with the department . 

776
00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,210
There's still work to be done and and 

777
00:30:51,210 --> 00:30:53,550
we will move out on this as 

778
00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:55,530
expeditiously as possible and 

779
00:30:55,530 --> 00:30:58,360
deliberately as possible to ensure that 

780
00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,930
we get a clean audit at some point 

781
00:31:00,930 --> 00:31:02,986
going forward as quickly as we can . 

782
00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,780
Thank you , Secretary Austin in the 

783
00:31:06,780 --> 00:31:09,002
previous administration . One of my key 

784
00:31:09,002 --> 00:31:11,058
concerns with the department was the 

785
00:31:11,058 --> 00:31:13,450
lack of transparency to Congress in 

786
00:31:13,450 --> 00:31:16,190
decision making processes . For example , 

787
00:31:16,190 --> 00:31:18,340
many here in this committee were left 

788
00:31:18,340 --> 00:31:20,570
with more questions than answers when 

789
00:31:20,570 --> 00:31:22,681
the department announced its decision 

790
00:31:22,681 --> 00:31:25,260
to select Redstone arsenal in Alabama 

791
00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:27,807
as the permanent headquarters for US . 

792
00:31:27,807 --> 00:31:29,973
Space . Com . Looking forward . I hope 

793
00:31:29,973 --> 00:31:32,160
you will commit to this committee that 

794
00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,271
the department will be transparent in 

795
00:31:34,271 --> 00:31:37,440
its decision uh making . So Congress 

796
00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,480
and the public have full confidence 

797
00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:42,790
that decisions are made objectively and 

798
00:31:42,790 --> 00:31:44,901
in the best interests of our national 

799
00:31:44,901 --> 00:31:47,370
security . With that , I'm closely 

800
00:31:47,370 --> 00:31:49,537
following the upcoming basing decision 

801
00:31:49,537 --> 00:31:52,530
process for the Space Forces star 

802
00:31:52,690 --> 00:31:55,290
Headquarters . As I believe Annenberg 

803
00:31:55,290 --> 00:31:57,540
space for space will be an ideal 

804
00:31:57,540 --> 00:32:00,520
location uh to be the future home for 

805
00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,290
the training and readiness command . I 

806
00:32:03,290 --> 00:32:05,346
know this process will be led by the 

807
00:32:05,346 --> 00:32:07,346
Department of the Air Force , but I 

808
00:32:07,346 --> 00:32:09,760
believe leadership starts at the top 

809
00:32:10,340 --> 00:32:12,340
and I urge you to work with the Air 

810
00:32:12,340 --> 00:32:14,507
Force to ensure a transparent and fair 

811
00:32:14,507 --> 00:32:16,729
process that was more so of a statement 

812
00:32:16,940 --> 00:32:19,160
than a question , but I'd love to get 

813
00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,970
your reaction to that . So on the in 

814
00:32:21,970 --> 00:32:24,192
the first instance , you know that that 

815
00:32:24,192 --> 00:32:28,000
issue is under investigation by the by 

816
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:31,710
the uh the I . G . And there's also a G 

817
00:32:31,710 --> 00:32:34,500
A . O . Look ongoing as well . So I 

818
00:32:34,500 --> 00:32:36,778
won't have any comment on that for you . 

819
00:32:36,778 --> 00:32:39,000
I will say that my commitment to you is 

820
00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,210
that we will remain as transparent as 

821
00:32:42,210 --> 00:32:45,180
possible on this and other issues going 

822
00:32:45,180 --> 00:32:47,910
forward and I will require that the 

823
00:32:47,910 --> 00:32:51,110
services do the same . Thank you . And 

824
00:32:51,110 --> 00:32:54,590
just uh to conclude on that point , uh 

825
00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,640
it was pretty much a bipartisan 

826
00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:58,930
sentiment about the transparency and 

827
00:32:58,930 --> 00:33:00,930
the need for more information about 

828
00:33:00,930 --> 00:33:03,152
that . So I'm glad the investigation is 

829
00:33:03,152 --> 00:33:05,630
ensuing . Lastly , Secretary Austin and 

830
00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:07,660
General Milley , this committee has 

831
00:33:07,660 --> 00:33:10,150
been focused on addressing extremism in 

832
00:33:10,150 --> 00:33:12,560
the ranks . I appreciate the tone of 

833
00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:14,980
the direction that I have seen and 

834
00:33:14,980 --> 00:33:16,869
heard from the service Chiefs and 

835
00:33:16,869 --> 00:33:19,350
civilian leaders , but clearly more 

836
00:33:19,350 --> 00:33:21,550
needs to be done to take that message 

837
00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:23,540
at the top and then share it has 

838
00:33:23,540 --> 00:33:25,630
received throughout the Rings . How 

839
00:33:25,630 --> 00:33:27,510
does this budget make necessary 

840
00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:30,100
investments in initiatives that seek to 

841
00:33:30,100 --> 00:33:32,680
address extremism and also promote 

842
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,430
diversity ? Well , there are provisions 

843
00:33:36,430 --> 00:33:39,960
in the budget that that that uh huh 

844
00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:43,890
resource us to continue our efforts 

845
00:33:43,890 --> 00:33:46,170
there to make sure that that we have 

846
00:33:46,170 --> 00:33:48,670
the right staffing and uh that sort of 

847
00:33:48,670 --> 00:33:51,990
business to provide oversight , but but 

848
00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,111
this is accounted for in our budget . 

849
00:33:54,111 --> 00:33:57,500
So General Milley , Yeah , I 

850
00:33:57,510 --> 00:33:59,399
agree . It's accounted for in the 

851
00:33:59,399 --> 00:34:01,566
budget . Let me make a broader comment 

852
00:34:01,566 --> 00:34:03,677
on extremism . United States military 

853
00:34:03,677 --> 00:34:05,510
is committed to the idea that is 

854
00:34:05,510 --> 00:34:07,566
America and it's embedded within our 

855
00:34:07,566 --> 00:34:09,677
constitution . Uh and we are sworn at 

856
00:34:09,677 --> 00:34:11,899
the risk of our life or limb separation 

857
00:34:11,899 --> 00:34:13,621
from our family to defend that 

858
00:34:13,621 --> 00:34:15,843
constitution no matter what . And there 

859
00:34:15,843 --> 00:34:18,950
is no room in uniform for anyone who 

860
00:34:18,950 --> 00:34:21,117
doesn't subscribe to the values of the 

861
00:34:21,117 --> 00:34:23,228
United States of America . And I know 

862
00:34:23,228 --> 00:34:25,228
we're going through a workgroups to 

863
00:34:25,228 --> 00:34:27,283
finding extremism , checking out our 

864
00:34:27,283 --> 00:34:29,394
Department of Defense instructions et 

865
00:34:29,394 --> 00:34:31,450
cetera . But from private to general 

866
00:34:31,450 --> 00:34:31,070
there's no room for extremist behavior 

867
00:34:31,070 --> 00:34:33,320
in United States Military . Thank you . 

868
00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,150
General . With that , I yield back . Mr 

869
00:34:36,150 --> 00:34:40,030
McCord escaped again . Yeah . Mr Gates 

870
00:34:40,030 --> 00:34:42,252
has recognized for five minutes . Thank 

871
00:34:42,252 --> 00:34:44,308
you . Mr Chairman Mr Secretary , why 

872
00:34:44,308 --> 00:34:46,419
was Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lemire 

873
00:34:46,419 --> 00:34:48,363
relieved of his command ? It was a 

874
00:34:48,363 --> 00:34:50,586
decision made by his uh by his chain of 

875
00:34:50,586 --> 00:34:53,330
command and typically those decisions 

876
00:34:53,330 --> 00:34:55,850
are made based upon either having 

877
00:34:55,850 --> 00:34:58,510
confidence or lack of confidence . This 

878
00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,930
issue is under investigation by the I . 

879
00:35:01,930 --> 00:35:04,097
G . And so I won't comment any further 

880
00:35:04,097 --> 00:35:07,350
on that in my previous 

881
00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,040
discussions with service members and 

882
00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,680
particularly officers , I would hear 

883
00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:14,710
about complaints over parts not 

884
00:35:14,710 --> 00:35:17,700
arriving on time long deployments . And 

885
00:35:17,700 --> 00:35:19,820
in my more recent discussions with 

886
00:35:19,820 --> 00:35:22,730
those officers , the number one issue 

887
00:35:22,740 --> 00:35:25,170
that they raised to me with concern , 

888
00:35:25,180 --> 00:35:27,970
often unable to speak publicly for fear 

889
00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:29,818
of the type of retribution that 

890
00:35:29,818 --> 00:35:31,984
Lieutenant Colonel Lemire faced . They 

891
00:35:31,984 --> 00:35:33,970
say that your stand down regarding 

892
00:35:33,970 --> 00:35:37,110
extremism did not help our military and 

893
00:35:37,110 --> 00:35:39,221
hurt the military and I want to share 

894
00:35:39,221 --> 00:35:41,110
with you that perspective that it 

895
00:35:41,110 --> 00:35:43,780
caused service members to other eyes 

896
00:35:43,790 --> 00:35:46,490
one another , it impaired group 

897
00:35:46,490 --> 00:35:49,390
cohesion . And interesting to me is 

898
00:35:49,390 --> 00:35:52,950
that I've heard those sentiments most 

899
00:35:52,950 --> 00:35:56,190
frequently from units that are majority 

900
00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:59,250
minority . That this was not 

901
00:35:59,250 --> 00:36:01,361
particularly helpful . So I wanted to 

902
00:36:01,361 --> 00:36:03,583
give you the opportunity to maybe share 

903
00:36:03,583 --> 00:36:05,750
with us more specificity regarding the 

904
00:36:05,750 --> 00:36:07,528
definitions that seemed to be a 

905
00:36:07,528 --> 00:36:09,750
challenge when this Hartzler was asking 

906
00:36:09,750 --> 00:36:11,861
questions , how should the Department 

907
00:36:11,861 --> 00:36:13,917
of Defense think about critical race 

908
00:36:13,917 --> 00:36:15,806
theory ? Could I make a comment ? 

909
00:36:15,806 --> 00:36:18,028
Secretary ? I'm very limited on my time 

910
00:36:18,028 --> 00:36:20,139
general . I just want to make comment 

911
00:36:20,139 --> 00:36:21,972
that I know , but I've asked the 

912
00:36:21,972 --> 00:36:24,139
question to Secretary Austin , I don't 

913
00:36:24,139 --> 00:36:25,917
know what the what the issue of 

914
00:36:25,917 --> 00:36:27,972
critical race theory is and what the 

915
00:36:27,972 --> 00:36:30,194
relevance here in with the department . 

916
00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,820
We do not teach critical race theory . 

917
00:36:32,830 --> 00:36:35,290
We don't we don't embrace critical race 

918
00:36:35,290 --> 00:36:37,401
theory . And I think I think that's a 

919
00:36:37,401 --> 00:36:41,200
spurious uh conversation . And so 

920
00:36:41,210 --> 00:36:44,030
we are focused on extremist behaviors 

921
00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:47,470
and and not not ideology , not 

922
00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:49,340
not not people's thoughts , not 

923
00:36:49,340 --> 00:36:52,850
people's uh political orientation 

924
00:36:52,860 --> 00:36:55,070
behaviors is what we're focused on , 

925
00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:57,191
but in one final point and thanks for 

926
00:36:57,191 --> 00:36:59,610
your anecdotal input , but I would say 

927
00:36:59,610 --> 00:37:02,150
that I have gotten 10 times that amount 

928
00:37:02,150 --> 00:37:04,310
of input , 50 times that amount of 

929
00:37:04,310 --> 00:37:07,170
input uh on the other side that has 

930
00:37:07,170 --> 00:37:10,070
said , hey , we're glad to have had the 

931
00:37:10,070 --> 00:37:12,450
ability to have a conversation with 

932
00:37:12,450 --> 00:37:14,561
ourselves and with our leadership and 

933
00:37:14,561 --> 00:37:16,728
that's what we need to make it again . 

934
00:37:16,728 --> 00:37:19,390
Mr Secretary , it may be that you're 

935
00:37:19,390 --> 00:37:21,880
receiving that input in the ratios you 

936
00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:24,550
describe because it was your directive . 

937
00:37:24,830 --> 00:37:27,650
It may be that people are concerned 

938
00:37:27,650 --> 00:37:29,872
about criticizing your decision because 

939
00:37:29,872 --> 00:37:32,020
Lieutenant Colonel Lemire was not 

940
00:37:32,020 --> 00:37:34,353
relieved of his command for his actions . 

