WEBVTT

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This hearing of the Senate

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Appropriations Committee will please

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come to order . We are here today to

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discuss the national security

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components of the president's

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supplemental funding request . Very

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glad to have Secretary Austin and

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Secretary Blinken with us to talk about

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the challenges we are seeing around the

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world and the urgency of providing the

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necessary resources to meet these

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challenges , support our allies and

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make the world and our country safer .

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At our first full committee hearing

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earlier this year on out competing

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China , both secretaries made a strong

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case for why passing our full year

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appropriations bills with robust

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investments in America and avoiding

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perpetual crs and devastating cuts is

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so crucial to keeping our nation

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competitive on the world stage . As the

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two of you return to this committee , I

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think every member on this DAO

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understands and takes to heart many of

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the messages you left with us . At the

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last hearing , these are unprecedented

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and difficult times and American

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leadership and support will be critical

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as we face the many threats and

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challenges we will discuss today .

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That's why Congress must come together

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in a bipartisan fashion to act

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decisively and purposely . This is not

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a time to punt American leadership or

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punt on funding agencies critical to

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these efforts and to American families .

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If we let politics and division drive

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us away from this mission , I worry

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about where we will stand for years to

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come . So I hope this committee can

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continue to lead the way with

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thoughtful swift bipartisan action that

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keeps your message here today in mind .

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Thank you both for joining us again .

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We are at a precarious moment across

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the globe . Ukraine is continuing its

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courageous resistance against Putin's

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bloody invasion and Israel is reeling

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from a horrific terrorist attack by

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Hamas . A vicious attack that none of

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us will ever forget . Now , it is often

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the innocent that suffer most in war .

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So of course , there are also urgent

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humanitarian needs including aid for

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the Ukrainian people and the countries

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caring for those displaced by Putin's

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war and aid for Palestinian civilians

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in Gaza . It is also a humanitarian

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imperative that Hamas released the

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hostages it took during its violent

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attack . And of course , Putin's

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invasion has also severely disrupted

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food supply chains around the world ,

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leaving a serious crisis of global

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hunger in its wake . And in the Indo

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Pacific , our friends and partners face

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growing threats and aggression ,

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particularly from the Chinese

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government . In short , the world is on

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edge and how the US wields its

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leadership will be a critical factor in

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determining what happens next . Now is

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the time for serious sober discussion

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not partisanship or political show .

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This hearing is a crucial opportunity

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for us to make sure we are taking a

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full view of this moment , meeting

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immediate requirements while planning

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for the long term and providing the

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resources necessary to make the world

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safer for America and its allies . If

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we are going to get this right , we

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have to understand how these conflicts

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are developing today and what our

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strategy is for the future . We have to

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appreciate the nuances that different ,

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differentiate each of these challenge

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as well as the ways in which they are

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all interconnected . We have to see the

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big picture without losing sight of the

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human reality on the ground . The fact

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that in the middle of every conflict

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are civilians , residents displaced

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from their homes , hostages , torn from

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their families , people facing

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obstacles getting basic medical

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services and kids and families who

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desperately need food and water . And

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we have to be able to recognize the

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complexity of these issues while

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holding fast to the simple actionable

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truth that can guide our work for me .

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That means America must stand strong by

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our allies . Dictators cannot be

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allowed to invade sovereign democracies .

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Terrorism cannot be tolerated and we

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cannot ignore the humanity and the

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cries for help from civilians who are

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caught in the middle of conflict and

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crossfire who we must protect . It's a

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tall order . But the Biden

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administration's National Security

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supplemental request offers us a useful

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blueprint and Vice chair Collins and I

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are working right now to craft strong

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bipartisan legislation that meets the

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national security priorities that the

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president laid out . That means a

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package that provides support to the

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Ukrainians who are at a crucial point

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in their fight to protect their

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sovereignty . And the end of the

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butchery of Vladimir Putin's brutal

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invasion . One that makes clear to

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other countries looking to co copy

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Putin's aggression that they will fail

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and one that replenishes dod stockpiles

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as well . And bolsters our domestic

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manufacturing that is crucial to ensure

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we have secure supply chains when it

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comes to our nation's defense . And

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that after we send Ukraine weapons , we

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are replacing our stocks with modern

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American made arms . And let's be clear ,

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huge supermajorities in the House and

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Senate favor more support for Ukraine .

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So getting this funding across the

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finish line should not be controversial .

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Meeting this moment also means a

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package that ensures we stand Israel as

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it works to protect its people in the

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wake of the horrific Hamas attack and

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deter additional terrorist threats .

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And one that helps us prevent further

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escalation of violence in the region

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and address humanitarian needs . It

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means a package that strengthens our

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presence and supports our allies in the

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Indo Pacific and helps us keep pace as

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the Chine Chinese government works

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aggressively to expand its footprint in

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the region . And of course , it also

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means a package that continues our long

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standing and all important tradition of

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the US , leading the global

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humanitarian response and delivering

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vital humanitarian aid to save lives in

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places that are being torn apart by

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conflict , whether they are in Ukraine

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or Israel or Gaza , we cannot lose

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sight of the needs of civilians whose

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lives have been upended by war and

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violence around them . Making sure

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people have food , water and medical

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care isn't just the right and moral

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thing to do . It also promotes long

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term stability and security , combating

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hopelessness that can spiral into new

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threats . Let me also say this as

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someone who voted against the Iraq war ,

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I have been heartened to see the

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president urge our allies in Israel not

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to fall subject to so many of the same

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mistakes we saw following the 911

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terrorist attacks . It is an important

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message for the president and our

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country to deliver as a friend of

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Israel to stay clear eyed and strategic

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in pursuit of justice . Every country

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has an obligation to protect innocent

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life and abide by international law

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especially during times of conflict .

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I'm glad the Biden administration is

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sending that message and I strongly

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support their robust efforts to ensure

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further access to humanitarian relief

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for the civilians of Gaza . Finally

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make no mistake . We need to address

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all of these priorities as part of one

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package because the reality is these

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issues are all connected and they are

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all urgent . The Chinese government is

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watching how we respond to Putin's

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aggression in Ukraine . Putin is hoping

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the Hamas attack will give him an

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opening and distract the world from

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aiding Ukraine against his brutal

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invasion . And all of our adversaries

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are watching closely to see whether we

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have the vision to recognize how these

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crises are related and the resolve to

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come together and respond forcefully to

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them . Our adversaries are cheering for

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dysfunction . So let's instead show

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them unity . Let's show them the

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strength of democracy by passing a

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robust bipartisan national security

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package . And before I turn it over to

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Vice Chair Collins , let me just say

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while we are focused on the global

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challenges at this hearing , we should

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also address the needs here at home ,

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the childcare crisis , relief for our

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communities who've been struck by

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disaster , the fentaNYL crisis , the

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needs at our southern border and more .

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And I'm continuing to discuss a

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separate hearing to address those

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issues with my colleagues . I know that

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it's critical to many of us here . And

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next week , we will have an opportunity

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to discuss these issues with Secretary

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May Mayorca and Secretary Basera at a

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hearing in front of this committee on

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November 7th bottom line , we face a

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number of urgent national security

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issues and challenges here at home .

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President Biden has submitted requests

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for much needed supplemental funding to

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address these priorities . I urge my

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colleagues on both sides to work with

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me on all of these urgent issues and if

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we can pass our domestic priorities

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right alongside our national security

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priorities . We absolutely should .

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After all , we are the United States of

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America . We can stand with our allies

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around the world and tackle the

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challenges facing our families here at

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home . At the same time . Now , I'm

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glad we're holding this hearing today

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to discuss the vital national security

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quest the president has submitted to

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Congress and I look forward to a

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thoughtful discussion about what is

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needed to fight and deter aggression

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from authoritarian leaders tackle

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terrorist threats and protect civilians

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and about what is at stake for

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America's own security and future if we

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fail to stand with our friends across

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the globe and lead . Thank you . And

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with that , I will turn over to Vice

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Chair Collins . Thank you , Chair

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Murray for holding this important

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hearing . Let me begin by expressing

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my appreciation to Secretary Lincoln

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and Secretary Austin for joining us

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today to discuss the president's

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national security supplemental funding

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request . I had hoped that Secretary

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Mayorca also would be here but he is

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testifying this morning before another

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Senate committee . I very much

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appreciate that the chair has scheduled

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an opportunity next week for Secretary

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Mayorca to come before us and describe

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what is needed in the supplemental to

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provide effective border security to

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stand the flood of illegal migrants and

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fentaNYL crossing into the United

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States through the end of fiscal year .

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As of September 30th , there were a

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record 2.5 million

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encounters at our Southwest border .

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This real threat to our homeland must

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also be addressed . The collective

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threats that the United States faces

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from an aggressive of Iran and its

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proxies and imperialist . Russia

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and a hegemonic . China are also

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challenges that require our attention

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and cooper operation from our allies .

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Adversaries in the Middle East are

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launching attacks not only against our

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ally , Israel , but also against

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American troops in Syria and

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Iraq in Ukraine . The determined

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patriots backed by the United States ,

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the European Union , Japan , Australia

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and others continued to battle .

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Putin's brutal and unprovoked

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invasion in Asia . China's

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dangerous game of brinkmanship is

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targeting our aircraft flying in the

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region , rattling sabers at Taiwan

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and physically challenging claims of

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the Philippines and Vietnam in the

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South China Sea . Some have argued for

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decoupling funding to address these

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threats and focusing only on the

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Iranian backed terrorists who massacred

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so many Israelis on October 7th . We

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must recognize that our national

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security interests are being

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aggressively challenged by all of these

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authoritarian actors in an effort to

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dismantle the international order that

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we established following World War two .

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Iran has been Russia's accomplice in

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Ukraine through the export of weapons

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and drones that terrorize Ukrainian

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civilians . Just last week , Russia

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hosted Hamas an Iranian leadership

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where Hamas praised Russia's criticism

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of Israeli actions to defend itself

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following the recent terrorist attacks .

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China refuses to condemn either

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Russia's second invasion of Ukraine or

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hamas' attacks . Just both having ,

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despite both having committed war

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crimes , targeting civilians and both

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having stolen Children from their

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families . If we fail to thwart these

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efforts , there will be dire

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consequences that will jeopardize our

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national security . The method by which

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I will scrutinize the funding proposed

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by the administration's request is

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simple . Does it make America more

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secure or not ? Let me offer a

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few reflections when I was in

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Israel with Senator Graham , Senator

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Cardin and several other senators .

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Last week , we met with families whose

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loved ones including very young

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Children are being held hostage by

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Hamas during the October 7th terrorist

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attacks . Parents were murdered in

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front of their Children . The

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actions of Hamas are nothing less than

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evil and we must stand by our friend

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Israel . The only true democracy in the

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Middle East like Israel . Ukraine was

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the victim of an unprovoked attack by a

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repeat violent offender . The United

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States , albeit slower than many of us

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would have liked , stepped in with

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assistance for Ukraine to help repel

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Russians battlefield advances . Let's

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review what has happened since we have

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helped Ukraine in its defense against

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Russia's second invasion . No ,

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us soldiers have lost their lives

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fighting in Ukraine . Our

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adversary Russia is weaker .

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NATO is stronger than ever .

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Finland has joined the alliance and I

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expect that Sweden will do the same

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soon . Each of these outcomes is in

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America's interests . Finally , the

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supplemental request includes more than

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30 billion dollars to replenish our

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military's weapons stockpiles and

15:57.905 --> 16:01.734
invest in and strengthen the US defense

16:01.744 --> 16:05.044
industrial base in many states . The

16:05.054 --> 16:07.164
requested funding will refill the

16:07.174 --> 16:09.604
stockpiles and increase the production

16:09.614 --> 16:13.205
capacity of key munitions in greatest

16:13.215 --> 16:16.880
demand . None of this funding goes

16:16.890 --> 16:20.190
overseas or to another country . It

16:20.200 --> 16:23.190
makes America stronger by

16:23.200 --> 16:26.000
modernizing our arsenal of

16:26.010 --> 16:29.760
democracy right here in our country

16:29.849 --> 16:32.869
and improving the readiness of the US

16:32.880 --> 16:36.669
military to deter any adversary

16:36.679 --> 16:39.880
seeking to harm the United States .

16:39.909 --> 16:43.349
Secretary Lincoln and Secretary Austin .

16:43.400 --> 16:45.178
We look forward to hearing your

16:45.178 --> 16:48.929
specific justifications before we

16:48.940 --> 16:51.260
turn to your opening statements , let

16:51.270 --> 16:54.270
me reiterate that Chair Murray and I

16:54.559 --> 16:57.500
want to enact all 12

16:57.510 --> 17:00.299
appropriations bills including the

17:00.309 --> 17:03.000
state Foreign Ops Bill and the defense

17:03.010 --> 17:06.829
appropriation . As former secretary of

17:06.839 --> 17:10.589
Defense Bob Gates once told me the most

17:10.599 --> 17:13.910
important action congress can take to

17:13.920 --> 17:17.199
bolster our national security is to

17:17.209 --> 17:21.069
pass full year appropriations bills to

17:21.079 --> 17:24.010
avoid the harm to military readiness

17:24.199 --> 17:26.920
that comes from short term funding

17:26.930 --> 17:30.510
patches or sequestration . Secretary

17:30.520 --> 17:32.631
Austin . I hope that you will comment

17:32.631 --> 17:36.329
on that in your opening remarks . Thank

17:36.339 --> 17:38.719
you , madam chair . Thank you , Vice

17:38.729 --> 17:40.896
Chair Collins . And before I introduce

17:40.896 --> 17:43.118
our witnesses and move to testimony , I

17:43.118 --> 17:44.951
want to take a moment to welcome

17:44.951 --> 17:47.118
someone else today . Our newest member

17:47.118 --> 17:49.340
of the committee , uh Senator Cinema is

17:49.340 --> 17:51.340
someone who truly knows how to work

17:51.340 --> 17:53.673
with members on both sides of the aisle .

17:53.673 --> 17:55.896
I'm sure she will be a strong voice for

17:55.896 --> 17:55.750
our constituents . Welcome to our

17:55.760 --> 17:59.140
committee madam chair . If I May echo

17:59.150 --> 18:01.979
your welcome to Senator Cinema . We've

18:01.989 --> 18:04.699
worked very closely on many bills and I

18:04.709 --> 18:06.931
know she's gonna be a great addition to

18:06.931 --> 18:09.439
our committee . Thank you . Um , now

18:09.449 --> 18:11.560
back to the business' hand , I'm very

18:11.560 --> 18:13.671
pleased to welcome Secretary of State

18:13.671 --> 18:15.893
Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense

18:15.893 --> 18:17.859
Lloyd Austin . Thank you both for

18:17.869 --> 18:20.091
taking the time today to be with us and

18:20.091 --> 18:22.202
to answer our questions , we will now

18:22.202 --> 18:23.925
start with opening remarks and

18:23.925 --> 18:26.036
Secretary Blinken , I will begin with

18:26.036 --> 18:28.209
you . Thank you very much . Uh Chair

18:28.219 --> 18:30.550
Murray , uh Vice Chair Collins , uh

18:30.560 --> 18:32.171
distinguished members of the

18:32.171 --> 18:34.227
Appropriations Committee . Thank you

18:34.227 --> 18:36.393
for this opportunity to testify before

18:36.393 --> 18:37.393
you today

18:42.729 --> 18:46.640
areas start according to genocide and a

18:46.859 --> 18:47.859
class .

