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I call to order this hearing of the 

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Readiness and Sea Power Projection 

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Forces , Sea Power and Projection 

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Forces subcommittees on posture and 

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readiness of the Mobility Enterprise . 

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I ask unanimous consent that the chair 

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be authorized to declare a recess at 

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any time uh without objection so 

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ordered . Uh Good morning . Uh And 

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welcome to our joint hearing on the 

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Posture of our mobility enterprise . Uh 

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I think this is probably one of the 

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most important hearings uh that we will 

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have uh this Posture season . I wanna 

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thank you uh especially to our 

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witnesses for participating today . I 

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look forward to your testimony . Uh And 

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the reason amongst many that I feel 

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that this is so important is the Indo 

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Pacific as a priority , the theater . 

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Uh We've all talked many times . Uh And 

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I don't think we can ever fully 

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appreciate the tyranny of distance that 

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will strain our platforms , our people , 

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our material , our fuel lay down . Uh 

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all of the things that support the 

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mobility enterprise and we will face 

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struggles on all of these fronts with 

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the pending closure of Red Hill uh in 

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Hawaii . We are folk , we are forced to 

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examine our fuel lay down across the 

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Indo Pacific and across other Coco 

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areas of responsibility . Congress 

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designated Transcom as the dod 

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executive agent for our bulk fuel 

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management uh and will serve Transcom 

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will serve an important role in moving 

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that fuel forward to support our 

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strategic operations . Moving uh fuel 

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in particular for air operations is a 

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strategic capability that cannot be 

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neglected . Replacing our aging air 

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lift and air refueling platforms is 

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complicated . We have struggled frankly , 

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in some areas , we must ensure 

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availability of legacy platforms until 

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their replacements reach full 

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operational capability . And for that 

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reason , Congress has established 

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statutory minimums for both the airlift 

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and air refueling fleets to ensure we 

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have needed capacity . Our uh and 

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military sealift command fleets are 

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also in a similar state 

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recapitalization of our sealift fleet 

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that will rely that we will rely on to 

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carry ground platforms and material 

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into theater is a pressing issue . 

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Crewing these vessels is also of great 

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concern . We have a significant 

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shortage of credentialed Mariners that 

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combined with an incredibly poor and 

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concerning state of our vessels uh have 

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resulted in a less than impressive and 

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that that's an understatement , uh less 

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than impressive readiness rates during 

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recent exercises . Uh We will also rely 

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on the same pool of credential Mariners 

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to crew commercial vessels in the 

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maritime security program and the 

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tanker security program . And we have a 

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tough road ahead and I look forward to 

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hearing how plans to administer these 

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important programs and bolster the 

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number of credentialed Mariners . I 

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would also like to highlight an 

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important issue for our service members . 

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Transcom administers the defense 

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personnel property program that moves 

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and stores service members , household 

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goods uh during their change of station 

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moves , we ask so much of our military 

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members and we ask even more of their 

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families . Uh and , and General Van 

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Ovos , we've had many conversations 

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about reducing the stress on our family 

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members as they're , as they're moving . 

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I look forward to hearing you uh 

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address those program changes today . 

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Uh I remain concerned about a single 

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point of failure and having one prime 

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contractor in the new global household 

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goods contract . And we'll continue to 

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emphasize that oversight from both 

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Transcom and Congress will be an 

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important part of implement , of 

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implementing that program and closing 

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our ability to execute logistical 

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functions in a contested environment 

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will define our ability to succeed in 

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uh uh any future strategic competition . 

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We are seeing today a global lesson on 

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the failure of logistics uh with Russia , 

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with the Russian military in Ukraine . 

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We must get this right and we must 

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ensure that we can move , sustain and 

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fuel us forces to meet any scenario 

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with that . I look forward to hearing 

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whether the FY- 24 budget meets uh 

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request meets that task and I 

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yield to the ranking member . 

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Uh Thank you so much , Mr Chair General 

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Waltz . It's an honor to be here today 

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as vice ranking member , um General 

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Van . It was great meeting 

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you this past Friday and as a fellow 

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grad as well and Admiral Phillips . Um 

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Thank you for coming before our 

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committee to discuss the important work 

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um for the maritime administration . 

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Strategic mobility has always been a 

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strength of the United States unmatched 

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by any adversary Transcom has the 

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unique ability to work across um 

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combatant commands , our services , the 

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private sector and our allies to 

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achieve both military and diplomatic 

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goals of the United States . Most 

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recently since the Russian invasion of 

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Ukraine Transcom has transported 

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equipment , artillery , armor troops 

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and other aid that has made a critical 

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difference uh for Ukrainians fighting 

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against Russian aggression . But 

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despite having unparalleled 

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capabilities and strategic mobility , 

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China and Russia are catching up not 

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just in the Indo Pacific Command 

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Theater , but in Southern Command in 

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Africa Command as well . Russia and 

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China have done much to expand cyber 

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and anti access area denial 

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capabilities along with expanding their 

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geopolitical influence across the globe . 

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And in this critical time , our air 

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lift , sea lift and air refueling 

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capabilities are aging and we're 

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critically short on civilian Mariners 

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now . More than ever , it is critical 

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that Transcom and have the resources 

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they need to ensure we retain our 

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advantage . I look forward to hearing 

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your views on how we can ensure our 

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mobility enterprise remains unmatched 

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across the globe . With that Mr Chair , 

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you'll be thank you Mr 

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Davis and Now , I yield to Chairman 

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Kelly uh for his opening statement , 

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Chairman Waltz , thank you for your 

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leadership and leading this morning's 

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posture hearing today . We'll hear from 

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two leaders who are experts in their 

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fields . I thank you both for your 

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service to the nation Transcom Charter 

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is to project and sustain combat power 

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whenever and wherever our nation 

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chooses . As I think on that problem 

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set and the multiple adversaries we 

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face it is a daunting challenge and 

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deserving of congressional support 

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conflicts are won or lost . Primarily 

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because of logistics . We need to look 

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no further than Russia's recent 

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logistical blunders to prove this point . 

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Notably , Transcom accomplishment 

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supporting the Ukraine war and the 

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earthquakes in Turkey and Spain have 

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been amazing and done . In addition to 

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their day job , Transcom has also 

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assumed the role of Department of 

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Defense , single manager for global 

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bulk fuel management and delivery . 

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This mission represents a different 

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approach to managing bulk fuel and I 

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look forward to hearing how it is going . 

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I remain concerned with our aging sea 

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lift and air refueling fleet . This 

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year's budget increase includes money 

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to purchase two additional sea lift 

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assets , but the fleet remains on 

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average , too old . This is especially 

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critical because as Mr Waltz or 

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Chairman Waltz mentioned recent 

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exercises with these reserve fleets 

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were concerning is also an organization 

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punching above their weight . We are 

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happy with the success of the tanker 

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security program and would like to hear 

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your thoughts on the increasing 

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capacity , enter and intra theater 

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mobility will be key to sustainment in 

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the in area of responsibility . And the 

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10 ships in the program are just the 

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tip of the iceberg . We need to be 

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prioritizing this capability today . 

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Finally , I'm concerned with merchant 

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Mariners readiness and how we can 

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increase the pool of credentialed 

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Mariners . And I look forward to 

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hearing your thoughts about recruitment 

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and retention , the F Y 24 budget 

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request for Transcom and , and show us 

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the problem is not getting easier . I 

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wanna thank our witnesses in advance 

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for their time today . I look forward 

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to continuing work with you during the 

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118th Congress to ensure that we are 

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appropriately postured to meet and 

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defeat the threats by adversaries . Mr 

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Chairman . Are you back ? 

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Thank you . And now I yield to uh 

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ranking member Courtney . Thank you uh 

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Chairman Waltz and uh and thank you uh 

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Chairman Kelly and my good friend , the 

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vice ranking member , uh Mr Davis . In 

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terms of your opening remarks again , I 

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think Mr Waltz stated it on target 

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where he said that . Um you know , 

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today , it's all about uh the logistics 

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of airlift and sealift , particularly 

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when we're talking about um uh a part 

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of the world that is as vast as the 

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Indo Pacific region where supply lines 

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are gonna be severely tested . And um 

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we've got two great witnesses here 

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today um to quote Omar Bradley amateurs 

237
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talk strategy professionals talk 

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logistics . We have two ultimate and 

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you know , um uh total professionals 

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here to , to share their thoughts in 

241
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terms of their critical uh agencies in 

242
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terms of how we solve this problem . I 

243
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would note that um you know , these two 

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00:10:05,340 --> 00:10:07,789
committees uh have had in my opinion , 

245
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a very strong record over the last six 

246
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years in terms of addressing um issues 

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like the tanker security program uh 

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which did not exist prior to 2020 . It 

249
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was actually authorization language 

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that came out of the Sea Power Mark , 

251
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uh , that year , uh , which was like 

252
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crawling over broken glass , getting it 

253
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through the Senate , but we did it and 

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we also got a matching appropriation , 

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uh , last year so that we now actually 

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have real funds so that , uh , again , 

257
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Mayra can go out and solicit uh , 

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providers . Uh , in , in my mind , that 

259
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is Congress at its best , uh , 

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following its duty under article one 

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section eight , clause 13 of the 

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Congress of the constitution which 

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states that Congress shall provide and 

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maintain a navy . Again , that T S P 

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program started right here . And as , 

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uh , Mr Kelly said , um , you know , we 

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really should be looking for ways to , 

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to size it up further . Uh , in this 

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year's , uh , uh F Y 24 I would note 

270
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that the other sort of issue which , uh , 

271
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again , others have alluded to is the 

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aging , um , maritime fleet , which 

273
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again is , we've heard all the 

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statistics , you know , over 50 years 

275
00:11:12,043 --> 00:11:14,219
old . Um , you know , we've had issues 

276
00:11:14,229 --> 00:11:16,118
even with delivery of supplies to 

277
00:11:16,118 --> 00:11:18,400
Ukraine in terms of uh breakdowns uh 

278
00:11:18,409 --> 00:11:20,353
because of some of the , the fleet 

279
00:11:20,353 --> 00:11:23,119
there . And , um , you know , it just 

280
00:11:23,130 --> 00:11:26,070
screams out for um , action . I am 

281
00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:27,969
disappointed . I have to tell you 

282
00:11:27,969 --> 00:11:30,080
having read both your testimony about 

283
00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,136
the fact that in my opinion , one of 

284
00:11:32,136 --> 00:11:34,080
the most promising made in America 

285
00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:36,024
programs uh was barely mentioned , 

286
00:11:36,024 --> 00:11:38,191
which again originated uh in these two 

287
00:11:38,191 --> 00:11:40,191
committees is being administered by 

288
00:11:40,239 --> 00:11:42,719
it's the uh maritime training ship , 

289
00:11:42,729 --> 00:11:45,140
multi mission vessel uh which is now 

290
00:11:45,150 --> 00:11:48,099
underway in the Philly shipyard . Again , 

291
00:11:48,109 --> 00:11:51,690
these are 525 ft ships that displace 

292
00:11:51,700 --> 00:11:55,119
19,000 tons , that again will be there 

293
00:11:55,130 --> 00:11:57,359
to train our , our future maritime 

294
00:11:57,369 --> 00:11:59,489
officers , which is again something 

295
00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:01,400
that we must do , but it is multi 

296
00:12:01,409 --> 00:12:03,780
mission . If an emergency happens , 

297
00:12:03,789 --> 00:12:06,039
those boats can be converted into 

298
00:12:06,049 --> 00:12:08,271
emergency delivery , whether it's first 

299
00:12:08,271 --> 00:12:10,419
responders or whether it's military 

300
00:12:10,429 --> 00:12:14,369
equipment or , or personnel . And , 

301
00:12:14,380 --> 00:12:17,659
and this program again , at a time when 

302
00:12:17,669 --> 00:12:19,909
the commercial tonnage in this country 

303
00:12:19,919 --> 00:12:23,229
has just almost disappeared . Um shows 

304
00:12:23,239 --> 00:12:25,450
that we can do it in this country . 

305
00:12:25,510 --> 00:12:27,621
Again . The the Empire State is gonna 

306
00:12:27,621 --> 00:12:30,380
be uh launched later this summer and 

307
00:12:30,390 --> 00:12:32,440
there's four right in , in sequence 

308
00:12:32,450 --> 00:12:34,506
after it , I would encourage all the 

309
00:12:34,506 --> 00:12:36,672
members to take a quick trip up to the 

310
00:12:36,672 --> 00:12:38,894
Philly shipyard . It was almost down to 

311
00:12:38,894 --> 00:12:40,950
20 workers when this program started 

312
00:12:40,950 --> 00:12:43,309
it's 2000 today . And the fact is is 

313
00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,376
they can take on more after they are 

314
00:12:45,376 --> 00:12:48,130
done with this maritime training ship 

315
00:12:48,140 --> 00:12:50,484
uh procurement which is to basically 

316
00:12:50,494 --> 00:12:52,716
have a made in America sea lift . We do 

317
00:12:52,716 --> 00:12:55,424
not need to be buying ships overseas on 

318
00:12:55,434 --> 00:12:57,601
the used market . When do we learn the 

319
00:12:57,601 --> 00:12:59,945
lesson of COVID that international 

320
00:12:59,955 --> 00:13:02,434
supply chains cannot be relied on in 

321
00:13:02,445 --> 00:13:05,625
terms of price or accessibility and and 

322
00:13:05,635 --> 00:13:07,544
we need to bring back the the 

323
00:13:07,554 --> 00:13:10,744
commercial and and shipyard um 

324
00:13:10,755 --> 00:13:13,025
sector in this country . And we showed 

325
00:13:13,034 --> 00:13:15,145
with this program that it actually we 

326
00:13:15,145 --> 00:13:18,489
can do it . So again , I I um 

327
00:13:19,150 --> 00:13:21,520
as I said , there was one bare mention 

328
00:13:21,530 --> 00:13:24,510
of this program even though is is in my 

329
00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,400
opinion , the hero here in terms of 

330
00:13:27,409 --> 00:13:30,080
executing this program . And the fact 

331
00:13:30,090 --> 00:13:32,520
is it should show us a model for how we 

332
00:13:32,530 --> 00:13:34,440
try to solve the the very serious 

333
00:13:34,450 --> 00:13:36,506
problems which Chairman Walt started 

334
00:13:36,506 --> 00:13:38,617
and I I apologize for going on here . 

335
00:13:38,617 --> 00:13:41,039
But again , um we , we have work to do 

336
00:13:41,049 --> 00:13:43,216
and the fact the good news is it's not 

337
00:13:43,216 --> 00:13:45,327
hopeless , we can do it and without a 

338
00:13:45,327 --> 00:13:48,659
yield back . No , no , no apologies 

339
00:13:48,669 --> 00:13:52,049
needed . Uh um Mr Courtney , I think 

340
00:13:52,059 --> 00:13:54,281
the last briefing I received there were 

341
00:13:54,281 --> 00:13:57,130
over 50,000 Chinese flag vessels and 

342
00:13:57,140 --> 00:14:00,390
now less than 5000 us . So this is a a 

343
00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:02,549
strategic vulnerability and I I look 

344
00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:04,670
forward to all of us working together 

345
00:14:04,670 --> 00:14:06,670
on it . It shouldn't be such a hard 

346
00:14:06,670 --> 00:14:08,650
push uh to get our domestic ship 

347
00:14:08,659 --> 00:14:11,099
building uh back to where it needs to 

348
00:14:11,109 --> 00:14:13,165
be and how the commercial drives the 

349
00:14:13,165 --> 00:14:15,387
national security . So , uh again , I'd 

350
00:14:15,387 --> 00:14:17,331
like to thank our witnesses uh for 

351
00:14:17,331 --> 00:14:19,276
their time and for joining us , uh 

352
00:14:19,276 --> 00:14:21,553
today we're joined by General Van Ovos , 

353
00:14:21,553 --> 00:14:23,665
Commander of Transportation Command , 

354
00:14:23,665 --> 00:14:25,250
uh Rear Admiral Phillips uh 

355
00:14:25,260 --> 00:14:28,640
administrator of uh and now I would 

356
00:14:28,650 --> 00:14:30,969
like to recognize General Van Ovos for 

357
00:14:30,979 --> 00:14:33,570
her opening remarks . Thank you , 

358
00:14:33,580 --> 00:14:35,849
Chairman Waltz , Chairman Kelly , vice 

359
00:14:35,859 --> 00:14:38,026
ranking member , Davis and Ricky Mayor 

360
00:14:38,026 --> 00:14:40,248
Courtney , distinguished members of the 

361
00:14:40,248 --> 00:14:42,248
committees . Good morning . It's my 

362
00:14:42,248 --> 00:14:44,415
honor to join you today with my senior 

363
00:14:44,415 --> 00:14:46,581
enlisted leader , Fleet master Chief , 

364
00:14:46,581 --> 00:14:48,748
Donald Myrick to represent the men and 

365
00:14:48,748 --> 00:14:48,549
women of the United States 

366
00:14:48,559 --> 00:14:50,670
Transportation Command . As we defend 

367
00:14:50,670 --> 00:14:52,880
the nation , take care of our people 

368
00:14:52,890 --> 00:14:55,330
and succeed through teamwork . I'm 

369
00:14:55,340 --> 00:14:57,062
extremely proud of our team of 

370
00:14:57,062 --> 00:14:59,118
logistics professionals who lead the 

371
00:14:59,118 --> 00:15:01,007
joint deployment and distribution 

372
00:15:01,007 --> 00:15:02,673
enterprise continually exceed 

373
00:15:02,673 --> 00:15:06,150
expectations and ensure hope deterrence 

374
00:15:06,159 --> 00:15:08,150
and victory are assured as we 

375
00:15:08,159 --> 00:15:11,130
contribute to our nation's defense from 

376
00:15:11,140 --> 00:15:13,130
competition to crisis . The entire 

377
00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:15,140
enterprise proudly delivers for our 

378
00:15:15,140 --> 00:15:17,400
nation , our allies and our partners . 

379
00:15:18,169 --> 00:15:20,169
We know our success in the European 

380
00:15:20,169 --> 00:15:21,947
theater and beyond would not be 

381
00:15:21,947 --> 00:15:24,113
possible without the steadfast support 

382
00:15:24,113 --> 00:15:26,169
of these committees and the whole of 

383
00:15:26,169 --> 00:15:28,113
Congress to maintain the unrivaled 

384
00:15:28,113 --> 00:15:30,058
strategic advantage to project and 

385
00:15:30,058 --> 00:15:32,058
sustain the joint force over global 

386
00:15:32,058 --> 00:15:34,169
distances through natural disasters , 

387
00:15:34,169 --> 00:15:37,059
pandemics , conflicts , peace and war 

388
00:15:37,130 --> 00:15:40,080
while defending the homeland . We must 

389
00:15:40,090 --> 00:15:43,950
preserve our logistical dominance . Our 

390
00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,182
organic fleet along with our commercial 

391
00:15:46,182 --> 00:15:48,293
transportation partners must continue 

392
00:15:48,293 --> 00:15:50,450
to present credible deterrents and 

393
00:15:50,460 --> 00:15:52,340
requires proactive efforts to 

394
00:15:52,349 --> 00:15:56,039
recapitalize and modernize . My highest 

395
00:15:56,049 --> 00:15:57,938
concerns lie in the reductions in 

396
00:15:57,938 --> 00:16:00,105
capacity and readiness in both sealift 

397
00:16:00,105 --> 00:16:02,659
and air refueling . We are a generation 

398
00:16:02,669 --> 00:16:04,836
late in recapitalizing a ready sealift 

399
00:16:04,836 --> 00:16:07,058
fleet to meet our national objectives . 

400
00:16:07,179 --> 00:16:09,820
The average age of the 44 roll on roll 

401
00:16:09,830 --> 00:16:12,052
off ships that we use to surge from the 

402
00:16:12,052 --> 00:16:14,880
continental United States is 44 years 

403
00:16:14,890 --> 00:16:18,739
old . In fact , 17 of these 44 ships 

404
00:16:18,750 --> 00:16:21,469
are 50 years or older . Transcom 

405
00:16:21,479 --> 00:16:23,590
supports the navy strategy to acquire 

406
00:16:23,590 --> 00:16:25,257
used sealift vessels from the 

407
00:16:25,257 --> 00:16:27,423
commercial market and further requests 

408
00:16:27,423 --> 00:16:29,423
to provide the Secretary of Defense 

409
00:16:29,423 --> 00:16:31,423
discretionary authority to purchase 

410
00:16:31,423 --> 00:16:33,146
foreign built used ships under 

411
00:16:33,146 --> 00:16:35,368
favorable market conditions and without 

412
00:16:35,368 --> 00:16:37,201
limitation on number , I greatly 

413
00:16:37,201 --> 00:16:39,368
appreciate your support for stabilized 

414
00:16:39,368 --> 00:16:41,080
funding towards our sea liver 

415
00:16:41,090 --> 00:16:43,380
capitalization effort and I'm heartened 

416
00:16:43,390 --> 00:16:45,446
by the current progress on the first 

417
00:16:45,446 --> 00:16:48,530
five ships . We've also taken steps to 

418
00:16:48,539 --> 00:16:50,650
address the department's shortfall in 

419
00:16:50,650 --> 00:16:52,780
meeting wartime fuel delivery demands 

420
00:16:52,789 --> 00:16:54,511
and the vulnerable position of 

421
00:16:54,511 --> 00:16:56,345
continued reliance on the use of 

422
00:16:56,345 --> 00:16:58,739
foreign flagged foreign crude tanker 

423
00:16:58,750 --> 00:17:01,650
vessels . We are working with me to 

424
00:17:01,659 --> 00:17:03,770
implement the tanker security program 

425
00:17:03,770 --> 00:17:05,826
which will provide assured access to 

426
00:17:05,826 --> 00:17:08,670
the US flag tankers and begin to reduce 

427
00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,709
risk in sealift tanker capacity . 

428
00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:14,704
In addition to the tanker security 

429
00:17:14,704 --> 00:17:16,927
program , we fully support the maritime 

430
00:17:16,927 --> 00:17:18,982
security program . The Jones Act and 

431
00:17:18,982 --> 00:17:20,982
cargo preference laws that all work 

432
00:17:20,982 --> 00:17:22,704
together to ensure we have the 

433
00:17:22,704 --> 00:17:24,704
necessary us flag capability and us 

434
00:17:24,704 --> 00:17:26,871
Mariners during peacetime and ready to 

435
00:17:26,871 --> 00:17:29,093
move sensitive defense materials during 

436
00:17:29,093 --> 00:17:32,810
a national emergency . In every domain , 

437
00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,199
American workers are critical to joint 

438
00:17:35,209 --> 00:17:37,376
force , transportation and logistics . 

439
00:17:37,599 --> 00:17:39,979
In particular , maritime stakeholders 

440
00:17:39,989 --> 00:17:42,156
have been experiencing challenges with 

441
00:17:42,156 --> 00:17:44,322
recruiting and retaining Mariners . We 

442
00:17:44,322 --> 00:17:46,433
support merit and industry efforts to 

443
00:17:46,433 --> 00:17:48,489
identify strategies that address the 

444
00:17:48,489 --> 00:17:50,378
meriter shortage and ensure their 

445
00:17:50,378 --> 00:17:52,900
readiness in the air . The air 

446
00:17:52,910 --> 00:17:54,854
refueling fleet is the backbone of 

447
00:17:54,854 --> 00:17:56,799
rapid global mobility and our most 

448
00:17:56,799 --> 00:17:59,859
stressed capability . Transcom supports 

449
00:17:59,869 --> 00:18:01,758
the air force's continued efforts 

450
00:18:01,758 --> 00:18:03,702
towards focus modernization of the 

451
00:18:03,702 --> 00:18:05,425
fleet , uninterrupted tanker , 

452
00:18:05,425 --> 00:18:07,329
recapitalization and accelerated 

453
00:18:07,339 --> 00:18:09,660
pursuit of the next generation air 

454
00:18:09,670 --> 00:18:12,500
refueling system to ensure our capacity 

455
00:18:12,510 --> 00:18:15,150
and readiness remains credible to cover 

456
00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:17,780
simultaneous global requirements . 

457
00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,660
Future operations will also require 

458
00:18:21,670 --> 00:18:23,392
high degrees of battle , space 

459
00:18:23,392 --> 00:18:25,770
awareness and leveraging data to align 

460
00:18:25,780 --> 00:18:27,900
scarce mobility resources with the 

461
00:18:27,910 --> 00:18:31,010
greatest strategic need . Integration 

462
00:18:31,020 --> 00:18:33,020
into battle networks , resource and 

463
00:18:33,020 --> 00:18:35,020
cryptographic modernization , cyber 

464
00:18:35,020 --> 00:18:37,030
security and ensuring resilient 

465
00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:39,410
position . Navigation and timing are 

466
00:18:39,420 --> 00:18:42,829
among my top priorities and just as we 

467
00:18:42,839 --> 00:18:45,006
are engaged globally in supporting dod 

468
00:18:45,006 --> 00:18:47,172
operations , the global household good 

469
00:18:47,172 --> 00:18:48,561
contract is our flagship 

470
00:18:48,561 --> 00:18:50,728
transformational effort and will bring 

471
00:18:50,728 --> 00:18:52,839
accountability that does not exist in 

472
00:18:52,839 --> 00:18:54,672
the current program of dispersed 

473
00:18:54,672 --> 00:18:56,839
vendors . We owe it to our members and 

474
00:18:56,839 --> 00:18:59,061
their families to ensure that they have 

475
00:18:59,061 --> 00:19:01,172
the best relocation experience we can 

476
00:19:01,172 --> 00:19:03,130
provide . I'm honored to join Rear 

477
00:19:03,140 --> 00:19:05,307
Admiral Phillips , us Navy retired and 

478
00:19:05,307 --> 00:19:07,251
thank her for her 30 plus years of 

479
00:19:07,251 --> 00:19:08,973
service to our country and her 

480
00:19:08,973 --> 00:19:11,084
commitment to our nation's security . 

481
00:19:11,084 --> 00:19:13,140
I'd like to thank you once again for 

482
00:19:13,140 --> 00:19:15,140
your leadership and the support you 

483
00:19:15,140 --> 00:19:17,307
provide our workforce . I look forward 

484
00:19:17,307 --> 00:19:20,609
to your questions . Thank you , General 

485
00:19:21,060 --> 00:19:23,130
uh Admiral Phillips . Your opening 

486
00:19:23,140 --> 00:19:26,979
statement , Chairman 

487
00:19:26,989 --> 00:19:29,322
Waltz , Chairman Kelly , ranking member , 

488
00:19:29,322 --> 00:19:31,322
Courtney , ranking member Garamendi 

489
00:19:31,322 --> 00:19:33,489
vice ranking member Davis , members of 

490
00:19:33,489 --> 00:19:35,600
the subcommittee . Thank you for your 

491
00:19:35,609 --> 00:19:37,609
tremendous support for the Maritime 

492
00:19:37,609 --> 00:19:39,665
administration , including our Ready 

493
00:19:39,665 --> 00:19:41,665
Reserve Force , the Merchant Marine 

494
00:19:41,665 --> 00:19:43,831
Academy and the US maritime industry . 

495
00:19:43,831 --> 00:19:45,887
And thank you for the opportunity to 

496
00:19:45,887 --> 00:19:47,998
testify before you today as a retired 

497
00:19:47,998 --> 00:19:50,220
US navy admiral with more than 30 years 

498
00:19:50,220 --> 00:19:52,220
of military service , I knew before 

499
00:19:52,220 --> 00:19:52,189
becoming a maritime administrator how 

500
00:19:52,199 --> 00:19:54,255
critical our merchant marine and our 

501
00:19:54,255 --> 00:19:56,255
entire maritime industry are to our 

502
00:19:56,255 --> 00:19:58,588
national defense as well as our economy . 