941
00:37:34,353 --> 00:37:36,298
He was not relieved of his command 

942
00:37:36,298 --> 00:37:38,409
because of poor performance regarding 

943
00:37:38,409 --> 00:37:40,409
his duties . He was relieved of his 

944
00:37:40,409 --> 00:37:42,242
command precisely because of his 

945
00:37:42,242 --> 00:37:44,464
thoughts and because of his critique of 

946
00:37:44,464 --> 00:37:44,460
Critical race theory . It is 

947
00:37:44,460 --> 00:37:46,740
particularly helpful that you have said 

948
00:37:46,830 --> 00:37:49,052
that the Department of Defense does not 

949
00:37:49,052 --> 00:37:51,163
embrace Critical Race theory and that 

950
00:37:51,163 --> 00:37:52,941
you think the discussion is not 

951
00:37:52,941 --> 00:37:55,052
appropriate . I would suggest that it 

952
00:37:55,052 --> 00:37:57,386
is the ideology that is not appropriate , 

953
00:37:57,386 --> 00:37:59,608
and it is particularly concerning to me 

954
00:37:59,608 --> 00:38:01,608
that you have hired a critical race 

955
00:38:01,608 --> 00:38:04,050
theorist to give you advice on 

956
00:38:04,060 --> 00:38:06,227
personnel matters . And that person is 

957
00:38:06,227 --> 00:38:07,893
Bishop Garrison . And I would 

958
00:38:07,893 --> 00:38:10,540
particularly observe That on July 27 , 

959
00:38:10,540 --> 00:38:13,500
2019 Bishop Garrison tweeted regarding 

960
00:38:13,510 --> 00:38:15,677
former President trump . He's dragging 

961
00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:18,790
a lot of bad actors out into the 

962
00:38:18,790 --> 00:38:20,990
sunlight , normalizing their actions 

963
00:38:20,990 --> 00:38:23,101
and here's the relevant part . If you 

964
00:38:23,101 --> 00:38:25,101
support the president , you support 

965
00:38:25,101 --> 00:38:28,010
that there is no room for nuance in 

966
00:38:28,010 --> 00:38:31,070
this , There is no more . But I'm not 

967
00:38:31,070 --> 00:38:33,292
like that talk . And then he replies to 

968
00:38:33,292 --> 00:38:35,403
his own tweet with what seems to be a 

969
00:38:35,403 --> 00:38:37,940
very ethno nationalist . Hashtag 

970
00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:41,140
hashtag black 44 . Could you enlighten 

971
00:38:41,140 --> 00:38:44,090
us as to what advice Mr . Garrison has 

972
00:38:44,090 --> 00:38:46,257
given you ? And are you concerned that 

973
00:38:46,257 --> 00:38:48,146
while you testify publicly to our 

974
00:38:48,146 --> 00:38:50,257
committee that the department doesn't 

975
00:38:50,257 --> 00:38:52,479
embrace critical race theory ? You have 

976
00:38:52,479 --> 00:38:54,312
hired someone who is precisely a 

977
00:38:54,312 --> 00:38:57,440
critical race theorist . This is the 

978
00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:00,630
first I've ever heard . Uh Mr Garrison 

979
00:39:00,630 --> 00:39:02,710
being described as a critical race 

980
00:39:02,710 --> 00:39:06,390
theorist . So this is new and I'm sure 

981
00:39:06,390 --> 00:39:08,557
you review his tweets before you hired 

982
00:39:08,557 --> 00:39:10,560
him personally . Did you review his 

983
00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:12,840
tweets before you hired him ? I did not 

984
00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:15,170
personally review his tweets . I would 

985
00:39:15,170 --> 00:39:17,059
just ask that maybe that would be 

986
00:39:17,059 --> 00:39:19,059
helpful . Is there anything you can 

987
00:39:19,059 --> 00:39:21,226
share in these final seconds regarding 

988
00:39:21,226 --> 00:39:23,392
any advice he's given you ? Let me let 

989
00:39:23,392 --> 00:39:23,250
me just share one other thing that you 

990
00:39:23,250 --> 00:39:25,810
brought up congressman about the input 

991
00:39:25,810 --> 00:39:28,280
that comes to me . You know , I trust 

992
00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,260
my leadership from top to bottom , that 

993
00:39:31,260 --> 00:39:33,810
they will give me fair uh and and 

994
00:39:33,810 --> 00:39:36,480
balanced and unvarnished input and for 

995
00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:38,900
you to say that people are telling me 

996
00:39:38,910 --> 00:39:41,132
what they want to hear , what I want to 

997
00:39:41,132 --> 00:39:43,890
hear . I get it , but I'm smart enough 

998
00:39:43,890 --> 00:39:46,210
and that does happen . Yeah . You know , 

999
00:39:46,210 --> 00:39:48,432
maybe they're telling you what you want 

1000
00:39:48,432 --> 00:39:50,654
to hear . Well , I don't know that they 

1001
00:39:50,654 --> 00:39:52,932
even know what I once time has expired . 

1002
00:39:52,932 --> 00:39:55,266
Mr Brown is recognized for five minutes . 

1003
00:39:55,266 --> 00:39:57,266
Thank you . Mr Chairman . Um I have 

1004
00:39:57,266 --> 00:39:59,377
only five minutes and two questions . 

1005
00:39:59,377 --> 00:40:01,599
So at the Midway mark , I may interrupt 

1006
00:40:01,599 --> 00:40:03,821
the response to the first question . MR 

1007
00:40:03,821 --> 00:40:05,932
Secretary . Two years after President 

1008
00:40:05,932 --> 00:40:08,099
Truman desegregated the Armed Forces . 

1009
00:40:08,099 --> 00:40:09,877
A commission . It was the Fahey 

1010
00:40:09,877 --> 00:40:12,099
Commission found . And I quote , that a 

1011
00:40:12,099 --> 00:40:14,099
policy of equality of treatment and 

1012
00:40:14,099 --> 00:40:16,432
opportunity will make for a better army , 

1013
00:40:16,432 --> 00:40:18,599
Navy and Air Force . It is right , and 

1014
00:40:18,599 --> 00:40:20,654
just it will strengthen the nation . 

1015
00:40:20,654 --> 00:40:22,920
End of quote Today , while 19% of 

1016
00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,142
active duty service members are black , 

1017
00:40:25,310 --> 00:40:27,640
only 24 star generals and admirals are 

1018
00:40:27,640 --> 00:40:29,560
black and there is a significant 

1019
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:31,838
underrepresentation by race and gender . 

1020
00:40:31,838 --> 00:40:33,880
I should add in those career fields 

1021
00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:36,047
that experience higher promotion rates 

1022
00:40:36,047 --> 00:40:38,670
to senior ranks to address this problem . 

1023
00:40:38,670 --> 00:40:41,340
Last year , bipartisan this Congress 

1024
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:43,850
required the secretary and today that's 

1025
00:40:43,850 --> 00:40:46,040
you to establish a mentor and career 

1026
00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:48,250
counseling program . I recently 

1027
00:40:48,250 --> 00:40:50,306
requested information from the under 

1028
00:40:50,306 --> 00:40:52,417
Secretary for personnel and readiness 

1029
00:40:52,417 --> 00:40:54,417
on the program status . I found the 

1030
00:40:54,417 --> 00:40:56,639
response um , wanting . So the question 

1031
00:40:56,639 --> 00:40:58,528
is , how are you implementing the 

1032
00:40:58,528 --> 00:41:00,730
provisions of that program and why our 

1033
00:41:00,730 --> 00:41:02,780
diversity and inclusion initiatives 

1034
00:41:02,780 --> 00:41:04,590
such as those important to the 

1035
00:41:04,590 --> 00:41:08,520
department ? Um , just um , 

1036
00:41:09,310 --> 00:41:12,190
one comment up front on the importance 

1037
00:41:12,190 --> 00:41:16,030
of diversity , equity and inclusion . 

1038
00:41:17,110 --> 00:41:19,360
I would point out to you congressman 

1039
00:41:19,370 --> 00:41:21,370
something that you already know and 

1040
00:41:21,370 --> 00:41:23,537
that the United States military is the 

1041
00:41:23,537 --> 00:41:27,370
most diverse organization in 

1042
00:41:27,370 --> 00:41:30,380
this country . It represents , uh , 

1043
00:41:30,390 --> 00:41:33,450
citizens from all walks of life , all 

1044
00:41:33,450 --> 00:41:36,420
ethnicities . Uh , and , and it is , it 

1045
00:41:36,420 --> 00:41:39,300
is truly a diverse organization . I 

1046
00:41:39,300 --> 00:41:42,210
would absolutely agree with you that 

1047
00:41:42,220 --> 00:41:46,140
the senior leadership should look like 

1048
00:41:46,150 --> 00:41:48,372
those people that are those troops that 

1049
00:41:48,372 --> 00:41:50,372
are , that are in the ranks and the 

1050
00:41:50,372 --> 00:41:52,483
troop ought to be able to look up and 

1051
00:41:52,483 --> 00:41:54,706
say I can be a senior person , I can be 

1052
00:41:54,706 --> 00:41:56,872
that that man or that woman at the top 

1053
00:41:56,872 --> 00:41:59,480
of the totem pole on top of the pecking 

1054
00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,030
order . At some point in time , it has 

1055
00:42:02,030 --> 00:42:04,380
provided that , you know , uh , some of 

1056
00:42:04,380 --> 00:42:06,470
the best opportunities for our young 

1057
00:42:06,470 --> 00:42:09,800
citizens of any organization in America . 

1058
00:42:09,970 --> 00:42:12,700
In terms of mentor ship your specific 

1059
00:42:12,700 --> 00:42:15,820
question , I absolutely believe in the 

1060
00:42:15,820 --> 00:42:19,010
power of mentorship and embrace that 

1061
00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:22,520
and we need to do better and you have 

1062
00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:24,687
my commitment that we will do better . 

1063
00:42:24,687 --> 00:42:27,430
And so we stand ready to work with you 

1064
00:42:27,430 --> 00:42:29,430
and answer any additional questions 

1065
00:42:29,430 --> 00:42:31,486
that you have . I appreciate them as 

1066
00:42:31,486 --> 00:42:33,652
secretary . So we'll follow . But I do 

1067
00:42:33,652 --> 00:42:35,874
want to get to the second question . Um 

1068
00:42:35,874 --> 00:42:37,708
and if a commission talked about 

1069
00:42:37,708 --> 00:42:39,930
treatment , not just opportunities . So 

1070
00:42:39,930 --> 00:42:42,097
I'm very concerned about the disparate 

1071
00:42:42,097 --> 00:42:44,263
racial treatment that minority service 

1072
00:42:44,263 --> 00:42:46,208
managers are experienced under the 

1073
00:42:46,208 --> 00:42:48,430
uniform code of Military justice of May 

1074
00:42:48,430 --> 00:42:50,263
2019 G . A . O . Study that this 

1075
00:42:50,263 --> 00:42:52,208
congress directed found that black 

1076
00:42:52,208 --> 00:42:54,230
service members across all services 

1077
00:42:54,340 --> 00:42:58,140
more than 1.5 times likely to be tried 

1078
00:42:58,140 --> 00:43:00,680
by court martial for the same conduct 

1079
00:43:00,690 --> 00:43:03,130
has white service members . It's clear 

1080
00:43:03,130 --> 00:43:05,540
there is a general failure on the part 

1081
00:43:05,540 --> 00:43:08,010
of commanders in exercising their broad 

1082
00:43:08,020 --> 00:43:10,020
discretion to refer cases the court 

1083
00:43:10,020 --> 00:43:12,187
martial . My questions are why are the 

1084
00:43:12,187 --> 00:43:14,570
commander is woefully failing our black 

1085
00:43:14,570 --> 00:43:17,270
service members who enlist at higher 

1086
00:43:17,270 --> 00:43:20,990
rates than any other demographic group 

1087
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:23,450
in our country ? And how do we fix the 

1088
00:43:23,450 --> 00:43:25,740
system so that there is truly equal 

1089
00:43:25,740 --> 00:43:27,629
justice under the uniform code of 

1090
00:43:27,629 --> 00:43:29,851
military justice , which does not exist 

1091
00:43:29,851 --> 00:43:32,129
today . That's my question . Thank you , 

1092
00:43:32,129 --> 00:43:34,184
congressman . Thanks for flying in a 

1093
00:43:34,184 --> 00:43:36,296
question there . This is an important 

1094
00:43:36,296 --> 00:43:38,296
issue and I think one that requires 

1095
00:43:38,296 --> 00:43:42,070
more and detailed study . Um I would 

1096
00:43:42,070 --> 00:43:44,070
just say that the point that I made 

1097
00:43:44,070 --> 00:43:46,310
earlier in terms of making sure that we 

1098
00:43:46,310 --> 00:43:48,199
have the right representation and 

1099
00:43:48,199 --> 00:43:50,790
senior ranks is very , very important 

1100
00:43:50,790 --> 00:43:53,700
and contributes to making this uh this 

1101
00:43:53,710 --> 00:43:55,877
issue better or improving this issue . 

1102
00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:58,930
Right ? And I'm going to follow up and 

1103
00:43:58,930 --> 00:44:01,041
sort of make a comment and pick up on 

1104
00:44:01,041 --> 00:44:03,770
that point . There is a correlation , I 

1105
00:44:03,770 --> 00:44:06,810
believe between the lack of diversity 

1106
00:44:07,270 --> 00:44:09,140
in senior leadership and command 

1107
00:44:09,140 --> 00:44:12,580
positions and the disproportionate high 

1108
00:44:12,590 --> 00:44:15,290
rate of court martial of black and 

1109
00:44:15,290 --> 00:44:17,510
brown service members . Racial bias 

1110
00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:21,330
exists not only in the criminal justice 

1111
00:44:21,330 --> 00:44:23,430
system as we've experienced and seen 

1112
00:44:23,430 --> 00:44:26,230
for decades and brought to greater 

1113
00:44:26,230 --> 00:44:28,910
public attention after the the murder 

1114
00:44:29,990 --> 00:44:32,540
of George Floyd . But that same racial 

1115
00:44:32,540 --> 00:44:36,080
bias exists in the military justice 

1116
00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:37,969
system . So these are two related 

1117
00:44:37,969 --> 00:44:39,747
questions . We need to focus on 

1118
00:44:39,747 --> 00:44:41,913
diversity , but we need to immediately 

1119
00:44:41,913 --> 00:44:44,990
get after the desperate treatment under 

1120
00:44:44,990 --> 00:44:48,190
the UcMJ A that we can fix now that we 

1121
00:44:48,190 --> 00:44:50,412
can fix now . Thank you . Mr Chairman . 

1122
00:44:50,412 --> 00:44:52,523
I yield back . Thank you . Mr . Bacon 

1123
00:44:52,523 --> 00:44:54,690
is recognized for five minutes . Thank 

1124
00:44:54,690 --> 00:44:56,690
you Chairman . And I appreciate our 

1125
00:44:56,690 --> 00:44:56,630
Chairman and secretary , appreciate 

1126
00:44:56,630 --> 00:44:58,686
your leadership and I appreciate the 

1127
00:44:58,686 --> 00:45:00,797
journey that you've taken to get here 

1128
00:45:00,797 --> 00:45:02,797
also , Mr McCord . Thanks for being 

1129
00:45:02,797 --> 00:45:05,019
here . Um I do got a couple of comments 

1130
00:45:05,019 --> 00:45:07,241
for the record , just criticisms of the 

1131
00:45:07,241 --> 00:45:09,463
administration and I want to talk about 

1132
00:45:09,463 --> 00:45:11,574
the Air Force budget . But first I'll 

1133
00:45:11,574 --> 00:45:13,630
just talk about china being a pacing 

1134
00:45:13,630 --> 00:45:15,741
threat , rising superpower , a navy's 

1135
00:45:15,741 --> 00:45:18,320
matching ours and , you know , an 

1136
00:45:18,330 --> 00:45:20,610
imminent timeframe . But then you look 

1137
00:45:20,610 --> 00:45:22,777
at the actual budget after inflation . 