18:57.569 --> 18:59.920
No . So

19:03.589 --> 19:05.729
I , I do , I do recognize that people

19:05.739 --> 19:07.961
feel very passionately , but I ask that

19:07.961 --> 19:10.128
we have order in this hearing room and

19:10.128 --> 19:12.128
respect our speakers . We will move

19:12.128 --> 19:14.239
forward with the hearing uh and allow

19:14.239 --> 19:16.461
the people here and the American people

19:16.461 --> 19:18.628
to hear from their witnesses . Senator

19:18.628 --> 19:20.683
Blinken . Thank you , chair . Uh 2.5

19:20.683 --> 19:22.739
years ago , our adversaries assessed

19:22.739 --> 19:24.739
that the United States was becoming

19:24.739 --> 19:26.961
permanently divided at home , alienated

19:26.961 --> 19:29.183
from our allies and partners around the

19:29.183 --> 19:31.280
world working together . We've

19:31.290 --> 19:33.699
demonstrated that America's resilience ,

19:34.119 --> 19:36.063
its strength and leadership in the

19:36.063 --> 19:38.500
world remain unmatched . We made

19:38.510 --> 19:40.621
historic investments in the source of

19:40.621 --> 19:42.454
America's strength at home , our

19:42.454 --> 19:44.510
democracy , our infrastructure , our

19:44.510 --> 19:46.010
economic and technological

19:46.010 --> 19:48.232
competitiveness . We've invested in the

19:48.232 --> 19:50.454
modernization of our military and we've

19:50.454 --> 19:52.399
invested in our greatest strategic

19:52.399 --> 19:54.454
asset abroad , our network of allies

19:54.454 --> 19:56.732
and partners , which is growing larger ,

19:56.732 --> 19:59.079
stronger , more united and more capable

19:59.089 --> 20:01.200
than ever . We're standing up for our

20:01.200 --> 20:03.256
interests and values , not shrinking

20:03.256 --> 20:05.209
back , not in the face of Russia's

20:05.219 --> 20:07.939
aggression against Ukraine , not in the

20:07.949 --> 20:09.838
face of an intensifying strategic

20:09.838 --> 20:11.838
competition in the Indo Pacific and

20:11.838 --> 20:15.760
around the world . If the

20:15.770 --> 20:18.329
witness will suspend and I ask that

20:18.339 --> 20:20.561
everyone again , respect this hearing ,

20:20.939 --> 20:22.828
we will suspend until the room is

20:22.828 --> 20:23.828
cleared .

20:52.839 --> 20:54.895
Thank you , Senator Blinken . If you

20:54.895 --> 20:57.170
can continue , please , as I said ,

20:57.180 --> 20:59.650
we're standing up for values , not

20:59.660 --> 21:01.660
shrinking back , not in the face of

21:01.660 --> 21:03.771
Russia's aggression against Ukraine ,

21:03.771 --> 21:05.549
not in the face of intensifying

21:05.549 --> 21:07.604
strategic competition in the Pacific

21:07.604 --> 21:09.771
and around the world , not in the face

21:09.771 --> 21:11.993
of terrorism and its state sponsors and

21:11.993 --> 21:14.216
America does not stand alone . We build

21:14.216 --> 21:16.327
extraordinary coalitions with friends

21:16.327 --> 21:18.327
who carry their share of the burden

21:18.327 --> 21:20.327
which I'm happy to come back to our

21:20.327 --> 21:22.216
adversaries and competitors alike

21:22.216 --> 21:22.140
recognize that our strategies are

21:22.150 --> 21:23.928
working and they continue to do

21:23.928 --> 21:26.239
everything they can to disrupt us . We

21:26.250 --> 21:28.306
now stand at a moment where many are

21:28.306 --> 21:30.729
again , making the bet that we're too

21:30.739 --> 21:33.040
divided or too distracted at home to

21:33.050 --> 21:35.130
stay the course . That's what's at

21:35.140 --> 21:37.251
stake with President Biden's national

21:37.251 --> 21:39.473
security supplemental funding request .

21:39.473 --> 21:41.529
The president's request would secure

21:41.529 --> 21:43.584
the urgent resources that we need to

21:43.584 --> 21:45.807
continue to lead Secretary Austin . And

21:45.807 --> 21:47.918
I believe it's important for us to be

21:47.918 --> 21:49.918
here together today because in this

21:49.918 --> 21:51.918
mission as in so much that we do to

21:51.918 --> 21:54.029
advance America's national security ,

21:54.029 --> 21:55.918
our defense , our diplomacy , our

21:55.918 --> 21:57.973
development must work hand in hand .

22:02.140 --> 22:04.630
Committee will suspend . And again , I

22:04.640 --> 22:06.510
I appreciate that people feel

22:06.520 --> 22:08.520
passionately about these issues . I

22:08.520 --> 22:10.242
would ask that you respect our

22:10.242 --> 22:12.464
witnesses and our committee members and

22:12.464 --> 22:14.687
allow the American people to hear their

22:14.687 --> 22:16.687
testimony . We will pause until the

22:16.687 --> 22:15.959
room is cleared .

22:38.170 --> 22:40.337
Thank you , Secretary Blinken . If you

22:40.337 --> 22:43.020
can continue please , the president's

22:43.030 --> 22:45.252
funding request has four key elements .

22:45.420 --> 22:47.839
First , it provides for our enduring

22:47.849 --> 22:50.160
support to Israel and Ukraine . Two

22:50.170 --> 22:52.699
democracies under brutal assault by

22:52.709 --> 22:54.931
actors determined to wipe their nations

22:54.931 --> 22:56.820
off the map . It will ensure that

22:56.820 --> 22:58.709
Israel can continue to defend its

22:58.709 --> 23:00.765
people by building on the diplomatic

23:00.765 --> 23:02.931
security and intelligence support that

23:02.931 --> 23:04.876
the United States has surged since

23:04.876 --> 23:06.939
Hamas's appalling slaughter . I know

23:06.949 --> 23:08.040
that several

23:12.959 --> 23:15.260
committee will suspend and I again ask

23:15.270 --> 23:17.437
that those in the audience respect the

23:17.437 --> 23:19.381
people in the room and allow us to

23:19.381 --> 23:21.603
continue the hearing . The hearing will

23:21.603 --> 23:23.937
suspend until the disruption is removed .

23:39.020 --> 23:41.187
Thank you , Secretary Blinken , if you

23:41.187 --> 23:43.520
can continue , please . So I was saying ,

23:43.520 --> 23:45.631
I know that several committee members

23:45.631 --> 23:44.979
have traveled to Israel over the last

23:44.989 --> 23:47.050
three weeks . They've heard directly

23:47.060 --> 23:49.282
from Israeli officials , what they need

23:49.369 --> 23:51.729
to defend their people and prevent

23:51.739 --> 23:53.800
another attack like this one . And

23:53.810 --> 23:55.866
that's exactly what the supplemental

23:55.866 --> 23:58.119
provides with 3.7 billion for security

23:58.130 --> 24:00.130
needs , including to help Israel

24:00.140 --> 24:02.140
bolster its air and missile defense

24:02.140 --> 24:03.918
systems . The supplemental also

24:03.918 --> 24:06.029
requests additional authority to draw

24:06.029 --> 24:07.862
down dod stocks and enhances the

24:07.862 --> 24:10.029
security of our embassy . As President

24:10.029 --> 24:12.084
Biden has made clear from the outset

24:12.084 --> 24:14.196
while Israel has the right . Indeed ,

24:14.196 --> 24:16.362
it has the obligation to defend itself

24:16.362 --> 24:18.780
the way it does so matters in our

24:18.790 --> 24:21.123
discussions with the Israeli government .

24:21.123 --> 24:23.290
The president and I have both stressed

24:23.290 --> 24:25.401
the need for Israel to operate by the

24:25.401 --> 24:28.750
rule of the committee will

24:28.760 --> 24:29.489
suspend

24:40.599 --> 24:42.766
Secretary Blinken . You may continue .

24:42.766 --> 24:44.543
Thank you . So I was saying the

24:44.543 --> 24:46.599
president and I both stressed in our

24:46.599 --> 24:48.321
conversations with the Israeli

24:48.321 --> 24:50.321
government , the need for Israel to

24:50.321 --> 24:52.155
operate by the law of war and in

24:52.155 --> 24:53.821
accordance with international

24:53.821 --> 24:55.710
Mediterranean law and to take all

24:55.710 --> 24:57.710
possible measures to avoid civilian

24:57.710 --> 24:59.766
casualties . For Ukraine . President

24:59.766 --> 25:01.819
Biden is requesting 16.3 billion to

25:01.829 --> 25:04.000
supply Ukraine's defense without which

25:04.250 --> 25:06.194
Russia will move quickly to try to

25:06.194 --> 25:08.361
seize and exploit any possible opening

25:08.361 --> 25:10.528
and to ensure that Ukraine can sustain

25:10.528 --> 25:12.750
the economic base and recovery that its

25:12.750 --> 25:14.939
war effort depends on this . Funding

25:14.949 --> 25:17.171
will not only rebuild Ukraine's economy

25:17.171 --> 25:19.505
and offset the damage brought by Russia ,

25:19.505 --> 25:21.727
but it will also help to reimagine it ,

25:21.727 --> 25:23.393
investing in new industries ,

25:23.393 --> 25:25.227
infrastructure and supply chains

25:25.227 --> 25:27.393
connected to Europe and to the world ,

25:27.393 --> 25:29.505
secure and resilient , clean energy ,

25:29.505 --> 25:31.782
anti corruption bodies , civil society ,

25:31.782 --> 25:33.949
media to be strong enough to deter and

25:33.949 --> 25:36.005
defend against aggressors beyond its

25:36.005 --> 25:38.005
borders . Ukraine needs a resilient

25:38.005 --> 25:40.171
economy and a vibrant democracy within

25:40.171 --> 25:42.393
its borders since Russia lost its war .

25:42.469 --> 25:44.247
The robust funding supported by

25:44.247 --> 25:46.191
Congress has enabled the people of

25:46.191 --> 25:48.247
Ukraine in their courageous fight to

25:48.247 --> 25:50.413
defend their nation . It's helped make

25:50.413 --> 25:52.191
sure that Russia's invasion and

25:52.191 --> 25:51.589
strategic

25:59.479 --> 26:01.090
the committee will suspend .

26:06.060 --> 26:08.770
I know . No .

26:10.369 --> 26:10.869
No .

26:28.660 --> 26:29.109
Wow .

26:41.510 --> 26:45.510
Now , 25 now , fire now

26:45.770 --> 26:47.209
breathing fire now

26:52.979 --> 26:53.949
they , yeah .

26:57.520 --> 26:59.390
Yeah . Yeah .

27:03.130 --> 27:06.000
Yes . No .

27:08.469 --> 27:09.469
All the world .

27:12.650 --> 27:14.569
What ? No ,

27:16.780 --> 27:20.449
no , no fire

27:20.569 --> 27:23.770
now . Five ,

27:25.089 --> 27:28.189
no , he fired it out

27:30.400 --> 27:34.130
now . He fired out .

27:35.810 --> 27:36.300
No ,

27:40.329 --> 27:41.329
it what

27:47.420 --> 27:51.359
what ? No .

28:20.199 --> 28:22.430
Thank you . And before I turn back over

28:22.439 --> 28:24.439
to you , Secretary Blinken , I just

28:24.439 --> 28:26.661
really want to thank the Capitol police

28:26.661 --> 28:28.717
for their very calm and professional

28:28.717 --> 28:28.630
manner . We all appreciate it .

28:28.760 --> 28:30.704
Secretary Blinken . Can you please

28:30.704 --> 28:32.927
continue ? Thank you . So to continue .

28:32.927 --> 28:35.149
Uh Since Russia launched this war , the

28:35.149 --> 28:37.510
robust funding provided by Congress has

28:37.520 --> 28:39.687
enabled the people of Ukraine in their

28:39.687 --> 28:42.020
courageous fight to defend their nation .

28:42.020 --> 28:44.020
It's helped make sure that Russia's

28:44.020 --> 28:46.187
invasion is a strategic debacle making

28:46.187 --> 28:48.187
it weaker in nearly every way . And

28:48.187 --> 28:50.242
it's rallied the world in defense of

28:50.242 --> 28:52.298
Ukraine and of the principles at the

28:52.298 --> 28:54.409
heart of the United Nations charter ,

28:54.409 --> 28:56.687
sovereignty , territorial independence ,

28:56.687 --> 28:58.964
integrity , excuse me and independence .

28:58.964 --> 28:58.750
Our partners are making significant

28:58.760 --> 29:00.816
contributions to share the burden of

29:00.816 --> 29:03.038
assistance . Turning our backs on their

29:03.038 --> 29:05.260
efforts would have lasting implications

29:05.260 --> 29:07.093
for our own security and our own

29:07.093 --> 29:09.204
standing in the world . The conflicts

29:09.204 --> 29:11.204
in Ukraine and the Middle East have

29:11.204 --> 29:13.371
clear links as both the chair and vice

29:13.371 --> 29:15.260
chair have noted since we cut off

29:15.260 --> 29:17.482
Russia's traditional means of supplying

29:17.482 --> 29:19.482
its military . It's turned more and

29:19.482 --> 29:21.816
more to Iran for assistance . In return ,

29:21.816 --> 29:23.482
Moscow has supplied Iran with

29:23.482 --> 29:23.410
increasingly advanced military

29:23.420 --> 29:25.364
technology which poses a threat to

29:25.364 --> 29:27.531
Israel's security , allowing Russia to

29:27.531 --> 29:30.349
prevail with Iran's support will simply

29:30.359 --> 29:33.949
embolden both Moscow and Iran . Second ,

29:34.459 --> 29:36.570
this funding will enable us to tackle

29:36.570 --> 29:38.849
grave humanitarian needs created by

29:38.859 --> 29:41.026
autocrats and terrorists as well as by

29:41.026 --> 29:42.915
conflict and natural disasters in

29:42.915 --> 29:44.939
Ukraine , in Gaza , in Sudan , in

29:44.949 --> 29:46.989
Armenia and other places around the

29:47.000 --> 29:50.670
world , food , water medicine , other

29:50.680 --> 29:52.791
essential humanitarian assistance for

29:52.791 --> 29:55.124
silences must be able to flow into Gaza .

