WEBVTT

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Next , we'll hear from Mr Aguilar then .

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Mr Adam Holt . And Mr chris Mr Aguilar ,

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you're recognized . Thank you .

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Chairwoman and thank you Mr Secretary

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in General , Secretary Austin recently ,

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you spoke about the need to track and

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understand and respond to malign

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activities in the gray zone , including

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the information space and the need to

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invest in irregular warfare

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capabilities . What is the Ukrainian

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crisis teaching the nation about the

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importance of irregular warfare and

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appear in near peer fight

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again ? I think it's uh this is a thing

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that we need to be um Cable of

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addressing going forward and that we

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account for that in our strategy . Um

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we've seen the Russians engage in this

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type of activity in a consistent

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fashion throughout since since 2014

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we've watched this uh continue to

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unfold . So we'll need to make sure

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that we have the right capabilities and

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the and the people with the right

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skills to be relevant in in this this

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kind of activity going forward . How

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are we thinking about future policies ,

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existing policies that will enable us

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to compete effectively in this climate

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moving forward . And the policies are

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policies we need to make sure that they

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support um speed of effort and

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that that we are we have the

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authorities necessary to uh to get

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after the things that that again , will

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be effective in this in this fight . Uh

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and I think as with anything , these

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are policies and authorities will will

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evolve as we , you know , as we

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continue our efforts in this and other

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places around the globe . Thank you .

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Mr Secretary . I wanted to shift topics

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and talk about domestic violent

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extremism and express my support for

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your continued commitment to address

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threats of domestic violent extremism

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in the military . You previously spoke

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with us and said that 99.9% of troops

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served with dignity and honor . But a

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small number can have an outsized

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impact on a great organization . And

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you've talked about including reworking

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existing screening procedures for

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recruits , partnering with other

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federal agencies and revamping insider

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training programs and General Milley .

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You've spoken about these as well .

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These programs , Uh secretary , can you

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talk about how the fiscal year 23

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budget request continues support for

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these efforts ?

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It uh it certainly does allow us to

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continue to support the policies and

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procedures that we put into place . Uh

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and and again , I would echo what you

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said earlier . My firm belief has been

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and remains that 99.9% of our troops

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are focused on the right things and are

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doing the right things each and every

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day . We we certainly , as you pointed

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out , I need to do a good job , a

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better job of screening people as they

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come into the military . And also as as

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they are in the military , making sure

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that they remain focused on uh

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supporting uh those values that they've

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sworn an oath to uphold so so but but

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we have in this budget , we've asked

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for an ample amount of funds

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to to to support our efforts in

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that . You asked general domestic

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violent extremism . You've spoken with

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this committee about this in the past

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and and appreciate your comments . What

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more , what more can we do ? Um how

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should we be thinking through um future

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insider threats and and some of the um

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you know , policies that that might

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need to be addressed and changed . Um

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just a couple of things . First of all ,

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I think this size scale and scope of

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the problem is very , very small inside

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the military . Um Um and as the

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secretary just said , 99.9% of those in

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uniform are serving their country

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faithfully and their faithful adherence

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to their oath to the constitution of

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the United States . Having said that

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small numbers can make a big difference .

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Um if they choose to use violence in

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some manner , shape or form . So it all

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comes down to good order and discipline

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of the force . Uh and that is the role

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of the chain of command . So the best

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thing we can do um is to reinforce the

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authorities of the chain of command ,

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educate the chain of command to signs

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and indicators of radical extremism on

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one vent or another . Uh and then to

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take appropriate action . Uh if they

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identify someone who displays those

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sorts of behaviors were into behavior ,

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not thought , that's a very , very

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important distinction . Uh we're not

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out to govern people's thoughts , but

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behavior is a different matter . And

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that's what that's what the uniform

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code of military justice all about and

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that's one of the key roles of a chain

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of command . I appreciate the

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leadership that both of you have shown

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in this regard . And thank you for

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continuing to work with this committee

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and others to address these issues . Um

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moving forward and like you both said

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uh an incredibly small number , but we

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want to make sure that they were doing

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everything we can to protect the

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workforce to protect the country uh and

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ensure the proper leadership . So thank

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you both so much , yield back madam .

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Chair . Thank you . Mr alcohol , please .

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Thank you . Um Secretary Austin

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General Milley , under Secretary McCord .

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Thank you all three for being here

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today . My first question deals with of

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some uh mineral issues that we've

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potentially could have problems we

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could have in this country . Of course

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the Russian invasion of Ukraine has

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demonstrated how europe has been

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affected by reliance on Russia for

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resources like oil and gas . But a

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recent US geological survey report

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illustrated that the United States has

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similar reliant on Russia and china for

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some of our most critical mineral needs .

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And um I too have concerns about the

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defense industrial base being too

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reliant on countries that probably

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doesn't have our best interests at

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heart . Oh and I think certainly we all

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should agree that the time to address

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this and look at this now as opposed to

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wait until the crisis occurs . Uh I

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plan to work my colleagues to try to

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address this problem . Um My question ,

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you let me just rest this to you . Uh

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Secretary Austin , how concerned are

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you about the risk posed um to the

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defense industrial base by continued

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reliance on strategic adversaries for

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our critical minerals . And what else

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can we do to try to address this issue ?

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You raise a very , very good points .

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All right . This is an issue that's

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very important to us . It's also

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important to our country . It's

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important to our President . As you've

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seen , the President adopt an

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initiative that causes us all to focus

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more on our supply chain vulnerability .

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D . O . D certainly has a key part of

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that . Uh We're concerned about making

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sure that we have the right

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capabilities with respect to micro

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electronics , um casting and forging ,

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battery and energy and energy storage

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uh critical materials , as you pointed

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out , I want to make sure that we have

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the right uh amounts of stockpiles to

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to be able to support our efforts . So ,

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D . O . D . Is focused on this as a

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part of uh the overall government's

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effort . But to your point , this is

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very , very important to us . So this

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is something that you do have some

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great concerns about at this point .

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General Milley , do you have anything

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you want to add to that ? I'd concur

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100 concerned about us being overly

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reliant on raw materials , critical

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minerals , as you say from any country

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that's an adversary to the United

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States to the extent that's humanly

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possible that stuff should be produced

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in the United States and under our

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control . Let me just also , uh , you

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mentioned something that's already been

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asked about , but we've already talked

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about how we have done so much to send

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vital equipment to Ukraine . And um ,

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you know , of course , we can always

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debate whether we've seen enough and

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and that , but there's no doubt that

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the success they've had has been

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because of our helping in the process .

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But to follow up on a question that uh ,

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ranking member Granger , uh , much of

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the equipment that has come out of our

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own defense um , stockpiles and uh ,

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I'm glad that Congress has already

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appropriated three point point five

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billion to D . O . D to to backfill the

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transfer transferred equipment . And of

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course last night , the house passed

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legislation for additional support for

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Ukraine . It is clear that D . O . T .

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S equipment stocks could prove

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vital if a similar situation will arise

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in the pacific in Taiwan Taiwan , I'd

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like to get your thoughts on whether

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the Department of Defense level of

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stockpiled equipment , ammunitions

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should be grown to the levels larger

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and they were prior to Russia's

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invasion . Thanks , sir . Uh , and

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again , thanks for your support on

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getting the legislation through

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yesterday . That's that's that's very

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helpful to us . Um , as you know , we

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we base our decisions on the size of

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the stockpile , on our requirements .

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And uh , you know , as we look around

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at the global requirements to to

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support our plans . Uh , we we believe

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that the stockpiles are adequate and uh ,

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if we believe that we need to grow them

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based upon changing situations or

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changes in our plans , and certainly ,

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uh , well , we'll we'll do that , we'll

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take that on and and make sure that uh ,

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that we advise the president , that

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that's a necessity . But right now

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again , our requirements uh , put us in

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a place where we have the stock images

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that we have , and uh , and we think

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it's it's about right . So , do you do

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you think if we increased our

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stockpiles that would deter aggression

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by china towards Taiwan ? Um ,

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you know , our adversaries don't really

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know what we have in our stockpiles ,

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uh , nor should they , and uh , and so

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I'm not sure that that would act as a

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in in itself , as a deterrent . They'll

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judge . Uh , I mean , they'll

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base their judgment on , on our actions

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uh , in our demonstrated commitment ,

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uh , more so than than what they

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believe are stockpiles to be . Okay ,

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thank you . I yield back . Thank you .

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Mr Mr Mr Crist , then mr carter , and

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then MS kilpatrick Mr Christie

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recognized Thank you , Madam Chair . Um ,

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I want to express my gratitude to uh ,

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to you , Mr Secretary and general to

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you , as well as a member Ruppersberger

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mentioned in his beginning comments ,

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The service you provided to our country

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has been extraordinary and God bless

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you for your dedication to protecting

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America and freedom . Um so I was

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curious . I read about the

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hypersonic that were used against

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Odessa . Um obviously that's very

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disconcerting . And I wondered if you

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had any commentary if we should expect

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more of that or what were your your

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view of it ? Is either one of you

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please ? I would a couple of comments .

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One is the Russians have used uh

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several hypersonic missiles . Obviously

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the distinguishing factor of hypersonic

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missiles , the speed at which it

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travels . Uh and we have analyzed

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each of these shots that they've taken .

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Ah and I'd like to go into a classified

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session and discuss any of the specific

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details but other than the speed of the

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weapon in terms of its effect on a

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given target ? We are not seeing really

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significant or game changing effects to

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date with the delivery of the small

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number of hypersonic that the Russians

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have used . But I can elaborate further

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in a classified session if you'd like .

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Sure , I appreciate that the secretary ,

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you have any comment on that . I

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absolutely agree with the chairman and

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I've used a number of them . Ukrainians

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are still fighting and

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I'm leaving at that very well . Um is

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this the first time that we know that

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they have decided to utilize hyper

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sonics in this war . This

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terminal is the first time of use of

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hypersonic munitions in a combat

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situation ever . As far as I know .

12:44.540 --> 12:46.762
Yeah , hypersonic weapons . Yes , sir .

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I understand . But but the Russians

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have used them several times in this

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conflict . And uh and again , not a

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major game changer to this point .

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Great . Uh I know you don't

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have a crystal ball and it's hard to

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read Putin's mind , I'm sure . But

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given the fact that he's utilizing

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these weapons now , these missiles , do

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you think that exacerbates the

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potential for nuclear or not ?

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Or can you tell ? It's

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and very difficult to predict . You

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know what are to to say what Mr Putin

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is thinking . But I I don't I would not

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say that because he's used hypersonic

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weapon that that's gonna caused him to

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be willing to elevate to to use a

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nuclear weapon . Um You know , again ,

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he's he used hypersonic weapons weeks

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ago . And uh and I think he's trying to

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create a specific effect with the use

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of that weapon . And as the chairman

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has pointed out it moves at a speed

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that's very makes it very difficult to

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interdict . But it hasn't been a game

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changer . He has options . You know ,

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he can you know , I mean , you can

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launch uh a cyber attack ,

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can employ chemical weapons , uh those

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kinds of things that we're all on a

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look out for to see if , you know , he

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makes those kinds of decisions . But I

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don't think that that this necessarily

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takes him to uh the use of a of a

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nuclear weapon . So we voted

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last night , the House For $40 billion

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dollars to help Ukraine . Hopefully the

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Senate will do that soon . Are we doing

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enough to keep Ukraine free and protect

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our ally as much as we should be ?

