WEBVTT 00:01.340 --> 00:03.460 Thank you Mr Chairman , thank you . 00:03.460 --> 00:07.330 Under secretary for being here as 00:07.340 --> 00:10.790 Congress is currently debating how to 00:10.790 --> 00:12.901 provide additional military resources 00:12.901 --> 00:14.970 to the Ukraine . And it seems quite 00:14.970 --> 00:17.080 possible the U . S . Military and 00:17.090 --> 00:19.034 financial support for Ukraine will 00:19.034 --> 00:21.360 continue to be a topic discussion over 00:21.360 --> 00:23.760 the over an extended period of time . 00:24.140 --> 00:27.390 Is it your assessment ? Uh and that 00:27.390 --> 00:29.223 that of the D . O . D . That the 00:29.223 --> 00:31.446 Ukraine needs additional assistance and 00:31.446 --> 00:34.600 needs it as soon as possible . It is 00:34.600 --> 00:37.000 the fight is ongoing and so whatever we 00:37.000 --> 00:39.250 can get them in the very near future , 00:39.250 --> 00:41.417 it could be hugely important to them . 00:41.840 --> 00:45.460 I agree wholeheartedly . Um uh 00:46.240 --> 00:48.296 Additionally there are concerns that 00:48.296 --> 00:50.830 the proposed that proposing a defense 00:50.830 --> 00:54.540 budget that is effectively a cut to our 00:54.540 --> 00:56.720 defense budget sends a signal to our 00:56.720 --> 01:00.170 adversaries , especially Russia during 01:00.170 --> 01:02.170 the current invasion of the Ukraine 01:02.170 --> 01:05.470 that we plan to be less robust national 01:05.470 --> 01:08.350 security . This also sends a signal to 01:08.350 --> 01:10.461 our allies that we may not be able to 01:10.461 --> 01:13.140 support them in times of need . What 01:13.140 --> 01:16.080 are the D O T D O D plans to replenish 01:16.090 --> 01:18.310 our european partners defense systems 01:18.320 --> 01:21.230 uh since they've sent the bulk of their 01:21.240 --> 01:24.660 uh there's to the Ukraine , how was the 01:24.660 --> 01:27.040 United States prepared to bolster 01:27.050 --> 01:29.161 there's another element of question . 01:29.161 --> 01:31.328 The same question , bolster Sweden and 01:31.328 --> 01:33.550 Finland's defenses . If those countries 01:33.550 --> 01:35.661 decide to enter NATO will be accepted 01:35.661 --> 01:38.210 in NATO . Thank you . Thank you . Let 01:38.210 --> 01:40.230 me let me address the second part . 01:40.230 --> 01:43.010 First , I think we would be we the 01:43.010 --> 01:45.066 Defense Department and I believe the 01:45.066 --> 01:47.288 administration would be very supportive 01:47.288 --> 01:49.510 of of Sweden and Finland six session of 01:49.510 --> 01:51.732 NATO and I personally would expect that 01:51.732 --> 01:53.899 this will , this may well be on the on 01:53.899 --> 01:55.899 the agenda for the late june summit 01:55.899 --> 01:57.843 that it could be ready by then . I 01:57.843 --> 01:57.110 think that would be a welcome 01:57.110 --> 01:59.332 development and one of the reasons that 01:59.332 --> 02:01.443 would be welcome is that is that they 02:01.443 --> 02:03.610 are very capable already and shouldn't 02:03.610 --> 02:05.721 need a lot of shouldn't need a lot of 02:05.721 --> 02:07.832 help from us to to be contributing to 02:07.832 --> 02:09.888 the team immediately . Should they , 02:09.888 --> 02:12.110 should they desire to join the team ? I 02:12.110 --> 02:14.221 believe they'd be welcomed as as very 02:14.221 --> 02:16.277 capable partners without requiring a 02:16.277 --> 02:16.210 lot of assistance from us . We probably 02:16.210 --> 02:17.821 would probably would lead to 02:17.821 --> 02:20.230 discussions about interoperability and 02:20.230 --> 02:22.341 and and maybe shared industrial based 02:22.341 --> 02:24.397 use but not not not needing a lot of 02:24.397 --> 02:27.900 direct help from us on the on the on 02:27.900 --> 02:29.956 the quite your , your first question 02:29.956 --> 02:32.180 about other countries that have also 02:32.190 --> 02:34.550 contributed equipment to Ukraine . I 02:34.550 --> 02:36.772 think that's gonna have to be a case by 02:36.772 --> 02:38.772 case basis . So I mean just just to 02:38.772 --> 02:40.661 take , I don't mean this to be an 02:40.661 --> 02:42.772 extreme sounding example , but if one 02:42.772 --> 02:44.772 person is or one country is sort of 02:44.772 --> 02:46.883 cleaning out the attic of things that 02:46.883 --> 02:46.770 they never used and aren't going to 02:46.770 --> 02:49.210 miss and aren't going to really ask 02:49.210 --> 02:51.043 them to , you know , they're not 02:51.043 --> 02:53.154 digging very deep and another country 02:53.154 --> 02:55.321 is maybe feeling is more threatened by 02:55.321 --> 02:57.377 Russia and it is digging deeply into 02:57.377 --> 02:58.988 things that they really need 02:58.988 --> 03:01.099 replenished . I think you can imagine 03:01.099 --> 03:00.830 those are pretty different cases as to 03:00.830 --> 03:02.886 whether or not it should be on us in 03:02.886 --> 03:05.110 the american taxpayer to refill 03:05.130 --> 03:07.800 everybody's coffers or or I think more 03:07.800 --> 03:09.911 of a case by case basis would be more 03:09.911 --> 03:12.180 appropriate . So I hope it's not the 03:12.180 --> 03:14.410 case or is it that some are just 03:14.420 --> 03:16.420 emptying out their attics and their 03:16.420 --> 03:19.520 their their weaponry that is not not 03:19.530 --> 03:21.770 worthwhile to the Ukraine . Is that , 03:21.780 --> 03:25.440 is that the case ? I only I only 03:25.440 --> 03:27.496 posit that as an example that that's 03:27.496 --> 03:29.718 something some people are giving things 03:29.718 --> 03:31.773 that are less important to them than 03:31.773 --> 03:33.940 others and are maybe less on the front 03:33.940 --> 03:36.440 lines than others . Every every 03:36.440 --> 03:38.273 contribution is important to the 03:38.273 --> 03:40.440 Ukrainians . Thank you very much . Now 03:40.440 --> 03:40.160 hell bec 03:45.040 --> 03:47.920 I'm sorry gentlemen , deals back , I 03:47.920 --> 03:49.753 now recognize the gentleman from 03:49.753 --> 03:52.031 florida . Mr Donald's for five minutes . 03:52.031 --> 03:54.031 Thank you . Mr Chairman Mr McCord . 03:54.031 --> 03:56.087 Thanks for being here and taking the 03:56.087 --> 03:57.976 time . Um I kinda want to delve a 03:57.976 --> 04:00.142 little bit into uh defense contracting 04:00.142 --> 04:02.364 a little bit . Um obviously we know how 04:02.364 --> 04:04.698 important defense contracting is to d O . 