29:55.500 --> 29:57.660
Civilians must be able to stay out of

29:57.670 --> 29:59.760
harm's way . A task that's made even

29:59.770 --> 30:01.949
more difficult as Hamas uses civilians

30:01.959 --> 30:04.229
as human shields and humanitarian

30:04.239 --> 30:07.150
pauses must be considered helping

30:07.160 --> 30:08.993
prevent a worsening humanitarian

30:08.993 --> 30:11.049
catastrophe aligns with our nation's

30:11.049 --> 30:13.271
most deeply held principles , including

30:13.271 --> 30:15.438
our belief that every civilian life is

30:15.438 --> 30:17.493
equally valuable , equally worthy of

30:17.493 --> 30:19.660
protection without swift and sustained

30:19.660 --> 30:21.771
humanitarian relief . The conflict is

30:21.771 --> 30:23.827
much more likely to spread suffering

30:23.827 --> 30:26.040
will grow and Hamas and its sponsors

30:26.050 --> 30:28.569
will benefit by fashioning themselves

30:28.579 --> 30:31.000
as the saviors of the very desperation

30:31.030 --> 30:33.400
that they created humanitarian

30:33.410 --> 30:35.466
assistance is also vital to Israel's

30:35.466 --> 30:37.632
security , providing immediate aid and

30:37.632 --> 30:39.854
protection for Palestinian civilians in

30:39.854 --> 30:42.077
this conflict is a necessary foundation

30:42.077 --> 30:44.299
for finding partners in Gaza who have a

30:44.299 --> 30:46.354
different vision for the future than

30:46.354 --> 30:48.521
Hamas and who are willing to help make

30:48.521 --> 30:50.410
it real . Third , this funding is

30:50.410 --> 30:52.632
critical to out competing our strategic

30:52.632 --> 30:54.577
rivals . This request will bolster

30:54.577 --> 30:56.799
deterrence . It will support our allies

30:56.799 --> 30:58.799
and partners in the Indo Pacific to

30:58.799 --> 31:00.854
address threats from an increasingly

31:00.854 --> 31:02.799
assertive PRC and to meet emerging

31:02.799 --> 31:04.577
challenges . It will uphold our

31:04.577 --> 31:06.521
commitment to our allies including

31:06.521 --> 31:08.188
under our trilateral security

31:08.188 --> 31:10.132
partnership with Australia and the

31:10.132 --> 31:12.243
United Kingdom , Aus and it will help

31:12.243 --> 31:14.243
country strangers into military and

31:14.243 --> 31:16.077
defense equipment that's made in

31:16.077 --> 31:18.243
America . The president's request also

31:18.243 --> 31:20.299
include resources for the World Bank

31:20.299 --> 31:22.243
and International Monetary Fund to

31:22.243 --> 31:24.021
provide alternatives to China's

31:24.021 --> 31:23.930
coercive financing for our partners in

31:23.939 --> 31:25.939
the developing world . It will also

31:25.939 --> 31:28.050
help ease the impact of spillovers of

31:28.050 --> 31:29.828
Russia's war on food and energy

31:29.828 --> 31:31.495
security for the world's most

31:31.495 --> 31:33.495
vulnerable . The proposed 2 billion

31:33.495 --> 31:35.050
appropriation and requested

31:35.050 --> 31:37.272
authorizations would generate almost 50

31:37.272 --> 31:39.272
billion in additional development ,

31:39.272 --> 31:41.495
funding capacity for the World Bank and

31:41.495 --> 31:43.383
the IMF an enormous return on our

31:43.383 --> 31:45.050
investment , demonstrating us

31:45.050 --> 31:47.050
leadership in meeting urgent global

31:47.050 --> 31:49.161
challenges . Fourth and finally , the

31:49.161 --> 31:50.939
supplemental will make critical

31:50.939 --> 31:53.106
investments to protect the security of

31:53.106 --> 31:55.161
Americans here at home that includes

31:55.161 --> 31:57.383
addressing the hemispheric challenge of

31:57.383 --> 31:59.439
a regular migration , strengthen our

31:59.439 --> 31:59.199
defense industrial base to ensure our

31:59.209 --> 32:01.042
military continues to be ready ,

32:01.042 --> 32:03.209
capable and the best equipped fighting

32:03.209 --> 32:05.320
force in the world and that we remain

32:05.320 --> 32:07.910
the arsenal for democracy . More than

32:07.920 --> 32:09.864
50 billion of the security systems

32:09.864 --> 32:11.849
funding will replenish us military

32:11.859 --> 32:13.859
stocks , strengthen our defense

32:13.869 --> 32:15.849
industrial base and will be spent

32:15.859 --> 32:18.310
through American businesses . Each of

32:18.319 --> 32:20.390
these investments work together to

32:20.400 --> 32:22.829
achieve our mission , a stronger ,

32:22.910 --> 32:25.349
safer , brighter future where America

32:25.359 --> 32:27.526
can lead from a position of strength .

32:27.660 --> 32:29.882
Let us come together and demonstrate to

32:29.882 --> 32:31.938
one another and to the world that we

32:31.938 --> 32:35.270
can rise to this moment . I also hear

32:35.280 --> 32:37.479
very much the passions expressed in

32:37.829 --> 32:41.449
this room and outside this room , all

32:41.459 --> 32:44.040
of us are committed to the protection

32:44.050 --> 32:46.849
of civilian life . All of us know the

32:46.859 --> 32:49.420
suffering that is taking place as we

32:49.430 --> 32:52.750
speak . All of us are determined to see

32:52.760 --> 32:55.329
it end . But all of us know the

32:55.339 --> 32:57.479
imperative of standing up with our

32:57.489 --> 33:00.530
allies and partners when their security ,

33:00.739 --> 33:03.000
when their democracies are threatened ,

33:03.410 --> 33:05.354
that's what's happening . Now , we

33:05.354 --> 33:07.466
stand resolutely with them even as we

33:07.466 --> 33:09.632
stand resolutely for the protection of

33:09.632 --> 33:11.854
innocent civilians before I close . I'd

33:11.854 --> 33:13.966
just like to thank senators for their

33:13.966 --> 33:15.910
vote today to send the president's

33:15.910 --> 33:17.799
ambassadorial nominee Jack Lew to

33:17.799 --> 33:19.743
Israel at this critical time and I

33:19.743 --> 33:21.966
encourage the Senate to do the same for

33:21.966 --> 33:24.188
the 26 other nominees waiting for their

33:24.188 --> 33:23.670
vote . Thank you very much madam chair .

33:25.839 --> 33:28.061
Thank you very much , Secretary Lincoln

33:28.229 --> 33:30.285
uh Secretary Austin . If you want to

33:30.285 --> 33:32.819
begin your testimony , please act um If

33:32.829 --> 33:35.010
you could suspend until we have the

33:35.020 --> 33:36.260
room cleared .

33:53.520 --> 33:55.687
Thank you , Secretary Austin . You may

33:55.687 --> 33:59.310
begin J Murray uh Vice Chair Collins ,

33:59.319 --> 34:01.597
uh Ladies and gentlemen , good morning .

34:01.599 --> 34:04.000
Thanks for the opportunity to discuss

34:04.010 --> 34:06.020
our urgent need for supplemental

34:06.030 --> 34:08.459
funding to strengthen our national

34:08.469 --> 34:11.408
security . On October 7th , Hamas

34:11.418 --> 34:14.069
terrorists murdered more than 1400

34:14.079 --> 34:17.918
Israelis and at least 36 Americans and

34:17.928 --> 34:21.149
took more than 200 hostages . It was

34:21.159 --> 34:23.048
the deadliest terrorist attack in

34:23.048 --> 34:25.959
Israel's history . It was cruel ,

34:26.610 --> 34:29.868
hateful and repugnant and as former

34:29.878 --> 34:31.989
head of Central Command , it reminded

34:31.989 --> 34:34.428
me powerfully of the crimes committed

34:34.438 --> 34:37.989
by Isis in Iraq and Syria . As

34:38.000 --> 34:40.909
President Biden has said any democracy

34:40.919 --> 34:44.270
would respond decisively to such a vile

34:44.280 --> 34:47.259
terrorist assault . And I traveled to

34:47.269 --> 34:49.325
Israel just days after the attack to

34:49.325 --> 34:51.839
underscore America's ironclad

34:51.849 --> 34:55.389
commitment to Israel's security . Now ,

34:55.399 --> 34:57.621
we fully understand that Hamas does not

34:57.621 --> 35:00.600
represent the Palestinian people and we

35:00.610 --> 35:02.943
mourn the loss of Palestinian civilians .

35:04.080 --> 35:05.858
I have repeatedly made clear to

35:05.858 --> 35:07.959
Israel's leaders that protecting

35:07.969 --> 35:10.419
civilians in Gaza is both a moral

35:10.429 --> 35:12.689
responsibility and a strategic

35:12.699 --> 35:16.060
imperative democracies like ours are

35:16.070 --> 35:19.239
stronger and more secure when we uphold

35:19.250 --> 35:21.489
the law of war and protect civilians .

35:22.780 --> 35:24.780
Now , tensions remain exceptionally

35:24.780 --> 35:26.879
high . So let me outline the

35:26.889 --> 35:29.111
department's four key lines of effort .

35:29.111 --> 35:31.939
First will continue to protect American

35:31.949 --> 35:35.010
forces and citizens in the region . Our

35:35.020 --> 35:36.964
personnel have come under repeated

35:36.964 --> 35:40.020
attack in recent days by Iranian backed

35:40.030 --> 35:42.879
militia groups and these attacks must

35:42.889 --> 35:45.929
stop at the President's direction . Us

35:45.939 --> 35:48.000
forces have conducted precision self

35:48.010 --> 35:50.320
defense strikes on facilities in

35:50.330 --> 35:54.120
eastern Syria used by Iran's IRGC

35:54.399 --> 35:57.760
and its affiliates . If Iranian backed

35:57.770 --> 36:00.239
groups continue to attack us forces ,

36:00.389 --> 36:02.909
we will not hesitate to take further

36:02.919 --> 36:04.808
necessary measures to protect our

36:04.808 --> 36:07.919
people . We've also raised force

36:07.929 --> 36:10.040
protection measures across the region

36:10.439 --> 36:12.439
and I have deployed a terminal high

36:12.439 --> 36:15.199
altitude area defense battery as well

36:15.209 --> 36:17.979
as additional patriot batteries . And

36:17.989 --> 36:19.767
second , we're flowing security

36:19.767 --> 36:21.933
assistance into Israel at the speed of

36:21.933 --> 36:24.320
war . We're providing air defense

36:24.330 --> 36:26.469
capabilities , precision guided

36:26.479 --> 36:29.080
munitions , small diameter bombs and

36:29.090 --> 36:31.560
other key equipment including more

36:31.570 --> 36:33.689
interceptors for the life saving iron

36:33.699 --> 36:36.649
dome system . Third , we're

36:36.659 --> 36:39.389
coordinating closely with Israel to

36:39.449 --> 36:42.040
help secure the release of every man

36:42.429 --> 36:45.149
woman and child seized by Hamas

36:45.540 --> 36:48.229
including American citizens . As

36:48.239 --> 36:50.295
President Biden told the families of

36:50.295 --> 36:53.129
the missing Americans , we have no

36:53.139 --> 36:56.260
higher priority than the safe return of

36:56.270 --> 36:59.540
their loved ones . And we immediately

36:59.550 --> 37:02.879
provided us military advisors to offer

37:02.889 --> 37:05.320
offer best practices for integrating

37:05.330 --> 37:07.260
hostage recovery into Israel's

37:07.270 --> 37:10.250
operations . And finally , we swiftly

37:10.260 --> 37:12.260
strengthen our force posture in the

37:12.260 --> 37:15.040
region to deter any state or non state

37:15.050 --> 37:17.159
actor from escalating this crisis .

37:17.360 --> 37:20.919
Beyond Gaza , two carrier strike groups

37:20.929 --> 37:23.510
are now in the region last week , an

37:23.520 --> 37:26.010
additional F-16 squadron squadron

37:26.020 --> 37:28.120
arrived in the region complimenting

37:28.129 --> 37:30.073
other fighter squadrons already in

37:30.073 --> 37:32.669
theater . And all this underscores the

37:32.679 --> 37:34.969
president's clear warning , no

37:34.979 --> 37:37.929
government or group that wishes Israel

37:37.939 --> 37:40.020
harm should try to widen this this

37:40.030 --> 37:43.550
crisis . Yet , even as we surge

37:43.560 --> 37:46.080
support into Israel , we remain focused

37:46.090 --> 37:49.280
on Ukraine nearly 20 months into

37:49.290 --> 37:51.520
Putin's failed campaign of conquests .

37:52.120 --> 37:54.120
The Russian military has been badly

37:54.120 --> 37:56.909
weakened . Ukraine's brave forces have

37:56.919 --> 37:58.752
taken back more than half of the

37:58.752 --> 38:00.808
territory seized by Russian invaders

38:00.929 --> 38:04.750
since February 2022 . And that was made

38:04.760 --> 38:07.709
possible by bipartisan and principal us

38:07.719 --> 38:10.820
leadership in our coalition of some 50

38:10.830 --> 38:14.389
allies and partners in both Israel and

38:14.399 --> 38:16.232
Ukraine democracies are fighting

38:16.232 --> 38:19.580
ruthless foes who are out to annihilate

38:19.590 --> 38:23.469
them . We will not let Hamas or Putin

38:23.479 --> 38:25.919
win . Today's battles against

38:25.929 --> 38:27.985
aggression and terrorism will define

38:27.985 --> 38:30.780
global security for years to come and

38:30.790 --> 38:32.679
only firm American leadership can

38:32.679 --> 38:35.100
ensure that tyrants and thugs and

38:35.110 --> 38:37.590
terrorists will , will ride , are not

38:37.600 --> 38:40.080
emboldened to commit more aggression

38:40.090 --> 38:43.419
and more atrocities . So our actions

38:43.429 --> 38:45.449
today will shape the world that our

38:45.459 --> 38:47.515
Children and grandchildren inherit .

38:48.149 --> 38:50.038
And that's why we've submitted an

38:50.038 --> 38:52.149
urgent supplemental budget request to

38:52.149 --> 38:54.530
help fund America's national security

38:54.540 --> 38:57.399
needs and to stand by our partners and

38:57.409 --> 38:59.500
to invest in our defense industrial

38:59.510 --> 39:03.290
base . We're requesting $10.6 billion

39:03.300 --> 39:05.949
to help Israel defend itself . The

39:05.959 --> 39:08.840
supplemental also requests $44.4

39:08.850 --> 39:11.209
billion to help Ukraine continue to

39:11.219 --> 39:13.386
defend itself against Russia's ongoing

39:13.386 --> 39:16.639
aggression . We're also requesting $3.3

39:16.649 --> 39:18.399
billion to meet us military

39:18.409 --> 39:20.379
requirements in our submarine

39:20.389 --> 39:23.250
industrial base and to fulfill our aus

39:23.459 --> 39:26.389
requirements . Now , this supplemental

39:26.719 --> 39:29.110
doesn't just help meet today's urgent

39:29.120 --> 39:31.479
challenges . It also invest in our

39:31.489 --> 39:34.429
defense industrial base when we send

39:34.439 --> 39:36.161
our friends munitions from our

39:36.161 --> 39:38.929
stockpiles the money to replenish our

39:38.939 --> 39:41.179
supplies , strengthens our military

39:41.189 --> 39:43.610
readiness and we invest in American

39:43.620 --> 39:46.600
industry and American workers . That

39:46.610 --> 39:49.010
also holds true for funding for Israel

39:49.020 --> 39:51.949
or Ukraine to procure new equipment off

39:51.959 --> 39:55.310
the production line . Some $50 billion

39:55.320 --> 39:57.542
of this supplemental request would flow

39:57.542 --> 39:59.653
through our defense industrial base ,

39:59.653 --> 40:01.820
creating American jobs in more than 30

40:01.820 --> 40:04.020
states . And these investments will

40:04.030 --> 40:06.610
also improve our production capacities

40:07.040 --> 40:10.330
far into the future and help ensure

40:10.340 --> 40:12.396
that we are ready to tackle security

40:12.396 --> 40:14.879
challenges worldwide . And all that

40:14.889 --> 40:17.050
means greater prosperity at home and

40:17.060 --> 40:19.830
greater security around the globe . And

40:19.840 --> 40:22.090
finally , let me thank all of you for

40:22.100 --> 40:24.560
your leadership . Your bipartisan

40:24.570 --> 40:26.514
support ensures that we can defend

40:26.514 --> 40:28.580
America and stand by the allies and

40:28.590 --> 40:31.929
partners who magnify our strength . I'm

40:31.939 --> 40:34.050
also deeply committed to working with

40:34.050 --> 40:35.828
all of you to enact a full year

40:35.828 --> 40:37.772
appropriation bill to keep America

40:37.772 --> 40:40.239
secure . As President Biden has said ,

40:40.250 --> 40:42.439
American leadership is what holds the

40:42.449 --> 40:45.209
world together . And if we fail to lead

40:45.639 --> 40:47.583
the cost and threats to the United

40:47.583 --> 40:50.139
States will only grow , we must not

40:50.149 --> 40:53.739
give our friends our rivals or our foes

40:53.889 --> 40:56.290
any reason to doubt America's resolve .