1138
00:45:22,777 --> 00:45:25,320
It's a reduction . Our words do not 

1139
00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:27,264
match our actions here and I think 

1140
00:45:27,264 --> 00:45:29,153
china sees it . I think the world 

1141
00:45:29,153 --> 00:45:31,376
season . I would have at least expected 

1142
00:45:31,376 --> 00:45:33,598
a budget that was even with inflation . 

1143
00:45:33,598 --> 00:45:35,376
Um , and but yet we're seeing a 

1144
00:45:35,376 --> 00:45:37,376
reduction . Secondly , I personally 

1145
00:45:37,376 --> 00:45:39,598
oppose taking the prosecution authority 

1146
00:45:39,598 --> 00:45:41,764
away from the commander . I was a five 

1147
00:45:41,764 --> 00:45:44,042
time commander myself in the Air Force . 

1148
00:45:44,042 --> 00:45:46,209
I think the change will now create two 

1149
00:45:46,209 --> 00:45:48,209
chains of command at the unit level 

1150
00:45:48,209 --> 00:45:48,060
undermines the principle that we 

1151
00:45:48,060 --> 00:45:50,420
cherish , which is unity of command and 

1152
00:45:50,420 --> 00:45:52,476
I just I think it's going to open up 

1153
00:45:52,476 --> 00:45:54,642
frictions and tensions within the unit 

1154
00:45:54,642 --> 00:45:56,809
and who's actually in charge . A third 

1155
00:45:56,809 --> 00:45:59,330
point of criticism As we've had several 

1156
00:45:59,330 --> 00:46:01,330
months now where the administration 

1157
00:46:01,330 --> 00:46:03,497
should have come up with an evacuation 

1158
00:46:03,497 --> 00:46:05,608
plan for interpreters who have 18,000 

1159
00:46:05,608 --> 00:46:07,830
roughly . And there is no concrete plan 

1160
00:46:07,830 --> 00:46:10,100
that I know of . It's unconscionable . 

1161
00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:12,680
We've had time to work through this 

1162
00:46:12,680 --> 00:46:15,650
talking about it's not not a plan . And 

1163
00:46:15,650 --> 00:46:17,483
so I know this is a falls in the 

1164
00:46:17,483 --> 00:46:19,261
secretary of State or the State 

1165
00:46:19,261 --> 00:46:21,317
Department . But so is the criticism 

1166
00:46:21,317 --> 00:46:23,150
toward the administration versus 

1167
00:46:23,150 --> 00:46:25,310
Youtube . But Our country owes better 

1168
00:46:25,420 --> 00:46:27,550
to these 18,000 and they will be 

1169
00:46:27,550 --> 00:46:29,790
targeted . I'm like my real first 

1170
00:46:29,790 --> 00:46:31,734
question they get to the Air force 

1171
00:46:31,734 --> 00:46:35,150
budget . He was , I think it's 

1172
00:46:35,150 --> 00:46:37,317
important that our defense budgets are 

1173
00:46:37,317 --> 00:46:39,428
accurate and transparent , But that's 

1174
00:46:39,428 --> 00:46:41,483
not really the case of the air force 

1175
00:46:41,483 --> 00:46:43,706
budget . The air force budget submitted 

1176
00:46:43,706 --> 00:46:45,928
by the administration is $212 billion , 

1177
00:46:45,928 --> 00:46:48,290
but 39 billion of it , or 18% doesn't 

1178
00:46:48,290 --> 00:46:50,457
actually go to the Air Force . It gets 

1179
00:46:50,457 --> 00:46:52,568
passed through to other organizations 

1180
00:46:53,730 --> 00:46:55,952
manufactured in the Air Force budget is 

1181
00:46:55,952 --> 00:46:58,260
really only 100 73 billion . And and 

1182
00:46:58,260 --> 00:47:00,204
the other services have about a 1% 

1183
00:47:00,204 --> 00:47:02,371
pastor by the way , versus 18% for the 

1184
00:47:02,371 --> 00:47:04,038
Air Force . I just think it's 

1185
00:47:04,038 --> 00:47:06,093
misleading . Most people in Congress 

1186
00:47:06,093 --> 00:47:08,316
and most people are citizens think it's 

1187
00:47:08,316 --> 00:47:10,482
about a 3rd 3rd 3rd for the services . 

1188
00:47:10,482 --> 00:47:13,600
So last NBA we tasked the department to 

1189
00:47:13,600 --> 00:47:15,711
come up with a better way . Could you 

1190
00:47:15,711 --> 00:47:17,822
give us an update on your thinking on 

1191
00:47:17,822 --> 00:47:19,933
this and what we can do ? Thank you . 

1192
00:47:19,933 --> 00:47:23,560
Mr Secretary . Uh huh . Yeah , I'll 

1193
00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:25,727
take this for the record because we do 

1194
00:47:25,727 --> 00:47:28,150
all you an answer in terms of uh you 

1195
00:47:28,150 --> 00:47:30,317
know , the progress that we've made or 

1196
00:47:30,317 --> 00:47:32,372
you know how we've approached this . 

1197
00:47:32,372 --> 00:47:34,372
But I just want to say that I would 

1198
00:47:34,372 --> 00:47:37,980
absolutely agree with you that . Well , 

1199
00:47:37,980 --> 00:47:40,091
we can't be fully transparent on some 

1200
00:47:40,091 --> 00:47:42,440
on some of these issues . We need to 

1201
00:47:42,440 --> 00:47:44,620
make sure that the Air Force budget is 

1202
00:47:44,630 --> 00:47:46,852
is represented in the appropriate way . 

1203
00:47:46,852 --> 00:47:48,519
Thank you . I appreciate your 

1204
00:47:48,519 --> 00:47:50,297
sentiments there . Uh My second 

1205
00:47:50,297 --> 00:47:52,074
question is with the electronic 

1206
00:47:52,074 --> 00:47:54,550
magnetic spectrum operations uh in the 

1207
00:47:54,550 --> 00:47:56,410
19 N . D . A . We directed the 

1208
00:47:56,410 --> 00:47:58,690
department to update its uh strategy 

1209
00:47:58,690 --> 00:48:00,246
here And provide a detailed 

1210
00:48:00,246 --> 00:48:02,540
implementing implementation plan . So 

1211
00:48:02,540 --> 00:48:04,707
2020 the department to come out with a 

1212
00:48:04,707 --> 00:48:06,596
strategy who have not yet seen an 

1213
00:48:06,596 --> 00:48:08,818
implementation plan . Uh could you give 

1214
00:48:08,818 --> 00:48:10,818
us an update on where we're at with 

1215
00:48:10,818 --> 00:48:13,860
that ? You may have heard me say before 

1216
00:48:13,860 --> 00:48:16,170
Congressman and our vice chairman is 

1217
00:48:16,170 --> 00:48:18,170
leading the effort along the deputy 

1218
00:48:18,170 --> 00:48:21,000
secretary to make sure that we lay out 

1219
00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:23,610
an implementation plan and that we we 

1220
00:48:23,610 --> 00:48:25,980
supervise the implementation of the 

1221
00:48:25,980 --> 00:48:28,510
plan . This is very important . It 

1222
00:48:28,510 --> 00:48:30,650
becomes increasingly important as we 

1223
00:48:30,650 --> 00:48:34,290
entered , as we look towards a 

1224
00:48:34,970 --> 00:48:38,810
competition with great power , we 

1225
00:48:38,810 --> 00:48:42,230
can expect much more uh 

1226
00:48:42,240 --> 00:48:45,720
contested airspace and and much greater 

1227
00:48:45,720 --> 00:48:47,740
pressure on the electromagnetic 

1228
00:48:47,740 --> 00:48:49,900
spectrum we saw . And you know this 

1229
00:48:49,900 --> 00:48:52,000
because you've been there , we 

1230
00:48:52,000 --> 00:48:54,830
experienced some significant issues 

1231
00:48:54,830 --> 00:48:57,950
early on in Iraq and Afghanistan trying 

1232
00:48:57,950 --> 00:49:00,420
to manage that spectrum and make sure 

1233
00:49:00,420 --> 00:49:02,300
that each service had have the 

1234
00:49:02,300 --> 00:49:04,300
capabilities they need . It will be 

1235
00:49:04,300 --> 00:49:06,467
increasingly difficult going forward . 

1236
00:49:06,467 --> 00:49:08,633
But the vice chairman is essential and 

1237
00:49:08,633 --> 00:49:10,744
I think the Vice chairman did a great 

1238
00:49:10,744 --> 00:49:12,744
job and I applaud the effort . I do 

1239
00:49:12,744 --> 00:49:14,856
hope they will . In the end we have a 

1240
00:49:14,856 --> 00:49:17,022
somebody the one star to start A level 

1241
00:49:17,022 --> 00:49:19,244
that owns this in the future because as 

1242
00:49:19,244 --> 00:49:19,150
you know , at the four star level , 

1243
00:49:19,150 --> 00:49:21,372
they're doing 100 different things . So 

1244
00:49:21,372 --> 00:49:22,928
I just put that in for your 

1245
00:49:22,928 --> 00:49:25,150
consideration finally , to the chairman 

1246
00:49:25,150 --> 00:49:27,372
of like about three seconds left . What 

1247
00:49:27,372 --> 00:49:26,840
are some tangible things we can do to 

1248
00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:29,350
strengthen deterrence for Taiwan ? Like 

1249
00:49:29,350 --> 00:49:31,790
what kind of weapons can they can we 

1250
00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:33,911
sell them or provide them ? Thank you 

1251
00:49:34,470 --> 00:49:36,414
Again , I'll take that one for the 

1252
00:49:36,414 --> 00:49:38,526
record . But briefly , you're talking 

1253
00:49:38,526 --> 00:49:40,692
about air power , counter air power so 

1254
00:49:40,692 --> 00:49:42,748
that they can have some dominance or 

1255
00:49:42,748 --> 00:49:45,081
air superiority over their own airspace , 

1256
00:49:45,081 --> 00:49:47,137
ballistic missile defense of the key 

1257
00:49:47,137 --> 00:49:49,248
and then their abilities to defend on 

1258
00:49:49,248 --> 00:49:51,359
the ground and conduct combined hours 

1259
00:49:51,359 --> 00:49:50,870
maneuver against an invading force . 

1260
00:49:50,880 --> 00:49:52,991
Those are the things that would be in 

1261
00:49:52,991 --> 00:49:55,400
Taiwan's interests . I'll give you more 

1262
00:49:55,570 --> 00:49:58,260
complete answer . Thank you . Famous 

1263
00:49:58,260 --> 00:50:00,038
time is expired . Mr Keating is 

1264
00:50:00,038 --> 00:50:02,371
recognized for five minutes . Thank you . 

1265
00:50:02,371 --> 00:50:04,290
Mr Chairman as someone who was a 

1266
00:50:04,290 --> 00:50:06,320
district attorney for over a decade 

1267
00:50:06,320 --> 00:50:08,900
before I came to Congress , uh , I 

1268
00:50:08,900 --> 00:50:11,067
realized the challenges and complexity 

1269
00:50:11,067 --> 00:50:13,680
of sexual assault cases . First hand , 

1270
00:50:14,160 --> 00:50:17,090
and in fact , I had separate units on 

1271
00:50:17,090 --> 00:50:19,257
the civil side , separate units within 

1272
00:50:19,257 --> 00:50:21,500
my office specializing in prosecution 

1273
00:50:21,510 --> 00:50:24,320
of sexual assaults and , uh , with 

1274
00:50:24,330 --> 00:50:26,820
special units for sexual assault on 

1275
00:50:26,820 --> 00:50:29,930
victims witness advocacy . So , uh , I 

1276
00:50:29,930 --> 00:50:32,070
was really pleased to hear the news 

1277
00:50:32,080 --> 00:50:34,136
that you shared this morning with us 

1278
00:50:34,136 --> 00:50:37,310
regarding , uh , what's coming forth 

1279
00:50:37,310 --> 00:50:39,150
from the commission in terms of 

1280
00:50:39,150 --> 00:50:41,317
removing these cases from the military 

1281
00:50:41,317 --> 00:50:44,050
chain of command recommendations of one 

1282
00:50:44,050 --> 00:50:46,440
thing . But hearing from both the 

1283
00:50:46,440 --> 00:50:48,607
Secretary of Defense and and the chair 

1284
00:50:48,607 --> 00:50:51,750
of the Joint Chiefs that you support 

1285
00:50:51,750 --> 00:50:55,510
that effort to is so important . So , a 

1286
00:50:55,510 --> 00:50:57,399
couple of quick questions in that 

1287
00:50:57,399 --> 00:50:59,566
regard . Number one , what does , what 

1288
00:50:59,566 --> 00:51:01,566
do you mean by removing it from the 

1289
00:51:01,566 --> 00:51:03,843
military chain of command ? Number two , 

1290
00:51:03,843 --> 00:51:06,010
General Milley mentioned to changes in 

1291
00:51:06,010 --> 00:51:10,000
the domestic violence areas the 

1292
00:51:10,010 --> 00:51:12,066
way they're going to be reviewed . I 

1293
00:51:12,066 --> 00:51:14,288
had a separate unit for that too . So , 

1294
00:51:14,288 --> 00:51:16,399
could you tell us what's in store for 

1295
00:51:16,399 --> 00:51:18,621
us and those very important things that 

1296
00:51:18,621 --> 00:51:20,510
were a priority of myself in this 

1297
00:51:20,510 --> 00:51:23,400
committee . So , for those or first of 

1298
00:51:23,400 --> 00:51:26,690
all , I would I would 

1299
00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:29,530
point to the issue of this will require 

1300
00:51:29,540 --> 00:51:32,700
uh , resources and it will require 

1301
00:51:32,710 --> 00:51:35,790
making sure that we outline a path to 

1302
00:51:35,790 --> 00:51:38,320
get to where we need to be so that 

1303
00:51:38,330 --> 00:51:41,240
we're doing this the right way . Um , 

1304
00:51:41,250 --> 00:51:43,500
we are focused on sexual assault , 

1305
00:51:43,500 --> 00:51:45,670
sexual harassment and related crimes . 