04:04.698 --> 04:07.340 D our entire military apparatus , 04:07.350 --> 04:10.010 especially when it comes to building 04:10.160 --> 04:14.040 and maintaining um ships and 04:14.040 --> 04:16.770 equipment for our men and women . Um 04:16.780 --> 04:18.940 but we also do have to acknowledge it 04:18.940 --> 04:20.940 appears that there have been a real 04:20.940 --> 04:22.773 issues associated with prolonged 04:22.773 --> 04:25.930 timelines for maintenance and or new 04:25.930 --> 04:27.819 equipment to actually be put into 04:27.819 --> 04:31.080 service . Um you know , when you guys 04:31.080 --> 04:33.302 are going through your cost projections 04:33.302 --> 04:35.191 and the budget is D O d take into 04:35.191 --> 04:37.080 account ? Is the additional costs 04:37.080 --> 04:39.191 associated with potentially prolonged 04:39.191 --> 04:42.160 prolonged projects because in any 04:42.840 --> 04:45.110 contract that ever exists , the longer 04:45.110 --> 04:47.110 it takes to execute , typically the 04:47.110 --> 04:49.332 more expensive it becomes . So does D . 04:49.332 --> 04:51.554 O . D . Taking account for that in this 04:51.554 --> 04:53.610 budget ? That's a great question . I 04:53.610 --> 04:55.840 would say probably not enough in that 04:55.850 --> 04:59.160 in that we when we know that a contract 04:59.160 --> 05:01.980 is going to take x amount of time to to 05:01.980 --> 05:04.600 execute and and for the service or the 05:04.600 --> 05:06.740 good to be performed and delivered , 05:06.750 --> 05:08.800 that amount of time is built into , 05:08.800 --> 05:11.022 into the cost estimates . So , if , you 05:11.022 --> 05:13.133 know , something is going to take two 05:13.133 --> 05:15.244 years , you're gonna have a different 05:15.244 --> 05:15.230 inflation assumption , a different cost 05:15.230 --> 05:17.286 assumption , that's something that's 05:17.286 --> 05:19.452 gonna deliver much more quickly . What 05:19.452 --> 05:21.619 I think we probably don't do well even 05:21.619 --> 05:23.452 though I said that we're used to 05:23.452 --> 05:25.619 continuing resolutions in a pattern of 05:25.619 --> 05:27.730 delayed budgeting in terms of knowing 05:27.730 --> 05:29.841 that we're not gonna gonna be able to 05:29.841 --> 05:31.730 enter into contracts in the first 05:31.730 --> 05:31.280 quarter of the fiscal year . I don't 05:31.280 --> 05:33.224 know that we have changed our cost 05:33.224 --> 05:36.040 estimating to account for this pattern 05:36.040 --> 05:38.096 of delays as well as we could have a 05:38.096 --> 05:40.318 real quick follow up to that . I mean , 05:40.320 --> 05:42.431 is there something that you believe , 05:42.431 --> 05:45.060 obviously outside of , you know , 05:45.070 --> 05:47.570 consistent budgeting on capitol hill , 05:47.580 --> 05:49.691 which by the way , I would agree with 05:49.691 --> 05:51.913 you on that . Something of Capitol hill 05:51.913 --> 05:54.247 should be doing is consistent budgeting , 05:54.247 --> 05:56.358 but is there anything outside of that 05:56.358 --> 05:55.790 that the administration is starting to 05:55.790 --> 05:58.440 look at with , with respect to making 05:58.440 --> 06:02.280 sure that our contracts actually 06:02.290 --> 06:04.950 um they're actually executed on time 06:05.440 --> 06:07.162 and that we actually are doing 06:07.162 --> 06:09.384 everything we can with respect to a lot 06:09.384 --> 06:11.551 of equipment , a lot of ships that are 06:11.551 --> 06:13.607 just sitting in dry dock waiting for 06:13.607 --> 06:15.662 maintenance to be completed . Yeah , 06:15.662 --> 06:17.829 those , those are probably the hardest 06:17.829 --> 06:19.884 examples because you have when you , 06:19.884 --> 06:21.607 when you get into something as 06:21.607 --> 06:21.590 complicated as a ship and you maybe 06:21.590 --> 06:23.479 find different corrosion than you 06:23.479 --> 06:25.880 expected and or you have issues with , 06:25.880 --> 06:28.290 with your workforce as as has been a 06:28.300 --> 06:30.356 real big issue on the ship's side is 06:30.356 --> 06:32.522 getting getting the skilled workers in 06:32.522 --> 06:34.633 those particular trades when you need 06:34.633 --> 06:36.744 them . Given , given the , you know , 06:36.744 --> 06:40.380 the tight labor market . Um Mhm . I 06:40.380 --> 06:42.436 don't know that we have a systematic 06:42.436 --> 06:44.324 report for you , but but when the 06:44.324 --> 06:46.547 issues that the issues that we're aware 06:46.547 --> 06:48.824 of and particularly on the ship's side , 06:48.824 --> 06:50.713 we we do have attempts to address 06:50.713 --> 06:52.547 either the infrastructure or the 06:52.547 --> 06:54.436 workforce or both . But if you're 06:54.436 --> 06:56.658 asking about contracting writ large , I 06:56.658 --> 06:58.547 would have to probably get you an 06:58.547 --> 06:57.750 answer for the record from our 06:57.750 --> 06:59.972 acquisition and contracting community . 06:59.972 --> 07:01.917 Uh Yeah , I would appreciate you a 07:01.917 --> 07:04.139 broader , the only reason why I'm , and 07:04.139 --> 07:04.010 I don't mean to shut you down , I know 07:04.010 --> 07:06.121 what you're saying is important , but 07:06.121 --> 07:08.232 I'm also running out of time . I want 07:08.232 --> 07:10.232 to get somewhere else . But I would 07:10.232 --> 07:12.121 appreciate uh , you know , a more 07:12.121 --> 07:14.340 detailed answer with respect to that . 07:14.340 --> 07:16.507 One thing I do want to highlight um in 07:16.507 --> 07:18.950 our discussion right now is really how 07:18.950 --> 07:21.980 important um , inflation and 07:21.990 --> 07:25.270 labor is to the functioning not just of 07:25.270 --> 07:27.492 D . O . D . But our economy overall , I 07:27.492 --> 07:29.659 was having a conversation with members 07:29.659 --> 07:31.659 of my , one of my city councils and 07:31.659 --> 07:33.659 they were trying to address so many 07:33.659 --> 07:35.881 issues affecting their their city . But 07:35.881 --> 07:38.103 so many of those are impacted by fiscal 07:38.103 --> 07:39.992 policy and monetary policy out of 07:39.992 --> 07:42.159 Washington specifically with inflation 07:42.159 --> 07:44.437 and how that does impact labor markets . 07:44.437 --> 07:43.840 So obviously you guys are feeling that 07:43.840 --> 07:46.007 the D . O . D . As well . I think it's 07:46.007 --> 07:48.229 important that the administration takes 07:48.229 --> 07:50.062 a lot of their future fiscal and 07:50.062 --> 07:52.229 monetary decisions into account of how 07:52.229 --> 07:55.060 broad and wide spread those impacts are . 