40:56.729 --> 40:58.951
So I look forward to continuing to work

40:58.951 --> 41:00.840
with you to keep America secure ,

41:00.840 --> 41:03.530
prosperous and strong . Thank you .

41:03.840 --> 41:06.007
Thank you , Secretary Austin . We will

41:06.007 --> 41:07.729
now begin around a five minute

41:07.729 --> 41:09.784
questions of our witnesses and I ask

41:09.784 --> 41:11.840
our colleagues to keep track of your

41:11.840 --> 41:14.118
clock . Stay within those five minutes .

41:14.118 --> 41:16.173
We have a lot of urgent challenges ,

41:16.173 --> 41:18.007
getting aid to Israel as soon as

41:18.007 --> 41:20.118
possible , continuing our support for

41:20.118 --> 41:21.784
Ukraine and addressing urgent

41:21.784 --> 41:23.896
humanitarian needs globally . Some of

41:23.896 --> 41:26.062
my colleagues in the House and the few

41:26.062 --> 41:28.118
in the Senate are pushing to provide

41:28.118 --> 41:30.340
only the emergency military funding for

41:30.340 --> 41:32.062
Israel and not the rest of the

41:32.062 --> 41:34.173
president's request . In the security

41:34.173 --> 41:36.118
supplemental Secretary Blinken and

41:36.118 --> 41:38.340
Secretary Austin , I'd like each of you

41:38.340 --> 41:40.562
to address this question . Why is it so

41:40.562 --> 41:42.729
important that we provide supplemental

41:42.729 --> 41:44.896
funding for Ukraine , the Indo Pacific

41:44.896 --> 41:47.118
and humanitarian assistance in addition

41:47.118 --> 41:48.951
to military aid to Israel and Se

41:48.951 --> 41:51.284
Secretary Blinken , I'll begin with you .

41:51.284 --> 41:53.451
Thank you very much chair . Um I think

41:53.451 --> 41:55.618
it's very important to understand that

41:55.618 --> 41:58.879
the elements of this request work

41:58.889 --> 42:01.500
together as a package . Um As you know ,

42:01.979 --> 42:04.770
the defense industrial base operates in

42:04.780 --> 42:07.820
a complex way . Um It's an

42:07.830 --> 42:10.330
interdependent unit , making these

42:10.340 --> 42:12.396
investments together allows us to do

42:12.396 --> 42:14.618
what's needed to strengthen the defense

42:14.618 --> 42:16.451
industrial base and to seize the

42:16.459 --> 42:18.459
benefits and efficiencies that come

42:18.459 --> 42:20.626
from making these investments together

42:20.626 --> 42:22.792
rather than making them piecemeal . We

42:22.792 --> 42:24.770
also know as you've heard that

42:24.780 --> 42:26.613
increasingly Russia and Iran are

42:26.613 --> 42:28.502
working together to challenge our

42:28.502 --> 42:30.629
leadership to hem us in globally , to

42:30.639 --> 42:32.669
pose a growing threat to our own

42:32.679 --> 42:34.623
security as well as to that of our

42:34.623 --> 42:36.568
allies and partners . They've been

42:36.568 --> 42:38.846
partners in a devastating war in Syria .

42:38.846 --> 42:40.790
Now we have Iranian proxies firing

42:40.790 --> 42:43.068
missiles from Syria in northern Israel .

42:43.340 --> 42:46.209
Russia could stop this but it doesn't

42:46.219 --> 42:47.989
instead to the contrary , its

42:48.000 --> 42:50.570
government is hosting Hamas for talks

42:50.580 --> 42:53.250
in Moscow . Iran is sending us to

42:53.260 --> 42:55.810
Russia to attack Ukrainian civilians .

42:56.189 --> 42:57.800
So we're seeing the profound

42:57.800 --> 42:59.745
connections here . What happens in

42:59.745 --> 43:01.800
Ukraine , what happens in the Middle

43:01.800 --> 43:03.967
East also matters for the Indo Pacific

43:03.967 --> 43:07.530
beyond Europe . We know that our allies

43:07.540 --> 43:09.762
as well as our adversaries , as well as

43:09.762 --> 43:11.651
our competitors are watching that

43:11.651 --> 43:13.429
conflict . They're watching our

43:13.429 --> 43:15.649
response , the global impacts of

43:15.659 --> 43:17.770
Russia's unprovoked war of aggression

43:17.770 --> 43:19.780
against Ukraine further stress the

43:19.790 --> 43:21.846
importance of ensuring that the Indo

43:21.846 --> 43:23.679
Pacific does not learn the wrong

43:23.679 --> 43:26.560
lessons from these conflicts . So the

43:26.570 --> 43:28.737
funding request that we put before you

43:28.737 --> 43:30.792
is vital to securing a free and open

43:30.792 --> 43:32.848
Indo Pacific in the face of mounting

43:32.848 --> 43:34.959
challenges in that region to threaten

43:34.959 --> 43:37.014
to undermine the international rules

43:37.014 --> 43:39.014
based order , including things like

43:39.014 --> 43:41.014
freedom of navigation . Uh In other

43:41.014 --> 43:43.070
words , to put it succinctly for our

43:43.070 --> 43:45.129
adversaries uh be they states or non

43:45.139 --> 43:48.909
states . Um This is all one fight and

43:48.949 --> 43:50.782
we have to respond in a way that

43:50.782 --> 43:53.005
recognizes that if we start to peel off

43:53.005 --> 43:55.659
pieces of this package , they'll see

43:55.669 --> 43:57.739
that they'll understand that we are

43:57.750 --> 44:00.090
playing whack a mole uh while they

44:00.100 --> 44:02.860
cooperating increasingly and pose uh an

44:02.870 --> 44:05.050
ever greater threat to our security as

44:05.060 --> 44:07.227
well as that of Ali and partners . And

44:07.227 --> 44:09.338
one final thing I think when it comes

44:09.338 --> 44:11.449
to the humanitarian assistance and we

44:11.449 --> 44:13.616
can come back to this , it's first and

44:13.616 --> 44:15.727
foremost vital because this is who we

44:15.727 --> 44:17.919
are . We know that when it comes down

44:17.929 --> 44:20.379
to it uh in each and every one of these

44:20.389 --> 44:23.889
conflicts . People are suffering men ,

44:23.899 --> 44:27.199
women and Children , parents , brothers ,

44:27.209 --> 44:29.542
sisters , aunts , uncles , grandparents ,

44:30.639 --> 44:34.409
and I think it's profoundly who we

44:34.419 --> 44:37.229
are to want to do everything we can to

44:37.239 --> 44:40.010
assist them to try to lift some of the

44:40.020 --> 44:42.076
horrific burden that they're bearing

44:42.076 --> 44:43.964
from being caught in the midst of

44:43.964 --> 44:45.964
conflict . Uh At the same time , uh

44:45.964 --> 44:48.510
it's vitally important as a strategic

44:48.520 --> 44:51.070
proposition that we provide the

44:51.080 --> 44:53.239
assistance that we can uh to help

44:53.250 --> 44:56.389
people in need . Um We've seen Hamas

44:56.399 --> 44:59.020
and other groups play the siren song of

44:59.030 --> 45:02.350
Nihilism to try to attract people to

45:02.360 --> 45:04.649
their perverted cause . Uh We wanna

45:04.659 --> 45:06.437
make sure that we have a better

45:06.437 --> 45:08.548
response that we have a better answer

45:08.548 --> 45:10.659
across the board . That's part of the

45:10.659 --> 45:12.715
strategic proposition as well as one

45:12.715 --> 45:14.881
that's profoundly humanitarian . Thank

45:14.881 --> 45:17.889
you for Austin . Uh Thanks Shea Murray .

45:17.899 --> 45:21.600
Um I think it's important to

45:21.649 --> 45:23.760
remind ourselves that what happens in

45:23.760 --> 45:26.639
Ukraine and what happens in Israel

45:26.649 --> 45:29.280
matters not to just Ukraine and Israel .

45:29.290 --> 45:32.260
It , it matters to us , it affects our

45:32.270 --> 45:35.810
national security as well . We also

45:35.820 --> 45:37.860
have to remind ourselves that these

45:37.870 --> 45:40.080
countries are in a fight , they're

45:40.090 --> 45:42.530
fighting every day and there are people

45:42.540 --> 45:45.959
dying every day . And in Ukraine ,

45:46.199 --> 45:49.070
Putin continues to attack civilians uh

45:49.080 --> 45:51.239
and commit war crimes that are , that

45:51.250 --> 45:54.239
are despicable . And so these , these

45:54.250 --> 45:57.090
countries need urgently need the uh the

45:57.100 --> 46:00.330
resources to ensure that they can

46:00.340 --> 46:02.284
continue to defend their sovereign

46:02.284 --> 46:05.300
territory . You know , in Ukraine ,

46:05.310 --> 46:07.389
Putin has felt that he could wait us

46:07.399 --> 46:09.621
out . And that's part of his strategy .

46:09.629 --> 46:11.518
His ma his , the main part of his

46:11.518 --> 46:13.685
strategy . He feels that the West will

46:13.685 --> 46:15.907
get tired of uh , of supporting Ukraine

46:16.030 --> 46:19.030
and he'll soon have his way . If that's

46:19.040 --> 46:21.318
the case . If we don't support Ukraine ,

46:21.318 --> 46:23.373
then Putin wins . But Putin will not

46:23.373 --> 46:26.449
stop in Ukraine . We know that we all

46:26.459 --> 46:28.370
know that . And so I think it's

46:28.379 --> 46:30.469
important to do what's necessary to

46:30.479 --> 46:33.399
support Ukraine and Israel and to help

46:33.409 --> 46:35.631
them defend their sovereign territory .

46:36.189 --> 46:37.911
But as the secretary said , as

46:37.911 --> 46:40.022
Secretary Lincoln said , this is also

46:40.022 --> 46:42.750
an investment in our defense industrial

46:42.760 --> 46:46.340
base . Uh It helps us re replenish our ,

46:46.350 --> 46:49.379
our stockpiles and gives us additional

46:49.389 --> 46:52.540
depth and agility that helps us do what

46:52.550 --> 46:54.717
we have done over the years , over the

46:54.717 --> 46:56.606
centuries , over the uh decades ,

46:56.606 --> 46:59.199
excuse me , uh around the world . And

46:59.209 --> 47:02.820
so I think this is very important

47:03.110 --> 47:05.166
that we provide the support and it's

47:05.166 --> 47:07.277
important that we provide the support

47:07.277 --> 47:09.639
now to both in both cases . Thank you .

47:09.870 --> 47:12.092
Thank you . And if my committee members

47:12.092 --> 47:14.148
will indulge me , I just want to ask

47:14.148 --> 47:16.370
Secretary Blinken on the $10 billion in

47:16.370 --> 47:18.750
humanitarian assistance . Um Some of my

47:18.760 --> 47:20.760
colleagues have raised concern that

47:20.760 --> 47:22.927
that could end up in the wrong hands ,

47:22.927 --> 47:25.149
including Hamas . Can you just walk the

47:25.149 --> 47:27.204
committee through the reason why you

47:27.204 --> 47:29.371
requested it and how you are confident

47:29.371 --> 47:31.482
the debate is provided in places like

47:31.482 --> 47:33.538
Gaza will not end up in the hands of

47:33.538 --> 47:35.482
terrorists . Thank you very much .

47:35.482 --> 47:37.593
First , let's be clear that the needs

47:37.593 --> 47:39.760
are desperate , the needs for the most

47:39.760 --> 47:42.760
basic things , food , water , medicine ,

47:42.770 --> 47:46.219
fuel , all of these are literally a

47:46.229 --> 47:49.469
matter of life and death just to focus

47:49.479 --> 47:53.179
in on , on Gaza and we know that they

47:53.189 --> 47:56.120
are running out . Hospitals don't have

47:56.129 --> 47:58.639
the fuel they need to operate . Um ,

47:58.889 --> 48:00.945
men , women and Children displaced .

48:00.945 --> 48:02.945
Well , well , over a million people

48:02.945 --> 48:05.169
displaced in Gaza , uh about half of

48:05.179 --> 48:07.179
them under the care of uh of Unrwa

48:07.189 --> 48:10.659
right now um desperately need uh the

48:10.669 --> 48:13.100
most basic things in order to survive .