1306
00:51:45,670 --> 00:51:47,781
And you you were you mentioned , uh , 

1307
00:51:48,260 --> 00:51:50,750
uh , domestic violence , uh , in a 

1308
00:51:50,760 --> 00:51:52,538
couple of other things that are 

1309
00:51:52,538 --> 00:51:55,050
directly related to that . But we would 

1310
00:51:55,050 --> 00:51:57,200
set up a special victims prosecutor , 

1311
00:51:57,210 --> 00:51:59,690
Excuse me , special prosecutor to uh , 

1312
00:52:00,050 --> 00:52:03,740
uh , two assess 

1313
00:52:03,750 --> 00:52:06,010
and and refer these cases forward . And 

1314
00:52:06,010 --> 00:52:08,570
so their cases would be would be 

1315
00:52:08,950 --> 00:52:11,490
referred and prosecuted outside of the 

1316
00:52:11,490 --> 00:52:13,490
chain of command . Mr . Secretary . 

1317
00:52:13,490 --> 00:52:16,240
Would they be investigated outside as 

1318
00:52:16,240 --> 00:52:18,670
well with the a civil 

1319
00:52:19,250 --> 00:52:21,150
investigator working with that 

1320
00:52:21,150 --> 00:52:23,980
prosecutor . They would be investigated 

1321
00:52:23,980 --> 00:52:27,690
by the competent authorities uh , 

1322
00:52:27,690 --> 00:52:30,530
and uh , and the investigator with what 

1323
00:52:30,540 --> 00:52:32,651
with work with the prosecutor . Yes . 

1324
00:52:32,651 --> 00:52:35,060
Yeah . I would hope those authorities 

1325
00:52:35,060 --> 00:52:37,580
included some of the civil side too and 

1326
00:52:37,580 --> 00:52:39,691
someone that would work as a domestic 

1327
00:52:39,691 --> 00:52:41,913
violence advocate to our sexual assault 

1328
00:52:41,913 --> 00:52:44,010
and witness victim advocate . Now in 

1329
00:52:44,010 --> 00:52:46,300
terms of domestic mass , it is discreet 

1330
00:52:46,310 --> 00:52:48,540
many , many times from sexual assault . 

1331
00:52:48,540 --> 00:52:50,762
So , is there anything to share with us 

1332
00:52:50,762 --> 00:52:52,818
this morning on that issue as well ? 

1333
00:52:55,150 --> 00:52:58,170
Yeah . So , um , what we're saying , 

1334
00:52:58,170 --> 00:53:00,281
we're recommending what we've already 

1335
00:53:00,281 --> 00:53:02,503
made a recommendation . Secretary is to 

1336
00:53:02,503 --> 00:53:04,614
stay narrowly focused on the issue of 

1337
00:53:04,614 --> 00:53:06,614
sexual assault and directly related 

1338
00:53:06,614 --> 00:53:08,559
crimes such as domestic violence . 

1339
00:53:08,559 --> 00:53:08,550
Sometimes they are sometimes they're 

1340
00:53:08,550 --> 00:53:10,494
not , well , something's there are 

1341
00:53:10,494 --> 00:53:12,717
sometimes not . But the data shows that 

1342
00:53:12,717 --> 00:53:14,606
there's a strong correlation . So 

1343
00:53:14,606 --> 00:53:16,772
you've been some of these other crimes 

1344
00:53:16,772 --> 00:53:19,330
in a as far as all other felonies go , 

1345
00:53:19,340 --> 00:53:21,460
we're recommending not to do that but 

1346
00:53:21,460 --> 00:53:24,180
to stay focused on the sexual assault 

1347
00:53:24,190 --> 00:53:26,640
and immediate related crimes . Take 

1348
00:53:26,640 --> 00:53:28,751
that out of the commander's hands for 

1349
00:53:28,751 --> 00:53:30,584
referral and deferral of charges 

1350
00:53:30,584 --> 00:53:32,696
investigation as well and put that in 

1351
00:53:32,696 --> 00:53:34,862
the hand . And why are we doing that ? 

1352
00:53:34,862 --> 00:53:37,029
Because the data shows that we haven't 

1353
00:53:37,029 --> 00:53:36,720
moved the needle to solve that problem , 

1354
00:53:36,720 --> 00:53:38,720
It's a very significant problem for 

1355
00:53:38,720 --> 00:53:40,776
cohesion of the force and we've lost 

1356
00:53:40,776 --> 00:53:42,942
the trust and confidence of the of the 

1357
00:53:42,942 --> 00:53:44,998
lower ranking troops in it . So , uh 

1358
00:53:44,998 --> 00:53:47,053
but it's very limited though to that 

1359
00:53:47,053 --> 00:53:49,387
set of crimes because the U . C . M . J . 

1360
00:53:49,387 --> 00:53:51,442
Is fundamental to the good order and 

1361
00:53:51,442 --> 00:53:51,130
discipline of the force . And the 

1362
00:53:51,130 --> 00:53:53,074
commander must have that authority 

1363
00:53:53,074 --> 00:53:55,960
because this entire system is built in 

1364
00:53:55,960 --> 00:53:58,520
order to fight in combat . Uh And 

1365
00:53:58,520 --> 00:54:00,520
that's important to remember it . I 

1366
00:54:00,520 --> 00:54:02,687
would like to suggest to that you look 

1367
00:54:02,687 --> 00:54:04,853
more specifically at domestic violence 

1368
00:54:04,853 --> 00:54:06,800
as well . Uh And I'm here and I'm 

1369
00:54:06,810 --> 00:54:08,670
joined by many members of this 

1370
00:54:08,670 --> 00:54:10,880
committee to provide the resources and 

1371
00:54:10,880 --> 00:54:14,020
assist you along those lines . I thank 

1372
00:54:14,020 --> 00:54:16,190
you for the news , but we want to see 

1373
00:54:16,550 --> 00:54:18,550
if we can be helpful moving forward 

1374
00:54:18,550 --> 00:54:20,717
secondly , we all share the belief and 

1375
00:54:20,717 --> 00:54:24,060
certainly you to share it more than 

1376
00:54:24,440 --> 00:54:27,290
many americans to protect families . 

1377
00:54:27,300 --> 00:54:29,133
They're giving the most precious 

1378
00:54:29,133 --> 00:54:31,133
resources uh their Children , their 

1379
00:54:31,133 --> 00:54:34,130
parents or spouses 

1380
00:54:34,140 --> 00:54:37,670
uh to defend our country . And 

1381
00:54:38,140 --> 00:54:41,250
bu study Just recently out showed that 

1382
00:54:41,260 --> 00:54:45,040
30,177 Uh either active 

1383
00:54:45,050 --> 00:54:47,770
duty of veterans post 9 11 committed 

1384
00:54:47,770 --> 00:54:50,750
suicide lost their lives . That's over 

1385
00:54:50,750 --> 00:54:53,550
four times the number of 

1386
00:54:53,560 --> 00:54:57,310
uh similarly situated people that 

1387
00:54:57,310 --> 00:55:00,080
lost it in war operations lost their 

1388
00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:03,730
lives and war operations . And this 

1389
00:55:03,730 --> 00:55:05,897
committee through the N . D . A . Time 

1390
00:55:05,897 --> 00:55:07,841
how the G . A . O . C . Which I'll 

1391
00:55:07,841 --> 00:55:09,841
follow up with the question how you 

1392
00:55:09,841 --> 00:55:11,952
thanks . Um , and I would like to let 

1393
00:55:11,952 --> 00:55:13,897
members know if I took a moment of 

1394
00:55:13,897 --> 00:55:16,008
personal privilege here on the sexual 

1395
00:55:16,008 --> 00:55:17,674
assault issue . There is wide 

1396
00:55:17,674 --> 00:55:20,008
bipartisan support and support at D . O . 

1397
00:55:20,008 --> 00:55:22,119
D . Within the administration for the 

1398
00:55:22,119 --> 00:55:21,660
idea that we need to take the 

1399
00:55:21,660 --> 00:55:24,290
prosecution of sexual assault crimes 

1400
00:55:24,300 --> 00:55:26,300
out of the chain of command . Now , 

1401
00:55:26,300 --> 00:55:28,356
that is a recent development . We've 

1402
00:55:28,356 --> 00:55:30,578
been talking about this for 10 years in 

1403
00:55:30,578 --> 00:55:32,689
a variety of different forms . It has 

1404
00:55:32,689 --> 00:55:32,680
been resisted in a variety of different 

1405
00:55:32,680 --> 00:55:34,902
quarters up to this point . But at this 

1406
00:55:34,902 --> 00:55:37,100
point there is wide , but there is 

1407
00:55:37,100 --> 00:55:39,880
still some who oppose , but there are a 

1408
00:55:39,880 --> 00:55:41,890
lot of co sponsors , but but the 

1409
00:55:41,890 --> 00:55:44,230
details are different and I think that 

1410
00:55:44,230 --> 00:55:47,460
is being lost in this debate . Um There 

1411
00:55:47,460 --> 00:55:50,510
are some bills to take all non military 

1412
00:55:50,510 --> 00:55:53,350
felonies out . Then there is a proposal 

1413
00:55:53,350 --> 00:55:55,350
that has come from the commission . 

1414
00:55:55,350 --> 00:55:57,183
There was also a bill and I know 

1415
00:55:57,183 --> 00:55:59,350
Representative Speier has introduced a 

1416
00:55:59,350 --> 00:56:01,517
new bill this week , but a month or so 

1417
00:56:01,517 --> 00:56:03,406
ago there was a bill that she had 

1418
00:56:03,406 --> 00:56:05,406
introduced , it was focused just on 

1419
00:56:05,406 --> 00:56:07,517
crimes . Another way to slice this is 

1420
00:56:07,517 --> 00:56:09,628
felonies and misdemeanors . If you go 

1421
00:56:09,628 --> 00:56:11,850
the all felony route , which was a bill 

1422
00:56:11,850 --> 00:56:14,072
that was introduced this morning in the 

1423
00:56:14,072 --> 00:56:16,128
House and one that was introduced in 

1424
00:56:16,128 --> 00:56:18,183
the Senate . You do miss some crimes 

1425
00:56:18,183 --> 00:56:20,406
that are misdemeanors and you certainly 

1426
00:56:20,406 --> 00:56:22,572
miss a lot of domestic violence . That 

1427
00:56:22,572 --> 00:56:24,683
is also misdemeanors . And then there 

1428
00:56:24,683 --> 00:56:24,190
is the subject that Mr keating brought 

1429
00:56:24,190 --> 00:56:26,246
up , and that is , well , what about 

1430
00:56:26,246 --> 00:56:28,190
the people investigating it in the 

1431
00:56:28,190 --> 00:56:30,357
first place ? Are they still under the 

1432
00:56:30,357 --> 00:56:32,468
chain of command ? We we need to make 

1433
00:56:32,468 --> 00:56:35,110
this change I think is really important , 

1434
00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:37,760
that we take a moment to do it right , 

1435
00:56:37,770 --> 00:56:39,714
that we have a conversation with a 

1436
00:56:39,714 --> 00:56:41,714
bunch of different people . I'm not 

1437
00:56:41,714 --> 00:56:41,550
presuming who's right and who's wrong , 

1438
00:56:41,560 --> 00:56:43,940
but this is no longer a question for 

1439
00:56:43,940 --> 00:56:46,162
the overwhelming majority of members in 

1440
00:56:46,162 --> 00:56:48,384
the House and the Senate whether or not 

1441
00:56:48,384 --> 00:56:50,607
this needs to be taken out of the chain 

1442
00:56:50,607 --> 00:56:52,662
of command . It is now a question of 

1443
00:56:52,662 --> 00:56:54,570
how to do that . Um and that is a 

1444
00:56:54,570 --> 00:56:56,570
debate discussion that I think this 

1445
00:56:56,570 --> 00:56:58,626
committee needs to take a leadership 

1446
00:56:58,626 --> 00:57:00,848
role in doing . Uh Mr Rogers , I'd like 

1447
00:57:00,848 --> 00:57:03,070
to completely associate myself with the 

1448
00:57:03,070 --> 00:57:05,620
chairman's remarks . Thank you . Uh Mr 

1449
00:57:05,620 --> 00:57:07,787
waltz is recognized for five minutes . 

1450
00:57:09,030 --> 00:57:11,197
Thank you . Mr Chairman . And I'd like 

1451
00:57:11,197 --> 00:57:13,980
to introduce into the record a letter 

1452
00:57:13,990 --> 00:57:16,430
uh , to myself from the Superintendent 

1453
00:57:16,430 --> 00:57:18,263
of West Point Lieutenant General 

1454
00:57:18,263 --> 00:57:20,041
Williams that was sent to me in 

1455
00:57:20,041 --> 00:57:22,690
response to my letter regarding the 

1456
00:57:22,690 --> 00:57:24,690
teaching of critical race theory at 

1457
00:57:24,690 --> 00:57:26,690
West Point is the objection hearing 

1458
00:57:26,690 --> 00:57:28,634
down so ordered . Mr Secretary , I 

1459
00:57:28,634 --> 00:57:30,579
found that very interesting . Your 

1460
00:57:30,579 --> 00:57:32,746
exchange , Mr Gates on no teachings of 

1461
00:57:32,746 --> 00:57:34,690
critical race theory in the United 

1462
00:57:34,690 --> 00:57:36,746
States Military . I want to quote to 

1463
00:57:36,746 --> 00:57:38,579
you a letter I received from the 

1464
00:57:38,579 --> 00:57:40,746
Superintendent of West Point says with 

1465
00:57:40,746 --> 00:57:42,968
regards to critical Race theory , there 

1466
00:57:42,968 --> 00:57:45,079
is one course that has this theory as 

1467
00:57:45,079 --> 00:57:47,134
part of the syllabus . There are two 

1468
00:57:47,134 --> 00:57:49,357
lessons on Critical race theory . There 

1469
00:57:49,357 --> 00:57:51,246
is a book on critical race theory 

1470
00:57:51,246 --> 00:57:53,023
titled Critical Race Theory and 

1471
00:57:53,023 --> 00:57:56,620
introduction uh on and on and on about 

1472
00:57:56,620 --> 00:57:58,860
the teaching of Critical Race theory in 

1473
00:57:58,860 --> 00:58:01,280
West Point . I just want to emphasize 

1474
00:58:01,280 --> 00:58:03,391
something . This isn't something that 

1475
00:58:03,391 --> 00:58:05,740
we're raising . This is this came to me 

1476
00:58:05,740 --> 00:58:07,684
from cadets , from families , from 

1477
00:58:07,684 --> 00:58:10,010
soldiers with their alarm and their 

1478
00:58:10,010 --> 00:58:13,140
concern at how divisive this type of 

1479
00:58:13,140 --> 00:58:15,540
teaching is that is rooted in Marxism 

1480
00:58:16,120 --> 00:58:18,900
that classifies people along class 

1481
00:58:18,900 --> 00:58:21,070
lines . An entire race of people as 

1482
00:58:21,070 --> 00:58:23,140
oppressor and oppressed . 