07:55.140 --> 07:57.307 When you're trying to do simple things 07:57.307 --> 07:59.640 like , you know , finish a ship on time , 07:59.640 --> 08:01.807 get equipment out where it needs to be 08:01.807 --> 08:03.973 building affordable housing project or 08:03.973 --> 08:05.862 even private contractors building 08:05.862 --> 08:08.084 single family homes . It is universal . 08:08.084 --> 08:09.862 The destructive impacts of , of 08:09.862 --> 08:12.029 inflation and bad fiscal policy . I do 08:12.029 --> 08:14.029 want to switch gears real quick and 08:14.029 --> 08:13.220 we're running out of time . The 08:13.220 --> 08:15.276 president made a statement the other 08:15.276 --> 08:17.164 day that he wants the military to 08:17.164 --> 08:19.276 essentially be all electric and to go 08:19.276 --> 08:21.370 green . Um , let's just be perfectly 08:21.370 --> 08:23.426 honest , is it even possible for the 08:23.426 --> 08:25.648 military to do that one and then number 08:25.648 --> 08:27.537 two Canada United States military 08:27.537 --> 08:30.290 completely survive on wind , solar and 08:30.290 --> 08:32.690 a quote unquote green renewable energy 08:32.690 --> 08:36.680 matrix . Um , I 08:36.690 --> 08:39.140 appreciate your your on inflation . I 08:39.140 --> 08:41.307 will say that yeah , that is something 08:41.307 --> 08:44.340 that we um , we are very sensitive to 08:44.340 --> 08:46.396 as well . Of course we we are we are 08:46.396 --> 08:48.507 subject to all the same pressures and 08:48.507 --> 08:50.673 all the same factors in terms of labor 08:50.673 --> 08:52.729 prices and getting , getting skilled 08:52.729 --> 08:55.007 workers that uh , that you describe on , 08:55.007 --> 08:57.007 on vehicles and airplanes . Again , 08:57.007 --> 08:59.062 airplanes are what consumed the vast 08:59.062 --> 09:01.396 majority of the energy the dut consumes . 09:01.396 --> 09:03.396 Uh , I don't think that there's any 09:03.396 --> 09:05.396 immediate prospect of us having a , 09:05.396 --> 09:07.507 having a fundamentally different type 09:07.507 --> 09:09.562 of airplanes that were using whether 09:09.562 --> 09:08.910 they're manned or unmanned , they're 09:08.910 --> 09:10.966 gonna still rely on the same type of 09:10.966 --> 09:13.188 fuels for the foreseeable future . So I 09:13.188 --> 09:15.132 don't I don't think that we really 09:15.132 --> 09:17.132 should be focusing on whether , you 09:17.132 --> 09:19.188 know , the non tactical side is much 09:19.188 --> 09:21.410 easier to work with in terms of getting 09:21.410 --> 09:23.577 that to be more electrified . Uh , the 09:23.577 --> 09:25.688 the combat vehicles . The combat side 09:25.688 --> 09:27.577 is going to be a much longer term 09:27.577 --> 09:29.410 prospect . If it's possible . Mr 09:29.410 --> 09:29.370 Chairman , if you give me leeway to 09:29.370 --> 09:31.592 real world brief follow up to that . Mr 09:31.592 --> 09:33.537 Chairman , go ahead thank you . Mr 09:33.537 --> 09:35.426 Chairman . Uh , Mr McCord , is it 09:35.426 --> 09:37.648 possible to fly an F- 16 or an F- 35 on 09:37.648 --> 09:41.420 biofuels . I'm not aware that that 09:41.420 --> 09:43.309 we've had biofuels experiments on 09:43.309 --> 09:45.587 aircraft the way that we have on ships . 09:45.587 --> 09:47.753 So I I don't know the answer to that . 09:47.753 --> 09:49.587 Okay , thanks . Thank you . Mr . 09:49.587 --> 09:51.698 Chairman . Gentlemen , Thomas expired 09:51.698 --> 09:53.698 now recognizes the gentlewoman from 09:53.698 --> 09:53.590 Texas . MS . Jackson leave for five 09:53.590 --> 09:54.590 minutes . 09:57.940 --> 10:00.280 Thank you very much . Mr Chairman , I 10:00.280 --> 10:03.630 was chairing a committee in judiciary 10:03.630 --> 10:05.630 and thank you for your courtesies . 10:05.630 --> 10:07.686 Secretary McCord , Thank you for the 10:07.686 --> 10:09.741 time that you have given us . Let me 10:09.741 --> 10:11.852 quickly go to personnel matters and I 10:11.852 --> 10:13.963 have a boatload of questions . And so 10:13.963 --> 10:16.810 um your typical defense pickiness would 10:16.810 --> 10:18.970 be greatly appreciated again . Thank 10:18.970 --> 10:21.192 you for your service and the service of 10:21.192 --> 10:23.137 so many men and women , the United 10:23.137 --> 10:25.248 States military just coming back from 10:25.248 --> 10:27.130 Ukraine . Um I was with the 82nd 10:27.140 --> 10:30.700 airborne . All ready and serving and 10:30.700 --> 10:34.260 then previously I was with the 10:34.640 --> 10:37.360 the United States Army as well on the 10:37.370 --> 10:40.880 belarus Lithuania border . So thank you 10:40.880 --> 10:43.102 so very much . And I know men and women 10:43.102 --> 10:46.000 are around the world . Let me focus on 10:46.000 --> 10:49.810 the question of the quality of life and 10:49.810 --> 10:52.380 what what wars have been somewhat 10:52.380 --> 10:56.050 behind us . What kind of investment are 10:56.050 --> 10:59.520 you making in pTSD ? Uh 10:59.530 --> 11:02.790 the issues dealing with women's health . 11:02.800 --> 11:04.744 I've been an advocate for fighting 11:04.744 --> 11:06.967 against triple negative breast cancer . 11:06.967 --> 11:09.189 I'd like to see that program expanded . 11:09.189 --> 11:12.150 Uh , and then personnel dollars . I'm 11:12.150 --> 11:14.317 sorry in terms of increased salary and 11:14.317 --> 11:16.206 housing if I could just take that 11:16.206 --> 11:18.094 package because I want to go into 11:18.094 --> 11:20.261 something else . But I'm interested in 11:20.261 --> 11:19.850 the quality of life issues that you 11:19.850 --> 11:21.850 deal with . The men and women , the 11:21.850 --> 11:25.000 United States military . Ah Yes . In 11:25.000 --> 11:27.222 the interest of time we will get you an 11:27.222 --> 11:29.333 answer for the record on on on on the 11:29.333 --> 11:31.556 PTSD and the and some of the particular 11:31.556 --> 11:33.611 issues in the health budget that you 11:33.611 --> 11:33.360 mentioned rather than me trying to 11:33.360 --> 11:35.471 guess at them without without all the 11:35.471 --> 11:36.860 facts at my fingertips . 11:45.040 --> 11:47.096 I'm sorry congressman , I can't hear 11:47.096 --> 11:47.050 you right now . 11:50.830 --> 11:53.560 Can you generally Secretary McCord give 11:53.560 --> 11:55.671 a general commitment to these quality 11:55.671 --> 11:57.838 of life issues and making sure funding 11:57.838 --> 12:00.590 in your budget is there ? Absolutely . 12:00.600 --> 12:02.656 Secretary Austin has a huge focus on 12:02.656 --> 12:04.930 taking care of our people . He talks 12:04.930 --> 12:07.152 about it with us all the time as it's a 12:07.152 --> 12:11.060 high very high priority of his right . 