48:13.520 --> 48:16.689
So from day one , we have been working

48:16.699 --> 48:18.830
with the Israeli government , with

48:18.840 --> 48:21.439
Egypt , with the UN agencies as well as

48:21.449 --> 48:23.560
with other actors to try to make sure

48:23.560 --> 48:25.671
that assistance could get into people

48:25.671 --> 48:27.782
who need it in Gaza , but get it in a

48:27.782 --> 48:29.893
way that doesn't go to the people who

48:29.893 --> 48:32.060
don't need it . And that's a must . So

48:32.060 --> 48:34.340
we've set up a system where assistance

48:34.350 --> 48:37.530
is coming through Rafah , the gate

48:37.669 --> 48:40.810
between Egypt and Gaza . Um The

48:40.820 --> 48:44.330
assistance is checked by Israel

48:44.689 --> 48:46.856
um at a site that has been established

48:46.856 --> 48:49.189
to do that so that every truck that

48:49.199 --> 48:52.949
goes in is verified by Israel as well

48:52.959 --> 48:55.820
as by the Egyptian authorities . The

48:55.830 --> 48:57.886
trucks go in , these are UN trucks ,

48:58.149 --> 49:00.489
they go in , they connect to other UN

49:00.500 --> 49:02.556
trucks on the other side of the , of

49:02.556 --> 49:05.580
the line in Gaza these trucks then go

49:05.590 --> 49:08.300
to distribution facilities that are run

49:08.310 --> 49:12.300
by UN agencies . The supplies are then

49:12.310 --> 49:15.040
taken from those agencies to various

49:15.050 --> 49:17.629
points to hospitals , to bakeries

49:17.639 --> 49:20.270
because bread is critical . Um , and to ,

49:20.280 --> 49:23.260
uh , other end points throughout this

49:23.270 --> 49:26.560
process , uh , we have an ability and

49:26.570 --> 49:28.860
others have an ability to track where

49:28.870 --> 49:31.060
the assistance is going . Uh , we're

49:31.070 --> 49:33.629
then able to do , um , monitoring on

49:33.639 --> 49:35.790
the other end by contacting the

49:35.800 --> 49:38.050
designated recipients to ensure that

49:38.060 --> 49:40.171
it's actually gotten uh to where it's

49:40.171 --> 49:42.070
supposed to go , uh and not been

49:42.080 --> 49:45.840
diverted to date . Uh We don't have

49:45.850 --> 49:49.330
reports either from uh the UN

49:49.699 --> 49:52.300
uh or from Israel that this assistance

49:52.310 --> 49:55.399
has been diverted from its intended

49:55.409 --> 49:57.465
recipients . But it's something that

49:57.465 --> 49:59.687
we're going to track very closely . Can

49:59.687 --> 50:01.742
I promise you in this committee that

50:01.742 --> 50:03.959
there'll be 100% delivery to the uh

50:03.969 --> 50:07.340
designated recipients ? No . Um , there

50:07.350 --> 50:10.280
will inevitably be some spillage . We

50:10.290 --> 50:12.401
haven't seen it to date , but I think

50:12.401 --> 50:15.209
we have to anticipate that , but the

50:15.219 --> 50:17.560
overwhelming , overwhelming majority of

50:17.570 --> 50:19.681
the assistance thus far is getting to

50:19.681 --> 50:21.792
people who need it and we need more .

50:21.989 --> 50:24.669
We've gotten up to over 50 trucks a day

50:25.010 --> 50:26.954
before the conflict in Gaza before

50:26.959 --> 50:29.520
Hamas's aggression against Israel and

50:29.530 --> 50:31.620
its response . The UN and other

50:31.629 --> 50:34.330
agencies and other organizations

50:34.340 --> 50:36.229
providing relief we're sending in

50:36.229 --> 50:38.810
between 508 100 trucks a day . Right

50:38.820 --> 50:40.870
now . We're up to almost 60 . We're

50:40.879 --> 50:42.990
trying to get to 100 this week . That

50:42.990 --> 50:45.959
is the bare minimum what's needed , but

50:46.000 --> 50:48.056
we've got to do it and we believe we

50:48.056 --> 50:50.167
have mechanisms in place to make sure

50:50.167 --> 50:52.389
that that assistance gets to people who

50:52.389 --> 50:54.611
need it not to Hamas . Thank you , Vice

50:54.611 --> 50:57.540
chair , Secretary Lincoln . Let me

50:57.550 --> 51:00.110
follow up on Chair Murray's question .

51:00.399 --> 51:03.870
Does Israel agree that there are

51:03.879 --> 51:06.469
sufficient safeguards to prevent

51:06.639 --> 51:10.030
humanitarian aid from being diverted

51:10.229 --> 51:14.030
to Hamas rather than reaching the

51:14.040 --> 51:17.010
innocent civilians whom we all want to

51:17.020 --> 51:19.879
assist ? Uh Yes , Vice chair . And this

51:19.889 --> 51:22.056
is something that we've worked closely

51:22.056 --> 51:23.945
with Israel as well as with other

51:23.945 --> 51:26.056
actors involved . And as I said , the

51:26.056 --> 51:28.167
assistance that's going in from Egypt

51:28.167 --> 51:30.929
into Gaza is first checked by the uh by

51:30.939 --> 51:32.661
the Israelis as well as by the

51:32.661 --> 51:34.883
Egyptians . And then , as I mentioned ,

51:34.883 --> 51:36.883
we have some methods to track it to

51:36.883 --> 51:38.661
make sure it gets to where it's

51:38.661 --> 51:40.883
supposed to go to date . Uh Neither the

51:40.889 --> 51:43.830
Israelis nor the UN have said that the

51:43.840 --> 51:45.959
aid has been diverted and we're in

51:45.969 --> 51:48.810
constant almost daily contact with

51:48.820 --> 51:50.876
Israel to make sure that the process

51:50.876 --> 51:52.987
we've established is working and also

51:52.987 --> 51:55.153
to find ways to expand it . One of the

51:55.153 --> 51:57.264
areas where we do need to do more and

51:57.264 --> 51:59.320
do need to do better is particularly

51:59.320 --> 52:01.431
with fuel because hospitals need fuel

52:01.431 --> 52:03.598
to run desalination plants , need fuel

52:03.598 --> 52:05.820
to operate . This is an area where we ,

52:05.820 --> 52:07.820
we're working to find a way forward

52:07.820 --> 52:09.876
that meets the needs , but also with

52:09.876 --> 52:12.098
the assurances that Hamas won't abscond

52:12.098 --> 52:15.699
with it . Secretary Austin , as you

52:15.709 --> 52:18.439
indicated in your opening remarks ,

52:18.639 --> 52:21.399
Iranian backed terrorists , proxy

52:21.409 --> 52:23.879
groups in the region have launched

52:23.889 --> 52:26.939
numerous drone and rocket attacks

52:27.129 --> 52:30.879
against our forces . Us forces in

52:30.889 --> 52:34.629
Syria and Iraq . According

52:34.639 --> 52:36.939
to press reports , there have been at

52:36.949 --> 52:39.949
least 20 such attacks and

52:39.959 --> 52:43.409
19 US service members have been

52:43.419 --> 52:47.219
wounded . It's imperative that Iran and

52:47.229 --> 52:50.750
its proxy groups understand that they

52:50.760 --> 52:54.719
cannot attack American forces with

52:54.729 --> 52:57.419
impunity . I know that last week ,

52:57.429 --> 53:00.419
President Biden ordered to us strikes

53:00.600 --> 53:03.979
against facilities in Syria used by

53:03.989 --> 53:06.580
Iranian proxies to threaten our troops .

53:06.870 --> 53:09.020
But the New York Times has reported

53:09.030 --> 53:11.810
over the weekend that Iranian backed

53:11.820 --> 53:15.510
terrorists continue to attack us forces

53:15.520 --> 53:18.219
in the region even after these

53:18.229 --> 53:21.899
airstrikes . Since these US airstrikes

53:21.909 --> 53:23.989
apparently were , have not been

53:24.000 --> 53:27.790
sufficient to deter additional attacks

53:27.800 --> 53:31.500
on our troops by Iranian backed

53:31.510 --> 53:34.679
proxies . What else is the department

53:34.689 --> 53:38.310
doing to stop attacks against American

53:38.320 --> 53:42.159
troops ? Thanks , Vice chair . First of

53:42.169 --> 53:45.120
all , let me emphasize that the

53:45.129 --> 53:47.709
protection of safety of our troops and

53:47.719 --> 53:50.239
our civilians is of utmost importance

53:50.250 --> 53:52.790
to me and of utmost importance to the ,

53:52.800 --> 53:55.330
to the president as well . Uh We've

53:55.340 --> 53:57.396
taken a number of steps to make sure

53:57.396 --> 53:59.062
that uh we increase our force

53:59.062 --> 54:01.229
protection posture . Uh We've deployed

54:01.229 --> 54:03.689
a number of assets into the region a as

54:03.699 --> 54:06.110
uh as well . Uh We've been clear , the

54:06.120 --> 54:08.342
president's been clear and I and I have

54:08.342 --> 54:11.860
been clear , uh Vice chair that uh if

54:11.870 --> 54:14.760
that , if this doesn't stop , then we

54:14.770 --> 54:18.040
will respond . And so , uh we remain ,

54:18.050 --> 54:20.399
we maintain the uh the right to respond .

54:20.550 --> 54:22.661
We have the capability to do that and

54:22.661 --> 54:24.828
we will respond at a time and place of

54:24.828 --> 54:28.669
our choosing . Secretary

54:28.679 --> 54:32.570
Lincoln Israel has every right

54:32.580 --> 54:36.189
to defend its citizens from Hamas ,

54:36.399 --> 54:39.080
including seeking out the terrorists in

54:39.090 --> 54:42.620
Gaza and destroying them while also

54:42.629 --> 54:44.820
trying to minimize civilian ca

54:45.044 --> 54:47.084
casualties . There's a critical

54:47.094 --> 54:50.324
distinction here , Hamas targeted

54:50.334 --> 54:54.205
civilians . They kidnapped innocent

54:54.215 --> 54:58.125
Children as well as people as old as

54:58.135 --> 55:01.945
85 years old Israel is not doing

55:01.955 --> 55:05.854
that as Israel has begun to respond in

55:05.864 --> 55:09.364
Gaza to Hamas indiscriminate and

55:09.375 --> 55:13.270
barbaric targeting of innocent

55:13.280 --> 55:16.330
Israeli citizens . Some and we parted

55:16.340 --> 55:19.790
today have called for a ceasefire , a

55:19.800 --> 55:23.699
ceasefire would be a strategic victory

55:23.709 --> 55:26.870
for Hamas . It would simply allow

55:26.879 --> 55:30.639
Hamas to bide its time and prepare

55:30.719 --> 55:34.719
for future attacks and pay no price

55:34.729 --> 55:38.199
for the greatest loss of Jewish

55:38.209 --> 55:41.239
lives in a single day since the

55:41.250 --> 55:45.020
Holocaust . Could you clarify the

55:45.030 --> 55:47.530
administration's position on a

55:47.540 --> 55:51.310
ceasefire ? Uh First of all ,

55:51.320 --> 55:53.909
Senator , I fully agree with you that

55:54.139 --> 55:57.469
no country , no country could tolerate

55:57.830 --> 56:00.260
uh what Israel suffered on October 7th .

56:00.689 --> 56:03.370
And it's extraordinary , the extent to

56:03.379 --> 56:07.020
which that day uh has receded

56:07.679 --> 56:11.250
in memory uh For , for so many , I was

56:11.260 --> 56:13.270
in Israel shortly after the uh the

56:13.280 --> 56:16.310
attack . Um I've been going to Israel

56:16.320 --> 56:18.810
professionally for 30 years and longer

56:18.820 --> 56:22.270
than that uh in my own life and I have

56:22.280 --> 56:25.989
never seen what we uh have all

56:26.000 --> 56:28.000
seen and what Israel experienced on

56:28.000 --> 56:30.222
that day in terms of the impact that it

56:30.222 --> 56:32.439
has on that society almost to a man ,

56:32.449 --> 56:36.149
woman and child . Uh And as we

56:36.159 --> 56:40.110
know , um it wasn't just the uh attack

56:40.120 --> 56:42.120
itself and the vulnerability that ,

56:42.120 --> 56:44.342
that it revealed , it was the nature of

56:44.342 --> 56:46.610
the attack . Uh with young people

56:46.620 --> 56:48.731
chased down and gunned down uh at a ,

56:48.731 --> 56:51.360
at a dance party with , as you said ,

56:51.510 --> 56:53.510
Children executed in front of their

56:53.510 --> 56:55.677
parents , parents executed in front of

56:55.677 --> 56:59.449
their Children . Um Families in a final

56:59.459 --> 57:03.320
embrace , burned alive people beheaded .

57:04.580 --> 57:06.358
I could go on . You've seen the

57:06.358 --> 57:08.580
pictures , you've seen the video , I've

57:08.580 --> 57:11.239
heard from many eyewitnesses to these

57:11.250 --> 57:13.780
atrocities including and if you'll

57:13.790 --> 57:16.689
forgive me because again , these

57:17.030 --> 57:20.300
stories recede so quickly . Uh a family

57:20.310 --> 57:22.366
at its breakfast table at one of the

57:22.366 --> 57:24.750
kibbutz , by the way , the profound

57:24.760 --> 57:27.580
irony of attacks on kibbutz is the very

57:27.590 --> 57:30.409
people who most ardently believe and

57:30.419 --> 57:33.679
want a future of peace between Israelis

57:33.689 --> 57:35.633
and Palestinians . A future of two

57:35.633 --> 57:38.889
states , a family of four , a young boy

57:38.899 --> 57:41.290
and girl , six and eight years old and

57:41.300 --> 57:43.244
their parents around the breakfast

57:43.244 --> 57:45.929
table , the father , his eye gouged out

57:46.139 --> 57:48.139
in front of his kids , the mother's

57:48.149 --> 57:50.310
breasts cut off the girl's foot ,

57:50.709 --> 57:53.669
amputated , the boy's fingers cut off

57:53.679 --> 57:55.735
before they were executed . And then

57:55.735 --> 57:57.846
their executioners sat down and had a

57:57.846 --> 57:59.790
meal . That's what this society is

57:59.790 --> 58:02.689
dealing with and no nation could

58:02.699 --> 58:04.588
tolerate that . And as we've said

58:04.590 --> 58:06.590
repeatedly , as President Biden has

58:06.590 --> 58:08.757
repeatedly made clear , Israel has not

58:08.757 --> 58:10.812
only the right but the obligation to

58:10.812 --> 58:12.979
defend itself and to try to take every

58:12.979 --> 58:15.201
possible step to make sure this doesn't

58:15.201 --> 58:17.201
happen . Again . We've been equally

58:17.201 --> 58:19.368
clear that it is vitally important how

58:19.368 --> 58:23.139
Israel does this and the imperative

58:23.149 --> 58:25.530
of doing everything possible to protect

58:25.540 --> 58:28.100
civilians as well as to care for those

58:28.110 --> 58:30.570
who are endangered by the conflict is

58:30.580 --> 58:33.429
something that we feel strongly . Um

58:33.889 --> 58:36.111
You're of course , right , that this is

58:36.111 --> 58:38.080
a special burden on Israel because

58:38.260 --> 58:41.399
Hamas cynically and monstrously

58:41.729 --> 58:43.896
puts intentionally civilians in harm's

58:43.896 --> 58:45.951
way by hiding behind them , by using

58:45.951 --> 58:48.118
them as human shields , by placing its

58:48.118 --> 58:50.285
people , by placing its equipment , by

58:50.285 --> 58:53.050
placing its ammunition , its weapons ,

58:53.060 --> 58:55.590
its command posts underneath hospitals

58:55.610 --> 58:57.979
underneath schools in residential

58:57.989 --> 59:01.979
complexes . But for each of us and

59:01.989 --> 59:03.878
particularly for democracies like

59:03.878 --> 59:06.045
Israel and the United States , we have

59:06.045 --> 59:08.211
to bear the burden of doing everything

59:08.211 --> 59:09.933
we possibly can to ensure that

59:09.933 --> 59:12.070
civilians are not harmed and to care

59:12.080 --> 59:14.449
for those who need our help when it

59:14.459 --> 59:17.290
comes to a cease fire in this moment ,

59:17.600 --> 59:19.709
you're exactly right . That would

59:19.719 --> 59:22.340
simply consolidate what Hamas has been

59:22.350 --> 59:26.169
able to do and allow it to

59:26.179 --> 59:28.840
remain where it is and potentially

59:28.850 --> 59:31.969
repeat what it did another day and

59:31.979 --> 59:34.146
that's not tolerable . No nation would

59:34.146 --> 59:36.719
tolerate it . We do believe that we

59:36.729 --> 59:38.340
have to consider things like

59:38.340 --> 59:40.451
humanitarian pauses to make sure that

59:40.451 --> 59:42.673
assistance can get to those who need it

59:42.673 --> 59:44.729
and that people can be protected and

59:44.729 --> 59:46.889
get out of harm's way . But we can't

59:46.899 --> 59:49.850
have a situation where there's a

59:49.860 --> 59:52.510
reversion to the status quo where when

59:52.520 --> 59:55.280
this is over , it goes back to Hamas

59:55.290 --> 59:58.129
being responsible for the governance

59:58.149 --> 01:00:01.340
and so called security of Gaza because

01:00:01.350 --> 01:00:03.461
that's simply an invitation to repeat

01:00:03.461 --> 01:00:05.572
what happened . And again , no nation

01:00:05.572 --> 01:00:07.461
would tolerate that . Thank you ,

01:00:07.461 --> 01:00:09.739
Senator Durbin . Thank you madam chair .

