WEBVTT

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Today , we complete our fy 25 budget

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and posture hearings with the

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Department of the Navy . I want to

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thank the ranking member and all

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members for their cooper operation ,

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hard work and dedication as we work

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through 26 hearings in 13 legislative

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days , these hearings have helped

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provide the information . We need to

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mark up the fy 25 NDA A uh later this

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month . I also wanna thank our

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witnesses for being here for their

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service to our nation admiral . Uh This

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is the first time uh you're appearing

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before us . Congratulations on your

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confirmation as the first female CNO

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and thank you for being here general .

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It's the first time for you as well .

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And uh we are all thankful for your

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speedy recovery and uh are pleased to

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have you back leading our marines . And

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Secretary Del Toro is always good to

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see you back . Uh with the committee ,

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the president's requesting a 1%

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increase for the Department of the Navy .

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Uh factoring in inflation . We all know

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that's a 2% cut just as with the other

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services , a budget that fails to

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provide real growth means the Navy had

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to make painful trade trade offs and

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absorb real risk in their current and

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future readiness . We're seeing that

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very acutely in the request for

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shipbuilding . The president seeking to

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build a paltry six battle four s

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six battle four ships in Fy 25 . At the

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same time , he wants to retire . 1910

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of those ships have several , several

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years of service life remaining . These

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retirements represent a huge loss of

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capability and they leave us with a

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fleet of 287 ships in Fy 25 .

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That's under the navy's plan . The

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fleet will further drop uh down to 280

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in fy 27 . Forget about the 500 ship

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Navy . Uh That many say we need to

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counter uh China at no point over the

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next 20 years . Does the size of the

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fleet even reach the 381 ships needed

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to support the national defense

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strategy ? The budget also cuts the buy

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for the Virginia class submarine below

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the 22 per year needed to fulfill our

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Aus commitment . I don't see how

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cutting the size of our fleet and

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shorting Aus Aus commitment will deter

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China . I also fail to see how it will

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provide the stability needed to

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revitalize our industrial base . Uh I

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am also concerned about the recent

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findings of the navy's 45 day

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shipbuilding review . It is entirely

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unacceptable that nearly every single

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major shipbuilding program is

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experiencing significant schedule

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delays . We expect the navy to provide

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us with a detailed plan to address

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these delays as soon as possible . One

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possible solution would be for the navy

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to stop piling on new requirements and

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changing ship designs in the middle of

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procurements as we've seen with the

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frigate program that only leads to

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ballooning costs and late deliveries .

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Cutting the buys for new ships ,

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delaying deliveries and Decommissioning

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ships before the end of their service

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lives will place significant additional

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stress on readiness of the fleet .

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That's a big problem for two reasons .

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First , the fleet is already suffering

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readiness issues . Maintenance

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availabilities are taking much longer

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than planned , inhibiting our ability

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to project power . The marines have

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experienced that firsthand when

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maintenance issues with the US S box or

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delayed the return of the Bata

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Amphibious Ready group earlier this

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year and last year maintenance issues

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meant there wasn't an amphibious ready

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group available to evacuate Americans

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from Sudan . The second problem is the

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navy is currently carrying out

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operations at a much higher than

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planned tempo . The navy is quickly

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using up missiles , burning through

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fuel and extending deployments as it

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defends the Red Sea and Israel uh from

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Iran's terrorist proxies . I don't see

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the security environment improving in

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the Middle East anytime soon , I'd like

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to hear from our witnesses how they

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expect to continue to carry out these

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operations with a smaller budget .

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Finally , I'd like to hear from the

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commandant on the progress he's making

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with force design , preparing our

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marines to be successful in potential

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conflict with China is critically

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important force design will do just

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that . And with that , I yield to my

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friend , the ranking member for the

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opening statement he may have . Thank

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you uh Mr Chairman . I want to echo

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your your comments and welcome here ,

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our witnesses um and General Smith in

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particular , it is great to see you um

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healthy and doing well . Great to have

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you all here . I think the chairman

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outlined very well , the challenges

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that we face . I mean , certainly the

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budgets at the top of the list . Now ,

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the one piece of it I always like to

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add is what are we doing with the money

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that we have ? Um where are we spending

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money that maybe we shouldn't be

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spending ? I know there's always a

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desire to look at something and say ,

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gosh , wouldn't it be better if we had

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more money ? I think that applies to

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just about everybody in every aspect of ,

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of life , you know , business or

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government , but we do have a fair

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amount . Where are we spending money

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that we shouldn't be spending money ?