12:11.440 --> 12:14.980 Um Let me ask you about the outcomes of 12:14.980 --> 12:17.036 the study assessment program dealing 12:17.036 --> 12:19.258 with an officer's fitness for command . 12:19.340 --> 12:22.380 Um Any future steps with the D . O . D . 12:22.380 --> 12:24.102 And the army might be taken to 12:24.102 --> 12:25.991 implement a qualitative interview 12:25.991 --> 12:29.410 process in the B . C . A . P . I will 12:29.410 --> 12:31.354 say that that's outside my area of 12:31.354 --> 12:33.354 expertise but I am I have heard the 12:33.354 --> 12:35.650 army describe what they're trying to do 12:35.650 --> 12:37.761 to to to make sure that they make the 12:37.761 --> 12:39.817 best possible selections in terms of 12:39.817 --> 12:41.983 fitness for command . But I would have 12:41.983 --> 12:43.983 to refer I would have to get you an 12:43.983 --> 12:46.094 answer from the army on on the status 12:46.094 --> 12:48.206 of that program in more detail . I am 12:48.206 --> 12:50.372 familiar with , I am familiar with and 12:50.372 --> 12:50.350 I have Red Army leadership discuss it . 12:52.340 --> 12:54.562 Alright I will focus on the D . O . D . 12:54.562 --> 12:56.950 Has requested 479 then to implement the 12:56.960 --> 12:58.738 80 plus recommendation from the 12:58.738 --> 13:01.640 internet , the review dealing with the 13:01.640 --> 13:04.630 sexual assault um in requesting those 13:04.630 --> 13:06.852 dollars , what will be the oversight to 13:06.852 --> 13:08.686 make sure that these dollars are 13:08.686 --> 13:10.880 implemented properly across the gamut 13:10.890 --> 13:14.160 of the jurisdiction of the pentagon and 13:14.160 --> 13:17.290 the various military branches . Thank 13:17.290 --> 13:19.234 you . The primary oversight that I 13:19.234 --> 13:21.234 believe . What you will see in that 13:21.234 --> 13:23.234 area is the Deputy Deputy Secretary 13:23.234 --> 13:25.401 Hicks has something called the Defense 13:25.401 --> 13:25.210 workforce Council which is meant to 13:25.210 --> 13:27.060 sort of provide the same kind of 13:27.060 --> 13:29.060 oversight that we often see on on 13:29.060 --> 13:31.300 weapons programs and investments to 13:31.300 --> 13:33.022 have the same oversight of our 13:33.022 --> 13:35.078 personnel related programs . That is 13:35.078 --> 13:38.110 the venue that would be vetting our 13:38.110 --> 13:40.990 efforts on sexual assault prevention in 13:40.990 --> 13:42.934 addition to the action officers of 13:42.934 --> 13:44.712 course at lower levels that are 13:44.712 --> 13:46.934 actually running the programs . But the 13:46.934 --> 13:48.934 deputy secretary would probably the 13:48.934 --> 13:51.000 primary oversight of that . What um 13:51.010 --> 13:53.680 Well let me overall defense budget 13:53.680 --> 13:56.270 comes in many different forms . Um I 13:56.270 --> 13:58.381 want to make sure that there is going 13:58.381 --> 13:59.826 to be strong focus on the 13:59.826 --> 14:02.048 infrastructure that the United States , 14:02.048 --> 14:03.881 the United States military bases 14:03.881 --> 14:07.420 housing um and that the Secretary 14:07.420 --> 14:09.587 and the Defense Department will have a 14:09.587 --> 14:11.642 focus on that . Let me just give you 14:11.642 --> 14:13.864 two questions so that you can um answer 14:13.864 --> 14:16.087 that's the number one . And secondarily 14:16.087 --> 14:18.087 as I indicated , um many of us have 14:18.087 --> 14:20.253 been to the border um dealing with the 14:20.253 --> 14:24.040 despotic violence that President Putin 14:24.040 --> 14:26.096 is exhibiting against innocent human 14:26.096 --> 14:29.160 beings . Um , the question is , 14:29.540 --> 14:32.690 we have given unanimous consent . The 14:32.690 --> 14:34.801 president has offered some additional 14:34.840 --> 14:37.960 huge dollars coming from 14:38.340 --> 14:41.680 the Defense Department for Ukraine in 14:41.680 --> 14:43.902 terms of weaponry . And you do you have 14:43.902 --> 14:47.240 a projected Um schedule of continuing 14:47.240 --> 14:49.462 that or those particular ones that have 14:49.462 --> 14:51.462 just been issued in the last say 48 14:51.462 --> 14:53.629 hours , 72 hours when their time would 14:53.629 --> 14:55.629 be reaching into the region ? Yes , 14:55.629 --> 14:57.740 thank you for that question . Um , in 14:57.740 --> 15:00.080 recent , in the last week or two , the 15:00.090 --> 15:02.090 the drawdown as their so called the 15:02.090 --> 15:03.868 presidential drawdown authority 15:03.868 --> 15:06.090 packages Once approved by the secretary 15:06.090 --> 15:08.146 and the president and announced have 15:08.146 --> 15:10.034 been on airplanes on their way to 15:10.034 --> 15:13.170 Europe within about 48 hours . So the 15:13.180 --> 15:15.458 from the time these decisions are made , 15:15.458 --> 15:17.624 the equipment is moving very rapidly . 15:17.624 --> 15:19.847 There is no higher higher uh priority I 15:19.847 --> 15:21.791 think of General Million Secretary 15:21.791 --> 15:23.902 Austin than keeping an eye on exactly 15:23.902 --> 15:26.124 what is flowing And not only is it , is 15:26.124 --> 15:28.347 it on an airplane , is it on the ship ? 15:28.347 --> 15:30.402 Has it arrived in europe ? But is it 15:30.402 --> 15:32.402 across the border into the hands of 15:32.402 --> 15:34.624 Ukrainian ? So that is being tracked on 15:34.624 --> 15:36.736 a daily basis at very senior levels . 15:36.736 --> 15:38.736 We have , we have used , as of this 15:38.736 --> 15:40.847 week , we will probably have used all 15:40.847 --> 15:42.958 the authorities that Congress gave us 15:42.958 --> 15:45.013 for additional drawing and we and we 15:45.013 --> 15:47.124 anticipate coming back to Congress in 15:47.124 --> 15:49.236 the coming days to get more authority 15:49.236 --> 15:51.402 to continue to help the Ukrainians . I 15:51.402 --> 15:53.458 hope in the course of that , you all 15:53.458 --> 15:55.458 will have a classified briefing for 15:55.458 --> 15:57.680 members of Congress . So that would add 15:57.680 --> 15:59.902 to their understanding how constituents 15:59.902 --> 16:02.069 have been very supportive . But I know 16:02.069 --> 16:04.291 our overall perspective is that we want 16:04.291 --> 16:04.220 peace . So we know where we are in this 16:04.320 --> 16:07.060 raging vicious war against Ukraine . 16:07.440 --> 16:10.610 And so we've got to um provide defense 16:10.610 --> 16:14.340 as we discuss ways of solution . Uh , 16:14.350 --> 16:16.730 Mr Chairman E Mr Secretary of Court . 