1483
00:58:23,520 --> 00:58:26,740
I cannot think of anything more 

1484
00:58:26,740 --> 00:58:29,970
divisive and more destructive to unit 

1485
00:58:29,970 --> 00:58:32,670
morale . I want to be very clear . The 

1486
00:58:32,670 --> 00:58:34,503
military needs to be open to all 

1487
00:58:34,503 --> 00:58:36,559
americans . Absolutely . That is the 

1488
00:58:36,559 --> 00:58:38,837
strength of the United States military . 

1489
00:58:38,837 --> 00:58:41,030
But once we're in we bleed green and 

1490
00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:43,096
our skin color is camouflage . We're 

1491
00:58:43,096 --> 00:58:45,318
worried about that american flag on our 

1492
00:58:45,318 --> 00:58:47,373
shoulder . That's the only thing our 

1493
00:58:47,373 --> 00:58:49,540
enemies are worried about . I think we 

1494
00:58:49,540 --> 00:58:49,250
can agree there . But the other thing 

1495
00:58:49,250 --> 00:58:52,470
that they raise to me was a seminar 

1496
00:58:52,470 --> 00:58:55,260
that over 100 cadets attended titled 

1497
00:58:55,410 --> 00:58:58,150
Understanding Whiteness and White Rage , 

1498
00:58:58,720 --> 00:59:01,140
taught by a woman who described the 

1499
00:59:01,140 --> 00:59:03,540
Republican Party platform as a platform 

1500
00:59:03,540 --> 00:59:05,850
of white supremacy . This is going on 

1501
00:59:05,850 --> 00:59:08,090
at West Point as we speak to our future 

1502
00:59:08,090 --> 00:59:10,740
military leaders . And sir , I would 

1503
00:59:10,750 --> 00:59:13,840
encourage you , I would demand that you 

1504
00:59:13,840 --> 00:59:15,951
get to the bottom of what is going on 

1505
00:59:15,951 --> 00:59:19,060
in the force and further for what it 

1506
00:59:19,060 --> 00:59:21,060
means for civilian oversight of the 

1507
00:59:21,060 --> 00:59:22,949
military when our future military 

1508
00:59:22,949 --> 00:59:25,340
leaders are being taught that the 

1509
00:59:25,340 --> 00:59:27,396
fundament , the constitution and the 

1510
00:59:27,396 --> 00:59:29,870
fundamental civilian institutions of 

1511
00:59:29,870 --> 00:59:32,840
this country are endemically racist , 

1512
00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:34,618
misogynist and colonialists and 

1513
00:59:34,618 --> 00:59:36,673
therefore it is their duty to resist 

1514
00:59:36,673 --> 00:59:38,896
them . What does that mean for a future 

1515
00:59:38,896 --> 00:59:41,118
cadet who one day will be sitting where 

1516
00:59:41,118 --> 00:59:43,530
you are ? And so do you agree that ? 

1517
00:59:44,220 --> 00:59:46,560
Will you work with us to do you agree 

1518
00:59:46,560 --> 00:59:48,560
that critical race theory should or 

1519
00:59:48,560 --> 00:59:50,616
should not be taught in our military 

1520
00:59:50,616 --> 00:59:52,782
academies ? As I said earlier ? Thanks 

1521
00:59:52,782 --> 00:59:54,727
congressman for the question . And 

1522
00:59:54,727 --> 00:59:56,727
thanks for your continued support . 

1523
00:59:56,727 --> 00:59:58,727
Thanks for your service . Um , uh , 

1524
00:59:58,727 --> 01:00:00,900
this is not something that the United 

1525
01:00:00,900 --> 01:00:04,480
States military is , uh , is 

1526
01:00:04,490 --> 01:00:06,820
embracing and pushing and causing 

1527
01:00:06,820 --> 01:00:09,280
people to subscribe to whether or not 

1528
01:00:09,280 --> 01:00:12,830
this was some sort of A critical 

1529
01:00:12,830 --> 01:00:14,941
examination of different theories . I 

1530
01:00:14,941 --> 01:00:17,108
don't know , but we need to understand 

1531
01:00:17,108 --> 01:00:19,163
our past . I want to be very clear . 

1532
01:00:19,163 --> 01:00:20,941
But can you agree at least that 

1533
01:00:20,941 --> 01:00:23,108
understanding whiteness and white rage 

1534
01:00:23,108 --> 01:00:25,108
presented an I call over 100 cadets 

1535
01:00:25,108 --> 01:00:27,330
probably is something that we shouldn't 

1536
01:00:27,330 --> 01:00:29,441
be teaching our future leaders of the 

1537
01:00:29,441 --> 01:00:31,163
United States Army as you have 

1538
01:00:31,163 --> 01:00:33,219
described that . It certainly sounds 

1539
01:00:33,219 --> 01:00:35,330
like that's something that should not 

1540
01:00:35,330 --> 01:00:37,497
not occur again , I would like to know 

1541
01:00:37,497 --> 01:00:39,497
the specifics of . Thank you . Mr . 

1542
01:00:39,497 --> 01:00:41,552
Secretary , just switching topics to 

1543
01:00:41,552 --> 01:00:43,719
shipyards and our infrastructure . Our 

1544
01:00:43,719 --> 01:00:45,719
shipyards are old . They're small . 

1545
01:00:45,719 --> 01:00:47,886
They can't handle the fleet of today , 

1546
01:00:47,886 --> 01:00:49,941
Much less the fleet of tomorrow . We 

1547
01:00:49,941 --> 01:00:52,163
currently have four public in less than 

1548
01:00:52,163 --> 01:00:53,941
20 commercial , the Chinese are 

1549
01:00:53,941 --> 01:00:57,250
approaching 1000 shipyards , One dry 

1550
01:00:57,250 --> 01:00:59,361
dock that can handle the Ford class , 

1551
01:00:59,361 --> 01:01:01,583
not enough for the Virginia class . The 

1552
01:01:01,583 --> 01:01:04,730
Navy has its $21 billion 20 years 

1553
01:01:05,210 --> 01:01:07,321
over the next two decades . Would you 

1554
01:01:07,321 --> 01:01:09,432
welcome additional funding as part of 

1555
01:01:09,432 --> 01:01:11,800
uh , as part of our shipyard 

1556
01:01:11,800 --> 01:01:14,022
modernization ? I think it's absolutely 

1557
01:01:14,022 --> 01:01:16,510
critical . I agree that it's critical 

1558
01:01:16,520 --> 01:01:18,742
and uh , you know , we not only have to 

1559
01:01:18,742 --> 01:01:20,853
have the right mix of capabilities we 

1560
01:01:20,853 --> 01:01:23,076
have to be able to sustain and maintain 

1561
01:01:23,076 --> 01:01:25,298
as well . And in this budget you'll see 

1562
01:01:25,298 --> 01:01:27,409
that we've invested some $830 million 

1563
01:01:27,409 --> 01:01:33,010
Chinese 

1564
01:01:33,010 --> 01:01:35,730
or 2000 . We're at less than 20 . And 

1565
01:01:35,730 --> 01:01:37,619
what I'm so disturbed by is we're 

1566
01:01:37,619 --> 01:01:40,140
debating at $1.9 trillion dollar 

1567
01:01:40,140 --> 01:01:42,700
infrastructure plan . Navy has its 

1568
01:01:42,710 --> 01:01:45,060
shipyard infrastructure improvement 

1569
01:01:45,060 --> 01:01:46,782
plan . So they clearly defined 

1570
01:01:46,782 --> 01:01:49,230
shipyards infrastructure , no mention 

1571
01:01:49,700 --> 01:01:53,320
Not one . Were you consulted by the 

1572
01:01:53,330 --> 01:01:55,386
Interagency group that submitted the 

1573
01:01:55,386 --> 01:01:59,270
infrastructure plan to to whether it is 

1574
01:01:59,270 --> 01:02:02,950
grids , ports and especially shipyards . 

1575
01:02:02,960 --> 01:02:04,793
Where was the Defense Department 

1576
01:02:04,793 --> 01:02:06,904
consultant for its priorities as part 

1577
01:02:06,904 --> 01:02:08,904
of the administration's plan ? Well 

1578
01:02:08,904 --> 01:02:10,238
certainly I support the 

1579
01:02:10,238 --> 01:02:12,480
administration's plan and that will 

1580
01:02:12,480 --> 01:02:14,591
have to be taken for the record . The 

1581
01:02:14,591 --> 01:02:16,591
gentleman's time has expired . Miss 

1582
01:02:16,591 --> 01:02:18,924
Hoolahan is recognized for five minutes . 

1583
01:02:18,924 --> 01:02:18,750
Thank you Mr . Chair and thank you 

1584
01:02:18,750 --> 01:02:20,972
gentlemen for joining us today . I know 

1585
01:02:20,972 --> 01:02:23,028
my time is very precious but I would 

1586
01:02:23,028 --> 01:02:24,861
like to yield some of my time to 

1587
01:02:24,861 --> 01:02:26,972
General Milley because I know that he 

1588
01:02:26,972 --> 01:02:28,972
had some comments that he wanted to 

1589
01:02:28,972 --> 01:02:31,194
make . Representative Gates was talking 

1590
01:02:31,194 --> 01:02:33,194
as well as mr waltz about a similar 

1591
01:02:33,194 --> 01:02:35,139
subject of the stand down and race 

1592
01:02:35,139 --> 01:02:37,306
theory . Would you like a minute or so 

1593
01:02:37,306 --> 01:02:39,361
to comment on that ? Do you remember 

1594
01:02:39,361 --> 01:02:41,472
what we were your line of questioning 

1595
01:02:41,472 --> 01:02:43,528
your thought , was there ? Um Sure , 

1596
01:02:43,528 --> 01:02:45,900
first of all , on the issue of critical 

1597
01:02:45,900 --> 01:02:48,011
race theory etcetera . I'll obviously 

1598
01:02:48,011 --> 01:02:50,067
have to get much smarter on whatever 

1599
01:02:50,067 --> 01:02:53,030
the theory is . Um but I do think it's 

1600
01:02:53,030 --> 01:02:55,940
important actually uh for those of us 

1601
01:02:55,940 --> 01:02:59,120
in uniform to be open minded and be 

1602
01:02:59,120 --> 01:03:00,953
widely read in the United States 

1603
01:03:00,953 --> 01:03:03,360
Military Academy is a university . Uh , 

1604
01:03:03,370 --> 01:03:05,850
and it is important that we train and 

1605
01:03:05,850 --> 01:03:08,240
we understand , uh , and I want to 

1606
01:03:08,240 --> 01:03:10,600
understand white rage and I'm white and 

1607
01:03:10,600 --> 01:03:13,190
I want to understand it . So what is it 

1608
01:03:13,200 --> 01:03:15,200
that caused thousands of people to 

1609
01:03:15,200 --> 01:03:17,840
assault this building and try to 

1610
01:03:17,840 --> 01:03:20,062
overturn the constitution of the United 

1611
01:03:20,062 --> 01:03:22,229
States of America ? What caused that ? 

1612
01:03:22,229 --> 01:03:24,229
I want to find that out . I want to 

1613
01:03:24,229 --> 01:03:26,229
maintain an open mind here and I do 

1614
01:03:26,229 --> 01:03:26,150
want to analyze it . It's important 

1615
01:03:26,150 --> 01:03:28,150
that we understand that because our 

1616
01:03:28,150 --> 01:03:30,261
soldiers , sailors , airmen , marines 

1617
01:03:30,261 --> 01:03:30,160
and guardians , they come from the 

1618
01:03:30,160 --> 01:03:32,220
american people . So it is important 

1619
01:03:32,220 --> 01:03:35,000
that the leaders now and in the future 

1620
01:03:35,010 --> 01:03:37,100
do understand it . I've read miles , 

1621
01:03:37,100 --> 01:03:39,322
say tongue . I've read , I've read Karl 

1622
01:03:39,322 --> 01:03:41,433
Marx , I've read Lenin , that doesn't 

1623
01:03:41,433 --> 01:03:43,600
make me a communist . So what is wrong 

1624
01:03:43,900 --> 01:03:45,960
with understanding having some 

1625
01:03:45,960 --> 01:03:47,960
situational understanding about the 

1626
01:03:47,960 --> 01:03:50,293
country for which we are here to defend ? 

1627
01:03:50,293 --> 01:03:52,830
And I personally find it offensive that 

1628
01:03:52,830 --> 01:03:54,719
we are accusing the United States 

1629
01:03:54,719 --> 01:03:56,552
military at general officers are 

1630
01:03:56,552 --> 01:03:58,663
commissioned noncommissioned officers 

1631
01:03:58,663 --> 01:04:00,886
of being quote woke or something else . 

1632
01:04:00,886 --> 01:04:02,941
Because we're studying some theories 

1633
01:04:02,941 --> 01:04:05,052
that are out there . That was started 

1634
01:04:05,052 --> 01:04:04,960
at Harvard Law School years ago and it 

1635
01:04:04,960 --> 01:04:07,016
proposed that there were laws in the 

1636
01:04:07,016 --> 01:04:09,182
United States anti belem laws prior to 

1637
01:04:09,182 --> 01:04:12,110
the Civil war that led to A power 

1638
01:04:12,110 --> 01:04:14,221
differential with African Americans . 