503
00:19:58,930 --> 00:20:00,986
Now having led the Great Marrit team 

504
00:20:00,986 --> 00:20:03,152
for just under a year , I can tell you 

505
00:20:03,152 --> 00:20:05,208
this agency is meeting many historic 

506
00:20:05,208 --> 00:20:07,097
moments as we work to promote the 

507
00:20:07,097 --> 00:20:09,041
merchant marine and strengthen all 

508
00:20:09,041 --> 00:20:11,380
facets of the maritime industry . We 

509
00:20:11,390 --> 00:20:13,057
are administering a once in a 

510
00:20:13,057 --> 00:20:15,168
generation investment in our nation's 

511
00:20:15,168 --> 00:20:17,223
ports and waterways made possible by 

512
00:20:17,223 --> 00:20:17,199
the president's bipartisan 

513
00:20:17,209 --> 00:20:19,599
infrastructure law . We are working to 

514
00:20:19,609 --> 00:20:21,720
advance culture change throughout the 

515
00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:23,942
merchant marine . We are advancing long 

516
00:20:23,942 --> 00:20:26,053
overdue recapitalization of our aging 

517
00:20:26,053 --> 00:20:28,165
Ready Reserve Force . Let me begin by 

518
00:20:28,165 --> 00:20:30,387
discussing the Ready Reserve an area of 

519
00:20:30,387 --> 00:20:32,498
our focus today . America's strategic 

520
00:20:32,498 --> 00:20:34,665
sea lift enables our nation to protect 

521
00:20:34,665 --> 00:20:36,609
power globally . Including through 

522
00:20:36,609 --> 00:20:38,387
congested environments whenever 

523
00:20:38,387 --> 00:20:40,220
activated by us . Transportation 

524
00:20:40,220 --> 00:20:42,331
Command led by General Jacqueline Van 

525
00:20:42,331 --> 00:20:44,387
Ovos . I am honored to join you with 

526
00:20:44,387 --> 00:20:46,609
her here today . The Ready Reserve is a 

527
00:20:46,609 --> 00:20:48,831
fleet of 45 vessels with an average age 

528
00:20:48,831 --> 00:20:51,053
of more than 45 years . It will grow to 

529
00:20:51,053 --> 00:20:53,109
more than 50 vessels after a planned 

530
00:20:53,109 --> 00:20:55,331
transfer of additional vessels from the 

531
00:20:55,331 --> 00:20:55,229
military sealift command is complete 

532
00:20:55,239 --> 00:20:57,500
later this year . Marra will then be 

533
00:20:57,510 --> 00:21:00,579
the single sealift surge provider . The 

534
00:21:00,589 --> 00:21:02,533
President's F Y 24 budget requests 

535
00:21:02,533 --> 00:21:04,949
809.6 million from dod budgetary 

536
00:21:04,959 --> 00:21:07,130
authority for Marra to acquire upgrade 

537
00:21:07,140 --> 00:21:09,750
and maintain the ready reserve . Due to 

538
00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:11,816
the advancing age of these ships . I 

539
00:21:11,816 --> 00:21:13,982
will tell you that sustaining safety , 

540
00:21:13,982 --> 00:21:15,760
material condition , regulatory 

541
00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:17,593
compliance and the challenges of 

542
00:21:17,593 --> 00:21:19,316
equipment , parts , delays and 

543
00:21:19,316 --> 00:21:21,204
increased scope of needed repairs 

544
00:21:21,204 --> 00:21:23,760
including steel work , make repairing 

545
00:21:23,770 --> 00:21:26,150
these ships difficult and challenging . 

546
00:21:26,819 --> 00:21:28,708
Marra is working to implement our 

547
00:21:28,708 --> 00:21:31,390
recapitalization . And in March 2022 

548
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,622
for the first time in nearly 30 years , 

549
00:21:33,622 --> 00:21:35,456
we announced the purchase of two 

550
00:21:35,456 --> 00:21:37,289
vessels which will add more than 

551
00:21:37,289 --> 00:21:39,400
316,000 square feet of military cargo 

552
00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,329
capacity . Earlier this year , DD 

553
00:21:41,339 --> 00:21:43,450
transmitted to Congress our intent to 

554
00:21:43,450 --> 00:21:45,172
purchase three more ships with 

555
00:21:45,172 --> 00:21:47,061
reflagging and entry to the ready 

556
00:21:47,061 --> 00:21:49,459
Reserve beginning in April 2023 . But 

557
00:21:49,469 --> 00:21:51,310
this is just the start of needed 

558
00:21:51,319 --> 00:21:54,660
overall recapitalization . In addition , 

559
00:21:54,670 --> 00:21:56,837
Marra provides ships from the National 

560
00:21:56,837 --> 00:21:58,726
Defense Reserve fleet as training 

561
00:21:58,726 --> 00:22:00,781
vessels for the Stick state maritime 

562
00:22:00,781 --> 00:22:02,892
academies . We are working to replace 

563
00:22:02,892 --> 00:22:05,114
these training vessels with new vessels 

564
00:22:05,114 --> 00:22:04,410
that will meet the needs of the 

565
00:22:04,420 --> 00:22:06,560
academies and provide training for 

566
00:22:07,079 --> 00:22:09,839
mariner workforce . There are now four 

567
00:22:09,849 --> 00:22:11,849
N S M BS under construction and the 

568
00:22:11,849 --> 00:22:14,182
first ship the Empire State is launched . 

569
00:22:14,182 --> 00:22:16,238
We anticipate taking delivery of her 

570
00:22:16,238 --> 00:22:19,920
later this year . Merit's F Y 24 budget 

571
00:22:19,930 --> 00:22:22,199
requests full authorization of 318 

572
00:22:22,209 --> 00:22:24,376
million for 60 vessels enrolled in the 

573
00:22:24,376 --> 00:22:26,487
maritime security program and further 

574
00:22:26,487 --> 00:22:28,598
requests 60 million at the authorized 

575
00:22:28,598 --> 00:22:30,820
level for the tanker security program . 

576
00:22:30,820 --> 00:22:33,000
As promised merit issued the interim 

577
00:22:33,010 --> 00:22:34,954
final rule for the tanker security 

578
00:22:34,954 --> 00:22:36,954
program last year and we anticipate 

579
00:22:36,954 --> 00:22:39,121
announcing the 1st 10 vessels selected 

580
00:22:39,121 --> 00:22:41,177
for enrollment soon . The initiative 

581
00:22:41,177 --> 00:22:43,177
will also create new employment for 

582
00:22:43,177 --> 00:22:46,010
approximately 500 us . Mariners last 

583
00:22:46,020 --> 00:22:48,187
fall . I hosted a summit with industry 

584
00:22:48,187 --> 00:22:50,409
and federal stakeholders to discuss the 

585
00:22:50,409 --> 00:22:52,576
mariner shortfall and we will continue 

586
00:22:52,576 --> 00:22:54,742
to work with our partners to help grow 

587
00:22:54,742 --> 00:22:56,964
and strengthen the mariner pool on that 

588
00:22:56,964 --> 00:22:59,076
front . One thing is clear , everyone 

589
00:22:59,076 --> 00:23:01,020
in this industry must continue the 

590
00:23:01,020 --> 00:23:03,187
critical effort to ensure mariner work 

591
00:23:03,187 --> 00:23:02,910
environments are safe and that the 

592
00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:04,864
maritime industry is a place where 

593
00:23:04,864 --> 00:23:06,920
Mariners can succeed on the basis of 

594
00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:08,864
their professionalism and skill in 

595
00:23:08,864 --> 00:23:10,476
support of that effort . The 

596
00:23:10,476 --> 00:23:12,698
President's fiscal year 24 request will 

597
00:23:12,698 --> 00:23:14,809
also enable me to continue to address 

598
00:23:14,809 --> 00:23:16,976
urgent and long standing challenges at 

599
00:23:16,976 --> 00:23:19,087
the Merchant Marine Academy including 

600
00:23:19,087 --> 00:23:18,709
implementing the many new authorities 

601
00:23:18,719 --> 00:23:20,886
and responsibilities provided in the F 

602
00:23:20,886 --> 00:23:23,939
Y 23 N D A A specifically funding will 

603
00:23:23,949 --> 00:23:25,782
enable us to continue our work , 

604
00:23:25,782 --> 00:23:27,949
implementing the every Mariner Bills , 

605
00:23:27,949 --> 00:23:30,060
a respectful culture program and help 

606
00:23:30,060 --> 00:23:32,171
meet the academy's extensive facility 

607
00:23:32,171 --> 00:23:34,282
maintenance and repair needs . As you 

608
00:23:34,282 --> 00:23:36,282
know , Marrett established the EMBA 

609
00:23:36,282 --> 00:23:38,116
program in December 2021 to help 

610
00:23:38,116 --> 00:23:40,227
prevent sexual assault and harassment 

611
00:23:40,227 --> 00:23:42,393
during the sea year program to support 

612
00:23:42,393 --> 00:23:44,282
survivors strengthen a culture of 

613
00:23:44,282 --> 00:23:46,393
accountability and improve safety for 

614
00:23:46,393 --> 00:23:48,560
all Mariners . Now , thanks to the F Y 

615
00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,393
2023 N D A commercially operated 

616
00:23:50,393 --> 00:23:52,560
vessels must by law comply with sexual 

617
00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,671
assault and harassment prevention and 

618
00:23:54,671 --> 00:23:56,727
response standards set by mad before 

619
00:23:56,727 --> 00:23:58,893
they can train . Academy cadets . Mead 

620
00:23:58,893 --> 00:24:00,949
is working as quickly as possible to 

621
00:24:00,949 --> 00:24:03,005
develop an embark rule . Pursuant to 

622
00:24:03,005 --> 00:24:05,116
the N D A I note that today there are 

623
00:24:05,116 --> 00:24:07,116
16 commercial operators enrolled in 

624
00:24:07,116 --> 00:24:09,227
embark and together they operate more 

625
00:24:09,227 --> 00:24:11,282
than 140 vessels . Thank you for the 

626
00:24:11,282 --> 00:24:13,449
opportunity to present and discuss the 

627
00:24:13,449 --> 00:24:15,505
president's budget for me and I look 

628
00:24:15,505 --> 00:24:17,560
forward to any questions you and the 

629
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:17,199
members of the subcommittee may have . 

630
00:24:17,209 --> 00:24:20,739
Thank you . Thank you , administrator . 

631
00:24:20,750 --> 00:24:22,861
Thank you both for your testimony . I 

632
00:24:22,861 --> 00:24:25,300
now recognize myself for questions . 

633
00:24:27,670 --> 00:24:29,670
We've had a number of conversations 

634
00:24:29,670 --> 00:24:31,670
about uh global household goods and 

635
00:24:31,670 --> 00:24:34,119
that transition . Uh I continue to hear 

636
00:24:34,130 --> 00:24:36,819
from the moving industry and I'm trying 

637
00:24:36,829 --> 00:24:38,996
to figure out where this disconnect is 

638
00:24:38,996 --> 00:24:40,885
from your assurance and that I've 

639
00:24:40,885 --> 00:24:42,996
received from you and your team and , 

640
00:24:42,996 --> 00:24:45,239
and the concerns that I'm hearing about 

641
00:24:45,270 --> 00:24:47,869
the transition risk to this program uh 

642
00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,819
for military moves . Uh , I've heard 

643
00:24:50,829 --> 00:24:53,660
from , including just as recently as 

644
00:24:53,670 --> 00:24:55,989
yesterday from numerous moving service 

645
00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,819
providers that they can't plan , uh for 

646
00:24:59,829 --> 00:25:01,885
what their work share is going to be 

647
00:25:01,885 --> 00:25:04,880
over the next year . Uh , that they 

648
00:25:04,890 --> 00:25:07,800
don't have agreements in place with now 

649
00:25:07,810 --> 00:25:10,520
with the prime contractor that they 

650
00:25:10,530 --> 00:25:12,910
don't have pricing in place so that 

651
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,359
they can budget . And I talked to one 

652
00:25:15,369 --> 00:25:17,369
van line that is going to just walk 

653
00:25:17,369 --> 00:25:19,258
away from doing business with the 

654
00:25:19,258 --> 00:25:22,660
government . Uh So how are you , how 

655
00:25:22,670 --> 00:25:24,781
are you considering ? And this is , I 

656
00:25:24,781 --> 00:25:26,837
know we've had conversations , but I 

657
00:25:26,837 --> 00:25:26,790
think it's important to get out there 

658
00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,109
for the public record . The capacity of 

659
00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:32,170
the moving industry in its planning 

660
00:25:32,180 --> 00:25:35,250
phases for global household goods is 

661
00:25:35,260 --> 00:25:37,819
one question and then two , um you know , 

662
00:25:37,829 --> 00:25:39,718
I , I know we've talked about you 

663
00:25:39,718 --> 00:25:41,718
running the old program and the new 

664
00:25:41,718 --> 00:25:43,718
program in parallel . Uh And you've 

665
00:25:43,718 --> 00:25:45,939
assured me you will hit the brakes on 

666
00:25:45,949 --> 00:25:49,170
the new program if uh if things aren't 

667
00:25:49,380 --> 00:25:51,530
moving as , as they , as they need to 

668
00:25:51,540 --> 00:25:53,596
move and they aren't transitioning . 

669
00:25:53,596 --> 00:25:55,859
But I think what we're missing is , I 

670
00:25:55,869 --> 00:25:57,702
don't know that there's gonna be 

671
00:25:57,702 --> 00:25:59,758
anybody left in that old program and 

672
00:25:59,758 --> 00:26:01,813
any backup plan uh to go to . So how 

673
00:26:01,813 --> 00:26:04,939
are you , um how are you planning for 

674
00:26:04,949 --> 00:26:07,380
that loss of capacity in the , in the 

675
00:26:07,390 --> 00:26:10,050
moving industry that is just shifting 

676
00:26:10,060 --> 00:26:12,060
rapidly over the private sector and 

677
00:26:12,060 --> 00:26:15,290
away from government moves . Thank you 

678
00:26:15,300 --> 00:26:17,300
for the question . Uh As you know , 

679
00:26:17,300 --> 00:26:19,411
there's no more important program for 

680
00:26:19,411 --> 00:26:21,133
our family members . And so we 

681
00:26:21,133 --> 00:26:21,069
absolutely have to make sure we get 

682
00:26:21,079 --> 00:26:23,135
this right . Uh Which is why we have 

683
00:26:23,135 --> 00:26:25,246
extensive oversight . In fact , uh as 

684
00:26:25,246 --> 00:26:27,357
home safe has come on , as you know , 

685
00:26:27,357 --> 00:26:29,523
in , in November , we're given , given 

686
00:26:29,523 --> 00:26:31,412
the green light and we are moving 

687
00:26:31,412 --> 00:26:33,635
forward . Uh They started here in March 

688
00:26:33,635 --> 00:26:35,915
uh their uh campaign to go to regional 

689
00:26:35,925 --> 00:26:37,775
areas and start to explain the 

690
00:26:37,785 --> 00:26:39,935
implementation plan , their framework 

691
00:26:39,944 --> 00:26:42,166
and how they're going to move forward . 

692
00:26:42,166 --> 00:26:44,166
Uh We are uh dealing with the final 

693
00:26:44,166 --> 00:26:46,166
rates right now , not just for home 

694
00:26:46,166 --> 00:26:48,222
safe , but as as you mentioned , the 

695
00:26:48,222 --> 00:26:50,444
tender of service program where we have 

696
00:26:50,444 --> 00:26:52,277
those 900 tenders uh is going to 

697
00:26:52,277 --> 00:26:54,444
continue on and we're gonna work it in 

698
00:26:54,444 --> 00:26:56,611
parallel in others as we bring up home 

699
00:26:56,611 --> 00:26:58,611
safe , we're going to start to dial 

700
00:26:58,611 --> 00:27:00,555
back the current tender of service 

701
00:27:00,555 --> 00:27:02,500
program . Our rates for the tender 

702
00:27:02,500 --> 00:27:04,666
service program come out traditionally 

703
00:27:04,666 --> 00:27:04,010
about now , I believe uh in the next 

704
00:27:04,020 --> 00:27:06,187
few weeks it'll come out . Uh and that 

705
00:27:06,187 --> 00:27:08,242
will be about the same time . You'll 

706
00:27:08,242 --> 00:27:10,409
probably see it with home safe as well 

707
00:27:10,409 --> 00:27:09,739
so that we , they have this 

708
00:27:09,750 --> 00:27:11,861
understanding of and and so home safe 

709
00:27:11,861 --> 00:27:13,989
will be able to provide them the full 

710
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,167
plan , they provide the , the provided 

711
00:27:16,167 --> 00:27:18,167
the framework and how this is gonna 

712
00:27:18,167 --> 00:27:20,389
work . Uh But they'll be able to do the 

713
00:27:20,389 --> 00:27:22,611
final deals coming up here as the rates 

714
00:27:22,611 --> 00:27:24,833
come out . Uh So , uh you know , I I am 

715
00:27:24,833 --> 00:27:26,889
not aware of , of people shying away 

716
00:27:26,889 --> 00:27:29,000
from being part of this capacity . Uh 

717
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,167
you know , anecdotally , it , it , the 

718
00:27:31,167 --> 00:27:33,278
uh the rollout seems to be going ok . 

719
00:27:33,278 --> 00:27:35,611
We are at all of those events . In fact , 

720
00:27:35,611 --> 00:27:37,722
we talk daily with home safe on their 

721
00:27:37,722 --> 00:27:39,722
ability to gain the capacity and to 

722
00:27:39,722 --> 00:27:41,889
move forward . We are working on the I 

723
00:27:41,889 --> 00:27:44,000
T we're working on the claims process 

724
00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:46,167
just sorry , sorry , just for the sake 

725
00:27:46,167 --> 00:27:48,111
of getting to uh other members , I 

726
00:27:48,111 --> 00:27:50,349
would just encourage you um to talk 

727
00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:53,489
directly to some of these lower tiers . 

728
00:27:53,699 --> 00:27:56,699
Uh Again , I'm trying to , to level set 

729
00:27:56,709 --> 00:27:59,750
the , the , the disconnect . But what 

730
00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:01,982
they're saying is they're hearing a lot 

731
00:28:01,982 --> 00:28:04,038
of conceptual frameworks and , and , 

732
00:28:04,038 --> 00:28:05,979
and concepts , but you know , the 

733
00:28:05,989 --> 00:28:08,045
rubber , having run a business , the 

734
00:28:08,045 --> 00:28:10,267
rubber meets the road when they need to 

735
00:28:10,267 --> 00:28:12,489
sharpen their pencils and figure out if 

736
00:28:12,489 --> 00:28:11,949
this still makes sense for their 

737
00:28:11,959 --> 00:28:15,119
company as a , as a sub . So I would 

738
00:28:15,130 --> 00:28:17,380
just encourage you to , to , to , to 

739
00:28:17,390 --> 00:28:19,810
reach out directly and Admiral Phillips 

740
00:28:19,819 --> 00:28:21,989
can , can we just talk a minute about 

741
00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,900
the um the mariner shortage do you 

742
00:28:25,910 --> 00:28:28,209
have if we had , if the balloon went up 

743
00:28:28,219 --> 00:28:30,441
for some type of global contingency and 

744
00:28:30,441 --> 00:28:32,859
we had to send out the ready reserve 

745
00:28:32,869 --> 00:28:36,109
fleet , could you staff even 50 ships ? 

746
00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,063
Uh could you , you know , with the 

747
00:28:38,063 --> 00:28:40,680
growth from 45 to 50 . Could you staff 

748
00:28:40,689 --> 00:28:42,967
all of those ships with Mariners today ? 

749
00:28:42,967 --> 00:28:44,967
Because we're pulling from the same 

750
00:28:44,967 --> 00:28:46,967
pool of credential Mariners to crew 

751
00:28:46,967 --> 00:28:48,745
both the sea lift fleet and any 

752
00:28:48,745 --> 00:28:50,800
commercial vessels needed for future 

753
00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:52,911
large scale military operations . Are 

754
00:28:52,911 --> 00:28:55,022
you confident all of those ships will 

755
00:28:55,022 --> 00:28:58,089
be manned ? Chairman ? Thank you for 

756
00:28:58,099 --> 00:29:00,540
that question . Uh I am not confident 

757
00:29:00,550 --> 00:29:02,550
all those ships would be manned . I 

758
00:29:02,550 --> 00:29:04,106
think I should be extremely 

759
00:29:04,106 --> 00:29:06,217
straightforward there . Uh We know we 

760
00:29:06,217 --> 00:29:08,328
have our mariner shortfall . The last 

761
00:29:08,328 --> 00:29:10,383
numbers we had pre date COVID , they 

762
00:29:10,383 --> 00:29:12,606
are an estimated 1800 in an uncontested 

763
00:29:12,606 --> 00:29:14,900
environment over a six month uh cycle 

764
00:29:14,910 --> 00:29:18,099
of activating the Ready Reserve . Uh As 

765
00:29:18,109 --> 00:29:20,331
you state , we're competing with active 

766
00:29:20,331 --> 00:29:22,331
ships , we're competing with our US 

767
00:29:22,331 --> 00:29:24,442
flag vessels , our 85 internationally 

768
00:29:24,442 --> 00:29:26,331
trading , privately owned foreign 

769
00:29:26,331 --> 00:29:30,050
trading vessels um and uh the , the 

770
00:29:30,060 --> 00:29:32,171
Merchant Marine and the Ready Reserve 

771
00:29:32,171 --> 00:29:34,760
Force uh are aging vessels that means 

772
00:29:34,770 --> 00:29:36,603
there are skill sets required to 

773
00:29:36,603 --> 00:29:38,381
operate some of them that those 

774
00:29:38,381 --> 00:29:40,548
remaining that are steam as an example 

775
00:29:40,548 --> 00:29:42,826
that not a lot of mines have right now . 

776
00:29:42,826 --> 00:29:44,881
I will add that . One of our biggest 

777
00:29:44,881 --> 00:29:47,048
challenges is understanding exactly as 

778
00:29:47,048 --> 00:29:49,159
you point out , who do we have ? What 

779
00:29:49,159 --> 00:29:51,214
qualifications do they have and will 

780
00:29:51,214 --> 00:29:53,439
they sail ? Uh So there in lies , uh 

781
00:29:53,449 --> 00:29:55,616
our large challenge uh as mentioned in 

782
00:29:55,616 --> 00:29:57,782
my testimony , I have convened uh last 

783
00:29:57,782 --> 00:30:00,130
fall uh 75 stakeholders to talk about 

784
00:30:00,140 --> 00:30:02,339
what we wanted to do about this across 

785
00:30:02,349 --> 00:30:05,030
industry and labor . We settled on four 

786
00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,040
lines of effort , recruit , train , 

787
00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:09,262
retain and reduce barriers . And we are 

788
00:30:09,262 --> 00:30:13,069
working uh in that to make a difference . 

789
00:30:13,079 --> 00:30:15,989
Everyone here should find that 

790
00:30:16,310 --> 00:30:18,310
incredibly alarming . That is a red 

791
00:30:18,310 --> 00:30:22,079
star cluster . I I , that is a blinking 

792
00:30:22,089 --> 00:30:24,311
red light . First of all , I don't know 

793
00:30:24,311 --> 00:30:26,422
that all the ships would even sail uh 

794
00:30:26,422 --> 00:30:28,200
frankly . And according to some 

795
00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:30,930
exercises and yet we don't have the 

796
00:30:30,939 --> 00:30:32,939
Mariners . So can you just uh I , I 

797
00:30:32,949 --> 00:30:35,060
don't wanna take up too much time . I 

798
00:30:35,060 --> 00:30:37,282
think it's incredibly important issue . 

799
00:30:37,282 --> 00:30:39,393
We've gone from the first Gulf War to 

800
00:30:39,393 --> 00:30:41,449
about 400 ships now to 40 and now we 

801
00:30:41,449 --> 00:30:43,560
can't even staff the 40 and these are 

802
00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:45,727
the ships , we need to move our ground 

803
00:30:45,727 --> 00:30:47,338
forces uh all over the world 

804
00:30:47,338 --> 00:30:49,338
specifically . How are you going to 

805
00:30:49,338 --> 00:30:51,770
rely on private providers and how can 

806
00:30:51,780 --> 00:30:54,180
we help you with private fighters in 

807
00:30:54,189 --> 00:30:56,689
addition to the academies , produce 

808
00:30:56,699 --> 00:30:59,310
more Mariners in this country ? So 

809
00:30:59,319 --> 00:31:01,375
thank you for that , that question . 

810
00:31:01,375 --> 00:31:03,486
Also , Mr Chairman , as you know , we 

811
00:31:03,486 --> 00:31:05,541
have a Centers of Excellence program 

812
00:31:05,541 --> 00:31:05,030
within the maritime administration 

813
00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,280
where we may designate uh institutions 

814
00:31:07,290 --> 00:31:09,179
that train Mariners as centers of 

815
00:31:09,179 --> 00:31:11,790
excellence . Uh In the 2023 N D A A , 

816
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,670
we received an authorization to support 

817
00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:16,569
a grant program by which we could 

818
00:31:16,569 --> 00:31:18,347
provide them perhaps additional 

819
00:31:18,347 --> 00:31:20,458
capacity we would have to develop and 

820
00:31:20,458 --> 00:31:22,569
design that program . Unfortunately , 

821
00:31:22,569 --> 00:31:22,510
that program was not appropriated there 

822
00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:24,742
was no money put against it . So we are 

823
00:31:24,742 --> 00:31:27,076
able to designate centers of excellence . 

824
00:31:27,076 --> 00:31:29,242
Uh However , we can't provide them any 

825
00:31:29,242 --> 00:31:31,242
additional funding at this point in 

826
00:31:31,242 --> 00:31:33,298
time , I would also add that we work 

827
00:31:33,298 --> 00:31:35,187
closely with labor with the union 

828
00:31:35,187 --> 00:31:37,464
schools , both licensed and unlicensed . 

829
00:31:37,464 --> 00:31:39,242
Uh They are certainly intent on 

830
00:31:39,242 --> 00:31:41,319
expanding their capacity and I would 

831
00:31:41,329 --> 00:31:43,551
add that in order for them to do that , 

832
00:31:43,551 --> 00:31:45,607
that we have to have ships for those 

833
00:31:45,607 --> 00:31:45,444
Mariners to sail on because it's 

834
00:31:45,454 --> 00:31:48,265
incumbent upon having a flow of 

835
00:31:48,275 --> 00:31:50,275
Mariners , a pull of Mariners and a 

836
00:31:50,275 --> 00:31:52,614
consistent need to be able to justify 

837
00:31:52,625 --> 00:31:54,681
to people why they want to come into 

838
00:31:54,681 --> 00:31:56,847
this community and into this , in this 

839
00:31:56,847 --> 00:31:58,792
industry and why they want to stay 

840
00:31:58,792 --> 00:32:00,958
there . Thank you , Admiral Phillips , 

841
00:32:00,958 --> 00:32:03,181
ranking member , ranking member Davis . 

842
00:32:03,181 --> 00:32:05,181
Thank you so much uh Mr Chair and I 

843
00:32:05,181 --> 00:32:07,545
would always recognize our great leader , 

844
00:32:07,555 --> 00:32:09,864
our ranking member . So always great to 

845
00:32:09,875 --> 00:32:13,640
see you , sir . Um General 

846
00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,310
uh Van . Um I have a question we like 

847
00:32:16,319 --> 00:32:18,486
to start out with today and we've seen 

848
00:32:18,489 --> 00:32:21,160
the impact of years of under resourcing 

849
00:32:21,189 --> 00:32:23,939
sustainment across the jurisdiction of 

850
00:32:23,949 --> 00:32:26,119
the readiness subcommittee . This is 

851
00:32:26,130 --> 00:32:28,630
affecting every military department and 

852
00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,300
trickles down to our soldiers , sailors 

853
00:32:31,310 --> 00:32:34,930
and airmen . Can you please describe to 

854
00:32:34,939 --> 00:32:37,540
us how the lack of resources towards 

855
00:32:37,550 --> 00:32:40,359
air and ship sustainment affects 

856
00:32:40,369 --> 00:32:43,989
Transcom ? Yeah . Thank you for that 

857
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,760
question . Uh Readiness uh Is we 

858
00:32:46,770 --> 00:32:49,099
demonstrate readiness every day around 

859
00:32:49,109 --> 00:32:51,220
the globe in all of our operations as 

860
00:32:51,220 --> 00:32:52,887
recently as Ukraine and , and 

861
00:32:52,887 --> 00:32:55,280
earthquake relief , but I am concerned 

862
00:32:55,290 --> 00:32:57,234
about long term readiness , uh our 

863
00:32:57,234 --> 00:32:59,123
ability to ensure that all of our 

864
00:32:59,123 --> 00:33:01,234
fleets can meet their mission capable 

865
00:33:01,234 --> 00:33:03,199
or availability rates . Uh And the 

866
00:33:03,209 --> 00:33:06,119
consistent underfunding does erode . Uh 

867
00:33:06,130 --> 00:33:08,869
So what we absolutely require to ensure 

868
00:33:08,880 --> 00:33:11,640
our readiness into the future is a 

869
00:33:11,650 --> 00:33:15,079
consistent funding . Uh a budget on 

870
00:33:15,089 --> 00:33:17,439
time because AC R uh continuing 

871
00:33:17,449 --> 00:33:19,449
resolution is one of the one of the 

872
00:33:19,449 --> 00:33:21,116
ways it absolutely erodes our 

873
00:33:21,116 --> 00:33:23,449
capabilities uh and our ability to do 

874
00:33:23,459 --> 00:33:25,699
new starts and to develop modernization 

875
00:33:25,709 --> 00:33:27,765
and implement modernization programs 

876
00:33:27,765 --> 00:33:29,598
that will ensure our capacity is 

877
00:33:29,598 --> 00:33:31,598
credible out into the future . So I 

878
00:33:31,598 --> 00:33:33,820
would ask for , for uh the budget to be 

879
00:33:33,820 --> 00:33:35,598
on time and for your support of 

880
00:33:35,598 --> 00:33:37,765
continued readiness funding throughout 

881
00:33:37,765 --> 00:33:40,729
all the services for our equipment . OK . 

882
00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,000
And General Renovo says China and 

883
00:33:43,010 --> 00:33:46,790
Russia have expanded cyber and 

884
00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,319
anti access area denial capabilities . 