16:16.740 --> 16:18.796 You didn't , I know it's ended , but 16:18.796 --> 16:20.920 very quickly the infrastructure uh 16:21.920 --> 16:24.142 expired . You can submit a question for 16:24.142 --> 16:26.309 the record . Well , thank you . If you 16:26.309 --> 16:28.531 can hear the one about the care . Thank 16:28.531 --> 16:30.642 you . Are you back ? Gentleman's time 16:30.642 --> 16:32.531 has expired . I now recognize the 16:32.531 --> 16:34.698 gentleman from Georgia , Mr carter for 16:34.698 --> 16:36.976 five minutes . Thank you . Mr Chairman . 16:36.976 --> 16:39.142 I appreciate it . Mr Under secretary , 16:39.142 --> 16:41.031 thank you for being here . And as 16:41.031 --> 16:43.198 you're aware , Mr Secretary , there is 16:43.198 --> 16:45.253 uh , there are four Combat readiness 16:45.253 --> 16:47.476 training centers in the United States . 16:47.476 --> 16:47.140 I have the honor and privilege of 16:47.140 --> 16:49.251 representing one of those in savannah 16:49.251 --> 16:52.850 Georgia and it is proposed under this 16:52.850 --> 16:56.770 budget to be closed . Now , aside 16:56.770 --> 16:59.360 from the lunacy and I will refer to it 16:59.360 --> 17:03.340 as lunacy of considering closing 17:03.350 --> 17:07.090 any combat training center Combat 17:07.090 --> 17:10.290 Readiness Training center at this point 17:10.450 --> 17:14.250 in in world history where we could 17:14.250 --> 17:16.980 potentially be on the brink of World 17:16.980 --> 17:19.670 War Three . It's just insane to me , 17:20.140 --> 17:21.807 especially when you take into 17:21.807 --> 17:23.880 consideration that the savannah 17:23.880 --> 17:26.770 facility is the most utilized in the 17:26.770 --> 17:30.000 most efficient Of any of the four 17:30.010 --> 17:32.177 combat readiness training centers here 17:32.177 --> 17:35.060 in America . Not only that , but you 17:35.060 --> 17:37.210 know the most frustrating thing upon 17:37.220 --> 17:39.420 its all frustrating . But another 17:39.420 --> 17:41.610 frustrating part of this is the fact 17:41.610 --> 17:45.090 that There were two years ago in 17:45.090 --> 17:48.910 2019 , I should say in 2019 There was 17:48.910 --> 17:51.550 $24 million dollars allocated to build 17:51.550 --> 17:54.260 a new hangar for that facility . Now 17:54.260 --> 17:57.320 that that hanger is under construction 17:57.320 --> 18:00.290 right now , the ribbon cutting on it is 18:00.290 --> 18:02.346 slated to happen in september . I've 18:02.346 --> 18:04.290 been invited and I look forward to 18:04.290 --> 18:07.390 being there $24 million . It should be 18:07.390 --> 18:09.446 completed by then and we'll have the 18:09.446 --> 18:11.557 ribbon cutting on it . And then it is 18:11.557 --> 18:14.560 slated to be closed in April of 2023 . 18:15.840 --> 18:19.100 Not only that , but the facility also 18:19.110 --> 18:22.880 about three weeks ago had $1.2 million 18:22.880 --> 18:25.180 dollars worth of computer equipment 18:25.180 --> 18:27.410 installed , their computer equipment 18:27.410 --> 18:30.170 that's not available anywhere else in 18:30.170 --> 18:32.870 the country at any of the other combat 18:32.870 --> 18:35.360 readiness training facilities . That 18:35.360 --> 18:36.410 $1.2 million 18:36.410 --> 18:40.600 April 18:40.600 --> 18:42.960 of 2023 is going to be gone to waste . 18:42.960 --> 18:46.320 No wonder taxpayers get so upset about 18:46.320 --> 18:48.153 wasteful spending in the federal 18:48.153 --> 18:50.510 government . Now , How important is 18:50.510 --> 18:53.940 that training center ? Every F- 22 18:53.940 --> 18:56.830 pilot over the last two years has been 18:56.830 --> 19:00.230 trained at that facility . I just have 19:00.230 --> 19:03.880 to ask you Mr Secretary of what what's 19:03.880 --> 19:07.250 the what what is more important to our 19:07.250 --> 19:09.150 readiness and ability to counter 19:09.150 --> 19:11.630 threats across the world like Russia 19:11.630 --> 19:15.160 and china climate and social spending 19:15.170 --> 19:17.590 or an actual military asset like the 19:17.590 --> 19:19.560 savannah Combat Readiness Training 19:19.560 --> 19:23.420 Center Mr carter 19:23.420 --> 19:26.360 II . It's clear that you know much more 19:26.360 --> 19:28.770 about about this particular training 19:28.770 --> 19:30.937 center than I do . So I'm not going to 19:31.140 --> 19:33.251 to offer you an explanation that that 19:33.251 --> 19:35.473 is not as well informed as your as your 19:35.473 --> 19:37.529 question is I'm going to have to get 19:37.529 --> 19:39.584 with my colleagues for the record of 19:39.584 --> 19:41.696 what was the rationale on capacity or 19:41.696 --> 19:43.473 other or other grounds for this 19:43.473 --> 19:46.690 particular proposal . But you can 19:46.690 --> 19:49.110 understand particularly in the 19:49.110 --> 19:51.110 environment , the world environment 19:51.110 --> 19:53.054 that we're in . We all know what's 19:53.054 --> 19:55.277 going on . We see it every day on tv on 19:55.277 --> 19:57.443 social media , we're we're we've got a 19:57.443 --> 19:59.666 front row seat to a war that's going on 19:59.666 --> 20:01.960 here that could potentially 20:03.640 --> 20:05.973 lead us into World War three . You know , 20:05.973 --> 20:08.029 I just finished reading a book about 20:08.029 --> 20:10.084 World War Two , the splendid and the 20:10.084 --> 20:12.600 vile by Erik Larson and and you know 20:12.600 --> 20:16.070 that when when Germany invaded . Great 20:16.070 --> 20:20.030 Britain , they never intended to to 20:20.040 --> 20:22.262 bomb London . It was actually a mistake 20:22.262 --> 20:24.820 made by one of the generals of one of 20:24.820 --> 20:27.840 the nazi generals , can you imagine 20:27.840 --> 20:30.450 what a mistake an errant missile would 20:30.450 --> 20:32.860 do if it were to hit a NATO country 20:32.860 --> 20:35.138 right now ? We'd be in World War Three . 20:35.540 --> 20:38.280 And yet we're talking about a budget 20:38.280 --> 20:40.880 that recommends closing a combat 20:40.890 --> 20:43.830 readiness training center , the most 20:43.830 --> 20:46.840 efficient , the most utilized that we 20:46.840 --> 20:49.560 have here where we just about to 20:49.560 --> 20:52.010 complete A $24 million 20:52.010 --> 20:55.850 $1.2 million dollars in 20:55.850 --> 20:59.500 computer equipment . And yet this 20:59.500 --> 21:02.440 budget includes billions of dollars to 21:02.440 --> 21:06.120 go toward climate change . Why isn't 21:06.120 --> 21:08.120 that money being used to keep these 21:08.120 --> 21:09.160 facilities open ? 