01:00:09.739 --> 01:00:13.139
Six weeks ago , the uh Senate on a

01:00:13.149 --> 01:00:15.120
bipartisan basis gathered with

01:00:15.129 --> 01:00:17.185
President Zelensky in the old Senate

01:00:17.185 --> 01:00:19.110
chamber . It was an historic and

01:00:19.120 --> 01:00:21.270
memorable moment . Many things were

01:00:21.280 --> 01:00:23.502
said about the courage of the Ukrainian

01:00:23.502 --> 01:00:25.959
people which were well deserved . But I

01:00:26.020 --> 01:00:28.242
recall one particular statement made by

01:00:28.242 --> 01:00:30.409
President Zelensky , which I'd like to

01:00:30.409 --> 01:00:32.409
ask you about this morning . He was

01:00:32.409 --> 01:00:34.520
asked about the course of the war and

01:00:34.520 --> 01:00:37.739
said the heroism of his people was ,

01:00:38.070 --> 01:00:40.070
has been demonstrated over and over

01:00:40.070 --> 01:00:42.159
again . But he said without the

01:00:42.169 --> 01:00:44.113
continued financial support of the

01:00:44.113 --> 01:00:46.225
United States and NATO , we will lose

01:00:46.225 --> 01:00:48.909
this war . He was unequivocal . He

01:00:48.919 --> 01:00:51.379
repeated it without the financial

01:00:51.389 --> 01:00:53.611
support of the United States and NATO ,

01:00:53.611 --> 01:00:55.500
we will lose this war . Secretary

01:00:55.500 --> 01:00:58.649
Austin , was he exaggerating ? He was

01:00:58.659 --> 01:01:01.919
not uh senator uh as you know , we have

01:01:02.429 --> 01:01:05.110
uh um provided significant amounts of

01:01:05.120 --> 01:01:07.360
security assistance to uh to Ukraine .

01:01:07.370 --> 01:01:09.203
And not only that based upon our

01:01:09.203 --> 01:01:11.780
leadership , our example , some 50

01:01:11.790 --> 01:01:13.969
other countries uh have come in and ,

01:01:13.979 --> 01:01:16.100
and worked with us in a coalition to

01:01:16.310 --> 01:01:19.409
also provide uh assistance . And so

01:01:19.540 --> 01:01:23.020
they've provided some $35 billion oo of

01:01:23.030 --> 01:01:24.919
their own to this uh this overall

01:01:24.919 --> 01:01:27.086
effort . And I think our leadership in

01:01:27.086 --> 01:01:29.252
this uh in this effort really , really

01:01:29.252 --> 01:01:31.770
matters . Secretary Lincoln , we know

01:01:31.780 --> 01:01:33.947
why we're asking these questions . The

01:01:33.947 --> 01:01:36.058
proposals coming from the new Speaker

01:01:36.058 --> 01:01:38.280
of the House suggest that he would fund

01:01:38.280 --> 01:01:40.502
the support for Israel requested by the

01:01:40.502 --> 01:01:42.770
administration but not fund the support

01:01:42.780 --> 01:01:45.320
for Ukraine in the starkest terms .

01:01:45.330 --> 01:01:48.010
What would that mean if we were to step

01:01:48.020 --> 01:01:49.909
back and not fund support for the

01:01:49.909 --> 01:01:51.909
people of Ukraine to repel Putin at

01:01:51.909 --> 01:01:54.750
this moment ? Senator , I think it

01:01:54.760 --> 01:01:58.500
would do uh both uh terrible harm to

01:01:58.510 --> 01:02:00.677
our , our , our values but also to our

01:02:00.677 --> 01:02:03.350
core interests values because I think

01:02:03.360 --> 01:02:05.959
all of us are united in wanting to

01:02:05.969 --> 01:02:08.590
respond to uh aggressors to bullies who

01:02:08.600 --> 01:02:10.322
try to lord it over over their

01:02:10.322 --> 01:02:12.689
neighbors . And in the midst of doing

01:02:12.699 --> 01:02:15.159
that , inflicting credible suffering uh

01:02:15.169 --> 01:02:17.830
on people . Would that have on NATO ?

01:02:18.600 --> 01:02:20.711
I'm sorry , what impact would it have

01:02:20.711 --> 01:02:22.822
on NATO if the United States does not

01:02:22.822 --> 01:02:24.878
say two things first . Um What we've

01:02:24.878 --> 01:02:27.100
seen is a remarkable coming together of

01:02:27.100 --> 01:02:29.211
uh of our NATO alliance , an alliance

01:02:29.211 --> 01:02:31.156
that's actually grown stronger and

01:02:31.156 --> 01:02:32.822
larger as a result of Putin's

01:02:32.822 --> 01:02:35.044
aggression . Um an alliance that's also

01:02:35.044 --> 01:02:36.878
stepped up in a major way . It's

01:02:36.878 --> 01:02:38.989
individual members in terms of burden

01:02:38.989 --> 01:02:40.989
sharing . We often and rightly have

01:02:40.989 --> 01:02:43.100
concerns in uh in different conflicts

01:02:43.100 --> 01:02:45.100
in the past about inadequate burden

01:02:45.100 --> 01:02:47.100
sharing . This is an instance where

01:02:47.100 --> 01:02:49.044
we've seen very significant burden

01:02:49.044 --> 01:02:51.211
sharing that would almost certainly go

01:02:51.211 --> 01:02:53.322
away . If we go away . If you look at

01:02:53.322 --> 01:02:55.489
it total assistance to Ukraine , going

01:02:55.489 --> 01:02:57.489
back to February of 2022 the United

01:02:57.489 --> 01:02:59.600
States has provided about $75 billion

01:02:59.600 --> 01:03:01.711
our allies and partners $90 billion .

01:03:01.711 --> 01:03:03.711
If you look at budget support , the

01:03:03.711 --> 01:03:05.767
United States has provided about $22

01:03:05.767 --> 01:03:07.989
billion during that period , allies and

01:03:07.989 --> 01:03:09.933
partners , $49 billion during that

01:03:09.933 --> 01:03:12.156
period , military support , we provided

01:03:12.156 --> 01:03:14.300
about $43 billion allies and partners

01:03:14.310 --> 01:03:16.959
$33 billion humanitarian assistance .

01:03:16.969 --> 01:03:19.719
The United States , $2.3 billion allies

01:03:19.729 --> 01:03:22.659
and partners , 4.5 billion plus another

01:03:22.669 --> 01:03:25.139
18 to 20 billion in caring for the many

01:03:25.149 --> 01:03:28.719
refugees who went to Europe and outside

01:03:28.729 --> 01:03:31.540
of Ukraine . So I think what this the

01:03:31.550 --> 01:03:34.020
message it would send uh first of all

01:03:34.030 --> 01:03:35.752
to each and every one of these

01:03:35.752 --> 01:03:37.808
countries is if the United States is

01:03:37.808 --> 01:03:40.030
abandoning ship , well , we may as well

01:03:40.030 --> 01:03:42.141
do do too . And second , our alliance

01:03:42.141 --> 01:03:44.197
itself is founded on the proposition

01:03:44.197 --> 01:03:46.197
that we're all in this together . I

01:03:46.197 --> 01:03:48.363
think they would see this as a retreat

01:03:48.363 --> 01:03:50.586
from our own responsibilities finally ,

01:03:50.586 --> 01:03:52.808
and this is very important . Um And you

01:03:52.808 --> 01:03:55.141
heard the Secretary of Defense say this .

01:03:55.141 --> 01:03:57.363
Uh There is no doubt in my mind that if

01:03:57.363 --> 01:03:59.363
Putin is allowed to continue to act

01:03:59.363 --> 01:04:01.530
with impunity , that not only would he

01:04:01.530 --> 01:04:03.697
not stop Ukraine and potentially go to

01:04:03.697 --> 01:04:05.586
a NATO country next , which would

01:04:05.586 --> 01:04:07.752
invoke our article five obligations to

01:04:07.752 --> 01:04:09.863
allies and partners . It would send a

01:04:09.863 --> 01:04:09.770
message to , would be aggressors

01:04:09.780 --> 01:04:12.070
everywhere in the world that he can get

01:04:12.080 --> 01:04:14.080
away with it . So can we , and then

01:04:14.080 --> 01:04:16.136
we're likely to have a world full of

01:04:16.136 --> 01:04:18.302
conflict and that's a world that's not

01:04:18.302 --> 01:04:18.159
good for the United States . We are

01:04:18.169 --> 01:04:20.502
much better sustaining our effort . Now ,

01:04:20.502 --> 01:04:22.613
seeing this to success than having to

01:04:22.613 --> 01:04:24.725
pay a much higher price later when we

01:04:24.725 --> 01:04:27.020
have of aggression , Mr Secretary , it

01:04:27.030 --> 01:04:29.252
can't be a coincidence that Putin would

01:04:29.252 --> 01:04:31.489
invite the head of the Hamas terrorist

01:04:31.500 --> 01:04:34.239
organization to Moscow just days after

01:04:34.250 --> 01:04:38.239
the October 7th attack , the terrible

01:04:38.250 --> 01:04:40.306
mass massacre which you described in

01:04:40.306 --> 01:04:42.194
some detail . And I heard so many

01:04:42.194 --> 01:04:45.159
depictions . So do you believe there is

01:04:45.169 --> 01:04:48.270
an allied effort between Putin's cause

01:04:48.280 --> 01:04:50.502
and the cause of the Hamas terrorists ?

01:04:50.502 --> 01:04:52.391
Putin is very much trying to take

01:04:52.391 --> 01:04:54.613
advantage of the Hamas attack on Israel

01:04:54.613 --> 01:04:56.836
in the hopes that it will distract us ,

01:04:56.836 --> 01:04:59.709
that it will divert our focus away from

01:04:59.719 --> 01:05:01.941
Ukraine and away from his aggression in

01:05:01.941 --> 01:05:04.360
Ukraine and that it will result in the

01:05:04.370 --> 01:05:06.560
United States , pulling back , pulling

01:05:06.570 --> 01:05:08.681
back its resources , pulling back its

01:05:08.681 --> 01:05:10.792
support . And at the same time , he's

01:05:10.792 --> 01:05:14.409
allied with the exact elements that are

01:05:14.419 --> 01:05:17.409
trying to wreak havoc in Israel . So we

01:05:17.419 --> 01:05:19.419
see these things as being very much

01:05:19.419 --> 01:05:21.475
joined , which is one of the reasons

01:05:21.475 --> 01:05:23.641
our request is a joint request . Thank

01:05:23.641 --> 01:05:25.586
you . Thank you , Senator Graham .

01:05:26.050 --> 01:05:29.179
Thank you , Secretary Blinken . Thank

01:05:29.189 --> 01:05:31.530
you very much for helping us uh the 10

01:05:31.540 --> 01:05:34.350
of us who went over to Israel and Egypt

01:05:34.360 --> 01:05:37.239
and , and Saudi Arabia . Uh just to

01:05:37.250 --> 01:05:39.417
kind of tighten things up a little bit

01:05:39.417 --> 01:05:42.040
from an Israeli point of view , there

01:05:42.050 --> 01:05:45.199
will be no ceasefire until Hamas ceases

01:05:45.209 --> 01:05:47.431
to be a threat to the state of Israel .

01:05:47.479 --> 01:05:50.040
Do you agree with that statement ? I do .

01:05:50.229 --> 01:05:53.840
Ok . So no ceasefire until Hamas

01:05:53.850 --> 01:05:56.040
ceases to be a threat . Makes perfect

01:05:56.050 --> 01:05:58.879
sense to me . Um Do you believe it's

01:05:58.889 --> 01:06:01.399
the goal of Hamas to destroy Israel not

01:06:01.409 --> 01:06:04.010
to have a two state solution ? Don't

01:06:04.020 --> 01:06:05.964
have to take my word for it . Take

01:06:05.964 --> 01:06:08.131
Hamas's word for it . I couldn't agree

01:06:08.131 --> 01:06:08.030
with you . You agree with that General

01:06:08.040 --> 01:06:10.459
Austin ? I do . They have said so . All

01:06:10.469 --> 01:06:12.413
right . So we're fighting somebody

01:06:12.413 --> 01:06:14.025
who's not trying to help the

01:06:14.025 --> 01:06:16.136
Palestinians , they're trying to kill

01:06:16.136 --> 01:06:18.302
all the Jews . Would it be fair to say

01:06:18.302 --> 01:06:20.413
that Hamas is a modern day version of

01:06:20.413 --> 01:06:23.800
religious Nazis ? I think there are

01:06:23.810 --> 01:06:25.977
different ways to qualify it . I would

01:06:25.977 --> 01:06:29.040
simply say that , I think the best

01:06:29.050 --> 01:06:31.270
recent analogy , Senator is Isis , is

01:06:31.280 --> 01:06:33.336
that ok with you for me to call them

01:06:33.336 --> 01:06:35.399
religious Nazis ? I agree with

01:06:35.409 --> 01:06:37.610
Secretary Lincoln . Uh , there's a

01:06:37.620 --> 01:06:39.787
direct parallel to Isis as a matter of

01:06:39.787 --> 01:06:41.787
fact . Yeah . Well , that's right .

01:06:41.787 --> 01:06:44.919
Isis Nazis is all bad . Uh , we all

01:06:44.929 --> 01:06:47.260
agree with that . Do you agree without

01:06:47.270 --> 01:06:50.020
Iran's help ? Hamas could not do this

01:06:51.590 --> 01:06:53.757
in short . Yes , there's no doubt that

01:06:53.757 --> 01:06:55.868
Hamas wouldn't be Hamas . As a matter

01:06:55.868 --> 01:06:57.646
of fact , General Austin , some

01:06:57.646 --> 01:06:59.868
estimates are that 93% of all the money

01:06:59.868 --> 01:07:01.868
Hamas receives comes from Iran . Is

01:07:01.868 --> 01:07:03.979
that correct ? I don't know the exact

01:07:03.979 --> 01:07:06.090
percentage , but I would say the vast

01:07:06.090 --> 01:07:08.146
majority does come from , well , all

01:07:08.146 --> 01:07:07.729
the reports I've seen from the

01:07:07.739 --> 01:07:11.489
administration's 90% . So Hamas is Isis

01:07:11.500 --> 01:07:13.778
Nazis , whatever you want to call them .

