1 00:00:00,009 --> 00:00:02,065 Thank you , Senator Senator Hirono , 2 00:00:02,065 --> 00:00:04,120 please . Thank you , Mr Chairman . I 3 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,231 thank all three of you for being here 4 00:00:06,231 --> 00:00:08,100 today and especially for General 5 00:00:08,109 --> 00:00:10,331 o'malley . Thank you very much for your 6 00:00:10,331 --> 00:00:12,340 43 years of continuous service . I 7 00:00:12,350 --> 00:00:15,800 extend to you . My thanks and respect 8 00:00:16,879 --> 00:00:18,990 for Secretary Austin , investments in 9 00:00:18,990 --> 00:00:21,059 the military's infrastructure are 10 00:00:21,069 --> 00:00:23,350 directly correlated to our readiness 11 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:26,190 and ability to execute deterrent . 12 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,729 However , as the people of Hawaii saw 13 00:00:28,739 --> 00:00:30,750 from the disaster at Red Hill , 14 00:00:30,799 --> 00:00:33,189 military infrastructure also impacts 15 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,709 our cities and towns , fuel chemicals 16 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,659 and sewage spills have lasting impacts 17 00:00:39,669 --> 00:00:42,299 on our lands and erode the trust our , 18 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,459 our service members and their 19 00:00:44,470 --> 00:00:47,729 communities . We must invest in the 20 00:00:47,740 --> 00:00:51,270 systems . They rely on each day , basic 21 00:00:51,279 --> 00:00:54,169 things like pipelines , power grids and 22 00:00:54,180 --> 00:00:56,409 barracks . Yet this year in Hawaii 23 00:00:56,419 --> 00:00:59,020 alone , there's over half a billion in 24 00:00:59,029 --> 00:01:01,419 unfunded infrastructure improvements on 25 00:01:01,430 --> 00:01:04,430 the services , unfunded priorities list , 26 00:01:04,470 --> 00:01:06,550 Secretary Austin , how is the 27 00:01:06,559 --> 00:01:08,949 department ensuring that infrastructure , 28 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,669 maintenance and modernization needs are 29 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:14,750 met before disasters like Red Hill 30 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,279 occur ? And basically , don't we need 31 00:01:17,290 --> 00:01:20,230 to get more of these projects off 32 00:01:20,239 --> 00:01:22,290 unfunded priorities lists , 33 00:01:23,940 --> 00:01:26,989 these are uh to your point . Uh Senator 34 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,019 uh requirements that uh that are 35 00:01:29,029 --> 00:01:31,319 critical and they they should be met as 36 00:01:31,330 --> 00:01:34,550 soon as possible . Uh In , in my budget , 37 00:01:34,559 --> 00:01:38,220 I've asked for $5.1 billion to increase 38 00:01:38,230 --> 00:01:40,370 operational effectiveness and 39 00:01:40,379 --> 00:01:42,546 survivability . Now , part of that has 40 00:01:42,546 --> 00:01:44,860 to do with the effects that , that are 41 00:01:44,870 --> 00:01:47,300 caused by climate . But nonetheless , 42 00:01:47,309 --> 00:01:49,198 you know , those effects are real 43 00:01:49,198 --> 00:01:52,510 effects . And so we will continue to 44 00:01:52,519 --> 00:01:54,463 invest in this . But to your point 45 00:01:54,463 --> 00:01:57,269 services should invest in this to make 46 00:01:57,279 --> 00:01:59,446 sure that the infrastructure they need 47 00:01:59,446 --> 00:02:02,639 to support them is in fact , you know , 48 00:02:03,139 --> 00:02:05,760 first rate Secretary Austin , you know 49 00:02:05,769 --> 00:02:08,419 that I I I have been very much focused 50 00:02:08,429 --> 00:02:10,707 on those kinds of infrastructure needs , 51 00:02:10,707 --> 00:02:12,818 what comes out of our pipes . So with 52 00:02:12,818 --> 00:02:14,985 the electricity staying on , tho those 53 00:02:14,985 --> 00:02:17,270 continue to uh uh capture my attention 54 00:02:17,279 --> 00:02:19,610 and and be assured that I will continue 55 00:02:19,619 --> 00:02:21,786 to focus on these issues and the needs 56 00:02:21,786 --> 00:02:24,600 being met . Uh Mr Secretary in your 57 00:02:24,610 --> 00:02:26,443 tenure , you have issued several 58 00:02:26,443 --> 00:02:28,610 policies that increase service members 59 00:02:28,610 --> 00:02:30,721 access to child care , which you have 60 00:02:30,721 --> 00:02:32,943 mentioned uh institute parental leave , 61 00:02:32,943 --> 00:02:35,166 which is very popular and ensure access 62 00:02:35,166 --> 00:02:37,166 to reproductive health care for all 63 00:02:37,166 --> 00:02:38,888 women no matter where they are 64 00:02:38,888 --> 00:02:40,999 stationed , these are prudent changes 65 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,490 that put our people first and I 66 00:02:43,500 --> 00:02:45,500 appreciate your leadership on these 67 00:02:45,500 --> 00:02:47,500 issues . Senator says , how did you 68 00:02:47,500 --> 00:02:50,160 identify the service member needs ? And 69 00:02:50,169 --> 00:02:52,391 once those requirements were recorded , 70 00:02:52,391 --> 00:02:54,280 what was the process to implement 71 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,229 updated policies ? Well , 72 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,550 I uh I I talk to our troops , I talk to 73 00:03:01,559 --> 00:03:03,726 the family members . I uh , you know , 74 00:03:03,726 --> 00:03:05,948 as I go around , around the country and 75 00:03:05,948 --> 00:03:08,115 around the world , uh , you know , I'm 76 00:03:08,115 --> 00:03:10,337 very much interested in , in what their 77 00:03:10,337 --> 00:03:12,559 challenges are and how we can , uh , we 78 00:03:12,559 --> 00:03:14,670 can do things to make life better for 79 00:03:14,670 --> 00:03:16,837 them . Uh , and with your help , we've 80 00:03:16,837 --> 00:03:19,003 been able to do some things . Uh , and 81 00:03:19,003 --> 00:03:21,059 that includes the things that you've 82 00:03:21,059 --> 00:03:21,050 mentioned , senator , but also the pay 83 00:03:21,059 --> 00:03:23,281 raises , uh , the , the raise in , uh , 84 00:03:23,281 --> 00:03:26,210 in B A H and B A s . Uh And we're 85 00:03:26,220 --> 00:03:28,331 asking you for another pay raise this 86 00:03:28,331 --> 00:03:30,442 year , probably the , the biggest pay 87 00:03:30,442 --> 00:03:32,164 raise for , for our troops and 88 00:03:32,164 --> 00:03:35,369 civilians in decades . But that's how I 89 00:03:35,380 --> 00:03:37,729 get the input by engaging the troops 90 00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:40,089 and the family members . You have been 91 00:03:40,100 --> 00:03:42,289 heavily criticized for your decisions 92 00:03:42,300 --> 00:03:45,029 to enable particularly women service 93 00:03:45,039 --> 00:03:47,261 members to attain reproductive health . 94 00:03:47,261 --> 00:03:50,929 And I for one commend you for that and 95 00:03:50,940 --> 00:03:53,729 uh I want you to stay the course uh in 96 00:03:53,740 --> 00:03:55,962 the same vein of wanting to support our 97 00:03:55,962 --> 00:03:58,129 service members . I do want to mention 98 00:03:58,129 --> 00:04:00,660 that uh there is the potential for 99 00:04:00,669 --> 00:04:03,720 significant cuts to um the cost of 100 00:04:03,729 --> 00:04:05,896 living of Hawaii service members . And 101 00:04:05,896 --> 00:04:08,118 I've noted this before and I think that 102 00:04:08,118 --> 00:04:10,619 these huge cuts for Hawaii service 103 00:04:10,630 --> 00:04:12,852 members are unjust and unfair . And I , 104 00:04:12,852 --> 00:04:14,408 I hope that there will be a 105 00:04:14,408 --> 00:04:17,399 reconsideration of , of that decision . 106 00:04:17,709 --> 00:04:20,440 I also want to note uh I have been 107 00:04:20,450 --> 00:04:22,617 asking about missile defense of Hawaii 108 00:04:22,617 --> 00:04:24,339 for quite some time . I had a 109 00:04:24,350 --> 00:04:26,279 productive meeting yesterday with 110 00:04:26,290 --> 00:04:28,519 leaders from your staff about their 111 00:04:28,529 --> 00:04:30,829 roles in the plans for the current and 112 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,172 future missile defense of Hawaii . Well , 113 00:04:33,172 --> 00:04:35,395 there is certainly more work to be done 114 00:04:35,395 --> 00:04:37,679 to establish and execute a long term 115 00:04:37,690 --> 00:04:39,968 plan for the missile defense of Hawaii . 116 00:04:39,968 --> 00:04:42,079 I am encouraged to see the department 117 00:04:42,079 --> 00:04:43,690 treating this issue with the 118 00:04:43,690 --> 00:04:46,750 seriousness it demands I remain focused 119 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,640 on it uh on the issue as I request 120 00:04:50,649 --> 00:04:53,320 updates from your staff . 121 00:04:54,890 --> 00:04:56,890 Thank you very much , Mr Chairman . 122 00:04:57,109 --> 00:04:59,109 Thank you , Senator Senator Ernst , 123 00:04:59,109 --> 00:05:01,510 please . Thank you Mr Chair . And I 124 00:05:01,519 --> 00:05:03,686 just want to state for the record that 125 00:05:03,686 --> 00:05:06,450 I am adamantly opposed to the dod S new 126 00:05:06,459 --> 00:05:10,170 policy on allowing travel expenses for 127 00:05:10,179 --> 00:05:12,401 those that are going to other states to 128 00:05:12,401 --> 00:05:14,068 seek abortions . I think it's 129 00:05:14,068 --> 00:05:16,529 incredibly important that we remain 130 00:05:16,540 --> 00:05:19,429 adherent to the Hyde amendment which 131 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,809 prohibits taxpayer dollars from going 132 00:05:21,820 --> 00:05:24,420 towards abortions . I know this is an 133 00:05:24,429 --> 00:05:26,779 extension of travel services for family 134 00:05:26,790 --> 00:05:29,309 members and those service members . But 135 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,320 again , those are taxpayer dollars 136 00:05:31,329 --> 00:05:34,660 being spent uh to fund the 137 00:05:34,670 --> 00:05:37,010 extension of an abortion . I am 138 00:05:37,019 --> 00:05:39,130 adamantly opposed . I know that there 139 00:05:39,130 --> 00:05:41,410 are others that are on this committee 140 00:05:41,420 --> 00:05:43,739 that agree as well . We're not saying 141 00:05:43,750 --> 00:05:46,500 that women can't seek abortions , they 142 00:05:46,510 --> 00:05:48,540 can do that , but that is to be 143 00:05:48,549 --> 00:05:51,589 privately funded . Um So thank you both 144 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,799 gentlemen for being here this morning 145 00:05:53,809 --> 00:05:56,339 and uh secretary , I do worry that 146 00:05:56,350 --> 00:05:59,529 there's a mismatch between strategy and 147 00:05:59,540 --> 00:06:01,489 resources at the heart of the 148 00:06:01,500 --> 00:06:03,600 President's budget . The national 149 00:06:03,609 --> 00:06:05,679 defense strategy calls this a quote 150 00:06:05,690 --> 00:06:09,359 decisive decade and commits to 151 00:06:09,369 --> 00:06:12,470 act urgently to strengthen deterrence 152 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,559 against the pacing threat . China . So 153 00:06:15,570 --> 00:06:17,570 General Milley would investments in 154 00:06:17,570 --> 00:06:19,126 posture presence and lethal 155 00:06:19,126 --> 00:06:21,190 capabilities like long range fires 156 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,600 reduce our risk in the Western Pacific . 157 00:06:26,660 --> 00:06:28,660 Absolutely . Long range fires would 158 00:06:28,660 --> 00:06:30,771 reduce our risk . Uh not only west of 159 00:06:30,771 --> 00:06:33,104 Brazil but anywhere but for sure . Yeah , 160 00:06:33,104 --> 00:06:35,327 thank you uh General Milley . So I know 161 00:06:35,327 --> 00:06:37,549 that you addressed this with uh Senator 162 00:06:37,549 --> 00:06:39,660 rounds . But , but Secretary Austin , 163 00:06:39,809 --> 00:06:42,399 as we discuss those unfunded uh 164 00:06:42,410 --> 00:06:46,250 requirements , we see that we are $3.5 165 00:06:46,260 --> 00:06:50,130 billion short in the Indo paycom , um 166 00:06:50,209 --> 00:06:51,931 which includes critical strike 167 00:06:51,931 --> 00:06:54,410 capabilities and posture enhancements . 168 00:06:54,589 --> 00:06:56,756 So I do hope that this is something we 169 00:06:56,756 --> 00:06:58,978 can work with those commanders on those 170 00:06:58,978 --> 00:07:01,145 requirements . I think it's incredibly 171 00:07:01,145 --> 00:07:03,311 important and I know my colleague from 172 00:07:03,311 --> 00:07:06,359 Alaska may address requirements in 173 00:07:06,369 --> 00:07:08,519 defending Taiwan . But it it is 174 00:07:08,529 --> 00:07:10,839 incredibly important if , if we are 175 00:07:10,850 --> 00:07:13,072 saying in the national defense strategy 176 00:07:13,309 --> 00:07:16,190 that this is a decisive decade , we 177 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:18,059 need to act accordingly . And as 178 00:07:18,070 --> 00:07:20,920 Congress , we must fund accordingly , 179 00:07:21,390 --> 00:07:23,480 Chairman Milley , as you know , our 180 00:07:23,489 --> 00:07:25,500 special operations forces are a 181 00:07:25,510 --> 00:07:29,269 strategic capability and how can soft 182 00:07:29,279 --> 00:07:32,109 help deter and defeat great power 183 00:07:32,119 --> 00:07:35,929 competitors . Well , for 184 00:07:35,940 --> 00:07:38,107 special forces , regardless of theater 185 00:07:38,107 --> 00:07:40,440 uh relative to a great power competitor , 186 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,690 this ongoing intense competition in the 187 00:07:43,700 --> 00:07:45,929 so called gray space . They play a key 188 00:07:45,940 --> 00:07:48,890 role in that area . In addition to that , 189 00:07:48,899 --> 00:07:51,066 they can provide tremendous capability 190 00:07:51,066 --> 00:07:52,843 and train , advise , assist and 191 00:07:52,843 --> 00:07:54,788 indigenous partners and allies and 192 00:07:54,788 --> 00:07:57,529 region that's important . Also , I 193 00:07:57,540 --> 00:07:59,651 would argue that irregular warfare is 194 00:07:59,651 --> 00:08:01,762 often an overlooked component . And , 195 00:08:01,762 --> 00:08:03,651 and , and as you start looking at 196 00:08:03,651 --> 00:08:05,651 larger conventional war , irregular 197 00:08:05,651 --> 00:08:07,929 warfare plays a very key role in all 198 00:08:07,940 --> 00:08:10,162 forms of war . And that will play a key 199 00:08:10,162 --> 00:08:12,273 role in any great power war as well . 200 00:08:12,273 --> 00:08:14,384 So those are some of the key things , 201 00:08:14,384 --> 00:08:16,551 the strategic reconnaissance , there's 202 00:08:16,551 --> 00:08:18,551 the development of the battle space 203 00:08:18,551 --> 00:08:20,662 advanced force operations , the whole 204 00:08:20,662 --> 00:08:23,119 litmus test or a litany of capabilities 205 00:08:23,130 --> 00:08:25,186 that special operations forces bring 206 00:08:25,186 --> 00:08:27,279 that have a direct role prior to the 207 00:08:27,290 --> 00:08:29,512 onset of hostilities and can contribute 208 00:08:29,512 --> 00:08:31,734 to the deterrence of war with any great 209 00:08:31,734 --> 00:08:33,790 power . Very good . And I appreciate 210 00:08:33,790 --> 00:08:35,957 that because you answered my next next 211 00:08:35,957 --> 00:08:37,960 question about surrogate forces and 212 00:08:37,969 --> 00:08:40,380 partnering with those forces and 213 00:08:40,390 --> 00:08:44,348 indigenous actors and they do help soft 214 00:08:44,359 --> 00:08:46,718 compete against great power . So I do 215 00:08:46,729 --> 00:08:49,789 appreciate that . Secretary Austin will 216 00:08:49,799 --> 00:08:51,910 the department's guidance to the soft 217 00:08:51,910 --> 00:08:54,039 enterprise place , our great power 218 00:08:54,049 --> 00:08:57,138 competition above counter terrorism and 219 00:08:57,148 --> 00:09:01,010 crisis response missions . I'm sorry , 220 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,979 I missed the question . Yes , soft as 221 00:09:03,989 --> 00:09:07,109 it applies to great power competition . 222 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,109 Will you be placing their mission with 223 00:09:11,119 --> 00:09:13,969 great power competition over the other 224 00:09:13,979 --> 00:09:17,539 mission of deterring terrorism ? We 225 00:09:17,549 --> 00:09:20,460 have to strike a balance and we see our , 226 00:09:20,469 --> 00:09:22,469 our soft forces doing that . I know 227 00:09:22,469 --> 00:09:25,119 you've talked to our Special Operations 228 00:09:25,130 --> 00:09:28,909 Force combatant commander . He is , 229 00:09:28,919 --> 00:09:32,229 he is looking at this in a very 230 00:09:32,239 --> 00:09:35,059 methodical way and making sure that he 231 00:09:35,070 --> 00:09:37,729 maintains a balance of capability that 232 00:09:37,739 --> 00:09:41,609 can serve both , both challenges there . 233 00:09:41,739 --> 00:09:43,979 And they're doing a great job . And 234 00:09:43,989 --> 00:09:46,380 I've seen , I've seen some of our tier 235 00:09:46,390 --> 00:09:50,010 one forces very rapidly transition and 236 00:09:50,020 --> 00:09:52,187 start thinking about how they're going 237 00:09:52,187 --> 00:09:54,131 to be relevant , not just thinking 238 00:09:54,131 --> 00:09:56,353 about it , but developing capability to 239 00:09:56,353 --> 00:09:58,576 be relevant . Great power competition . 240 00:09:58,576 --> 00:10:00,687 By the same time , at the same time , 241 00:10:00,687 --> 00:10:02,464 keeping a , a good handle on uh 242 00:10:02,464 --> 00:10:04,631 transnational terrorist organization . 