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We're doing a lot . Um , and , you know ,

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our allies are doing a lot and we're

14:48.296 --> 14:50.518
going to continue to do everything that

14:50.518 --> 14:52.880
we can for as long as we can to help

14:52.880 --> 14:55.060
them defend their , their uh , their

14:55.060 --> 14:58.970
sovereign space . And and so , um ,

14:58.980 --> 15:00.758
I think the Ukrainians are very

15:00.758 --> 15:03.036
grateful for what we're doing for them .

15:03.036 --> 15:05.258
It has made a significant difference in

15:05.258 --> 15:08.040
their ability to to blunt the the uh

15:08.050 --> 15:11.330
the advance of uh , of a superior

15:11.340 --> 15:14.660
Russian force . Uh and and so again ,

15:15.140 --> 15:17.380
and their needs will change as this ,

15:17.390 --> 15:20.440
as this war evolves at the beginning of

15:20.440 --> 15:22.440
the fight . Sir , you remember , we

15:22.440 --> 15:25.110
were focused a lot on providing anti

15:25.110 --> 15:28.670
armor and anti aircraft weaponry that

15:28.680 --> 15:30.847
really put them in a in a good place .

15:30.847 --> 15:33.680
It helped to uh help them win the

15:33.680 --> 15:35.850
battle of Kiev in the north . But as

15:35.850 --> 15:38.017
the fight has shifted to the south and

15:38.017 --> 15:40.560
to the east , we now see uh , that they

15:40.560 --> 15:42.504
have more of a need for long range

15:42.504 --> 15:45.070
artillery , tanks , and armored

15:45.070 --> 15:47.237
vehicles and those sorts of things and

15:47.237 --> 15:49.070
and working with our allies were

15:49.070 --> 15:50.959
talking talking to the Ukrainians

15:50.959 --> 15:53.181
routinely , and we're trying to provide

15:53.181 --> 15:55.348
them exactly what they think they need

15:55.348 --> 15:57.459
in the fight . Right well , thank you

15:57.459 --> 15:59.514
both again very much for what you're

15:59.514 --> 16:01.681
doing and protecting this democracy in

16:01.681 --> 16:03.903
this great ally of the US . Thank you ,

16:03.903 --> 16:07.860
Madam Chair Mr

16:07.860 --> 16:09.950
carter and Mr kilpatrick and then Mr

16:09.950 --> 16:12.117
Diaz Ballard , you'll be joining us by

16:12.117 --> 16:14.490
video . Mr carter . Gentlemen , welcome .

16:14.490 --> 16:17.430
Thank you for being here . Hello , Tell

16:17.430 --> 16:19.430
you about a conversation I had with

16:19.940 --> 16:22.240
group of people in my district last

16:22.240 --> 16:26.020
week . Oh , you know , we're

16:26.020 --> 16:28.840
all , I've got ford hood in my district .

16:28.840 --> 16:31.360
You all know that I'm very , very proud

16:31.360 --> 16:35.060
of men and women deserving uniform .

16:35.540 --> 16:37.830
And I commend you for trying to give

16:37.830 --> 16:41.000
them the very best . But we also , as

16:41.000 --> 16:43.310
we take care of our war fighters have

16:43.310 --> 16:45.960
to remember the burdens the things in

16:45.960 --> 16:49.480
the real world have on the that is the

16:49.480 --> 16:53.390
economy has on the the families

16:53.390 --> 16:56.790
of these these war fighters right

16:56.790 --> 16:59.650
now , what's going on in our part of

17:00.140 --> 17:03.580
texas is our mobile population in

17:03.580 --> 17:06.790
America . Americans are

17:06.790 --> 17:09.770
migrating to texas in

17:10.140 --> 17:13.640
gigantic numbers , carrying large

17:13.640 --> 17:17.060
amounts of money from real estate sales

17:17.540 --> 17:20.080
they made in other states that they

17:20.080 --> 17:23.960
left . So not only are they driving up

17:24.540 --> 17:27.850
the cost of housing ridiculously high

17:28.340 --> 17:32.260
House worth $350,000 real

17:32.260 --> 17:35.880
worth you're selling for a million and

17:35.880 --> 17:38.890
so forth . Therefore , even though

17:39.260 --> 17:42.330
smaller homes that might be available

17:42.380 --> 17:46.280
for servicemen and women off post be

17:46.280 --> 17:49.270
driven being driven up 2 700 to

17:49.270 --> 17:52.860
$900,000 and then

17:53.540 --> 17:56.270
with a with a bit of it of a V . A

17:57.040 --> 17:59.670
loan , they can compete in that market .

18:00.640 --> 18:03.960
The bars . I mean the sellers don't

18:04.340 --> 18:07.580
walt V . A loans because the other guys

18:07.580 --> 18:11.060
are offering cash that drives our

18:11.540 --> 18:14.890
however military families in the rental

18:14.890 --> 18:18.790
market , the real market is growing at

18:18.790 --> 18:22.610
the same rate . So something that Six

18:22.610 --> 18:26.470
months ago was $250 a month ,

18:26.480 --> 18:30.400
$2,000 a month . It's now $4500 a

18:30.400 --> 18:33.960
month . Something that was Like $1,000

18:33.960 --> 18:37.770
a month now , $2,500 a month .

18:39.240 --> 18:41.184
Now I realize you're giving them a

18:41.184 --> 18:43.407
raise and I'm really happy about that .

18:43.740 --> 18:47.380
Have you considered increasing bh B

18:47.380 --> 18:50.360
H levels to meet this type of

18:50.840 --> 18:54.520
inflationary challenge they were seeing

18:54.640 --> 18:57.940
around our post , not just in texas in

18:57.940 --> 19:00.500
many other parts of the country . I'd

19:00.500 --> 19:02.278
like to hear your comments . Mr

19:02.278 --> 19:04.670
Secretary and also General Milley .

19:05.140 --> 19:06.862
Thanks sir and thanks for your

19:06.862 --> 19:08.918
tremendous support of our troops and

19:08.918 --> 19:10.950
families . That in in the fort hood

19:10.950 --> 19:14.290
area that's a pretty important part of

19:14.300 --> 19:17.200
our overall structure in the military

19:17.200 --> 19:20.660
here . Big installation . This is a

19:20.660 --> 19:23.150
very important issue to me , you know

19:23.150 --> 19:25.261
that the health and well being of our

19:25.261 --> 19:27.539
family , family members and our troops .

19:27.840 --> 19:30.730
Um you saw us take some action last

19:30.730 --> 19:34.670
year or this year uh to increase bh in

19:34.670 --> 19:37.300
certain areas that were challenged by

19:37.300 --> 19:40.160
the forces that you just mentioned what

19:40.160 --> 19:42.104
we're asking for in this budget is

19:42.104 --> 19:44.104
helped to do more of the same going

19:44.104 --> 19:46.049
forward . I think this is really ,

19:46.049 --> 19:48.271
really important . Um you know that the

19:48.271 --> 19:51.560
strain caused by rising rent

19:51.570 --> 19:55.500
costs and uh and you know ,

19:55.500 --> 19:58.140
a number of other things really kind of

19:58.140 --> 20:00.251
creating some adverse effects for our

20:00.251 --> 20:02.140
our lower ranking enlisted and we

20:02.140 --> 20:04.850
remain sighted on this . So , so we're

20:04.850 --> 20:07.017
asking for that some help with that in

20:07.017 --> 20:09.183
this budget . We're also asking for $2

20:09.183 --> 20:11.720
billion dollars to support the

20:11.730 --> 20:14.030
construction of family housing ,

20:14.030 --> 20:15.808
military family housing and the

20:15.808 --> 20:17.974
improvement of military family housing

20:18.030 --> 20:21.320
as well . So thanks for your support

20:21.330 --> 20:23.980
thus far and I believe this is really ,

20:23.980 --> 20:26.147
really important . And so we're asking

20:26.147 --> 20:28.313
for more help so we can do more of the

20:28.313 --> 20:31.720
same in the future . And I would echo

20:31.730 --> 20:33.619
everything the secretary said the

20:33.619 --> 20:35.841
congressman , I've known you for a long

20:35.841 --> 20:37.952
time and uh I have many fond memories

20:37.952 --> 20:39.619
of ford Hood myself and heard

20:39.619 --> 20:41.730
congressman calvert say most of those

20:41.730 --> 20:43.897
people are coming from California . So

20:43.897 --> 20:46.008
um I questioned uh with her not texas

20:46.008 --> 20:47.897
made the right choice there , but

20:47.897 --> 20:50.119
having said that , that was meant to be

20:50.119 --> 20:53.310
funny . Um look soldier , soldiers

20:53.310 --> 20:56.390
don't ask for much uh they they want

20:56.400 --> 20:58.511
good housing , good healthcare , good

20:58.511 --> 21:00.567
education and a safe environment for

21:00.567 --> 21:02.678
their family and and I believe that I

21:02.678 --> 21:04.844
know that the Secretary of Defense has

21:04.844 --> 21:06.956
the entire department focused on it .

21:06.956 --> 21:08.956
Uh and and I will personally take a

21:08.956 --> 21:11.500
hard look at the Bh numbers to see if

21:11.510 --> 21:13.343
it's appropriate to make further

21:13.343 --> 21:15.066
recommendations on any further

21:15.066 --> 21:17.460
increases in terms of housing allowance

21:17.460 --> 21:19.770
is specific to the Fort Hood area or

21:19.770 --> 21:21.960
other areas that are experiencing that

21:22.740 --> 21:24.962
the the gentleman , you'll you'll enjoy

21:24.962 --> 21:27.184
my constituents , they're fine people .

21:27.184 --> 21:30.860
I hope so . I hope so . I have another

21:30.860 --> 21:33.193
question , but I know over another down ,

21:33.193 --> 21:35.304
we'll make sure it gets submitted for

21:35.304 --> 21:37.416
the record . Um Thank you . And uh as

21:37.416 --> 21:39.304
you know , there's a freeway that

21:39.304 --> 21:41.416
connects texas in Minnesota , we have

21:41.416 --> 21:43.580
better fishing . Um so MS MS

21:43.580 --> 21:45.747
kirkpatrick , we're gonna go to you Mr

21:45.747 --> 21:47.747
Diaz Ballard . If you wouldn't mind

21:47.747 --> 21:49.858
getting ready to turn on your video .