885
00:33:50,540 --> 00:33:53,780
What concerns does Transcom have 

886
00:33:53,790 --> 00:33:55,979
regarding Chinese or Russian 

887
00:33:55,989 --> 00:33:59,170
investments in ports and the potential 

888
00:33:59,180 --> 00:34:01,859
limitation those imposed on Transcom 

889
00:34:01,869 --> 00:34:05,349
options for providing strategic lift 

890
00:34:05,359 --> 00:34:08,409
into the theater ? Thank you for that 

891
00:34:08,419 --> 00:34:10,475
question . I say uh cyber operations 

892
00:34:10,475 --> 00:34:12,689
pose , you know significant threats to 

893
00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:15,050
logistics . Um They target vulnerable 

894
00:34:15,060 --> 00:34:18,689
supply chains . Uh They uh go after our 

895
00:34:18,699 --> 00:34:21,070
command and control structure and their 

896
00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:24,438
ability to disrupt delay or even deny 

897
00:34:24,448 --> 00:34:26,979
our ability to move around the globe is 

898
00:34:26,989 --> 00:34:29,319
a , is a serious concern from the cyber 

899
00:34:29,329 --> 00:34:31,440
perspective . So we're doing a lot of 

900
00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:33,662
work both on the military side and with 

901
00:34:33,662 --> 00:34:35,718
our commercial partners to ensure we 

902
00:34:35,718 --> 00:34:37,885
have cyber security and we're hardened 

903
00:34:37,885 --> 00:34:40,199
from those elements . And how is trans 

904
00:34:40,209 --> 00:34:42,780
Transcom planning to ensure key 

905
00:34:42,790 --> 00:34:45,540
logistics nodes remain active and 

906
00:34:45,550 --> 00:34:47,830
resilient in the contested environment ? 

907
00:34:48,260 --> 00:34:50,659
Um And in a contested environment , 

908
00:34:50,669 --> 00:34:53,129
what efforts has Transcom made with 

909
00:34:53,139 --> 00:34:55,300
combating commands to identify 

910
00:34:55,310 --> 00:34:57,879
alternative ports of um this 

911
00:34:57,889 --> 00:35:01,290
embarkation ? Yeah , alternative points , 

912
00:35:01,300 --> 00:35:04,330
resilience in our ports in our nodes of 

913
00:35:04,340 --> 00:35:06,118
the full network , our lines of 

914
00:35:06,118 --> 00:35:08,629
communication , things like posture , 

915
00:35:08,639 --> 00:35:10,861
uh both for fuel on the water , as well 

916
00:35:10,861 --> 00:35:13,719
as fuel distribution points uh and uh 

917
00:35:13,780 --> 00:35:15,989
preposition storage forward and , and 

918
00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,167
distributed locations where it's not a 

919
00:35:18,167 --> 00:35:20,389
target . One of some of the many things 

920
00:35:20,389 --> 00:35:22,556
we're doing with posture , of course , 

921
00:35:22,556 --> 00:35:24,611
we could not project and sustain the 

922
00:35:24,611 --> 00:35:26,556
joint force without our allies and 

923
00:35:26,556 --> 00:35:28,667
partners which provide us that access 

924
00:35:28,667 --> 00:35:30,167
spacing and overflight and 

925
00:35:30,167 --> 00:35:32,333
opportunities to enter into agreements 

926
00:35:32,333 --> 00:35:34,056
where we'll be able to forward 

927
00:35:34,056 --> 00:35:34,044
provision . In other words , provide 

928
00:35:34,054 --> 00:35:36,985
other ways to get support to our forces 

929
00:35:36,995 --> 00:35:39,350
forward . And , and I would also want 

930
00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,304
to be reluctant to mention that we 

931
00:35:41,304 --> 00:35:43,193
couldn't also do this without our 

932
00:35:43,193 --> 00:35:45,304
commercial partners , our airlift and 

933
00:35:45,304 --> 00:35:47,471
sealift partners around the globe that 

934
00:35:47,471 --> 00:35:49,582
ensure that not just our networks and 

935
00:35:49,582 --> 00:35:51,527
allies and partners , networks are 

936
00:35:51,527 --> 00:35:53,527
resilient but their networks are as 

937
00:35:53,527 --> 00:35:55,749
well . Thank you , Mr Chair . You'll be 

938
00:35:55,749 --> 00:35:58,320
thank you , Chairman Kelly . Thank you , 

939
00:35:58,330 --> 00:36:01,429
Mr Chairman General . Uh First , I just 

940
00:36:01,439 --> 00:36:03,439
want to say we need to continue the 

941
00:36:03,439 --> 00:36:05,495
trend in the right direction that we 

942
00:36:05,495 --> 00:36:07,939
have right now , which means more newer 

943
00:36:07,949 --> 00:36:10,409
operational ships and planes and our 

944
00:36:10,419 --> 00:36:13,229
fleet that are manned by uh 

945
00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:16,020
crews that are capable of carrying out 

946
00:36:16,030 --> 00:36:18,252
those duties . And I kind of go back to 

947
00:36:18,252 --> 00:36:20,419
Kevin Costner and fill the dreams when 

948
00:36:20,419 --> 00:36:22,586
he said build it and they will come if 

949
00:36:22,586 --> 00:36:24,197
we don't have ships that are 

950
00:36:24,197 --> 00:36:26,363
operational , I can assure you we will 

951
00:36:26,363 --> 00:36:28,530
not have Mariners to man those ships . 

952
00:36:28,530 --> 00:36:30,752
So I think those things go hand in hand 

953
00:36:30,752 --> 00:36:33,086
and uh general vans . In your statement , 

954
00:36:33,086 --> 00:36:35,489
you identify the inventory of 466 total 

955
00:36:35,500 --> 00:36:37,709
air refueling aircraft as sufficient . 

956
00:36:37,979 --> 00:36:40,280
But at an elevated risk , should the 

957
00:36:40,290 --> 00:36:42,457
air force increase the total number of 

958
00:36:42,457 --> 00:36:45,649
tankers in its inventory ? Thank you , 

959
00:36:45,659 --> 00:36:48,530
Mr Chairman . Um As you know , you know , 

960
00:36:48,540 --> 00:36:50,790
air of fueling is absolutely critical 

961
00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:53,250
to our ability to rapidly deploy forces 

962
00:36:53,260 --> 00:36:55,204
around the globe . And it's , it's 

963
00:36:55,204 --> 00:36:57,093
really foundational and it is our 

964
00:36:57,093 --> 00:36:59,204
asymmetric advantage . So we wanna be 

965
00:36:59,204 --> 00:37:01,371
able to preserve that capacity , which 

966
00:37:01,371 --> 00:37:03,316
also means we have to preserve the 

967
00:37:03,316 --> 00:37:05,482
readiness . So when we have found that 

968
00:37:05,482 --> 00:37:07,649
uh our assessment against the national 

969
00:37:07,649 --> 00:37:09,704
defense strategy makes the 466 total 

970
00:37:09,704 --> 00:37:11,760
inventory sufficient and an elevated 

971
00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:13,816
level of risk , I am concerned about 

972
00:37:13,816 --> 00:37:16,310
the readiness of this aging fleet and 

973
00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:18,431
I'm fully supportive of the air Force 

974
00:37:18,431 --> 00:37:20,699
plan to accelerate the a next 

975
00:37:20,709 --> 00:37:23,340
generation air refilling system so that 

976
00:37:23,350 --> 00:37:25,320
we can develop a system that can 

977
00:37:25,330 --> 00:37:27,219
operate in these highly contested 

978
00:37:27,219 --> 00:37:29,639
environments . Meanwhile , continue an 

979
00:37:29,649 --> 00:37:32,179
uninterrupted recapitalization of the 

980
00:37:32,189 --> 00:37:35,229
KC- 135 Refueler and then targeted 

981
00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:37,461
modernization to ensure that airplane , 

982
00:37:37,461 --> 00:37:39,683
when we get the last KC- 46 right now , 

983
00:37:39,689 --> 00:37:41,745
that's on contract , those airplanes 

984
00:37:41,745 --> 00:37:44,550
will be 67 years old and we'll have 287 

985
00:37:44,560 --> 00:37:46,616
of them . So we gotta make sure that 

986
00:37:46,616 --> 00:37:48,727
they're credible and they are ready . 

987
00:37:48,727 --> 00:37:50,782
So their readiness modernization and 

988
00:37:50,782 --> 00:37:53,100
ability to see the battle space um uh 

989
00:37:53,189 --> 00:37:55,949
on board and secure connections , some 

990
00:37:55,959 --> 00:37:58,620
very targeted uh capabilities to ensure 

991
00:37:58,629 --> 00:38:00,685
our capability in the future . Thank 

992
00:38:00,685 --> 00:38:02,851
you and rear admiral Phillips . Uh Can 

993
00:38:02,851 --> 00:38:05,073
you preview the timeline and next steps 

994
00:38:05,073 --> 00:38:07,669
for the tanker security program ? Yes , 

995
00:38:07,679 --> 00:38:09,846
sir . Thank you for that question . Uh 

996
00:38:09,846 --> 00:38:11,901
We expect to be able to announce the 

997
00:38:11,901 --> 00:38:13,957
next 10 vessels uh very shortly . We 

998
00:38:13,957 --> 00:38:16,012
anticipate we'll be able to announce 

999
00:38:16,012 --> 00:38:18,346
them . Uh We look forward to doing that . 

1000
00:38:18,346 --> 00:38:20,290
As you are aware , we owe a report 

1001
00:38:20,290 --> 00:38:22,512
after the T as a result of the 2023 N D 

1002
00:38:22,512 --> 00:38:24,679
A A that will help outline how we want 

1003
00:38:24,679 --> 00:38:24,239
to move forward with the program , 

1004
00:38:24,250 --> 00:38:26,361
particularly in the context of how we 

1005
00:38:26,361 --> 00:38:28,699
will man the program train Mariners to 

1006
00:38:28,709 --> 00:38:31,479
support the console needs and uh deploy 

1007
00:38:31,489 --> 00:38:33,489
and implement the console needs and 

1008
00:38:33,489 --> 00:38:35,600
requirements uh for this program . Uh 

1009
00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:37,378
You're also where we have uh an 

1010
00:38:37,378 --> 00:38:39,929
authorization to go to 20 ships in 2024 . 

1011
00:38:39,939 --> 00:38:42,060
We anticipate being able to do that . 

1012
00:38:42,250 --> 00:38:44,149
Uh And we in our budget request , 

1013
00:38:44,159 --> 00:38:46,381
believe that we will have funding to be 

1014
00:38:46,381 --> 00:38:48,437
able to support 20 ships uh based on 

1015
00:38:48,437 --> 00:38:50,603
existing funding for the 2020 the year 

1016
00:38:50,603 --> 00:38:52,603
2024 . After that , we will need uh 

1017
00:38:52,603 --> 00:38:54,659
funding that would need , that would 

1018
00:38:54,659 --> 00:38:56,826
support maintaining a 20 ship fleet at 

1019
00:38:56,826 --> 00:38:58,881
this point in time . And General Van 

1020
00:38:58,881 --> 00:39:01,048
just real quickly . I think you talked 

1021
00:39:01,048 --> 00:39:00,639
a little bit how you envision 

1022
00:39:00,649 --> 00:39:02,205
addressing requirements for 

1023
00:39:02,205 --> 00:39:04,260
transporting fuel within theater and 

1024
00:39:04,270 --> 00:39:06,214
other fuel distribution needs with 

1025
00:39:06,214 --> 00:39:08,270
smaller capacity vessels . So if you 

1026
00:39:08,270 --> 00:39:10,381
wanna add anything to that , but keep 

1027
00:39:10,381 --> 00:39:10,209
it real quick because I have one more 

1028
00:39:10,219 --> 00:39:12,500
question and how many of these vessels 

1029
00:39:12,510 --> 00:39:15,250
will we need to be ready ? Certainly , 

1030
00:39:15,260 --> 00:39:17,810
uh uh for number of vessels , the the 

1031
00:39:17,820 --> 00:39:20,129
tanker security program is a first good 

1032
00:39:20,139 --> 00:39:22,510
step . We did submit a classified uh uh 

1033
00:39:22,520 --> 00:39:24,689
study that has those information for 

1034
00:39:24,699 --> 00:39:26,866
inter theater and intra theater . So I 

1035
00:39:26,866 --> 00:39:29,032
appreciate your support . You listened 

1036
00:39:29,032 --> 00:39:31,255
to the concerns and you responded and , 

1037
00:39:31,255 --> 00:39:33,366
and , and you've already brought down 

1038
00:39:33,366 --> 00:39:35,477
some of our operational risk . Uh But 

1039
00:39:35,477 --> 00:39:37,643
uh the , the entire uh fuel system now 

1040
00:39:37,643 --> 00:39:39,699
we need to look at it from an end to 

1041
00:39:39,699 --> 00:39:41,921
end perspective . We have not done that 

1042
00:39:41,921 --> 00:39:41,229
before and that's the role of us 

1043
00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:43,295
transportation command to be able to 

1044
00:39:43,295 --> 00:39:45,517
synchronize across there to ensure that 

1045
00:39:45,517 --> 00:39:47,628
in a contested environment , we'll be 

1046
00:39:47,628 --> 00:39:49,961
able to deliver fuel to the war fighter . 

1047
00:39:49,961 --> 00:39:52,072
And then finally , General Van Ovos , 

1048
00:39:52,072 --> 00:39:54,183
uh the increasing age of our sea left 

1049
00:39:54,183 --> 00:39:56,295
vessels is making recapitalization of 

1050
00:39:56,295 --> 00:39:58,461
this fleet a more pressing issue . The 

1051
00:39:58,461 --> 00:40:00,406
president's request seeks funds to 

1052
00:40:00,406 --> 00:40:02,572
purchase two used sea left vessels for 

1053
00:40:02,572 --> 00:40:04,795
a commercial industry . But is this two 

1054
00:40:04,795 --> 00:40:06,961
vessels per year enough and and double 

1055
00:40:06,961 --> 00:40:09,229
tapping on what um ranking member 

1056
00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:11,510
Courtney said , do we also need to be 

1057
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:13,576
building some of those vessels ? And 

1058
00:40:13,576 --> 00:40:15,520
what is the plan that we should be 

1059
00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:17,631
doing to to have some ? Um so so that 

1060
00:40:17,631 --> 00:40:19,798
we can know and that the suppliers can 

1061
00:40:19,798 --> 00:40:21,964
know how many ships they need to build 

1062
00:40:21,964 --> 00:40:24,187
in the future . Thank you , sir . Two a 

1063
00:40:24,187 --> 00:40:26,242
year is a great start . But at two a 

1064
00:40:26,242 --> 00:40:28,131
year , we will not be able to not 

1065
00:40:28,131 --> 00:40:30,131
finish recapitalization until about 

1066
00:40:30,131 --> 00:40:32,131
2032 . And , and , and when I think 

1067
00:40:32,131 --> 00:40:34,298
about the work and the decisive deco , 

1068
00:40:34,298 --> 00:40:36,520
we must be able to recover the capacity 

1069
00:40:36,520 --> 00:40:38,742
and the readiness of those ships . So I 

1070
00:40:38,742 --> 00:40:40,853
advocate for an accelerated rate when 

1071
00:40:40,853 --> 00:40:43,020
when the conditions are favorable . Uh 

1072
00:40:43,020 --> 00:40:45,076
And then with respect to a build new 

1073
00:40:45,076 --> 00:40:47,076
strategy , that could absolutely be 

1074
00:40:47,076 --> 00:40:49,131
part of the longer strategy and into 

1075
00:40:49,131 --> 00:40:51,187
the future . But I want to make sure 

1076
00:40:51,187 --> 00:40:53,020
that again , a near term again , 

1077
00:40:53,020 --> 00:40:55,169
17 or 44 ships are already over 50 or 

1078
00:40:55,179 --> 00:40:57,340
over and they'll just continue to get 

1079
00:40:57,350 --> 00:40:59,572
older and older . So anything we can do 

1080
00:40:59,572 --> 00:41:01,239
to accelerate the recap while 

1081
00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:03,183
considering in the future would be 

1082
00:41:03,183 --> 00:41:05,350
helpful . And just a final comment , I 

1083
00:41:05,350 --> 00:41:07,572
I really think we need to get a greater 

1084
00:41:07,572 --> 00:41:09,572
sense of urgency . Uh I don't think 

1085
00:41:09,572 --> 00:41:11,729
2032 or 2035 or 2030 is the year I 

1086
00:41:11,739 --> 00:41:14,300
think we need to be preparing for 2028 

1087
00:41:14,550 --> 00:41:16,661
at the latest . And so with that , Mr 

1088
00:41:16,661 --> 00:41:18,050
Chairman , I yell back . 

1089
00:41:20,770 --> 00:41:22,937
Thank you , Chairman Kelly . And , and 

1090
00:41:22,937 --> 00:41:25,270
uh I , I certainly second those remarks . 

1091
00:41:25,270 --> 00:41:27,270
I think we have uh are consistently 

1092
00:41:27,270 --> 00:41:29,048
seeing a disconnect between the 

1093
00:41:29,048 --> 00:41:31,270
timelines the intelligence community is 

1094
00:41:31,270 --> 00:41:33,603
giving us and then the timelines uh for , 

1095
00:41:33,603 --> 00:41:35,770
for a number of these programs to , to 

1096
00:41:35,770 --> 00:41:37,770
maintain deterrent ranking member , 

1097
00:41:37,770 --> 00:41:39,881
Courtney . Thank you . Um uh Chairman 

1098
00:41:39,881 --> 00:41:41,881
Waltz and uh and one timeline which 

1099
00:41:41,881 --> 00:41:41,879
again , Admiral Phillips , you did 

1100
00:41:41,889 --> 00:41:43,778
allude to in your testimony and I 

1101
00:41:43,778 --> 00:41:45,945
appreciate it was that uh right now at 

1102
00:41:45,945 --> 00:41:48,167
the Philly shipyard , there are four uh 

1103
00:41:48,167 --> 00:41:50,389
vessels under construction . Uh again , 

1104
00:41:50,389 --> 00:41:53,419
that cadence is , is swift and , and on 

1105
00:41:53,429 --> 00:41:56,219
schedule , I mean , really , uh Mr 

1106
00:41:56,229 --> 00:41:58,340
Whitman and I deal with a lot of ship 

1107
00:41:58,340 --> 00:42:00,562
building programs over the year . There 

1108
00:42:00,562 --> 00:41:59,949
haven't been too many where 

1109
00:41:59,959 --> 00:42:02,830
particularly the leadership was on time 

1110
00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:05,062
and under budget and yet that's exactly 

1111
00:42:05,062 --> 00:42:07,118
what's , what's happening um there . 

1112
00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:09,449
And , you know , I would like to just 

1113
00:42:09,459 --> 00:42:11,626
sort of drill down for a second on the 

1114
00:42:11,626 --> 00:42:13,570
fact that , you know , something's 

1115
00:42:13,570 --> 00:42:15,737
going on there , that's different than 

1116
00:42:15,737 --> 00:42:17,903
what the navy had proposed in terms of 

1117
00:42:17,903 --> 00:42:20,126
its um recapitalization efforts , which 

1118
00:42:20,126 --> 00:42:22,348
is that there's a different contracting 

1119
00:42:22,348 --> 00:42:25,199
model that again and our committee work 

1120
00:42:25,209 --> 00:42:27,604
together to put into place which is a 

1121
00:42:27,614 --> 00:42:29,781
vessel construction manager . That's a 

1122
00:42:29,781 --> 00:42:32,794
private sector model which uh again , 

1123
00:42:32,804 --> 00:42:34,637
tries to , you know , shrink the 

1124
00:42:34,637 --> 00:42:36,860
requirements , you know , just , um you 

1125
00:42:36,860 --> 00:42:39,544
know , get on schedule fix price as 

1126
00:42:39,554 --> 00:42:41,665
delivered and designed and , and it's 

1127
00:42:41,665 --> 00:42:44,360
working as I said . And I mean , I , 

1128
00:42:44,370 --> 00:42:46,481
you would agree with that . Right . I 

1129
00:42:46,481 --> 00:42:48,537
mean , that's really the , the , the 

1130
00:42:48,537 --> 00:42:50,703
core of why that program is so , is so 

1131
00:42:50,703 --> 00:42:52,703
promising . Yes . So we would agree 

1132
00:42:52,703 --> 00:42:54,759
with that . It is on time . It is on 

1133
00:42:54,759 --> 00:42:57,429
budget . So last year's N D A A we 

1134
00:42:57,439 --> 00:43:00,659
authorized 10 left new constructions 

1135
00:43:00,669 --> 00:43:02,879
using the vessel construction manager 

1136
00:43:02,889 --> 00:43:06,350
model . Um again , passed both chambers . 

1137
00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:08,416
President Biden signed it into law . 

1138
00:43:08,416 --> 00:43:10,527
Unfortunately , there's no funding um 

1139
00:43:10,527 --> 00:43:12,638
in the budget . Instead , we're going 

1140
00:43:12,638 --> 00:43:14,693
into , again , the commercial market 

1141
00:43:14,693 --> 00:43:16,749
which uh is two used um vessels that 

1142
00:43:16,749 --> 00:43:18,693
are here . I mean , I certainly am 

1143
00:43:18,693 --> 00:43:21,050
ready to do everything I can to talk to 

1144
00:43:21,060 --> 00:43:23,282
appropriators about the fact that , you 

1145
00:43:23,282 --> 00:43:25,393
know , we , we really should not just 

1146
00:43:25,393 --> 00:43:27,227
put all our eggs in the , in the 

1147
00:43:27,227 --> 00:43:30,580
commercial market . Um which uh I , I 

1148
00:43:30,590 --> 00:43:32,423
would just say that , you know , 

1149
00:43:32,423 --> 00:43:34,479
certainly we are hearing anecdotally 

1150
00:43:34,479 --> 00:43:36,646
that the price and availability is not 

1151
00:43:36,646 --> 00:43:38,868
steady right now in terms of what's out 

1152
00:43:38,868 --> 00:43:42,370
there . And again , 2032 is , is the , 

1153
00:43:42,379 --> 00:43:44,601
the end date , I mean , to , to sort of 

1154
00:43:44,601 --> 00:43:46,823
put our eggs in that basket in terms of 

1155
00:43:46,823 --> 00:43:48,823
how we're gonna to recapitalize the 

1156
00:43:48,823 --> 00:43:50,879
fleet , I think is just very risky . 

1157
00:43:50,879 --> 00:43:53,046
One request that I would make and then 

1158
00:43:53,046 --> 00:43:54,823
I'll yield is just that um this 

1159
00:43:54,823 --> 00:43:56,935
committee deserves better information 

1160
00:43:56,935 --> 00:43:59,046
in terms of what's out there in terms 

1161
00:43:59,046 --> 00:44:01,101
of the commercial market . If you're 

1162
00:44:01,101 --> 00:44:04,090
asking us to , to authorize two more 

1163
00:44:04,100 --> 00:44:07,080
used vessels in commercial market and 

1164
00:44:07,090 --> 00:44:09,257
have that as the pattern in the coming 

1165
00:44:09,257 --> 00:44:11,459
years , we need to get some visibility 

1166
00:44:11,699 --> 00:44:13,699
in terms of what that market market 

1167
00:44:13,699 --> 00:44:15,921
looks like because as I said , um the , 

1168
00:44:15,921 --> 00:44:17,810
the input that we're getting from 

1169
00:44:17,810 --> 00:44:19,977
industry is that this is not something 

1170
00:44:19,977 --> 00:44:21,866
that you can really count on as a 

1171
00:44:21,866 --> 00:44:24,334
steady state in terms of a a horizon . 

1172
00:44:24,344 --> 00:44:27,665
Whereas by building them in the US , we 

1173
00:44:27,675 --> 00:44:30,304
know exactly what the cost is and we 

1174
00:44:30,314 --> 00:44:32,314
know exactly what the timeline is . 

1175
00:44:32,314 --> 00:44:34,864
That's a less risky strategy in terms 

1176
00:44:34,875 --> 00:44:36,925
of addressing this issue that yield 

1177
00:44:36,935 --> 00:44:37,495
back . 

1178
00:44:40,310 --> 00:44:42,532
Thank you , ranking member , Courtney . 

1179
00:44:42,532 --> 00:44:44,810
I look forward to working with um with , 

1180
00:44:44,810 --> 00:44:46,643
with Sea Power Committee on that 

1181
00:44:46,643 --> 00:44:48,866
because I , I , I agree , I think we're 

1182
00:44:48,866 --> 00:44:50,921
seeing a pricing issue in the United 

1183
00:44:50,921 --> 00:44:50,889
States . The only way to get at it and 

1184
00:44:50,899 --> 00:44:52,979
get at the labor shortages is to 

1185
00:44:52,989 --> 00:44:55,100
actually reinvigorate the market . So 

1186
00:44:55,100 --> 00:44:57,520
with that , I uh yield to Mr Whitman . 

1187
00:44:58,909 --> 00:45:00,853
Well , thank you , Mr Chairman . I 

1188
00:45:00,853 --> 00:45:02,909
thank our witnesses for joining us , 

1189
00:45:02,909 --> 00:45:05,187
General Van Ovos , uh Admiral Phillips . 

1190
00:45:05,187 --> 00:45:04,649
Thanks again for all the great work 

1191
00:45:04,659 --> 00:45:06,881
that you all do . Uh General Van Ovos , 

1192
00:45:06,881 --> 00:45:08,992
I wanna begin with you as you look at 

1193
00:45:08,992 --> 00:45:12,040
the plans in theater . My concern 

1194
00:45:12,050 --> 00:45:14,780
centers around this , the logistics 

1195
00:45:14,790 --> 00:45:18,719
behind getting and sustaining the Army 

1196
00:45:18,729 --> 00:45:20,785
and the Marine Corps and any sort of 

1197
00:45:20,785 --> 00:45:22,618
scenario that we look at in that 

1198
00:45:22,618 --> 00:45:24,729
particular theater ? And can you give 

1199
00:45:24,729 --> 00:45:26,785
me an idea what types of delays were 

1200
00:45:26,785 --> 00:45:28,840
you experience in being able to , to 

1201
00:45:28,840 --> 00:45:31,580
put forward all the necessary , um , 

1202
00:45:31,590 --> 00:45:35,139
elements of personnel and materials and 

1203
00:45:35,149 --> 00:45:37,719
supplies and ammunition in that 

1204
00:45:37,729 --> 00:45:41,179
scenario . And , uh , in , in my 

1205
00:45:41,189 --> 00:45:44,479
mind , it's particularly acute for 

1206
00:45:44,489 --> 00:45:46,639
those forces that are Conus based 

1207
00:45:46,750 --> 00:45:48,972
because we know the logistics of having 

1208
00:45:48,972 --> 00:45:51,083
to do that . All you have to do is to 

1209
00:45:51,083 --> 00:45:50,449
look at the logistics of what we went 

1210
00:45:50,459 --> 00:45:52,689
through in the first Gulf War and 

1211
00:45:52,699 --> 00:45:54,588
trying to get everything there to 

1212
00:45:54,588 --> 00:45:56,643
Kuwait , which took a long period of 

1213
00:45:56,643 --> 00:45:58,588
time with massive numbers of ships 

1214
00:45:58,588 --> 00:46:00,588
which we don't have today . And how 

1215
00:46:00,588 --> 00:46:02,699
successful do you think Transcom will 

1216
00:46:02,699 --> 00:46:05,219
be in the case of a dislodgement 

1217
00:46:05,229 --> 00:46:07,340
campaign with Taiwan ? It's different 

1218
00:46:07,340 --> 00:46:09,507
than having things in theater . If you 

1219
00:46:09,507 --> 00:46:11,673
have to be able to push things in , in 

1220
00:46:11,673 --> 00:46:13,673
a contested environment , the whole 

1221
00:46:13,673 --> 00:46:13,669
scenario changes , give me your 

1222
00:46:13,679 --> 00:46:15,899
perspective on how those challenges 

1223
00:46:15,909 --> 00:46:17,909
have to be dealt with by Transcom . 