01:07:13.778 --> 01:07:15.778
Um , they , they wanna kill all the

01:07:15.778 --> 01:07:17.889
Jews . So if I were Jewish , I'd want

01:07:17.889 --> 01:07:19.919
to stop them . Uh ,

01:07:21.820 --> 01:07:24.530
they're being supported by Iran , uh

01:07:24.540 --> 01:07:27.729
our troops in Syria and Iraq , they're

01:07:27.739 --> 01:07:30.209
there to protect against the rise of

01:07:30.219 --> 01:07:32.275
ISIS . Is that true General Austin ?

01:07:33.129 --> 01:07:35.185
That's right . I mean , they're just

01:07:35.185 --> 01:07:37.351
not hanging out no other place to go .

01:07:37.439 --> 01:07:39.899
They're there because it's in our

01:07:39.909 --> 01:07:42.076
national security interest . That ISIS

01:07:42.076 --> 01:07:44.500
not come back . You agree with that ?

01:07:44.520 --> 01:07:47.300
That's correct , sir . OK . Is it a red

01:07:47.310 --> 01:07:51.209
line for Iran to orchestrate

01:07:51.459 --> 01:07:55.320
an attack on our forces that kills an

01:07:55.330 --> 01:07:59.219
American in Syria

01:07:59.229 --> 01:08:03.219
or Iraq ? Is that a red line ? Can

01:08:03.229 --> 01:08:05.173
we tell the Iranians today in case

01:08:05.173 --> 01:08:07.760
they're watching if an American is

01:08:07.770 --> 01:08:11.189
killed by your proxies in Syria and

01:08:11.199 --> 01:08:14.570
Iraq we're coming for you . Can you say

01:08:14.580 --> 01:08:16.529
that I think Iran should be held

01:08:16.540 --> 01:08:19.080
accountable for the activities of , uh ,

01:08:19.089 --> 01:08:21.311
of these Iranian does that mean that we

01:08:21.311 --> 01:08:23.850
would consider going to the source of

01:08:23.859 --> 01:08:26.560
the problem ? The Great Satan is Iran

01:08:26.729 --> 01:08:29.259
not Israel . It's not the United States .

01:08:29.299 --> 01:08:32.919
Can we say publicly to the families who

01:08:32.930 --> 01:08:35.410
have service members over in Iraq and

01:08:35.419 --> 01:08:39.258
Syria that we will hit Iran if

01:08:39.269 --> 01:08:41.325
they try to kill an American through

01:08:41.325 --> 01:08:43.102
their proxies ? Can we say that

01:08:45.589 --> 01:08:47.533
what we have said ? And what we'll

01:08:47.533 --> 01:08:49.700
continue to say , uh , Senator is that

01:08:49.700 --> 01:08:51.811
we're gonna hold ? Uh , well , I wish

01:08:51.811 --> 01:08:54.209
you would be more clear because I'll

01:08:54.220 --> 01:08:56.689
tell you this , if one of these

01:08:56.700 --> 01:08:58.319
soldiers is killed ,

01:09:01.669 --> 01:09:04.160
I'm gonna say it and I hope other

01:09:04.169 --> 01:09:07.229
people will join me . Uh , if there's a

01:09:08.269 --> 01:09:10.488
attacked by Hezbollah in the North

01:09:11.369 --> 01:09:14.148
General Austin , that would put the

01:09:14.159 --> 01:09:16.859
state of Israel at threat , would that

01:09:16.870 --> 01:09:20.729
be an escalation of the war ? It would

01:09:20.738 --> 01:09:23.528
be an escalation and Israel would be

01:09:23.539 --> 01:09:25.761
forced to fight on two fronts ? I agree

01:09:25.761 --> 01:09:27.928
with that . And they have over 100,000

01:09:27.928 --> 01:09:30.048
precision guided rockets and missiles

01:09:30.059 --> 01:09:32.170
pointed to Israel . Is that correct ?

01:09:32.458 --> 01:09:34.568
That's correct . Is it also correct

01:09:34.579 --> 01:09:37.599
that Iran is the biggest benefactor of

01:09:37.769 --> 01:09:40.390
Hezbollah ? That is absolutely correct .

01:09:40.399 --> 01:09:43.859
Can we say to Iran , the Ayatollah who

01:09:43.870 --> 01:09:46.719
is a religious nazi that if you

01:09:46.729 --> 01:09:49.208
escalate the second front , if you

01:09:49.219 --> 01:09:51.539
activate Hezbollah against the state of

01:09:51.548 --> 01:09:53.979
Israel to create a second front , we

01:09:53.988 --> 01:09:57.160
will come after you . Can we say that ,

01:09:57.169 --> 01:09:58.336
is that a red line ?

01:10:01.879 --> 01:10:04.399
Whether or not we , uh , we attack , uh ,

01:10:04.410 --> 01:10:07.529
Iran because of a decision on the part

01:10:07.540 --> 01:10:09.700
of uh Lebanese Hezbollah , that of

01:10:09.709 --> 01:10:11.931
course , that's a presidential decision

01:10:11.931 --> 01:10:14.310
and also uh uh will require Congress .

01:10:14.509 --> 01:10:16.731
I'm running out of time . I'm gonna say

01:10:16.731 --> 01:10:18.787
it if it happens , I hope it doesn't

01:10:18.787 --> 01:10:20.620
finally . Do you agree with me ?

01:10:20.620 --> 01:10:20.580
Secretary Blinken ? That one of the

01:10:20.589 --> 01:10:22.645
main reasons this attack occurred is

01:10:22.645 --> 01:10:25.529
Iran wants to stop the reconciliation

01:10:25.540 --> 01:10:28.169
between Saudi Arabia and Israel . Uh

01:10:28.549 --> 01:10:30.271
yes , those who are opposed to

01:10:30.271 --> 01:10:32.327
normalization or Hamas Hezbollah and

01:10:32.327 --> 01:10:34.605
Iran , I just want to end it with this .

01:10:34.605 --> 01:10:36.382
I will do everything I can as a

01:10:36.382 --> 01:10:37.993
Republican to help the Biden

01:10:37.993 --> 01:10:39.549
administration to achieve a

01:10:39.549 --> 01:10:41.771
reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and

01:10:41.771 --> 01:10:43.882
Israel with the understanding , we're

01:10:43.882 --> 01:10:45.938
going to help the Palestinian people

01:10:45.938 --> 01:10:48.105
post Hamas . That is the only way this

01:10:48.105 --> 01:10:50.271
ends . So I can I congratulate you . I

01:10:50.271 --> 01:10:52.327
urge you to continue to drive toward

01:10:52.327 --> 01:10:54.549
peace between Saudi Arabia and Israel .

01:10:54.549 --> 01:10:56.810
Do not let Iran win by getting this off

01:10:56.819 --> 01:10:59.339
track . And general Austin Austin , I

01:10:59.350 --> 01:11:01.649
admire you very much , but we need to

01:11:01.660 --> 01:11:04.759
be clear crystal clear as to what

01:11:04.770 --> 01:11:06.810
happens if Iran kills an American

01:11:06.819 --> 01:11:09.669
soldier or they open up a second front

01:11:09.680 --> 01:11:12.109
and I hope you will let them know what

01:11:12.120 --> 01:11:14.879
our red lines are . Thank you . Center ,

01:11:15.129 --> 01:11:17.589
right . Uh Thank you madam chairman .

01:11:17.600 --> 01:11:20.700
Uh First point I would like to raise is

01:11:20.709 --> 01:11:22.820
with respect to our colleagues in the

01:11:22.820 --> 01:11:25.042
house , their proposal , the Republican

01:11:25.042 --> 01:11:27.153
leadership . Uh Not only did they not

01:11:27.153 --> 01:11:28.931
fund Ukraine which I think your

01:11:28.931 --> 01:11:31.189
testimonies indicates is a vital

01:11:31.200 --> 01:11:33.422
imperative for the United States . They

01:11:33.422 --> 01:11:35.709
also want to offset the funding uh by

01:11:35.720 --> 01:11:37.442
taking money from the IRS . Uh

01:11:37.669 --> 01:11:39.891
Obviously , I don't think they read the

01:11:39.891 --> 01:11:42.058
Wall Street Journal because just a few

01:11:42.058 --> 01:11:44.049
days ago , the Wall Street Journal

01:11:44.060 --> 01:11:47.930
reported that uh in 2021

01:11:48.439 --> 01:11:51.370
the Americans failed to pay $688

01:11:51.379 --> 01:11:53.430
billion in taxes . So if we don't

01:11:53.439 --> 01:11:56.020
invest in the IRS , we are giving up

01:11:56.029 --> 01:11:58.196
billions and billions of dollars . And

01:11:58.196 --> 01:12:00.418
I think that point has to be recognized

01:12:00.660 --> 01:12:03.069
uh as we go forward and negotiate with

01:12:03.080 --> 01:12:05.247
the house . But let me turn now to the

01:12:05.247 --> 01:12:08.299
issue at hand . Uh We're talking about

01:12:08.310 --> 01:12:10.520
Secretary Austin sending resources to

01:12:10.529 --> 01:12:13.180
Ukraine . Uh You are now uh the

01:12:13.189 --> 01:12:15.411
civilian Secretary of Defense , but you

01:12:15.411 --> 01:12:17.850
were distinguished , uh army officer

01:12:17.859 --> 01:12:20.549
and Commander of Centcom . If we don't

01:12:20.560 --> 01:12:22.859
send the resources , does that increase

01:12:22.870 --> 01:12:25.092
the probability that someday we'll have

01:12:25.092 --> 01:12:26.926
to send young Americans into the

01:12:26.926 --> 01:12:29.640
European theater ? Absolutely . Uh uh

01:12:29.649 --> 01:12:32.540
Senator Reed , I think , uh as we said

01:12:32.549 --> 01:12:35.939
earlier , if Putin is successful , he

01:12:35.950 --> 01:12:38.169
will not stop at Ukraine . And if

01:12:38.180 --> 01:12:40.513
you're a Baltic state , you're , you're ,

01:12:40.513 --> 01:12:43.149
you're thinking I'm next . Uh And you

01:12:43.160 --> 01:12:45.271
know , there's no question in my mind

01:12:45.271 --> 01:12:48.140
that sooner or later , uh there will be ,

01:12:48.149 --> 01:12:50.500
he will challenge NATO and we'll ,

01:12:50.509 --> 01:12:52.453
we'll find ourselves in a shooting

01:12:52.453 --> 01:12:55.310
match . And so in one sense , this

01:12:55.319 --> 01:12:59.120
comes down to a choice between lending

01:12:59.129 --> 01:13:01.640
them the tools to do the job or seeing

01:13:01.649 --> 01:13:04.939
young Americans facing combat . I agree .

01:13:04.950 --> 01:13:07.669
Senator , thank you . Uh , again ,

01:13:07.680 --> 01:13:09.791
Secretary Austin , uh you pointed out

01:13:09.791 --> 01:13:13.629
with respect to uh the efforts in

01:13:13.640 --> 01:13:16.959
Gaza that humanitarian assistance is

01:13:16.970 --> 01:13:19.026
not just a good thing to do . It's a

01:13:19.026 --> 01:13:21.919
strategic necessity for the operations

01:13:21.930 --> 01:13:24.041
of Israeli forces . Is that correct ?

01:13:24.560 --> 01:13:27.850
That's absolutely correct . Now , uh it

01:13:27.859 --> 01:13:30.370
would seem to me that they could and

01:13:30.379 --> 01:13:33.970
should um move into position in

01:13:33.979 --> 01:13:36.799
areas , they control hospitals ,

01:13:36.810 --> 01:13:40.000
shelter and food and make it available

01:13:40.009 --> 01:13:42.600
to the Palestinian people and do all

01:13:42.609 --> 01:13:44.553
they can to assist those people to

01:13:44.553 --> 01:13:47.490
reach those uh areas . Is that

01:13:48.029 --> 01:13:50.609
appropriate ? Absolutely , Senator I ,

01:13:50.620 --> 01:13:53.529
uh and just so , you know , uh I talked

01:13:53.540 --> 01:13:55.484
to my counterpart , uh Minister of

01:13:55.484 --> 01:13:58.250
Defense Gallant , uh nearly every day

01:13:58.669 --> 01:14:01.129
and , and every day I talk to him , I ,

01:14:01.140 --> 01:14:03.339
I remind him of the necessity of

01:14:03.350 --> 01:14:06.479
getting humanitarian assistance uh into ,

01:14:06.490 --> 01:14:08.689
into Gaza . Uh We just had such a

01:14:08.700 --> 01:14:10.709
conversation yesterday and , and uh

01:14:11.000 --> 01:14:13.222
this is really , really important for a

01:14:13.222 --> 01:14:15.556
number of reasons . But uh but you know ,

01:14:15.556 --> 01:14:17.556
I'm , I'm delighted to see that the

01:14:17.556 --> 01:14:19.529
flow has increased . Uh But to the

01:14:19.540 --> 01:14:21.429
Secretary's point , uh we need to

01:14:21.429 --> 01:14:24.250
increase it uh much , much more . I

01:14:24.259 --> 01:14:26.370
think not only do we need to increase

01:14:26.370 --> 01:14:28.537
it , but also in terms of the strategy

01:14:28.537 --> 01:14:30.592
of the , the , the perception of the

01:14:30.592 --> 01:14:32.790
world with respect to Israel is that

01:14:32.799 --> 01:14:35.029
they have to make it clear that their

01:14:35.040 --> 01:14:38.089
foe is Hamas , not the Palestinian

01:14:38.100 --> 01:14:40.890
people and that they will go indeed out

01:14:40.899 --> 01:14:42.843
of their way to try to protect the

01:14:42.843 --> 01:14:44.843
Palestinian people . I think that's

01:14:44.843 --> 01:14:46.799
essential and it's not just a

01:14:46.819 --> 01:14:49.160
humanitarian impulse , it's very

01:14:49.169 --> 01:14:52.089
practical , strategic operational

01:14:52.100 --> 01:14:55.229
technique . I agree , sir . Uh

01:14:56.319 --> 01:14:58.430
We tried to make this point also , Mr

01:14:58.430 --> 01:15:00.700
Secretary uh Secretary Blinken in our

01:15:00.709 --> 01:15:04.500
trips . Uh and we suggested that to the

01:15:04.509 --> 01:15:07.229
crown prince of Saudi Arabia , that he

01:15:07.240 --> 01:15:09.500
can put resources into humanitarian

01:15:09.509 --> 01:15:12.850
relief . And I would urge you and your

01:15:12.859 --> 01:15:15.140
colleagues to try to get all of the

01:15:15.149 --> 01:15:18.830
nations in that area to provide the

01:15:18.839 --> 01:15:20.895
resources . The Israelis control the

01:15:20.895 --> 01:15:22.561
ground , they can control the

01:15:22.561 --> 01:15:25.709
operations . But the money for aid to

01:15:26.000 --> 01:15:28.167
uh Palestinian people should come from

01:15:28.167 --> 01:15:30.389
the international community . Senator ,

01:15:30.389 --> 01:15:32.278
I very much agree with that . The

01:15:32.278 --> 01:15:34.333
United States as it stands is by far

01:15:34.333 --> 01:15:36.600
the leading donor to the Palestinians

01:15:36.609 --> 01:15:38.899
where uh we provided $1.6 billion in

01:15:38.910 --> 01:15:41.830
assistance through various agencies to

01:15:41.839 --> 01:15:44.061
the Palestinians over the pen of this ,

01:15:44.061 --> 01:15:46.172
of this administration . And we would

01:15:46.172 --> 01:15:48.061
like to see other partner , other

01:15:48.061 --> 01:15:50.228
allies step up and do the same thing .