21:11.740 --> 21:13.907 Mr carter ? I agree that we owe you an 21:13.907 --> 21:15.684 explanation of the of of of the 21:15.684 --> 21:17.573 proposal and the crtc that you're 21:17.573 --> 21:19.740 describing . I'm not familiar with the 21:19.740 --> 21:21.796 details enough of myself . Obviously 21:21.796 --> 21:24.018 this is very upsetting . It's upsetting 21:24.018 --> 21:25.740 for me , it's upsetting for my 21:25.740 --> 21:27.629 constituents . It's upsetting for 21:27.629 --> 21:29.740 americans to even think that we would 21:29.740 --> 21:31.907 even consider this . I look forward to 21:31.907 --> 21:34.910 your response mr Secretary and I hope 21:34.910 --> 21:36.910 that you will be able to provide me 21:36.910 --> 21:38.854 with that and provide some kind of 21:38.854 --> 21:41.380 explanation and consider doing away 21:41.380 --> 21:43.269 with some of these climate change 21:43.269 --> 21:45.780 initiatives and keeping this much 21:45.780 --> 21:48.130 needed facility open . Thank you Mr 21:48.130 --> 21:50.280 Chairman and argue back Gentleman's 21:50.280 --> 21:52.700 time has expired and I now yield myself 21:52.700 --> 21:54.922 10 minutes . You only have to deal with 21:54.922 --> 21:58.220 me now undersecretary uh have kind of a 21:58.220 --> 22:00.442 rhetorical question . But I'm gonna ask 22:00.442 --> 22:02.609 it . Um are you aware of any time when 22:02.609 --> 22:05.190 the Department of Defense has requested 22:05.200 --> 22:08.480 a budget ? That was less money than 22:08.480 --> 22:11.820 they thought they needed ? I'm not 22:12.140 --> 22:14.251 I think it's interesting to have this 22:14.251 --> 22:16.473 discussion because we're hearing from a 22:16.473 --> 22:18.860 lot of people that seem to be 22:19.440 --> 22:21.780 questioning whether we are providing 22:21.780 --> 22:23.780 enough money for defense and that's 22:23.780 --> 22:26.830 always a certainly a valid question . 22:26.830 --> 22:28.663 We always have to ask that Armed 22:28.663 --> 22:31.050 services has to ask that as well . 22:32.340 --> 22:35.560 But the experts are at the pentagon , 22:36.140 --> 22:37.973 the people who actually have the 22:37.973 --> 22:39.807 responsibility for defending the 22:39.807 --> 22:43.310 country and I assume that they're not 22:43.310 --> 22:45.366 going to be derelict in their duties 22:45.366 --> 22:47.532 since they've given their life for the 22:47.532 --> 22:49.366 defense of their careers for the 22:49.366 --> 22:49.040 defense of this country and they're not 22:49.040 --> 22:51.151 going to ask for less money than they 22:51.151 --> 22:53.770 think will be adequate to defend the 22:53.770 --> 22:56.360 country . And the question I have is 22:57.640 --> 22:59.862 we can argue about percentages , we can 22:59.862 --> 23:01.918 argue about inflation . We can argue 23:01.918 --> 23:03.850 about um 23:04.440 --> 23:07.890 declassifying equipped some equipment , 23:07.900 --> 23:11.700 reducing the uh number of 23:11.700 --> 23:15.180 service members . But can you tell us 23:15.180 --> 23:19.060 today that with this budget we have 23:19.060 --> 23:22.090 not in any way diminished our capacity 23:22.100 --> 23:26.000 to defend the United States Chairman . 23:26.000 --> 23:28.480 I would say that that far from it . We 23:28.480 --> 23:30.536 feel like we have made progress , we 23:30.536 --> 23:32.758 are making progress would make progress 23:32.758 --> 23:34.924 in this budget across the board on any 23:34.924 --> 23:36.980 number of fronts , keeping the triad 23:36.980 --> 23:39.091 strong and modern and incapable to to 23:39.091 --> 23:41.258 space resilience to the quality of our 23:41.258 --> 23:43.480 people . What I would say that that our 23:43.480 --> 23:45.591 budget does not do , no budget can do 23:45.591 --> 23:47.924 is reduce all risk , eliminate all risk . 23:47.924 --> 23:49.924 That's not that's not the realistic 23:49.924 --> 23:51.591 standard by which this is the 23:51.591 --> 23:53.813 department leadership or any department 23:53.813 --> 23:55.980 leadership can can present a budget to 23:55.980 --> 23:55.790 you that that we have now limited all 23:55.790 --> 23:57.901 all security risk the United States . 23:57.901 --> 23:59.901 So there will always be someone who 23:59.901 --> 24:02.123 could say I could use more here for X I 24:02.123 --> 24:04.401 think , you know , it would be helpful , 24:04.401 --> 24:06.068 but in terms of balancing and 24:06.068 --> 24:08.820 addressing our risk across across not 24:08.820 --> 24:10.987 only the national security space , but 24:10.987 --> 24:12.709 but in the whole of government 24:12.709 --> 24:14.542 framework as well as the defense 24:14.542 --> 24:14.360 specific framework , we feel like we 24:14.360 --> 24:16.360 have a very strong budget that does 24:16.840 --> 24:18.951 everything that Secretary Austin told 24:18.951 --> 24:21.062 the President we needed to accomplish 24:21.062 --> 24:23.173 and the president gave secretary what 24:23.173 --> 24:25.229 he asked for . Um thank you for that 24:25.229 --> 24:27.340 answer . Um now I know you don't want 24:27.340 --> 24:28.673 to ask the $3.1 billion 24:28.673 --> 24:33.360 Republican 24:33.360 --> 24:35.800 side . But can you give us some 24:35.800 --> 24:38.060 examples of how climate change has 24:38.060 --> 24:40.960 already impacted the military ? Yes , 24:40.960 --> 24:43.071 sir . The primary things that we look 24:43.071 --> 24:45.370 at our our own our own installations , 24:45.370 --> 24:47.426 especially those on the coast , have 24:47.426 --> 24:49.426 have suffered significant financial 24:49.426 --> 24:51.660 impact of , of storm damage in recent 24:51.660 --> 24:53.771 years and and hundreds of millions of 24:53.771 --> 24:55.993 taxpayer dollars have gone to to repair 24:55.993 --> 24:58.216 extreme weather damage That places like 24:58.216 --> 25:00.216 Tyndall Air Force base in florida . 25:00.216 --> 25:02.640 More importantly , perhaps as we look 25:02.640 --> 25:05.500 out into the future is is climate 25:05.500 --> 25:08.160 change is going to to instigate 25:08.160 --> 25:10.550 societal change , the societal conflict , 25:11.240 --> 25:14.210 population migration , scarce resources , 25:14.220 --> 25:16.600 you know , food problems and those 25:16.600 --> 25:18.910 generate conflict or those are at least 25:18.920 --> 25:20.976 our potential to generate conflict . 