1224
00:46:18,979 --> 00:46:21,146
Well , thanks for that question . That 

1225
00:46:21,146 --> 00:46:23,146
is something that keeps us up . But 

1226
00:46:23,146 --> 00:46:25,146
this is what we do . We analyze the 

1227
00:46:25,146 --> 00:46:27,201
National defense strategy uh against 

1228
00:46:27,201 --> 00:46:29,312
the plans um to execute , to meet our 

1229
00:46:29,312 --> 00:46:31,479
national objectives . And , and here's 

1230
00:46:31,479 --> 00:46:33,368
what we learned uh in a contested 

1231
00:46:33,368 --> 00:46:36,199
environment just about every aspect of 

1232
00:46:36,209 --> 00:46:38,489
mobility's risk will increase if not 

1233
00:46:38,500 --> 00:46:41,129
sufficiently mitigated . So we have 

1234
00:46:41,139 --> 00:46:43,083
gone about to understand where the 

1235
00:46:43,083 --> 00:46:45,250
highest risks are and we're , we're 

1236
00:46:45,260 --> 00:46:47,482
getting after them . So , on a , on the 

1237
00:46:47,482 --> 00:46:49,593
posture side , as you mentioned , you 

1238
00:46:49,593 --> 00:46:51,649
know , what it , what does late look 

1239
00:46:51,649 --> 00:46:53,538
like ? It looks like . How do you 

1240
00:46:53,538 --> 00:46:55,149
forward position in multiple 

1241
00:46:55,149 --> 00:46:57,149
distributed locations , both on the 

1242
00:46:57,149 --> 00:46:58,871
land and on the water with our 

1243
00:46:58,871 --> 00:47:01,070
squadrons , uh uh uh of our pre on the 

1244
00:47:01,080 --> 00:47:03,649
water . It's how do we have multiple 

1245
00:47:03,659 --> 00:47:05,989
nodes , multiple uh seaports and 

1246
00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:08,222
airports that we can use as little lily 

1247
00:47:08,222 --> 00:47:11,169
pads uh to work forward . How do we rep 

1248
00:47:11,229 --> 00:47:13,550
posture the fuel where it makes sense 

1249
00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:15,560
uh to be able to put it both on the 

1250
00:47:15,560 --> 00:47:17,782
water and in locations that we're going 

1251
00:47:17,782 --> 00:47:19,838
to have ready access to it uh during 

1252
00:47:19,838 --> 00:47:21,949
conflict . And how do I have ready 

1253
00:47:21,959 --> 00:47:24,179
capacity that could actually fight 

1254
00:47:24,189 --> 00:47:26,245
through contested logistic , meaning 

1255
00:47:26,245 --> 00:47:29,050
cyber GPS , interference , uh you know , 

1256
00:47:29,060 --> 00:47:32,439
the survivability aspects P N T and , 

1257
00:47:32,449 --> 00:47:34,560
and as we pull all those together , I 

1258
00:47:34,560 --> 00:47:36,616
have to be able to understand and in 

1259
00:47:36,616 --> 00:47:39,560
sense the battle and be able to move 

1260
00:47:39,570 --> 00:47:41,737
the highest priority stuff to meet the 

1261
00:47:41,737 --> 00:47:43,737
joint force commanders needs . So I 

1262
00:47:43,737 --> 00:47:45,848
think about our ability to understand 

1263
00:47:45,848 --> 00:47:48,290
the data to use uh A I uh to try to 

1264
00:47:48,300 --> 00:47:51,169
sense uh the fields and sense the nodes 

1265
00:47:51,179 --> 00:47:53,270
so that we can apply um the right 

1266
00:47:53,280 --> 00:47:55,439
capacity at the right time . So it's 

1267
00:47:55,449 --> 00:47:57,870
challenging uh but it's absolutely 

1268
00:47:57,879 --> 00:48:00,212
doable and we are working . And in fact , 

1269
00:48:00,212 --> 00:48:02,323
this summer on the large scale global 

1270
00:48:02,323 --> 00:48:04,379
exercise , which is about 100 and 20 

1271
00:48:04,379 --> 00:48:06,546
day period in the Indo Pacific , where 

1272
00:48:06,546 --> 00:48:08,601
we have not only joint exercises but 

1273
00:48:08,601 --> 00:48:10,768
service specific exercises . In fact , 

1274
00:48:10,768 --> 00:48:12,768
next week we have one with the army 

1275
00:48:12,768 --> 00:48:14,823
that's looking at their multi domain 

1276
00:48:14,823 --> 00:48:14,340
task force and how we're moving around . 

1277
00:48:14,350 --> 00:48:16,572
I'm sending my deputy out there to , to 

1278
00:48:16,572 --> 00:48:18,794
understand and to try to make sure that 

1279
00:48:18,794 --> 00:48:20,906
we can link in and help them in their 

1280
00:48:20,906 --> 00:48:22,961
maneuver because they're maneuvering 

1281
00:48:22,961 --> 00:48:25,128
and they need sustainment in , in that 

1282
00:48:25,128 --> 00:48:27,128
realm in the contested logistics uh 

1283
00:48:27,128 --> 00:48:30,179
area of Indo paycom . How important is 

1284
00:48:30,189 --> 00:48:33,219
the Marine Corps L S M in being able to 

1285
00:48:33,229 --> 00:48:36,629
deliver intra theater logistics and in 

1286
00:48:36,639 --> 00:48:39,709
that realm , how important is the 

1287
00:48:39,719 --> 00:48:43,389
capability of L S M to self defend 

1288
00:48:43,570 --> 00:48:47,139
versus other threat , defense logistics 

1289
00:48:47,149 --> 00:48:49,260
that could otherwise be put out there 

1290
00:48:49,379 --> 00:48:52,310
uh for the L S M and the L S M by the 

1291
00:48:52,320 --> 00:48:54,376
way , is landing ship medium further 

1292
00:48:54,376 --> 00:48:56,376
further formerly known as the law . 

1293
00:48:56,419 --> 00:48:58,252
Yeah . Yeah , because it's not a 

1294
00:48:58,252 --> 00:49:00,475
warship anyway . Go ahead . I'm sorry . 

1295
00:49:00,475 --> 00:49:00,080
No , look , thanks for that question . 

1296
00:49:00,090 --> 00:49:02,280
It , it's super important that as , as 

1297
00:49:02,290 --> 00:49:04,401
the joint deployment and distribution 

1298
00:49:04,401 --> 00:49:06,623
enterprise that we synchronize from end 

1299
00:49:06,623 --> 00:49:08,734
to end . So all service concepts have 

1300
00:49:08,734 --> 00:49:10,901
to be exercised and we have to be able 

1301
00:49:10,901 --> 00:49:12,790
to get to the L S M to be able to 

1302
00:49:12,790 --> 00:49:12,719
support them . We have to understand 

1303
00:49:12,729 --> 00:49:14,951
where they're gonna maneuver in the 1st 

1304
00:49:14,951 --> 00:49:17,007
and 2nd Island Chain , where do they 

1305
00:49:17,007 --> 00:49:18,951
expect to get their fuel and their 

1306
00:49:18,951 --> 00:49:21,173
provisions and , and their ammunition ? 

1307
00:49:21,173 --> 00:49:20,560
And that's exactly what we're doing 

1308
00:49:20,570 --> 00:49:22,570
this summer . The , um , you know , 

1309
00:49:22,570 --> 00:49:24,792
their , their concepts of operation are 

1310
00:49:24,792 --> 00:49:26,626
not yet solid , but we have been 

1311
00:49:26,626 --> 00:49:28,737
providing advice all along the way on 

1312
00:49:28,737 --> 00:49:31,070
how we'd be able to , to work with them . 

1313
00:49:31,070 --> 00:49:33,070
And again , that's some of the work 

1314
00:49:33,070 --> 00:49:32,939
that we're doing here this summer to 

1315
00:49:32,949 --> 00:49:35,169
actually do the execution to see how 

1316
00:49:35,179 --> 00:49:37,512
hard or how easy it's going to be . Now , 

1317
00:49:37,512 --> 00:49:39,623
with respect to the defensive systems 

1318
00:49:39,623 --> 00:49:41,735
on that , on that weapon system , I I 

1319
00:49:41,735 --> 00:49:43,846
can't comment to that . I leave it to 

1320
00:49:43,846 --> 00:49:46,068
them . Uh But just know that again , my 

1321
00:49:46,068 --> 00:49:48,235
job is to synchronize that I've got to 

1322
00:49:48,235 --> 00:49:48,060
be there when they need to be there . 

1323
00:49:48,270 --> 00:49:50,159
Uh And if that's the their weapon 

1324
00:49:50,159 --> 00:49:52,270
system of choice , we will absolutely 

1325
00:49:52,270 --> 00:49:54,437
adapt to support them . Thank you , Mr 

1326
00:49:54,437 --> 00:49:57,389
Chairman . Are you back ? Thank you , 

1327
00:49:57,399 --> 00:50:01,159
Mr Whitman . Mr Diluzio Chairman . 

1328
00:50:01,169 --> 00:50:03,225
Thank you uh General Novas , Admiral 

1329
00:50:03,225 --> 00:50:04,836
Phillips . Good morning . Uh 

1330
00:50:04,850 --> 00:50:07,070
unsurprisingly , I'm I'm sure to many 

1331
00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,191
of you , our committee's broader work 

1332
00:50:09,191 --> 00:50:10,802
has focused on our strategic 

1333
00:50:10,802 --> 00:50:12,969
competition with the Chinese Communist 

1334
00:50:12,969 --> 00:50:15,080
Party and frankly the ever increasing 

1335
00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:17,419
size of their fleet relative to ours . 

1336
00:50:17,429 --> 00:50:20,100
And that uh that delta increasing , 

1337
00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:22,002
which is worrying to me and my 

1338
00:50:22,002 --> 00:50:24,479
colleagues . I'm sure as well uh look 

1339
00:50:24,489 --> 00:50:26,545
the inability to modernize our fleet 

1340
00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:28,911
and build ships on time , much less , 

1341
00:50:28,911 --> 00:50:31,250
do the required maintenance it concerns 

1342
00:50:31,260 --> 00:50:33,149
us . We are Decommissioning ships 

1343
00:50:33,149 --> 00:50:35,038
faster than we can build them and 

1344
00:50:35,038 --> 00:50:37,204
maintain them . And we've seen drastic 

1345
00:50:37,204 --> 00:50:39,038
consolidation , defense industry 

1346
00:50:39,038 --> 00:50:40,760
including in ship building and 

1347
00:50:40,760 --> 00:50:42,871
shipyards . It worries me . Uh But to 

1348
00:50:42,871 --> 00:50:44,927
come back to , to your both your the 

1349
00:50:44,927 --> 00:50:46,816
Administration and Transportation 

1350
00:50:46,816 --> 00:50:49,038
Command , uh One of the things you said 

1351
00:50:49,038 --> 00:50:51,260
general that worried me , I saw in your 

1352
00:50:51,260 --> 00:50:53,093
testimony , the age of our , the 

1353
00:50:53,093 --> 00:50:55,204
average age of our roll on , roll off 

1354
00:50:55,204 --> 00:50:57,538
military cargo ships being 44 years old , 

1355
00:50:57,538 --> 00:50:59,593
17 , I believe being 50 years old or 

1356
00:50:59,593 --> 00:51:01,919
older . Uh that's a an aging fleet 

1357
00:51:01,959 --> 00:51:04,181
which of course has increasing costs to 

1358
00:51:04,181 --> 00:51:06,820
maintain . Um You know , we are in 

1359
00:51:06,830 --> 00:51:09,108
similarly much of our discussion today . 

1360
00:51:09,108 --> 00:51:11,330
Mr Courtney mentioned , I , I'll dig in 

1361
00:51:11,330 --> 00:51:13,552
a bit too relying on purchasing foreign 

1362
00:51:13,552 --> 00:51:16,649
built , used ships rather than building 

1363
00:51:16,659 --> 00:51:18,600
them here . Uh Put simply without 

1364
00:51:18,610 --> 00:51:20,832
federal investment , additional federal 

1365
00:51:20,832 --> 00:51:22,943
investment and strong investment . We 

1366
00:51:22,943 --> 00:51:25,054
will not have sufficient a sufficient 

1367
00:51:25,054 --> 00:51:27,110
fleet . Uh And we'll need to rely on 

1368
00:51:27,110 --> 00:51:29,332
foreign ships , whatever it might be in 

1369
00:51:29,332 --> 00:51:31,554
our next conflict that worries me . And 

1370
00:51:31,554 --> 00:51:33,666
so Admiral Phillips , I'll start with 

1371
00:51:33,666 --> 00:51:35,777
you . Um As I explain this phenomenon 

1372
00:51:35,777 --> 00:51:37,999
to my constituents who can't understand 

1373
00:51:37,999 --> 00:51:40,110
it ? Please explain as plainly as you 

1374
00:51:40,110 --> 00:51:42,277
can . Why is it that we've landed in a 

1375
00:51:42,277 --> 00:51:44,499
place where we have to purchase foreign 

1376
00:51:44,499 --> 00:51:44,399
built ships rather than make them in 

1377
00:51:44,409 --> 00:51:45,409
this country ? 

1378
00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:50,671
Uh Congressman de Luz , thank you for 

1379
00:51:50,671 --> 00:51:52,838
that question . Uh to , to answer that 

1380
00:51:52,838 --> 00:51:54,949
question you , you would need to be a 

1381
00:51:54,949 --> 00:51:57,171
student of history . Um And I , I could 

1382
00:51:57,171 --> 00:51:59,282
condense it simply by saying time and 

1383
00:51:59,282 --> 00:52:01,449
again within this country in World War 

1384
00:52:01,449 --> 00:52:03,060
One in World War Two , uh we 

1385
00:52:03,060 --> 00:52:05,282
accelerated to build a fleet to support 

1386
00:52:05,282 --> 00:52:07,504
our needs in time of war . And when the 

1387
00:52:07,504 --> 00:52:09,616
time of war ended , that fleet uh was 

1388
00:52:09,616 --> 00:52:12,350
sold off , um sent to other places 

1389
00:52:12,360 --> 00:52:15,270
allowed to deteriorate . Uh We are in a , 

1390
00:52:15,280 --> 00:52:17,629
a similar circumstance now with 45 

1391
00:52:17,639 --> 00:52:19,750
ready reserve force vessels and 85 as 

1392
00:52:19,750 --> 00:52:21,583
I've said , foreign flag us flag 

1393
00:52:21,583 --> 00:52:23,583
foreign trading vessels uh that are 

1394
00:52:23,583 --> 00:52:25,639
privately owned . Um that that is uh 

1395
00:52:25,639 --> 00:52:27,806
essentially the extent of our capacity 

1396
00:52:27,806 --> 00:52:29,917
that we'll be able to support General 

1397
00:52:29,917 --> 00:52:32,139
Van Novo's needs in time of war . So uh 

1398
00:52:32,139 --> 00:52:34,472
the challenge there is uh to have ships , 

1399
00:52:34,472 --> 00:52:36,528
you need to have Mariners to have to 

1400
00:52:36,528 --> 00:52:38,750
have to have enough manpower . You need 

1401
00:52:38,750 --> 00:52:38,340
to have ships that have cargoes to 

1402
00:52:38,350 --> 00:52:40,406
carry all of these things have to go 

1403
00:52:40,406 --> 00:52:42,461
together uh to be able to ensure you 

1404
00:52:42,461 --> 00:52:44,517
support and sustain a fleet . You've 

1405
00:52:44,517 --> 00:52:46,689
asked briefly about maintenance of our 

1406
00:52:46,699 --> 00:52:48,643
maintenance capacity . As you have 

1407
00:52:48,643 --> 00:52:50,810
described , our ship building capacity 

1408
00:52:50,810 --> 00:52:52,977
has dwindled , it largely supports the 

1409
00:52:52,977 --> 00:52:55,032
defense department . However , as uh 

1410
00:52:55,032 --> 00:52:57,088
Congressman Courtney pointed out the 

1411
00:52:57,088 --> 00:52:58,977
success of the N S M V program in 

1412
00:52:58,977 --> 00:53:01,199
Philadelphia and other programs , there 

1413
00:53:01,199 --> 00:53:00,850
are other yards capable of building 

1414
00:53:00,860 --> 00:53:03,050
such ships around the country shows 

1415
00:53:03,060 --> 00:53:05,282
that this can be done here and , and it 

1416
00:53:05,282 --> 00:53:07,171
can be done uh with , with a very 

1417
00:53:07,171 --> 00:53:09,419
successful outcome as , as as we are 

1418
00:53:09,429 --> 00:53:11,429
demonstrating with the N S N VA , I 

1419
00:53:11,429 --> 00:53:13,651
wanna pick up on that piece that it can 

1420
00:53:13,651 --> 00:53:16,030
be done here . What does this committee , 

1421
00:53:16,040 --> 00:53:18,096
what does the Congress need to do to 

1422
00:53:18,096 --> 00:53:20,040
make that happen to support that ? 

1423
00:53:20,040 --> 00:53:22,207
Because I think as a national security 

1424
00:53:22,207 --> 00:53:24,207
imperative that we do have the ship 

1425
00:53:24,207 --> 00:53:24,179
building capacity , the maintenance 

1426
00:53:24,189 --> 00:53:26,929
capacity to not have to rely on foreign 

1427
00:53:26,939 --> 00:53:28,939
built vessels for , for our fleet . 

1428
00:53:31,030 --> 00:53:32,863
Congressman . Thank you for that 

1429
00:53:32,863 --> 00:53:35,040
question . Um I would um refer to the 

1430
00:53:35,050 --> 00:53:37,840
au authorization within the 2023 NDAA 

1431
00:53:37,850 --> 00:53:40,729
to construct uh 10 new vessels that it 

1432
00:53:40,739 --> 00:53:42,906
does not have an appropriation . Thank 

1433
00:53:42,906 --> 00:53:45,072
you , sir . Thank you . Want to add to 

1434
00:53:45,072 --> 00:53:46,961
that . I think that's the correct 

1435
00:53:46,961 --> 00:53:49,128
answer . Um It is , but let me just uh 

1436
00:53:49,128 --> 00:53:51,699
also just reinforce again , uh uh what 

1437
00:53:51,709 --> 00:53:53,542
the administrator said about our 

1438
00:53:53,542 --> 00:53:55,765
Mariner Force . Right , right now , the 

1439
00:53:55,765 --> 00:53:57,876
I appreciate the full funding of , of 

1440
00:53:57,876 --> 00:53:59,876
the maritime security program , the 

1441
00:53:59,876 --> 00:54:01,653
tanker security program , cargo 

1442
00:54:01,653 --> 00:54:03,709
preference laws , all of them ensure 

1443
00:54:03,709 --> 00:54:06,042
that we can have a strong mariner force , 

1444
00:54:06,042 --> 00:54:07,709
all of them , uh buy down the 

1445
00:54:07,709 --> 00:54:09,931
operational risk uh that we're taking . 

1446
00:54:09,931 --> 00:54:11,042
Thank you , chair . 

1447
00:54:13,500 --> 00:54:15,333
Thank you . I now recognize Miss 

1448
00:54:15,333 --> 00:54:19,060
Higgins . Thank you , Mr Chair and it's 

1449
00:54:19,070 --> 00:54:21,126
great to see you again , General Van 

1450
00:54:21,126 --> 00:54:23,348
Aust and , and welcome to both of you . 

1451
00:54:23,348 --> 00:54:25,348
Uh So I represent Virginia's second 

1452
00:54:25,348 --> 00:54:27,348
congressional district and a lot of 

1453
00:54:27,348 --> 00:54:29,514
shipbuilding and I , I certainly a lot 

1454
00:54:29,514 --> 00:54:29,439
of military and navy there and I 

1455
00:54:29,449 --> 00:54:31,505
certainly appreciate , uh you know , 

1456
00:54:31,505 --> 00:54:33,560
the work you all do to transport our 

1457
00:54:33,560 --> 00:54:35,782
ships throughout the world . So , doing 

1458
00:54:35,782 --> 00:54:37,838
some reading in preparation for this 

1459
00:54:37,838 --> 00:54:39,782
committee , I read about the turbo 

1460
00:54:39,782 --> 00:54:42,090
activation exercise from 2019 where the 

1461
00:54:42,100 --> 00:54:45,129
results of that exercise were 60% of 

1462
00:54:45,139 --> 00:54:47,250
those ships were considered ready and 

1463
00:54:47,250 --> 00:54:49,472
then only 40% were able to steam out of 

1464
00:54:49,472 --> 00:54:51,729
port . Now today , given that 17 of the 

1465
00:54:51,739 --> 00:54:53,969
45 ships and the ready Reserve Force 

1466
00:54:53,979 --> 00:54:56,146
are over 50 years old . You know , are 

1467
00:54:56,146 --> 00:54:58,257
you confident that these vessels will 

1468
00:54:58,257 --> 00:55:00,312
be ready if immediately pressed into 

1469
00:55:00,312 --> 00:54:59,939
service ? Do we learn things from that 

1470
00:54:59,949 --> 00:55:01,782
exercise that we've been able to 

1471
00:55:01,782 --> 00:55:05,350
correct ? Now in the year 2023 . Thank 

1472
00:55:05,360 --> 00:55:07,582
you , Congresswoman for that question . 

1473
00:55:07,582 --> 00:55:09,693
That is something that , that we take 

1474
00:55:09,693 --> 00:55:11,471
clo close track of . Uh we just 

1475
00:55:11,471 --> 00:55:13,693
completed another turbo activation here 

1476
00:55:13,693 --> 00:55:15,860
in , in 2022 provided that report . Uh 

1477
00:55:15,860 --> 00:55:18,027
and this last turbo activation , I , I 

1478
00:55:18,027 --> 00:55:20,193
am more confident uh in our ability to 

1479
00:55:20,193 --> 00:55:23,100
assess the fleet . Uh And I I've some 

1480
00:55:23,110 --> 00:55:25,332
metrics have , have shown improvement , 

1481
00:55:25,332 --> 00:55:27,443
but it's only been about a year and a 

1482
00:55:27,443 --> 00:55:29,610
half since we've got the increased M N 

1483
00:55:29,610 --> 00:55:31,832
R funding , the , the readiness funding 

1484
00:55:31,832 --> 00:55:33,666
for those ships and the targeted 

1485
00:55:33,666 --> 00:55:35,777
performance uh to plan uh uh planning 

1486
00:55:35,777 --> 00:55:37,666
uh that the navy has done with to 

1487
00:55:37,669 --> 00:55:39,800
understand how to better target the 

1488
00:55:39,810 --> 00:55:42,729
health of each of these ships . So we 

1489
00:55:42,739 --> 00:55:44,572
have not yet seen that return on 

1490
00:55:44,572 --> 00:55:46,628
investment , but I do appreciate the 

1491
00:55:46,628 --> 00:55:48,739
Navy's investment and they , and they 

1492
00:55:48,739 --> 00:55:50,961
committed to us about a 20% increase in 

1493
00:55:50,961 --> 00:55:53,072
funding on that on that piece of it . 

1494
00:55:53,072 --> 00:55:55,295
And we did revise our strategy on which 

1495
00:55:55,295 --> 00:55:57,295
ships to activate as , as we're now 

1496
00:55:57,295 --> 00:55:59,517
able to use data more and more as we're 

1497
00:55:59,517 --> 00:56:01,683
capturing more data and using data and 

1498
00:56:01,683 --> 00:56:03,795
analytics to understand which are the 

1499
00:56:03,795 --> 00:56:05,961
best ships to activate . So we can get 

1500
00:56:05,961 --> 00:56:08,183
them up and running and , and test them 

1501
00:56:08,183 --> 00:56:10,350
uh versus ones that we know that might 

1502
00:56:10,350 --> 00:56:12,572
do just fine , right ? So we wanna , we 

1503
00:56:12,572 --> 00:56:14,628
wanna target that work just like the 

1504
00:56:14,628 --> 00:56:14,600
performance to plan . And let me 

1505
00:56:14,610 --> 00:56:16,969
finally add that . Uh I appreciate a 

1506
00:56:16,979 --> 00:56:18,701
strong Mariner force . Uh They 

1507
00:56:18,701 --> 00:56:20,868
volunteered to do this , it's not easy 

1508
00:56:20,868 --> 00:56:22,923
to , to , to do a turbo activation , 

1509
00:56:22,923 --> 00:56:25,146
working very hard for 10 to 12 days and 

1510
00:56:25,146 --> 00:56:26,979
then they're off the ship . So I 

1511
00:56:26,979 --> 00:56:29,201
appreciate them volunteering to do this 

1512
00:56:29,201 --> 00:56:33,030
work . And I , I certainly wanna 

1513
00:56:33,360 --> 00:56:35,360
just reiterate , you know , ranking 

1514
00:56:35,360 --> 00:56:37,360
member , Courtney and , and what he 

1515
00:56:37,360 --> 00:56:39,416
said about the , you know , domestic 

1516
00:56:39,416 --> 00:56:41,471
production of our , our ships and we 

1517
00:56:41,471 --> 00:56:40,739
have a lot of shipbuilding in my 

1518
00:56:40,750 --> 00:56:42,750
district as well . But , you know , 

1519
00:56:42,750 --> 00:56:44,861
aside from funding , which , what you 

1520
00:56:44,861 --> 00:56:46,528
just mentioned about an N D A 

1521
00:56:46,528 --> 00:56:46,510
authorization , you know , what are the 

1522
00:56:46,520 --> 00:56:48,379
other barriers to that domestic 

1523
00:56:48,389 --> 00:56:50,500
production that we could work on from 

1524
00:56:50,500 --> 00:56:53,409
this committee ? I I'll pass that to 

1525
00:56:53,419 --> 00:56:57,000
the MEREDITH M well , 

1526
00:56:57,010 --> 00:56:59,066
Congresswoman Kagan , thank you very 

1527
00:56:59,066 --> 00:57:01,177
much for your question . Uh Certainly 

1528
00:57:01,177 --> 00:57:03,121
barriers to domestic production in 

1529
00:57:03,121 --> 00:57:05,288
include uh the cost of , of production 

1530
00:57:05,288 --> 00:57:07,510
but also capacity . And I'd really like 

1531
00:57:07,510 --> 00:57:09,788
to , to land on capacity in particular . 

1532
00:57:09,788 --> 00:57:11,954
Um more broadly as we work to repair , 

1533
00:57:11,954 --> 00:57:14,010
maintain the ready reserve force and 

1534
00:57:14,010 --> 00:57:16,232
build new vessels . Uh We , we struggle 

1535
00:57:16,232 --> 00:57:18,177
with uh enough capacity within the 

1536
00:57:18,177 --> 00:57:20,288
country with enough dry dock capacity 

1537
00:57:20,288 --> 00:57:20,080
and that applies across both active 

1538
00:57:20,090 --> 00:57:22,201
duty , military and ready reserve and 

1539
00:57:22,201 --> 00:57:24,201
military . The command um and , and 

1540
00:57:24,201 --> 00:57:26,257
other agencies as well , Coast Guard 

1541
00:57:26,257 --> 00:57:28,312
Army Corps . Uh We're all struggling 

1542
00:57:28,312 --> 00:57:30,257
and fighting for the same dry dock 

1543
00:57:30,257 --> 00:57:30,060
capacity , which is very limited . 

1544
00:57:30,070 --> 00:57:32,181
We're struggling for some of the same 

1545
00:57:32,181 --> 00:57:33,903
maintenance capacity and , and 

1546
00:57:33,903 --> 00:57:35,959
capabilities and uh and that impacts 

1547
00:57:35,959 --> 00:57:38,070
our ability to provide a ready for us 

1548
00:57:38,070 --> 00:57:40,237
over time . And as ships age that gets 

1549
00:57:40,237 --> 00:57:42,459
even more challenging , they spend more 

1550
00:57:42,459 --> 00:57:42,229
time in dock , more unusual , 

1551
00:57:42,239 --> 00:57:44,570
unexpected things come up . So uh uh 

1552
00:57:44,580 --> 00:57:47,219
additional capacity in maintenance and 

1553
00:57:47,229 --> 00:57:49,810
construction is uh is an urgent need to 

1554
00:57:49,820 --> 00:57:52,153
continue to maintain a ready force here . 

1555
00:57:52,153 --> 00:57:54,209
And if I may just interject , I know 

1556
00:57:54,209 --> 00:57:56,264
that last week we closed four of our 

1557
00:57:56,264 --> 00:57:58,598
West Coast dry docks , which is we have , 

1558
00:57:58,598 --> 00:58:00,709
I believe 22 dry docks . So now we're 

1559
00:58:00,709 --> 00:58:02,653
down to 18 including the only West 

1560
00:58:02,653 --> 00:58:04,820
Coast dry dock that's able to serve as 

1561
00:58:04,820 --> 00:58:06,876
an aircraft carrier . So we that was 

1562
00:58:06,876 --> 00:58:09,042
22% of our dry dock capacity . So this 

1563
00:58:09,042 --> 00:58:11,153
is an issue that I believe we need to 

1564
00:58:11,153 --> 00:58:11,080
prioritize and highlight because you're 

1565
00:58:11,090 --> 00:58:13,090
right . These are old chips . We're 

1566
00:58:13,090 --> 00:58:15,201
trying to keep at sea , we gotta have 

1567
00:58:15,201 --> 00:58:17,312
places to repair them . So that issue 

1568
00:58:17,312 --> 00:58:17,139
of where are we going to build those 

1569
00:58:17,149 --> 00:58:18,871
dry docks and , and your , the 

1570
00:58:18,871 --> 00:58:20,927
maintenance , the manpower that goes 

1571
00:58:20,927 --> 00:58:23,149
with that . And that's something that I 

1572
00:58:23,149 --> 00:58:22,239
believe this committee needs to 

1573
00:58:22,250 --> 00:58:24,361
prioritize along those same lines . I 

1574
00:58:24,361 --> 00:58:26,583
wanted to ask . I know both of you have 

1575
00:58:26,583 --> 00:58:28,806
talked about manpower issue . I again , 

1576
00:58:28,806 --> 00:58:31,620
my district heavy military uh I've been 

1577
00:58:31,629 --> 00:58:33,851
in office almost three months now . And 

1578
00:58:33,851 --> 00:58:36,018
the only letter I have received from a 

1579
00:58:36,018 --> 00:58:37,907
parent that's complaining about a 

1580
00:58:37,907 --> 00:58:40,018
service academy is about the merchant 

1581
00:58:40,018 --> 00:58:42,185
Marine academy . And this was an issue 

1582
00:58:42,185 --> 00:58:44,073
with the superintendent uh Joanne 

1583
00:58:44,073 --> 00:58:46,240
Noonan and it was uh about , I believe 

1584
00:58:46,240 --> 00:58:48,462
her covering up a painting at the uh at 

1585
00:58:48,462 --> 00:58:50,629
the academy . I just wanna know if you 

1586
00:58:50,629 --> 00:58:50,560
all are aware of this . It was a Christ 

1587
00:58:50,570 --> 00:58:52,989
on the water pitcher that uh that they 

1588
00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:55,222
are , the painting is covered , they're 

1589
00:58:55,222 --> 00:58:57,333
not allowed to use the room anymore . 