21:49.858 --> 21:53.020
Thank you . Mr Patrick . Thank you ,

21:53.020 --> 21:55.680
madam . Chair . My first question has

21:55.680 --> 21:58.330
to do with climate change . Mr

21:58.330 --> 22:00.740
Secretary , I'm pleased to see the

22:00.740 --> 22:03.350
concerted effort in the budget

22:03.840 --> 22:06.300
addressing climate change . The

22:06.300 --> 22:08.410
Department of Defense has recognized

22:08.410 --> 22:10.950
for a while that a changing climate

22:10.950 --> 22:13.450
will have significant economic impacts

22:13.940 --> 22:17.050
across the globe , lead to food

22:17.060 --> 22:20.950
insecurity issues and potential shifts

22:21.340 --> 22:24.580
in regional balances . The Department

22:24.580 --> 22:28.550
of Defense is proposing to invest 3.1

22:28.550 --> 22:32.350
billion in this budget for increased

22:32.360 --> 22:35.860
generators storage and resiliency at

22:35.860 --> 22:38.690
military installations , which is a top

22:38.690 --> 22:41.770
priority for watch for Fort Watch chuka

22:41.780 --> 22:44.500
and Davis Mountain Air Force Base in my

22:44.500 --> 22:48.380
district . This funding would also go

22:48.380 --> 22:51.470
toward improved energy efficiency and

22:51.470 --> 22:55.030
logistics and research in reducing

22:55.030 --> 22:58.670
energy demand , improved storage and

22:58.680 --> 23:02.290
other energy supplies . Secretary

23:02.290 --> 23:04.860
Austin , what are your goals as you

23:04.860 --> 23:07.800
direct the department's efforts to meet

23:07.810 --> 23:11.750
the climate challenge ? Well ,

23:11.750 --> 23:15.380
thank you . And I think you nailed

23:15.380 --> 23:17.670
it right away when you mentioned that

23:18.240 --> 23:20.780
this does affect not only our our

23:20.780 --> 23:22.558
installations as we look at our

23:22.558 --> 23:24.613
installations and the in the coastal

23:24.613 --> 23:27.580
regions with the effects of rising

23:27.590 --> 23:31.240
water levels , the effects of severe

23:31.240 --> 23:34.970
weather as we have had deployed troops

23:35.640 --> 23:38.220
with a greater frequency to address the

23:38.220 --> 23:41.500
aftermath of severe storms were

23:41.500 --> 23:44.360
deploying troops to fight fires . But

23:44.360 --> 23:46.527
to your point that you made earlier in

23:46.527 --> 23:48.749
the in the regions that we operate in ,

23:48.840 --> 23:52.050
we're seeing climate change ,

23:52.440 --> 23:55.990
cause migration in some cases and

23:55.990 --> 23:58.212
competition , increased competition for

23:58.212 --> 24:01.470
water . So D . O . D . Is the is the

24:01.470 --> 24:04.420
largest consumer of energy in the in

24:04.430 --> 24:07.270
the in the government . Uh Our goal is

24:07.270 --> 24:09.437
to make sure that we reduce our carbon

24:09.437 --> 24:12.160
footprint by reverting to , you know ,

24:12.170 --> 24:14.990
our installations using more electric

24:14.990 --> 24:18.240
vehicles . I've challenged our

24:18.240 --> 24:20.462
installation commanders to find ways to

24:20.462 --> 24:22.796
be more efficient in their energy usage .

24:22.940 --> 24:25.520
Uh and so we have a number of ongoing

24:25.530 --> 24:28.420
projects and efforts to reduce the

24:28.420 --> 24:30.910
carbon footprint and be more good , be

24:30.910 --> 24:33.370
better stewards of of , you know , our

24:33.370 --> 24:36.300
resources here . But I again , to the

24:36.300 --> 24:38.411
point that you've made , we're asking

24:38.411 --> 24:41.450
for $3.1 billion dollars in this budget

24:41.460 --> 24:44.370
to help with our efforts in addressing

24:44.740 --> 24:47.140
installation resiliency and energy

24:47.140 --> 24:50.840
storage . Thank you .

24:50.940 --> 24:53.450
My second question is for General

24:53.450 --> 24:56.470
Milley , it has to do with military

24:56.470 --> 24:59.590
medical reforms , the military health

24:59.590 --> 25:01.990
system is undergoing its most

25:01.990 --> 25:04.330
significant transfer transformation in

25:04.330 --> 25:08.040
decades . Medical reforms have included

25:08.040 --> 25:10.880
a transition of military treatment

25:10.880 --> 25:13.880
facilities from control of the services

25:13.880 --> 25:16.860
to the department of health agencies

25:17.240 --> 25:19.860
and reducing military medical manpower

25:19.870 --> 25:22.510
in support of the services we follow

25:22.510 --> 25:26.240
the lead of the priorities . General

25:26.240 --> 25:28.296
Milley , are you concerned about the

25:28.296 --> 25:31.250
direction of military military medical

25:31.250 --> 25:33.630
manpower ? Are efforts being

25:33.630 --> 25:36.090
coordinated across the military

25:36.090 --> 25:39.750
services and with the joint staff ? And

25:39.750 --> 25:41.917
what are the concerns with the medical

25:41.917 --> 25:44.380
manpower reductions ? The services are

25:44.380 --> 25:45.450
anticipating

25:47.440 --> 25:50.510
the thank thanks for the question . The

25:50.520 --> 25:52.687
key issue here is the readiness of the

25:52.687 --> 25:54.909
forest and the medical readiness of the

25:54.909 --> 25:57.187
forest . And do we have enough doctors ,

25:57.187 --> 26:01.040
nurses and medics uh or Corman uh in

26:01.040 --> 26:04.690
the uh fielded force to handle combat

26:04.690 --> 26:06.910
conditions . And are there enough

26:06.920 --> 26:09.700
doctors and nurses available to man

26:09.700 --> 26:11.644
combat support hospitals and other

26:11.644 --> 26:13.756
field hospitals that are necessary in

26:13.756 --> 26:15.867
combat ? And and candidly , I do have

26:15.867 --> 26:17.756
concerns about that . It's a very

26:17.756 --> 26:19.644
challenging subset of our overall

26:19.644 --> 26:22.260
military personnel challenges , but

26:22.260 --> 26:24.370
that one in particular causes great

26:24.370 --> 26:26.481
attention because in time of war , as

26:26.481 --> 26:28.592
we all know , there'll be significant

26:28.592 --> 26:30.814
casualties in peacetime . You're you're

26:30.814 --> 26:33.037
manning these uh treatment facilities ,

26:33.037 --> 26:34.981
these hospitals and clinics but in

26:34.981 --> 26:37.092
wartime they're gonna go forward . Uh

26:37.092 --> 26:39.259
And that is where the readiness issues

26:39.259 --> 26:41.426
will show up right now . We're okay on

26:41.426 --> 26:43.370
a day to day basis . But I do have

26:43.370 --> 26:45.250
concerns that if we did have a

26:45.260 --> 26:47.390
significant conflict in terms of our

26:47.390 --> 26:49.557
medical personnel and their ability to

26:49.557 --> 26:52.640
deploy Madam chair ? I have another

26:52.640 --> 26:54.696
question , but I'm just about out of

26:54.696 --> 26:56.730
time . So I'll submit that for the

26:56.730 --> 26:59.270
record and I yield back . Thank you .

27:01.440 --> 27:03.496
Thank you MS kirkpatrick . And we're

27:03.496 --> 27:05.730
going to be having a military health

27:05.740 --> 27:08.040
hearing or we'll get in more depth than

27:08.040 --> 27:10.550
that . Mr Diaz Balart has so many

27:10.550 --> 27:12.606
questions for the record , he had to

27:12.606 --> 27:14.717
leave . So we're going to ensure that

27:14.717 --> 27:16.994
Mr Rogers and then Mr excuse me , miss ,

27:16.994 --> 27:20.640
boost house Mr Rogers , the

27:20.640 --> 27:24.390
secretary undersecretary , but it's on

27:25.240 --> 27:28.060
you hear in general ,

27:28.640 --> 27:30.410
Welcome and thank you for your

27:30.410 --> 27:33.050
lifetimes of service to the country .

27:34.240 --> 27:36.810
It's appreciated by millions of

27:36.810 --> 27:40.710
americans . Um Let me bring up a topic

27:40.710 --> 27:44.580
that it is tough to deal

27:44.580 --> 27:47.860
with . And that's escalation are the

27:47.860 --> 27:51.170
possibilities of escalation in Ukraine .

27:52.140 --> 27:55.870
I know it's our policy uh to

27:55.880 --> 27:59.350
not be directly involved . Uh

27:59.350 --> 28:02.240
and you've maintained that distance .

28:03.040 --> 28:06.710
However , the Russians have no

28:06.720 --> 28:09.020
compunction about the morals or fair

28:09.020 --> 28:12.270
play or rules of war if he will

28:13.240 --> 28:15.670
and are demonstrating that daily

28:17.240 --> 28:21.160
um suppose for a moment

28:22.140 --> 28:24.620
that the Russians decided to go after

28:24.630 --> 28:27.930
the missile sites in Poland

28:28.740 --> 28:32.550
or in the region of any sort ,

28:33.940 --> 28:37.880
what do we do ? What are the

28:37.880 --> 28:40.760
rules of the game that we're into here

28:40.760 --> 28:43.660
in this and this battle .

28:45.140 --> 28:48.000
Well , thanks , sir . Um and to your

28:48.000 --> 28:51.460
point is always dangerous .

28:52.430 --> 28:55.460
Two go down the road of hypotheticals ,

28:55.460 --> 28:57.682
but this is an issue that's very , very

28:57.682 --> 29:01.670
important . Uh If if Russia decides to

29:01.680 --> 29:04.840
attack any nation , that's a NATO

29:04.850 --> 29:07.520
member , uh then it's that's a game

29:07.520 --> 29:10.960
changer . Uh then , you know , by

29:11.540 --> 29:15.050
um With respect to the Article five

29:15.050 --> 29:18.870
commitments , uh certainly NATO would

29:18.870 --> 29:21.980
most likely respond as a as a coalition

29:21.990 --> 29:24.101
in some shape , form or fashion . And

29:24.101 --> 29:26.101
this is the thing that , you know ,

29:26.101 --> 29:28.268
NATO has , has looked at what it takes

29:28.268 --> 29:30.560
to defend NATO countries . It's a thing

29:30.560 --> 29:33.580
that's important to us as well . But as

29:33.580 --> 29:36.450
you look at Putin's calculus , my view ,

29:36.460 --> 29:38.571
and I'm sure the chairman has his own

29:38.571 --> 29:40.460
view . But my view is that Russia

29:40.460 --> 29:43.210
doesn't want to take on the NATO NATO

29:43.210 --> 29:47.200
alliance . He's got , you know ,

29:47.210 --> 29:50.590
a number of troops , a raid in the in

29:50.590 --> 29:52.701
the region right now on the Ukrainian

29:52.701 --> 29:55.870
border . Uh and uh he had some in

29:55.870 --> 29:59.040
Belarus and still has some there . But

29:59.050 --> 30:02.350
there are 1.9 million uh , forces in

30:02.350 --> 30:06.170
NATO . NATO has the most most advanced

30:06.180 --> 30:09.760
capabilities of any alliance in

30:09.770 --> 30:12.300
in in the world , in terms of aircraft

30:12.310 --> 30:15.560
ships , uh , you know , types of

30:15.940 --> 30:18.560
weaponry that the ground forces use .

30:18.620 --> 30:20.509
So this is a fight that he really

30:20.509 --> 30:22.620
doesn't want to have . And that would

30:22.620 --> 30:24.842
very quickly escalate into another type

30:24.842 --> 30:27.176
of competition that no one wants to see .

30:29.140 --> 30:32.900
Yeah , I would just uh say congressman

30:32.900 --> 30:35.780
Rogers that um we monitor this

30:35.790 --> 30:37.901
literally every day . It's one of the

30:37.901 --> 30:40.068
most significant things we're doing is

30:40.068 --> 30:41.901
monitoring the potential risk of

30:41.901 --> 30:44.850
escalation in any domain uh and by

30:44.850 --> 30:47.128
geography , by type of weapon etcetera .

30:47.128 --> 30:49.239
And it's something that the Secretary

30:49.239 --> 30:51.017
has this laser focused on , the

30:51.017 --> 30:53.239
President , has this laser focused on ?

30:53.239 --> 30:52.370
And the national security establishment

30:52.370 --> 30:54.720
is monitoring very very closely . We

30:54.720 --> 30:56.990
can give you a more thorough briefings

30:57.000 --> 30:59.222
in a classified session . You asked the

30:59.222 --> 31:01.444
question about what we would do ? Uh Of

31:01.444 --> 31:03.740
course that's speculative . But there

31:03.740 --> 31:05.907
are conditions , there are contingency

31:05.907 --> 31:08.018
plans . There are things that we have

31:08.018 --> 31:10.296
looked at and will continue to look at .