25:20.976 --> 25:23.198 And that's that's going to change where 25:23.198 --> 25:25.253 we might be called on to intervene , 25:25.253 --> 25:27.364 what we might be called on to do . Um 25:27.364 --> 25:29.420 So that that is the other aspect , I 25:29.420 --> 25:31.860 think in terms of what it does to the 25:31.860 --> 25:34.210 world security situation , when you 25:34.210 --> 25:37.510 inject that kind of new um 25:37.520 --> 25:39.660 instability into the world is to 25:39.660 --> 25:41.493 climate change that people , not 25:41.493 --> 25:43.604 everybody in the world can move right 25:43.604 --> 25:45.827 to accommodate climate change . So it's 25:45.827 --> 25:47.993 going to create conflict . Is have you 25:47.993 --> 25:49.771 anticipated another part of the 25:49.771 --> 25:51.993 question ? But I'm gonna ask 3rd part , 25:51.993 --> 25:54.216 is there anybody you know of in D . O . 25:54.216 --> 25:54.020 D . Going back through the trump 25:54.020 --> 25:55.520 administration , the Obama 25:55.520 --> 25:57.576 administration go back pretty far at 25:57.576 --> 26:00.160 least at least 10 15 years who doesn't 26:00.160 --> 26:02.210 think that climate change is a 26:02.210 --> 26:04.760 significant poses a significant risk to 26:04.760 --> 26:07.090 the U . S . Military . I have not heard 26:07.090 --> 26:09.312 any senior civilian or military leaders 26:09.312 --> 26:11.479 say that that the issue is not there ? 26:11.640 --> 26:13.870 Thank you . I want to move on to the 26:13.880 --> 26:17.200 question of the audit and you know , I 26:17.200 --> 26:20.770 think everybody would like to see the 26:21.240 --> 26:24.420 pentagon have a comprehensive clean 26:24.420 --> 26:27.230 audit every year . But it seems to me 26:27.240 --> 26:29.280 having been involved in the private 26:29.280 --> 26:32.260 sector with some audits over the years 26:32.270 --> 26:36.210 that Auditing 700 plus billion 26:36.210 --> 26:39.660 dollars is not something that is easily 26:39.660 --> 26:43.260 done no matter how well intentioned um 26:43.940 --> 26:46.107 the leadership of the pentagon and the 26:46.107 --> 26:49.200 auditors would be . So this is kind of 26:49.200 --> 26:52.960 one of those . Let us help you , help 26:53.340 --> 26:56.760 us help you questions and that is are 26:56.760 --> 26:59.560 we expecting too much out of 27:00.740 --> 27:03.710 the , when we talk about an audit of 27:03.710 --> 27:06.640 the , of the pentagon or or is there a 27:06.640 --> 27:09.330 way we can require it to be done ? 27:09.330 --> 27:12.520 That's helpful , but not as difficult 27:12.520 --> 27:14.860 to do because it seems to me that if 27:14.860 --> 27:17.027 you're using normal standards were not 27:17.027 --> 27:20.350 where you have to take inventory of of 27:20.360 --> 27:24.180 every every bullet and every piece of 27:24.180 --> 27:26.490 equipment that you have and do 27:26.490 --> 27:29.020 appraisals of real estate values and 27:29.020 --> 27:30.853 all of the things that you would 27:30.853 --> 27:32.964 normally do . I don't know how in the 27:32.964 --> 27:35.131 world you can get it done in a time on 27:35.131 --> 27:37.610 a timely basis . Chairman , thank you 27:37.610 --> 27:40.360 for that question . I would say that . 27:41.640 --> 27:43.807 I understand why it's expected of us . 27:43.807 --> 27:45.807 It's the law in the CFO Act , other 27:45.807 --> 27:47.862 agencies do it and it's a reasonable 27:47.862 --> 27:50.029 expectation of we should be able to do 27:50.029 --> 27:52.196 it too despite our size and complexity 27:52.196 --> 27:54.196 as you know , we if we were our own 27:54.196 --> 27:56.251 country , our budget would put us in 27:56.251 --> 27:58.473 about the 30th Country's biggest in the 27:58.473 --> 27:58.100 world in terms of GDP so we're an 27:58.100 --> 28:00.322 enormous operation and we not only have 28:00.322 --> 28:02.433 to audit a $700 billion dollar annual 28:02.433 --> 28:04.656 budget . We have $3 trillion dollars in 28:04.656 --> 28:06.878 assets . And it's really on the balance 28:06.878 --> 28:09.044 sheet side that there's one thing that 28:09.044 --> 28:10.989 I think would be that we could get 28:10.989 --> 28:13.100 there much faster with with the least 28:13.100 --> 28:15.530 damage to the public interest Would be 28:15.530 --> 28:17.530 if we didn't have to do the balance 28:17.530 --> 28:19.530 sheet part of the audit . But we're 28:19.530 --> 28:19.530 doing the other parts of an audit 28:19.530 --> 28:22.000 because valuing all are valuing all our 28:22.000 --> 28:24.222 property has been an enormous challenge 28:24.222 --> 28:26.590 for us . Whereas for example 40% of our 28:26.590 --> 28:28.890 budget approximately is on the people's 28:28.890 --> 28:31.168 side is pay and benefits of our troops . 28:31.168 --> 28:33.057 We have clean opinions on all the 28:33.057 --> 28:35.279 processes that pay our military pay are 28:35.279 --> 28:37.390 civilians , pay our retirees which is 28:37.390 --> 28:39.600 exactly what what my boss secretary 28:39.600 --> 28:41.656 would want . You know taking care of 28:41.656 --> 28:43.767 people . We are not messing that up . 28:43.767 --> 28:45.878 But on the on the on the trillions of 28:45.878 --> 28:47.600 dollars of assets that we have 28:47.600 --> 28:49.767 accounting forward . And valuing it is 28:49.767 --> 28:51.822 where we're struggling as well as on 28:51.822 --> 28:54.044 the I . T . Systems . But we should not 28:54.044 --> 28:56.211 we should not be getting a pass on the 28:56.211 --> 28:58.378 I . T . Systems side because as we see 28:58.378 --> 29:00.600 every day with the increasing uh degree 29:00.600 --> 29:00.520 of cyber threats that if you don't have 29:00.520 --> 29:02.740 secure systems you have other problems 29:02.740 --> 29:04.962 besides not passing the audit . Right ? 29:04.962 --> 29:07.073 So that is something where I think we 29:07.073 --> 29:09.073 definitely have a lot of work to do 29:09.073 --> 29:11.296 that we need to do , but on , on what I 29:11.296 --> 29:13.518 would call the balance sheet side , I'm 29:13.518 --> 29:12.820 not sure that the payoff for the 29:12.820 --> 29:14.987 taxpayers is really there because if I 29:14.987 --> 29:17.480 can take one more minute on this , um , 29:17.530 --> 29:19.990 I know you know this , but it's easy to 29:20.000 --> 29:22.333 maybe for not everyone to understand it . 29:22.333 --> 29:24.550 That passing a financial audit means 29:24.550 --> 29:26.717 your obligations on the financial side 29:26.717 --> 29:28.494 are being matched with all your 29:28.494 --> 29:30.717 contracting decisions . It doesn't mean 29:30.717 --> 29:32.828 that the airplane that you bought was 29:32.828 --> 29:32.770 the wright airplane that it performs 29:32.770 --> 29:35.048 well that you paid a fair price for it . 