1590
00:58:57,333 --> 00:58:59,278
Uh The parents who wrote to me was 

1591
00:58:59,278 --> 00:59:01,222
concerned about and , and I too am 

1592
00:59:01,222 --> 00:59:03,000
concerned about recruitment and 

1593
00:59:03,000 --> 00:59:05,056
retention for our Mariners . So it's 

1594
00:59:05,056 --> 00:59:04,520
the little things , right ? The little 

1595
00:59:04,530 --> 00:59:06,752
things like this . But uh but there's , 

1596
00:59:06,752 --> 00:59:08,808
there's no room for this type of and 

1597
00:59:08,808 --> 00:59:10,752
they thought it was , you know , a 

1598
00:59:10,752 --> 00:59:12,974
breach on their constitutional rights . 

1599
00:59:12,974 --> 00:59:12,530
Uh This is a painting that I guess has 

1600
00:59:12,540 --> 00:59:14,651
traditionally been in the room . So I 

1601
00:59:14,651 --> 00:59:16,762
just wanted to know if you were aware 

1602
00:59:16,762 --> 00:59:16,439
of that issue and if anything was being 

1603
00:59:16,449 --> 00:59:17,449
done about it . 

1604
00:59:20,830 --> 00:59:22,941
Thank you , ma'am for that question , 

1605
00:59:22,941 --> 00:59:25,052
Mr Chair , I will exceed my time if I 

1606
00:59:25,052 --> 00:59:27,274
may to to continue . Uh the painting uh 

1607
00:59:27,274 --> 00:59:29,219
noticed question on the water . Uh 

1608
00:59:29,219 --> 00:59:31,330
Today is hanging in the astronaut E E 

1609
00:59:31,330 --> 00:59:33,608
MC room at the Merchant Marine Academy . 

1610
00:59:33,608 --> 00:59:35,774
It is uncovered uh the display of that 

1611
00:59:35,774 --> 00:59:37,941
painting in that particular space . Uh 

1612
00:59:37,941 --> 00:59:39,774
We believe is a violation of the 

1613
00:59:39,774 --> 00:59:41,997
establishment clause . Um However , the 

1614
00:59:41,997 --> 00:59:44,052
room is currently not being used for 

1615
00:59:44,052 --> 00:59:43,860
official business . The painting is 

1616
00:59:43,870 --> 00:59:46,092
there and the shipment can see it . Our 

1617
00:59:46,092 --> 00:59:48,259
intent on the long term is to relocate 

1618
00:59:48,259 --> 00:59:50,259
the painting to the chapel . We are 

1619
00:59:50,259 --> 00:59:52,370
making preparations to do that . Once 

1620
00:59:52,370 --> 00:59:51,770
there , it will be restored and it will 

1621
00:59:51,780 --> 00:59:54,090
remain on a shipment . Thank you . 

1622
00:59:54,100 --> 00:59:56,267
Fortunately , your time has expired if 

1623
00:59:56,267 --> 00:59:58,550
you wanna provide your uh response for 

1624
00:59:58,560 --> 01:00:02,100
the record . Uh Now recognize Mr uh Mr 

1625
01:00:02,110 --> 01:00:04,221
Chairman . Uh Thank you very much . I 

1626
01:00:04,221 --> 01:00:06,554
wanted to ask Admiral Phillips Phillips . 

1627
01:00:06,554 --> 01:00:08,332
Uh What is Murad's strategy for 

1628
01:00:08,332 --> 01:00:10,443
managing and maintaining uh the dod s 

1629
01:00:10,443 --> 01:00:12,666
fleet of civilian crude ships ? And how 

1630
01:00:12,666 --> 01:00:14,777
does it ensure these assets are ready 

1631
01:00:14,777 --> 01:00:18,530
to support contingency operations , sir ? 

1632
01:00:18,540 --> 01:00:20,707
Thank you for that question . Uh I , I 

1633
01:00:20,707 --> 01:00:22,818
believe you're referring to the Ready 

1634
01:00:22,818 --> 01:00:24,707
Reserve Force uh 40 ships that we 

1635
01:00:24,707 --> 01:00:27,350
maintain uh and uh and provide when on 

1636
01:00:27,379 --> 01:00:29,780
upon request for Transcom to uh to 

1637
01:00:29,790 --> 01:00:32,530
support needs of . I would offer that 

1638
01:00:32,540 --> 01:00:34,707
uh our current readiness of that fleet 

1639
01:00:34,707 --> 01:00:36,790
today is 76% although it varies and 

1640
01:00:36,800 --> 01:00:38,856
that is a high from the past several 

1641
01:00:38,856 --> 01:00:40,967
months . I would also offer that . We 

1642
01:00:40,967 --> 01:00:43,022
have eight of those vessels underway 

1643
01:00:43,022 --> 01:00:42,979
today supporting not only Transcom 

1644
01:00:42,989 --> 01:00:45,340
needs but also uh exercises and other 

1645
01:00:45,350 --> 01:00:47,406
needs around the globe . We continue 

1646
01:00:47,406 --> 01:00:49,406
and we thank dod for the additional 

1647
01:00:49,406 --> 01:00:51,517
support in the president's budget F Y 

1648
01:00:51,517 --> 01:00:53,649
24 to expand maintenance capacity for 

1649
01:00:53,659 --> 01:00:56,469
this force . Uh And we also thank Dod 

1650
01:00:56,479 --> 01:00:59,860
for its continuing support for the 

1651
01:00:59,870 --> 01:01:02,500
vessel acquisition uh program by which 

1652
01:01:02,510 --> 01:01:04,566
we are buying these vessels . And uh 

1653
01:01:04,566 --> 01:01:06,677
and also thank this committee for the 

1654
01:01:06,677 --> 01:01:08,677
authorization to build new , should 

1655
01:01:08,677 --> 01:01:08,080
that be needed ? It is really a 

1656
01:01:08,090 --> 01:01:11,389
tripartite um strategy that the 

1657
01:01:11,399 --> 01:01:13,399
Department of Defense would like to 

1658
01:01:13,399 --> 01:01:15,566
execute to ensure that we have a ready 

1659
01:01:15,566 --> 01:01:17,621
reserve uh to respond as required by 

1660
01:01:17,621 --> 01:01:19,677
Transcom needs and the Department of 

1661
01:01:19,677 --> 01:01:21,788
Defense needs . Thank you . Thank you 

1662
01:01:21,788 --> 01:01:23,677
very much uh General Van . No , I 

1663
01:01:23,677 --> 01:01:25,788
wanted to ask you , how is the moving 

1664
01:01:25,788 --> 01:01:27,621
of the household goods , the the 

1665
01:01:27,621 --> 01:01:29,621
contract um that uh that there were 

1666
01:01:29,621 --> 01:01:31,732
some , you know , issues with back in 

1667
01:01:31,732 --> 01:01:33,843
2022,021 time frame . How was , how , 

1668
01:01:33,843 --> 01:01:36,810
how is that going now ? Yeah , thank 

1669
01:01:36,820 --> 01:01:39,042
you for that question . Uh We are , you 

1670
01:01:39,042 --> 01:01:41,320
know , transforming the way we provide , 

1671
01:01:41,320 --> 01:01:43,376
moving services to our families . Uh 

1672
01:01:43,376 --> 01:01:45,487
and we are in the transition phase to 

1673
01:01:45,487 --> 01:01:47,820
the new contractor to home safe . Uh uh , 

1674
01:01:47,820 --> 01:01:49,931
but as , as they take , begin to take 

1675
01:01:49,931 --> 01:01:51,987
on , they'll start after peak season 

1676
01:01:51,987 --> 01:01:53,870
this year . Uh , but we have not 

1677
01:01:53,879 --> 01:01:56,139
stopped with our improvements . Uh For 

1678
01:01:56,149 --> 01:01:58,371
our , our families , we have instituted 

1679
01:01:58,371 --> 01:02:00,590
some digital management tools . Uh We 

1680
01:02:00,600 --> 01:02:02,433
have simplified the claim claims 

1681
01:02:02,433 --> 01:02:03,989
process . We've enhanced uh 

1682
01:02:03,989 --> 01:02:06,100
communications capability with , with 

1683
01:02:06,100 --> 01:02:08,179
help desks . Uh So we are , we are 

1684
01:02:08,189 --> 01:02:10,719
moving forward uh with improvements as 

1685
01:02:10,729 --> 01:02:12,840
we , as we wait to bring them on . Uh 

1686
01:02:12,840 --> 01:02:14,949
and we are meeting uh and partnering 

1687
01:02:14,959 --> 01:02:17,181
with home safe to ensure that they have 

1688
01:02:17,181 --> 01:02:19,403
the quality capacity necessary and that 

1689
01:02:19,403 --> 01:02:21,292
process is necessary . We're also 

1690
01:02:21,292 --> 01:02:23,403
training all of our service members , 

1691
01:02:23,403 --> 01:02:25,515
uh all the different uh service leads 

1692
01:02:25,515 --> 01:02:27,237
for movement to make sure they 

1693
01:02:27,237 --> 01:02:29,348
understand the new system uh and that 

1694
01:02:29,348 --> 01:02:31,403
they're improving their capabilities 

1695
01:02:31,403 --> 01:02:33,403
and , and training as well . Yeah . 

1696
01:02:33,403 --> 01:02:33,010
What type of feedback are you getting ? 

1697
01:02:33,979 --> 01:02:36,146
So , because the home safe has not yet 

1698
01:02:36,146 --> 01:02:38,312
moved any goods underneath that , that 

1699
01:02:38,312 --> 01:02:40,479
flag there , there's nothing there but 

1700
01:02:40,479 --> 01:02:39,979
we're getting , we're getting great 

1701
01:02:39,989 --> 01:02:42,211
feedback on the improvements that we've 

1702
01:02:42,211 --> 01:02:44,045
made . In fact , we have AAA big 

1703
01:02:44,045 --> 01:02:46,100
spouse's panel , we bring in , bring 

1704
01:02:46,100 --> 01:02:48,156
them in . We also go to the services 

1705
01:02:48,156 --> 01:02:50,267
and we have uh forums where we listen 

1706
01:02:50,267 --> 01:02:52,433
directly to their feedback . Uh and we 

1707
01:02:52,433 --> 01:02:54,378
incorporate those changes into our 

1708
01:02:54,378 --> 01:02:56,545
program . Oh , good , good . Thank you 

1709
01:02:56,545 --> 01:02:58,711
very much . Uh I was also wondering if 

1710
01:02:58,711 --> 01:03:00,545
you can talk a little bit uh how 

1711
01:03:00,545 --> 01:03:02,767
Transcom is working to ensure readiness 

1712
01:03:02,767 --> 01:03:04,878
and resiliency of the global logistic 

1713
01:03:04,878 --> 01:03:07,045
networks . And , and what are you guys 

1714
01:03:07,045 --> 01:03:09,211
doing to modernize the network to meet 

1715
01:03:09,211 --> 01:03:09,040
the demands of future operations ? 

1716
01:03:09,709 --> 01:03:11,820
Thanks . Future operations is exactly 

1717
01:03:11,820 --> 01:03:13,876
what we think about all the time and 

1718
01:03:13,876 --> 01:03:16,042
already this is job one and we need to 

1719
01:03:16,042 --> 01:03:18,209
be ready today and into tomorrow . And 

1720
01:03:18,209 --> 01:03:20,431
we , and we do demonstrate that daily . 

1721
01:03:20,431 --> 01:03:22,598
In fact , I want to thank , you know , 

1722
01:03:22,598 --> 01:03:24,820
we have been able to quickly respond to 

1723
01:03:24,820 --> 01:03:26,653
requirements around the globe to 

1724
01:03:26,653 --> 01:03:28,820
include when Russia had a full scale 

1725
01:03:28,830 --> 01:03:31,052
invasion into Ukraine , we were able to 

1726
01:03:31,052 --> 01:03:33,052
immediately deliver forces onto the 

1727
01:03:33,052 --> 01:03:35,163
continent to support the NATO Eastern 

1728
01:03:35,163 --> 01:03:37,770
flank . But that was made possible so 

1729
01:03:37,780 --> 01:03:39,558
quickly due to European defense 

1730
01:03:39,558 --> 01:03:41,391
initiative . So I appreciate the 

1731
01:03:41,391 --> 01:03:43,502
support that allowed us to have a pre 

1732
01:03:43,502 --> 01:03:45,502
ship set there and opened up some , 

1733
01:03:45,502 --> 01:03:47,669
some fields and avenues for us . So we 

1734
01:03:47,669 --> 01:03:49,780
really leveraged a European deterrent 

1735
01:03:49,780 --> 01:03:51,669
initiative . And this year in the 

1736
01:03:51,669 --> 01:03:53,780
budget , you'll see Pacific deterrent 

1737
01:03:53,780 --> 01:03:55,780
initiative which will do the same . 

1738
01:03:55,780 --> 01:03:58,002
It'll allow us to get posture basing uh 

1739
01:03:58,002 --> 01:04:00,113
pre uh and support out in the Pacific 

1740
01:04:00,113 --> 01:04:02,169
so we can respond just as quickly to 

1741
01:04:02,169 --> 01:04:04,280
there . So that of course , increases 

1742
01:04:04,280 --> 01:04:06,169
all of our readiness . But we are 

1743
01:04:06,169 --> 01:04:08,224
focused on the future . When I think 

1744
01:04:08,224 --> 01:04:10,447
about a contested environment , I think 

1745
01:04:10,447 --> 01:04:10,040
about secure command and control , 

1746
01:04:10,050 --> 01:04:12,217
having battle space awareness onto our 

1747
01:04:12,217 --> 01:04:14,574
assets . Cyber security is a major 

1748
01:04:14,584 --> 01:04:16,695
thing that we are looking at , we are 

1749
01:04:16,695 --> 01:04:18,528
very focused on that both in the 

1750
01:04:18,528 --> 01:04:20,362
military and with our commercial 

1751
01:04:20,362 --> 01:04:22,417
partners , they have been uh working 

1752
01:04:22,417 --> 01:04:24,362
with us . Um uh they have contract 

1753
01:04:24,362 --> 01:04:26,417
compliance measures . Uh Also that , 

1754
01:04:26,417 --> 01:04:28,584
that uh that uh hardens their security 

1755
01:04:28,584 --> 01:04:30,695
and they're partnering with us and to 

1756
01:04:30,695 --> 01:04:32,862
ensure that they're a hard target . Uh 

1757
01:04:32,862 --> 01:04:34,640
And of course , uh uh precision 

1758
01:04:34,640 --> 01:04:36,973
navigation and timing and survivability . 

1759
01:04:36,973 --> 01:04:36,794
Those are some of the things that we 

1760
01:04:36,804 --> 01:04:38,804
are working on to be able to ensure 

1761
01:04:38,804 --> 01:04:40,693
that we can be ready out into the 

1762
01:04:40,693 --> 01:04:42,804
future . Thank you very much . Uh You 

1763
01:04:42,804 --> 01:04:45,159
back , Mr Chairman . Thank you , Mr 

1764
01:04:45,169 --> 01:04:47,360
Wilson . Thank you , Mr Chairman . And 

1765
01:04:47,370 --> 01:04:49,592
I'd like to thank each of you readiness 

1766
01:04:49,592 --> 01:04:51,759
and sea power and projection has never 

1767
01:04:51,759 --> 01:04:53,814
been more important . Uh We have the 

1768
01:04:53,814 --> 01:04:55,926
global war on terrorism is continuing 

1769
01:04:55,926 --> 01:04:59,379
uh of 9 11 . it's uh it , it continues 

1770
01:04:59,389 --> 01:05:01,445
unabated . But then the same time we 

1771
01:05:01,445 --> 01:05:03,419
have uh competition uh between 

1772
01:05:03,429 --> 01:05:05,399
democracies with rule of law being 

1773
01:05:05,409 --> 01:05:08,219
opposed by authoritarians , with rule 

1774
01:05:08,229 --> 01:05:10,419
of gun . And we see that with the 

1775
01:05:10,429 --> 01:05:13,260
murderous invasion by Putin war 

1776
01:05:13,270 --> 01:05:15,620
criminal , Putin into Ukraine , we see 

1777
01:05:15,629 --> 01:05:17,810
the threats from the Chinese Communist 

1778
01:05:17,820 --> 01:05:20,290
Party to the 24 million people of 

1779
01:05:20,300 --> 01:05:23,340
Taiwan . And then we see the regime in 

1780
01:05:23,350 --> 01:05:25,899
Tehran continuing their capabilities of 

1781
01:05:25,909 --> 01:05:29,340
ICBM S to fulfill their hopes 

1782
01:05:29,350 --> 01:05:32,080
of vaporization of the people of Israel 

1783
01:05:32,090 --> 01:05:33,979
and vaporization of the people of 

1784
01:05:33,979 --> 01:05:36,090
America . And so uh what you're doing 

1785
01:05:36,090 --> 01:05:38,146
is just never been more important of 

1786
01:05:38,146 --> 01:05:40,312
providing for peace through strength . 

1787
01:05:40,312 --> 01:05:43,350
And so General Von . Uh I wanna thank 

1788
01:05:43,360 --> 01:05:45,249
you and your for your service and 

1789
01:05:45,249 --> 01:05:47,249
leadership in the US Transportation 

1790
01:05:47,249 --> 01:05:49,360
Command especially . I'm grateful for 

1791
01:05:49,360 --> 01:05:51,527
the service of the members of the four 

1792
01:05:51,527 --> 01:05:53,729
37th Air Wing station at Joint Base 

1793
01:05:53,739 --> 01:05:56,040
Charleston from the Air Mobility 

1794
01:05:56,050 --> 01:05:59,090
Command that is under the command of 

1795
01:05:59,100 --> 01:06:01,800
Transcom Joint Base Charleston . My 

1796
01:06:01,810 --> 01:06:04,989
birthplace is a great example of joint 

1797
01:06:05,000 --> 01:06:07,760
readiness across the force and that is 

1798
01:06:07,770 --> 01:06:10,030
due to the leadership within Transcom 

1799
01:06:10,040 --> 01:06:13,050
Enterprise , however , must always 

1800
01:06:13,060 --> 01:06:16,590
ensure in our readiness remains high in 

1801
01:06:16,600 --> 01:06:18,767
order to counter the threats from peer 

1802
01:06:18,767 --> 01:06:20,989
competitors . Could you explain the key 

1803
01:06:20,989 --> 01:06:23,899
Transcom Transcom mobility readiness 

1804
01:06:23,909 --> 01:06:26,449
concerns that hinders logistics 

1805
01:06:26,459 --> 01:06:29,250
enterprise and the ability to maintain 

1806
01:06:29,260 --> 01:06:31,260
global power projection to maintain 

1807
01:06:31,260 --> 01:06:34,250
peace through strength ? Thank you for 

1808
01:06:34,260 --> 01:06:36,482
the question . Having been stationed at 

1809
01:06:36,482 --> 01:06:38,482
Charleston the mighty four 37th and 

1810
01:06:38,482 --> 01:06:40,538
have been uh on the ports there . Uh 

1811
01:06:40,538 --> 01:06:42,704
You have a fantastic sea port there as 

1812
01:06:42,704 --> 01:06:44,927
well that , that really support us . Um 

1813
01:06:44,927 --> 01:06:46,982
So when I think about readiness , um 

1814
01:06:46,982 --> 01:06:48,871
especially when I think about our 

1815
01:06:48,871 --> 01:06:50,871
strategic airlift fleet , it's very 

1816
01:06:50,871 --> 01:06:52,871
important that um that the services 

1817
01:06:52,871 --> 01:06:54,927
continue to fund the readiness funds 

1818
01:06:54,927 --> 01:06:54,419
and the flying hour funds which you 

1819
01:06:54,429 --> 01:06:56,429
will see in this budget to ensure a 

1820
01:06:56,429 --> 01:06:59,332
healthy C five and C 17 fleets . Now , 

1821
01:06:59,342 --> 01:07:02,021
the C FIVE is , is showing its wear and 

1822
01:07:02,031 --> 01:07:04,087
aging and I'm a little bit concerned 

1823
01:07:04,087 --> 01:07:06,087
about its readiness . So we need to 

1824
01:07:06,087 --> 01:07:08,309
continue to focus on that . The C 17 is 

1825
01:07:08,309 --> 01:07:10,531
doing great work as you've seen , uh uh 

1826
01:07:10,531 --> 01:07:12,420
around the globe in Afghanistan , 

1827
01:07:12,420 --> 01:07:14,587
Ukraine . Um , the C 17 has been there 

1828
01:07:14,587 --> 01:07:16,642
and it's , it's a , it's a fantastic 

1829
01:07:16,642 --> 01:07:18,920
aircraft , but I think about our crews , 

1830
01:07:18,920 --> 01:07:18,691
right . Our people are our most 

1831
01:07:18,701 --> 01:07:20,941
important uh aspect of what we do , 

1832
01:07:20,951 --> 01:07:23,284
ensuring that they're trained and ready . 

1833
01:07:23,284 --> 01:07:25,284
So , making sure that they have the 

1834
01:07:25,284 --> 01:07:27,618
flying hours , the simulator hours , um , 

1835
01:07:27,618 --> 01:07:29,618
and uh that they're , they have the 

1836
01:07:29,618 --> 01:07:31,784
unique scenarios and I don't just want 

1837
01:07:31,784 --> 01:07:34,007
to say from the air side , but from the 

1838
01:07:34,007 --> 01:07:33,854
seaside , uh we're training our 

1839
01:07:33,864 --> 01:07:36,224
Mariners uh to be able to uh operate in 

1840
01:07:36,233 --> 01:07:38,114
a contested environment uh to do 

1841
01:07:38,124 --> 01:07:40,644
consolidated uh refuelling underway uh 

1842
01:07:40,654 --> 01:07:43,583
and to uh to use secure communications 

1843
01:07:43,593 --> 01:07:45,649
to ensure they understand the battle 

1844
01:07:45,649 --> 01:07:47,760
space . So all of that comes together 

1845
01:07:47,760 --> 01:07:49,982
to ensure ready for us , the people and 

1846
01:07:49,982 --> 01:07:52,037
the assets and we're very focused on 

1847
01:07:52,037 --> 01:07:54,149
that . And thank you and I appreciate 

1848
01:07:54,149 --> 01:07:56,426
you referencing the port of Charleston . 

1849
01:07:56,426 --> 01:07:58,593
Uh They've just completed the dredging 

1850
01:07:58,593 --> 01:08:00,815
uh 52 ft is now the deepest port on the 

1851
01:08:00,815 --> 01:08:02,926
east coast . Uh It also uh celebrates 

1852
01:08:02,926 --> 01:08:05,275
uh the largest export of uh cars uh 

1853
01:08:05,285 --> 01:08:07,756
from the United States uh worldwide . 

1854
01:08:07,766 --> 01:08:10,070
Uh We want everybody to have a um uh 

1855
01:08:10,080 --> 01:08:14,070
BMW X five uh worldwide uh and uh and 

1856
01:08:14,080 --> 01:08:16,302
a Volvo too . And then uh sprinter vans 

1857
01:08:16,302 --> 01:08:18,939
on the side . So , um so the port of 

1858
01:08:18,950 --> 01:08:21,061
Charleston is just so invaluable with 

1859
01:08:21,061 --> 01:08:23,117
that in mind , the chairman uh being 

1860
01:08:23,117 --> 01:08:25,061
ahead of the curve , Chairman Mike 

1861
01:08:25,061 --> 01:08:27,283
Waltz , uh the lack of uh Mariners . Uh 

1862
01:08:27,283 --> 01:08:29,506
this is just got to be addressed and um 

1863
01:08:29,506 --> 01:08:31,669
what , what is being done to identify 

1864
01:08:31,729 --> 01:08:34,062
again , institutions , training centers , 

1865
01:08:34,062 --> 01:08:36,629
opportunities to serve as uh Mariners 

1866
01:08:36,640 --> 01:08:39,069
and is particularly critical because I 

1867
01:08:39,080 --> 01:08:41,490
I hope also that uh projection is in uh 

1868
01:08:41,500 --> 01:08:44,919
place um in prepositioning of equipment . 

1869
01:08:45,089 --> 01:08:47,750
Uh It , it concerns me that when it was 

1870
01:08:47,759 --> 01:08:50,100
announced that America uh was gonna be 

1871
01:08:50,109 --> 01:08:52,919
providing 31 tanks uh to the people of 

1872
01:08:52,930 --> 01:08:55,689
Ukraine . Uh It , it was reported that 

1873
01:08:55,700 --> 01:08:57,770
uh we had no more and of course , I 

1874
01:08:57,779 --> 01:09:00,419
looked into it . We have 8000 more . Uh 

1875
01:09:00,430 --> 01:09:04,109
and uh but uh it , it just uh really 

1876
01:09:04,120 --> 01:09:06,342
frightened the American people and then 

1877
01:09:06,342 --> 01:09:08,176
how can we accelerate delivery ? 

1878
01:09:12,930 --> 01:09:14,763
Yes , sir . And I'll be brief in 

1879
01:09:14,763 --> 01:09:16,763
response to uh providing additional 

1880
01:09:16,763 --> 01:09:18,930
opportunities for Mariners . As , as , 

1881
01:09:18,930 --> 01:09:21,152
as we've just earlier this morning , we 

1882
01:09:21,152 --> 01:09:20,279
have a center of excellence program . 

1883
01:09:20,290 --> 01:09:22,457
We can designate centers of excellence 

1884
01:09:22,457 --> 01:09:24,679
and , and support of Mariner training . 

1885
01:09:24,679 --> 01:09:26,457
We also work closely with state 

1886
01:09:26,457 --> 01:09:28,457
maritime academies which provide uh 

1887
01:09:28,457 --> 01:09:30,568
Mariners for our uh our force and the 

1888
01:09:30,568 --> 01:09:32,512
King's Point , the Merchant Marine 

1889
01:09:32,512 --> 01:09:34,679
Academy uh is overseen by the maritime 

1890
01:09:34,679 --> 01:09:36,901
administration , that's our predominant 

1891
01:09:36,901 --> 01:09:39,068
source of strategic sealift officers . 

1892
01:09:39,068 --> 01:09:38,595
And of course , we work very hard to 

1893
01:09:38,604 --> 01:09:40,548
ensure we have as much capacity as 

1894
01:09:40,548 --> 01:09:42,548
possible there as well . And I will 

1895
01:09:42,548 --> 01:09:44,271
defer to the general on the uh 

1896
01:09:44,271 --> 01:09:46,493
additional c we're working closely with 

1897
01:09:46,493 --> 01:09:48,660
the army on the Abrams tanks and where 

1898
01:09:48,660 --> 01:09:50,882
they , where they wanna source them and 

1899
01:09:50,882 --> 01:09:52,937
how we're gonna deliver . Ok , thank 

1900
01:09:52,937 --> 01:09:55,104
you very much . Uh You're back . Thank 

1901
01:09:55,104 --> 01:09:56,937
you , Mr Wilson . I recognize Mr 

1902
01:09:56,937 --> 01:09:58,993
Panetta Outstanding . Thank you , Mr 

1903
01:09:58,993 --> 01:10:01,160
Chairman uh general uh Van Ovos . Uh 

1904
01:10:01,169 --> 01:10:04,240
was glad to see that you signed a 

1905
01:10:04,250 --> 01:10:06,410
charter with us south comm last June 

1906
01:10:06,419 --> 01:10:09,080
for regional humanitarian assistance 

1907
01:10:09,350 --> 01:10:11,572
and disaster relief . Now , obviously , 

1908
01:10:11,572 --> 01:10:14,839
Latin America experiences a number of 

1909
01:10:14,850 --> 01:10:17,072
natural disasters including earthquakes 

1910
01:10:17,072 --> 01:10:18,572
like we've seen in Haiti . 