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And how can we get more out of what

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we're spending ? Because , you know ,

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we are $33 trillion in debt . The

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deficit is pretty substantial over a

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trillion . I don't see a rain of more

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money coming anytime soon . So we're

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gonna have to get more creative about

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how we , how we spend the spend that

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money . Um , I would like to use the

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Winston Churchill quote about how

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gentlemen were out of money . Now , we

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have to think . Um , I know that's a

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bit of an overstatement but it , it , I ,

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I have found it to be more fruitful

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than , than you might think at first ,

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at first glance , uh , and the second ,

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the shipbuilding challenges without

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question , um , you know , Sherman

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outlined the , I know a huge part of it

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is workforce . Um You know , and I , I

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think there's a major challenge we have

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in this country , in many instances ,

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we just don't have the workers with the

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skills necessary to meet those

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challenges . And we need to get very

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creative about how we recruit and get

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more people into the shipbuilding

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industry . You know , this is not , not

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a great place to bring up an

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immigration debate . Um You know , but ,

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you know , immigration is potentially

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one place where we can find some of

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those workers . And as we are all

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painfully aware , there are a lot of

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people who want to come here . Uh seems

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to me that we ought to be able to match

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up those two problems a little bit

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better uh than we are . Um And then on

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the requirements piece , I just really

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want to foot stop what um the chairman

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said . Um and I don't know the

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specifics ins and outs about how

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requirements may or may not have

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shifted . But I'm very confident that

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we have too many requirements . I was

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um out at a shipyard just next to my

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district um where they were doing

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repairs on an L CS and some of the

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people explained to me and I , I could

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be getting this slightly wrong but

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there was something like 1200 pages of

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requirements for how to paint the , but

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the , the , the sub sea part of the

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ship , um and the people working on it

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thought that was a little bit

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unnecessary . Um I have sort of a

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standard joke about how , you know , I

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wish if I had the power , I could do

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like a Thanos thing where I could snap

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my fingers and make half of all the

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requirements go away . And I don't

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really care which half , ok , if we

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could just start to look at it that way

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and , and requirements are also

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frequently used by various people

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lobbying from industry because they

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want the requirements to vector it down

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to where they get picked . Um That

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doesn't help us . We need to build in

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more flexibility in how we do these

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things . And along those lines , the

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modernization challenge . I know

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General Smith , your , your predecessor ,

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General Berger really took on that

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challenge . What is , you know , the ,

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the current state of warfare and the

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future of it ? How do we shift to make

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sure we're accommodating that we gotta

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get better at that force protection is

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part of it . Uh The chairman mentioned

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the , the pace and the tempo , the

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cliche of using a $2 million missile to

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shoot down a $50,000 drone . We have

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new innovative technologies that could

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get us to a cheaper result . We have

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got to speed those up so that we're

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spending less money . Um and still

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getting the same result . Um directed

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energy . Personally , I think the

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microwave approach probably is gonna

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work better than the laser approach .

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But let's make a choice and let start

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figuring out how , how we can build

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this and get us to a , you know , a

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better , more cost effective way to

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meet our needs . Same true for un

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unmanned systems . Um You know , what ,

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what are the systems that are really

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gonna help us meet our challenges in

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the most cost effective way possible .

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And then lastly , you know , no posture

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hearing would be complete without

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talking about recruitment and retention .

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You know , our military is the greatest

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in the world because of the people who

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serve and the families that support

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them . Um I know this committee has

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taken on the task with our quality of

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life uh task force to say , what can we

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do to really improve the quality of

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life for service members and their

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families ? That's part of the equation .

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But would love to hear from all of you

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about how recruitment and retention is

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going and what we can do to help it be

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more successful . Um With that . I

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thank the chairman , thank the

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committee for going through another ,

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another Posture sea season . Um And I

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look forward to testimony . I yell back .