31:10.296 --> 31:09.950
And we monitored every single day very

31:09.950 --> 31:13.540
very closely are we prepared to respond

31:13.550 --> 31:17.500
in some fashion ? I would say

31:17.510 --> 31:20.160
that it depends on the , you know , the

31:20.160 --> 31:23.400
situation type weapon uh nature of

31:23.400 --> 31:25.233
escalation . Where was it was an

31:25.233 --> 31:27.344
Article five , was it not ? There's a

31:27.344 --> 31:29.567
there's a laundry list of questions and

31:29.567 --> 31:29.230
depends on what the answers to those

31:29.230 --> 31:31.452
questions are . But in the short answer

31:31.452 --> 31:33.619
is yes , of course we are militarily .

31:33.619 --> 31:35.841
We're very capable of responding to any

31:35.841 --> 31:37.674
form or fashion of escalation if

31:37.674 --> 31:39.841
directed by the President . And and so

31:39.841 --> 31:42.008
you've heard the President say that we

31:42.008 --> 31:44.570
will defend every inch of NATO . Uh And

31:44.570 --> 31:48.290
you saw that resolve demonstrated uh

31:48.300 --> 31:50.460
shortly after Putin launched his

31:50.460 --> 31:53.290
invasion into Ukraine , we deployed

31:53.290 --> 31:57.050
forces to reassure our allies in the

31:57.050 --> 31:59.410
Baltic states and on the eastern front

31:59.420 --> 32:02.570
of of NATO . Uh And the president has

32:02.570 --> 32:05.160
been very clear about about his resolve

32:05.540 --> 32:09.140
uh throughout this , he is committed to

32:09.140 --> 32:12.330
defending every inch of NATO . Thank

32:12.330 --> 32:15.920
you gentlemen . Thank you . Mr

32:15.920 --> 32:18.360
Rogers . I'm going to read the next

32:18.360 --> 32:20.870
four speakers . However , I will

32:20.870 --> 32:23.590
recognize Mr cole , Should he walk in

32:23.590 --> 32:26.160
immediately after MS bustos ? He's

32:26.170 --> 32:28.440
ranking member on an NH sharing is

32:28.440 --> 32:30.607
taking place across the hall with that

32:30.607 --> 32:33.080
will be miss boost owes Miss Kaptur ,

32:33.090 --> 32:35.430
Mr Ryan and Mr Kilmer , Mrs bastos ,

32:35.430 --> 32:37.486
you're now recognized . Okay , thank

32:37.486 --> 32:39.597
you madam Chair , appreciate it . And

32:39.597 --> 32:41.597
thanks to our distinguished panel ,

32:41.597 --> 32:43.874
appreciate your service to our country .

32:43.874 --> 32:46.041
Um I the congressional district that I

32:46.041 --> 32:48.263
represent is in uh the entire northwest

32:48.263 --> 32:50.041
corner of the state of Illinois

32:50.041 --> 32:52.208
includes the Rock Island arsenal . And

32:52.208 --> 32:54.263
so I'd like to ask a question around

32:54.263 --> 32:56.208
that . Um you know , we talk a lot

32:56.208 --> 32:58.490
about ships and planes and space

32:58.490 --> 33:00.546
capabilities when we when we look at

33:00.546 --> 33:03.160
our our national defense . Um it but

33:03.160 --> 33:05.460
the majority of the sustainment burden

33:06.140 --> 33:09.700
um for a prolonged conflict is

33:09.710 --> 33:11.377
going to rest with the army ,

33:11.377 --> 33:13.543
specifically the sustainment command .

33:13.940 --> 33:17.230
And obviously that is part of the

33:17.230 --> 33:19.590
arsenal that leads to my question . Um

33:19.600 --> 33:21.822
if you if you look at history , we know

33:21.822 --> 33:23.767
the pivotal role that the the army

33:23.767 --> 33:25.933
played in our victories in the pacific

33:25.933 --> 33:27.933
during World War Two . So wondering

33:27.933 --> 33:30.750
about the how we prioritize and account

33:30.750 --> 33:32.639
for this in the army's budget and

33:32.639 --> 33:35.280
planning if we assume significantly

33:35.280 --> 33:37.391
larger investments in the departments

33:37.391 --> 33:40.550
of Air Force and Navy and maybe uh well ,

33:40.550 --> 33:42.661
we'll start with you , General Austin

33:42.661 --> 33:45.510
if you could address that please , of

33:45.510 --> 33:47.621
course . You know , we start with the

33:47.621 --> 33:51.270
strategy as we've said earlier .

33:51.640 --> 33:54.160
Uh and then we make our investments

33:54.160 --> 33:56.160
based upon what it takes to support

33:56.160 --> 33:58.271
that strategy . And you are correct ,

33:58.271 --> 34:01.640
the army has played a critical role in

34:01.650 --> 34:03.950
in the past . It is playing a critical

34:03.950 --> 34:05.950
role as we speak and it will always

34:05.950 --> 34:08.061
play a critical role . Uh If you look

34:08.061 --> 34:10.360
at what what the secretary of the army

34:10.360 --> 34:13.410
and the and the chief of the army uh is

34:13.420 --> 34:15.980
what they're trying to do in terms of

34:15.990 --> 34:18.046
making sure that they can meet their

34:18.046 --> 34:20.046
requirements and also modernize the

34:20.046 --> 34:22.110
force going forward . You know ,

34:22.110 --> 34:23.980
they're basing their request for

34:23.980 --> 34:26.480
resources on that . And we think , as

34:26.480 --> 34:28.647
you've heard me say earlier , I mean ,

34:28.647 --> 34:32.010
there's there's 13 billion dollars are

34:32.010 --> 34:35.020
so focused on in in this budget ,

34:35.020 --> 34:36.964
focused on making sure that we can

34:36.964 --> 34:39.180
maintain a combat credible land force

34:39.180 --> 34:41.440
for both the army and the marines and

34:41.450 --> 34:44.800
and and I really like what we see both

34:44.800 --> 34:47.022
the army and the marines doing in terms

34:47.022 --> 34:49.133
of their investment and modernization

34:49.133 --> 34:51.300
and and they're focused on making sure

34:51.300 --> 34:52.911
that they're relevant in any

34:52.911 --> 34:55.420
competition , especially uh any

34:55.420 --> 34:57.610
anticipated competition with our any

34:57.610 --> 35:00.710
indo pacific general Milley , anything

35:00.710 --> 35:04.580
to add to that the the army um relative

35:04.580 --> 35:06.580
to the pacific and relative to some

35:06.580 --> 35:08.691
sort of scenario against the people's

35:08.691 --> 35:10.380
Republic of china . It is our

35:10.380 --> 35:12.436
estimation that the weight of effort

35:12.436 --> 35:14.602
would likely be air and sea , maritime

35:14.602 --> 35:17.980
and and and and air forces . But having

35:17.980 --> 35:20.202
said that the marines and the army will

35:20.202 --> 35:22.424
play a very , very critical role in any

35:22.424 --> 35:24.647
of those scenarios as they did . And as

35:24.647 --> 35:26.647
you mentioned in World War Two , um

35:26.647 --> 35:26.330
even though that was a maritime theater ,

35:26.330 --> 35:28.552
there was a tremendous amount of island

35:28.552 --> 35:30.719
landings and seizures and so on and so

35:30.719 --> 35:32.941
forth . So it is not a singular service

35:32.941 --> 35:34.719
that is always a joint force uh

35:34.719 --> 35:36.886
executing combined arms operations and

35:36.886 --> 35:38.774
all the domains of war to achieve

35:38.774 --> 35:41.550
integrated deterrence before war or to

35:41.560 --> 35:44.170
achieve victory in the conduct of war .

35:44.380 --> 35:46.380
The army plays a very critical role

35:46.380 --> 35:48.547
there . So some of the things the army

35:48.547 --> 35:51.540
is doing uh in in this budget in in in

35:51.540 --> 35:53.596
in in their modernization programs .

35:53.596 --> 35:55.429
Long range precision fires , for

35:55.429 --> 35:57.429
example , is really critical to any

35:57.429 --> 35:59.318
type of conflict in the pacific .

35:59.318 --> 36:01.484
Another one is the transformation of a

36:01.484 --> 36:03.730
bunch of uh their formations into multi

36:03.730 --> 36:06.250
domain task forces . As another example ,

36:06.520 --> 36:08.470
they are making some fundamental

36:08.470 --> 36:10.490
changes in the development of rotor

36:10.490 --> 36:12.768
wing aircraft and future vertical lift .

36:12.960 --> 36:15.182
There's a whole series of modernization

36:15.182 --> 36:17.349
initiatives as we move into the future

36:17.349 --> 36:19.571
into the change in the character of war

36:19.571 --> 36:21.682
into the future operating environment

36:21.682 --> 36:21.420
that the army is doing to transform

36:21.420 --> 36:23.364
itself so that they can achieve an

36:23.364 --> 36:25.309
effect not only in the pacific but

36:25.309 --> 36:27.142
anywhere else in the world . The

36:27.142 --> 36:29.309
modernization efforts are , are really

36:29.309 --> 36:31.309
exciting . I coach here , the , the

36:31.309 --> 36:33.420
Army Depot and arsenal caucus I coach

36:33.420 --> 36:35.587
here that and we were briefed recently

36:35.587 --> 36:37.753
on the modernization efforts and I'm ,

36:37.753 --> 36:39.976
I'm going to get into that a little bit

36:39.976 --> 36:42.031
as well . So also at the Rock Island

36:42.031 --> 36:44.142
arsenal were designated as the Army's

36:44.142 --> 36:43.860
Advanced Manufacturing Center of

36:43.860 --> 36:46.082
Excellence . We're very proud of that .

36:46.082 --> 36:48.193
And , you know , obviously supporting

36:48.193 --> 36:49.693
the Army's overall goal of

36:49.693 --> 36:51.916
modernization . So I'd like to get your

36:51.916 --> 36:54.082
thoughts on the importance of advanced

36:54.082 --> 36:55.971
and additive manufacturing to the

36:55.971 --> 36:58.138
Defense Department . Um , that is what

36:58.138 --> 37:00.138
is being uh centralized through the

37:00.138 --> 37:02.610
arsenal . General Thanks and thanks for

37:02.610 --> 37:04.810
your support throughout that . Uh ,

37:04.820 --> 37:06.931
this is a very important capability .

37:06.931 --> 37:09.390
Uh you know , if you look at additive

37:09.400 --> 37:12.020
manufacturing , it enables us to

37:12.020 --> 37:15.280
produce some some exquisite types of

37:15.290 --> 37:19.250
components , um , and we can do that

37:19.250 --> 37:22.530
forward uh and uh and and save time and

37:22.530 --> 37:24.920
and stress on our on our logistical

37:24.920 --> 37:27.140
change . Uh and uh and so I think it's

37:27.140 --> 37:29.590
a great capability . And as this

37:29.590 --> 37:31.479
continues to develop , I'm pretty

37:31.479 --> 37:34.120
excited about the possibilities , but

37:34.130 --> 37:36.352
we know that , you know , a lot of that

37:36.352 --> 37:39.130
is playing out in your home state and

37:39.130 --> 37:41.241
we we appreciate the support that you

37:41.241 --> 37:43.740
provided them 13 seconds left . General

37:43.740 --> 37:45.962
Milley . Anything to add to that . It's

37:45.962 --> 37:48.018
a great capability and we appreciate

37:48.018 --> 37:50.240
what's happening at Rock Island for the

37:50.240 --> 37:49.640
entire force . You guys come over and

37:49.640 --> 37:51.640
see us . Okay ? Absolutely , you're

37:51.640 --> 37:53.610
invited . Thank you . I yield back

37:53.610 --> 37:56.280
madam Chair . Thank you . Um , Mr cole

37:56.290 --> 37:58.401
unfortunately will not be joining the

37:58.401 --> 38:00.680
soviet cap . Miss Kaptur , Mr Ryan , Mr

38:00.680 --> 38:02.902
Kilmer . And then Mr calvert and I will

38:02.902 --> 38:06.640
um , wrap up the hearing . Miss Kaptur .