243 00:10:04,631 --> 00:10:06,576 Thank you . Um I appreciate it . I 244 00:10:06,576 --> 00:10:08,798 think it's incredibly important that we 245 00:10:08,798 --> 00:10:10,964 continue to fund our soft as necessary 246 00:10:10,964 --> 00:10:12,964 because they do strike uh a balance 247 00:10:12,964 --> 00:10:15,020 between great power competition , uh 248 00:10:15,020 --> 00:10:16,969 working in that gray zone and also 249 00:10:16,979 --> 00:10:20,039 deterring terrorism around the globe . 250 00:10:20,049 --> 00:10:22,710 So uh I would just encourage members of 251 00:10:22,719 --> 00:10:25,109 this committee to continue to focus on 252 00:10:25,219 --> 00:10:27,330 uh the strength within our , our soft 253 00:10:27,330 --> 00:10:30,549 forces . Um Chairman Milly , uh thank 254 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,190 you very much for your service to our 255 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:36,320 great United States army as well as as 256 00:10:36,330 --> 00:10:39,400 the joint force . And also uh my best 257 00:10:39,409 --> 00:10:41,830 wishes to Holly Anne , we know that uh 258 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:44,530 behind every great leader is uh someone 259 00:10:44,539 --> 00:10:46,599 who supports them thoroughly and she 260 00:10:46,609 --> 00:10:48,776 has been a tremendous force in working 261 00:10:48,969 --> 00:10:52,219 uh with our gold star families , with 262 00:10:52,229 --> 00:10:54,451 all of the members of their service and 263 00:10:54,451 --> 00:10:56,562 their families . So my best wishes to 264 00:10:56,562 --> 00:10:58,840 you and your entire family . Thank you , 265 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,169 Mr Chair . Thank you , Senator Senator 266 00:11:01,179 --> 00:11:03,401 Kaine , please . Thank you Mr Chair and 267 00:11:03,401 --> 00:11:05,623 thank you to the witnesses , uh General 268 00:11:05,623 --> 00:11:07,790 Melley . I also want to compliment you 269 00:11:07,790 --> 00:11:09,790 on your stellar career . And I also 270 00:11:09,790 --> 00:11:11,846 offer the congratulations of your uh 271 00:11:11,846 --> 00:11:14,123 college classmate , my wife Anne , who , 272 00:11:14,123 --> 00:11:16,346 who I I mentioned I would see you today 273 00:11:16,346 --> 00:11:18,123 and she wanted me to extend her 274 00:11:18,123 --> 00:11:20,235 congratulations as well . Um , on the 275 00:11:20,235 --> 00:11:22,346 15th of the month during our personal 276 00:11:22,346 --> 00:11:24,512 subcommittee hearing Senator Kelly and 277 00:11:24,512 --> 00:11:27,059 I , uh , asked Secretary Cisneros and 278 00:11:27,070 --> 00:11:29,237 Martinez Lopez about implementation of 279 00:11:29,237 --> 00:11:31,590 the Brandon Act . I appreciate both of 280 00:11:31,599 --> 00:11:33,821 you in your opening statements . Talked 281 00:11:33,821 --> 00:11:35,599 about the need to get a hold of 282 00:11:35,599 --> 00:11:37,710 military suicide issues and resources 283 00:11:37,710 --> 00:11:39,877 that are being devoted to this . Um We 284 00:11:39,877 --> 00:11:42,099 asked the secretaries about Brandon Act 285 00:11:42,099 --> 00:11:44,109 implementation uh and also about a 286 00:11:44,119 --> 00:11:46,320 report on Brandon Act implementation 287 00:11:46,330 --> 00:11:48,441 that we were supposed to receive that 288 00:11:48,441 --> 00:11:50,663 is overdue . I don't really want to get 289 00:11:50,663 --> 00:11:52,663 into that with you here today , but 290 00:11:52,663 --> 00:11:54,886 just to put it on the radar screen that 291 00:11:54,886 --> 00:11:57,108 during the course of the development of 292 00:11:57,108 --> 00:11:59,108 the N D A A , we really want to get 293 00:11:59,108 --> 00:12:01,274 into the implementation of the Brandon 294 00:12:01,274 --> 00:12:01,169 Act that we've passed , make sure that 295 00:12:01,179 --> 00:12:03,429 it's being implemented . Uh find out if 296 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,662 there are things we can do to make that 297 00:12:05,662 --> 00:12:07,718 implementation easier . And I really 298 00:12:07,718 --> 00:12:09,773 want to work on that between now and 299 00:12:09,773 --> 00:12:11,940 the time that we take up the N D A and 300 00:12:11,940 --> 00:12:11,880 committee , it's possible that we don't 301 00:12:11,890 --> 00:12:14,419 need to do anything more on that space . 302 00:12:14,429 --> 00:12:16,596 If we're convinced that implementation 303 00:12:16,596 --> 00:12:18,762 is moving out . If we're not convinced 304 00:12:18,762 --> 00:12:20,985 of that . We'll need to do more . And I 305 00:12:20,985 --> 00:12:23,151 just wanted to kind of put that on the 306 00:12:23,151 --> 00:12:25,373 record to begin . Um Secretary , I also 307 00:12:25,373 --> 00:12:27,540 want to ask you about your recent trip 308 00:12:27,540 --> 00:12:29,707 to Iraq . I think it was either two or 309 00:12:29,707 --> 00:12:31,818 three weeks ago that you were there . 310 00:12:31,818 --> 00:12:33,985 And reports suggest you had productive 311 00:12:33,985 --> 00:12:35,985 meetings both with , with political 312 00:12:35,985 --> 00:12:35,809 leadership , Prime Minister Al Sudani , 313 00:12:36,140 --> 00:12:38,140 but also with military leadership . 314 00:12:38,140 --> 00:12:40,251 Could you describe that visit for the 315 00:12:40,251 --> 00:12:44,070 committee ? Well , first of all , let 316 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:46,309 me tell you that our troops are doing 317 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,049 well there and they are enabling and 318 00:12:50,059 --> 00:12:52,840 helping their hosts the Iraqi security 319 00:12:52,849 --> 00:12:56,020 forces and they're very much valued by 320 00:12:56,030 --> 00:12:57,863 the Iraqi leadership . The Prime 321 00:12:57,863 --> 00:13:00,989 Minister was very complimentary of 322 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,880 their performance and the value that 323 00:13:03,890 --> 00:13:06,669 they had good meeting with the Prime 324 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:10,659 Minister and his leadership . I think , 325 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,020 you know , it's not only me but other 326 00:13:15,030 --> 00:13:17,210 leaders in the region are also saying 327 00:13:17,219 --> 00:13:20,770 that the Prime Minister shows a lot of 328 00:13:20,780 --> 00:13:23,169 promise in terms of a person that's 329 00:13:23,179 --> 00:13:25,179 willing to work with others to move 330 00:13:25,179 --> 00:13:27,330 things forward , describe the current 331 00:13:27,340 --> 00:13:29,729 state of the mill to mill relationship . 332 00:13:29,770 --> 00:13:31,770 So talking about the Prime Minister 333 00:13:31,770 --> 00:13:34,015 discussions , but we've got about 2500 334 00:13:34,025 --> 00:13:36,247 us troops in Iraq . As you point out we 335 00:13:36,255 --> 00:13:38,422 are being hosted , we are there at the 336 00:13:38,422 --> 00:13:40,366 invitation of the Iraqi government 337 00:13:40,366 --> 00:13:42,588 because they value the United States as 338 00:13:42,588 --> 00:13:44,811 a partner . Describe a little bit about 339 00:13:44,811 --> 00:13:46,977 the current mil to mill relationship , 340 00:13:46,977 --> 00:13:46,914 I think the mil to mill relationship , 341 00:13:46,924 --> 00:13:49,091 Senator is good , really good . And uh 342 00:13:49,395 --> 00:13:52,830 and again , I think our partners 343 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:56,039 understand the value that we add to 344 00:13:56,049 --> 00:13:57,938 their overall effort . And if you 345 00:13:57,938 --> 00:14:00,049 unplug that , then what happens with 346 00:14:00,059 --> 00:14:03,289 their efforts to maintain pressure on 347 00:14:03,299 --> 00:14:05,466 ISIS , what happens with their efforts 348 00:14:05,466 --> 00:14:07,260 to continue to develop their 349 00:14:07,270 --> 00:14:10,059 professional force ? And so I think , I 350 00:14:10,070 --> 00:14:12,181 think we're very much appreciated and 351 00:14:12,181 --> 00:14:14,348 what I saw was goodness , you know , I 352 00:14:14,348 --> 00:14:18,080 think the commander 353 00:14:18,090 --> 00:14:20,312 there is doing all the right things and 354 00:14:20,312 --> 00:14:22,760 working in conjunction with the 355 00:14:22,770 --> 00:14:25,179 ambassador to continue to move things 356 00:14:25,190 --> 00:14:27,079 forward . So I was , I was really 357 00:14:27,079 --> 00:14:29,301 encouraged by what I saw . You've had a 358 00:14:29,301 --> 00:14:31,523 number of chapters in Iraq in three and 359 00:14:31,523 --> 00:14:33,950 then in 2010 and then Ascom Commander 360 00:14:34,659 --> 00:14:36,826 and some of these chapters are with an 361 00:14:36,826 --> 00:14:38,715 Iraq that was an adversary of the 362 00:14:38,715 --> 00:14:40,580 United States . How would you 363 00:14:40,590 --> 00:14:42,646 characterize this relationship where 364 00:14:42,646 --> 00:14:44,757 they're at their invitation ? And now 365 00:14:44,757 --> 00:14:46,979 we seem to be working in partnership to 366 00:14:46,979 --> 00:14:48,979 help them advance security in their 367 00:14:48,979 --> 00:14:50,979 country and in the region . It , it 368 00:14:50,979 --> 00:14:53,146 truly is remarkable and you cheated me 369 00:14:53,146 --> 00:14:53,109 on one of the rotations there . I had 370 00:14:53,119 --> 00:14:55,175 three rotations to Iraq , but I left 371 00:14:55,175 --> 00:14:58,729 one out . I just uh but uh um 372 00:14:59,809 --> 00:15:01,920 you know , this is something that has 373 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,087 developed over time and it's developed 374 00:15:04,087 --> 00:15:04,049 in a very meaningful way . It hasn't 375 00:15:04,059 --> 00:15:06,281 always been easy . It's been lumpy from 376 00:15:06,281 --> 00:15:08,392 time to time , but I think we're in a 377 00:15:08,392 --> 00:15:10,392 pretty good place now . And this is 378 00:15:10,392 --> 00:15:12,503 something that we're going to have to 379 00:15:12,503 --> 00:15:14,670 work on each and every day and we know 380 00:15:14,670 --> 00:15:16,892 Senator , that not every , every person 381 00:15:16,892 --> 00:15:19,250 in Iraq believes that , you know , that 382 00:15:19,260 --> 00:15:21,482 Americans ought to be there . But , but 383 00:15:21,482 --> 00:15:23,038 the government is very much 384 00:15:23,038 --> 00:15:25,260 appreciative of , of what we bring in , 385 00:15:25,260 --> 00:15:27,609 uh , in , in what we're doing to train 386 00:15:27,619 --> 00:15:30,849 and enable our forces . So , uh , you 387 00:15:30,859 --> 00:15:33,081 know , I , I think , I think we're in a 388 00:15:33,081 --> 00:15:35,137 pretty good place . Well , I , I , I 389 00:15:35,137 --> 00:15:37,248 appreciate that . Uh Mr Secretary , I 390 00:15:37,248 --> 00:15:39,415 think that's important . Uh The one of 391 00:15:39,415 --> 00:15:41,192 the capacities the US has shown 392 00:15:41,192 --> 00:15:43,137 throughout our history is to use a 393 00:15:43,137 --> 00:15:45,303 biblical phrase to beat a sword into a 394 00:15:45,303 --> 00:15:47,526 plow share to take a nation that was an 395 00:15:47,526 --> 00:15:49,692 enemy . And over time and as you point 396 00:15:49,692 --> 00:15:51,859 out bumpy , not always smooth but over 397 00:15:51,859 --> 00:15:53,970 time , turn the relationship into one 398 00:15:53,970 --> 00:15:56,026 of partnership , not one of being an 399 00:15:56,026 --> 00:15:57,915 adversary and that's an important 400 00:15:57,915 --> 00:15:59,970 aspect of the US Iraq relationship . 401 00:15:59,970 --> 00:16:02,081 And it also sends a message to others 402 00:16:02,081 --> 00:16:04,192 that that's something that the United 403 00:16:04,192 --> 00:16:03,775 States can do and we can be proud of . 404 00:16:03,784 --> 00:16:05,895 I appreciate your testimony . I yield 405 00:16:05,895 --> 00:16:08,117 back . Thank you very much . Uh Senator 406 00:16:08,117 --> 00:16:10,173 Kaine , uh Senator Kramer , please . 407 00:16:10,173 --> 00:16:12,173 Thank you , Mr Chairman . Thank you 408 00:16:12,173 --> 00:16:14,340 both . Uh all three for your service . 409 00:16:14,340 --> 00:16:16,284 Um A special , thank you , General 410 00:16:16,284 --> 00:16:18,506 Milley for your decades of service . Um 411 00:16:18,506 --> 00:16:21,405 I want to jump down to um talking back 412 00:16:21,414 --> 00:16:23,636 back about Ukraine a little bit . There 413 00:16:23,636 --> 00:16:25,525 been a lot of reasons , rationale 414 00:16:25,525 --> 00:16:27,530 excuses , perhaps for not providing 415 00:16:27,539 --> 00:16:29,650 certain advanced weapons systems some 416 00:16:29,650 --> 00:16:31,983 legitimate . I'm sure maybe all of them . 417 00:16:31,983 --> 00:16:34,206 I don't know , but of course , often it 418 00:16:34,206 --> 00:16:36,261 leads to eventually providing them . 419 00:16:36,261 --> 00:16:38,450 But one system we've never offered and 420 00:16:38,460 --> 00:16:40,627 I haven't heard a lot of talk about it 421 00:16:40,627 --> 00:16:42,793 are the M Q nine s but see how we just 422 00:16:42,793 --> 00:16:44,738 lost one recently in the Black Sea 423 00:16:44,738 --> 00:16:46,849 where it's probably more likely to be 424 00:16:46,849 --> 00:16:48,849 recovered by Russia than the United 425 00:16:48,849 --> 00:16:50,793 States . And the fact that the Air 426 00:16:50,793 --> 00:16:53,969 Force wants to retire 48 older M Q nine 427 00:16:54,049 --> 00:16:56,289 s , is there any chance that the M Q 428 00:16:56,299 --> 00:16:58,355 nine would be a reasonable system to 429 00:16:58,355 --> 00:17:00,979 offer Ukraine , either one or maybe 430 00:17:00,989 --> 00:17:04,680 start with Secretary Austin . Yeah , as 431 00:17:04,689 --> 00:17:06,819 we , as we look at this uh senator uh 432 00:17:06,829 --> 00:17:10,829 as you know , uh that um Air Domain is 433 00:17:10,839 --> 00:17:13,410 a , is a very hostile uh airspace 434 00:17:13,420 --> 00:17:15,680 because of the , you know , the 435 00:17:15,689 --> 00:17:17,800 capability that the Russians have for 436 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:21,588 air defense and uh that it , it 437 00:17:21,598 --> 00:17:24,139 is not a survivable platform if , if 438 00:17:24,149 --> 00:17:26,093 they try to use that in uh in that 439 00:17:26,093 --> 00:17:29,469 environment . Yeah , that's uh 440 00:17:30,079 --> 00:17:32,301 number one , it's not survival . It's , 441 00:17:32,301 --> 00:17:34,412 it's big and slow , it's going to get 442 00:17:34,412 --> 00:17:36,301 nailed by the Russian air defense 443 00:17:36,301 --> 00:17:38,135 systems . Um and in terms of its 444 00:17:38,135 --> 00:17:40,301 capabilities , um I'm not sure what it 445 00:17:40,301 --> 00:17:42,357 will get you beyond the uh smaller , 446 00:17:42,357 --> 00:17:44,579 faster , more nimble U A V systems that 447 00:17:44,579 --> 00:17:46,746 we are providing as well as some other 448 00:17:46,746 --> 00:17:48,801 countries are providing . So I think 449 00:17:48,801 --> 00:17:50,801 that it's a good system for certain 450 00:17:50,801 --> 00:17:52,912 uses in certain environments . But in 451 00:17:52,912 --> 00:17:55,023 the current situation in Ukraine , it 452 00:17:55,023 --> 00:17:57,301 may not be the best system . Thank you , 453 00:17:57,301 --> 00:17:59,523 Secretary Austin . I wanna um now go to 454 00:17:59,523 --> 00:18:01,640 um back to China a little bit and 455 00:18:01,650 --> 00:18:03,819 you're probably familiar with the what 456 00:18:03,829 --> 00:18:06,790 I consider the nearly a year and a half 457 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:08,967 of , of torment that the city of Grand 458 00:18:08,967 --> 00:18:11,160 Forks went through while considering 459 00:18:11,170 --> 00:18:13,059 that an investment by the Chinese 460 00:18:13,059 --> 00:18:15,170 Communist Party , uh investors for of 461 00:18:15,630 --> 00:18:18,359 which would have provided a wet corn 462 00:18:18,369 --> 00:18:20,425 milling facility , 12 miles from the 463 00:18:20,425 --> 00:18:22,536 Grand Forks Air Force Base , 12 miles 464 00:18:22,536 --> 00:18:24,702 from the 319th Reconnaissance wing and 465 00:18:24,702 --> 00:18:26,920 now an S D A ground station , uh you 466 00:18:26,930 --> 00:18:28,597 know , for low earth orbiting 467 00:18:28,597 --> 00:18:31,400 satellites . Um and uh 468 00:18:31,410 --> 00:18:34,680 after sort of cutting a deal and then 469 00:18:34,689 --> 00:18:38,079 going to where Phus spent 60 days 470 00:18:38,089 --> 00:18:39,700 determining they didn't have 471 00:18:39,700 --> 00:18:42,969 jurisdiction . Um And finally , after 472 00:18:42,979 --> 00:18:45,780 uh I don't know , 14 months or so , um 473 00:18:45,810 --> 00:18:48,270 of all of this , the , the Air Force 474 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,224 finally came out and said it would 475 00:18:50,224 --> 00:18:52,930 present a significant risk and that I 476 00:18:52,939 --> 00:18:54,939 think has helped kill the project . 477 00:18:54,949 --> 00:18:57,116 Although I understand there's now a 90 478 00:18:57,116 --> 00:19:00,400 day pause . My , my hope for all of 479 00:19:00,410 --> 00:19:02,577 that is , is not only that Grant Forks 480 00:19:02,577 --> 00:19:05,119 avoided uh an unfortunate situation but 481 00:19:05,130 --> 00:19:07,352 that many other communities might avoid 482 00:19:07,352 --> 00:19:09,519 it as well . Could you talk to us just 483 00:19:09,519 --> 00:19:11,574 a little bit about either the in the 484 00:19:11,574 --> 00:19:13,463 context of and Grant Forks or the 485 00:19:13,463 --> 00:19:15,408 broader context of , are we giving 486 00:19:15,408 --> 00:19:18,839 adequate cover um and , and information 487 00:19:19,310 --> 00:19:21,020 and coaching perhaps to other 488 00:19:21,030 --> 00:19:22,863 communities around the country ? 