1639
01:04:14,221 --> 01:04:16,277
There were 3/4 of a human being when 

1640
01:04:16,277 --> 01:04:18,332
this country was formed and we had a 

1641
01:04:18,332 --> 01:04:20,499
civil war emancipation proclamation to 

1642
01:04:20,499 --> 01:04:22,721
change it . And we brought it up to the 

1643
01:04:22,721 --> 01:04:22,460
Civil Rights Act in 1964 took another 

1644
01:04:22,460 --> 01:04:24,682
100 years to change that . So look at , 

1645
01:04:24,682 --> 01:04:26,740
I do want to know and I respect your 

1646
01:04:26,740 --> 01:04:28,851
service and you and I have both green 

1647
01:04:28,851 --> 01:04:30,796
Berets , but I want to know and it 

1648
01:04:30,796 --> 01:04:32,573
matters to our military and the 

1649
01:04:32,573 --> 01:04:32,490
discipline and cohesion of this 

1650
01:04:32,490 --> 01:04:34,434
military . And I thank you for the 

1651
01:04:34,434 --> 01:04:36,657
opportunity to make a comment on that . 

1652
01:04:36,657 --> 01:04:38,601
Thank you . General , changing the 

1653
01:04:38,601 --> 01:04:41,020
subject right now to our people , which 

1654
01:04:41,020 --> 01:04:42,909
I think is really important . You 

1655
01:04:42,909 --> 01:04:44,964
mentioned that people are our number 

1656
01:04:44,964 --> 01:04:47,131
one priority . In May of this year , I 

1657
01:04:47,131 --> 01:04:49,464
introduced the Military Moms Matter Act , 

1658
01:04:49,464 --> 01:04:49,320
which , among other initiatives would 

1659
01:04:49,320 --> 01:04:51,810
propose extending paid family leave to 

1660
01:04:51,810 --> 01:04:53,866
12 weeks for service members , which 

1661
01:04:53,866 --> 01:04:55,977
would be in line with the N . D . A . 

1662
01:04:55,977 --> 01:04:58,310
2020 proposal for all federal employees . 

1663
01:04:58,310 --> 01:05:00,477
And that became law last year . One of 

1664
01:05:00,477 --> 01:05:02,588
the big topics of debate in this bill 

1665
01:05:02,588 --> 01:05:04,366
is for primary versus secondary 

1666
01:05:04,366 --> 01:05:06,588
caregivers . As the policy is currently 

1667
01:05:06,588 --> 01:05:08,810
written , a secondary caregiver is able 

1668
01:05:08,810 --> 01:05:10,921
to use very little leave . We want to 

1669
01:05:10,921 --> 01:05:12,977
make sure that we understand that in 

1670
01:05:12,977 --> 01:05:15,143
general and secretary , would you mind 

1671
01:05:15,143 --> 01:05:17,040
uh expounding on your thoughts on 

1672
01:05:17,040 --> 01:05:18,929
secondarily for service members , 

1673
01:05:18,929 --> 01:05:20,818
Should that be eliminated or that 

1674
01:05:20,818 --> 01:05:22,540
designation be altered so that 

1675
01:05:22,540 --> 01:05:24,596
everybody could have equal access to 

1676
01:05:24,596 --> 01:05:26,373
paternity and maternity leave ? 

1677
01:05:28,690 --> 01:05:30,801
Well , it's a it's a thing that needs 

1678
01:05:30,801 --> 01:05:32,720
deserves further discussion and 

1679
01:05:32,720 --> 01:05:34,664
examination . But you asked for my 

1680
01:05:34,664 --> 01:05:37,040
personal opinion and I absolutely 

1681
01:05:37,040 --> 01:05:40,790
support primary and secondary . Thank 

1682
01:05:40,790 --> 01:05:43,190
you , sir . Uh And what what's left of 

1683
01:05:43,190 --> 01:05:45,357
my time ? I'd like to talk about child 

1684
01:05:45,357 --> 01:05:47,301
care . What happens after you have 

1685
01:05:47,301 --> 01:05:50,180
believe ? I'm grateful to see that $168 

1686
01:05:50,180 --> 01:05:52,236
million increase was included in the 

1687
01:05:52,236 --> 01:05:54,291
budget for family issues , including 

1688
01:05:54,291 --> 01:05:56,180
child care , including in in home 

1689
01:05:56,180 --> 01:05:58,250
childcare . Uh But I was really uh 

1690
01:05:58,260 --> 01:06:00,371
devastated to hear a story of a young 

1691
01:06:00,371 --> 01:06:02,538
woman at Fort Hood Who explained to me 

1692
01:06:02,538 --> 01:06:04,593
a single mother that she had to drop 

1693
01:06:04,593 --> 01:06:06,649
her child off at 5:30 AM . Off based 

1694
01:06:06,649 --> 01:06:09,830
childcare . Had to drive at 80 mph to 

1695
01:06:09,830 --> 01:06:12,052
try to get online fast enough to get to 

1696
01:06:12,052 --> 01:06:14,920
PT at 6:00 AM . And this is not Okay . 

1697
01:06:14,930 --> 01:06:17,750
So my question is how can we make sure 

1698
01:06:17,750 --> 01:06:19,472
that we provide better support 

1699
01:06:19,472 --> 01:06:21,528
mechanisms in the childcare area for 

1700
01:06:21,528 --> 01:06:25,350
those people like her ? Well , I 

1701
01:06:25,350 --> 01:06:28,160
think first of all that the pandemic as 

1702
01:06:28,170 --> 01:06:31,710
uh as kind of amplified some of the 

1703
01:06:31,720 --> 01:06:34,140
existing concerns with childcare and 

1704
01:06:34,140 --> 01:06:37,800
other issues . Um We have 

1705
01:06:37,800 --> 01:06:41,130
provisions uh in this budget to address 

1706
01:06:41,140 --> 01:06:45,070
home care support and uh and I think we 

1707
01:06:45,070 --> 01:06:47,292
need to continue to look at this hard . 

1708
01:06:47,292 --> 01:06:49,292
And I would say in addition to that 

1709
01:06:49,292 --> 01:06:52,160
there is some 8.6 million uh $8.6 

1710
01:06:52,160 --> 01:06:55,650
billion dollars that are focused on uh 

1711
01:06:55,660 --> 01:06:57,827
military family support programs . And 

1712
01:06:57,827 --> 01:07:00,790
so uh this is very important to us . Uh 

1713
01:07:00,800 --> 01:07:04,720
we'll continue to work it but could not 

1714
01:07:04,720 --> 01:07:06,831
agree more with you on the importance 

1715
01:07:06,831 --> 01:07:08,887
of this issue . Thank you . And with 

1716
01:07:08,887 --> 01:07:10,831
that I yield back . Thank you . Mr 

1717
01:07:10,831 --> 01:07:10,760
Chair and thank you , gentlemen . Thank 

1718
01:07:10,760 --> 01:07:12,927
you . Mr johnson's recognized for five 

1719
01:07:12,927 --> 01:07:14,927
minutes . Thank you . Mr Chairman . 

1720
01:07:14,927 --> 01:07:16,927
Secretary Austin , General Milley , 

1721
01:07:16,927 --> 01:07:19,038
thank you for being here today . Many 

1722
01:07:19,038 --> 01:07:21,260
of my colleagues have expressed concern 

1723
01:07:21,260 --> 01:07:20,520
with the top line amount for this 

1724
01:07:20,520 --> 01:07:22,631
year's budget request and I just want 

1725
01:07:22,631 --> 01:07:24,880
to echo those concerns and we recognize 

1726
01:07:24,880 --> 01:07:27,102
of course , that you're operating under 

1727
01:07:27,102 --> 01:07:29,324
certain constraints . But it's alarming 

1728
01:07:29,324 --> 01:07:31,324
to many of us that the president is 

1729
01:07:31,324 --> 01:07:33,213
spending with reckless abandon in 

1730
01:07:33,213 --> 01:07:34,991
virtually every area except our 

1731
01:07:34,991 --> 01:07:37,047
national defense and our our current 

1732
01:07:37,047 --> 01:07:39,158
era of strategic competition makes it 

1733
01:07:39,158 --> 01:07:41,102
all the more important that the US 

1734
01:07:41,102 --> 01:07:43,269
recommit the longstanding principle of 

1735
01:07:43,269 --> 01:07:43,210
peace through strength , especially as 

1736
01:07:43,210 --> 01:07:45,266
our key adversaries continue to take 

1737
01:07:45,266 --> 01:07:47,154
meaningful steps to close the gap 

1738
01:07:47,154 --> 01:07:49,321
between us and them . Secretary Austin 

1739
01:07:49,321 --> 01:07:51,321
brings me to a question for you and 

1740
01:07:51,321 --> 01:07:53,543
your and your confirmation hearing when 

1741
01:07:53,543 --> 01:07:55,766
asked to commit to the current schedule 

1742
01:07:55,766 --> 01:07:57,988
for nuclear modernization efforts . You 

1743
01:07:57,988 --> 01:07:57,930
told Senator Fisher you'd like to look 

1744
01:07:57,930 --> 01:08:00,041
under the hood first and get a better 

1745
01:08:00,041 --> 01:08:02,152
feel for what we're dealing with with 

1746
01:08:02,152 --> 01:08:04,208
our nuclear forces . I know this has 

1747
01:08:04,208 --> 01:08:06,319
been covered a bit today . Some of us 

1748
01:08:06,319 --> 01:08:05,950
are in and out for other hearings but 

1749
01:08:05,960 --> 01:08:08,127
just to be sure you've been on the job 

1750
01:08:08,127 --> 01:08:10,293
now six months . Um can you commit now 

1751
01:08:10,293 --> 01:08:12,349
to nuclear modernization being a top 

1752
01:08:12,349 --> 01:08:14,670
priority for D . O . D . I think you 

1753
01:08:14,670 --> 01:08:16,892
may have heard me say a number of times 

1754
01:08:16,892 --> 01:08:19,180
or that uh modernization of our triad 

1755
01:08:19,180 --> 01:08:21,370
is absolutely important to us . What I 

1756
01:08:21,370 --> 01:08:23,537
meant by looking under the hood though 

1757
01:08:23,537 --> 01:08:25,759
is making sure that we go through a new 

1758
01:08:25,759 --> 01:08:27,870
posture review to ensure that we have 

1759
01:08:27,870 --> 01:08:29,870
the right balance and mix of forces 

1760
01:08:29,870 --> 01:08:32,092
well staying on that subject . Our next 

1761
01:08:32,092 --> 01:08:34,092
generation I C . B . M . The ground 

1762
01:08:34,092 --> 01:08:36,259
based strategic deterrent was a system 

1763
01:08:36,259 --> 01:08:38,370
approved by President Obama in 2015 . 

1764
01:08:38,370 --> 01:08:40,648
It was fully funded by President trump . 

1765
01:08:40,648 --> 01:08:42,759
It was funded in President Biden's Fy 

1766
01:08:42,759 --> 01:08:45,500
22 budget request at 2.6 billion . And 

1767
01:08:45,500 --> 01:08:47,611
since you were confirmed as secretary 

1768
01:08:47,611 --> 01:08:49,833
of defense , we've learned that the G B 

1769
01:08:49,833 --> 01:08:51,667
S . D will be almost $38 billion 

1770
01:08:51,667 --> 01:08:53,833
cheaper than any minute man three life 

1771
01:08:53,833 --> 01:08:56,056
extension . It will also be a much more 

1772
01:08:56,056 --> 01:08:58,222
capable system . Albert able to better 

1773
01:08:58,222 --> 01:09:00,333
penetrate Russian and chinese defense 

1774
01:09:00,333 --> 01:09:02,056
systems . Do you fully support 

1775
01:09:02,056 --> 01:09:05,280
President Biden's Fy 2020 If we're 22 

1776
01:09:05,470 --> 01:09:07,900
budget request for the G . BSD and 

1777
01:09:07,900 --> 01:09:10,067
agree it is the future of the land leg 

1778
01:09:10,067 --> 01:09:12,860
of the triad . I fully support the 

1779
01:09:12,870 --> 01:09:15,110
President's budget . I would further 

1780
01:09:15,110 --> 01:09:18,660
say that , you know , G B S . D . Is 

1781
01:09:18,660 --> 01:09:20,827
one of those things that will continue 

1782
01:09:20,827 --> 01:09:24,100
to evaluate uh mhm 

1783
01:09:24,470 --> 01:09:27,420
along with the uh the posture reviews 

1784
01:09:27,420 --> 01:09:29,364
that we have ongoing a new posture 

1785
01:09:29,364 --> 01:09:31,870
review . So , and I am I correct in 

1786
01:09:31,870 --> 01:09:34,037
stating that the G . P . S . D . Is on 

1787
01:09:34,037 --> 01:09:36,037
track on schedule on budget for the 

1788
01:09:36,037 --> 01:09:39,690
first flight test in 2023 . You are 

1789
01:09:40,470 --> 01:09:42,637
another item we were pleased to see in 

1790
01:09:42,637 --> 01:09:44,803
the budget is a request to construct a 

1791
01:09:44,803 --> 01:09:46,526
weapons generation facility at 

1792
01:09:46,526 --> 01:09:48,414
Barksdale Air Force Base and that 

1793
01:09:48,414 --> 01:09:50,470
facility allows or that construction 

1794
01:09:50,470 --> 01:09:52,414
will allow our B 50 two's that are 

1795
01:09:52,414 --> 01:09:52,130
stationed there to carry out their 

1796
01:09:52,130 --> 01:09:54,241
nuclear mission without having to fly 

1797
01:09:54,241 --> 01:09:56,500
first from Louisiana to North Dakota in 

1798
01:09:56,500 --> 01:09:58,278
order to be loaded with nuclear 

1799
01:09:58,278 --> 01:10:00,389
ordinance . So Secretary Austin or or 

1800
01:10:00,389 --> 01:10:02,611
General Milley , can you comment on the 

1801
01:10:02,611 --> 01:10:04,944
strategic flexibility the Barksdale W G . 