38:07.120 --> 38:09.350
Thank you , madam Chair um Secretary

38:09.350 --> 38:11.461
Austin General Milley , thank you for

38:11.461 --> 38:14.050
your exemplary lifetime of service to

38:14.060 --> 38:16.004
the people of our country . What a

38:16.004 --> 38:18.060
great example each of you are to the

38:18.060 --> 38:20.227
young people aspiring in our country .

38:20.227 --> 38:22.116
Um , I'm gonna make just a couple

38:22.116 --> 38:24.338
little short statements and then I will

38:24.338 --> 38:26.970
focus on naval readiness . But I come

38:26.970 --> 38:29.110
from the 4th Seacoast and as the

38:29.110 --> 38:31.800
Department of Defense , uh , considers

38:31.810 --> 38:34.480
deploying various assets . And uh , I

38:34.480 --> 38:36.591
just ask you to , please don't forget

38:36.591 --> 38:38.536
the defense industrial base of the

38:38.536 --> 38:40.647
country which congresswoman Gusteau's

38:40.647 --> 38:42.869
referenced right now , both in terms of

38:42.869 --> 38:44.869
manufacturing capacity , as well as

38:44.869 --> 38:47.091
energy . We are often overlooked as the

38:47.091 --> 38:49.250
Four sea coast as we look at , um ,

38:49.420 --> 38:51.309
just the Washington dC area , for

38:51.309 --> 38:53.880
example . And uh , so I just wanted to

38:53.880 --> 38:56.380
point it to that fourth Seacoast . Uh ,

38:56.390 --> 38:58.500
secondly , in terms of issues , I'm

38:58.500 --> 39:01.750
very concerned about our military and

39:01.750 --> 39:03.972
the nutritional value of food served to

39:03.972 --> 39:06.194
our military personnel having just come

39:06.194 --> 39:08.306
back from graph in war and Russia and

39:08.306 --> 39:10.306
Poland and I would like you to find

39:10.306 --> 39:12.361
someone in the department that could

39:12.361 --> 39:14.528
come to my office and we could discuss

39:14.528 --> 39:16.528
this . I would be very grateful for

39:16.528 --> 39:18.417
that . And then secondly , um the

39:18.420 --> 39:21.830
question of Russian

39:21.830 --> 39:25.480
vulnerabilities uh in terms of Ukraine

39:25.480 --> 39:27.647
right now , I don't want to talk about

39:27.647 --> 39:29.813
it here , but I hope someone somewhere

39:29.813 --> 39:31.924
in the defense establishment would be

39:31.924 --> 39:34.147
able to brief us on that as well as the

39:34.147 --> 39:36.369
global energy supply issue and how that

39:36.369 --> 39:38.424
relates to what is happening on that

39:38.424 --> 39:40.980
continent , far from here . Uh thirdly ,

39:40.980 --> 39:43.440
I just wanted to mention the issue of

39:43.440 --> 39:46.210
behavioral health and um , I was down

39:46.210 --> 39:48.377
in south come with some of our members

39:48.377 --> 39:50.543
years ago and shortly thereafter , the

39:50.543 --> 39:52.543
topic of the meeting was behavioral

39:52.543 --> 39:54.410
health , extremely high ranking

39:54.410 --> 39:56.521
individual took his life in bahrain ,

39:56.521 --> 39:58.632
something that I had met down there .

39:58.632 --> 40:00.799
And so um I can put this on the record

40:00.799 --> 40:03.021
as a member of the mental health caucus

40:03.021 --> 40:05.243
here in Congress . We have one , we are

40:05.243 --> 40:07.299
100,000 neuropsychiatrist short as a

40:07.299 --> 40:09.299
country . We are 400,000 behavioral

40:09.299 --> 40:11.680
nurses short . So how do we attempt to

40:11.680 --> 40:13.847
help the people of our country whether

40:13.847 --> 40:16.030
they are principals in schools or

40:16.210 --> 40:18.321
commanders of units in the military .

40:18.321 --> 40:21.130
When we don't have the personnel to do

40:21.130 --> 40:23.241
it , I would urge you to consider the

40:23.241 --> 40:25.186
uniformed services , University of

40:25.186 --> 40:27.410
Health Services as a portal where we

40:27.410 --> 40:29.750
could create a program that would draw

40:29.750 --> 40:31.972
people in , they're not going into this

40:31.972 --> 40:34.139
field because they earn more operating

40:34.139 --> 40:36.250
on people's needs than they do taking

40:36.250 --> 40:35.790
care of their neuropsychiatric

40:35.790 --> 40:37.957
conditions . But maybe we could have a

40:37.957 --> 40:41.860
combined military civilian program

40:41.920 --> 40:44.031
that would draw people into this . So

40:44.031 --> 40:46.364
we could help the people of our country .

40:46.364 --> 40:48.642
I just want to put that down . Finally ,

40:48.642 --> 40:50.864
in terms of naval readiness , I have to

40:50.864 --> 40:50.200
say , I'm terribly concerned about what

40:50.200 --> 40:52.311
happened on the George Washington and

40:52.311 --> 40:54.670
on the wasp . I know that um , one of

40:54.670 --> 40:56.892
my other subcommittees , we deal with ,

40:56.892 --> 41:00.060
um nuclear weapons and the time it's

41:00.060 --> 41:02.910
taking both to retool the weapons as

41:02.910 --> 41:05.910
well as repair ships is creating a

41:05.910 --> 41:09.580
dispirited situation for some of our

41:09.590 --> 41:12.360
naval personnel , for example , who

41:12.370 --> 41:14.620
thought a ship would be maybe repaired

41:14.620 --> 41:16.787
by , if it's sitting in Newport News ,

41:16.787 --> 41:18.898
you know , a year ago or a year and a

41:18.898 --> 41:21.176
half ago for hundreds of those sailors ,

41:21.210 --> 41:24.180
they have no access to housing or a car

41:24.190 --> 41:26.412
and they're stuck on the ship . This is

41:26.412 --> 41:28.960
really demoralizing . And I am troubled

41:28.960 --> 41:32.390
by the defense submission on ,

41:32.400 --> 41:35.050
on the navy because I see it getting

41:35.050 --> 41:38.070
worse . Uh , and so I just wanted to

41:38.070 --> 41:40.237
point a flashlight at this part of the

41:40.237 --> 41:42.514
budget and say , we gotta do something .

41:42.710 --> 41:45.540
I'm not sure what it is , but we can't

41:45.540 --> 41:47.596
keep trying to do everything and not

41:47.596 --> 41:50.260
doing it well And not taking care of

41:50.260 --> 41:52.482
those who are in service to our country

41:52.482 --> 41:54.704
right now and the equipment that we are

41:54.704 --> 41:56.816
using and to try to get a faster pace

41:56.816 --> 41:58.816
to repair that George Washington is

41:58.816 --> 42:00.871
going to be up there and uh dry dock

42:00.871 --> 42:02.982
for another year . It was supposed to

42:02.982 --> 42:04.982
be finished in 2022 . So I'm really

42:04.982 --> 42:07.204
worried about this issue and I'm hoping

42:07.204 --> 42:09.427
that another briefing or somehow we can

42:09.700 --> 42:11.644
get greater clarity on where we're

42:11.644 --> 42:13.644
headed on this . So if you have any

42:13.644 --> 42:15.811
comments about naval readiness and the

42:15.811 --> 42:18.210
backlog of repair its impact on morale

42:18.640 --> 42:21.180
and where we head your budget makes me

42:21.180 --> 42:24.440
even more nervous . Mr Secretary I'll

42:24.440 --> 42:26.662
yield miss capturing additional minutes

42:26.662 --> 42:28.860
so that you can start answering that

42:28.860 --> 42:31.082
question and the rest will take for the

42:31.082 --> 42:33.193
record . Mr . Secretary . Okay . Well

42:33.193 --> 42:36.130
um certainly I share your concern

42:36.140 --> 42:38.790
on the issue of mental health and

42:39.200 --> 42:42.020
and and you know our

42:42.400 --> 42:46.250
access to uh to resources and

42:46.250 --> 42:48.472
that's why we're asking you for in this

42:48.472 --> 42:51.300
budget additional resources to help us

42:51.300 --> 42:53.520
provide greater access to our troops

42:54.000 --> 42:56.880
which includes telehealth care

42:56.890 --> 43:00.530
opportunities as well . But this is a

43:00.540 --> 43:02.873
this is a really really important issue .

43:02.873 --> 43:05.040
I I certainly will take on your your

43:05.040 --> 43:07.580
recommendation to take a look at you

43:07.580 --> 43:09.580
know , our uniformed services piece

43:09.580 --> 43:11.810
here and what can be done there and you

43:11.810 --> 43:14.240
know so well we'll have somebody come

43:14.250 --> 43:16.360
come talk to you on the other issues

43:16.370 --> 43:18.426
that you raised as well . And if you

43:18.426 --> 43:21.660
want to talk on on global energy

43:21.660 --> 43:24.590
supplies we can we'll liaise with the

43:24.600 --> 43:26.711
with the O . E . As well to make sure

43:26.711 --> 43:29.100
that there they know you have an

43:29.100 --> 43:32.330
interest here . Um the repair of a

43:32.330 --> 43:34.640
nuclear carrier is is very very

43:34.650 --> 43:38.220
sophisticated when you especially uh

43:38.230 --> 43:40.508
that level of repair that it's ongoing .

43:40.700 --> 43:43.140
The pressure that Covid has put on on

43:43.150 --> 43:46.500
all of our enterprise is

43:46.500 --> 43:48.556
significant . But you know that that

43:48.556 --> 43:50.667
work has continued . Certainly not at

43:50.667 --> 43:52.722
the pace that we we'd like to see it

43:52.722 --> 43:55.110
continue . Um You know that there's uh

43:55.120 --> 43:57.670
there are two investigations ongoing by

43:57.670 --> 44:00.370
the navy on the George Washington issue .

44:00.380 --> 44:03.240
Um And I'm I look forward to seeing the

44:03.250 --> 44:06.490
results of Of those investigations .