489 00:19:22,863 --> 00:19:25,086 Because it's my understanding that this 490 00:19:25,086 --> 00:19:27,252 is not necessarily unique circumstance 491 00:19:27,252 --> 00:19:29,419 to grant forks . First of all , let me 492 00:19:29,419 --> 00:19:31,586 thank you for your personal leadership 493 00:19:31,586 --> 00:19:34,770 on this , on this issue . 494 00:19:35,989 --> 00:19:38,156 To the point that you're making , this 495 00:19:38,156 --> 00:19:42,050 applies to installations all around the 496 00:19:42,060 --> 00:19:44,589 United States of America . And we will 497 00:19:44,599 --> 00:19:47,439 continue to emphasize to the service 498 00:19:47,449 --> 00:19:49,900 chiefs commanders secretaries and that 499 00:19:49,910 --> 00:19:51,910 we have to be vigilant about what's 500 00:19:51,910 --> 00:19:54,132 going on outside of our fences . We got 501 00:19:54,132 --> 00:19:56,354 to work with the , with the communities 502 00:19:56,354 --> 00:19:58,521 to make sure that we do have some kind 503 00:19:58,521 --> 00:20:00,743 of situational awareness and we have to 504 00:20:00,743 --> 00:20:02,799 advocate for the protection of our , 505 00:20:02,799 --> 00:20:05,077 you know , our bases and installations . 506 00:20:05,077 --> 00:20:07,739 Um And again , uh every one of these 507 00:20:07,750 --> 00:20:09,917 cases will be complex but they , there 508 00:20:09,917 --> 00:20:12,139 are cases that we must take on . But uh 509 00:20:12,180 --> 00:20:14,236 thanks for your , your leadership in 510 00:20:14,236 --> 00:20:16,180 Missouri . Well , I appreciate you 511 00:20:16,180 --> 00:20:18,402 saying it that way actually , because I 512 00:20:18,402 --> 00:20:20,624 think you're right , I think we need to 513 00:20:20,624 --> 00:20:22,680 quote , take them on . Um and rather 514 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:24,624 than sort of punt them to a to the 515 00:20:24,624 --> 00:20:26,958 process or some other political process , 516 00:20:26,958 --> 00:20:29,013 particularly when it comes to um the 517 00:20:29,013 --> 00:20:31,236 Chinese Communist Party and , and their 518 00:20:31,236 --> 00:20:33,402 involvement um and their ability , not 519 00:20:33,402 --> 00:20:36,969 just ability but obvious willingness to 520 00:20:36,979 --> 00:20:39,709 um do recon in all sorts of manners and 521 00:20:39,719 --> 00:20:42,020 ways . And uh so I , I appreciate that 522 00:20:42,030 --> 00:20:44,141 and I , my hope like I said , is that 523 00:20:44,141 --> 00:20:46,197 the experience that grant force went 524 00:20:46,197 --> 00:20:48,419 through is not just in vain to the rest 525 00:20:48,419 --> 00:20:50,419 of the country , but rather that uh 526 00:20:50,419 --> 00:20:53,359 perhaps uh sheds a light on this issue 527 00:20:53,369 --> 00:20:55,480 throughout the country . So thank you 528 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,480 for that . And again , thank you uh 529 00:20:57,480 --> 00:20:59,647 General Milley for your , your decades 530 00:20:59,647 --> 00:20:59,390 of service . And you'll thank you , Mr 531 00:20:59,410 --> 00:21:01,466 Chair . Thank you , Senator Kramer . 532 00:21:01,466 --> 00:21:03,632 Senator Warren . Please . Uh Thank you 533 00:21:03,632 --> 00:21:05,799 Mr Chairman and thank you all for your 534 00:21:05,799 --> 00:21:07,799 service to our nation . This year's 535 00:21:07,799 --> 00:21:10,150 Department of Defense requests a an 536 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,880 $842 billion budget , one of the 537 00:21:13,890 --> 00:21:16,660 largest budgets in history . Now , 538 00:21:16,670 --> 00:21:19,390 despite the massive size of this budget 539 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:21,344 request , the committee is already 540 00:21:21,344 --> 00:21:23,900 receiving letters from various parts of 541 00:21:24,099 --> 00:21:27,119 dod saying that they need billions of 542 00:21:27,130 --> 00:21:30,844 dollars , more dod calls these funded 543 00:21:30,854 --> 00:21:33,214 priority lists . I call them wish lists 544 00:21:33,224 --> 00:21:35,515 and I'm concerned about how they 545 00:21:35,525 --> 00:21:38,464 distort our budget process . So , 546 00:21:38,474 --> 00:21:40,814 Secretary Austin , if I could let me 547 00:21:40,824 --> 00:21:44,125 ask this directly , are you comfortable 548 00:21:44,135 --> 00:21:46,145 with the figure in the president's 549 00:21:46,155 --> 00:21:49,060 proposed budget that it is sufficient 550 00:21:49,069 --> 00:21:51,359 to meet our defense and national 551 00:21:51,369 --> 00:21:54,770 security objectives ? I am Senator , as 552 00:21:54,780 --> 00:21:58,469 you know , we made this budget 553 00:21:58,479 --> 00:22:01,339 request based upon our strategy . Our 554 00:22:01,349 --> 00:22:03,510 request is directly linked to the 555 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,890 capabilities that we need to , to 556 00:22:06,900 --> 00:22:09,420 execute our strategy . And we , we 557 00:22:09,430 --> 00:22:11,374 spent a lot of time on that . I've 558 00:22:11,374 --> 00:22:13,541 asked the commanders and , and service 559 00:22:13,541 --> 00:22:16,050 chiefs to make sure that that they go 560 00:22:16,060 --> 00:22:18,219 after war fighting capability and 561 00:22:18,229 --> 00:22:20,396 readiness in their basic in their base 562 00:22:20,396 --> 00:22:22,650 budget . And uh and for the most part , 563 00:22:22,660 --> 00:22:24,827 I , you know , we've done that . But , 564 00:22:24,930 --> 00:22:27,263 but again , we are required by , by law . 565 00:22:27,263 --> 00:22:29,541 I understand . So we're gonna go there , 566 00:22:29,541 --> 00:22:31,874 we're gonna go there , Mr Secretary now , 567 00:22:31,874 --> 00:22:34,097 Secretary Gates understood that leaders 568 00:22:34,099 --> 00:22:37,449 at dod can always find a gap or 569 00:22:37,459 --> 00:22:40,160 requirement to justify asking for what 570 00:22:40,170 --> 00:22:43,430 he called however many billions dollars 571 00:22:43,439 --> 00:22:46,770 more you want , he reduced wish list by 572 00:22:46,780 --> 00:22:49,729 about 90% . And he was able to do this 573 00:22:49,890 --> 00:22:52,359 during the surge in Afghanistan . 574 00:22:52,540 --> 00:22:55,000 Secretary Austin , you have a unique 575 00:22:55,010 --> 00:22:57,890 perspective here because before you 576 00:22:57,900 --> 00:22:59,956 were Secretary of Defense , you were 577 00:22:59,956 --> 00:23:01,900 the commander of a major combatant 578 00:23:01,900 --> 00:23:04,939 command , a job that is now held by the 579 00:23:04,949 --> 00:23:07,560 people who are asking for unfunded 580 00:23:07,569 --> 00:23:10,780 priorities . When Secretary Gates cut 581 00:23:10,790 --> 00:23:13,930 these unfunded lists down , you were 582 00:23:13,939 --> 00:23:17,089 commanding general of us forces in Iraq . 583 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,229 Secretary Austin did our national 584 00:23:19,239 --> 00:23:22,270 security suffer when Secretary Gates 585 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:26,280 cut down the service wish lists . I 586 00:23:26,290 --> 00:23:29,079 can say that while we were in Iraq and 587 00:23:29,089 --> 00:23:32,310 Afghanistan , we based upon the support 588 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:36,109 of Congress , we had what we needed to 589 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,800 be able to prosecute our operations . 590 00:23:39,069 --> 00:23:42,349 And so we didn't go , we didn't want 591 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,729 for much of anything . Ok . So let's 592 00:23:44,739 --> 00:23:46,810 talk then about the budget process . 593 00:23:47,050 --> 00:23:49,680 Each combatant commander thinks about 594 00:23:49,689 --> 00:23:52,160 how they could spend more money than 595 00:23:52,170 --> 00:23:54,319 you have allocated to them in this 596 00:23:54,329 --> 00:23:57,079 process that you describe , I assume 597 00:23:57,089 --> 00:23:59,069 these combatant commanders act in 598 00:23:59,079 --> 00:24:02,160 absolute good faith . But they have a 599 00:24:02,170 --> 00:24:05,280 narrow perspective . Secretary Austin , 600 00:24:05,290 --> 00:24:07,790 in putting together the overall budget , 601 00:24:08,140 --> 00:24:10,839 you have to weigh our global national 602 00:24:10,849 --> 00:24:14,239 security priorities . Do the commanders 603 00:24:14,250 --> 00:24:16,770 submitting these wish lists have to do 604 00:24:16,780 --> 00:24:20,199 the same . Uh They are 605 00:24:20,209 --> 00:24:23,260 primarily focused on their region and 606 00:24:23,270 --> 00:24:25,492 uh and what they would like to have for 607 00:24:25,492 --> 00:24:27,270 the region in order to uh to be 608 00:24:27,270 --> 00:24:29,800 successful . So , but again , I take 609 00:24:29,810 --> 00:24:32,780 that as a note , right . Yeah . All 610 00:24:32,790 --> 00:24:34,957 right . Uh You know , as my colleagues 611 00:24:34,957 --> 00:24:37,179 on this committee are well aware , I've 612 00:24:37,179 --> 00:24:38,957 been using these budget posture 613 00:24:38,957 --> 00:24:41,123 hearings to ask combatant commanders , 614 00:24:41,123 --> 00:24:43,123 folks who occupy the roles like the 615 00:24:43,123 --> 00:24:45,346 ones you used to when you used to serve 616 00:24:45,346 --> 00:24:47,346 about these lists and almost all of 617 00:24:47,346 --> 00:24:49,346 them have defended their requests . 618 00:24:49,346 --> 00:24:51,469 Although the justifications vary , 619 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:53,464 three of them said they needed the 620 00:24:53,464 --> 00:24:55,131 items on this list to address 621 00:24:55,131 --> 00:24:57,131 unexpected threats that couldn't be 622 00:24:57,131 --> 00:25:00,015 considered in the budget process . But 623 00:25:00,025 --> 00:25:02,275 the same commanders often repeat the 624 00:25:02,285 --> 00:25:04,915 same requests year after year after 625 00:25:04,925 --> 00:25:06,981 year suggesting that if there were a 626 00:25:06,981 --> 00:25:09,092 real need , they would have worked it 627 00:25:09,092 --> 00:25:11,824 into the underlying budget . Secretary 628 00:25:11,834 --> 00:25:14,885 Austin does do d have sufficient tools 629 00:25:14,895 --> 00:25:18,074 to address emergent threats without 630 00:25:18,084 --> 00:25:20,984 relying on the unfunded priorities list ? 631 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,170 We do and again , we account for that 632 00:25:25,180 --> 00:25:27,500 as we built the budget . Ok . And one 633 00:25:27,510 --> 00:25:30,280 last question , do you support removing 634 00:25:30,290 --> 00:25:32,550 the statutory requirement to send 635 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,239 Congress these lists every year ? And 636 00:25:35,250 --> 00:25:37,949 if so , are you confident that we could 637 00:25:37,959 --> 00:25:40,430 do so without jeopardizing national 638 00:25:40,439 --> 00:25:43,630 security ? I would support that . 639 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:45,760 Senator . Thank you very much , Mr 640 00:25:45,770 --> 00:25:47,992 Secretary . I would also like to submit 641 00:25:47,992 --> 00:25:49,689 a letter for the record from 642 00:25:49,699 --> 00:25:52,199 undersecretary mccord supporting my 643 00:25:52,209 --> 00:25:54,859 bill with Senator King , Senator Lee 644 00:25:54,869 --> 00:25:57,739 and Senator Braun to end the statutory 645 00:25:57,750 --> 00:26:00,160 requirement for these lists , as he 646 00:26:00,170 --> 00:26:02,430 notes in the letter , these lists are 647 00:26:02,439 --> 00:26:04,760 quote not an effective way to 648 00:26:04,770 --> 00:26:07,439 illuminate our joint priorities . We 649 00:26:07,449 --> 00:26:09,589 don't let any other part of federal 650 00:26:09,599 --> 00:26:11,829 government behave this way and it is 651 00:26:11,839 --> 00:26:14,420 for a good reason . The budget process 652 00:26:14,430 --> 00:26:17,089 requires making tough choices . I 653 00:26:17,099 --> 00:26:19,266 appreciate that the secretary leads in 654 00:26:19,266 --> 00:26:21,599 that and I would like to submit this 655 00:26:21,609 --> 00:26:23,942 for the record . Mr , without objection . 656 00:26:23,942 --> 00:26:26,220 Thank you . Thank you , Senator Warren , 657 00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:28,553 Senator Tuberville . Please . Thank you , 658 00:26:28,553 --> 00:26:30,665 Mr Chairman . Thanks for being here . 659 00:26:30,665 --> 00:26:32,831 Thank you for your service . Secretary 660 00:26:32,831 --> 00:26:34,887 Austin , thanks for your service and 661 00:26:34,887 --> 00:26:37,109 your call last week . Secretary mccoy , 662 00:26:37,109 --> 00:26:38,998 thanks for being here today , not 663 00:26:38,998 --> 00:26:41,165 getting a lot of questions , but uh uh 664 00:26:41,165 --> 00:26:41,130 thanks for being here . You know , I 665 00:26:41,140 --> 00:26:42,918 ran for Senate to serve on this 666 00:26:42,918 --> 00:26:45,589 committee . Uh I run because my dad , 667 00:26:45,599 --> 00:26:47,599 he was a World war two veteran . He 668 00:26:47,599 --> 00:26:49,710 earned five bronze stars and a purple 669 00:26:49,710 --> 00:26:51,979 heart and he died on active duty and I 670 00:26:51,989 --> 00:26:54,670 ran to support the war fighter . You 671 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,150 know , we owe our freedom to our troops 672 00:26:57,780 --> 00:27:00,310 for 50 years . Our all volunteer forces 673 00:27:00,319 --> 00:27:02,430 answered the call . I think you would 674 00:27:02,430 --> 00:27:04,486 have to agree to that . Since 1973 , 675 00:27:04,486 --> 00:27:06,430 we've asked a lot of our Americans 676 00:27:06,430 --> 00:27:09,050 young volunteers to fight in Vietnam , 677 00:27:09,060 --> 00:27:11,839 Grenada , Bosnia , Somalia , Iraq , 678 00:27:11,849 --> 00:27:15,170 Libya , Syria and Afghanistan . They've 679 00:27:15,180 --> 00:27:17,390 never wavered and boom times and bust 680 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,010 young Americans have raised their right 681 00:27:20,020 --> 00:27:22,449 hands to defend the constitution with 682 00:27:22,459 --> 00:27:25,290 their lives . If necessary , war is 683 00:27:25,300 --> 00:27:27,219 hell , you know that better than 684 00:27:27,229 --> 00:27:29,540 anybody . Every recruit should know 685 00:27:29,550 --> 00:27:31,869 that . But in the last two years , we 686 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:33,936 put them through a different kind of 687 00:27:33,936 --> 00:27:36,069 hell . In one of your first acts , Mr 688 00:27:36,079 --> 00:27:38,150 Secretary , you put our military , 689 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,569 every single member , active duty and 690 00:27:40,579 --> 00:27:43,329 reserve to a mandatory training to root 691 00:27:43,339 --> 00:27:46,989 out extremist that sent a message , Mr 692 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,111 Secretary that our military is filled 693 00:27:49,111 --> 00:27:51,239 with extremists . Our military is one 694 00:27:51,250 --> 00:27:54,010 of the most diverse organizations in 695 00:27:54,020 --> 00:27:57,479 the world . It is full of patriots . 696 00:27:58,369 --> 00:28:00,369 Eight months later , we watched the 697 00:28:00,369 --> 00:28:02,425 collapse of Afghanistan . It was the 698 00:28:02,425 --> 00:28:04,647 worst defeat of the United States in my 699 00:28:04,647 --> 00:28:06,869 lifetime in agony for most Americans to 700 00:28:06,869 --> 00:28:08,702 watch on the 20th anniversary of 701 00:28:08,702 --> 00:28:11,290 September 11 . That defeat gutted our 702 00:28:11,300 --> 00:28:14,930 troops who served there . The president 703 00:28:14,939 --> 00:28:17,670 called it a extraordinary success . 704 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:19,458 That's not what our veterans of 705 00:28:19,459 --> 00:28:23,219 Afghanistan call it our withdrawal . A 706 00:28:23,229 --> 00:28:25,451 big let down to our allies , a military 707 00:28:25,451 --> 00:28:27,890 disaster and national disgrace . I've 708 00:28:27,900 --> 00:28:30,067 talked to leaders all over the world . 709 00:28:30,067 --> 00:28:32,122 They've told me the same thing , not 710 00:28:32,122 --> 00:28:34,289 one general or political appointee has 711 00:28:34,289 --> 00:28:36,400 been held accountable . And I want to 712 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,622 give you an example of accountability . 713 00:28:38,622 --> 00:28:40,789 General Milley May 2021 , I sent you a 714 00:28:40,789 --> 00:28:42,789 letter asking for why do we give up 715 00:28:42,789 --> 00:28:44,956 Bagram now you did answer but it was a 716 00:28:44,956 --> 00:28:47,489 few months later . Now you have 4500 717 00:28:47,500 --> 00:28:49,722 people , you know , for the next person 718 00:28:49,722 --> 00:28:51,944 in line on the joint staff and a budget 719 00:28:51,944 --> 00:28:54,500 of 250 million . We've got to find ways 720 00:28:54,510 --> 00:28:56,560 to get information back to Congress 721 00:28:57,469 --> 00:28:59,247 Secretary Austin . I sent you a 722 00:28:59,247 --> 00:29:01,302 question in September 2021 . It took 723 00:29:01,302 --> 00:29:03,469 almost four months . Congress deserves 724 00:29:03,469 --> 00:29:05,580 better . America deserves better . We 725 00:29:05,580 --> 00:29:07,802 all deserve better . Now , we're on the 726 00:29:07,802 --> 00:29:09,747 brink of a world war with Russia . 