1911
01:10:18,572 --> 01:10:20,628
Unfortunately , however , looking at 

1912
01:10:20,628 --> 01:10:22,890
the Indo Pacific just between 

1913
01:10:22,899 --> 01:10:25,939
2014 and 2017 , that region appears to 

1914
01:10:25,950 --> 01:10:28,479
have more natural disasters than most 

1915
01:10:28,520 --> 01:10:31,620
with 55 earthquakes. 217 storms and 

1916
01:10:31,629 --> 01:10:34,299
cyclones and even 236 cases of severe 

1917
01:10:34,310 --> 01:10:37,580
flooding . It's these types of extreme 

1918
01:10:37,589 --> 01:10:39,959
weather conditions that I think as you 

1919
01:10:39,970 --> 01:10:42,669
understand , pose considerable risk to 

1920
01:10:42,689 --> 01:10:44,856
our command and control and ability to 

1921
01:10:44,856 --> 01:10:47,770
mobilize troops and our domain 

1922
01:10:47,779 --> 01:10:50,410
awareness . And so I've been working 

1923
01:10:50,419 --> 01:10:52,586
with uh my colleagues , Mr Gallagher , 

1924
01:10:52,586 --> 01:10:54,641
Mr Scott , Mr Jimenez on legislation 

1925
01:10:54,641 --> 01:10:57,890
that would conduct tabletop exercises 

1926
01:10:57,899 --> 01:11:00,529
to test our current stockpiles and our 

1927
01:11:00,540 --> 01:11:03,279
abilities to deter threats in the Indo 

1928
01:11:03,290 --> 01:11:05,810
Pacific . While under these types of 

1929
01:11:05,819 --> 01:11:09,330
extreme weather conditions , general , 

1930
01:11:09,339 --> 01:11:12,069
what's your um opinion as to whether or 

1931
01:11:12,080 --> 01:11:14,709
not we're properly accounting for these 

1932
01:11:14,720 --> 01:11:17,029
types of natural disasters in our 

1933
01:11:17,040 --> 01:11:20,089
strategy in dealing with the potential 

1934
01:11:20,100 --> 01:11:24,100
C C P invasion of Taiwan . Uh 

1935
01:11:24,109 --> 01:11:26,220
Thank you for that question . We uh 

1936
01:11:26,229 --> 01:11:28,240
having been an air lifter all of my 

1937
01:11:28,250 --> 01:11:30,472
life , I have been very focused on H AD 

1938
01:11:30,472 --> 01:11:32,806
R events around the globe . And frankly , 

1939
01:11:32,806 --> 01:11:34,694
when I think about our ability to 

1940
01:11:34,694 --> 01:11:36,861
project and sustain a force around the 

1941
01:11:36,861 --> 01:11:39,083
globe , there's no greater , you know , 

1942
01:11:39,083 --> 01:11:41,083
opportunity than delivering hope to 

1943
01:11:41,083 --> 01:11:43,250
someone , right ? Our , our allies are 

1944
01:11:43,250 --> 01:11:45,194
assured by the fact that we can be 

1945
01:11:45,194 --> 01:11:47,361
there once we commit to support them , 

1946
01:11:47,361 --> 01:11:46,540
just like we did during that 

1947
01:11:46,549 --> 01:11:48,939
devastating earthquake for Turkey , uh 

1948
01:11:48,959 --> 01:11:52,075
providing a hospital uh as well as the 

1949
01:11:52,084 --> 01:11:54,251
search and rescue crews are on the way 

1950
01:11:54,251 --> 01:11:56,195
within 24 hours . So we absolutely 

1951
01:11:56,195 --> 01:11:58,084
looked at , in fact , we're doing 

1952
01:11:58,084 --> 01:11:59,917
additional exercises in the Indo 

1953
01:11:59,917 --> 01:11:59,604
Pacific specifically with the 

1954
01:11:59,615 --> 01:12:02,294
Philippines , uh providing H AD R and 

1955
01:12:02,305 --> 01:12:04,527
looking at forward positioning , H AD R 

1956
01:12:04,527 --> 01:12:06,714
sets . Uh so that we would have 

1957
01:12:06,725 --> 01:12:09,064
immediate access from that point uh to 

1958
01:12:09,075 --> 01:12:11,186
move to any of the islands in support 

1959
01:12:11,186 --> 01:12:13,834
of them . OK . All right . Now , um in 

1960
01:12:13,845 --> 01:12:16,205
regards to the challenges that we 

1961
01:12:16,214 --> 01:12:19,060
talked about , um especially in the , 

1962
01:12:19,069 --> 01:12:21,040
you know , Pacific , if we were to 

1963
01:12:21,049 --> 01:12:24,040
conduct a whole of government tabletop 

1964
01:12:24,049 --> 01:12:26,560
exercise to prepare for climate events . 

1965
01:12:26,740 --> 01:12:28,839
Uh What should that include from a 

1966
01:12:28,850 --> 01:12:30,961
transportation perspective ? Is there 

1967
01:12:30,961 --> 01:12:32,906
anything in particular that you're 

1968
01:12:32,906 --> 01:12:35,128
focused on ? Absolutely . When we think 

1969
01:12:35,128 --> 01:12:37,350
about uh climate change and its effects 

1970
01:12:37,350 --> 01:12:39,517
on our infrastructure . Uh We think of 

1971
01:12:39,517 --> 01:12:41,739
the ports or the rising sea levels , we 

1972
01:12:41,739 --> 01:12:43,961
have to be ensure that we have uh plans 

1973
01:12:43,961 --> 01:12:46,072
uh which we do for our strategic port 

1974
01:12:46,072 --> 01:12:48,128
programs . We do assessments through 

1975
01:12:48,128 --> 01:12:50,239
our transportation engineering and uh 

1976
01:12:50,239 --> 01:12:52,072
agency on , on strategic ports , 

1977
01:12:52,072 --> 01:12:54,239
providing them what we think are their 

1978
01:12:54,239 --> 01:12:56,183
vulnerabilities uh during high sea 

1979
01:12:56,183 --> 01:12:58,183
levels . Uh And so uh being able to 

1980
01:12:58,183 --> 01:13:01,060
mobilize the force and deploy forward 

1981
01:13:01,069 --> 01:13:04,250
to a uh to a port to push out is one of 

1982
01:13:04,259 --> 01:13:06,799
our most uh concerning areas . Uh And 

1983
01:13:06,810 --> 01:13:08,866
so as we look at that , what is that 

1984
01:13:08,866 --> 01:13:10,921
infrastructure , the road , the rail 

1985
01:13:10,921 --> 01:13:13,088
and the seaport necessary to do that ? 

1986
01:13:13,088 --> 01:13:15,032
And , and so I would say that that 

1987
01:13:15,032 --> 01:13:16,810
should be part of the TT X OK , 

1988
01:13:16,810 --> 01:13:18,699
switching regions . Um looking at 

1989
01:13:18,699 --> 01:13:21,720
Africa , obviously uh with China's um 

1990
01:13:21,729 --> 01:13:23,840
desire to , well , one have that they 

1991
01:13:23,840 --> 01:13:26,062
do have a military base in Djibouti and 

1992
01:13:26,062 --> 01:13:28,173
now it is looking to put a second one 

1993
01:13:28,173 --> 01:13:30,062
in Equatorial Guinea um on top of 

1994
01:13:30,062 --> 01:13:32,062
building out a military presence in 

1995
01:13:32,062 --> 01:13:33,951
Africa , the C C P is maneuvering 

1996
01:13:33,951 --> 01:13:36,062
around the continent through the Belt 

1997
01:13:36,062 --> 01:13:38,285
and Road initiative as we know about um 

1998
01:13:38,285 --> 01:13:40,379
I guess in looking at some of our 

1999
01:13:40,390 --> 01:13:42,740
allies , which is obviously uh one of 

2000
01:13:42,750 --> 01:13:44,861
your chief concerns and strengthening 

2001
01:13:44,861 --> 01:13:47,149
the relationships , uh at least to 

2002
01:13:47,160 --> 01:13:49,160
hedge against some of these threats 

2003
01:13:49,160 --> 01:13:51,327
from the C C P . But there are certain 

2004
01:13:51,327 --> 01:13:53,549
restrictions obviously when it comes to 

2005
01:13:53,549 --> 01:13:55,660
security and the security environment 

2006
01:13:55,660 --> 01:13:57,827
in some of these countries , um have , 

2007
01:13:57,827 --> 01:14:00,049
what have we done ? How productive have 

2008
01:14:00,049 --> 01:14:02,216
we done ? How , how productive have we 

2009
01:14:02,216 --> 01:14:04,438
been to prepare our African partners to 

2010
01:14:04,438 --> 01:14:06,459
not only deny Chinese gains but is 

2011
01:14:06,470 --> 01:14:09,720
Transcom integrating with a to ensure 

2012
01:14:09,729 --> 01:14:12,259
that the assistance we offered offer is 

2013
01:14:12,270 --> 01:14:14,603
tailored to their needs and implemented . 

2014
01:14:14,910 --> 01:14:17,021
Yeah , that's an important question . 

2015
01:14:17,021 --> 01:14:17,000
Not as you mentioned , not just in 

2016
01:14:17,009 --> 01:14:19,359
Africa , but around the globe as China 

2017
01:14:19,370 --> 01:14:21,939
continues to use their malign influence 

2018
01:14:21,950 --> 01:14:23,950
to get into port infrastructure and 

2019
01:14:23,950 --> 01:14:25,894
frankly the Digital Silk Road with 

2020
01:14:25,894 --> 01:14:27,950
their ability to use data management 

2021
01:14:27,950 --> 01:14:29,759
systems to infiltrate and then 

2022
01:14:29,770 --> 01:14:31,992
aggregate that data and send it back to 

2023
01:14:31,992 --> 01:14:34,103
China from , from the logistics flows 

2024
01:14:34,103 --> 01:14:36,160
which is a key vulnerability . So we 

2025
01:14:36,169 --> 01:14:38,391
have been working a whole of government 

2026
01:14:38,391 --> 01:14:40,280
effort with state Department , uh 

2027
01:14:40,280 --> 01:14:42,169
Department of Commerce to look at 

2028
01:14:42,169 --> 01:14:44,225
Chinese investments uh in Africa and 

2029
01:14:44,225 --> 01:14:46,509
around the globe and , and marshaling 

2030
01:14:46,520 --> 01:14:48,759
uh us resources to try to understand 

2031
01:14:48,770 --> 01:14:51,060
how can we can we limit that , how do 

2032
01:14:51,069 --> 01:14:53,339
we engage with that nation ? But from a 

2033
01:14:53,350 --> 01:14:55,649
transportation command perspective only 

2034
01:14:55,660 --> 01:14:57,827
we have a community of interest across 

2035
01:14:57,827 --> 01:15:00,049
the uh intel committees with our allies 

2036
01:15:00,060 --> 01:15:02,282
and partners to demonstrate to them how 

2037
01:15:02,282 --> 01:15:04,449
important it would be that they do not 

2038
01:15:04,449 --> 01:15:06,616
let them invest in their ports . Thank 

2039
01:15:06,616 --> 01:15:08,893
you , ma'am . Are you back ? Thank you , 

2040
01:15:09,129 --> 01:15:12,850
Mr Jimenez is now recognized . Thank 

2041
01:15:12,859 --> 01:15:14,915
you . Thank you very much , Mr uh Mr 

2042
01:15:14,915 --> 01:15:16,970
Chairman . Um you know , as mayor of 

2043
01:15:16,970 --> 01:15:19,089
Miami Dade , I uh we ran port Miami , 

2044
01:15:19,100 --> 01:15:21,044
which is the cruise capital of the 

2045
01:15:21,044 --> 01:15:23,100
world , probably home to about 20 of 

2046
01:15:23,100 --> 01:15:24,989
the most beautiful cruise ships . 

2047
01:15:24,989 --> 01:15:27,100
You're ever gonna see uh Admiral . Do 

2048
01:15:27,100 --> 01:15:29,211
you know how many of those were built 

2049
01:15:29,211 --> 01:15:31,100
in the United States ? I do not 

2050
01:15:31,109 --> 01:15:33,387
directly know sir , but I suspect none . 

2051
01:15:33,387 --> 01:15:35,830
Thank you . Zero were built in the 

2052
01:15:35,839 --> 01:15:39,160
United States . And so I , I believe uh 

2053
01:15:39,169 --> 01:15:41,299
Mr Chairman that uh that the problem 

2054
01:15:41,310 --> 01:15:43,477
that we have is not only that we don't 

2055
01:15:43,479 --> 01:15:45,646
have , we don't have the production uh 

2056
01:15:45,646 --> 01:15:47,868
capacity . Uh and there's no reason why 

2057
01:15:47,868 --> 01:15:50,146
it can't be built in the United States . 

2058
01:15:50,146 --> 01:15:49,580
Those cruise ships , actually , a lot 

2059
01:15:49,589 --> 01:15:51,645
of them are built in Europe . So you 

2060
01:15:51,645 --> 01:15:53,589
really can't say it's , it's cheap 

2061
01:15:53,589 --> 01:15:55,700
labor costs , something else is going 

2062
01:15:55,700 --> 01:15:58,450
on . Why ships are not being built in 

2063
01:15:58,459 --> 01:16:00,626
the United States . Difference between 

2064
01:16:00,626 --> 01:16:02,737
now and in the time between World War 

2065
01:16:02,737 --> 01:16:04,570
One and World War Two is America 

2066
01:16:04,570 --> 01:16:06,903
probably led the world in ship building . 

2067
01:16:06,903 --> 01:16:09,070
We in , in , in that time , that's why 

2068
01:16:09,070 --> 01:16:08,790
we were able to ramp up so quickly 

2069
01:16:08,799 --> 01:16:10,743
during World War two and basically 

2070
01:16:10,743 --> 01:16:12,919
outproduce everybody and we were the 

2071
01:16:12,930 --> 01:16:14,708
arsenal of democracy because we 

2072
01:16:14,708 --> 01:16:16,874
produced everything . We don't do that 

2073
01:16:16,874 --> 01:16:19,950
anymore . And so I , my um my advisor , 

2074
01:16:19,959 --> 01:16:22,169
my ask of you , Mr Chairman is that we 

2075
01:16:22,180 --> 01:16:24,347
look at the committees of jurisdiction 

2076
01:16:24,540 --> 01:16:26,540
and see what it is that we're doing 

2077
01:16:26,540 --> 01:16:28,707
here in the United States to shut down 

2078
01:16:28,707 --> 01:16:30,939
production or stymie the production of 

2079
01:16:30,950 --> 01:16:33,061
the things that we need . And we know 

2080
01:16:33,069 --> 01:16:36,439
we're gonna be we need for producing 

2081
01:16:36,450 --> 01:16:38,339
the materials that we need to uh 

2082
01:16:38,350 --> 01:16:40,669
conduct , conduct a war . Uh And so 

2083
01:16:40,680 --> 01:16:42,958
shifting , shifting gears a little bit . 

2084
01:16:43,439 --> 01:16:45,709
Uh admiral , you said that uh we have a 

2085
01:16:45,720 --> 01:16:48,919
shortage of , of Mariners . Ah , 

2086
01:16:49,910 --> 01:16:53,379
I is a career in uh , in a maritime 

2087
01:16:53,390 --> 01:16:55,560
career . Is that , is that a career 

2088
01:16:55,569 --> 01:16:57,680
that somebody can have a good quality 

2089
01:16:57,680 --> 01:16:59,790
of life ? A good , you know , um , 

2090
01:16:59,950 --> 01:17:02,172
middle , middle class quality of life ? 

2091
01:17:02,979 --> 01:17:06,299
A mariner . Does it pay well ? Yes , 

2092
01:17:06,310 --> 01:17:08,532
sir . It pays well . However , you have 

2093
01:17:08,532 --> 01:17:10,810
to go to C ok . I understand that . Um , 

2094
01:17:10,959 --> 01:17:13,070
do you need a , do you need a college 

2095
01:17:13,070 --> 01:17:15,070
degree to be a mariner ? You do not 

2096
01:17:15,070 --> 01:17:17,292
need a college degree to be a mariner ? 

2097
01:17:17,292 --> 01:17:19,515
Ok . You said that you , you're looking 

2098
01:17:19,515 --> 01:17:21,403
at shortages right now . How many 

2099
01:17:21,403 --> 01:17:23,709
Mariners do we need now ? And how many 

2100
01:17:23,720 --> 01:17:25,609
Mariners are we gonna need in the 

2101
01:17:25,609 --> 01:17:29,000
future ? Our , our numbers are 

2102
01:17:29,089 --> 01:17:31,367
based on a study that was done in 2017 , 

2103
01:17:31,367 --> 01:17:33,589
which is directed by Congress and shows 

2104
01:17:33,589 --> 01:17:35,819
we're short at least 1800 . We would 

2105
01:17:35,830 --> 01:17:38,950
expect that number to grow over time to , 

2106
01:17:38,959 --> 01:17:41,359
to what I can . I will take that for 

2107
01:17:41,370 --> 01:17:43,537
the record , sir . But we , we don't , 

2108
01:17:43,569 --> 01:17:45,680
no , it all depends on what our needs 

2109
01:17:45,680 --> 01:17:48,979
are in the future . Do you , where do 

2110
01:17:48,990 --> 01:17:51,268
you get them from ? Now ? The Mariners , 

2111
01:17:52,319 --> 01:17:54,541
we get them from our six state maritime 

2112
01:17:54,541 --> 01:17:56,541
academies . We get them from King's 

2113
01:17:56,541 --> 01:17:58,375
Point . Our primary source of uh 

2114
01:17:58,375 --> 01:18:00,486
Mariners licensed Mariners with a , a 

2115
01:18:00,486 --> 01:18:02,740
naval reserve obligation . Uh , and we 

2116
01:18:02,750 --> 01:18:04,917
get them from union schools across the 

2117
01:18:04,917 --> 01:18:07,139
country which support both licensed and 

2118
01:18:07,139 --> 01:18:09,083
unlicensed Mariners . What are you 

2119
01:18:09,083 --> 01:18:11,194
doing to uh to address the shortage ? 

2120
01:18:11,194 --> 01:18:13,240
We are working across a whole of 

2121
01:18:13,250 --> 01:18:15,472
government and I've , as I've described 

2122
01:18:15,472 --> 01:18:17,417
previously , uh this is a whole of 

2123
01:18:17,417 --> 01:18:19,639
government and industry and , and other 

2124
01:18:19,639 --> 01:18:21,861
stakeholder challenge . Uh We are under 

2125
01:18:21,861 --> 01:18:24,083
the Biden Harris administration growing 

2126
01:18:24,083 --> 01:18:26,306
the fleet . As I've said , we need more 

2127
01:18:26,306 --> 01:18:25,779
ships . If you want to have a sustained 

2128
01:18:25,790 --> 01:18:27,790
career path for more Mariners T S P 

2129
01:18:27,790 --> 01:18:29,957
program will help us with that . We're 

2130
01:18:29,957 --> 01:18:32,179
building the N S M V program which will 

2131
01:18:32,179 --> 01:18:34,401
support mariner training at our five of 

2132
01:18:34,401 --> 01:18:36,512
our six state maritime academies with 

2133
01:18:36,512 --> 01:18:38,568
brand new state of the art vessels . 

2134
01:18:38,568 --> 01:18:40,679
We're working with industry and other 

2135
01:18:40,679 --> 01:18:40,270
stakeholders to develop options and 

2136
01:18:40,279 --> 01:18:43,459
opportunities to do more , to advertise 

2137
01:18:43,470 --> 01:18:46,589
this uh this as , as a path that young 

2138
01:18:46,600 --> 01:18:49,120
people can take to move forward and 

2139
01:18:49,129 --> 01:18:51,073
we're working on safety at sea . I 

2140
01:18:51,073 --> 01:18:53,073
described the EM program earlier in 

2141
01:18:53,073 --> 01:18:56,080
this , in this uh hearing , sir . Um as 

2142
01:18:56,089 --> 01:18:57,811
you know , uh safety at sea is 

2143
01:18:57,811 --> 01:19:00,049
absolutely paramount for us and uh in 

2144
01:19:00,060 --> 01:19:02,282
particular , women are underrepresented 

2145
01:19:02,282 --> 01:19:04,338
in the maritime industry . So 50% of 

2146
01:19:04,338 --> 01:19:06,449
our population is only represented by 

2147
01:19:06,449 --> 01:19:08,560
about 7% of the population within the 

2148
01:19:08,560 --> 01:19:10,727
maritime industry . So being able to , 

2149
01:19:10,727 --> 01:19:12,727
to recruit more people to come into 

2150
01:19:12,727 --> 01:19:14,838
this industry , earn a good living as 

2151
01:19:14,838 --> 01:19:17,060
you say , and uh stay with it over time 

2152
01:19:17,060 --> 01:19:19,227
for a career is absolutely paramount . 

2153
01:19:19,227 --> 01:19:19,149
Are these schools located in a certain 

2154
01:19:19,160 --> 01:19:21,160
area of the country or are they all 

2155
01:19:21,160 --> 01:19:23,216
over the place ? They're located all 

2156
01:19:23,216 --> 01:19:25,327
over the country ? Are there any in , 

2157
01:19:25,327 --> 01:19:27,439
uh , in South Florida ? Yes . Well , 

2158
01:19:27,450 --> 01:19:29,394
the , the , uh , maritime American 

2159
01:19:29,394 --> 01:19:31,740
maritime officers uh facility is 

2160
01:19:31,750 --> 01:19:33,917
located in uh , uh Daniel Beach , Fort 

2161
01:19:33,917 --> 01:19:36,029
Lauderdale , Florida . Ok , thank you 

2162
01:19:36,040 --> 01:19:38,151
very much . Do you , do you work with 

2163
01:19:38,151 --> 01:19:39,873
high schools or , or do you do 

2164
01:19:39,873 --> 01:19:41,984
advertise this ? We do work with high 

2165
01:19:41,984 --> 01:19:44,151
schools . Yes , sir . Ok . Because one 

2166
01:19:44,151 --> 01:19:43,509
of the things that uh that I'm working 

2167
01:19:43,520 --> 01:19:46,770
on down in , in my , my town is that uh 

2168
01:19:46,779 --> 01:19:49,040
we have a real big shortage of pilots 

2169
01:19:49,379 --> 01:19:51,435
and working with the with the school 

2170
01:19:51,435 --> 01:19:53,490
system there trying to see if we can 

2171
01:19:53,490 --> 01:19:56,220
open up charter schools or uh magnet 

2172
01:19:56,229 --> 01:19:58,451
schools that deal with aviation . Maybe 

2173
01:19:58,451 --> 01:20:00,340
we should be doing the same thing 

2174
01:20:00,340 --> 01:20:02,396
around the world with maritime and , 

2175
01:20:02,396 --> 01:20:04,451
and the maritime industry because uh 

2176
01:20:04,451 --> 01:20:06,562
again , one of the things that , that 

2177
01:20:06,562 --> 01:20:08,729
we wanna stress is that you don't need 

2178
01:20:08,729 --> 01:20:10,507
a college degree and uh you can 

2179
01:20:10,507 --> 01:20:12,340
actually have a very good career 

2180
01:20:12,340 --> 01:20:14,451
without saddling yourself with half a 

2181
01:20:14,451 --> 01:20:16,673
million dollars in debt and uh and give 

2182
01:20:16,673 --> 01:20:16,310
your , your family a good quality of 

2183
01:20:16,319 --> 01:20:18,541
life . Thank you , ma'am . I appreciate 

2184
01:20:18,541 --> 01:20:20,763
it . And you're back . Gentlemen's time 

2185
01:20:20,763 --> 01:20:22,930
has expired . Thank you , Mr Jimenez . 

2186
01:20:22,930 --> 01:20:25,097
M Tau is recognized for five minutes . 

2187
01:20:25,097 --> 01:20:27,097
Thank you , Mr Chair . I understand 

2188
01:20:27,097 --> 01:20:29,208
that Transcom was not handling global 

2189
01:20:29,208 --> 01:20:31,319
bulk fuel distribution at the time of 

2190
01:20:31,319 --> 01:20:31,100
the fuel leak that we experienced in 

2191
01:20:31,109 --> 01:20:33,331
Hawaii at red Hill . But since the leak 

2192
01:20:33,331 --> 01:20:35,498
last year's N D A A appointed Transcom 

2193
01:20:35,498 --> 01:20:37,939
as a single manager of bulk fuel . Uh 

2194
01:20:37,950 --> 01:20:40,100
even as we move towards Deuel and the 

2195
01:20:40,109 --> 01:20:42,331
permanent closure of Red Hill bulk fuel 

2196
01:20:42,331 --> 01:20:44,609
posture will remain a focus for Hawaii . 

2197
01:20:44,609 --> 01:20:46,665
Given as we've discussed , discussed 

2198
01:20:46,665 --> 01:20:48,776
often in this room , Hawaii strategic 

2199
01:20:48,776 --> 01:20:51,270
location in the Indo Pacific Theater . 

2200
01:20:51,419 --> 01:20:54,140
Uh General Van uh as Transcom is 

2201
01:20:54,149 --> 01:20:56,371
planning and preparing to be the single 

2202
01:20:56,371 --> 01:20:58,640
manager of global fuel bulk fuel . What 

2203
01:20:58,649 --> 01:21:00,649
are the implications of a contested 

2204
01:21:00,649 --> 01:21:02,538
environment on bulk fuel capacity 

2205
01:21:02,538 --> 01:21:04,209
distribution ? Uh Thank you , 

2206
01:21:04,220 --> 01:21:06,299
congresswoman , look uh uh being the 

2207
01:21:06,310 --> 01:21:08,569
manager for global fuel , a single 

2208
01:21:08,580 --> 01:21:10,302
manager . It's really , it's a 

2209
01:21:10,302 --> 01:21:12,413
different approach to managing fuel . 

2210
01:21:12,413 --> 01:21:14,524
It allows us to synchronize a complex 

2211
01:21:14,524 --> 01:21:16,636
system of systems uh to ensure we can 

2212
01:21:16,636 --> 01:21:19,120
get uh from source uh to the point of 

2213
01:21:19,129 --> 01:21:21,609
need in a contested environment . So 

2214
01:21:21,620 --> 01:21:23,731
we're going to be operating different 

2215
01:21:24,370 --> 01:21:26,592
in the contested environment . So we're 

2216
01:21:26,592 --> 01:21:28,814
looking at things in the posture in the 

2217
01:21:28,814 --> 01:21:30,759
Pacific and how we plan and how we 

2218
01:21:30,759 --> 01:21:32,870
execute . We had multiple studies and 

2219
01:21:32,870 --> 01:21:35,037
war games that came to this conclusion 

2220
01:21:35,037 --> 01:21:37,092
that we had multiple gaps . Uh And I 

2221
01:21:37,092 --> 01:21:39,259
would say that we're , we're attacking 

2222
01:21:39,259 --> 01:21:41,426
those gaps . The first of which is the 

2223
01:21:41,426 --> 01:21:43,537
tanker security program , which is uh 

2224
01:21:43,537 --> 01:21:45,870
which is a buying down some of the risk . 

2225
01:21:45,870 --> 01:21:47,981
But we're also doing uh fuel planning 

2226
01:21:47,981 --> 01:21:50,037
with Admiral Alino on in the Pacific 

2227
01:21:50,037 --> 01:21:52,148
where we need to posture that fuel uh 

2228
01:21:52,148 --> 01:21:54,370
where we need to store it to include uh 

2229
01:21:54,370 --> 01:21:56,537
storing on the water so that it'd be , 

2230
01:21:56,537 --> 01:21:58,648
it'd be the most effective location . 