44:06.490 --> 44:08.601
And I think the Secretary of the Navy

44:08.601 --> 44:10.860
is headed down to visit with the George

44:10.860 --> 44:13.320
Washington chain of command here on the

44:13.320 --> 44:16.100
17th . Uh and uh and should have

44:16.110 --> 44:18.520
greater insights to provide uh from

44:18.520 --> 44:21.300
that visit as well . There are choices

44:21.300 --> 44:24.560
that that have been made or or will be

44:24.560 --> 44:26.727
made in the future in terms of how you

44:26.727 --> 44:28.893
build it sailors when when that repair

44:28.893 --> 44:31.116
is ongoing . Whether or not we made the

44:31.116 --> 44:33.282
right choices is left to be seen . You

44:33.282 --> 44:35.227
know , certainly there's a problem

44:35.227 --> 44:37.338
there . We got to understand what the

44:37.338 --> 44:39.449
problem was a bit a bit more . Uh And

44:39.449 --> 44:41.560
then uh we have to figure out what to

44:41.560 --> 44:43.671
do to ensure that we don't have these

44:43.671 --> 44:45.727
kinds of problems in the future . Uh

44:45.727 --> 44:48.004
Again I don't think it was anticipated ,

44:48.004 --> 44:50.290
certainly was was not anticipated that

44:50.290 --> 44:53.520
the ship would be and repair us repair

44:53.520 --> 44:55.920
cycle this long . But nonetheless I

44:55.930 --> 44:58.152
expect the leadership to make the right

44:58.152 --> 45:00.319
decisions and I look forward to seeing

45:00.319 --> 45:02.374
what the investigations are going to

45:02.374 --> 45:04.486
show us here . Thank you Mr Secretary

45:04.486 --> 45:06.486
Mr Ryan and Mr Kilmer . Thank you ,

45:06.486 --> 45:08.610
Madam Chair . Let me extend my thanks

45:08.610 --> 45:10.554
as well . I can't imagine how many

45:10.554 --> 45:12.610
sleepless nights you've had over the

45:12.610 --> 45:14.777
past few months and we appreciate it .

45:14.777 --> 45:14.620
You're the defenders of freedom in this

45:14.620 --> 45:16.676
country and and we're here to try to

45:16.676 --> 45:19.100
help and support the best we can . I'm

45:19.100 --> 45:21.420
gonna kind of go through a few things

45:21.430 --> 45:23.760
comments before I have my question

45:24.290 --> 45:26.520
first . Let me just say my own personal

45:26.520 --> 45:28.576
opinion . We know this ultimately is

45:28.576 --> 45:31.310
going to be the decision of Ukraine and

45:31.310 --> 45:33.820
their leadership , but I don't think

45:33.930 --> 45:36.097
that the Russians should be allowed to

45:36.097 --> 45:37.986
have an inch of territory in that

45:37.986 --> 45:39.986
country . I just don't think we can

45:39.986 --> 45:42.208
reward this kind of behavior and I know

45:42.208 --> 45:44.430
it's clearly more complicated than that

45:44.430 --> 45:46.430
but I think it's important that you

45:46.430 --> 45:48.541
know where we stand um to get to some

45:48.541 --> 45:50.860
of the issues Miss Kaptur brought up

45:50.860 --> 45:53.170
around the mental health um haven't

45:53.170 --> 45:55.340
worked on these issues for a long time

45:55.340 --> 45:57.396
and Mr Secretary , you mentioned the

45:57.396 --> 45:59.990
suicide issue which is pervasive across

45:59.990 --> 46:02.210
our society . Now , one of the

46:02.220 --> 46:04.530
recommendations I would give is and

46:04.540 --> 46:06.762
we've been trying to work on this . How

46:06.762 --> 46:08.873
do you evaluate people who are coming

46:08.873 --> 46:12.000
into the military ? One of the more

46:12.000 --> 46:14.960
recent analysis of this issue is around

46:14.970 --> 46:17.500
adverse childhood experiences where

46:17.510 --> 46:19.550
people coming into the military are

46:19.550 --> 46:23.270
bringing trauma from their childhood

46:23.270 --> 46:25.670
could be multiple adverse childhood

46:25.670 --> 46:27.837
experiences . But in each one of these

46:27.837 --> 46:30.150
experiences , it increases your rates

46:30.150 --> 46:32.372
of depression , increases your rates of

46:32.372 --> 46:34.483
mental health issues , increases your

46:34.483 --> 46:36.706
rates of suicide . So I think if you're

46:36.706 --> 46:38.928
gonna go at this thing really trying to

46:38.928 --> 46:41.150
get some , get some knowledge about the

46:41.150 --> 46:43.206
person before they even step foot in

46:43.206 --> 46:45.539
the military and that will help I think ,

46:45.539 --> 46:47.650
begin to try to address some of those

46:47.650 --> 46:50.090
issues . Um , I also want to mention

46:50.100 --> 46:52.550
having more of a whole of government

46:52.550 --> 46:54.870
approach . Um you look at the problems

46:54.870 --> 46:57.092
that we have now in in eastern europe .

46:57.092 --> 46:59.800
A lot of this uh , is because of the

46:59.800 --> 47:02.890
energy issue and the over reliance on

47:02.900 --> 47:06.800
on Russia for oil and gas . And

47:06.810 --> 47:09.210
I think a whole of government approach ,

47:09.880 --> 47:12.213
we have gas in Eastern Ohio , Western P .

47:12.213 --> 47:15.470
A . Utica , shale , marcellus shale ,

47:15.470 --> 47:18.760
how do we build the infrastructure to

47:18.760 --> 47:21.190
get this gas , liquid natural gas or

47:21.190 --> 47:23.412
whatever it is out of Eastern Ohio , to

47:23.412 --> 47:27.000
eastern europe . And and having a , you

47:27.000 --> 47:28.944
know , obviously not necessarily a

47:28.944 --> 47:32.840
short term solution , but amid to long

47:32.840 --> 47:35.590
term solution to help our help our

47:35.590 --> 47:38.860
allies in europe be more reliant on

47:38.870 --> 47:41.000
american energy than on on Vladimir

47:41.000 --> 47:43.240
Putin , which could uh , I think , you

47:43.240 --> 47:45.296
know , knock the legs out from under

47:45.296 --> 47:47.540
him . Um lastly and Miss Kaptur brought

47:47.540 --> 47:49.707
this up to and she mentioned it around

47:49.707 --> 47:52.130
the issue of food and you know it may

47:52.130 --> 47:54.130
seem like an ancillary issue in the

47:54.130 --> 47:56.190
military but we've seen from recent

47:56.190 --> 47:59.130
studies multiple studies showing

47:59.130 --> 48:01.870
increased rates of obesity , increased

48:01.870 --> 48:04.570
rates of diabetes in the military . A

48:04.580 --> 48:06.747
few years ago I sat on the the V . A .

48:06.747 --> 48:08.747
Committee . Right ? So we're seeing

48:08.747 --> 48:10.747
like what are we feeding our troops

48:10.747 --> 48:12.747
when they're active and now we have

48:12.747 --> 48:14.802
obesity and diabetes when they go to

48:14.802 --> 48:17.024
the V . A . Which is driving up costs .

48:17.290 --> 48:19.512
And I've been working on this issue for

48:19.512 --> 48:21.512
a couple of years and we've had the

48:21.512 --> 48:23.512
army make promises about the campus

48:23.512 --> 48:25.568
dining pilot . The Air Force Academy

48:25.568 --> 48:27.734
which in good faith that got shut down

48:27.734 --> 48:29.790
because of the pandemic . Um but the

48:29.790 --> 48:32.012
superintendent there promised to resume

48:32.012 --> 48:34.012
the program . Air Force promised to

48:34.012 --> 48:36.179
expand their food 2.0 modernization to

48:36.179 --> 48:39.590
food 3.0 none of these services

48:39.590 --> 48:41.757
mentioned fulfilled their assurances .

48:41.757 --> 48:43.923
Um Navy and Marine Corps did not break

48:43.923 --> 48:46.090
any promises because they haven't made

48:46.090 --> 48:49.880
any promises . Um But to me uh the when

48:49.880 --> 48:52.030
you see the recently published report

48:52.030 --> 48:54.363
on the military food system , the G . O .

48:54.363 --> 48:56.308
Found that each service is abysmal

48:56.308 --> 48:58.860
managed biz mally managed its food

48:58.860 --> 49:01.550
systems . And I just think this is this

49:01.550 --> 49:03.772
is something that it's so complicated .

49:03.772 --> 49:05.994
My staff brought me a flow chart of how

49:05.994 --> 49:07.880
how the food system works in the

49:07.880 --> 49:10.102
military . It's insane . I mean there's

49:10.102 --> 49:12.269
so many it's dry . You know there's no

49:12.269 --> 49:14.800
there's no flow . Um and I just want to

49:14.800 --> 49:17.520
be very clear this is not a food . Um

49:17.530 --> 49:19.197
This is a food management and

49:19.197 --> 49:21.086
operations problem . This isn't a

49:21.086 --> 49:23.086
nutrition problem . Everybody knows

49:23.086 --> 49:25.252
what we should be eating . I mean it's

49:25.252 --> 49:27.474
it's Pretty common knowledge . Um so in

49:27.474 --> 49:29.100
in 22 Mr Secretary we passed

49:29.100 --> 49:31.267
legislation recommending the formation

49:31.267 --> 49:33.840
of a food transformation cell which in

49:33.850 --> 49:35.961
within the office of the Secretary of

49:35.961 --> 49:38.294
Defense . And if you could just tell us ,

49:38.294 --> 49:40.294
you know what the status is of that

49:40.294 --> 49:42.517
cell and and how you can assure us that

49:42.517 --> 49:44.794
as we move towards food transformation ,

49:44.794 --> 49:46.794
there's not going to be more broken

49:46.794 --> 49:48.683
promises . I think this is a very

49:48.683 --> 49:50.739
important issue for us to save money

49:50.739 --> 49:52.906
that we can then put into , you know ,

49:52.906 --> 49:54.850
a lot of these other programs . MR

49:54.850 --> 49:57.017
Secretary . Once again , I'll give you

49:57.017 --> 49:59.183
a few extra moments here to answer the

49:59.183 --> 49:58.850
question . Thank the chair for her

49:58.860 --> 50:01.810
generosity . Well , thanks sir . First

50:01.810 --> 50:03.754
of all , let me thank you for your

50:03.754 --> 50:05.699
interest in this and the work that

50:05.699 --> 50:07.866
you've done in the in the past . And I

50:07.866 --> 50:10.032
would I would like to say that I share

50:10.032 --> 50:13.750
your concerns on on the

50:13.750 --> 50:15.861
importance of this . And I think that

50:15.861 --> 50:18.028
the food transformation cell will will

50:18.028 --> 50:21.220
provide significant a benefit in terms

50:21.220 --> 50:23.276
of assisting us and coordinating our

50:23.276 --> 50:26.240
efforts here . Um that cell is going to

50:26.240 --> 50:29.650
be stood up in september and uh then in

50:29.650 --> 50:32.570
october will submit a report to you on

50:32.960 --> 50:35.260
on how we stood it up in in in the

50:35.260 --> 50:37.427
progress that's been made to date . So

50:37.427 --> 50:40.090
we're it's a it's a work in progress ,

50:40.090 --> 50:42.090
but september is the date when that

50:42.090 --> 50:45.380
cell will start . Thank you .

50:46.360 --> 50:50.190
Mr Kilmer , thank you Madam Chair and

50:50.190 --> 50:52.580
thank you both for being with us . Um

50:52.580 --> 50:54.802
and and for your service to our country

50:54.802 --> 50:57.024
last year when you were in front of the

50:57.024 --> 50:58.858
subcommittee , I asked about the

50:58.858 --> 51:00.913
shipyard infrastructure optimization

51:00.913 --> 51:02.913
program , the psyoP , which is a 20

51:02.913 --> 51:04.636
year $21 billion investment in

51:04.636 --> 51:06.358
modernizing and optimizing our

51:06.358 --> 51:08.524
shipyards . Um , I was pleased to hear

51:08.524 --> 51:10.580
both of you say very positive things

51:10.580 --> 51:12.636
about that , about the importance of

51:12.636 --> 51:14.691
that in terms of the capacity of the

51:14.691 --> 51:16.858
navy to to meet its mission . Um , and

51:16.858 --> 51:18.913
just understanding how critical that

51:18.913 --> 51:21.024
was . And I want to , I want to thank

51:21.024 --> 51:20.940
you for that not only for your support

51:20.940 --> 51:23.162
of science but for our public shipyards

51:23.162 --> 51:26.180
to . Um Having said that , I am a bit

51:26.180 --> 51:28.069
worried that the programs falling

51:28.069 --> 51:30.124
behind in terms of both cost and and

51:30.124 --> 51:32.770
time , uh , not to put too fine a point

51:32.770 --> 51:34.826
on it , but this really matters . We

51:34.826 --> 51:37.048
don't have a shipyard on the west coast

51:37.048 --> 51:39.214
that can handle a ford class carrier .