01:15:50.228 --> 01:15:52.339
That's something that we've been very

01:15:52.339 --> 01:15:54.506
clear about in our own conversations .

01:15:54.506 --> 01:15:56.672
And I really applaud uh the members of

01:15:56.672 --> 01:15:58.783
this committee and others who've been

01:15:58.783 --> 01:16:01.006
to the region recently and have been uh

01:16:01.006 --> 01:16:03.117
pushing that as well . Just the final

01:16:03.117 --> 01:16:05.283
point . Uh My time is expiring . Uh We

01:16:05.283 --> 01:16:09.000
have also a necessity to

01:16:09.009 --> 01:16:12.919
get many American citizens out of Gaza .

01:16:13.100 --> 01:16:16.750
And uh uh can you assure us that you're

01:16:16.759 --> 01:16:18.680
doing all you can to achieve that

01:16:18.689 --> 01:16:21.600
objective ? Uh We are Senator . We're

01:16:21.609 --> 01:16:23.720
working on this every single day . We

01:16:23.720 --> 01:16:27.430
have um , about 400 American citizens

01:16:27.439 --> 01:16:29.383
and their family members . So it's

01:16:29.383 --> 01:16:32.080
roughly 1000 people uh who are stuck in

01:16:32.089 --> 01:16:34.430
Gaza and want to get out . Um I'm

01:16:34.439 --> 01:16:36.580
focused on this intensely . Uh My

01:16:36.589 --> 01:16:38.645
entire department is as well both in

01:16:38.645 --> 01:16:40.811
the region and here we're working with

01:16:40.811 --> 01:16:42.867
various parties to try to facilitate

01:16:42.867 --> 01:16:45.033
their departure from , from Gaza . The

01:16:45.033 --> 01:16:47.209
impediment is simple . It's Hamas .

01:16:47.439 --> 01:16:49.649
We've not yet found a way to get them

01:16:49.660 --> 01:16:52.700
out by whatever , through whatever

01:16:52.709 --> 01:16:55.009
place and by whatever means that Hamas

01:16:55.020 --> 01:16:57.020
is not blocking . But we're working

01:16:57.020 --> 01:16:59.430
that with uh intermediaries , we're

01:16:59.439 --> 01:17:01.729
working that to uh for them . There are

01:17:01.740 --> 01:17:05.040
also another roughly 5000 third country

01:17:05.049 --> 01:17:07.216
nationals from other countries seeking

01:17:07.216 --> 01:17:09.271
to get out . Uh So this is something

01:17:09.271 --> 01:17:11.493
that we're intensely focused on . We've

01:17:11.493 --> 01:17:13.438
been , we've , we've been in close

01:17:13.438 --> 01:17:15.327
communication as best we can with

01:17:15.327 --> 01:17:17.549
Americans who are stuck in Gaza . We've

01:17:17.549 --> 01:17:20.509
had about uh 5500 communications um

01:17:20.520 --> 01:17:22.790
that we've initiated uh phone calls ,

01:17:22.799 --> 01:17:24.910
emails , whatsapp , uh to be in touch

01:17:24.910 --> 01:17:27.077
with them to try to guide them as best

01:17:27.077 --> 01:17:29.299
we can and to work for their um ability

01:17:29.299 --> 01:17:31.132
to leave . Thank you very much ,

01:17:31.459 --> 01:17:33.626
Senator Moran , chairwoman . Thank you

01:17:33.626 --> 01:17:36.410
very much uh upon the congressional

01:17:36.419 --> 01:17:38.586
receipt of the president's request for

01:17:38.586 --> 01:17:41.560
this emergency supplemental . Um My

01:17:41.569 --> 01:17:43.736
first request was of our own committee

01:17:43.736 --> 01:17:45.791
leadership that we have this hearing

01:17:46.069 --> 01:17:48.370
and I thank both of you for honoring

01:17:48.379 --> 01:17:51.129
that request . Uh Congress has a

01:17:51.600 --> 01:17:54.540
constitutional responsibility to deal

01:17:54.549 --> 01:17:56.660
with the dollars that will be spent .

01:17:56.660 --> 01:17:59.490
And I want this committee as we should

01:17:59.500 --> 01:18:02.379
do to treat that uh in a significant

01:18:02.390 --> 01:18:05.330
and serious manner . I think a markup

01:18:05.339 --> 01:18:07.310
would be important , but I would

01:18:07.319 --> 01:18:09.319
certainly indicate that changes and

01:18:09.319 --> 01:18:11.263
input from this committee and from

01:18:11.263 --> 01:18:13.375
Congress are required one to make the

01:18:13.375 --> 01:18:15.770
package better and two to make it more

01:18:15.779 --> 01:18:18.259
amenable to passage by both the House

01:18:18.270 --> 01:18:21.009
and the Senate . I was originally and

01:18:21.020 --> 01:18:23.220
continued to be disappointed that

01:18:23.229 --> 01:18:25.879
Secretary Mayorca is not with us , but

01:18:25.890 --> 01:18:27.723
I'm pleased to know that that is

01:18:27.729 --> 01:18:30.259
occurring next week . I want the

01:18:30.270 --> 01:18:31.992
committee and our witnesses in

01:18:31.992 --> 01:18:34.214
representation of the administration to

01:18:34.214 --> 01:18:36.159
know that there are many of us who

01:18:36.159 --> 01:18:38.103
believe our borders are a national

01:18:38.103 --> 01:18:40.839
security issue as well that emergency

01:18:40.850 --> 01:18:42.906
supplemental financial aid should be

01:18:42.906 --> 01:18:45.220
included . But I also want you to know

01:18:45.229 --> 01:18:47.451
that we need the administration to work

01:18:47.451 --> 01:18:50.810
with us on policy changes . Uh the laws

01:18:50.819 --> 01:18:53.740
and policies at the border , financial

01:18:53.750 --> 01:18:56.200
support for changes at the border for

01:18:56.209 --> 01:18:58.459
additional personnel are insufficient ,

01:18:59.259 --> 01:19:01.560
but we need a different uh approach

01:19:01.819 --> 01:19:04.859
toward the push and pull of those

01:19:04.870 --> 01:19:07.092
people around the world who are seeking

01:19:07.092 --> 01:19:09.560
entry into the United States . I'm

01:19:09.569 --> 01:19:11.791
interested in seeing a package pass the

01:19:11.791 --> 01:19:14.149
Congress and be signed into law . But I

01:19:14.160 --> 01:19:16.382
want to make certain the administration

01:19:16.382 --> 01:19:18.438
knows that there are many members of

01:19:18.438 --> 01:19:20.382
Congress who are serious about the

01:19:20.382 --> 01:19:22.493
issues of national security uh at our

01:19:22.493 --> 01:19:26.339
own borders . I want to ask a

01:19:26.350 --> 01:19:28.350
couple of questions and I'll submit

01:19:28.350 --> 01:19:30.239
more in writing , but I'd like an

01:19:30.239 --> 01:19:32.572
insurance and maybe this comes from you ,

01:19:32.572 --> 01:19:36.569
Secretary Austin of a commitment . Um I

01:19:36.580 --> 01:19:38.747
want to make certain that as we assist

01:19:38.747 --> 01:19:41.020
Ukraine , we are assisting Ukraine in a

01:19:41.029 --> 01:19:43.169
way that allows , allows them to

01:19:43.180 --> 01:19:46.549
succeed . I don't want this to be just

01:19:46.560 --> 01:19:49.270
a stalemate . I do not want Ukraine to

01:19:49.279 --> 01:19:51.899
have the dollars necessary not to lose .

01:19:51.950 --> 01:19:54.870
I want Ukraine with our help and others

01:19:54.879 --> 01:19:56.899
to have the opportunity with their

01:19:56.910 --> 01:19:59.259
capabilities , their own personnel to

01:19:59.270 --> 01:20:01.770
win . What would be your response ,

01:20:01.779 --> 01:20:04.560
Secretary Austin , uh My response would

01:20:04.569 --> 01:20:06.939
be uh my response is Senator that

01:20:06.950 --> 01:20:10.250
that's exactly what we're doing . Uh If

01:20:10.259 --> 01:20:12.529
you go back to the beginning of this uh

01:20:12.680 --> 01:20:16.189
of this um effort here ,

01:20:16.609 --> 01:20:18.720
you know , all of us were saying , or

01:20:18.720 --> 01:20:20.720
many of us were saying that Ukraine

01:20:20.720 --> 01:20:22.942
wouldn't survive Russia's onslaught for

01:20:22.942 --> 01:20:25.620
more than a than two days . Uh So here

01:20:25.629 --> 01:20:27.970
we are a year later and not only have

01:20:27.979 --> 01:20:30.680
they defeated Russia in a , in a number

01:20:30.689 --> 01:20:32.709
of battles , but they've gained ,

01:20:32.720 --> 01:20:35.379
regained 50% of the territory that

01:20:35.390 --> 01:20:38.250
Russia initially occupied . And Putin

01:20:38.259 --> 01:20:40.426
is a strategic failure , failure right

01:20:40.426 --> 01:20:42.537
now . He's not achieved any strategic

01:20:42.537 --> 01:20:44.703
objective that he set out to achieve .

01:20:44.703 --> 01:20:47.060
He never conquered Kiev . He uh he's

01:20:47.069 --> 01:20:49.330
been stuck essentially in the same

01:20:49.339 --> 01:20:51.283
place in terms of , you know , his

01:20:51.283 --> 01:20:53.506
front line trace on the battlefield for

01:20:53.506 --> 01:20:55.859
a long time . Now , uh I think that

01:20:55.870 --> 01:20:58.092
based upon where they started and , and

01:20:58.092 --> 01:21:00.314
where we are now and what they continue

01:21:00.314 --> 01:21:02.314
to do , I would say that Ukrainians

01:21:02.314 --> 01:21:04.148
have done , have made remarkable

01:21:04.148 --> 01:21:06.370
progress . And our goal is to make sure

01:21:06.370 --> 01:21:08.580
that they can continue to do that . So

01:21:08.700 --> 01:21:10.811
we're talking to him every week . I'm

01:21:10.819 --> 01:21:13.041
talking to my counterpart every week uh

01:21:13.041 --> 01:21:16.250
to uh ascertain what his uh uh

01:21:16.259 --> 01:21:19.100
requirements are . And we're moving

01:21:19.109 --> 01:21:21.310
with urgency to make sure that we can

01:21:21.319 --> 01:21:23.097
fill those requirements . Where

01:21:23.097 --> 01:21:26.339
possible Secretary Austin um tell me if

01:21:26.350 --> 01:21:29.609
you would tell us how does a failure to

01:21:29.620 --> 01:21:33.620
fund Ukraine embolden China , embolden

01:21:33.629 --> 01:21:36.890
Iran , embolden Hamas , embolden Russia .

01:21:38.089 --> 01:21:40.367
We've had circumstances in our history ,

01:21:40.367 --> 01:21:42.533
including recent history , at least in

01:21:42.533 --> 01:21:44.756
my view , in which we sent a message to

01:21:44.756 --> 01:21:47.250
the world that we are not a faithful

01:21:47.259 --> 01:21:50.479
ally and to our enemies , to our

01:21:50.490 --> 01:21:52.657
adversaries that we are not a threat .

01:21:53.100 --> 01:21:56.160
Would the failure to fund Ukraine in

01:21:56.169 --> 01:21:59.560
this circumstance meet that criteria in

01:21:59.569 --> 01:22:02.689
which we fail to demonstrate our

01:22:02.700 --> 01:22:04.756
capabilities , our willingness , our

01:22:04.756 --> 01:22:07.310
state to it us and what would be the

01:22:07.319 --> 01:22:09.541
consequences of that message being sent

01:22:09.541 --> 01:22:11.652
as you know , there are those who say

01:22:11.652 --> 01:22:13.819
that we should be focused on someplace

01:22:13.819 --> 01:22:15.986
else besides Ukraine . But doesn't our

01:22:15.990 --> 01:22:18.830
failure to focus on Ukraine create huge

01:22:18.839 --> 01:22:20.950
and significant problems elsewhere in

01:22:20.950 --> 01:22:22.970
the world with our adversaries and

01:22:22.979 --> 01:22:26.810
diminish the support of our allies . Uh

01:22:26.819 --> 01:22:29.910
I , I think it sends a horrible message

01:22:29.919 --> 01:22:31.919
to our adversaries . Uh Senator , I

01:22:31.919 --> 01:22:34.379
think , uh you know , our adversaries

01:22:34.390 --> 01:22:37.680
would like to uh build a narrative that

01:22:37.689 --> 01:22:40.649
uh we are not a trustworthy uh ally or ,

01:22:40.660 --> 01:22:43.339
or a partner . And uh and we see some

01:22:43.350 --> 01:22:46.080
of that beginning to uh play out in the ,

01:22:46.089 --> 01:22:48.430
in the media space right now . Um They

01:22:48.439 --> 01:22:50.649
are seeking to take advantage of every

01:22:50.660 --> 01:22:52.660
opportunity and they would like to

01:22:52.669 --> 01:22:54.950
prove that the United States is

01:22:54.959 --> 01:22:57.660
something else other than it is . And

01:22:57.669 --> 01:22:59.790
we are the world's most reliable ally

01:22:59.799 --> 01:23:02.419
or partner . And uh , and I think it's ,

01:23:02.430 --> 01:23:04.850
it's necessary to demonstrate that

01:23:04.859 --> 01:23:07.026
we're going to stick by our partners .

01:23:07.026 --> 01:23:09.026
Is it more than coincidence that we

01:23:09.026 --> 01:23:11.137
have so many challenges in this world

01:23:11.137 --> 01:23:13.303
all occurring now ? At the same time ?

01:23:13.303 --> 01:23:16.049
II , I think uh a number of things have

01:23:16.060 --> 01:23:17.949
come together to cause what we're

01:23:17.949 --> 01:23:20.649
seeing happen . Uh But uh certainly uh

01:23:20.660 --> 01:23:23.509
a failure on our part to follow through

01:23:23.729 --> 01:23:26.709
uh with , uh with , you know , in

01:23:26.720 --> 01:23:28.609
support of our allies or partners

01:23:28.709 --> 01:23:31.009
exacerbates , uh some of the things

01:23:31.020 --> 01:23:33.353
that we're seeing right now . Thank you ,

01:23:33.353 --> 01:23:32.830
sir .