727 00:29:09,747 --> 00:29:12,025 China is openly violating our airspace . 728 00:29:12,025 --> 00:29:14,025 But it took Congress to step in and 729 00:29:14,025 --> 00:29:16,136 tell our military leaders you to stop 730 00:29:16,136 --> 00:29:18,358 throwing our troops out who objected to 731 00:29:18,359 --> 00:29:21,329 a vaccine . Most of them on a religious 732 00:29:21,630 --> 00:29:25,160 uh factor given what we put our troops 733 00:29:25,170 --> 00:29:27,392 through in the past two years . It's no 734 00:29:27,392 --> 00:29:29,614 wonder that the army missed its goal of 735 00:29:29,614 --> 00:29:31,726 15,000 soldiers . Now , general , you 736 00:29:31,726 --> 00:29:33,614 know , that's , that is an entire 737 00:29:33,614 --> 00:29:35,614 division . We can't afford that and 738 00:29:35,614 --> 00:29:37,726 it's getting worse . The Navy and Air 739 00:29:37,726 --> 00:29:39,892 Force will probably miss their numbers 740 00:29:39,892 --> 00:29:42,003 this year . Yet some of my colleagues 741 00:29:42,003 --> 00:29:44,114 claim that the real crisis is my hold 742 00:29:44,114 --> 00:29:46,170 on the promotion of 158 general flag 743 00:29:46,180 --> 00:29:50,050 officers . Mind you , these are 744 00:29:50,060 --> 00:29:52,282 promotions that the majority leader can 745 00:29:52,282 --> 00:29:55,180 bring to the floor at any time . Those 746 00:29:55,189 --> 00:29:57,030 same same people claim expanding 747 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:58,959 abortion will make our military 748 00:29:58,969 --> 00:30:01,020 stronger . You know , I want to be 749 00:30:01,030 --> 00:30:04,589 clear on this . My hold has nothing to 750 00:30:04,599 --> 00:30:07,550 do with the Supreme Court's decision 751 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:11,040 to the access of abortion . This is 752 00:30:11,050 --> 00:30:13,959 about not forcing the taxpayers of this 753 00:30:13,969 --> 00:30:16,819 country to fund abortion . That's been 754 00:30:16,829 --> 00:30:19,051 a bipartisan consensus for more than 40 755 00:30:19,051 --> 00:30:21,459 years , the military has performed 756 00:30:21,469 --> 00:30:24,819 abortions for years . All were cases of 757 00:30:24,829 --> 00:30:27,550 rape , incest and the harm to the mom 758 00:30:28,229 --> 00:30:30,540 over the past 40 years . I don't recall 759 00:30:30,550 --> 00:30:32,880 one military person ever complaining 760 00:30:32,959 --> 00:30:34,848 that we weren't performing enough 761 00:30:34,848 --> 00:30:37,420 abortions nor did the military raise 762 00:30:37,430 --> 00:30:39,430 alarm that our servicemen and women 763 00:30:39,530 --> 00:30:41,530 were being placed in areas that had 764 00:30:41,530 --> 00:30:43,474 restrictive policies on abortion . 765 00:30:43,474 --> 00:30:46,489 Poland's restrictive policies . Japan 766 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,550 Djibouti , all these theaters have , 767 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:51,560 have , have abortion policy yet our 768 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:55,439 military changed the policy 769 00:30:56,670 --> 00:30:58,559 to do this job in these different 770 00:30:58,559 --> 00:31:01,729 theaters . As of 12 days ago , y'all 771 00:31:01,739 --> 00:31:03,906 got the , the American taxpayer on the 772 00:31:03,906 --> 00:31:07,329 hook to pay for travel and time off for 773 00:31:07,339 --> 00:31:10,640 elective abortions and you did not make 774 00:31:10,650 --> 00:31:14,479 this with anybody in this room . Are 775 00:31:14,489 --> 00:31:17,160 Congress taking a vote ? In fact , this 776 00:31:17,170 --> 00:31:19,337 contradicts what Congress has actually 777 00:31:19,337 --> 00:31:21,680 voted for most of us . Some of us in 778 00:31:21,689 --> 00:31:24,069 the room if not all senators that have 779 00:31:24,079 --> 00:31:27,250 been complaining about this have voted 780 00:31:27,260 --> 00:31:29,204 for the Hyde amendment many , many 781 00:31:29,204 --> 00:31:31,260 times . But now my colleagues on the 782 00:31:31,260 --> 00:31:33,427 left think this abortion issue is good 783 00:31:33,427 --> 00:31:35,427 for a campaign and that's what this 784 00:31:35,427 --> 00:31:37,538 shouldn't be about . I'm not going to 785 00:31:37,538 --> 00:31:39,538 let our military be politicized . I 786 00:31:39,538 --> 00:31:41,649 want our military to be the strongest 787 00:31:41,649 --> 00:31:43,704 and the deadliest it has ever been . 788 00:31:43,704 --> 00:31:45,816 But I also want the administration to 789 00:31:45,816 --> 00:31:47,871 follow the law . As long as I have a 790 00:31:47,871 --> 00:31:49,816 voice in this body , Congress will 791 00:31:49,816 --> 00:31:51,927 write the laws , not the Secretary of 792 00:31:51,927 --> 00:31:54,699 Defense , not the Joint Chiefs General . 793 00:31:54,709 --> 00:31:56,949 You said nothing is more expensive than 794 00:31:56,959 --> 00:31:59,859 preparing for war or fighting a war . I 795 00:31:59,869 --> 00:32:02,520 truly agree . That's the reason if we 796 00:32:02,530 --> 00:32:04,474 want something to spend money on , 797 00:32:04,474 --> 00:32:06,697 let's pass it and let's put it in the N 798 00:32:06,697 --> 00:32:08,974 D A A , you know , I represent Alabama , 799 00:32:08,989 --> 00:32:11,045 but also represent everybody in this 800 00:32:11,045 --> 00:32:13,719 country , everybody , all 320 million , 801 00:32:14,540 --> 00:32:16,550 all of us do y'all represent the 802 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,050 military ? But you also are responsible 803 00:32:19,060 --> 00:32:21,060 and represent every citizen in this 804 00:32:21,060 --> 00:32:23,171 country . That's the reason that this 805 00:32:23,171 --> 00:32:25,393 country is so strong and we all need to 806 00:32:25,393 --> 00:32:27,671 understand that . Get on the same page . 807 00:32:27,671 --> 00:32:29,838 I'm willing to work with you . I'm not 808 00:32:29,838 --> 00:32:29,349 here to fight . Hey , I'm here . We're 809 00:32:29,359 --> 00:32:31,470 all on the same team and I wanna work 810 00:32:31,470 --> 00:32:33,526 with you to make this happen . Thank 811 00:32:33,526 --> 00:32:35,800 you , Mr Chairman . I think it's 812 00:32:35,810 --> 00:32:38,032 appropriate that the secretary and , or 813 00:32:38,032 --> 00:32:40,088 the general have to respond . Well , 814 00:32:40,088 --> 00:32:42,032 well , thank you , sir . And , and 815 00:32:42,032 --> 00:32:44,143 first of all , let me just say thanks 816 00:32:44,143 --> 00:32:46,366 for the support you've given us to this 817 00:32:46,366 --> 00:32:48,532 point . And I really uh implore you to 818 00:32:48,532 --> 00:32:52,430 reconsider uh in , in uh allow 819 00:32:52,439 --> 00:32:54,839 our uh nominations to move forward . It 820 00:32:54,849 --> 00:32:57,016 will make a significant difference for 821 00:32:57,016 --> 00:32:59,939 our force . Uh Just to address a couple 822 00:32:59,949 --> 00:33:02,280 of things that uh that you mentioned . 823 00:33:02,670 --> 00:33:06,530 Uh first of all , uh you said that , uh 824 00:33:07,189 --> 00:33:09,560 you know , I had our troops focus on 825 00:33:09,569 --> 00:33:11,791 rooting out extremism and nothing could 826 00:33:11,791 --> 00:33:14,260 be further from the truth . You know , 827 00:33:14,270 --> 00:33:17,569 each of our units , troops spent a 828 00:33:17,579 --> 00:33:20,760 couple of hours talking about a number 829 00:33:20,770 --> 00:33:23,500 of things . We've always had 830 00:33:23,510 --> 00:33:26,250 regulations against extremist behavior . 831 00:33:26,689 --> 00:33:30,630 And you've heard me say that 99.9% 832 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,359 of our troops are focused on the right 833 00:33:33,369 --> 00:33:35,930 things each and every day . But in this 834 00:33:35,939 --> 00:33:39,579 case , a small set of actions 835 00:33:39,589 --> 00:33:43,500 can have outsized impact on the vaccine 836 00:33:43,510 --> 00:33:45,979 mandate , the vaccine mandate in my 837 00:33:45,989 --> 00:33:48,680 view , saved lives . Uh and it saved a 838 00:33:48,689 --> 00:33:52,140 lot of lives . And , and uh and so , um 839 00:33:52,199 --> 00:33:55,550 you know , I I uh we , we don't see a 840 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,770 strong correlation between uh vaccine 841 00:33:58,780 --> 00:34:01,800 mandate and recruiting and we don't see 842 00:34:01,810 --> 00:34:03,810 that because we've done the surveys 843 00:34:03,810 --> 00:34:06,260 that indicate that that's just not uh 844 00:34:06,270 --> 00:34:08,214 not true that there's not a strong 845 00:34:08,214 --> 00:34:11,139 correlation . Now , on the issue of uh 846 00:34:11,149 --> 00:34:14,719 of providing noncovered 847 00:34:14,729 --> 00:34:17,399 reproductive health care for our women , 848 00:34:17,820 --> 00:34:20,260 I would just say Senator , one in 849 00:34:20,270 --> 00:34:22,449 almost one in five of our troops are 850 00:34:22,459 --> 00:34:25,229 women and , and they don't get a chance 851 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:27,639 to choose where they're stationed . So 852 00:34:27,649 --> 00:34:30,709 almost 80,000 of our women are 853 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,729 stationed in places where they don't 854 00:34:33,739 --> 00:34:36,399 have access to non covered reproductive 855 00:34:36,409 --> 00:34:39,229 health care . And I , I heard from our 856 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:41,320 troops , I heard from our senior 857 00:34:41,330 --> 00:34:45,090 leaders , I heard from uh from our , 858 00:34:45,100 --> 00:34:47,550 our , our chiefs and also our 859 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:51,080 secretaries . And , and this policy is 860 00:34:51,090 --> 00:34:54,688 based on a strong legal 861 00:34:54,698 --> 00:34:58,138 ground and it is not a law , it is a 862 00:34:58,148 --> 00:35:00,708 policy . And so , you know , we 863 00:35:00,718 --> 00:35:02,551 obviously don't pass laws in the 864 00:35:02,551 --> 00:35:05,198 Department of Defense . But again , I 865 00:35:05,208 --> 00:35:08,079 assure you that we have great respect 866 00:35:08,089 --> 00:35:10,311 for this body , Congress and we will do 867 00:35:10,311 --> 00:35:12,311 everything within our power to make 868 00:35:12,311 --> 00:35:14,256 sure that we continue to work with 869 00:35:14,256 --> 00:35:16,422 Congress . Again , you supported us in 870 00:35:16,422 --> 00:35:18,311 a number of ways , Senator , I am 871 00:35:18,311 --> 00:35:20,367 personally grateful for that support 872 00:35:20,367 --> 00:35:22,533 and I know my colleagues are as well . 873 00:35:22,533 --> 00:35:26,209 But thank you . Uh Let me recognize uh 874 00:35:26,219 --> 00:35:28,439 Senator Manchin . Thank you , Mr 875 00:35:28,449 --> 00:35:30,560 Chairman . I want to thank all of you 876 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,560 for your service and for being here 877 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:34,616 today to testify . I first wanted to 878 00:35:34,616 --> 00:35:36,782 say to General Milley , I wanna take a 879 00:35:36,782 --> 00:35:38,893 moment to thank you for your 43 years 880 00:35:38,893 --> 00:35:38,719 of service , the commitment to our 881 00:35:38,729 --> 00:35:40,451 country and the dedication and 882 00:35:40,451 --> 00:35:42,673 sacrifice your family has made for that 883 00:35:42,673 --> 00:35:44,959 with you able to serve . And I look 884 00:35:44,969 --> 00:35:46,913 forward to you having enjoyment in 885 00:35:46,913 --> 00:35:49,500 retirement and your second career . I 886 00:35:49,510 --> 00:35:51,399 know whatever it'll be , it'll be 887 00:35:51,399 --> 00:35:53,510 something special and we look forward 888 00:35:53,510 --> 00:35:55,510 to continuing to work with you . Um 889 00:35:57,090 --> 00:35:59,620 Secretary Austin , uh multiple sources 890 00:35:59,629 --> 00:36:02,110 including retired general officers and 891 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:05,010 National Defense Industrial Association , 892 00:36:05,020 --> 00:36:07,020 American Enterprise Institute . And 893 00:36:07,020 --> 00:36:09,076 your colleague , Mr mccord , uh have 894 00:36:09,076 --> 00:36:11,131 all recognized the damage failing to 895 00:36:11,131 --> 00:36:13,187 pass a budget on time as both in our 896 00:36:13,187 --> 00:36:15,298 national security and the taxpayers . 897 00:36:15,298 --> 00:36:17,298 Uh What I'm trying to get to and Mr 898 00:36:17,298 --> 00:36:19,520 mccord , no one knows better than you . 899 00:36:19,520 --> 00:36:21,860 How damaging delays in C R S ? Have 900 00:36:21,870 --> 00:36:23,981 they been previously ? You noted that 901 00:36:23,981 --> 00:36:25,949 from fiscal year 91 to 2010 , the 902 00:36:25,959 --> 00:36:28,290 average delay for defense appropriation 903 00:36:28,300 --> 00:36:31,000 was 29 days . That was between 904 00:36:31,010 --> 00:36:34,149 1991 and 2010 . And that has since 905 00:36:34,159 --> 00:36:38,110 ballooned out to 118 days . Also , 906 00:36:38,120 --> 00:36:39,953 we're talking about the American 907 00:36:39,953 --> 00:36:42,176 Enterprise Institute . They threw out a 908 00:36:42,176 --> 00:36:44,453 rough estimate of $200 million per day , 909 00:36:44,689 --> 00:36:46,909 200 million per day under the latest 910 00:36:46,919 --> 00:36:49,086 continuing resolution that covered the 911 00:36:49,086 --> 00:36:52,429 start of fiscal year 2023 , that has a 912 00:36:52,439 --> 00:36:55,040 total of $18 billion . 913 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,310 So I guess what I'm asking is , uh both 914 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:02,110 of yours uh and , and Mr mccord's uh 915 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:04,560 commitment to , to get Congress all of 916 00:37:04,570 --> 00:37:06,626 you to do accurate . I mean , I know 917 00:37:06,626 --> 00:37:08,626 you come in here and you preach the 918 00:37:08,626 --> 00:37:10,848 high heavens and we seem to not take it 919 00:37:10,848 --> 00:37:12,959 seriously at all . We're talking real 920 00:37:12,959 --> 00:37:14,959 dollars now , real dollars and they 921 00:37:14,959 --> 00:37:17,070 think that basically the budget keeps 922 00:37:17,070 --> 00:37:19,181 ballooning out of , uh , out of sight 923 00:37:19,181 --> 00:37:21,292 and we have no oversight whatsoever . 924 00:37:21,292 --> 00:37:23,540 If we , as Congress just did our job on 925 00:37:23,550 --> 00:37:25,649 time , we're told overall you could 926 00:37:25,659 --> 00:37:28,250 save anywhere between 5 to 10% of the 927 00:37:28,260 --> 00:37:31,169 request you have . That's 40 to $80 928 00:37:31,179 --> 00:37:33,929 billion a year . Is that an accurate 929 00:37:33,939 --> 00:37:36,639 statement ? I , I , I think so . I , I 930 00:37:36,649 --> 00:37:39,500 defer to uh Secretary mccord for exact 931 00:37:39,770 --> 00:37:43,070 figures , but let him but , but uh uh 932 00:37:43,090 --> 00:37:44,969 you you're absolutely right . Uh 933 00:37:44,979 --> 00:37:47,840 Senator and you heard me say uh in my 934 00:37:47,850 --> 00:37:50,072 opening statement that the , you know , 935 00:37:50,072 --> 00:37:52,989 the , the best way that uh Congress can 936 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,111 help us in this year going forward is 937 00:37:55,111 --> 00:37:56,833 to try to get an on time uh uh 938 00:37:56,833 --> 00:38:00,110 appropriation uh done . Uh you know , 939 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:02,342 without that , we can't do new starts , 940 00:38:02,342 --> 00:38:04,398 we can't do a number of things and , 941 00:38:04,398 --> 00:38:06,564 and you can't get that time back , you 942 00:38:06,564 --> 00:38:08,787 know , it's , it's gone and , and , and 943 00:38:08,787 --> 00:38:11,009 so that puts us further behind in terms 944 00:38:11,009 --> 00:38:12,731 of our competition with , with 945 00:38:12,731 --> 00:38:16,570 adversaries like China Mr Secretary M I 946 00:38:16,580 --> 00:38:18,929 would concur your figures are accurate . 947 00:38:18,939 --> 00:38:21,106 Uh Senator and as the secretary said , 948 00:38:21,106 --> 00:38:23,217 we can't buy back time with money and 949 00:38:23,217 --> 00:38:25,383 that goes on the readiness side with a 950 00:38:25,383 --> 00:38:27,669 miss training rotation uh due to 951 00:38:27,679 --> 00:38:29,901 shortage of funds , but it's especially 952 00:38:29,901 --> 00:38:32,012 harmful on the contracting side . And 953 00:38:32,012 --> 00:38:34,068 we've got areas like the triad where 954 00:38:34,068 --> 00:38:36,123 we're trying to move the bomber into 955 00:38:36,123 --> 00:38:38,290 low rate production uh that we can't , 956 00:38:38,290 --> 00:38:40,457 we can't take those next steps under C 957 00:38:40,457 --> 00:38:42,623 R as , as you know , and that's that , 958 00:38:42,623 --> 00:38:44,790 that's uh the biggest lost opportunity 959 00:38:44,790 --> 00:38:46,846 that comes in moving forward where , 960 00:38:46,846 --> 00:38:46,379 where we're constrained legally . So 961 00:38:46,389 --> 00:38:48,389 basically , we have nonproductive , 962 00:38:48,389 --> 00:38:50,290 nonproductive money that we are 963 00:38:50,300 --> 00:38:52,520 appropriating . That's used basically 964 00:38:52,530 --> 00:38:54,586 to make up for the inefficiencies of 965 00:38:54,586 --> 00:38:56,752 Congress because of our budget process 966 00:38:57,350 --> 00:38:59,461 without you having to say anything or 967 00:38:59,461 --> 00:39:01,461 confirm that that's what I'm taking 968 00:39:01,461 --> 00:39:03,683 away from this little conversation that 969 00:39:03,683 --> 00:39:05,850 we've had . And I'm doing everything I 970 00:39:05,850 --> 00:39:08,128 can to make sure we do our job on time . 