51:39.214 --> 51:41.437
And so time is of the essence and would

51:41.437 --> 51:43.659
gleefully invite you to come come visit

51:43.659 --> 51:45.826
puget sound naval shipyard in , in our

51:45.826 --> 51:48.048
neck of the woods . Um the setup relies

51:48.048 --> 51:50.270
on area development plans to inform the

51:50.270 --> 51:52.437
optimization program a portions of the

51:52.437 --> 51:54.659
psyop and provide accurate schedule and

51:54.659 --> 51:56.381
cost estimates . Um Those were

51:56.381 --> 51:58.603
originally scheduled to be completed at

51:58.603 --> 52:00.770
the end of this fiscal year . It looks

52:00.770 --> 52:00.390
like that's probably gonna slip to the

52:00.390 --> 52:02.870
end of um next fiscal year .

52:04.050 --> 52:06.640
The or even later . The Navy almost

52:06.650 --> 52:08.660
also promised to provide a psyop

52:08.660 --> 52:10.716
strategic framework to coincide with

52:10.716 --> 52:12.938
the release of the President's budget .

52:12.938 --> 52:15.160
But Congress still hasn't received that

52:15.160 --> 52:17.460
plan . That guidance aligns all the

52:17.760 --> 52:19.982
activities and provides the overarching

52:19.982 --> 52:22.590
framework to implement psyoP as it

52:22.590 --> 52:24.423
moves from the planning into the

52:24.423 --> 52:27.030
execution phase . So I I'm just

52:27.030 --> 52:29.197
concerned that delays both to the area

52:29.197 --> 52:31.197
development plans and to the sea of

52:31.197 --> 52:33.460
strategic framework could postpone

52:33.460 --> 52:35.950
implementation of some investments that

52:35.950 --> 52:38.430
really need to happen for the Navy to

52:38.430 --> 52:41.990
meet its mission . Um So I guess I want

52:41.990 --> 52:44.157
to hear from you sort of what the plan

52:44.157 --> 52:46.046
is for just making sure that this

52:46.046 --> 52:48.920
program stays on track uh and and what

52:48.920 --> 52:51.198
your office is planning in that regard .

52:52.350 --> 52:54.517
Thanks sir . Thanks again . Thanks for

52:54.517 --> 52:56.628
your support and your focus on this .

52:56.628 --> 52:59.500
Um It is truly important in terms of

52:59.500 --> 53:01.940
making sure that we maintain a world

53:01.940 --> 53:03.970
class capability that we've had and

53:03.970 --> 53:06.081
will continue to have with our United

53:06.081 --> 53:09.330
States Navy . Um We

53:09.330 --> 53:12.560
invested in this last year . We're

53:12.560 --> 53:15.320
asking you for $1.7 billion dollars

53:15.500 --> 53:19.040
to uh to put towards this work going

53:19.040 --> 53:20.929
forward . It's that's an historic

53:20.929 --> 53:23.096
amount . It's twice the amount that we

53:23.096 --> 53:25.510
invested in last year . Um It certainly

53:25.510 --> 53:27.840
helps to get a budget passed on time so

53:27.840 --> 53:31.060
that we can make sure that that we're

53:31.450 --> 53:34.240
uh you know , implementing our plans on

53:34.250 --> 53:37.460
on time . Uh and uh and and

53:37.460 --> 53:40.190
clearly I believe that going forward

53:40.190 --> 53:42.301
without the impacts of Covid and some

53:42.301 --> 53:44.523
other things that we'll be able to come

53:44.523 --> 53:46.460
closer to meeting our goals and

53:46.460 --> 53:49.310
objectives . But but again we're not

53:49.310 --> 53:51.143
where we want to be . Uh this is

53:51.143 --> 53:53.570
important to the Navy and uh and again

53:53.580 --> 53:55.747
we'll make sure that the Navy is doing

53:55.747 --> 53:58.170
everything it can to maintain pace and

53:58.170 --> 54:00.226
we're gonna have to pick up the pace

54:00.226 --> 54:02.370
here . So do you envision a future in

54:02.370 --> 54:05.230
which we have to or you have to set

54:05.230 --> 54:07.063
specific targets and metrics and

54:07.063 --> 54:09.286
timelines and milestones to just ensure

54:09.286 --> 54:11.397
that the Navy's keep it on track ? Ah

54:12.040 --> 54:15.160
The Navy has those but but certainly

54:15.170 --> 54:18.350
making sure that they that they execute

54:18.360 --> 54:20.249
in accordance with the plan is is

54:20.249 --> 54:22.360
important . And if and if those those

54:22.360 --> 54:24.582
goals and objectives are insufficient ,

54:24.582 --> 54:26.749
then , you know , we'll revisit that ,

54:26.749 --> 54:28.916
let me ask what the time I have left .

54:28.916 --> 54:31.138
I know unmanned vehicles are a key part

54:31.138 --> 54:34.050
of the cutting edge technologies that D .

54:34.050 --> 54:36.217
O . D . Is using now and in the future

54:36.217 --> 54:38.439
to combat threats from Russia and china

54:38.439 --> 54:40.570
and elsewhere . Um the Navy's 30-year

54:40.570 --> 54:42.792
shipbuilding plan calls for an increase

54:42.792 --> 54:44.903
in unmanned assets that plan proposed

54:44.903 --> 54:46.570
to grow the fleet of unmanned

54:46.570 --> 54:48.626
subsurface vehicles from zero in the

54:48.626 --> 54:50.792
current inventory to potentially 50 by

54:50.792 --> 54:52.903
fiscal year 2045 . Um growth in these

54:52.903 --> 54:55.126
technologies will lean on installations

54:55.126 --> 54:57.126
including Keyport in my neck of the

54:57.126 --> 54:59.292
Woods , which is one of the leaders in

54:59.292 --> 55:01.292
U . U . V . S . Unmanned underwater

55:01.292 --> 55:03.126
vehicles . As the Navy begins to

55:03.126 --> 55:05.181
acquire more unmanned vehicles , how

55:05.181 --> 55:07.292
can Congress ensure the Navy is ready

55:07.292 --> 55:09.459
to operate this technology alongside a

55:09.459 --> 55:11.459
manned vehicles ? Well , you know ,

55:11.459 --> 55:14.010
we're still learning a lot . I point to

55:14.010 --> 55:17.140
some of the work that The 5th Fleet

55:17.140 --> 55:19.640
Commanders doing out out in in the

55:19.650 --> 55:22.670
Middle East . This is tremendous

55:22.670 --> 55:24.720
capability that we've just begun to

55:24.720 --> 55:28.440
scratch the surface on in in

55:28.440 --> 55:30.607
terms of what it's gonna take to fully

55:30.607 --> 55:33.040
develop this . Um there are a bunch of

55:33.040 --> 55:35.680
unknowns now , but it's you know , I

55:35.680 --> 55:37.650
believe that this is this is a

55:37.650 --> 55:39.650
capability that we need to go after

55:40.440 --> 55:43.460
faster further and and and so I'll work

55:43.460 --> 55:45.830
with the CNO in the second half to

55:45.830 --> 55:47.941
ensure that , you know , they they're

55:47.941 --> 55:50.108
identifying what their needs are going

55:50.108 --> 55:52.330
forward and and that this capability is

55:52.330 --> 55:54.820
fully integrated into , you know , our

55:54.820 --> 55:58.400
man's surface and underwater

55:58.410 --> 56:00.730
capabilities as well . Thank you .

56:00.740 --> 56:02.684
Thank you , madame Sherri , you're

56:02.684 --> 56:05.980
better . Mhm . Mr calvert . Any closing

56:06.210 --> 56:08.580
remarks thank you , madam Chair and I'm

56:08.580 --> 56:11.450
going to submit a number of questions

56:11.930 --> 56:14.450
for the record and regarding innovation .

56:14.450 --> 56:17.970
Hypersonic Taiwan fuel costs a whole

56:17.980 --> 56:20.202
bunch of things that we don't have time

56:20.202 --> 56:22.313
to cover today , but General Miller ,

56:22.730 --> 56:25.040
we had discussed this the other day and

56:25.040 --> 56:28.800
I after our HD exit from

56:28.800 --> 56:31.010
Afghanistan , I'm concerned about

56:31.010 --> 56:33.320
taking our eye off that region .

56:33.330 --> 56:36.300
Obviously it's still a problem . And as

56:36.300 --> 56:38.244
you know , three of the 13 service

56:38.244 --> 56:40.189
members killed in Afghanistan were

56:40.730 --> 56:43.270
either in or near my district in

56:43.270 --> 56:45.810
California . Lance corporal Kareem

56:45.810 --> 56:47.810
McCooey , corporal Hunter Lopez and

56:47.810 --> 56:50.470
Lance corporal Dylan Merola . The

56:50.480 --> 56:53.340
families of the fallen of these these

56:53.340 --> 56:55.780
folks , these these heroes want

56:55.790 --> 56:57.957
obviously justice and accountability ,

56:58.730 --> 57:00.397
we can discuss this more in a

57:00.397 --> 57:02.563
classified setting , but as you know ,

57:02.563 --> 57:04.860
we're doing what you're doing to to

57:04.860 --> 57:07.130
find and prosecute these terrorists

57:07.180 --> 57:09.347
conducted that suicide attack at Abbey

57:09.347 --> 57:12.950
Gate is extremely important . Not just

57:12.960 --> 57:14.960
not just to the families but to the

57:14.960 --> 57:16.904
morale of the United States Marine

57:16.904 --> 57:19.127
Corps that obviously went there and did

57:19.127 --> 57:21.330
their duty . Um , also , I'm concerned

57:21.330 --> 57:23.386
about the limitations presented over

57:23.386 --> 57:25.108
the horizon . Counterterrorism

57:25.108 --> 57:27.420
capability that potentially will allow

57:27.420 --> 57:31.000
ISIS K and Al Qaeda to regroup , I

57:31.010 --> 57:33.177
don't think we should take our eye off

57:33.177 --> 57:35.399
the ball on that And as much as you can

57:35.399 --> 57:37.840
say in a setting to ensure that Afghan

57:37.840 --> 57:39.896
never becomes a haven for terrorists

57:39.896 --> 57:43.290
again . I like to hear that and what

57:43.290 --> 57:45.850
kind of capability have we lost to

57:45.850 --> 57:48.060
conduct counterterrorism missions in

57:48.060 --> 57:51.770
the future . Well , first

57:52.120 --> 57:54.920
Carson let me say

57:56.030 --> 57:58.490
deeply , I feel personally and I know

57:58.620 --> 58:00.731
the Secretary does as well and all of

58:00.731 --> 58:02.676
the senior leaders in uniform feel

58:02.676 --> 58:04.898
about the loss of any of our soldiers ,

58:04.898 --> 58:06.620
sailors , airmen , marines and

58:06.620 --> 58:08.787
particularly those 13 that were , that

58:08.787 --> 58:10.780
killed the navigate . We feel that

58:10.780 --> 58:12.447
personally , uh and none more

58:12.447 --> 58:14.447
personally than the families of the

58:14.447 --> 58:17.020
fallen . So we owe them , uh not only a

58:17.020 --> 58:19.120
great deal of gratitude , but we owe

58:19.120 --> 58:21.064
them accountability for those that

58:21.064 --> 58:23.176
killed their loved one . We know that

58:23.176 --> 58:25.287
and we have not forgotten and we will

58:25.287 --> 58:27.453
not forget not until justice is served

58:28.520 --> 58:30.853
with respect over the rising capability .