1802
01:10:04,944 --> 01:10:07,000
F . Will provide and making sure the 

1803
01:10:07,000 --> 01:10:09,000
air leg of the tryout is capable of 

1804
01:10:09,000 --> 01:10:11,167
fully executing its mission ? Yeah , I 

1805
01:10:11,167 --> 01:10:12,960
think again , the triad in 

1806
01:10:12,960 --> 01:10:14,627
recapitalization of try it is 

1807
01:10:14,627 --> 01:10:16,627
critically important . It's been in 

1808
01:10:16,627 --> 01:10:18,571
effect really for I guess going on 

1809
01:10:18,571 --> 01:10:20,627
seven decades since the end of World 

1810
01:10:20,627 --> 01:10:22,571
War Two , uh , and it is , you can 

1811
01:10:22,571 --> 01:10:21,860
never prove a negative , but it is 

1812
01:10:21,860 --> 01:10:24,450
clearly one of the fundamental reasons 

1813
01:10:24,450 --> 01:10:26,506
why World War three didn't break out 

1814
01:10:26,506 --> 01:10:28,728
was because of the nuclear capability , 

1815
01:10:28,728 --> 01:10:30,617
United States . It is time now to 

1816
01:10:30,617 --> 01:10:32,839
recapitalize the entire thing , all all 

1817
01:10:32,839 --> 01:10:32,330
three parts of plus the commanding 

1818
01:10:32,330 --> 01:10:34,600
control piece that is really critical 

1819
01:10:34,610 --> 01:10:36,832
uh , to defend this nation for the next 

1820
01:10:36,832 --> 01:10:39,110
seven decades . And the time is now to 

1821
01:10:39,110 --> 01:10:41,210
invest in it . It will be a one time 

1822
01:10:41,210 --> 01:10:43,266
thing for a period of years until we 

1823
01:10:43,266 --> 01:10:45,432
can get the system replaced . But it's 

1824
01:10:45,432 --> 01:10:47,599
really , really important and all legs 

1825
01:10:47,599 --> 01:10:49,821
to include that barksdale with the B 50 

1826
01:10:49,821 --> 01:10:51,766
twos and soon to be the B 20 one's 

1827
01:10:51,766 --> 01:10:53,932
etcetera . Really critically important 

1828
01:10:53,932 --> 01:10:53,600
to do that . Thank you in those 

1829
01:10:53,600 --> 01:10:55,544
efficiencies I think will help and 

1830
01:10:55,544 --> 01:10:57,600
those are all goals . The last thing 

1831
01:10:57,600 --> 01:10:59,378
I'll touch on is the noticeable 

1832
01:10:59,378 --> 01:11:01,267
reduction in army accounts in the 

1833
01:11:01,267 --> 01:11:03,322
budget request . Understand that's a 

1834
01:11:03,322 --> 01:11:05,600
reflection of the Afghanistan drawdown . 

1835
01:11:05,600 --> 01:11:05,460
But as we transition our focus to other 

1836
01:11:05,460 --> 01:11:07,516
parts of the world , I do think it's 

1837
01:11:07,516 --> 01:11:09,349
important that we not allow army 

1838
01:11:09,349 --> 01:11:11,460
readiness to decline . I know you all 

1839
01:11:11,460 --> 01:11:13,404
agree with that . We still need to 

1840
01:11:13,404 --> 01:11:13,110
execute rotations through our training 

1841
01:11:13,110 --> 01:11:14,777
centers . And to that end , I 

1842
01:11:14,777 --> 01:11:16,943
appreciate the budget requesting a new 

1843
01:11:16,943 --> 01:11:18,999
joint operations center at Fort Poll 

1844
01:11:18,999 --> 01:11:20,888
that the current jock has decades 

1845
01:11:20,888 --> 01:11:22,721
overdue for an upgrade and A new 

1846
01:11:22,721 --> 01:11:24,777
facility will make sure our soldiers 

1847
01:11:24,777 --> 01:11:26,777
are equipped with the best possible 

1848
01:11:26,777 --> 01:11:28,888
training experience so they're at the 

1849
01:11:28,888 --> 01:11:28,640
ready if and when they're called upon . 

1850
01:11:28,640 --> 01:11:31,210
But just in the 40 seconds I have 

1851
01:11:31,210 --> 01:11:33,432
remaining . Which one of you comment on 

1852
01:11:33,432 --> 01:11:35,543
the importance of that army readiness 

1853
01:11:35,543 --> 01:11:37,680
where we stand on that ? Uh , we're 

1854
01:11:37,680 --> 01:11:41,450
both yeah , deeply indebted to the 

1855
01:11:41,450 --> 01:11:43,590
army for where we are in life . But I 

1856
01:11:43,590 --> 01:11:45,812
would say as a former Chief Staff , the 

1857
01:11:45,812 --> 01:11:47,812
Army , the readiness of the army is 

1858
01:11:47,812 --> 01:11:49,923
critical . Uh , it takes a full joint 

1859
01:11:49,923 --> 01:11:52,257
force , the synergy of air , land , sea , 

1860
01:11:52,257 --> 01:11:52,200
space and cyber uh , to prevail in 

1861
01:11:52,200 --> 01:11:54,210
combat . And wars are often started 

1862
01:11:54,210 --> 01:11:57,010
from afar from from long range weapon 

1863
01:11:57,010 --> 01:11:58,954
systems , but they're always ended 

1864
01:11:58,954 --> 01:12:01,177
somewhere on the ground . Uh , the last 

1865
01:12:01,177 --> 01:12:03,399
bullet of the war is usually fired by a 

1866
01:12:03,399 --> 01:12:05,454
marine or army infantryman . Uh , so 

1867
01:12:05,454 --> 01:12:07,510
it's really critical to maintain the 

1868
01:12:07,510 --> 01:12:07,040
readiness of the United States Army . 

1869
01:12:07,050 --> 01:12:09,106
Hopefully we can host it . Fort polk 

1870
01:12:09,106 --> 01:12:11,050
sometimes . Gonna love to see that 

1871
01:12:11,050 --> 01:12:13,050
we've been hosted there quite a bit 

1872
01:12:13,050 --> 01:12:15,328
both of these . Uh , Mr johnson , I uh , 

1873
01:12:15,328 --> 01:12:17,550
congressman johnson . I and I would say 

1874
01:12:17,550 --> 01:12:19,828
that it's a pretty valuable capability . 

1875
01:12:19,828 --> 01:12:21,994
Thank you . Are you back ? Thank you . 

1876
01:12:21,994 --> 01:12:24,106
Mr Crowe was recognized . Thank you . 

1877
01:12:24,106 --> 01:12:26,328
Mr Chairman . I would like to associate 

1878
01:12:26,328 --> 01:12:28,494
myself with the concerns by some of my 

1879
01:12:28,494 --> 01:12:28,460
colleagues on the other side of the 

1880
01:12:28,460 --> 01:12:30,970
diets about back pay for National Guard . 

1881
01:12:31,150 --> 01:12:34,740
And also point out that the HR 30 to 

1882
01:12:34,740 --> 01:12:37,018
37 the emergency security supplemental , 

1883
01:12:37,018 --> 01:12:39,073
which passed the House by one vote , 

1884
01:12:39,073 --> 01:12:42,520
actually created a back pay of 

1885
01:12:42,520 --> 01:12:45,870
$500 million to help shore up the pay 

1886
01:12:45,870 --> 01:12:48,330
for the National Guard . Um , So I 

1887
01:12:48,330 --> 01:12:50,163
would encourage my colleagues to 

1888
01:12:50,163 --> 01:12:52,330
support that and they continue to push 

1889
01:12:52,330 --> 01:12:54,386
the Senate to support that as well . 

1890
01:12:54,386 --> 01:12:56,719
Because if we actually passed that bill , 

1891
01:12:56,719 --> 01:12:58,774
we would resolve that issue and make 

1892
01:12:58,774 --> 01:12:58,620
sure that our men and women in uniform 

1893
01:12:58,630 --> 01:13:01,860
do get paid . I do want to change to 

1894
01:13:01,860 --> 01:13:04,350
Afghanistan for a minute . And just 

1895
01:13:04,350 --> 01:13:07,540
start by saying , I understand that 

1896
01:13:07,550 --> 01:13:10,790
it's not your decision to make to 

1897
01:13:10,800 --> 01:13:14,250
conduct an evacuation of civic society 

1898
01:13:14,250 --> 01:13:16,890
leaders . S I've applicants or anybody 

1899
01:13:17,000 --> 01:13:19,111
that's not for you to decide . That's 

1900
01:13:19,111 --> 01:13:21,222
not for Secretary blink in the decide 

1901
01:13:21,222 --> 01:13:23,389
that's a decision that only resides at 

1902
01:13:23,389 --> 01:13:25,444
the White House . I get that . And I 

1903
01:13:25,444 --> 01:13:27,556
appreciate the fact that you all have 

1904
01:13:27,556 --> 01:13:29,611
conducted contingency planning to be 

1905
01:13:29,611 --> 01:13:29,220
prepared to do that . And General 

1906
01:13:29,220 --> 01:13:31,940
Milley , your comment earlier about the 

1907
01:13:31,950 --> 01:13:33,950
military capability that exists and 

1908
01:13:33,950 --> 01:13:35,839
that you will conduct whatever is 

1909
01:13:35,839 --> 01:13:38,070
necessary . My concern is about time 

1910
01:13:38,750 --> 01:13:41,690
because where we sit right now , that 

1911
01:13:41,690 --> 01:13:43,912
capability and the dangers and risks of 

1912
01:13:43,912 --> 01:13:46,470
doing it are not going to be static . 

1913
01:13:47,250 --> 01:13:50,190
That risk is not lessening . Is it true ? 

1914
01:13:50,200 --> 01:13:52,670
Secretary Austin that the Taliban 

1915
01:13:52,670 --> 01:13:54,892
continue to make territorial gains that 

1916
01:13:54,892 --> 01:13:56,948
provincial capitals continue to fall 

1917
01:13:56,948 --> 01:13:59,114
and that freedom of navigation and the 

1918
01:13:59,114 --> 01:14:00,726
outer ring road continues to 

1919
01:14:00,726 --> 01:14:03,420
deteriorate . The taliban have have 

1920
01:14:03,420 --> 01:14:06,760
made uh gains , incremental gains 

1921
01:14:06,760 --> 01:14:08,982
throughout . And those those gains have 

1922
01:14:08,982 --> 01:14:10,982
increased most recently in terms of 

1923
01:14:10,982 --> 01:14:13,204
provincial capitals . I think you heard 

1924
01:14:13,204 --> 01:14:15,371
General Millie's assessment earlier on 

1925
01:14:15,371 --> 01:14:17,427
that actually none of the provincial 

1926
01:14:17,427 --> 01:14:19,538
capitals have fallen . They have made 

1927
01:14:19,538 --> 01:14:21,690
uh some games where they surrounded 

1928
01:14:21,690 --> 01:14:23,760
some of the provincial capitals . Uh 

1929
01:14:23,770 --> 01:14:26,990
And um part of that , General Milley , 

1930
01:14:27,000 --> 01:14:29,056
is it true that we don't yet have an 

1931
01:14:29,056 --> 01:14:32,020
agreement with Turkey or any other ally , 

1932
01:14:32,020 --> 01:14:34,280
NATO ally with regard to the security 

1933
01:14:34,280 --> 01:14:38,270
of the Kabul airport written agreement ? 

1934
01:14:38,740 --> 01:14:41,340
Um No , we're having a meeting this 

1935
01:14:41,340 --> 01:14:43,560
week . I think we're pretty much the 

1936
01:14:43,570 --> 01:14:45,681
final piece . I don't wanna speak for 

1937
01:14:45,681 --> 01:14:47,848
Turkey and I don't want to preempt the 

1938
01:14:47,848 --> 01:14:47,300
outcome of a final agreement , but I 

1939
01:14:47,310 --> 01:14:49,421
feel very comfortable that security , 

1940
01:14:49,421 --> 01:14:51,477
the Kabul airport will be maintained 

1941
01:14:51,477 --> 01:14:53,588
and it will be a part of that . Is it 

1942
01:14:53,588 --> 01:14:55,810
true that we're turning over control of 

1943
01:14:55,810 --> 01:14:57,977
bagram two , the afghans ? That is the 

1944
01:14:57,977 --> 01:15:00,090
plan . That's correct . Ok , so , 

1945
01:15:00,100 --> 01:15:02,810
understanding that situation , the 

1946
01:15:02,820 --> 01:15:05,270
deteriorating security situation , the 

1947
01:15:05,270 --> 01:15:08,550
assessments , the lack of navigation in 

1948
01:15:08,550 --> 01:15:10,717
the fact that these ? S ivy applicants 

1949
01:15:10,717 --> 01:15:13,500
would actually need to make it to Kabul 

1950
01:15:13,500 --> 01:15:15,890
or population center to be evacuated 

1951
01:15:16,130 --> 01:15:18,510
and they also need to do in person 

1952
01:15:18,510 --> 01:15:22,060
vetting in kabul to qualify . 

1953
01:15:22,440 --> 01:15:25,760
Is it fair to say that as time 

1954
01:15:25,760 --> 01:15:28,240
continues to progress that it becomes 

1955
01:15:28,240 --> 01:15:31,190
harder and more risky to conduct an 

1956
01:15:31,190 --> 01:15:33,910
evacuation ? I think that's a fair 

1957
01:15:33,910 --> 01:15:35,743
statement , congressman . Okay , 

1958
01:15:36,640 --> 01:15:40,060
related lee , I'm concerned about the 

1959
01:15:40,060 --> 01:15:42,020
ability of the afghan air Force to 

1960
01:15:42,020 --> 01:15:45,060
conduct air operations and to maintain 

1961
01:15:45,060 --> 01:15:48,960
an air cap with our withdrawal . 

1962
01:15:49,340 --> 01:15:52,970
Uh a 29 fleet continues to degrade . We 

1963
01:15:52,970 --> 01:15:55,400
know that we have submitted a request 

1964
01:15:55,400 --> 01:15:57,550
for three additional 8 29 but 

1965
01:15:57,550 --> 01:15:59,772
maintenance with the removal of all the 

1966
01:15:59,772 --> 01:16:01,939
maintenance personnel , do we yet have 

1967
01:16:01,939 --> 01:16:04,570
any fidelity on where that maintenance 

1968
01:16:04,580 --> 01:16:07,610
will occur once our contractors 

1969
01:16:07,610 --> 01:16:09,332
withdrawal , who are currently 

1970
01:16:09,332 --> 01:16:12,890
conducting that maintenance ? Uh Some 

1971
01:16:12,890 --> 01:16:14,910
of the maintenance is uh is taking 

1972
01:16:14,910 --> 01:16:18,560
place in uh in the in one of the gulf 

1973
01:16:19,530 --> 01:16:21,810
countries , one of our partners . And 

1974
01:16:21,810 --> 01:16:23,754
so we would fly for for the higher 

1975
01:16:23,754 --> 01:16:25,866
level maintenance . We would fly that 

1976
01:16:25,866 --> 01:16:28,430
have flown uh some of that year out to 

1977
01:16:28,440 --> 01:16:31,970
uh that location to be uh to be 

1978
01:16:31,970 --> 01:16:34,380
serviced uh And you've got different 

1979
01:16:34,380 --> 01:16:36,658
levels of maintenance as you well know . 