2231
01:21:58,648 --> 01:22:00,537
And then we have resilient port , 

2232
01:22:00,537 --> 01:22:02,648
resilient locations so that uh if one 

2233
01:22:02,648 --> 01:22:04,703
is lost , we still have others to be 

2234
01:22:04,703 --> 01:22:07,870
able to feed the fight . Thank you . Um 

2235
01:22:07,879 --> 01:22:09,879
But would you please also provide , 

2236
01:22:09,879 --> 01:22:11,879
given all of the work that you have 

2237
01:22:11,879 --> 01:22:14,101
done the timeline for executing the new 

2238
01:22:14,101 --> 01:22:16,101
bulk fuel posture and when Transcom 

2239
01:22:16,101 --> 01:22:17,768
will provide an update on the 

2240
01:22:17,768 --> 01:22:19,990
distribution at work to members of this 

2241
01:22:19,990 --> 01:22:19,950
committee . Yeah , thank you . We are 

2242
01:22:19,959 --> 01:22:22,126
working with Paycom and doing the bulk 

2243
01:22:22,126 --> 01:22:24,479
fuel assessment now uh and multiple 

2244
01:22:24,490 --> 01:22:26,657
engagements with them . We expect that 

2245
01:22:26,657 --> 01:22:28,823
we should have this done by , by early 

2246
01:22:28,823 --> 01:22:31,046
fall . In which case , we'll bring back 

2247
01:22:31,046 --> 01:22:33,268
to Admiral Aquilino and we'll work with 

2248
01:22:33,268 --> 01:22:35,323
the department to deter to uh to the 

2249
01:22:35,323 --> 01:22:37,434
finalize of the posture and of course 

2250
01:22:37,434 --> 01:22:39,601
with D L A as well or is a key , a key 

2251
01:22:39,601 --> 01:22:41,712
partner in all of this uh uh to where 

2252
01:22:41,712 --> 01:22:43,879
the locations need to be . It probably 

2253
01:22:43,879 --> 01:22:46,046
be a mixture of uh uh contractor owned 

2254
01:22:46,046 --> 01:22:47,990
contractor operated all the way to 

2255
01:22:47,990 --> 01:22:50,157
government owned , government operated 

2256
01:22:50,157 --> 01:22:52,379
uh both on the , on the land and on the 

2257
01:22:52,379 --> 01:22:54,379
water . Thank you . If I could just 

2258
01:22:54,379 --> 01:22:56,490
move on with the remainder of my time 

2259
01:22:56,490 --> 01:22:58,823
to military sealift in the Indo Pacific , 

2260
01:22:58,823 --> 01:23:01,046
you know , our sealift capacity to move 

2261
01:23:01,046 --> 01:23:00,390
materials and troops out into the 

2262
01:23:00,399 --> 01:23:02,343
Western Pacific is critical to our 

2263
01:23:02,343 --> 01:23:04,288
ability to deter aggression and if 

2264
01:23:04,288 --> 01:23:06,160
necessary to sustain and win any 

2265
01:23:06,169 --> 01:23:08,336
conflict that may occur . Um However , 

2266
01:23:08,336 --> 01:23:10,391
we've seen our country's capacity to 

2267
01:23:10,391 --> 01:23:12,830
build large commercial ships um useful 

2268
01:23:12,839 --> 01:23:14,783
for sea lift purposes . Decline in 

2269
01:23:14,783 --> 01:23:16,839
recent decades , had this discussion 

2270
01:23:16,839 --> 01:23:18,895
leading to a major shortage of these 

2271
01:23:18,895 --> 01:23:20,895
ships that meet a critical national 

2272
01:23:20,895 --> 01:23:23,006
security need . At the same time , we 

2273
01:23:23,006 --> 01:23:24,783
also have a shortage of skilled 

2274
01:23:24,783 --> 01:23:26,895
certified Mariners and we've talked a 

2275
01:23:26,895 --> 01:23:26,384
little bit about it today that can 

2276
01:23:26,395 --> 01:23:28,117
operate these ships in a surge 

2277
01:23:28,117 --> 01:23:30,173
environment during an extended major 

2278
01:23:30,173 --> 01:23:32,062
conflict . General , what are the 

2279
01:23:32,062 --> 01:23:34,228
implications and risk that the current 

2280
01:23:34,228 --> 01:23:34,174
situation poses to our national 

2281
01:23:34,185 --> 01:23:36,241
security , especially our ability to 

2282
01:23:36,241 --> 01:23:38,241
turn foreign aggression in the Indo 

2283
01:23:38,241 --> 01:23:40,018
Pacific . And thank you for the 

2284
01:23:40,018 --> 01:23:42,129
question . This is something we think 

2285
01:23:42,129 --> 01:23:41,629
about all the time as we do the 

2286
01:23:41,640 --> 01:23:44,319
assessment of our sea lift capacity 

2287
01:23:44,330 --> 01:23:46,689
against the national defense strategy 

2288
01:23:47,129 --> 01:23:49,296
and , and , and that is how we set the 

2289
01:23:49,296 --> 01:23:51,185
limit for the number of ships and 

2290
01:23:51,185 --> 01:23:53,240
frankly the number of square feet of 

2291
01:23:53,240 --> 01:23:55,462
capability we need to have in the ready 

2292
01:23:55,462 --> 01:23:57,600
Reserve Force . And also why it's so 

2293
01:23:57,609 --> 01:23:59,609
important that we have the maritime 

2294
01:23:59,609 --> 01:24:01,609
security program and now the tanker 

2295
01:24:01,609 --> 01:24:04,109
security program to bring our civilian 

2296
01:24:04,120 --> 01:24:07,100
uh capacity to bear . So we are , we 

2297
01:24:07,109 --> 01:24:09,276
are managing that between civilian and 

2298
01:24:09,276 --> 01:24:11,276
military . But I tell you that it's 

2299
01:24:11,276 --> 01:24:13,053
very important that we maintain 

2300
01:24:13,053 --> 01:24:15,053
readiness , which is why we need to 

2301
01:24:15,053 --> 01:24:15,049
ensure the sealift recapitalization 

2302
01:24:15,060 --> 01:24:18,000
rate is steady uh so that we can gain 

2303
01:24:18,009 --> 01:24:20,065
the readiness back of the ship so we 

2304
01:24:20,065 --> 01:24:22,342
can gain the capacity back . Thank you . 

2305
01:24:22,342 --> 01:24:24,398
And um we're Admiral Phillips not to 

2306
01:24:24,398 --> 01:24:26,565
leave you out of this discussion . How 

2307
01:24:26,565 --> 01:24:28,342
can we protect and build up our 

2308
01:24:28,342 --> 01:24:30,509
commercial sealift capacity while also 

2309
01:24:30,509 --> 01:24:32,453
developing the workforce needed to 

2310
01:24:32,453 --> 01:24:34,700
sustain an expanded capacity ? Ma'am ? 

2311
01:24:34,709 --> 01:24:36,931
Thank you for that question . And , and 

2312
01:24:36,931 --> 01:24:38,987
as uh General Bevis has stated , the 

2313
01:24:38,987 --> 01:24:41,153
two go together uh in order to provide 

2314
01:24:41,153 --> 01:24:43,209
more billets for men for Mariners to 

2315
01:24:43,209 --> 01:24:45,320
man , you need more ships for them to 

2316
01:24:45,320 --> 01:24:47,720
sail into or , or work into . So uh 

2317
01:24:47,729 --> 01:24:51,160
what we do to uh expand our US flag 

2318
01:24:51,169 --> 01:24:53,391
fleet including as the general has just 

2319
01:24:53,391 --> 01:24:55,502
maintaining MSP and CS P , but also , 

2320
01:24:55,502 --> 01:24:57,669
you know , expanding T S P , the TYCO 

2321
01:24:57,680 --> 01:24:59,680
security program that provides more 

2322
01:24:59,680 --> 01:25:01,847
billets for Mariners and , and in that 

2323
01:25:01,847 --> 01:25:03,859
context over time , uh we , we find 

2324
01:25:03,870 --> 01:25:05,926
that we have additional capacity and 

2325
01:25:05,926 --> 01:25:08,037
that helps us not only meet our , our 

2326
01:25:08,037 --> 01:25:10,092
needs for national economic security 

2327
01:25:10,092 --> 01:25:12,259
but continue to expand our capacity uh 

2328
01:25:12,259 --> 01:25:14,426
for both Mariners uh on the commercial 

2329
01:25:14,426 --> 01:25:17,370
and on Ready Reserve Force side . Thank 

2330
01:25:17,379 --> 01:25:20,580
you . I y back my time . Recognize Mr 

2331
01:25:20,589 --> 01:25:22,660
Johnson . Thank you , Mr Chairman uh 

2332
01:25:22,669 --> 01:25:24,669
General Van . It was great visiting 

2333
01:25:24,669 --> 01:25:27,060
with you uh last week uh in , in our 

2334
01:25:27,069 --> 01:25:29,291
office , one of the things we discussed 

2335
01:25:29,291 --> 01:25:31,347
was your focus on infrastructure and 

2336
01:25:31,350 --> 01:25:33,294
how it impacts Transcom ability to 

2337
01:25:33,294 --> 01:25:35,406
provide power projection capabilities 

2338
01:25:35,406 --> 01:25:37,461
to the joint force . We were talking 

2339
01:25:37,461 --> 01:25:39,683
about the conditions of roads and ports 

2340
01:25:39,683 --> 01:25:41,739
and railways and pipelines and , and 

2341
01:25:41,739 --> 01:25:43,461
all the rest , it's critically 

2342
01:25:43,461 --> 01:25:45,628
important and for these transportation 

2343
01:25:45,628 --> 01:25:47,850
routes around the country . So I wonder 

2344
01:25:47,850 --> 01:25:47,660
if you just say a quick word about the 

2345
01:25:47,669 --> 01:25:49,689
importance of those components to 

2346
01:25:49,700 --> 01:25:51,533
achieving Transcom mission . And 

2347
01:25:51,533 --> 01:25:53,756
anything that Congress can do to ensure 

2348
01:25:53,756 --> 01:25:55,367
these lanes receive adequate 

2349
01:25:55,367 --> 01:25:57,478
consideration for funding , to ensure 

2350
01:25:57,478 --> 01:25:59,589
that you're able to provide the power 

2351
01:25:59,589 --> 01:26:01,756
projection capabilities to the force . 

2352
01:26:01,756 --> 01:26:03,811
And thank you for that question . Um 

2353
01:26:03,811 --> 01:26:05,978
Through the Transportation Engineering 

2354
01:26:05,978 --> 01:26:08,033
Agency , we look very closely at the 

2355
01:26:08,033 --> 01:26:11,049
roads , the railway , uh and the sea 

2356
01:26:11,060 --> 01:26:13,129
ports and our ability to go from a 

2357
01:26:13,140 --> 01:26:15,729
power projection platform to a sea port 

2358
01:26:15,740 --> 01:26:17,684
and push out in time of a national 

2359
01:26:17,684 --> 01:26:19,830
crisis . And frankly , our , our 

2360
01:26:19,839 --> 01:26:22,061
adversaries are also looking at this as 

2361
01:26:22,061 --> 01:26:24,283
well because if they could stop us here 

2362
01:26:24,283 --> 01:26:26,450
in the United States where we have 85% 

2363
01:26:26,450 --> 01:26:28,672
of our force elements uh then , then we 

2364
01:26:28,672 --> 01:26:30,895
cannot respond and we cannot deter . So 

2365
01:26:30,895 --> 01:26:32,672
I am , I am concerned about the 

2366
01:26:32,672 --> 01:26:32,609
national infrastructure , it is 

2367
01:26:32,620 --> 01:26:34,898
sufficient today , but I'm watching it , 

2368
01:26:34,898 --> 01:26:37,064
it crumble . Uh So especially as we're 

2369
01:26:37,064 --> 01:26:38,898
working with the Federal Highway 

2370
01:26:38,898 --> 01:26:41,839
Administration on the , the about 6000 

2371
01:26:41,850 --> 01:26:43,572
miles of roads that are really 

2372
01:26:43,572 --> 01:26:45,850
important for us for national security . 

2373
01:26:45,850 --> 01:26:48,430
Uh I asked for your support um to 

2374
01:26:48,439 --> 01:26:50,661
provide an authorization in the N D A A 

2375
01:26:50,661 --> 01:26:52,606
that promotes the consideration of 

2376
01:26:52,606 --> 01:26:54,661
military needs when prioritizing the 

2377
01:26:54,661 --> 01:26:56,740
funding um on public highways , that 

2378
01:26:56,750 --> 01:26:58,639
would be very important for us to 

2379
01:26:58,639 --> 01:27:00,583
recapitalize . Of course , it also 

2380
01:27:00,583 --> 01:27:02,694
provides an economic benefit . Uh But 

2381
01:27:02,694 --> 01:27:04,750
as we look and we rack and stack the 

2382
01:27:04,750 --> 01:27:06,861
priorities to , to ensure that we can 

2383
01:27:06,861 --> 01:27:09,028
get a free flow multiple ways from our 

2384
01:27:09,028 --> 01:27:11,306
power project uh platform to a seaport . 

2385
01:27:11,306 --> 01:27:13,472
Uh And we outline those areas . We ask 

2386
01:27:13,472 --> 01:27:15,417
that the states um actually follow 

2387
01:27:15,417 --> 01:27:17,583
through and apply for those grants and 

2388
01:27:17,583 --> 01:27:17,549
support . Thank you . We , we can't 

2389
01:27:17,560 --> 01:27:19,727
lose sight of the importance of that . 

2390
01:27:19,727 --> 01:27:21,893
Admiral Phillips . I'd like to ask you 

2391
01:27:21,893 --> 01:27:24,004
briefly about Title 11 ship financing 

2392
01:27:24,004 --> 01:27:26,227
that program . Um It's my understanding 

2393
01:27:26,227 --> 01:27:28,393
that authorizations and appropriations 

2394
01:27:28,393 --> 01:27:27,939
for that program have remained 

2395
01:27:27,950 --> 01:27:29,894
relatively consistent for the past 

2396
01:27:29,894 --> 01:27:32,228
several years . Is that , is that right ? 

2397
01:27:32,359 --> 01:27:34,479
It is . Yes , sir . And , and looking 

2398
01:27:34,490 --> 01:27:37,009
at the data from uh on the website , it 

2399
01:27:37,020 --> 01:27:39,076
appears that there are several large 

2400
01:27:39,076 --> 01:27:41,242
ship building contracts coming up that 

2401
01:27:41,242 --> 01:27:43,242
are looking to utilize Title 11 and 

2402
01:27:43,242 --> 01:27:45,353
many of these ships look like they'll 

2403
01:27:45,353 --> 01:27:47,353
qualify for the preference given to 

2404
01:27:47,353 --> 01:27:49,520
vessels for offshore wind construction 

2405
01:27:49,520 --> 01:27:49,279
and maintenance . So , can you talk to 

2406
01:27:49,290 --> 01:27:51,234
us very briefly about the military 

2407
01:27:51,234 --> 01:27:53,669
usefulness of ships built using Title 

2408
01:27:53,680 --> 01:27:55,736
11 financing in that program ? And , 

2409
01:27:55,736 --> 01:27:57,958
and whether increased attention to that 

2410
01:27:57,958 --> 01:28:00,069
program from Congress would alleviate 

2411
01:28:00,069 --> 01:28:02,013
some of the challenges that , that 

2412
01:28:02,013 --> 01:28:04,347
we've been talking about today . So sir , 

2413
01:28:04,347 --> 01:28:06,513
thank you for that question . Title 11 

2414
01:28:06,513 --> 01:28:08,736
supports a number of different kinds of 

2415
01:28:08,736 --> 01:28:08,450
ships right now . We have designated 

2416
01:28:08,459 --> 01:28:10,403
offshore wind vessels , vessels of 

2417
01:28:10,403 --> 01:28:12,515
national interest and as we may do as 

2418
01:28:12,515 --> 01:28:14,681
we have the authority to do under that 

2419
01:28:14,681 --> 01:28:16,848
program . Uh They are the first vessel 

2420
01:28:16,848 --> 01:28:18,903
such designated and or so designated 

2421
01:28:18,903 --> 01:28:21,015
and we do in fact have a considerable 

2422
01:28:21,015 --> 01:28:23,237
amount of interest there . However , we 

2423
01:28:23,237 --> 01:28:23,029
have interest in other uh vessels as 

2424
01:28:23,040 --> 01:28:25,629
well and uh are working a total of 

2425
01:28:25,640 --> 01:28:28,379
seven different uh opportunities right 

2426
01:28:28,390 --> 01:28:30,612
now , loan and loan applications in the 

2427
01:28:30,612 --> 01:28:32,950
Title 11 program . So uh title 11 can 

2428
01:28:32,959 --> 01:28:35,240
do all kinds of things . Um We have 

2429
01:28:35,250 --> 01:28:37,560
approximately 35 million in the program 

2430
01:28:37,569 --> 01:28:39,513
right now , which will allow us to 

2431
01:28:39,513 --> 01:28:41,890
support up to 475 million worth of 

2432
01:28:41,899 --> 01:28:44,520
additional uh borrowing capacity . Um 

2433
01:28:44,529 --> 01:28:46,751
And we've seen an uptick in interest in 

2434
01:28:46,751 --> 01:28:48,973
that capa in that program over the last 

2435
01:28:48,973 --> 01:28:51,251
year , um caused by a number of things . 

2436
01:28:51,251 --> 01:28:53,085
Certainly there's an interest in 

2437
01:28:53,085 --> 01:28:53,009
offshore wind but also uh interest 

2438
01:28:53,020 --> 01:28:55,020
rates are changing and this program 

2439
01:28:55,020 --> 01:28:57,353
provides some additional capacity there . 

2440
01:28:57,353 --> 01:28:59,242
Thank you . Uh A less comfortable 

2441
01:28:59,242 --> 01:28:59,229
question is about the controversy at 

2442
01:28:59,240 --> 01:29:01,296
the Merchant Marine Academy with the 

2443
01:29:01,296 --> 01:29:03,407
painting . And I just wanna know , is 

2444
01:29:03,407 --> 01:29:05,518
it true that while the superintendent 

2445
01:29:05,518 --> 01:29:07,629
of the academy there , Admiral Joanna 

2446
01:29:07,629 --> 01:29:09,629
Noonan made a decision to cover the 

2447
01:29:09,629 --> 01:29:11,740
historic painting Christ on the water 

2448
01:29:11,740 --> 01:29:11,370
that's hung on the wall of a room of 

2449
01:29:11,379 --> 01:29:13,546
the Merchant Marine Academy for nearly 

2450
01:29:13,546 --> 01:29:15,546
80 years . She made the decision to 

2451
01:29:15,546 --> 01:29:17,435
cover it initially , but she also 

2452
01:29:17,435 --> 01:29:19,379
approved and endorsed . I'm told a 

2453
01:29:19,379 --> 01:29:21,212
prominent display to promote and 

2454
01:29:21,212 --> 01:29:23,323
celebrate quote different sexualities 

2455
01:29:23,323 --> 01:29:25,379
and gender identities . Um Are , are 

2456
01:29:25,379 --> 01:29:27,839
you aware of that ? Is that true ? Uh 

2457
01:29:27,850 --> 01:29:29,961
Thank you for that question , sir . I 

2458
01:29:29,961 --> 01:29:32,183
certainly I'm aware of both issues . Uh 

2459
01:29:32,183 --> 01:29:34,350
The painting is problematic because it 

2460
01:29:34,350 --> 01:29:36,649
expresses a specific preference of 

2461
01:29:36,660 --> 01:29:39,649
religion and the other wall is less 

2462
01:29:39,660 --> 01:29:41,549
problematic . Ok . Hang on just a 

2463
01:29:41,549 --> 01:29:44,069
second . Um Apparently she also said 

2464
01:29:44,080 --> 01:29:46,302
that she explained that all this is her 

2465
01:29:46,302 --> 01:29:48,413
effort to promote a culture change at 

2466
01:29:48,413 --> 01:29:50,469
the academy . And I'm a former First 

2467
01:29:50,469 --> 01:29:52,469
amendment lawyer . I used to defend 

2468
01:29:52,469 --> 01:29:54,691
religious freedom . I can tell you that 

2469
01:29:54,691 --> 01:29:53,819
is not a violation of the establishment 

2470
01:29:53,830 --> 01:29:55,997
clause . Anybody told you that doesn't 

2471
01:29:55,997 --> 01:29:55,890
know what they're talking about . They 

2472
01:29:55,899 --> 01:29:57,843
need to read the court cases . But 

2473
01:29:57,843 --> 01:29:59,955
there's a group of alumni and parents 

2474
01:29:59,955 --> 01:30:02,010
that are deeply concerned about this 

2475
01:30:02,010 --> 01:30:01,580
because they think all this shows a 

2476
01:30:01,589 --> 01:30:03,700
hostility towards religion and it may 

2477
01:30:03,700 --> 01:30:05,700
affect uh recruiting efforts at the 

2478
01:30:05,700 --> 01:30:07,756
school . And I'm , I'm almost out of 

2479
01:30:07,756 --> 01:30:09,867
time , but I , I I think these things 

2480
01:30:09,867 --> 01:30:11,922
need to be top of mind because we're 

2481
01:30:11,922 --> 01:30:13,700
all talking about the crisis in 

2482
01:30:13,700 --> 01:30:13,350
recruitment . And if you show a 

2483
01:30:13,359 --> 01:30:16,169
hostility towards a large group of , of 

2484
01:30:16,180 --> 01:30:18,013
students and , and the religious 

2485
01:30:18,013 --> 01:30:20,124
heritage of the institution , I think 

2486
01:30:20,124 --> 01:30:22,347
that has a negative effect on it . So , 

2487
01:30:22,347 --> 01:30:24,680
uh if you can respond , I'm out of time . 

2488
01:30:24,680 --> 01:30:26,736
But if you'd respond to that , thank 

2489
01:30:26,736 --> 01:30:26,410
you , sir . There is no hostility 

2490
01:30:26,419 --> 01:30:28,641
towards religion at the academy . There 

2491
01:30:28,641 --> 01:30:30,697
are quite a few affinity groups that 

2492
01:30:30,697 --> 01:30:30,470
are religious based that are very 

2493
01:30:30,479 --> 01:30:32,368
active . In addition to that , as 

2494
01:30:32,368 --> 01:30:34,590
described by Congress , there are other 

2495
01:30:34,590 --> 01:30:36,479
affinity groups that we have been 

2496
01:30:36,479 --> 01:30:38,646
tasked under the Napa report which you 

2497
01:30:38,646 --> 01:30:40,812
may be familiar with uh to elevate and 

2498
01:30:40,812 --> 01:30:43,035
expose and talk about . And the wall in 

2499
01:30:43,035 --> 01:30:44,868
question is a wall that supports 

2500
01:30:44,868 --> 01:30:47,035
affinity groups across the academy and 

2501
01:30:47,035 --> 01:30:49,201
provides notice of their activities uh 

2502
01:30:49,201 --> 01:30:51,312
at which we were directed by Congress 

2503
01:30:51,312 --> 01:30:53,479
to specifically consider as one of the 

2504
01:30:53,479 --> 01:30:55,035
Napa report recommendations 

2505
01:30:55,035 --> 01:30:57,201
specifically highlighted to address uh 

2506
01:30:57,201 --> 01:30:59,201
post 2023 N D A A , the gentleman's 

2507
01:30:59,201 --> 01:31:01,669
time has expired . Uh recognize Mr 

2508
01:31:01,680 --> 01:31:04,649
Norcross . Thank you . Um 

2509
01:31:07,649 --> 01:31:10,660
We have had discussions on my last two 

2510
01:31:10,669 --> 01:31:13,620
committees from stra forces to 

2511
01:31:13,629 --> 01:31:16,580
workforce and education talking about 

2512
01:31:16,899 --> 01:31:18,899
the next generation , workforce . 

2513
01:31:18,910 --> 01:31:21,021
Certainly in the remarks that you had 

2514
01:31:21,029 --> 01:31:22,973
earlier , we're talking about that 

2515
01:31:22,973 --> 01:31:25,299
unknown of wins the next generation . 

2516
01:31:25,649 --> 01:31:29,209
Um We've seen capacity for ship 

2517
01:31:29,220 --> 01:31:32,279
building in our country diminish over 

2518
01:31:32,290 --> 01:31:34,401
the last 50 years . But certainly the 

2519
01:31:34,401 --> 01:31:37,200
last 10 , I just want to jump on uh the 

2520
01:31:37,209 --> 01:31:39,680
discussion that uh Mr Courtney had with 

2521
01:31:39,689 --> 01:31:42,290
you concerning the projects going on at 

2522
01:31:42,299 --> 01:31:45,729
the Philly yard . And quite frankly , I 

2523
01:31:45,740 --> 01:31:48,459
was shocked when I heard that that ship 

2524
01:31:48,470 --> 01:31:52,399
was within 1% of their budget , but 

2525
01:31:52,410 --> 01:31:55,370
putting all that aside capacity to 

2526
01:31:55,379 --> 01:31:57,680
build things in this country has been 

2527
01:31:57,689 --> 01:32:00,509
diminished . And certainly the 

2528
01:32:00,520 --> 01:32:03,020
shipyards , whether private or public 

2529
01:32:03,029 --> 01:32:06,359
are part of that equation . Uh Miss if 

2530
01:32:06,370 --> 01:32:09,490
you could talk to us about why we 

2531
01:32:09,500 --> 01:32:12,149
wouldn't expand on a program that is 

2532
01:32:12,160 --> 01:32:16,089
successful and use the capacity that is 

2533
01:32:16,100 --> 01:32:19,290
being built , but also is learning to 

2534
01:32:19,299 --> 01:32:21,910
do this in such a way that , you know , 

2535
01:32:21,919 --> 01:32:24,030
quite frankly , we're not seeing much 

2536
01:32:24,030 --> 01:32:26,030
of that anymore to go for a private 

2537
01:32:26,030 --> 01:32:28,197
company to go out on a limb and invest 

2538
01:32:28,197 --> 01:32:30,086
this . But more importantly , the 

2539
01:32:30,086 --> 01:32:33,009
workforce which takes years to develop . 

2540
01:32:33,500 --> 01:32:37,060
Why aren't we looking at that to expand 

2541
01:32:37,069 --> 01:32:39,759
the program that was set into place in 

2542
01:32:39,770 --> 01:32:40,830
another model ? 

2543
01:32:43,990 --> 01:32:46,157
So sir , thank you for that question . 

2544
01:32:46,157 --> 01:32:48,560
Um If you are asking in the context of 

2545
01:32:48,569 --> 01:32:50,625
the way the N S M B is being built , 

2546
01:32:50,625 --> 01:32:52,958
the vessel construction manager program , 

2547
01:32:52,958 --> 01:32:55,069
which is successful . Um but it's the 

2548
01:32:55,069 --> 01:32:56,847
workforce behind it that we are 

2549
01:32:56,847 --> 01:33:00,040
developing as a country that is uh 

2550
01:33:00,240 --> 01:33:02,509
something that is very much in need . 

2551
01:33:02,709 --> 01:33:05,060
And the fact that that program so far 

2552
01:33:05,890 --> 01:33:08,057
by any measurement we're getting is is 

2553
01:33:08,057 --> 01:33:11,939
working quite well . So 

2554
01:33:11,950 --> 01:33:14,172
sir , I I agree with you certainly that 

2555
01:33:14,172 --> 01:33:16,394
it is working quite well and uh the way 

2556
01:33:16,394 --> 01:33:18,561
to continue to expand that capacity is 

2557
01:33:18,561 --> 01:33:20,783
to continue to expand the opportunities 

2558
01:33:20,783 --> 01:33:23,060
to build vessels in us shipyards . Um 

2559
01:33:23,399 --> 01:33:25,510
And of course , Philly has shown that 

2560
01:33:25,510 --> 01:33:27,621
they have this capacity and they have 

2561
01:33:27,621 --> 01:33:29,510
this ability and they have orders 

2562
01:33:29,510 --> 01:33:29,250
passed the five ships that we will 

2563
01:33:29,259 --> 01:33:31,426
build for them , which , which I would 

2564
01:33:31,426 --> 01:33:33,315
consider a success . Uh The , the 

2565
01:33:33,315 --> 01:33:35,037
challenge is what are the next 

2566
01:33:35,037 --> 01:33:37,148
opportunities to provide capacity for 

2567
01:33:37,148 --> 01:33:39,148
yards and , and orders for yards so 

2568
01:33:39,148 --> 01:33:41,148
that they may continue to build and 

2569
01:33:41,148 --> 01:33:43,426
develop this workforce as well . Right ? 

2570
01:33:43,426 --> 01:33:45,592
Buying new ship is not going to get us 

2571
01:33:45,592 --> 01:33:47,703
there for the next generation . But I 

2572
01:33:47,703 --> 01:33:49,870
just wanted to reiterate how important 

2573
01:33:49,870 --> 01:33:51,870
that is to build that capacity . We 

2574
01:33:51,870 --> 01:33:54,092
talk about research and development for 

2575
01:33:54,092 --> 01:33:55,870
so many of the items incredibly 

2576
01:33:55,870 --> 01:33:58,037
important , but the one that takes the 

2577
01:33:58,037 --> 01:33:59,981
longest and is most fragile is our 

2578
01:33:59,981 --> 01:34:02,037
physical workforce . So thank you uh 

2579
01:34:02,049 --> 01:34:04,740
General . Uh let's talk about our 

2580
01:34:04,770 --> 01:34:07,220
flying tankers . Uh 

2581
01:34:08,870 --> 01:34:11,037
And you might have addressed it when I 

2582
01:34:11,037 --> 01:34:13,259
wasn't here . But would you give us the 

2583
01:34:13,259 --> 01:34:15,481
most recent update on the visual system 

2584
01:34:15,481 --> 01:34:18,600
on the KC- 46 ? And when we reasonably 

2585
01:34:18,609 --> 01:34:21,740
can expect that to be employed , not 

2586
01:34:21,750 --> 01:34:24,669
only for those that are already in 

2587
01:34:24,680 --> 01:34:26,847
service , but those are coming off the 

2588
01:34:26,847 --> 01:34:29,124
line . Yeah , thanks for that question . 

2589
01:34:29,124 --> 01:34:31,291
First , I wanna thank um the Air Force 

2590
01:34:31,291 --> 01:34:33,291
uh for submitting the budget and we 

2591
01:34:33,291 --> 01:34:35,402
have 15 K C 40 sixes in the budget to 

2592
01:34:35,402 --> 01:34:37,569
continue to multi your uh program . Um 

2593
01:34:37,569 --> 01:34:39,736
The uh remote uh visual system , uh uh 

2594
01:34:39,736 --> 01:34:42,229
next generation of that uh is in work 

2595
01:34:42,240 --> 01:34:44,129
and they have tested it . Uh Boom 

2596
01:34:44,129 --> 01:34:46,184
operators have uh have tested it and 

2597
01:34:46,184 --> 01:34:48,296
they like it . Uh I'm looking forward 

2598
01:34:48,296 --> 01:34:50,407
to them uh placing it onto production 

2599
01:34:50,407 --> 01:34:53,169
airplanes and to cut in about the 25 26 

2600
01:34:53,180 --> 01:34:56,149
time frame . Uh Until then , um I was 

2601
01:34:56,160 --> 01:34:57,882
happy that the ability command 

2602
01:34:57,882 --> 01:35:00,104
commander did authorize full employment 

2603
01:35:00,104 --> 01:35:02,327
of the KC- 46 . In fact , we are flying 

2604
01:35:02,327 --> 01:35:04,549
the KC- 46 around the globe . I have it 

2605
01:35:04,549 --> 01:35:06,604
for testing authority . Uh and we're 

2606
01:35:06,604 --> 01:35:08,827
using it , uh and they're asking for it 

2607
01:35:08,827 --> 01:35:10,716
in many of the high end exercises 

2608
01:35:10,716 --> 01:35:12,993
because of its incredible capabilities . 