58:30.853 --> 58:32.909
I'd like to go into some detail in a

58:32.909 --> 58:35.220
classified session , but you and the

58:35.220 --> 58:37.220
american people should know that we

58:37.220 --> 58:40.270
remain committed as a military to the

58:40.270 --> 58:42.326
very first mission statement that we

58:42.326 --> 58:44.650
got in Afghanistan , which was to

58:44.650 --> 58:46.650
ensure that Afghanistan never again

58:46.650 --> 58:48.317
becomes a platform from which

58:48.317 --> 58:50.483
terrorists will strike the Continental

58:50.483 --> 58:52.650
United States . They haven't done that

58:52.650 --> 58:54.650
since 911 . And we are committed to

58:54.650 --> 58:56.817
making sure that never happens again .

58:56.817 --> 58:59.039
We do maintain surveillance and I won't

58:59.039 --> 59:00.983
go into the details of how or what

59:00.983 --> 59:03.200
forms or mechanisms uh and we do have

59:03.200 --> 59:05.144
the capabilities to conduct strike

59:05.144 --> 59:06.922
operations . If we see a threat

59:06.922 --> 59:09.200
emanating from the land of Afghanistan .

59:09.220 --> 59:11.331
But I'd prefer to take the rest of it

59:11.331 --> 59:13.750
into a classified session . Thank you .

59:14.120 --> 59:17.480
Thank you . Um , I think you heard

59:17.480 --> 59:19.369
quite a bit from this committee ,

59:19.369 --> 59:22.540
concerns about um the Navy

59:23.020 --> 59:24.990
and shipbuilding and the number of

59:24.990 --> 59:27.212
ships and we're going to have Secretary

59:27.212 --> 59:29.268
of Navy in front of us . So I'm sure

59:29.268 --> 59:31.490
he's got a preview of what's what we're

59:31.490 --> 59:34.880
becoming their way . Um , One at one

59:34.880 --> 59:38.580
point that I spoke with with a

59:38.590 --> 59:41.730
view Secretary Austin when we met over

59:41.740 --> 59:43.940
a couple of months ago in the Senate

59:43.940 --> 59:47.720
and you um General Milley is

59:47.730 --> 59:50.690
uh the role of any if possible to

59:50.690 --> 59:52.746
repurpose . Maybe even work with the

59:52.746 --> 59:54.860
Coast Guard with any of the littoral

59:54.860 --> 59:57.570
combat ships in the atlantic china is

59:57.570 --> 59:59.681
also making inroads and wanting to be

59:59.681 --> 01:00:01.514
in atlantic and there might be a

01:00:01.514 --> 01:00:03.770
mission that they can be refitted for

01:00:03.770 --> 01:00:06.430
repurposed for not all of them , but

01:00:06.440 --> 01:00:08.607
working together with you . And I know

01:00:08.607 --> 01:00:10.829
that that's going to be pencil to paper

01:00:10.829 --> 01:00:12.940
to figure out if that if that's smart

01:00:12.940 --> 01:00:14.884
and if that works and working with

01:00:14.884 --> 01:00:17.051
africom and with um the bank Commander

01:00:17.051 --> 01:00:18.960
in latin America . But there is a

01:00:18.960 --> 01:00:21.016
simple fact here , the United States

01:00:21.016 --> 01:00:23.182
does not have the ship be shipbuilding

01:00:23.182 --> 01:00:25.350
industrial base to manufacture , let

01:00:25.350 --> 01:00:28.460
alone maintain a navy that can

01:00:28.460 --> 01:00:30.630
completely numerically compete with

01:00:30.630 --> 01:00:34.040
china . But quantity alone is not the

01:00:34.040 --> 01:00:36.630
point . It's quality and capability

01:00:36.640 --> 01:00:38.807
that matter . As you gentlemen pointed

01:00:38.807 --> 01:00:41.840
out , China might have 500 ships . But

01:00:41.840 --> 01:00:43.951
half of those ships are small support

01:00:43.951 --> 01:00:46.170
vessels that have no qualitative edge

01:00:46.180 --> 01:00:49.380
over a U . S . combat ship . The debate ,

01:00:49.390 --> 01:00:51.057
I believe it needs to be very

01:00:51.057 --> 01:00:54.350
substantiated uh , and not uh , just

01:00:54.350 --> 01:00:56.572
picking a number that we think might be

01:00:56.572 --> 01:01:00.360
for the right uh , number of ships for

01:01:00.360 --> 01:01:02.700
the US to have . Um , that's why the

01:01:02.700 --> 01:01:05.010
concept of an integrated deterrence is

01:01:05.010 --> 01:01:06.788
so important . And then the new

01:01:06.788 --> 01:01:09.110
National Defense strategy talks quite a

01:01:09.110 --> 01:01:11.690
bit about this , the idea that it's

01:01:11.690 --> 01:01:13.912
necessary to confront china as a united

01:01:13.912 --> 01:01:16.630
front with our pacific allies , that we

01:01:16.630 --> 01:01:18.463
do not do it alone . We have the

01:01:18.463 --> 01:01:20.463
support of the Japanese , the south

01:01:20.463 --> 01:01:22.680
Koreans and the Australians , and only

01:01:22.680 --> 01:01:24.791
by leveraging our collective strength

01:01:25.010 --> 01:01:28.790
as democracies as democratic nations as

01:01:28.790 --> 01:01:31.030
we have done with NATO . And as we are

01:01:31.030 --> 01:01:34.230
doing right now , uh , in the battle

01:01:34.230 --> 01:01:37.480
for Ukraine to be a free and sovereign

01:01:37.480 --> 01:01:39.620
nation , we need to bring all our

01:01:39.620 --> 01:01:42.640
assets together . So for the record

01:01:42.870 --> 01:01:45.740
china , as as I said , has about

01:01:46.510 --> 01:01:49.650
500 ships . 230 are smaller support

01:01:49.650 --> 01:01:52.660
vessels . The United States has 290

01:01:52.660 --> 01:01:56.090
combat vessels . Japan has smaller

01:01:56.090 --> 01:01:59.560
support vessels , but they have 150 for

01:01:59.770 --> 01:02:03.580
South Korea has 160 ships . Some are

01:02:03.580 --> 01:02:06.640
small support vessels and Australia has

01:02:06.640 --> 01:02:10.340
43 . So , um , as we talk about how to

01:02:10.340 --> 01:02:12.340
right size , the number of ships we

01:02:12.340 --> 01:02:14.451
have , but also repair the ships that

01:02:14.451 --> 01:02:16.673
need to come in , we're gonna have some

01:02:16.673 --> 01:02:18.400
real in depth discussions with

01:02:18.400 --> 01:02:20.511
Secretary Navy about what's happening

01:02:20.511 --> 01:02:23.540
in our shipyards . Another item

01:02:23.550 --> 01:02:26.520
that this committee needs to work on

01:02:26.520 --> 01:02:29.440
and , and , and shipbuilding involves

01:02:29.450 --> 01:02:31.960
the public private partnerships that we

01:02:31.960 --> 01:02:34.127
have . It also involves milk on and it

01:02:34.127 --> 01:02:36.238
also involves the authorize ear's can

01:02:36.238 --> 01:02:38.238
mr calvert and I just don't do this

01:02:38.238 --> 01:02:40.238
alone . We're going to have to have

01:02:40.238 --> 01:02:43.350
robust discussions another another

01:02:43.350 --> 01:02:45.517
place where robust discussions have to

01:02:45.517 --> 01:02:47.572
take place because at the end of the

01:02:47.572 --> 01:02:49.794
day we're the bill payer uh needs to be

01:02:49.794 --> 01:02:52.017
on base realignment once again , that's

01:02:52.017 --> 01:02:54.128
going to be the authorizes that needs

01:02:54.128 --> 01:02:56.239
to be milk on and our committee . And

01:02:56.239 --> 01:02:58.406
these are uncomfortable discussions to

01:02:58.406 --> 01:03:01.180
have . I realize it but BRAC which is

01:03:01.180 --> 01:03:03.180
under the preview of the authorized

01:03:03.180 --> 01:03:05.380
users uh and the military uh

01:03:05.390 --> 01:03:07.750
construction subcommittee have to start

01:03:07.760 --> 01:03:10.093
working with us to address these issues .

01:03:10.093 --> 01:03:13.620
I want to fully state my support for a

01:03:13.620 --> 01:03:15.950
new round of BRAC . The department has

01:03:15.950 --> 01:03:17.894
stated in recent years that it has

01:03:17.894 --> 01:03:21.570
nearly 20% access infrastructure and we

01:03:21.570 --> 01:03:23.459
pay for that infrastructure to be

01:03:23.459 --> 01:03:25.459
maintained and it's doing nothing .

01:03:25.770 --> 01:03:27.937
Many of our installations were aligned

01:03:27.937 --> 01:03:30.214
and built in the wake of World War Two .

01:03:30.400 --> 01:03:33.550
And as we have clearly discussed today ,

01:03:33.590 --> 01:03:35.770
the world has changed . A new round of

01:03:35.770 --> 01:03:37.714
BRAC is necessary and I believe it

01:03:37.714 --> 01:03:39.548
could save taxpayers billions of

01:03:39.548 --> 01:03:41.492
dollars and it could also save the

01:03:41.492 --> 01:03:43.660
department a lot of time and energy

01:03:43.660 --> 01:03:46.240
expenditures maintaining something that

01:03:46.240 --> 01:03:48.573
is not useful to the department anymore .

01:03:48.573 --> 01:03:50.740
I'm not asking you to comment on these

01:03:50.740 --> 01:03:52.462
issues . We will be submitting

01:03:52.462 --> 01:03:54.629
questions for the record and questions

01:03:54.629 --> 01:03:56.820
for the secretary . So I want to thank

01:03:56.820 --> 01:03:58.931
you both for coming . I want to thank

01:03:58.931 --> 01:04:00.987
you for answering our questions live

01:04:00.987 --> 01:04:03.209
today and taking all the questions that

01:04:03.209 --> 01:04:05.320
are coming your way in written form .

01:04:05.320 --> 01:04:07.542
And I also want to give a special thank

01:04:07.542 --> 01:04:09.709
you with and I think you'll agree with

01:04:09.709 --> 01:04:12.120
me too . Mr Mccarty . You have you are

01:04:12.120 --> 01:04:14.050
on call , you are in my office

01:04:14.050 --> 01:04:15.950
frequently . You take you take

01:04:15.950 --> 01:04:18.040
questions that this committee staff

01:04:18.050 --> 01:04:21.190
works on as we prepare the budget and

01:04:21.200 --> 01:04:23.033
um so that we have the best bill

01:04:23.033 --> 01:04:25.870
possible to make sure that our national

01:04:25.870 --> 01:04:28.510
defense needs are met . So thank you

01:04:28.510 --> 01:04:30.990
again . Thank you for all those who

01:04:30.990 --> 01:04:33.040
serve under you with you and your

01:04:33.040 --> 01:04:35.340
families . And this will conclude

01:04:35.340 --> 01:04:37.562
today's hearing and the committee . The

01:04:37.562 --> 01:04:38.980
subcommittee stands adjourned .