1980
01:16:36,658 --> 01:16:39,430
But the the organizational maintenance , 

1981
01:16:39,440 --> 01:16:41,329
you know , the operating level of 

1982
01:16:41,329 --> 01:16:43,273
maintenance . We we can do and are 

1983
01:16:43,273 --> 01:16:45,940
doing some of that vert by virtual 

1984
01:16:45,950 --> 01:16:49,070
mentorship as on a day to day basis . 

1985
01:16:49,080 --> 01:16:52,540
Uh And we may be able to contract other 

1986
01:16:52,540 --> 01:16:56,050
types of of uh capabilities going 

1987
01:16:56,050 --> 01:16:57,994
forward and that's still a work in 

1988
01:16:57,994 --> 01:17:00,500
progress . Uh ideally we'd like to see 

1989
01:17:00,510 --> 01:17:02,760
like to have the ability to conduct uh 

1990
01:17:02,770 --> 01:17:04,937
maintenance and one of the neighboring 

1991
01:17:04,937 --> 01:17:07,048
countries or some of the higher level 

1992
01:17:07,048 --> 01:17:09,610
uh maintenance . Uh but uh but again , 

1993
01:17:09,620 --> 01:17:11,842
a work in progress not yet solidified , 

1994
01:17:11,842 --> 01:17:14,064
I appreciate that . And with my rain 10 

1995
01:17:14,064 --> 01:17:16,200
seconds , I just wanted to express my 

1996
01:17:16,200 --> 01:17:18,650
appreciation . Chairman Millie for your 

1997
01:17:18,650 --> 01:17:21,130
leadership and your courage and how you 

1998
01:17:21,130 --> 01:17:23,640
continue to speak out on behalf of what 

1999
01:17:23,640 --> 01:17:25,751
is a diverse and increasingly diverse 

2000
01:17:25,751 --> 01:17:28,540
uh force of men and women in uniform 

2001
01:17:28,550 --> 01:17:32,120
has acquired . MR . Green is recognized 

2002
01:17:32,120 --> 01:17:33,898
for five minutes . Thank you Mr 

2003
01:17:33,898 --> 01:17:36,064
Chairman and ranking member Rogers for 

2004
01:17:36,064 --> 01:17:38,064
holding the hearing . And I want to 

2005
01:17:38,064 --> 01:17:37,750
thank our witnesses for being here 

2006
01:17:37,750 --> 01:17:40,400
today , deeply respect and appreciate 

2007
01:17:40,430 --> 01:17:42,652
your combined service to this country . 

2008
01:17:43,030 --> 01:17:45,610
Um , as the world terror has continued 

2009
01:17:45,610 --> 01:17:47,832
in the United States military has taken 

2010
01:17:47,832 --> 01:17:49,980
risks to maintain readiness during 

2011
01:17:49,980 --> 01:17:53,280
budget decreases of the last last year . 

2012
01:17:53,280 --> 01:17:55,590
The Obama administration , including 

2013
01:17:55,590 --> 01:17:57,757
installation management , research and 

2014
01:17:57,757 --> 01:17:59,812
development for future systems . The 

2015
01:17:59,812 --> 01:18:02,034
last administration set us on the right 

2016
01:18:02,034 --> 01:18:04,146
path helping to rebuild peace through 

2017
01:18:04,146 --> 01:18:05,979
strength . Those four years have 

2018
01:18:05,979 --> 01:18:07,979
increased budgets helped , but they 

2019
01:18:07,979 --> 01:18:10,090
could not make up for nearly 20 years 

2020
01:18:10,090 --> 01:18:11,923
of war and seven years of cuts . 

2021
01:18:11,923 --> 01:18:14,540
Today's forces still challenged with 

2022
01:18:14,540 --> 01:18:16,630
decreasing overmatched due to those 

2023
01:18:16,640 --> 01:18:19,310
previous cuts . And the risk decisions 

2024
01:18:19,310 --> 01:18:21,366
that were made to maintain readiness 

2025
01:18:21,920 --> 01:18:23,698
when we send America's sons and 

2026
01:18:23,698 --> 01:18:25,698
daughters and I believe each of you 

2027
01:18:25,698 --> 01:18:27,920
would agree with me on this . It should 

2028
01:18:27,920 --> 01:18:27,480
never be a fair fight when they go to 

2029
01:18:27,480 --> 01:18:29,570
war . It looks like the real dollar 

2030
01:18:29,570 --> 01:18:31,737
cuts and spending a $4 billion dollars 

2031
01:18:31,737 --> 01:18:33,681
in this budget proposal where once 

2032
01:18:33,681 --> 01:18:36,010
again potentially sacrificing the 

2033
01:18:36,010 --> 01:18:39,170
future fight for readiness today . In 

2034
01:18:39,170 --> 01:18:41,114
the case of the Navy's budget , it 

2035
01:18:41,114 --> 01:18:43,226
looks like they're pinning their risk 

2036
01:18:43,226 --> 01:18:45,230
in the 3-5 year range in hopes that 

2037
01:18:45,230 --> 01:18:46,897
beyond that they can find new 

2038
01:18:46,897 --> 01:18:48,841
technologies that will create over 

2039
01:18:48,841 --> 01:18:51,290
match . The question of course is how 

2040
01:18:51,290 --> 01:18:53,179
do we maintain ? Overmatched with 

2041
01:18:53,179 --> 01:18:55,179
pacing , threats such as China when 

2042
01:18:55,179 --> 01:18:57,346
they're increasing their budget ? 6.8% 

2043
01:18:57,346 --> 01:19:00,670
were effectively decreasing ours . Uh 

2044
01:19:00,680 --> 01:19:03,210
My my first question gets very granular 

2045
01:19:03,210 --> 01:19:05,160
and it goes on what Mr johnson was 

2046
01:19:05,160 --> 01:19:07,327
talking about the C . T . C . S . I've 

2047
01:19:07,327 --> 01:19:09,438
noticed recently if I'm understanding 

2048
01:19:09,438 --> 01:19:11,438
the budget for the army correctly , 

2049
01:19:11,438 --> 01:19:14,110
we're cutting CTC rotations by a third 

2050
01:19:14,120 --> 01:19:16,840
in this budget if that's correct ? Can 

2051
01:19:16,840 --> 01:19:19,080
you tell me why ? Yeah I don't think 

2052
01:19:19,080 --> 01:19:21,247
that's correct . I'll go back to Chief 

2053
01:19:21,247 --> 01:19:23,469
staff , the army , there's 10 rotations 

2054
01:19:23,469 --> 01:19:25,358
a year . The teacher the CTC's if 

2055
01:19:25,358 --> 01:19:27,469
they're cutting them by a third , I'd 

2056
01:19:27,469 --> 01:19:29,580
be very surprised . Would you do me a 

2057
01:19:29,580 --> 01:19:31,747
favor and get back ? Thanks . I'll get 

2058
01:19:31,747 --> 01:19:30,940
back to you . Thank you . Chairman . I 

2059
01:19:30,940 --> 01:19:33,051
really appreciate that . I noticed on 

2060
01:19:33,051 --> 01:19:35,218
aviation , we were looking at a cut of 

2061
01:19:35,218 --> 01:19:37,440
around 15.6% and this is across all the 

2062
01:19:37,440 --> 01:19:39,690
services for aviation . Can you guys 

2063
01:19:39,690 --> 01:19:41,801
kind of give me a description of what 

2064
01:19:41,801 --> 01:19:43,912
what we're doing to make up for those 

2065
01:19:43,912 --> 01:19:46,023
cuts ? Or is there some technology we 

2066
01:19:46,023 --> 01:19:48,246
don't know about ? Is there some future 

2067
01:19:48,246 --> 01:19:50,357
system that's gonna gonna address the 

2068
01:19:50,357 --> 01:19:52,523
decrease in readiness or capability in 

2069
01:19:52,523 --> 01:19:54,357
the future ? With a 15.6% cut in 

2070
01:19:54,357 --> 01:19:57,550
aviation ? We want to make sure we we 

2071
01:19:57,550 --> 01:19:59,606
want to make sure we're investing in 

2072
01:19:59,606 --> 01:20:01,717
the right capabilities and we want to 

2073
01:20:01,717 --> 01:20:03,920
be able to network those capabilities 

2074
01:20:03,920 --> 01:20:06,220
in new and effective ways that we've 

2075
01:20:06,220 --> 01:20:08,380
not been able to do in the past . And 

2076
01:20:08,380 --> 01:20:10,436
that requires investing in the right 

2077
01:20:10,436 --> 01:20:12,491
kinds of technology to be able to do 

2078
01:20:12,491 --> 01:20:15,370
that . Um If you take S . R . For 

2079
01:20:15,370 --> 01:20:17,592
example , and you say , and you look at 

2080
01:20:17,592 --> 01:20:20,410
the uh the fact that the Air Force is 

2081
01:20:20,410 --> 01:20:22,688
taking down a couple of lines of I . S . 

2082
01:20:22,688 --> 01:20:25,700
R . Uh and what they're really doing is 

2083
01:20:25,700 --> 01:20:27,920
not decreasing the number of tales . 

2084
01:20:27,930 --> 01:20:30,220
They're they're taking down some lines 

2085
01:20:30,220 --> 01:20:32,276
so that they can have the ability to 

2086
01:20:32,276 --> 01:20:34,276
upgrade some capability and network 

2087
01:20:34,276 --> 01:20:36,840
there . They're birds together in ways 

2088
01:20:36,840 --> 01:20:38,951
that we haven't haven't done before . 

2089
01:20:38,951 --> 01:20:40,729
And that applies to each of the 

2090
01:20:40,729 --> 01:20:42,729
services we have to invest in those 

2091
01:20:42,729 --> 01:20:44,784
things that are going to allow us to 

2092
01:20:44,784 --> 01:20:46,729
have resilient forces operate in a 

2093
01:20:46,729 --> 01:20:49,080
distributed manner and be absolutely 

2094
01:20:49,080 --> 01:20:51,430
lethal in the next fight . I understand . 

2095
01:20:51,430 --> 01:20:53,097
I just want to make sure that 

2096
01:20:53,097 --> 01:20:55,210
capability isn't decreasing 15.6% . I 

2097
01:20:55,210 --> 01:20:57,432
guess . That's really my big question . 

2098
01:20:57,432 --> 01:20:59,654
We're going to have the same capability 

2099
01:20:59,654 --> 01:21:01,821
or better capability even though we're 

2100
01:21:01,821 --> 01:21:03,932
cutting aviation 15% . Our goal is to 

2101
01:21:03,932 --> 01:21:06,154
have better capability . And with those 

2102
01:21:06,154 --> 01:21:08,432
investments that we make in the future , 

2103
01:21:08,432 --> 01:21:10,654
we want to make sure that the platforms 

2104
01:21:10,654 --> 01:21:13,310
that we invest in are able to 

2105
01:21:13,310 --> 01:21:15,532
accomplish some of the things that that 

2106
01:21:15,532 --> 01:21:17,699
I just described . One of the , one of 

2107
01:21:17,699 --> 01:21:19,866
the open source journals the Computing 

2108
01:21:19,866 --> 01:21:21,780
Research Association reported 

2109
01:21:21,790 --> 01:21:23,846
concerning , quote , the Army , Navy 

2110
01:21:23,846 --> 01:21:25,790
and Air Forces University Research 

2111
01:21:25,790 --> 01:21:27,950
Initiative . Sub accounts are cut 

2112
01:21:27,960 --> 01:21:30,660
31.1% , and 

2113
01:21:30,660 --> 01:21:34,060
17.5% respectively . Considering 

2114
01:21:34,060 --> 01:21:37,350
sybers these recent cyber attacks . Is 

2115
01:21:37,350 --> 01:21:39,461
that really a wise decision ? I'm not 

2116
01:21:39,461 --> 01:21:41,294
an engineer , I'm not a computer 

2117
01:21:41,294 --> 01:21:43,350
scientist , I'm a physician . But it 

2118
01:21:43,350 --> 01:21:45,350
seems that cuts in those particular 

2119
01:21:45,350 --> 01:21:47,461
areas , those areas that research our 

2120
01:21:47,461 --> 01:21:50,390
ability to fight cyber um seems 

2121
01:21:50,400 --> 01:21:52,233
misplaced considering the recent 

2122
01:21:52,233 --> 01:21:54,344
attacks . Could you comment on that ? 

2123
01:21:54,344 --> 01:21:56,233
Or perhaps I can get something in 

2124
01:21:56,233 --> 01:21:58,530
writing back . We can do both , sir . 

2125
01:21:58,540 --> 01:22:02,440
Okay . Thanks Secretary . Uh First , uh 

2126
01:22:03,110 --> 01:22:05,400
I'll remind you that for R . D . T . 

2127
01:22:05,400 --> 01:22:08,160
and the overall we're investing $112 

2128
01:22:08,160 --> 01:22:11,910
billion , uh and specifically for cyber , 

2129
01:22:11,910 --> 01:22:14,830
there's a 10 point almost $10.5 billion 

2130
01:22:14,830 --> 01:22:17,630
investment in in uh in cyber . And that 

2131
01:22:17,630 --> 01:22:20,240
includes cyberspace operations , uh and 

2132
01:22:20,240 --> 01:22:23,220
a number of other things . So uh we 

2133
01:22:23,220 --> 01:22:25,940
think cyber is pretty important . We we 

2134
01:22:26,210 --> 01:22:28,099
are part of a whole of government 

2135
01:22:28,099 --> 01:22:30,760
effort to defend our networks here in 

2136
01:22:30,760 --> 01:22:34,310
the country . Our focus is , you know , 

2137
01:22:34,320 --> 01:22:36,710
further out towards the source of 

2138
01:22:36,710 --> 01:22:39,720
malign activity and time has expired . 

2139
01:22:39,720 --> 01:22:40,340
I apologize .