2609
01:35:12,993 --> 01:35:14,993
So I am , I am optimistic but , but 

2610
01:35:14,993 --> 01:35:17,216
until we get the full capability of the 

2611
01:35:17,216 --> 01:35:19,438
airplane , uh I am concerned about just 

2612
01:35:19,438 --> 01:35:21,549
maintaining readiness and making sure 

2613
01:35:21,549 --> 01:35:23,604
uh that we can continue to get crews 

2614
01:35:23,604 --> 01:35:25,827
trained , qualified as you know , we're 

2615
01:35:25,827 --> 01:35:27,938
transitioning from K C tens and K C 1 

2616
01:35:27,938 --> 01:35:27,540
30 fives into that . So , keeping the 

2617
01:35:27,549 --> 01:35:29,410
pipeline going and keeping the 

2618
01:35:29,419 --> 01:35:31,308
readiness overall of the fleet to 

2619
01:35:31,308 --> 01:35:33,363
include the , the K C 135 s which we 

2620
01:35:33,363 --> 01:35:35,270
must be focused and targeted 

2621
01:35:35,279 --> 01:35:37,335
modernization and readiness programs 

2622
01:35:37,335 --> 01:35:39,501
which the air Force is supporting . So 

2623
01:35:39,501 --> 01:35:41,723
the boom operators who are working with 

2624
01:35:41,723 --> 01:35:43,779
the system that's presently in place 

2625
01:35:43,779 --> 01:35:45,612
early on , there was concern and 

2626
01:35:45,612 --> 01:35:48,254
notably , but they're liking it and 

2627
01:35:48,265 --> 01:35:51,044
they're enjoying the ability to do what 

2628
01:35:51,055 --> 01:35:53,222
they're doing under the current visual 

2629
01:35:53,222 --> 01:35:55,055
system because now we are moving 

2630
01:35:55,055 --> 01:35:57,555
towards the next generation . Uh Would 

2631
01:35:57,564 --> 01:35:59,955
you say that the , the operators , the 

2632
01:35:59,964 --> 01:36:02,325
boom operators are working well with 

2633
01:36:02,334 --> 01:36:04,709
the system that's in place ? Uh The 

2634
01:36:04,720 --> 01:36:06,498
boom operators are able to , to 

2635
01:36:06,498 --> 01:36:08,498
function with the system in place , 

2636
01:36:08,498 --> 01:36:10,720
it's not optimal . Uh And that's why we 

2637
01:36:10,720 --> 01:36:12,942
absolutely are pressing uh uh Boeing to 

2638
01:36:12,942 --> 01:36:15,109
get the new visual system system in as 

2639
01:36:15,109 --> 01:36:17,276
soon as possible . Thank you . And are 

2640
01:36:17,276 --> 01:36:19,640
you back ? Thank you , Mr Nor , nor 

2641
01:36:19,649 --> 01:36:23,129
cross Mr Moylan . Uh Thank you , Mr 

2642
01:36:23,140 --> 01:36:24,973
Chairman and uh thank you to our 

2643
01:36:24,973 --> 01:36:27,330
witnesses of contacting my office ahead 

2644
01:36:27,339 --> 01:36:29,561
of time and having a good discussions . 

2645
01:36:29,561 --> 01:36:31,810
I appreciate that . Um So this question 

2646
01:36:31,819 --> 01:36:34,169
going out for both of you , please . Uh 

2647
01:36:34,180 --> 01:36:36,291
Of course , I'm focused on the island 

2648
01:36:36,291 --> 01:36:38,291
of Guam and the Indo Pacific area , 

2649
01:36:38,291 --> 01:36:40,402
right ? And so I wanted to would like 

2650
01:36:40,410 --> 01:36:42,410
to know uh what are the benefits of 

2651
01:36:42,410 --> 01:36:45,350
utilizing Guam as a forward staging 

2652
01:36:45,359 --> 01:36:48,169
area given that it is part of the 

2653
01:36:48,180 --> 01:36:50,347
United States . I mean , we're talking 

2654
01:36:50,347 --> 01:36:52,513
about our allies , but Guam is part of 

2655
01:36:52,513 --> 01:36:54,347
the United States uh despite the 

2656
01:36:54,347 --> 01:36:57,709
proximity uh to East Asia and the 

2657
01:36:57,720 --> 01:36:59,831
important thing . And if you can also 

2658
01:36:59,831 --> 01:37:02,109
touch on some timelines that of course , 

2659
01:37:02,109 --> 01:37:04,053
I I know you would know , you know 

2660
01:37:04,053 --> 01:37:06,220
about and if there's any red tape that 

2661
01:37:06,220 --> 01:37:08,164
uh we should be concerned about to 

2662
01:37:08,164 --> 01:37:10,276
expedite the process on ensuring that 

2663
01:37:10,276 --> 01:37:12,276
Guam is well protected for national 

2664
01:37:12,276 --> 01:37:14,490
defense . And thank you for that 

2665
01:37:14,500 --> 01:37:16,722
question and Guam has received a lot of 

2666
01:37:16,722 --> 01:37:18,889
attention for a great reason . Uh It , 

2667
01:37:18,889 --> 01:37:20,944
it is absolutely a key part um of uh 

2668
01:37:20,944 --> 01:37:23,500
our programs . Uh and it provides us a 

2669
01:37:23,509 --> 01:37:25,565
forward location from which uh we'll 

2670
01:37:25,565 --> 01:37:27,731
get additional access spacing and over 

2671
01:37:27,731 --> 01:37:29,898
flight to be able to work more readily 

2672
01:37:29,898 --> 01:37:29,189
with our partners out in , in the , in 

2673
01:37:29,200 --> 01:37:31,311
the Pacific . So I thank you for your 

2674
01:37:31,311 --> 01:37:33,367
support . Uh A lot has been going on 

2675
01:37:33,367 --> 01:37:35,620
with respect to Guam . Um the , the air 

2676
01:37:35,629 --> 01:37:37,796
defense system , you've seen it in the 

2677
01:37:37,796 --> 01:37:39,851
F Y 24 budget and in the um unfunded 

2678
01:37:39,851 --> 01:37:42,080
priority request by Admiral Aquilino to 

2679
01:37:42,089 --> 01:37:44,200
ensure that we have adequate defenses 

2680
01:37:44,240 --> 01:37:46,296
uh there as , as they're building up 

2681
01:37:46,296 --> 01:37:48,351
there on the base and , and multiple 

2682
01:37:48,351 --> 01:37:50,462
layers that gives us the resilience . 

2683
01:37:50,462 --> 01:37:52,573
Uh you see us reposing uh both um air 

2684
01:37:52,573 --> 01:37:54,629
land and sea assets uh to be able to 

2685
01:37:54,629 --> 01:37:57,859
use Guam most effectively . Uh And so 

2686
01:37:57,870 --> 01:37:59,870
that , that's been very helpful . I 

2687
01:37:59,870 --> 01:38:02,310
think about uh our ability to , as I 

2688
01:38:02,319 --> 01:38:04,152
think about reposing fuel in the 

2689
01:38:04,152 --> 01:38:06,375
Pacific as well as uh pre-positioning . 

2690
01:38:06,529 --> 01:38:08,751
Um It also provides us a great location 

2691
01:38:08,751 --> 01:38:11,279
uh to work from so we could not do it 

2692
01:38:11,290 --> 01:38:13,401
without we talk about geometry of the 

2693
01:38:13,401 --> 01:38:15,346
battle . Um That's a key geometric 

2694
01:38:15,346 --> 01:38:18,520
location . Uh Thank you general uh in 

2695
01:38:18,529 --> 01:38:21,149
that line . Also with us Transcom . Uh 

2696
01:38:21,160 --> 01:38:23,549
the role that you play in ensuring that 

2697
01:38:23,560 --> 01:38:25,449
the civilian population of the US 

2698
01:38:25,449 --> 01:38:28,430
citizens in Guam is reliably supplied 

2699
01:38:28,439 --> 01:38:30,580
in times of war and other disasters . 

2700
01:38:30,589 --> 01:38:32,533
Um My colleague from California uh 

2701
01:38:32,533 --> 01:38:34,478
talked about the disasters and how 

2702
01:38:34,478 --> 01:38:36,700
helpful we will be to , especially like 

2703
01:38:36,700 --> 01:38:38,867
our allies , allies . Uh You recommend 

2704
01:38:38,867 --> 01:38:40,620
you uh discussed about in the 

2705
01:38:40,629 --> 01:38:42,700
Philippines , some exercises that we 

2706
01:38:42,709 --> 01:38:45,490
were doing uh in that concern too . Um 

2707
01:38:45,500 --> 01:38:47,722
I'm interested in the exercises that we 

2708
01:38:47,722 --> 01:38:50,899
would have uh for Guam uh especially uh 

2709
01:38:50,910 --> 01:38:53,200
especially national disasters . We're 

2710
01:38:53,209 --> 01:38:55,431
in that bill where we have the typhoons 

2711
01:38:55,431 --> 01:38:57,376
and earthquakes as well . Uh , and 

2712
01:38:57,376 --> 01:38:59,542
unfortunately we don't have the , uh , 

2713
01:38:59,542 --> 01:39:01,431
land supply . Uh , we can't truck 

2714
01:39:01,431 --> 01:39:03,542
things in . We can't , um , do much , 

2715
01:39:03,542 --> 01:39:05,431
uh , other than using your , your 

2716
01:39:05,431 --> 01:39:07,431
effective forces to ensure that the 

2717
01:39:07,431 --> 01:39:09,598
civilian population of , less than 100 

2718
01:39:09,598 --> 01:39:11,653
and 70,000 are well taken care of as 

2719
01:39:11,653 --> 01:39:13,876
well to also with our military presence 

2720
01:39:13,876 --> 01:39:15,709
there too . Uh , We all share 11 

2721
01:39:15,709 --> 01:39:17,876
resource there , power water and , and 

2722
01:39:17,876 --> 01:39:19,931
food supplies and we're relying upon 

2723
01:39:19,931 --> 01:39:22,098
one another . So I'm hoping you can um 

2724
01:39:22,098 --> 01:39:24,209
help , help me understand on , on how 

2725
01:39:24,209 --> 01:39:26,320
you project that would help out . And 

2726
01:39:26,320 --> 01:39:25,990
if there's any , of course , the 

2727
01:39:26,000 --> 01:39:28,222
timelines that we're concerned with and 

2728
01:39:28,222 --> 01:39:30,389
any red tape that we can help reduce . 

2729
01:39:30,850 --> 01:39:33,017
As you mentioned , we have a number of 

2730
01:39:33,017 --> 01:39:35,017
exercises that we do on the Pacific 

2731
01:39:35,017 --> 01:39:37,239
that are h a um humanitarian assistance 

2732
01:39:37,239 --> 01:39:39,461
response oriented and we have kits that 

2733
01:39:39,461 --> 01:39:41,406
are forward deployed . Um uh And I 

2734
01:39:41,406 --> 01:39:43,461
would , I really , I will defer uh I 

2735
01:39:43,461 --> 01:39:45,794
could take that question for the record , 

2736
01:39:45,794 --> 01:39:45,390
but I really would work into pay 

2737
01:39:45,549 --> 01:39:47,716
because I don't have the , the numbers 

2738
01:39:47,716 --> 01:39:49,771
of exercises and the timing of those 

2739
01:39:49,771 --> 01:39:51,549
exercises . But from a Transcom 

2740
01:39:51,549 --> 01:39:51,535
perspective , when I think about the 

2741
01:39:51,544 --> 01:39:53,711
infrastructure at Guam , I think about 

2742
01:39:53,711 --> 01:39:56,044
your ability to withstand high seas and , 

2743
01:39:56,044 --> 01:39:58,266
and , and typhoons . And as we build to 

2744
01:39:58,266 --> 01:40:00,100
new standards , we , we build uh 

2745
01:40:00,100 --> 01:40:02,155
climate control , we build uh to the 

2746
01:40:02,155 --> 01:40:04,211
standards of , of hurricanes or , or 

2747
01:40:04,211 --> 01:40:06,266
typhoons . So , so that they will be 

2748
01:40:06,266 --> 01:40:08,044
able to withstand those , those 

2749
01:40:08,044 --> 01:40:10,100
operations . But I , I we'll have to 

2750
01:40:10,100 --> 01:40:12,322
take that one for the record . Uh Thank 

2751
01:40:12,322 --> 01:40:14,322
you , General and rear admiral . Uh 

2752
01:40:14,322 --> 01:40:16,544
What would you say would be some of the 

2753
01:40:16,544 --> 01:40:18,766
most useful improvements to Guam's ship 

2754
01:40:18,766 --> 01:40:20,822
repair capabilities , capacities for 

2755
01:40:20,822 --> 01:40:23,155
the military sealift command . You know , 

2756
01:40:23,155 --> 01:40:25,377
of course , we're uh we understand with 

2757
01:40:25,377 --> 01:40:28,270
uh a a uh we had the field issue and as 

2758
01:40:28,279 --> 01:40:30,501
well , but uh specifically just talking 

2759
01:40:30,501 --> 01:40:32,723
about the ship repair facilities at one 

2760
01:40:32,723 --> 01:40:35,689
time , uh that was a very uh big 

2761
01:40:35,700 --> 01:40:38,140
industry on the island . Uh It's no 

2762
01:40:38,149 --> 01:40:40,439
longer but with our strategic location . 

2763
01:40:40,600 --> 01:40:42,544
Uh what is your feelings on that ? 

2764
01:40:42,544 --> 01:40:44,656
Would this be helpful ? Uh You know , 

2765
01:40:44,656 --> 01:40:46,767
are we behind the time frame or do we 

2766
01:40:46,767 --> 01:40:48,933
have some red tape issues that we have 

2767
01:40:48,933 --> 01:40:51,540
to address ? Congressman Merlin ? Thank 

2768
01:40:51,549 --> 01:40:53,771
you very much for that question , sir . 

2769
01:40:53,771 --> 01:40:55,716
Uh in the context of ship repair , 

2770
01:40:55,716 --> 01:40:57,771
particularly , uh in response to dod 

2771
01:40:57,771 --> 01:40:59,938
needs . Certainly , as you are aware , 

2772
01:40:59,938 --> 01:41:02,049
I've been stationed there in the past 

2773
01:41:02,049 --> 01:41:02,040
uh on a , on a US navy ship . Uh 

2774
01:41:02,049 --> 01:41:04,160
However , I would defer for a current 

2775
01:41:04,160 --> 01:41:06,382
state of repair and the needs of dod to 

2776
01:41:06,382 --> 01:41:08,105
the Department of Defense . Uh 

2777
01:41:08,105 --> 01:41:10,271
Certainly , uh we appreciate the , the 

2778
01:41:10,271 --> 01:41:12,438
circumstances surrounding the need for 

2779
01:41:12,438 --> 01:41:14,605
uh that capacity on the island of Guam 

2780
01:41:14,605 --> 01:41:16,716
and uh , and appreciate your interest 

2781
01:41:16,716 --> 01:41:18,827
and support in it . I think I'd defer 

2782
01:41:18,827 --> 01:41:20,938
to the general for additional context 

2783
01:41:20,938 --> 01:41:22,938
and I was referred to the Navy . So 

2784
01:41:22,938 --> 01:41:25,350
we'll have to take that . Thank you 

2785
01:41:25,359 --> 01:41:27,415
very much , Mr Chairman back . Thank 

2786
01:41:27,415 --> 01:41:29,810
you , Mr Moyle and recognize MS Mace . 

2787
01:41:30,740 --> 01:41:32,796
Thank you . And I wanna thank uh the 

2788
01:41:32,796 --> 01:41:34,851
chairman and ranking member for this 

2789
01:41:34,851 --> 01:41:36,740
hearing today . I wanna thank our 

2790
01:41:36,740 --> 01:41:38,851
witnesses for being with us as well . 

2791
01:41:38,851 --> 01:41:41,073
Um General Adel uh appreciate your time 

2792
01:41:41,073 --> 01:41:42,796
today . South Carolina's first 

2793
01:41:42,796 --> 01:41:44,851
congressional district is a critical 

2794
01:41:44,851 --> 01:41:46,962
location as you all know for Transcom 

2795
01:41:46,962 --> 01:41:49,240
and Mora due to its strategic location , 

2796
01:41:49,240 --> 01:41:51,462
extensive transportation infrastructure 

2797
01:41:51,462 --> 01:41:53,629
from I 95 to the port of Charleston to 

2798
01:41:53,629 --> 01:41:55,629
joint base Charleston . The port of 

2799
01:41:55,629 --> 01:41:57,796
Charleston is one of the busiest ports 

2800
01:41:57,796 --> 01:42:00,018
in the US and is a critical hub for the 

2801
01:42:00,018 --> 01:42:02,184
movement of cargo and personnel . It's 

2802
01:42:02,184 --> 01:42:04,407
a deep water harbor and has significant 

2803
01:42:04,407 --> 01:42:06,407
gateway for us . Transcom Sea based 

2804
01:42:06,407 --> 01:42:08,351
logistics operations including the 

2805
01:42:08,351 --> 01:42:10,351
transport of military equipment and 

2806
01:42:10,351 --> 01:42:12,573
supplies , including in January of this 

2807
01:42:12,573 --> 01:42:14,629
year when more than 60 Bradleys were 

2808
01:42:14,629 --> 01:42:16,629
shipped overseas as part of the aid 

2809
01:42:16,629 --> 01:42:18,629
package to Ukraine . Additionally , 

2810
01:42:18,629 --> 01:42:20,518
joint base Charleston is a key US 

2811
01:42:20,518 --> 01:42:22,740
military installation providing support 

2812
01:42:22,740 --> 01:42:24,573
for all branches of the military 

2813
01:42:24,573 --> 01:42:26,629
including us transcom . It's home to 

2814
01:42:26,629 --> 01:42:28,796
the 628th air Base wing which provides 

2815
01:42:28,796 --> 01:42:30,740
support services for us , Transcom 

2816
01:42:30,740 --> 01:42:32,684
airlift and refueling operations . 

2817
01:42:32,684 --> 01:42:34,684
We're home to the C 17 Globe Master 

2818
01:42:34,684 --> 01:42:36,740
threes which participated in many of 

2819
01:42:36,740 --> 01:42:39,189
the airlift evacuations out of 

2820
01:42:39,200 --> 01:42:42,229
Afghanistan . Um General uh my first 

2821
01:42:42,240 --> 01:42:44,407
question today is for you , you stated 

2822
01:42:44,407 --> 01:42:46,073
in your testimony , the joint 

2823
01:42:46,073 --> 01:42:48,129
deployment , distribution enterprise 

2824
01:42:48,129 --> 01:42:49,796
relies on both government and 

2825
01:42:49,796 --> 01:42:51,518
commercially owned an operated 

2826
01:42:51,518 --> 01:42:53,740
infrastructure . Our number one pacing 

2827
01:42:53,750 --> 01:42:55,972
threat , the PR C continues to leverage 

2828
01:42:55,972 --> 01:42:58,139
the commercial industry and operate in 

2829
01:42:58,139 --> 01:43:01,339
a very gray zone . Uh in some cases as 

2830
01:43:01,350 --> 01:43:03,509
a Transcom commander , how are you 

2831
01:43:03,520 --> 01:43:06,580
looking at technology , cyber 

2832
01:43:06,589 --> 01:43:08,879
security ? A I , you know , 

2833
01:43:08,890 --> 01:43:11,129
technological innovations to ensure 

2834
01:43:11,140 --> 01:43:12,807
your mission and protecting , 

2835
01:43:12,807 --> 01:43:15,319
projecting , protecting and sustaining 

2836
01:43:15,330 --> 01:43:17,729
all combat operations um isn't 

2837
01:43:17,740 --> 01:43:20,073
interrupted or threatened by , you know , 

2838
01:43:20,073 --> 01:43:22,407
the PR C and their continued aggression . 

2839
01:43:23,250 --> 01:43:25,417
Yeah , I think I am concerned about pr 

2840
01:43:25,417 --> 01:43:27,139
C activities , their continued 

2841
01:43:27,139 --> 01:43:29,306
espionage , their , their coercion and 

2842
01:43:29,306 --> 01:43:31,417
especially as they use cyber in space 

2843
01:43:31,417 --> 01:43:33,220
uh with respect to the , the 

2844
01:43:33,229 --> 01:43:35,285
significant amount that we , that we 

2845
01:43:35,285 --> 01:43:37,939
depend on our commercial partners . Uh 

2846
01:43:37,950 --> 01:43:39,839
We have been working with them to 

2847
01:43:39,839 --> 01:43:41,783
ensure cyber security standards on 

2848
01:43:41,783 --> 01:43:44,319
their networks uh so that they can 

2849
01:43:44,330 --> 01:43:46,441
defend themselves , safeguard defense 

2850
01:43:46,441 --> 01:43:48,330
information . Um And through our 

2851
01:43:48,339 --> 01:43:50,339
contracts , they annually assess uh 

2852
01:43:50,339 --> 01:43:52,640
against uh what are uh loosely the this 

2853
01:43:52,649 --> 01:43:54,760
standards and they provide us reports 

2854
01:43:54,760 --> 01:43:56,760
on , on their hardening and we also 

2855
01:43:56,760 --> 01:43:58,927
collaborate with them . Uh And we read 

2856
01:43:58,927 --> 01:44:01,093
them in and we also share intelligence 

2857
01:44:01,093 --> 01:44:03,299
and they're able to leverage um the no 

2858
01:44:03,310 --> 01:44:05,477
cost . Cyber security options that the 

2859
01:44:05,477 --> 01:44:07,588
Cyber Collaboration Center uh and the 

2860
01:44:07,588 --> 01:44:09,699
uh security uh Cyber security program 

2861
01:44:09,699 --> 01:44:11,921
offer them . So I think we've made some 

2862
01:44:11,921 --> 01:44:14,088
really good headway . The C suites are 

2863
01:44:14,088 --> 01:44:16,143
paying attention to it . Uh And it's 

2864
01:44:16,143 --> 01:44:18,366
it's really been important and , and we 

2865
01:44:18,366 --> 01:44:18,149
see it because as you know , we , we , 

2866
01:44:18,160 --> 01:44:20,216
I have great examples right now with 

2867
01:44:20,216 --> 01:44:22,640
Russia Ukraine , with Russia in Cyber 

2868
01:44:22,649 --> 01:44:24,705
and they want to slow down logistics 

2869
01:44:24,705 --> 01:44:26,890
flow , right ? So let me just add that 

2870
01:44:26,899 --> 01:44:28,955
uh the intelligence that's collected 

2871
01:44:28,955 --> 01:44:31,569
via the P I A seven oh two program um 

2872
01:44:31,580 --> 01:44:33,636
has really been proven to be a vital 

2873
01:44:33,636 --> 01:44:35,636
tool for us to understand where the 

2874
01:44:35,636 --> 01:44:38,310
enemy is . And that P I A seven oh two 

2875
01:44:38,319 --> 01:44:40,430
is going to expire at the end of this 

2876
01:44:40,430 --> 01:44:42,041
year . So I would appreciate 

2877
01:44:42,041 --> 01:44:44,208
consideration for how do we keep those 

2878
01:44:44,208 --> 01:44:46,041
kinds of authorities available ? 

2879
01:44:46,041 --> 01:44:48,097
Because it's a significant amount of 

2880
01:44:48,097 --> 01:44:50,319
intelligence we're getting from the P I 

2881
01:44:50,319 --> 01:44:52,375
A seven oh two . I think about A I , 

2882
01:44:52,375 --> 01:44:54,970
again , my ability to , to , to respond 

2883
01:44:54,979 --> 01:44:57,180
to the greatest need requires me to be 

2884
01:44:57,189 --> 01:44:59,979
able to sense all the ports , see all 

2885
01:44:59,990 --> 01:45:01,970
of the assets in motion and then 

2886
01:45:01,979 --> 01:45:04,090
predict the requirements of the joint 

2887
01:45:04,090 --> 01:45:06,201
force wherever they might be based on 

2888
01:45:06,201 --> 01:45:08,368
if there's a hurricane somewhere or if 

2889
01:45:08,368 --> 01:45:10,590
there's a conflict going on somewhere . 

2890
01:45:10,590 --> 01:45:12,479
So I use um A I and data . We are 

2891
01:45:12,479 --> 01:45:14,590
Nirvana would be that I would see and 

2892
01:45:14,590 --> 01:45:16,368
sense everything and be able to 

2893
01:45:16,368 --> 01:45:18,590
maneuver the force fluidly to respond . 

2894
01:45:18,590 --> 01:45:20,757
Are you able to do that ? Now , we are 

2895
01:45:20,757 --> 01:45:22,757
not able to do that now , that is , 

2896
01:45:22,757 --> 01:45:24,535
that is a , that's a high level 

2897
01:45:24,535 --> 01:45:26,757
requirement , but we're , we're working 

2898
01:45:26,757 --> 01:45:28,979
uh with Ivana . We have an inns of data 

2899
01:45:28,979 --> 01:45:31,035
and analytical tools and we're gonna 

2900
01:45:31,035 --> 01:45:30,669
bite this elephant , you know , one at 

2901
01:45:30,680 --> 01:45:32,736
a time , right ? What do you need to 

2902
01:45:32,736 --> 01:45:34,736
get there ? What , what , what is , 

2903
01:45:34,736 --> 01:45:36,680
what will take ? Yeah , what we're 

2904
01:45:36,680 --> 01:45:38,736
doing right now is exposing the data 

2905
01:45:38,736 --> 01:45:40,958
and grabbing the data structuring it so 

2906
01:45:40,958 --> 01:45:43,180
that we can use it . We have the data , 

2907
01:45:43,180 --> 01:45:42,475
it was just , we're pulling it together . 

2908
01:45:42,484 --> 01:45:44,206
We've been working um with the 

2909
01:45:44,206 --> 01:45:46,428
Department of Defense on their A I Data 

2910
01:45:46,428 --> 01:45:48,317
Accelerator and we're using their 

2911
01:45:48,317 --> 01:45:50,540
resources . So I'm very appreciative of 

2912
01:45:50,540 --> 01:45:52,762
that . Uh And then eventually what we , 

2913
01:45:52,762 --> 01:45:54,928
when we have our own program , we will 

2914
01:45:54,928 --> 01:45:57,151
probably require a little more manpower 

2915
01:45:57,151 --> 01:45:59,428
uh and some funds for analytical tools , 

2916
01:45:59,428 --> 01:45:58,884
but I don't have that requirement this 

2917
01:45:58,895 --> 01:46:01,117
year . Got it . Thank you so much and I 

2918
01:46:01,117 --> 01:46:05,029
yield back . Thank you . Thank 

2919
01:46:05,040 --> 01:46:07,262
you , Miss , thank you , Miss Mace . Uh 

2920
01:46:07,262 --> 01:46:11,029
The uh uh again , I want to thank you 

2921
01:46:11,040 --> 01:46:13,151
both . These are incredibly important 

2922
01:46:13,151 --> 01:46:16,270
issues in the five years that I've been 

2923
01:46:16,279 --> 01:46:20,189
here . We have all been . I mean , I 

2924
01:46:20,200 --> 01:46:22,589
think Mr Chairman Kelly shares uh 

2925
01:46:22,600 --> 01:46:25,370
shares my concern . We have all been 

2926
01:46:25,379 --> 01:46:27,370
pulling our hair out uh on the 

2927
01:46:27,379 --> 01:46:29,890
criticality in uh in your shortages and 

2928
01:46:29,899 --> 01:46:32,720
your needs . Uh uh particularly in the 

2929
01:46:32,729 --> 01:46:34,896
sea lift fleet . We are determined . I 

2930
01:46:34,896 --> 01:46:37,007
was just talking to some of the staff 

2931
01:46:37,007 --> 01:46:39,180
to press our appropriations colleagues 

2932
01:46:39,189 --> 01:46:41,356
on getting you the appropriations that 

2933
01:46:41,356 --> 01:46:43,522
you need and continuing to get you the 

2934
01:46:43,522 --> 01:46:45,856
authorities uh that you need to rebuild . 

2935
01:46:45,856 --> 01:46:48,839
Um , uh , much of , of what is 

2936
01:46:48,850 --> 01:46:51,017
atrophied over the years . With that , 

2937
01:46:51,017 --> 01:46:52,459
the hearing is adjourned .