971 00:39:08,128 --> 00:39:10,294 You know , by April 1st , by Law House 972 00:39:10,294 --> 00:39:12,461 in a sense , supposed to have a budget 973 00:39:12,461 --> 00:39:14,572 by April 15th by law , we're supposed 974 00:39:14,572 --> 00:39:16,572 to have one reconciled by September 975 00:39:16,572 --> 00:39:18,628 30th by law we're supposed to pass , 976 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:21,096 that would change the course of what 977 00:39:21,096 --> 00:39:23,040 we're doing and how we're spending 978 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:24,984 right now tremendously rather than 979 00:39:24,984 --> 00:39:27,207 cutting anything just being efficient . 980 00:39:27,207 --> 00:39:26,659 So I would hope that we would all take 981 00:39:26,669 --> 00:39:28,840 that seriously . General Milley , as 982 00:39:28,850 --> 00:39:30,961 you know , since the beginning of the 983 00:39:30,961 --> 00:39:33,017 Putin's illegal war in Ukraine , the 984 00:39:33,017 --> 00:39:34,794 United States has provided over 985 00:39:34,794 --> 00:39:36,850 $76 billion and justified funding to 986 00:39:36,850 --> 00:39:38,961 support Ukraine and both the military 987 00:39:38,961 --> 00:39:41,072 defense of their people and freedom , 988 00:39:41,072 --> 00:39:41,050 but also humanitarian and 989 00:39:41,060 --> 00:39:43,227 infrastructure support . Can you speak 990 00:39:43,227 --> 00:39:46,060 to your confidence in the US NATO , 991 00:39:46,070 --> 00:39:48,649 Ukrainian weapons accountability and 992 00:39:48,659 --> 00:39:51,889 possibly elaborate on the joint 993 00:39:51,899 --> 00:39:54,159 strategic oversight plan was announced 994 00:39:54,169 --> 00:39:56,336 that was announced by this year by the 995 00:39:56,336 --> 00:39:59,060 inspector generals of the Dod State 996 00:39:59,070 --> 00:40:01,939 Department and USA ID . They all as you 997 00:40:01,949 --> 00:40:04,889 know , Senator , we do not have any 998 00:40:04,899 --> 00:40:07,500 uniformed troops or civilians for that 999 00:40:07,510 --> 00:40:09,677 matter , accompanying Ukrainian forces 1000 00:40:09,677 --> 00:40:11,770 in the front line . We do have folks 1001 00:40:11,780 --> 00:40:13,891 working out of the embassy so they're 1002 00:40:13,891 --> 00:40:15,836 working at the Ministry of Defense 1003 00:40:15,836 --> 00:40:18,439 level and that's as far as our hands on 1004 00:40:18,449 --> 00:40:20,560 accountability goes , we do have some 1005 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:24,159 other means through reporting that 1006 00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:26,542 the Ukrainians report to us and I'll be 1007 00:40:26,542 --> 00:40:28,209 happy to talk about that in a 1008 00:40:28,209 --> 00:40:30,431 classified session . But there are some 1009 00:40:30,431 --> 00:40:32,209 means and mechanisms doing some 1010 00:40:32,209 --> 00:40:34,376 accountability . It is not as rigorous 1011 00:40:34,376 --> 00:40:36,598 as you might think . Uh But I think the 1012 00:40:36,598 --> 00:40:38,487 the biggest uh way to measure the 1013 00:40:38,487 --> 00:40:38,280 accountability of effectiveness on the 1014 00:40:38,290 --> 00:40:40,429 Russian forces , uh these antitank 1015 00:40:40,439 --> 00:40:42,606 munitions . This artillery is having a 1016 00:40:42,606 --> 00:40:44,828 devastating effect on the Russians . As 1017 00:40:44,828 --> 00:40:47,050 you know , publicly , the Russians have 1018 00:40:47,050 --> 00:40:49,106 well over 200,000 casualties . Their 1019 00:40:49,106 --> 00:40:50,883 offensive aspirations have come 1020 00:40:50,883 --> 00:40:52,550 essentially to a halt . Their 1021 00:40:52,550 --> 00:40:54,661 capabilities have been . Their ground 1022 00:40:54,661 --> 00:40:56,828 forces have been absolutely impaled on 1023 00:40:56,828 --> 00:40:58,883 this Ukrainian Bat so to speak . And 1024 00:40:58,883 --> 00:41:00,939 that is largely due to the resources 1025 00:41:00,939 --> 00:41:02,772 that the United States and other 1026 00:41:02,772 --> 00:41:04,995 countries have provided . So , although 1027 00:41:04,995 --> 00:41:06,939 we don't have by name , do sort of 1028 00:41:06,939 --> 00:41:08,550 accountability , show number 1029 00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:08,520 accountability . You can see the 1030 00:41:08,530 --> 00:41:10,530 accountability on the battlefield . 1031 00:41:10,530 --> 00:41:12,530 Yeah , my time is running out . I'd 1032 00:41:12,530 --> 00:41:14,586 love to ask you about the EU F . I'm 1033 00:41:14,586 --> 00:41:14,350 sure you probably talked about the E M 1034 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,527 F before I got here . But thank you so 1035 00:41:16,527 --> 00:41:18,582 much . I appreciate it . Thank you , 1036 00:41:18,582 --> 00:41:20,582 Senator Manchin . Senator Schmidt , 1037 00:41:20,582 --> 00:41:23,899 please . Uh Thank you , Mr Chairman , 1038 00:41:24,290 --> 00:41:27,310 um Secretary Austin and by the way , 1039 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:29,376 both for both of you . Thank you for 1040 00:41:29,376 --> 00:41:31,598 your service to the country . We really 1041 00:41:31,598 --> 00:41:33,709 do appreciate it . I do , I know I do 1042 00:41:33,709 --> 00:41:35,820 the folks back home do . Uh Secretary 1043 00:41:35,820 --> 00:41:37,709 Austin . I wanted to um ask you a 1044 00:41:37,709 --> 00:41:40,610 couple of questions , um sort of along 1045 00:41:40,620 --> 00:41:42,530 the lines of , of what uh Senator 1046 00:41:42,540 --> 00:41:45,949 Tuberville asked you mentioned earlier 1047 00:41:45,959 --> 00:41:48,126 that you didn't want to spend a lot of 1048 00:41:48,126 --> 00:41:50,348 time and you thought that it was a drag 1049 00:41:50,348 --> 00:41:52,292 on our , on our force and spending 1050 00:41:52,292 --> 00:41:51,860 money on things that don't make us a 1051 00:41:51,870 --> 00:41:54,110 fighting force . You just mentioned 1052 00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:55,953 that you don't get the time back 1053 00:41:57,729 --> 00:42:00,699 with the , uh the stand down day to 1054 00:42:00,709 --> 00:42:03,590 address extremism that cost the 1055 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:05,969 military and taxpayers nearly 5.4 1056 00:42:05,979 --> 00:42:09,550 million man hours . And as we talk 1057 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:12,179 about recruitment , I think it is 1058 00:42:12,189 --> 00:42:14,310 completely naive to , to when we talk 1059 00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:16,699 about the numbers to separate the 1060 00:42:16,709 --> 00:42:20,139 challenges that we have now from the , 1061 00:42:20,149 --> 00:42:22,209 the , the politics , the divisive 1062 00:42:22,219 --> 00:42:24,275 politics that have been injected now 1063 00:42:24,275 --> 00:42:26,497 into the military . The military stands 1064 00:42:26,497 --> 00:42:28,663 as this great meritocracy where people 1065 00:42:28,663 --> 00:42:30,552 can achieve great things . But by 1066 00:42:30,552 --> 00:42:32,699 infusing divisive D E I trainings by 1067 00:42:32,709 --> 00:42:35,169 infusing abortion politics , by 1068 00:42:35,179 --> 00:42:38,300 infusing COVID vaccine mandates . It 1069 00:42:38,310 --> 00:42:40,421 has created division in the ranks and 1070 00:42:40,421 --> 00:42:42,310 we have heard from those military 1071 00:42:42,310 --> 00:42:44,540 members and I sent you a letter last 1072 00:42:44,550 --> 00:42:48,189 week and I wanna ask you , we 1073 00:42:48,199 --> 00:42:50,310 talked about in the letter referenced 1074 00:42:50,310 --> 00:42:53,639 the $86.5 million for dedicated 1075 00:42:53,649 --> 00:42:57,040 diversity and inclusion activities . I 1076 00:42:57,050 --> 00:42:59,272 want to ask you here today , how many D 1077 00:42:59,272 --> 00:43:01,217 E I related positions exist in the 1078 00:43:01,217 --> 00:43:05,070 Department of Defense ? I I can't 1079 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,136 speak to that specific number . I'll 1080 00:43:07,136 --> 00:43:09,302 take that question for the record with 1081 00:43:09,302 --> 00:43:12,870 your permission . Uh Senator um and , 1082 00:43:12,879 --> 00:43:15,030 and in terms of that number , um 1083 00:43:16,750 --> 00:43:20,260 it's a small percentage of uh an $842 1084 00:43:20,270 --> 00:43:22,750 billion budget . Um And , and I would 1085 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:24,927 just further point out with respect to 1086 00:43:24,927 --> 00:43:27,629 D E I I , I think , you know , Senator , 1087 00:43:27,639 --> 00:43:31,250 that Congress requires that we have AD 1088 00:43:31,260 --> 00:43:34,969 E I program uh in the 2020 N D A , 1089 00:43:35,429 --> 00:43:39,399 uh it states the 1090 00:43:39,409 --> 00:43:41,520 Secretary of Defense shall design and 1091 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:43,576 implement a five year strategic plan 1092 00:43:43,576 --> 00:43:45,520 for diversity and inclusion in the 1093 00:43:45,520 --> 00:43:47,798 Department of Defense . Yeah , I don't , 1094 00:43:47,798 --> 00:43:49,965 but I don't know what these activities 1095 00:43:49,965 --> 00:43:49,649 are , which is the purpose of the 1096 00:43:49,659 --> 00:43:52,830 letter . I don't know what materials 1097 00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:54,896 are being submitted . We looked . So 1098 00:43:54,896 --> 00:43:56,784 hopefully the the response to the 1099 00:43:56,784 --> 00:43:59,007 letter will be in fact be responsive to 1100 00:43:59,007 --> 00:44:01,118 what actually is being pushed uh with 1101 00:44:01,118 --> 00:44:03,284 these so called trainings . And then I 1102 00:44:03,284 --> 00:44:05,229 do want to ask you . So there were 1103 00:44:05,229 --> 00:44:08,629 nearly 17,000 , well , there are over 1104 00:44:08,639 --> 00:44:11,739 8000 military men and women who lost 1105 00:44:11,750 --> 00:44:13,972 their jobs because of the COVID vaccine 1106 00:44:13,972 --> 00:44:16,194 mandate . Is that correct ? Uh That's , 1107 00:44:16,194 --> 00:44:18,306 that's , that's about right . OK . So 1108 00:44:18,306 --> 00:44:20,472 we talk about recruitment challenges . 1109 00:44:20,472 --> 00:44:22,639 Are you actively going after to try to 1110 00:44:22,639 --> 00:44:24,639 get those 8000 people back ? They , 1111 00:44:24,639 --> 00:44:26,861 they have a uh they have the ability to 1112 00:44:26,861 --> 00:44:28,972 uh Well , right now , I'm asking what 1113 00:44:28,972 --> 00:44:30,806 are your efforts ? They have the 1114 00:44:30,806 --> 00:44:32,583 ability to reapply for , for uh 1115 00:44:32,583 --> 00:44:34,750 readmission . Are you recruiting these 1116 00:44:34,750 --> 00:44:36,861 folks ? Are you not recruiting them ? 1117 00:44:36,861 --> 00:44:38,972 But they have the ability ? 8000 well 1118 00:44:38,972 --> 00:44:41,139 trained folks , we , we are recruiting 1119 00:44:41,139 --> 00:44:43,361 new recruits ? OK . And so what happens 1120 00:44:43,361 --> 00:44:45,770 now to the remaining several 1000 who 1121 00:44:45,780 --> 00:44:48,669 uh , didn't get the vaccine . Are you 1122 00:44:48,679 --> 00:44:50,512 intending to fire them as well ? 1123 00:44:52,540 --> 00:44:54,596 There are several folks that weren't 1124 00:44:54,596 --> 00:44:56,651 immediately dismissed who refuse the 1125 00:44:56,651 --> 00:44:58,984 vaccine ? They're still in the military . 1126 00:44:58,984 --> 00:45:01,207 Are you planning to fire those folks as 1127 00:45:01,207 --> 00:45:03,262 well ? Vaccine mandate ? Senator has 1128 00:45:03,262 --> 00:45:05,596 been rescind ? So you don't , you ? Now , 1129 00:45:05,596 --> 00:45:05,429 even though they were refusing when you 1130 00:45:05,439 --> 00:45:07,790 did have the policy ? That's right . So 1131 00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:09,800 your commitment here today is those 1132 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:12,078 folks are not going to lose their jobs , 1133 00:45:12,209 --> 00:45:14,320 not for a vaccine mandate . Senator . 1134 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:16,431 Ok . Well , I would submit that . I'd 1135 00:45:16,431 --> 00:45:18,431 like to go back to the five million 1136 00:45:18,431 --> 00:45:20,653 hours that you mentioned . And I'd like 1137 00:45:20,653 --> 00:45:22,820 to ask the chairman who submitted that 1138 00:45:22,820 --> 00:45:24,876 number where that number came from . 1139 00:45:24,876 --> 00:45:27,098 We'd be happy to back it up if you take 1140 00:45:27,098 --> 00:45:26,629 uh the stand down day by the number of 1141 00:45:26,639 --> 00:45:28,729 folks that didn't work that day , 1142 00:45:29,209 --> 00:45:31,209 that's where we get the number . So 1143 00:45:31,209 --> 00:45:33,542 we'd be happy to follow up specifically . 1144 00:45:33,542 --> 00:45:35,598 I do have a question that's , that's 1145 00:45:35,598 --> 00:45:37,653 not accurate . Senator . Ok . Well , 1146 00:45:37,653 --> 00:45:39,765 how maybe you can answer how many man 1147 00:45:39,765 --> 00:45:39,679 hours were sacrificed that day ? You 1148 00:45:39,689 --> 00:45:41,745 just testified . You can't get those 1149 00:45:41,745 --> 00:45:43,578 hours back . How many hours were 1150 00:45:43,578 --> 00:45:45,745 sacrificed on the stand down day ? Let 1151 00:45:45,745 --> 00:45:45,320 me ask him to tell you where the 1152 00:45:45,330 --> 00:45:47,441 numbers came from . Ok . Well , maybe 1153 00:45:47,441 --> 00:45:49,663 you can get us those numbers when you , 1154 00:45:49,663 --> 00:45:51,886 when you respond to the letters also as 1155 00:45:51,886 --> 00:45:54,219 simple as this , you know , they , when , 1156 00:45:54,219 --> 00:45:56,441 when asked to provide that number , his 1157 00:45:56,441 --> 00:45:58,489 uh his approach was , there are 2.1 1158 00:45:58,500 --> 00:46:01,080 million troops , each one , each troop 1159 00:46:01,090 --> 00:46:03,280 spent uh , two hours and that's where 1160 00:46:03,290 --> 00:46:05,512 the number comes from . Ok . Well , you 1161 00:46:05,512 --> 00:46:07,401 can't get the time back , right . 1162 00:46:07,401 --> 00:46:06,979 Whatever that number was , you can't 1163 00:46:06,989 --> 00:46:08,822 get that time back . Two hours . 1164 00:46:08,822 --> 00:46:10,767 Generally , I do want to ask you a 1165 00:46:10,767 --> 00:46:12,878 question because I'm , I'm limited on 1166 00:46:12,878 --> 00:46:14,989 time . I do want to ask you about the 1167 00:46:14,989 --> 00:46:17,211 Philippines . Um , which , uh , I think 1168 00:46:17,211 --> 00:46:17,020 you had mentioned in your previous 1169 00:46:17,350 --> 00:46:19,939 remarks about uh that strength , that 1170 00:46:19,949 --> 00:46:22,116 relationship continues to grow , which 1171 00:46:22,116 --> 00:46:24,227 I personally think is critical in the 1172 00:46:24,227 --> 00:46:26,489 Indo Pacific . Can you talk about what 1173 00:46:26,500 --> 00:46:28,611 some of those efforts where you think 1174 00:46:28,611 --> 00:46:30,611 that's headed ? I think as we , you 1175 00:46:30,611 --> 00:46:32,778 know , obviously the , the allies that 1176 00:46:32,778 --> 00:46:32,770 talked about the most Japan Australia 1177 00:46:32,780 --> 00:46:35,002 and India . But I think the Philippines 1178 00:46:35,002 --> 00:46:37,224 are critical . Could you talk about the 1179 00:46:37,224 --> 00:46:39,336 strategic value of strengthening that 1180 00:46:39,336 --> 00:46:41,447 relationship ? I can senator . Uh But 1181 00:46:41,447 --> 00:46:43,558 just point of clarification , uh it's 1182 00:46:43,558 --> 00:46:45,613 2.1 million , two hours affected two 1183 00:46:45,620 --> 00:46:47,929 hours per person . That's for the 5.4 1184 00:46:47,939 --> 00:46:50,889 million , that's out of 2.8 billion man 1185 00:46:50,899 --> 00:46:53,010 hours available affected on a 10 hour 1186 00:46:53,010 --> 00:46:55,177 work day , five days a week for the US 1187 00:46:55,177 --> 00:46:57,232 military ? Ok . Well , we're talking 1188 00:46:57,232 --> 00:46:59,455 about dollars or hours . Millions still 1189 00:46:59,455 --> 00:47:01,677 matter . No , no folks that I represent 1190 00:47:01,677 --> 00:47:03,955 think a million is a big number . Yeah , 1191 00:47:03,955 --> 00:47:06,010 I'm just saying what the , where the 1192 00:47:06,010 --> 00:47:08,177 math came from . Um And , and on the , 1193 00:47:08,177 --> 00:47:10,232 on the Philippines but in broad more 1194 00:47:10,232 --> 00:47:12,121 broadly than the Philippines , uh 1195 00:47:12,121 --> 00:47:14,232 generally the Western Pacific . Uh It 1196 00:47:14,232 --> 00:47:16,343 is my view that uh China is you heard 1197 00:47:16,343 --> 00:47:18,399 it in the opening statement uh is uh 1198 00:47:18,399 --> 00:47:20,510 trying to become the regional hegemon 1199 00:47:20,510 --> 00:47:22,788 uh within perhaps 10 or 15 years or so . 1200 00:47:22,788 --> 00:47:24,677 And part of that , of course , is 1201 00:47:24,677 --> 00:47:26,899 putting the Philippines and other 1202 00:47:26,909 --> 00:47:29,040 countries in the region at a 1203 00:47:29,050 --> 00:47:31,272 disadvantage . Those countries want the 1204 00:47:31,272 --> 00:47:33,272 United States presence there . They 1205 00:47:33,272 --> 00:47:35,272 clearly do . Uh There's a really an 1206 00:47:35,272 --> 00:47:37,328 under reported arms race going on in 1207 00:47:37,328 --> 00:47:39,439 the Western Pacific right now , these 1208 00:47:39,439 --> 00:47:41,606 countries are arming themselves up and 1209 00:47:41,606 --> 00:47:43,939 they very much with very few exceptions , 1210 00:47:43,939 --> 00:47:43,709 want the United States there . That's 1211 00:47:43,719 --> 00:47:45,608 why the secretary traveled to the 1212 00:47:45,608 --> 00:47:47,775 Philippines . That's why we're looking 1213 00:47:47,775 --> 00:47:49,775 at uh access basing and oversight . 