29:35.048 --> 29:36.937 There's any number of things that 29:36.937 --> 29:39.048 people are rightly concerned about in 29:39.048 --> 29:41.214 terms of that might be called waste or 29:41.214 --> 29:43.437 fraud or poor use of money that passing 29:43.437 --> 29:45.492 an audit does not prevent and is not 29:45.492 --> 29:47.603 designed to prevent . Its , its , you 29:47.603 --> 29:49.714 know , it's matching up . Mm hmm your 29:49.714 --> 29:51.714 numbers . But it still doesn't , it 29:51.714 --> 29:53.770 doesn't guarantee that you made wise 29:53.770 --> 29:55.826 decisions and I know you know that , 29:55.826 --> 29:57.992 but that is just the other , the other 29:57.992 --> 29:59.937 caveat I make , it is still , it's 29:59.937 --> 30:02.048 still worth doing and it is the law . 30:02.048 --> 30:04.214 But I think again on the balance sheet 30:04.214 --> 30:03.950 side , I'm not sure that people at the 30:03.950 --> 30:06.172 end of the day will find the pay off is 30:06.172 --> 30:08.506 really there . I appreciate that answer . 30:08.506 --> 30:10.672 One quick question . Before I go , I , 30:10.672 --> 30:12.839 I may have asked you this before , but 30:12.839 --> 30:14.839 I'm not , I remember meeting with a 30:14.839 --> 30:18.230 group of from the war college and one 30:18.230 --> 30:21.790 of the things I asked them was uh do 30:21.790 --> 30:24.250 you all think a lot about this is 30:24.400 --> 30:26.289 probably three years ago ? It was 30:26.289 --> 30:28.400 before pre pandemic because they were 30:28.400 --> 30:30.567 in the office . And do you all think a 30:30.567 --> 30:32.678 lot about how artificial intelligence 30:32.678 --> 30:36.100 is affecting the military and will and 30:36.110 --> 30:38.221 they all their eyes all opened up and 30:38.221 --> 30:40.690 one of them said we talked about it all 30:40.690 --> 30:43.450 the time . I don't think there will 30:43.450 --> 30:46.810 ever be a strategic decision or 30:46.810 --> 30:49.130 tactical decision on a battlefield made 30:49.130 --> 30:51.352 again without artificial intelligence . 30:51.352 --> 30:53.408 And I asked the question because I'm 30:53.408 --> 30:55.463 curious as to what how much money is 30:55.463 --> 30:57.470 being spent on researching how 30:57.470 --> 31:00.790 artificial intelligence can enhance our 31:00.800 --> 31:03.710 our military operations and whether 31:03.720 --> 31:07.300 that's a high priority . It is a high 31:07.300 --> 31:09.522 priority in terms of how much is in the 31:09.522 --> 31:11.633 budget . It's it's a hard question to 31:11.633 --> 31:14.050 answer because like software , it's in 31:14.060 --> 31:16.227 it's not in everything yet but it's in 31:16.227 --> 31:18.282 many things and it's getting in more 31:18.282 --> 31:20.393 and more programs . It's part of more 31:20.393 --> 31:22.227 programs every day . I would say 31:22.227 --> 31:24.393 something that we kind of put our arms 31:24.393 --> 31:24.260 around think about the $2 billion 31:24.260 --> 31:26.280 dollar range right now . But the 31:26.280 --> 31:29.210 importance is growing rapidly . I would 31:29.210 --> 31:31.490 say along with quantum computing , it 31:31.490 --> 31:33.046 is it is one of two sort of 31:33.046 --> 31:35.268 foundational technological changes that 31:35.268 --> 31:37.434 we're looking in the national security 31:37.434 --> 31:39.490 world , not just the defense world , 31:39.490 --> 31:41.601 but the national security world . You 31:41.601 --> 31:43.712 are I think you are correct that that 31:43.712 --> 31:45.934 man machine teaming is already here and 31:45.934 --> 31:47.768 it's going to go , I know people 31:47.768 --> 31:47.480 sometimes focus on something that's 31:47.480 --> 31:50.270 entirely autonomous . We are we are not 31:50.270 --> 31:52.326 going to be quick to take the person 31:52.326 --> 31:54.326 out of the loop I think in terms of 31:54.326 --> 31:56.214 especially in terms of the use of 31:56.214 --> 31:58.159 lethal force , but the man machine 31:58.159 --> 32:00.048 teaming and the speed of decision 32:00.048 --> 32:02.048 making , it's already here and it's 32:02.048 --> 32:04.270 growing , it is a huge interest item of 32:04.270 --> 32:06.159 our of our Deputy Secretary whose 32:06.159 --> 32:08.214 services are C . 00 . Basically . Uh 32:08.214 --> 32:10.381 and there are a number of efforts that 32:10.381 --> 32:12.548 we've had to to increase the use of AI 32:13.040 --> 32:16.190 out in the combatant commands . Uh you 32:16.190 --> 32:18.301 know , we're we're sort of processing 32:18.301 --> 32:20.412 in real time current operations , but 32:20.412 --> 32:22.523 also on the back end and the pentagon 32:22.523 --> 32:24.746 in terms of decision making processes . 32:24.746 --> 32:26.801 So we're looking at sort of both the 32:26.801 --> 32:28.968 business side and the operational side 32:28.968 --> 32:31.246 of AI and she has created a new office , 32:31.246 --> 32:34.870 uh the Chief digital ah an AI Office 32:34.940 --> 32:37.051 to bring together some of these areas 32:37.051 --> 32:39.162 that were sort of in different places 32:39.162 --> 32:41.470 in terms of a focus on AI and how it 32:41.470 --> 32:44.740 how it affects our abilities . Again , 32:44.750 --> 32:46.750 the Secretary , the Secretary , you 32:46.750 --> 32:49.083 know , obviously is focused on this too , 32:49.083 --> 32:50.806 but the Deputy Secretary isn't 32:50.806 --> 32:52.861 particularly has this sort of for an 32:52.861 --> 32:54.972 action item under the Secretary as to 32:54.972 --> 32:57.028 how we can really be much more agile 32:57.028 --> 32:58.694 than we are today in terms of 32:58.694 --> 33:00.806 information flows . I think there are 33:00.806 --> 33:02.528 areas where we have incredible 33:02.528 --> 33:04.528 situational awareness and real time 33:04.528 --> 33:06.639 awareness . But AI is just increasing 33:06.639 --> 33:08.750 the need to to to speed your decision 33:08.750 --> 33:10.917 making and that is something that that 33:10.917 --> 33:13.139 we're very focused on how to get better 33:13.139 --> 33:15.361 at that because it is , it is clearly a 33:15.361 --> 33:17.660 foundational for the future . Great , I 33:17.670 --> 33:19.670 appreciate that answer . My time is 33:19.670 --> 33:22.520 expired . So I thank you again for 33:22.530 --> 33:24.586 coming before the committee today to 33:24.590 --> 33:27.110 present the President's D . O . D . 33:27.110 --> 33:29.250 Budget and appreciate your responses 33:29.250 --> 33:31.860 and if there's no further business , 33:31.870 --> 33:34.450 this hearing is adjourned .