1214 00:47:49,775 --> 00:47:51,941 That's why we're looking at a reposing 1215 00:47:51,941 --> 00:47:51,840 in the Western Pacific . Uh It is a , 1216 00:47:51,850 --> 00:47:54,449 it is a design there uh to be forward 1217 00:47:54,459 --> 00:47:56,969 deployed in order to deter armed 1218 00:47:56,979 --> 00:47:58,979 conflict with a great power , great 1219 00:47:58,979 --> 00:48:00,923 power being China in this case and 1220 00:48:00,923 --> 00:48:03,090 deter Chinese aggression , not only in 1221 00:48:03,090 --> 00:48:04,868 the Western Pacific but perhaps 1222 00:48:04,868 --> 00:48:06,868 elsewhere . So these are all linked 1223 00:48:06,868 --> 00:48:09,090 together , tied together . There's many 1224 00:48:09,090 --> 00:48:10,923 other initiatives ongoing by the 1225 00:48:10,923 --> 00:48:13,146 services and also by other countries as 1226 00:48:13,146 --> 00:48:15,146 well . But it's really critical and 1227 00:48:15,146 --> 00:48:14,784 it's really critical that we get it 1228 00:48:14,794 --> 00:48:16,905 done , right . Uh And we need to move 1229 00:48:16,905 --> 00:48:19,127 out with a sense of urgency because the 1230 00:48:19,127 --> 00:48:21,183 next five years I think are gonna be 1231 00:48:21,183 --> 00:48:23,127 determinative uh of uh really what 1232 00:48:23,127 --> 00:48:24,738 comes in the future with our 1233 00:48:24,738 --> 00:48:26,850 relationship with China . Thank you , 1234 00:48:26,850 --> 00:48:29,540 General Senator Peters , please . Thank 1235 00:48:29,550 --> 00:48:31,661 you , Mr Chairman and uh uh the three 1236 00:48:31,661 --> 00:48:33,383 of you . Thank you uh for your 1237 00:48:33,383 --> 00:48:35,494 testimony here today and uh thank you 1238 00:48:35,494 --> 00:48:37,717 for the , the work you do . I also want 1239 00:48:37,717 --> 00:48:39,939 to begin by commending the department's 1240 00:48:39,939 --> 00:48:42,161 efforts to invest in and uh incentivize 1241 00:48:42,161 --> 00:48:43,899 funding to build semiconductor 1242 00:48:43,949 --> 00:48:46,419 manufacturing facilities and advanced 1243 00:48:46,429 --> 00:48:48,596 research and development activities at 1244 00:48:48,596 --> 00:48:51,000 both the national and the regional uh 1245 00:48:51,010 --> 00:48:53,600 levels . Under Secretary mccord , uh 1246 00:48:53,610 --> 00:48:56,100 could you uh speak to how the fiscal 1247 00:48:56,110 --> 00:48:58,810 year 24 dod budget request takes 1248 00:48:58,820 --> 00:49:00,598 advantage of the chips Act that 1249 00:49:00,598 --> 00:49:03,300 Congress passed recently , that funding 1250 00:49:03,310 --> 00:49:05,477 and makes the necessary investments to 1251 00:49:05,477 --> 00:49:07,532 ensure that we have both a resilient 1252 00:49:07,532 --> 00:49:10,679 and a robust domestic micro electronics 1253 00:49:10,689 --> 00:49:13,379 manufacturing ecosystem for both state 1254 00:49:13,389 --> 00:49:16,479 of the art , as well as legacy chips . 1255 00:49:18,060 --> 00:49:20,282 Thank you , Senator First . I just want 1256 00:49:20,282 --> 00:49:22,171 to say that the uh the department 1257 00:49:22,171 --> 00:49:24,004 really appreciates congressional 1258 00:49:24,004 --> 00:49:23,929 leadership on the chips act that it 1259 00:49:23,939 --> 00:49:26,570 really speaks to the recognition of the 1260 00:49:26,580 --> 00:49:28,802 the whole of government approach needed 1261 00:49:28,802 --> 00:49:31,620 with China uh chips is is separate from 1262 00:49:31,629 --> 00:49:33,851 our budget in the sense that it's now a 1263 00:49:33,851 --> 00:49:36,310 standalone authorization we had prior 1264 00:49:36,320 --> 00:49:39,040 to that in the 22 23 budgets started a 1265 00:49:39,050 --> 00:49:41,639 pretty robust microelectronics uh 1266 00:49:41,679 --> 00:49:43,846 effort under Secretary Austin that was 1267 00:49:43,846 --> 00:49:45,846 really tied to the defense specific 1268 00:49:45,846 --> 00:49:47,957 capabilities like radiation hardening 1269 00:49:47,957 --> 00:49:50,068 what we're doing with chips on top of 1270 00:49:50,068 --> 00:49:52,068 that then is is really that broader 1271 00:49:52,068 --> 00:49:54,235 industrial base . The fabrication labs 1272 00:49:54,235 --> 00:49:56,401 to fabs . Uh I understand that that is 1273 00:49:56,401 --> 00:49:58,739 now uh we're now in our request for 1274 00:49:58,750 --> 00:50:01,360 solutions source selection for the 1275 00:50:01,370 --> 00:50:03,481 proposals that went out in that first 1276 00:50:03,481 --> 00:50:05,481 year of chips that Congress created 1277 00:50:05,481 --> 00:50:07,703 last year . So we're , we're moving out 1278 00:50:07,703 --> 00:50:09,481 now on source selection to , to 1279 00:50:09,481 --> 00:50:11,537 actually build out that capability . 1280 00:50:11,537 --> 00:50:13,703 And then that again , that sits on top 1281 00:50:13,703 --> 00:50:15,426 of the uh more defense pacific 1282 00:50:15,426 --> 00:50:17,426 microelectronics , which is over $2 1283 00:50:17,426 --> 00:50:19,979 billion in our budget . Thank you , 1284 00:50:19,989 --> 00:50:22,500 Secretary Austin . The development of 1285 00:50:22,510 --> 00:50:25,550 Taiwan's reserve military capacity is 1286 00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:27,671 without question . A key component of 1287 00:50:27,671 --> 00:50:29,727 ensuring that their military is well 1288 00:50:29,727 --> 00:50:31,949 prepared to deter and if needed to 1289 00:50:31,959 --> 00:50:35,100 defeat a potential PRC invasion of the 1290 00:50:35,110 --> 00:50:37,850 island . However , I remain concerned 1291 00:50:37,860 --> 00:50:40,082 that the department is not sufficiently 1292 00:50:40,082 --> 00:50:42,820 addressing the hardships that exist at 1293 00:50:42,830 --> 00:50:45,219 the authority and funding level with 1294 00:50:45,229 --> 00:50:47,219 increased mill to mill and mill 1295 00:50:47,229 --> 00:50:49,396 interactions between the United States 1296 00:50:49,396 --> 00:50:52,969 and 21 . Current policy restricts the 1297 00:50:52,979 --> 00:50:54,979 level of interaction that us forces 1298 00:50:54,979 --> 00:50:57,610 particularly the National Guard have 1299 00:50:57,620 --> 00:51:01,139 with Taiwan , both Kois and Otis . And 1300 00:51:01,149 --> 00:51:03,316 additionally , current restrictions do 1301 00:51:03,316 --> 00:51:05,316 not allow the Guard to consistently 1302 00:51:05,316 --> 00:51:07,205 engage with Taiwan under the same 1303 00:51:07,205 --> 00:51:09,260 authority that the state partnership 1304 00:51:09,260 --> 00:51:11,580 program utilizes . Rather other 1305 00:51:11,590 --> 00:51:14,459 authorities must be utilized to justify 1306 00:51:14,469 --> 00:51:16,580 and fund National Guard's involvement 1307 00:51:16,770 --> 00:51:19,100 in this strategic relationship . 1308 00:51:19,110 --> 00:51:20,888 Essentially what's happening is 1309 00:51:20,888 --> 00:51:22,820 creating this maze of funding and 1310 00:51:22,830 --> 00:51:25,419 authorities that restricts consistent 1311 00:51:25,429 --> 00:51:28,100 engagement that's so important and it 1312 00:51:28,110 --> 00:51:30,669 creates undue processes and procedures 1313 00:51:30,679 --> 00:51:33,100 to coordinate and fund cooperation . So 1314 00:51:33,110 --> 00:51:35,332 my question for you sir is , how is the 1315 00:51:35,332 --> 00:51:37,332 department reassessing the relevant 1316 00:51:37,332 --> 00:51:39,332 authorities and lines of funding to 1317 00:51:39,332 --> 00:51:41,388 help streamline the National Guard's 1318 00:51:41,388 --> 00:51:43,610 ability to support security cooperation 1319 00:51:43,610 --> 00:51:47,459 efforts with Taiwan . We're taking a 1320 00:51:47,469 --> 00:51:49,636 hard thanks , Senator . We're taking a 1321 00:51:49,636 --> 00:51:51,840 hard look at , you know , all the 1322 00:51:51,850 --> 00:51:55,790 things that we can do to increase 1323 00:51:55,800 --> 00:51:58,590 the capability and their reserve forces . 1324 00:51:58,600 --> 00:52:00,656 You're right , Senator . This is a , 1325 00:52:00,656 --> 00:52:02,989 this is critical for them going forward . 1326 00:52:02,989 --> 00:52:05,949 Our Guard has done amazing work with 1327 00:52:05,959 --> 00:52:08,070 other countries across the across the 1328 00:52:08,070 --> 00:52:10,126 globe . Most recent example , as you 1329 00:52:10,126 --> 00:52:12,060 know is the work that they did in 1330 00:52:12,070 --> 00:52:15,750 Ukraine prior to this invasion . And 1331 00:52:15,760 --> 00:52:18,570 so that kind of engagement we think is 1332 00:52:18,580 --> 00:52:20,691 critical . So we're going to continue 1333 00:52:20,691 --> 00:52:24,090 to find ways to make sure that we're 1334 00:52:24,100 --> 00:52:26,750 helping as much as we can in accordance 1335 00:52:26,760 --> 00:52:29,419 with the Taiwan Relations Act . And so 1336 00:52:29,699 --> 00:52:32,979 we'll re look all of our policies and 1337 00:52:32,989 --> 00:52:35,540 authorities to make sure that we can 1338 00:52:35,550 --> 00:52:37,969 streamline this as best possible . In 1339 00:52:37,979 --> 00:52:40,146 the meantime , we're gonna continue to 1340 00:52:40,146 --> 00:52:42,146 do what we're doing to increase our 1341 00:52:42,146 --> 00:52:46,070 capability on Saturday . Russia accused 1342 00:52:46,080 --> 00:52:48,459 Azerbaijan of violating the ceasefire 1343 00:52:48,469 --> 00:52:51,570 which ended the 2020 war with Armenia . 1344 00:52:51,719 --> 00:52:54,139 This comes as Azerbaijan has blockaded 1345 00:52:54,149 --> 00:52:56,260 the Lean Corridor and more than three 1346 00:52:56,260 --> 00:52:58,149 months for more than three months 1347 00:52:58,149 --> 00:53:00,038 leading to what is a humanitarian 1348 00:53:00,038 --> 00:53:03,090 crisis in ? I recently wrote to you and 1349 00:53:03,100 --> 00:53:05,267 Secretary Blinken regarding the use of 1350 00:53:05,267 --> 00:53:08,110 Section 97 waiver authority and the 1351 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:10,840 potential effects of us support in that 1352 00:53:10,850 --> 00:53:12,961 conflict . My question for you is the 1353 00:53:12,961 --> 00:53:15,280 military , is us military aid , 1354 00:53:15,290 --> 00:53:18,120 supporting the Azerbaijan military and 1355 00:53:18,129 --> 00:53:20,300 enabling their aggression against 1356 00:53:20,310 --> 00:53:24,040 Armenia . We are clearly not enabling 1357 00:53:24,050 --> 00:53:26,459 aggression , Senator . And as you know , 1358 00:53:26,469 --> 00:53:29,540 we have had a relationship with 1359 00:53:29,669 --> 00:53:33,010 them and we have provided 1360 00:53:33,020 --> 00:53:35,610 assistance in some cases , but in all 1361 00:53:35,620 --> 00:53:38,639 cases in use , monitoring is really 1362 00:53:38,649 --> 00:53:40,649 important and we've been focused on 1363 00:53:40,649 --> 00:53:42,649 that . So we've taken a responsible 1364 00:53:42,649 --> 00:53:44,816 approach to this and again , we do not 1365 00:53:44,816 --> 00:53:48,459 support , will not support aggressive 1366 00:53:48,469 --> 00:53:51,439 activity . Thank you . Thank you , Mr 1367 00:53:51,520 --> 00:53:53,353 Chairman . Thank you very much , 1368 00:53:53,353 --> 00:53:55,687 Senator Peter , Senator Mullen , please . 1369 00:53:56,040 --> 00:53:59,889 Thank you . Sorry , my mic almost 1370 00:53:59,899 --> 00:54:02,169 came out there . Uh Thank you , 1371 00:54:02,179 --> 00:54:04,399 Chairman and thank you all for , for 1372 00:54:04,409 --> 00:54:06,729 being here . Uh Jeremy , I want to 1373 00:54:06,739 --> 00:54:08,906 thank you again for the phone call and 1374 00:54:08,906 --> 00:54:11,209 the , and the uh conversation uh we had 1375 00:54:11,219 --> 00:54:13,419 yesterday . Um I , uh I greatly 1376 00:54:13,429 --> 00:54:16,129 appreciate your time on that . Uh , and , 1377 00:54:16,139 --> 00:54:17,695 and uh as we stayed in that 1378 00:54:17,695 --> 00:54:19,583 conversation and I wanted to have 1379 00:54:19,583 --> 00:54:21,695 something for the record and , and so 1380 00:54:21,695 --> 00:54:23,806 before I uh begin with the rest of my 1381 00:54:23,806 --> 00:54:25,917 questions , uh I'd like to touch base 1382 00:54:25,917 --> 00:54:27,972 on the disasters withdrawal from the 1383 00:54:27,972 --> 00:54:30,028 American uh uh from Afghanistan with 1384 00:54:30,028 --> 00:54:32,340 American troops . Um Will you commit to 1385 00:54:32,350 --> 00:54:34,461 providing a , a complete after action 1386 00:54:34,461 --> 00:54:37,149 report on the withdrawal um to Congress 1387 00:54:37,159 --> 00:54:38,992 that provides accountability and 1388 00:54:38,992 --> 00:54:41,215 transparency for the American people uh 1389 00:54:41,215 --> 00:54:43,437 for the closure of lives that were lost 1390 00:54:43,437 --> 00:54:46,459 and the people left behind . Absolutely . 1391 00:54:46,469 --> 00:54:48,302 And the Secretary of Defense has 1392 00:54:48,302 --> 00:54:50,469 directed that we do that . Uh And that 1393 00:54:50,469 --> 00:54:52,358 is done by the joint staff and in 1394 00:54:52,358 --> 00:54:54,080 Centcom as well , but also the 1395 00:54:54,080 --> 00:54:56,191 Department of Defense is doing that . 1396 00:54:56,191 --> 00:54:55,969 So I absolutely commit to that . Thank 1397 00:54:55,979 --> 00:54:59,340 you . Um Generally , as you know , 1398 00:54:59,469 --> 00:55:03,120 um the um the industrial base 1399 00:55:03,129 --> 00:55:05,351 is , is , is going through some changes 1400 00:55:05,351 --> 00:55:08,459 right now and um prior to the Russian 1401 00:55:08,469 --> 00:55:12,199 invasion of the Ukraine sites , uh or 1402 00:55:12,209 --> 00:55:14,100 in invasion of Ukraine sites like 1403 00:55:14,110 --> 00:55:16,679 mcallister's Army ammunition plant were 1404 00:55:16,689 --> 00:55:20,530 planning on uh seeing a , a decrease in 1405 00:55:20,540 --> 00:55:24,060 productivity . And since this invasion , 1406 00:55:24,070 --> 00:55:25,848 uh there's obviously been a new 1407 00:55:25,848 --> 00:55:28,669 emphasis on uh on where we're moving . 1408 00:55:28,679 --> 00:55:31,729 And can you speak to what we're seeing 1409 00:55:31,820 --> 00:55:34,739 with plants like like mcallister and 1410 00:55:34,750 --> 00:55:37,699 the arm and the ammunition depots , 1411 00:55:37,709 --> 00:55:39,876 what the plant is and the future looks 1412 00:55:39,876 --> 00:55:43,389 like for the industrial era . Yeah , 1413 00:55:43,399 --> 00:55:46,239 the uh thanks the defense industrial 1414 00:55:46,250 --> 00:55:47,972 base secretary has had several 1415 00:55:47,972 --> 00:55:50,028 different sessions uh to include the 1416 00:55:50,199 --> 00:55:52,199 and others within the department to 1417 00:55:52,199 --> 00:55:54,310 really go over the defense industrial 1418 00:55:54,310 --> 00:55:56,366 base in some detail . One of the big 1419 00:55:56,366 --> 00:55:58,421 lessons coming out of Ukraine is the 1420 00:55:58,421 --> 00:56:00,588 incredible consumption of conventional 1421 00:56:00,588 --> 00:56:02,755 munitions in the conduct of of what is 1422 00:56:02,755 --> 00:56:05,675 a limited regional war . So a great 1423 00:56:05,685 --> 00:56:08,018 power war , if that were to ever happen , 1424 00:56:08,018 --> 00:56:10,185 God forbid , it does , the consumption 1425 00:56:10,185 --> 00:56:12,129 rates would be incredible . So the 1426 00:56:12,129 --> 00:56:14,074 secretary tasked us to go back and 1427 00:56:14,074 --> 00:56:16,185 review all of the various operational 1428 00:56:16,185 --> 00:56:18,407 plans and the Cocos to determine if our 1429 00:56:18,407 --> 00:56:20,574 estimates are correct because if those 1430 00:56:20,574 --> 00:56:22,685 estimates , then then feed into these 1431 00:56:22,685 --> 00:56:24,741 budgets to buy the ammunition . That 1432 00:56:24,741 --> 00:56:26,852 study is ongoing . Uh We can tell you 1433 00:56:26,852 --> 00:56:29,018 that , uh for example , 155 ammunition 1434 00:56:29,018 --> 00:56:31,185 which is in high demand in the Ukraine 1435 00:56:31,185 --> 00:56:33,296 flight . But , uh we report out daily 1436 00:56:33,296 --> 00:56:35,352 uh in a , in a written report to the 1437 00:56:35,352 --> 00:56:37,399 Secretary of Defense uh on all the 1438 00:56:37,409 --> 00:56:39,439 various ammunition statuses that we 1439 00:56:39,449 --> 00:56:41,616 have . I won't go over that in an open 1440 00:56:41,616 --> 00:56:43,893 session , but in , in a closed session , 1441 00:56:43,893 --> 00:56:45,838 we can do that if you'd like . The 1442 00:56:45,838 --> 00:56:47,949 bottom line is the defense industrial 1443 00:56:47,949 --> 00:56:49,949 base is critical uh to the , to the 1444 00:56:49,949 --> 00:56:49,639 defense of the United States and our 1445 00:56:49,649 --> 00:56:52,300 ability to produce uh and manufacture 1446 00:56:52,310 --> 00:56:54,643 and produce the logistical capabilities , 1447 00:56:54,643 --> 00:56:56,866 especially ammunitions is fundamental . 1448 00:56:56,866 --> 00:56:59,088 You , you mentioned mcallister to visit 1449 00:56:59,088 --> 00:57:00,977 mcallister . That's an incredible 1450 00:57:00,977 --> 00:57:02,810 facility with incredibly skilled 1451 00:57:02,810 --> 00:57:05,195 workers that are highly motivated and , 1452 00:57:05,205 --> 00:57:06,983 and it is really a one off type 1453 00:57:06,983 --> 00:57:09,205 facility . It's , it's an amazing place 1454 00:57:09,205 --> 00:57:12,074 uh places like that exist elsewhere in 1455 00:57:12,084 --> 00:57:14,306 the United States as well . And we need 1456 00:57:14,306 --> 00:57:16,195 to pay great attention to that in 1457 00:57:16,195 --> 00:57:18,306 defense industrial base . Uh If we're 1458 00:57:18,306 --> 00:57:20,473 ever going to successfully compete and 1459 00:57:20,473 --> 00:57:22,640 hopefully not actually have a war with 1460 00:57:22,640 --> 00:57:24,751 a great power . What's interesting is 1461 00:57:24,751 --> 00:57:27,370 the um relationship between the public 1462 00:57:27,379 --> 00:57:29,800 and private service there at uh are , 1463 00:57:29,810 --> 00:57:32,090 are a lot of our industrial areas 1464 00:57:32,100 --> 00:57:34,044 around the country , especially in 1465 00:57:34,044 --> 00:57:36,044 mcallister where we have the public 1466 00:57:36,044 --> 00:57:38,211 sector working with the private sector 1467 00:57:38,211 --> 00:57:40,433 and , and delivering missions on time . 1468 00:57:40,560 --> 00:57:42,770 Uh And so I think there's a , a great 1469 00:57:42,780 --> 00:57:44,947 amount of pride there that I think the 1470 00:57:44,947 --> 00:57:47,669 communities that have the ability . Um 1471 00:57:47,679 --> 00:57:50,350 and , and the uh uh and actually the 1472 00:57:50,360 --> 00:57:53,030 desire to help are standing ready and 1473 00:57:53,449 --> 00:57:55,616 is no different . That's great . The , 1474 00:57:55,616 --> 00:57:57,782 the workers there are off the charts , 1475 00:57:57,782 --> 00:57:59,782 incredible skilled workers , highly 1476 00:57:59,782 --> 00:58:01,949 motivated uh focus on , on Fort just a 1477 00:58:01,949 --> 00:58:05,290 second . Um uh General uh ray 1478 00:58:06,060 --> 00:58:10,050 uh had stated recently that the Army 1479 00:58:10,060 --> 00:58:13,760 Futures Command . Um We'll be reviewing 1480 00:58:13,770 --> 00:58:16,070 their uh their use of cross functional 1481 00:58:16,080 --> 00:58:18,290 teams . Fort Sill and Watt in Oklahoma 1482 00:58:18,300 --> 00:58:20,244 is currently home to the two cross 1483 00:58:20,244 --> 00:58:22,800 functional teams as or as as the 1484 00:58:22,810 --> 00:58:25,032 original architect of this system while 1485 00:58:25,032 --> 00:58:27,088 serving as army chief of staff . Can 1486 00:58:27,088 --> 00:58:29,032 you speak of the usefulness of the 1487 00:58:29,032 --> 00:58:31,254 future of these programs , sir ? Yeah , 1488 00:58:31,254 --> 00:58:33,421 the , the Army Futures Command and the 1489 00:58:33,421 --> 00:58:35,477 priorities that the army laid out uh 1490 00:58:35,477 --> 00:58:37,588 for uh modernization 67 years ago are 1491 00:58:37,588 --> 00:58:39,532 still what they're working on . Uh 1492 00:58:39,532 --> 00:58:41,310 They've had the most successful 1493 00:58:41,310 --> 00:58:43,421 modernization programs they've had in 1494 00:58:43,421 --> 00:58:43,050 decades as a result of that futures 1495 00:58:43,060 --> 00:58:45,290 commit key to that was the cross 1496 00:58:45,300 --> 00:58:47,078 functional teams led by general 1497 00:58:47,078 --> 00:58:49,189 officers . In each case , those cross 1498 00:58:49,189 --> 00:58:50,911 functional teams were designed 1499 00:58:50,911 --> 00:58:52,911 intentionally to be temporary until 1500 00:58:52,911 --> 00:58:55,078 those programs are brought on online , 1501 00:58:55,078 --> 00:58:54,250 brought online . For example , long 1502 00:58:54,270 --> 00:58:56,492 range precision fires , future vertical 1503 00:58:56,492 --> 00:58:58,381 lift , the next generation combat 1504 00:58:58,381 --> 00:59:00,548 vehicle . Those are programs that once 1505 00:59:00,548 --> 00:59:02,770 they get brought online and , and , and 1506 00:59:02,770 --> 00:59:04,826 brought into the force , those cross 1507 00:59:04,826 --> 00:59:04,570 functional teams will go away , but 1508 00:59:04,580 --> 00:59:06,469 it's been a highly successful and 1509 00:59:06,469 --> 00:59:08,469 innovative organizational concept . 1510 00:59:08,469 --> 00:59:10,580 What General ray is talking about now 1511 00:59:10,580 --> 00:59:09,955 is the next step , getting it to the 1512 00:59:09,965 --> 00:59:12,076 next level because those programs are 1513 00:59:12,076 --> 00:59:14,076 well underway . So he's not talking 1514 00:59:14,076 --> 00:59:16,132 about getting rid of those C F T S . 1515 00:59:16,132 --> 00:59:18,298 He's talking about looking at the next 1516 00:59:18,298 --> 00:59:20,354 set of C F T s . For example , uh uh 1517 00:59:20,354 --> 00:59:22,521 all domain sensing would be , would be 1518 00:59:22,521 --> 00:59:22,155 one . Uh There's several of these 1519 00:59:22,165 --> 00:59:23,998 others that they're looking at . 1520 00:59:23,998 --> 00:59:26,221 They're not made any decisions yet . Uh 1521 00:59:26,221 --> 00:59:28,387 uh The army hasn't , but the Secretary 1522 00:59:28,387 --> 00:59:30,332 of the Army will , will make those 1523 00:59:30,332 --> 00:59:32,498 decisions in due time . Uh But it's an 1524 00:59:32,498 --> 00:59:31,885 excellent program . It's an excellent 1525 00:59:31,895 --> 00:59:34,006 command and they're really moving out 1526 00:59:34,006 --> 00:59:36,117 very , very well in the modernization 1527 00:59:36,117 --> 00:59:38,339 of the US army . Thank you for clearing 1528 00:59:38,339 --> 00:59:40,506 for that . Thank you , Senator Mo . Uh 1529 00:59:40,506 --> 00:59:42,673 Senator King uh is recognized and will 1530 00:59:42,673 --> 00:59:44,839 take over as I go vote and the vote is 1531 00:59:44,839 --> 00:59:46,969 on for those who have not yet voted . 1532 00:59:47,510 --> 00:59:49,399 Thank you , Mr Chairman Secretary 1533 00:59:49,399 --> 00:59:51,288 Austin . I just want to clarify a 1534 00:59:51,288 --> 00:59:53,510 couple of things about , about vaccines 1535 00:59:53,510 --> 00:59:55,677 and vaccine mandates . I'm told that a 1536 00:59:55,677 --> 00:59:57,510 routine uh uh mustering into the 1537 00:59:57,510 --> 00:59:59,454 service requires something like 13 1538 00:59:59,454 --> 01:00:01,288 vaccinations . Is that , is that 1539 01:00:01,288 --> 01:00:03,469 accurate ? I , I think it's nine 1540 01:00:03,479 --> 01:00:05,840 senator depending on where you're going . 1541 01:00:05,850 --> 01:00:08,080 Uh uh at any one point in time , that 1542 01:00:08,090 --> 01:00:10,340 number can increase up to about 13 . So 1543 01:00:10,479 --> 01:00:12,423 depends on the , on the , on the , 1544 01:00:12,423 --> 01:00:14,590 where the , the , the soldier sailor , 1545 01:00:14,590 --> 01:00:16,701 marine or guardian will be assigned . 1546 01:00:16,701 --> 01:00:18,701 Uh And that , that's just routine . 1547 01:00:18,701 --> 01:00:20,812 That's part of , part of the military 1548 01:00:20,812 --> 01:00:23,459 for as long as we can remember . Is it 1549 01:00:23,469 --> 01:00:26,750 true General that uh sorry , Mr 1550 01:00:26,760 --> 01:00:29,750 Secretary , that General Washington 1551 01:00:29,760 --> 01:00:32,580 mandated vaccination against smallpox 1552 01:00:32,590 --> 01:00:34,757 in the continental army at the time of 1553 01:00:34,757 --> 01:00:36,979 the Revolutionary War . That is true . 1554 01:00:37,780 --> 01:00:40,129 And the purpose of this vaccination 1555 01:00:40,139 --> 01:00:42,472 mandate had nothing to do with politics . 1556 01:00:42,472 --> 01:00:44,417 It had to do with saving lives and 1557 01:00:44,417 --> 01:00:46,472 maintaining readiness . Did it not ? 1558 01:00:46,472 --> 01:00:48,583 That's exactly right . And I remember 1559 01:00:48,583 --> 01:00:50,750 being on a , on a call when we were in 1560 01:00:50,750 --> 01:00:52,972 sort of lockdown here uh with regard to 1561 01:00:52,972 --> 01:00:56,129 the US S Teddy Roosevelt where uh the , 1562 01:00:56,139 --> 01:00:58,449 the , the in early March , April and 1563 01:00:58,459 --> 01:01:01,949 May of 2020 the , the virus 1564 01:01:02,044 --> 01:01:04,334 rip through the ship . I think it's 1565 01:01:04,344 --> 01:01:07,185 over 1000 people tested positive 1566 01:01:07,405 --> 01:01:09,675 because of the nature of their close 1567 01:01:09,685 --> 01:01:12,094 military proximity . Doesn't that make 1568 01:01:12,104 --> 01:01:14,784 vaccinating against an infectious 1569 01:01:14,794 --> 01:01:17,016 disease ? All the more important in the 1570 01:01:17,016 --> 01:01:20,405 military ? To me and to all of my 1571 01:01:20,415 --> 01:01:22,304 colleagues , it absolutely does . 1572 01:01:22,304 --> 01:01:24,645 Senator . You know , I told the 1573 01:01:24,655 --> 01:01:26,945 chairman a number of times that in my 1574 01:01:26,955 --> 01:01:28,955 lifetime , the only thing that I've 1575 01:01:28,955 --> 01:01:31,280 seen that has been able to disable a 1576 01:01:31,290 --> 01:01:33,830 carrier is this vaccine . It's 1577 01:01:33,840 --> 01:01:36,007 interesting because General Washington 1578 01:01:36,007 --> 01:01:37,840 said that when his there to John 1579 01:01:37,840 --> 01:01:40,007 Hancock about the vaccine , he said uh 1580 01:01:40,007 --> 01:01:42,229 this is the most dangerous thing to our 1581 01:01:42,229 --> 01:01:44,451 troops more dangerous than the sword of 1582 01:01:44,451 --> 01:01:46,729 the enemy . Exactly what you just said , 1583 01:01:46,729 --> 01:01:49,399 General Milley . I wanna thank you for 1584 01:01:49,409 --> 01:01:51,576 the integrity that you've demonstrated 1585 01:01:51,576 --> 01:01:53,687 in your position . I remember and I'm 1586 01:01:53,687 --> 01:01:55,909 sure you do too questioning you at your 1587 01:01:55,909 --> 01:01:58,076 confirmation hearing . And my question 1588 01:01:58,076 --> 01:02:00,131 was , will you tell the truth ? Will 1589 01:02:00,131 --> 01:02:02,353 you give your best military advice even 1590 01:02:02,353 --> 01:02:04,610 if it doesn't suit the leadership that 1591 01:02:04,620 --> 01:02:06,860 you were working with at the time you 1592 01:02:06,870 --> 01:02:09,129 have done that . And I want to thank 1593 01:02:09,139 --> 01:02:11,419 you for that and for the extraordinary 1594 01:02:11,429 --> 01:02:13,485 service that you've provided to this 1595 01:02:13,485 --> 01:02:15,540 country throughout your career . But 1596 01:02:15,540 --> 01:02:17,318 over the last four years , uh I 1597 01:02:17,318 --> 01:02:19,485 appreciate you keeping your word to me 1598 01:02:19,485 --> 01:02:21,485 and this committee from the date of 1599 01:02:21,485 --> 01:02:23,729 your confirmation . Um 1600 01:02:25,139 --> 01:02:27,189 General Austin uh 1601 01:02:28,580 --> 01:02:30,580 allowing the intelligence about the 1602 01:02:30,580 --> 01:02:32,802 imminence of the Russian invasion was I 1603 01:02:32,802 --> 01:02:34,469 think a brilliant move by the 1604 01:02:34,469 --> 01:02:36,358 administration at the beginning . 1605 01:02:36,358 --> 01:02:38,524 However , why are we telling everybody 1606 01:02:38,524 --> 01:02:40,636 in the world what we're sending ? And 1607 01:02:40,636 --> 01:02:42,802 when we're sending it this morning , I 1608 01:02:42,802 --> 01:02:44,969 learned on National Public Radio and I 1609 01:02:44,969 --> 01:02:47,024 suspect Putin did , although I don't 1610 01:02:47,024 --> 01:02:49,136 know if he listens to National Public 1611 01:02:49,136 --> 01:02:51,302 Radio , how many tanks have arrived in 1612 01:02:51,302 --> 01:02:53,413 Ukraine and when they are going to be 1613 01:02:53,413 --> 01:02:55,760 deployed , why do we , why do we 1614 01:02:55,770 --> 01:02:58,629 broadcast that information ? Well , we 1615 01:02:58,639 --> 01:03:01,870 certainly try not to uh senator um 1616 01:03:02,229 --> 01:03:04,659 as you know , as various countries 1617 01:03:04,669 --> 01:03:07,129 provide contributions , uh they are 1618 01:03:07,139 --> 01:03:08,972 proud of those contributions and 1619 01:03:08,972 --> 01:03:11,949 sometimes uh we , we find our 1620 01:03:11,959 --> 01:03:15,879 colleagues uh uh uh providing a bit 1621 01:03:15,889 --> 01:03:18,939 too much uh information . But uh but 1622 01:03:18,949 --> 01:03:21,350 yeah , I , I uh it , you understand my 1623 01:03:21,360 --> 01:03:24,330 question . I , I do , I do so . Uh and , 1624 01:03:24,340 --> 01:03:26,340 and when I meet with our colleagues 1625 01:03:26,340 --> 01:03:28,396 here , uh and I meet with them every 1626 01:03:28,396 --> 01:03:30,284 month . This is a point that I'll 1627 01:03:30,284 --> 01:03:32,340 continue to drive home that , um you 1628 01:03:32,340 --> 01:03:34,449 know , the Russians are absolutely 1629 01:03:34,459 --> 01:03:36,626 focused on where this equipment is and 1630 01:03:36,626 --> 01:03:38,570 what it's doing . So we gotta , we 1631 01:03:38,570 --> 01:03:40,737 gotta help ourselves . I , I , I , I , 1632 01:03:40,737 --> 01:03:42,792 I , I fully agree . Um , a couple of 1633 01:03:42,792 --> 01:03:44,903 questions I'm going to submit for the 1634 01:03:44,903 --> 01:03:47,540 record about uh I S R capability both 1635 01:03:47,550 --> 01:03:49,820 in North com and South com , which was 1636 01:03:49,830 --> 01:03:53,300 in their unfunded priority list . But 1637 01:03:53,310 --> 01:03:55,477 you can make a strong case that should 1638 01:03:55,477 --> 01:03:57,699 have been in the , in the base budget I 1639 01:03:57,699 --> 01:03:59,699 R is so important , particularly in 1640 01:03:59,699 --> 01:04:01,699 counter drug where people are being 1641 01:04:01,699 --> 01:04:03,810 killed every day . I think my call is 1642 01:04:03,810 --> 01:04:05,699 about 20 people have died in this 1643 01:04:05,699 --> 01:04:07,921 country of overdoses since this hearing 1644 01:04:07,921 --> 01:04:10,350 started this morning and to not have 1645 01:04:10,360 --> 01:04:12,669 sufficient I S R and resources to 1646 01:04:12,679 --> 01:04:15,949 interdict what we can can find . Uh I 1647 01:04:15,959 --> 01:04:18,629 think is a , is a , a misallocation of 1648 01:04:18,639 --> 01:04:20,750 resources . I'm gonna submit that for 1649 01:04:20,750 --> 01:04:22,649 the record . Finally . Uh General 1650 01:04:22,659 --> 01:04:24,879 Milley , probably the word that's been 1651 01:04:24,889 --> 01:04:28,620 used the most today is readiness . And 1652 01:04:28,709 --> 01:04:30,820 the question I have is , are we 1653 01:04:30,830 --> 01:04:34,340 preparing for the right war in terms of 1654 01:04:34,350 --> 01:04:36,406 the change nature of war that you've 1655 01:04:36,406 --> 01:04:38,517 seen over the course of your career ? 1656 01:04:38,517 --> 01:04:40,517 If a conflict comes , it's going to 1657 01:04:40,517 --> 01:04:42,760 start with cyber electronic directed 1658 01:04:42,770 --> 01:04:46,510 energy space . Are we adequately taking 1659 01:04:46,520 --> 01:04:48,699 account of the change nature of 1660 01:04:48,709 --> 01:04:50,765 conflict so that we're not preparing 1661 01:04:50,765 --> 01:04:53,219 for the last war . But for hopefully 1662 01:04:53,229 --> 01:04:55,229 there won't be another one . But if 1663 01:04:55,229 --> 01:04:57,173 there is another conflict , that's 1664 01:04:57,173 --> 01:04:59,173 where our efforts should be going . 1665 01:04:59,173 --> 01:05:01,340 Yeah , just really briefly , Senator . 1666 01:05:01,340 --> 01:05:03,562 Uh I think we're in a pivot , a pivotal 1667 01:05:03,562 --> 01:05:05,618 period here , a transition period uh 1668 01:05:05,618 --> 01:05:08,199 where we have a method of war that is 1669 01:05:08,209 --> 01:05:10,376 based out of an industrial age sort of 1670 01:05:10,376 --> 01:05:12,689 thing . And we're moving to a different 1671 01:05:12,699 --> 01:05:14,921 operational environment sometime in the 1672 01:05:14,921 --> 01:05:16,921 future . So think about things like 1673 01:05:16,921 --> 01:05:18,977 robotics , artificial intelligence , 1674 01:05:18,977 --> 01:05:21,143 hypersonic , cyber , cyber , there's a 1675 01:05:21,143 --> 01:05:24,060 wide variety of , of technologies that 1676 01:05:24,070 --> 01:05:26,237 are coming at us very , very quickly . 1677 01:05:26,237 --> 01:05:28,989 And the country that maximizes an those 1678 01:05:29,000 --> 01:05:31,000 technologies for the conduct of war 1679 01:05:31,000 --> 01:05:33,056 fighting is going to have a decisive 1680 01:05:33,056 --> 01:05:35,278 advantage at least at the outset of the 1681 01:05:35,278 --> 01:05:37,500 next war . Now , at the same time , you 1682 01:05:37,500 --> 01:05:37,199 can't throw the baby out of the bath 1683 01:05:37,209 --> 01:05:39,153 water here . We're in a transition 1684 01:05:39,153 --> 01:05:41,265 period . So we're still going to need 1685 01:05:41,265 --> 01:05:43,542 ships and planes and tanks , et cetera . 1686 01:05:43,542 --> 01:05:45,709 But we are in that transition period . 1687 01:05:45,709 --> 01:05:47,931 And I think this budget in the last one 1688 01:05:47,931 --> 01:05:50,153 and future budgets are going to have to 1689 01:05:50,153 --> 01:05:52,376 move us in the direction of modernizing 1690 01:05:52,376 --> 01:05:54,376 the force , transforming this force 1691 01:05:54,376 --> 01:05:56,376 into a future operating environment 1692 01:05:56,376 --> 01:05:58,431 that is probably not very far away , 1693 01:05:58,431 --> 01:06:00,598 probably about 10 years or so . And we 1694 01:06:00,598 --> 01:06:02,431 need to move out with a sense of 1695 01:06:02,431 --> 01:06:04,653 urgency . Thank you . I I agree and the 1696 01:06:04,653 --> 01:06:06,820 R and D emphasis in the last budget in 1697 01:06:06,820 --> 01:06:06,719 this budget I think is one of the most 1698 01:06:06,729 --> 01:06:09,780 important policy directions that this 1699 01:06:09,790 --> 01:06:13,040 budget represents on behalf of the 1700 01:06:13,050 --> 01:06:16,969 chairman , uh Senator Sullivan . 1701 01:06:17,729 --> 01:06:19,729 Thank you Mr Chairman and I want to 1702 01:06:19,729 --> 01:06:22,062 thank our witnesses , uh General Milley , 1703 01:06:22,062 --> 01:06:24,530 in particular for your service in 1704 01:06:24,540 --> 01:06:28,120 general Austin um as well , General uh 1705 01:06:28,129 --> 01:06:30,780 uh I'm sorry , Mr Secretary . Uh um I 1706 01:06:30,790 --> 01:06:33,129 appreciate you highlighting the suicide 1707 01:06:33,399 --> 01:06:35,566 issue in your opening statement as you 1708 01:06:35,566 --> 01:06:38,030 know , that's hitting the forces in 1709 01:06:38,040 --> 01:06:40,669 Alaska particularly hard , still having 1710 01:06:40,679 --> 01:06:42,679 a hard time getting our arms around 1711 01:06:42,679 --> 01:06:44,899 that still go . It's still happening . 1712 01:06:44,909 --> 01:06:47,919 So , working together on that one is a 1713 01:06:47,929 --> 01:06:50,096 high priority of mine and I appreciate 1714 01:06:50,096 --> 01:06:52,373 you putting a lot of attention to that . 1715 01:06:52,373 --> 01:06:54,207 I first want to begin by quickly 1716 01:06:54,207 --> 01:06:56,151 covering an oversight issue deeply 1717 01:06:56,151 --> 01:06:58,485 concerning to members of this committee , 1718 01:06:58,485 --> 01:07:01,040 which was an abuse of the president's 1719 01:07:01,050 --> 01:07:03,179 commander in chief authority when he 1720 01:07:03,189 --> 01:07:06,729 gave a campaign speech last fall 1721 01:07:07,489 --> 01:07:09,879 with active duty marines as political 1722 01:07:09,889 --> 01:07:12,510 props . This wasn't a speech about 1723 01:07:12,520 --> 01:07:14,750 Veterans Day or Memorial Day or speech 1724 01:07:14,760 --> 01:07:17,290 about the heroic actions of the Marines 1725 01:07:17,300 --> 01:07:19,411 at Iwo Jima or the chosen reservoir . 1726 01:07:19,570 --> 01:07:21,600 It was the most partisan political 1727 01:07:21,610 --> 01:07:24,850 speech of the President's two years in 1728 01:07:24,860 --> 01:07:28,169 office where he disparaged tens of 1729 01:07:28,179 --> 01:07:30,459 millions of Americans that he claimed , 1730 01:07:30,469 --> 01:07:32,580 threaten the Republic did not respect 1731 01:07:32,590 --> 01:07:35,479 the Constitution on and on and on 1732 01:07:35,659 --> 01:07:38,939 really harsh partisan campaign speech 1733 01:07:38,949 --> 01:07:41,540 and they're flanking the President of 1734 01:07:41,550 --> 01:07:44,649 the United States were two active duty 1735 01:07:44,659 --> 01:07:47,889 marines , shameful , outrageous 1736 01:07:47,899 --> 01:07:50,590 infuriating . I've raised this issue 1737 01:07:50,600 --> 01:07:52,600 with both of you and other military 1738 01:07:52,600 --> 01:07:55,760 leaders on how inappropriate this image 1739 01:07:55,770 --> 01:07:58,379 was to our republic . General Miller . 1740 01:07:58,389 --> 01:08:00,445 You've talked about how the military 1741 01:08:00,445 --> 01:08:02,500 needs to stay out of politics . I am 1742 01:08:02,500 --> 01:08:04,820 assuming good faith on both your parts 1743 01:08:04,830 --> 01:08:06,997 that you didn't know this . But what I 1744 01:08:06,997 --> 01:08:09,108 want is a commitment from both of you 1745 01:08:09,108 --> 01:08:11,274 the next time some White House staffer 1746 01:08:11,274 --> 01:08:13,386 thinks it's a good idea to politicize 1747 01:08:13,386 --> 01:08:15,441 the military with a political speech 1748 01:08:15,441 --> 01:08:17,608 like this with two active duty marines 1749 01:08:17,608 --> 01:08:19,330 or anyone else standing by the 1750 01:08:19,330 --> 01:08:21,330 president that both of you will put 1751 01:08:21,330 --> 01:08:23,529 your foot down and not only say no , 1752 01:08:23,540 --> 01:08:25,799 but say hell no . Can I get your 1753 01:08:25,810 --> 01:08:28,970 commitment on doing that to this 1754 01:08:28,979 --> 01:08:31,700 committee ? Senator ? I think , you 1755 01:08:31,709 --> 01:08:33,770 know that I'm opposed to any type of 1756 01:08:33,779 --> 01:08:35,890 politi politicization of the , of the 1757 01:08:35,890 --> 01:08:38,669 military and I will not comment on , uh , 1758 01:08:38,680 --> 01:08:41,379 on my president's actions . Do you 1759 01:08:41,390 --> 01:08:43,168 think that was appropriate , Mr 1760 01:08:43,168 --> 01:08:47,009 Secretary a again , Senator . Do you 1761 01:08:47,020 --> 01:08:49,353 think that was in your personal opinion ? 1762 01:08:49,353 --> 01:08:51,464 General Milley ? You've been speaking 1763 01:08:51,464 --> 01:08:53,631 about this ? Look , I , I thought both 1764 01:08:53,631 --> 01:08:53,029 of you were just , you guys are gonna 1765 01:08:53,040 --> 01:08:55,040 go . No and no , I got a bunch more 1766 01:08:55,040 --> 01:08:57,318 questions . But if we're debating this , 1767 01:08:57,318 --> 01:08:59,484 let's have the debate . You think that 1768 01:08:59,484 --> 01:09:01,651 was appropriate . General Milley , you 1769 01:09:01,651 --> 01:09:01,379 spoke , you've spoken about not 1770 01:09:01,390 --> 01:09:03,612 politicizing the military , that's just 1771 01:09:03,612 --> 01:09:05,834 outrageous . And by the way , Democrats 1772 01:09:05,834 --> 01:09:08,057 and Republicans agree with me . So this 1773 01:09:08,057 --> 01:09:10,279 isn't even that controversial president 1774 01:09:10,279 --> 01:09:12,390 made a mistake , politicize . Go read 1775 01:09:12,390 --> 01:09:14,668 the speech . What do you think ? 1776 01:09:14,679 --> 01:09:16,790 General Milley , I'm firmly committed 1777 01:09:16,790 --> 01:09:18,846 to a , uh , nonpartisan nonpolitical 1778 01:09:18,846 --> 01:09:20,957 military . Ok . So if the White House 1779 01:09:20,957 --> 01:09:23,068 has an idea to do something like that 1780 01:09:23,068 --> 01:09:25,290 again , will both of you commit to this 1781 01:09:25,290 --> 01:09:27,401 committee to tell whoever the staffer 1782 01:09:27,401 --> 01:09:29,401 is ? Hey , don't do that bad idea . 1783 01:09:29,401 --> 01:09:31,623 Marines shouldn't be myself . I've been 1784 01:09:31,623 --> 01:09:33,568 asked in the past in two different 1785 01:09:33,568 --> 01:09:35,568 administrations on things just like 1786 01:09:35,568 --> 01:09:37,568 that . And I've always said , uh uh 1787 01:09:37,568 --> 01:09:40,429 keep the military out of politics . I'm 1788 01:09:40,438 --> 01:09:42,771 surprised we're having a debate on this . 1789 01:09:42,771 --> 01:09:44,827 Unfortunately , I'm burning a lot of 1790 01:09:44,827 --> 01:09:47,049 time . It's an important issue though . 1791 01:09:47,049 --> 01:09:49,049 I think we all would agree . Um I'm 1792 01:09:49,049 --> 01:09:51,049 gonna next turn to Senator Wicker's 1793 01:09:51,049 --> 01:09:53,959 Point on the budget . Budgets are a 1794 01:09:53,970 --> 01:09:56,750 reflection of an administration's 1795 01:09:56,759 --> 01:09:59,750 priorities . This administration is now 1796 01:09:59,759 --> 01:10:01,592 three different times in a row , 1797 01:10:01,592 --> 01:10:04,819 submitted inflation adjusted cuts 1798 01:10:05,370 --> 01:10:08,180 to the Department of Defense while many 1799 01:10:08,189 --> 01:10:10,356 other federal agencies have got gotten 1800 01:10:10,356 --> 01:10:12,467 double digit increases . This was the 1801 01:10:12,467 --> 01:10:15,990 2022 budget . You see the dod was last 1802 01:10:16,000 --> 01:10:19,069 second , last with a 3% cut . The 1803 01:10:19,080 --> 01:10:22,990 2023 budget . Um , same kind 1804 01:10:23,000 --> 01:10:26,109 of issue were down there last , that 1805 01:10:26,120 --> 01:10:29,580 was actually a 4% cut in this budget . 1806 01:10:30,109 --> 01:10:33,950 Um Once again , one of the down 1807 01:10:33,959 --> 01:10:37,750 here with uh 3% cut while other 1808 01:10:37,759 --> 01:10:41,310 agencies epa almost 20% . Both of you 1809 01:10:41,319 --> 01:10:43,375 have said this is the most dangerous 1810 01:10:43,375 --> 01:10:45,600 time since world war two . This current 1811 01:10:45,609 --> 01:10:48,450 budget shrinks . The army shrinks , the 1812 01:10:48,459 --> 01:10:51,259 Navy shrinks . The Marine Corps 1813 01:10:52,290 --> 01:10:54,401 doesn't that embolden our allies like 1814 01:10:54,401 --> 01:10:56,512 Xi Jinping and Putin not deter them . 1815 01:10:56,850 --> 01:10:59,270 And General m in your personal opinion , 1816 01:11:00,370 --> 01:11:02,481 do you support a budget that actually 1817 01:11:02,481 --> 01:11:04,537 shrinks three of the four services , 1818 01:11:04,537 --> 01:11:06,609 particularly the navy ? The Congress 1819 01:11:06,620 --> 01:11:09,439 here has been very clear that we want 1820 01:11:09,450 --> 01:11:11,439 to grow the navy . The Chinese are 1821 01:11:11,450 --> 01:11:14,029 looking at our navy , naval fleet and 1822 01:11:14,040 --> 01:11:16,770 we're shrinking it . That's the budget 1823 01:11:17,220 --> 01:11:19,209 the president probably assumes 1824 01:11:19,220 --> 01:11:21,660 correctly that this committee will bump 1825 01:11:21,669 --> 01:11:25,370 it up significantly . But do 1826 01:11:25,379 --> 01:11:28,279 both of you support a budget that 1827 01:11:28,290 --> 01:11:30,410 shrinks three of the four services . 1828 01:11:30,470 --> 01:11:33,279 And what would you say to the issue 1829 01:11:35,270 --> 01:11:37,492 of emboldening our allies when they see 1830 01:11:37,492 --> 01:11:39,919 budgets like this that we three years 1831 01:11:39,930 --> 01:11:43,149 in a row have to rectify by adding 1832 01:11:43,160 --> 01:11:46,040 significant funding to them . Ask both 1833 01:11:46,049 --> 01:11:48,149 of you gentlemen . Well , Senator , 1834 01:11:48,160 --> 01:11:50,160 first of all , let me thank you for 1835 01:11:50,160 --> 01:11:52,438 your continued support for the for dod . 1836 01:11:52,438 --> 01:11:54,493 Uh We really appreciate what you and 1837 01:11:54,493 --> 01:11:56,438 your colleagues have done over the 1838 01:11:56,438 --> 01:11:58,271 years . I think you heard me say 1839 01:11:58,271 --> 01:12:00,216 earlier that we went through great 1840 01:12:00,216 --> 01:12:02,438 pains to link our budget request to our 1841 01:12:02,438 --> 01:12:04,271 strategy . We're going after the 1842 01:12:04,271 --> 01:12:06,382 capabilities that we think we need to 1843 01:12:06,382 --> 01:12:08,799 be successful in any endeavor . And so 1844 01:12:08,810 --> 01:12:10,921 I am satisfied that this budget gives 1845 01:12:10,921 --> 01:12:13,930 us what we need . It's an $842 billion 1846 01:12:13,939 --> 01:12:17,609 budget . And again , I think it allows 1847 01:12:17,620 --> 01:12:19,731 us to go after the right capabilities 1848 01:12:20,250 --> 01:12:22,361 General and Senator , as I said in my 1849 01:12:22,361 --> 01:12:24,319 opening statement , I think the 1850 01:12:24,330 --> 01:12:26,274 uniformed military can defend this 1851 01:12:26,274 --> 01:12:28,839 country with an $842 billion budget . 1852 01:12:28,850 --> 01:12:31,072 That is a lot of money . And I think if 1853 01:12:31,072 --> 01:12:33,128 we put it in the right place against 1854 01:12:33,128 --> 01:12:33,009 the right priorities , we'll be able to 1855 01:12:33,020 --> 01:12:35,187 adequately defend this country in your 1856 01:12:35,187 --> 01:12:37,242 personal opinion . Do you agree with 1857 01:12:37,242 --> 01:12:39,298 shrinking the Army , Navy and Marine 1858 01:12:39,298 --> 01:12:41,419 Corps , the size of the forces ? I'll 1859 01:12:41,430 --> 01:12:43,541 go one by one here . When I was Chief 1860 01:12:43,541 --> 01:12:45,708 of Staff of the army , I had advocated 1861 01:12:45,708 --> 01:12:48,120 for about a 5 25 to 50 size ground . 1862 01:12:48,129 --> 01:12:50,649 This budget takes it to 4 50 right ? 1863 01:12:50,660 --> 01:12:52,830 And , and so I advocated for that 1864 01:12:52,839 --> 01:12:55,850 because my analysis of uh of , of uh 1865 01:12:55,859 --> 01:12:58,339 future combat indicated that this 1866 01:12:58,350 --> 01:13:00,294 strategy though this is a strategy 1867 01:13:00,294 --> 01:13:02,294 informed budget , this strategy and 1868 01:13:02,294 --> 01:13:04,183 starting under General Mattis and 1869 01:13:04,183 --> 01:13:06,406 Secretary Mattis and Secretary Austin , 1870 01:13:06,406 --> 01:13:08,628 this strategy takes us to a essentially 1871 01:13:08,628 --> 01:13:10,850 a one war strategy , a one war strategy 1872 01:13:10,850 --> 01:13:12,961 with the , with the main effort being 1873 01:13:12,961 --> 01:13:14,906 in China . So the question is what 1874 01:13:14,906 --> 01:13:16,683 forces are gonna be required to 1875 01:13:16,683 --> 01:13:18,794 confront or potentially fight China ? 1876 01:13:18,794 --> 01:13:20,572 Um I think the Army and Marines 1877 01:13:20,572 --> 01:13:22,794 definitely have a role to play . So the 1878 01:13:22,794 --> 01:13:24,850 weight of the effort is gonna be the 1879 01:13:24,850 --> 01:13:26,906 Navy and we're shrinking air force , 1880 01:13:26,906 --> 01:13:26,160 the Navy and the air force budget 1881 01:13:26,169 --> 01:13:28,609 shrinks the navy . It does , it does by 1882 01:13:28,620 --> 01:13:30,509 a couple of ships for a temporary 1883 01:13:30,509 --> 01:13:32,731 period of time . I talked to C N O last 1884 01:13:32,731 --> 01:13:34,953 night at length about this to make sure 1885 01:13:34,953 --> 01:13:37,176 that I was clear on , on the navy piece 1886 01:13:37,176 --> 01:13:39,231 of this . Uh , the , the , the ships 1887 01:13:39,231 --> 01:13:38,729 that are being decommissioned and 1888 01:13:38,740 --> 01:13:40,684 divested of are having significant 1889 01:13:40,684 --> 01:13:43,018 maintenance problems . In fact that the , 1890 01:13:43,018 --> 01:13:44,851 uh , the , the , the , for the , 1891 01:13:44,851 --> 01:13:47,184 they've been in the yard for years , uh , 1892 01:13:47,184 --> 01:13:49,351 they're costing way more money just to 1893 01:13:49,351 --> 01:13:51,462 repair than a worthwhile . So they're 1894 01:13:51,462 --> 01:13:53,629 trying to shift to the next generation 1895 01:13:53,629 --> 01:13:55,684 of , of a , you'll see the curve , I 1896 01:13:55,684 --> 01:13:57,296 think when they submit their 1897 01:13:57,296 --> 01:13:56,768 shipbuilding plan , you'll see the 1898 01:13:56,777 --> 01:13:58,610 curve going up uh in the not too 1899 01:13:58,610 --> 01:14:00,658 distant future . So there is AAA 1900 01:14:00,667 --> 01:14:03,667 temporary uh down downward spiral of a 1901 01:14:03,678 --> 01:14:05,567 couple of ships uh in the overall 1902 01:14:05,567 --> 01:14:07,734 shipbuilding program . But this budget 1903 01:14:07,734 --> 01:14:09,789 buys nine , uh you're down two . The 1904 01:14:09,789 --> 01:14:12,011 net effect is you're down two ships out 1905 01:14:12,011 --> 01:14:14,011 of a 296 ship navy and then it goes 1906 01:14:14,011 --> 01:14:15,900 down to 2 93 . and then it goes , 1907 01:14:15,900 --> 01:14:18,011 starts coming back up now . Is that , 1908 01:14:18,011 --> 01:14:20,122 is that huge ? I think the capability 1909 01:14:20,122 --> 01:14:22,345 of those ships matters . As we all know 1910 01:14:22,345 --> 01:14:24,306 the capability of our ships are 1911 01:14:24,315 --> 01:14:26,371 different than the capability of the 1912 01:14:26,371 --> 01:14:28,593 Chinese ships . I know that the Chinese 1913 01:14:28,593 --> 01:14:30,759 have a lot of ships . However , we not 1914 01:14:30,759 --> 01:14:30,565 only have the United States Navy , we 1915 01:14:30,576 --> 01:14:32,576 have the United States Navy working 1916 01:14:32,576 --> 01:14:34,687 with the Japanese Navy , working with 1917 01:14:34,687 --> 01:14:36,854 the Australian Navy , working with the 1918 01:14:36,854 --> 01:14:39,020 British Navy , working with the French 1919 01:14:39,020 --> 01:14:38,375 Navy . If you start adding up these 1920 01:14:38,386 --> 01:14:41,494 navies , China is not outnumbered , but 1921 01:14:41,503 --> 01:14:43,503 they're outgunned . And in terms of 1922 01:14:43,503 --> 01:14:45,725 capabilities , if you look at just what 1923 01:14:45,725 --> 01:14:47,974 I think is the most lethal capability 1924 01:14:47,983 --> 01:14:50,150 in the United States Navy today is the 1925 01:14:50,150 --> 01:14:52,543 submarine and our subs , the Chinese 1926 01:14:52,554 --> 01:14:54,665 Navy or the Russian Navy are not even 1927 01:14:54,665 --> 01:14:56,776 in the same ballpark as our submarine 1928 01:14:56,776 --> 01:14:58,887 force . Our submarine force can bring 1929 01:14:58,887 --> 01:15:00,554 people to their knees just by 1930 01:15:00,554 --> 01:15:03,374 themselves . So our navy in this budget , 1931 01:15:03,383 --> 01:15:05,494 we never have enough things that we , 1932 01:15:05,494 --> 01:15:07,661 we always want something else . Uh but 1933 01:15:07,661 --> 01:15:09,661 this budget adequately protects the 1934 01:15:09,661 --> 01:15:11,661 American people . I'm not gonna , I 1935 01:15:11,661 --> 01:15:13,716 can't compare it against the rest of 1936 01:15:13,716 --> 01:15:13,582 the president's priorities . But this 1937 01:15:13,591 --> 01:15:16,341 $842 billion budget buys a lot of kit , 1938 01:15:16,352 --> 01:15:18,241 a lot of training . Uh and we are 1939 01:15:18,241 --> 01:15:20,352 focused on two things , lethality and 1940 01:15:20,352 --> 01:15:22,463 readiness , lethality and readiness . 1941 01:15:22,463 --> 01:15:24,463 That's all we do every day . 24,000 1942 01:15:24,463 --> 01:15:26,742 live fires last year , 24,000 of those 1943 01:15:26,751 --> 01:15:28,695 you talked about a continued , I'm 1944 01:15:28,695 --> 01:15:31,080 sorry . Um Sorry , sorry , Senator . Oh , 1945 01:15:31,089 --> 01:15:32,978 no , no , I thought it was a good 1946 01:15:32,978 --> 01:15:35,089 answer . Thank you , Mr Chairman . Uh 1947 01:15:35,089 --> 01:15:37,089 Mr Secretary General . I appreciate 1948 01:15:37,089 --> 01:15:39,256 your service again . Thank you . Thank 1949 01:15:39,256 --> 01:15:37,890 you , Senator .