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I thank the ranking member . Now , I'd

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like to introduce our witnesses . The

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honorable uh Carlos Del Toro ,

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Secretary of the Navy , uh Admiral Lisa

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Franchetti is the Chief of Naval

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Operations and General Eric Smith

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Commandant of the Marine Corps . I'd

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like to welcome All witnesses and we'll

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start with you , Mr Secretary . You're

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recognized . Good morning , Mr Chairman ,

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Chairman Rogers , ranking member Smith ,

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distinguished members of the committee .

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It's an honor to again appear before

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you this morning to discuss the posture

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of the Department of the Navy . First

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and foremost . I would like to thank

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General Smith and Admiral Frank Ketty

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for answering again the call of our

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nation , time and time again . They

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like all who devote their careers and

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in many cases indeed sacrifice their

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very lives in defense of their fellow

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Americans represent everything that

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makes the United States a beacon of

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hope and freedom around the world .

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Together . Our combined years of

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service to our country totals over a

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century , a century marked by multiple

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deployments , time away from home

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sacrifices made by our families . And

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as we gather here this morning , tens

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of thousands of our sailors , marines ,

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civilians and their families are

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stationed or deployed all over the

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world , making the same sacrifices and

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enduring the same trials that myself ,

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General Smith and Ammal Franchetti have

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faced throughout our careers in the

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Inter Pacific . Our N and Marine Corps

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are sailing and operating alongside our

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international allies and partners in

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support of a free and open maritime

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commons . One where nations are

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securing their access to the seas and

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where their rights within their

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exclusive economic zones are respected

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and upheld by all nations including the

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People's Republic of China as they

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should across Europe . We in cooper

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operation with our NATO allies are

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supporting our Ukrainian partners as

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they continue their fight to restore

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their territorial and national

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sovereignty . As Russia's illegal ,

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full scale invasion is now into its

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third year . I commend Congress for

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passing the national security

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supplementals last month allowing us to

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continue providing support to our

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Ukrainian partners as they fight to

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restore peace in their homeland and

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defend democracy for all free nations .

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And in the Red Sea today , marines have

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countered hundreds of missiles and

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drones launched by the Houthis these

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past six months targeting merchant

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shipping and the warships of both the

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United States and our international

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allies and partners . We are

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confronting an adversary supported by

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Iran that has no respect for the

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innocent lives of civilian merchant

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Mariners and one that is actively

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targeting our ships attempting to harm

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our sailors and marines because we dare

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to defend the defenseless . And last

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month , the US S Carney , the US S

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Arley Burke , both operating in the

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eastern Mediterranean Sea intercepted

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several Iranian ballistic missiles

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heading towards Israel , for those who

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question why the American taxpayer

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should provide for and maintain a Navy

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and Marine Corps . Look at what is

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happening today in the Middle East

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where we are defending the free flow of

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international commerce and actively

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defending our international allies and

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partners . Members of the committee ,

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we appear before you today to ask for

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your continued support , your

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partnership and your commitment to

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ensuring that the nearly 1 million

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sailors , marines and civilians of the

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department that we lead are ready on

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all fronts at all times . When called

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upon . While the Fiscal Responsibility

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Act of 2023 required us to make

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extremely hard choices . The 257.6

12:22.289 --> 12:24.178
billion in the president's budget

12:24.178 --> 12:26.122
request for fiscal year 25 for our

12:26.122 --> 12:27.733
department , deputy balances

12:27.733 --> 12:29.845
maintaining and modernizing the fleet

12:29.845 --> 12:32.067
and force of today against planning for

12:32.067 --> 12:34.289
the future force while also taking care

12:34.289 --> 12:36.345
of our people . This budget directly

12:36.345 --> 12:38.122
supports our department's three

12:38.122 --> 12:40.178
enduring priorities of strengthening

12:40.178 --> 12:42.178
our maritime dominance , building a

12:42.178 --> 12:44.289
culture of warfighting excellence and

12:44.289 --> 12:46.345
enhancing our strategic partnerships

12:46.345 --> 12:48.567
around the globe . We are acquiring the

12:48.567 --> 12:50.845
most lethal agile and capable warships ,

12:50.845 --> 12:52.733
submarines , aircraft weapons and

12:52.733 --> 12:54.900
systems . Our world has ever seen . We

12:54.900 --> 12:56.789
are also funding the research and

12:56.789 --> 12:58.511
development , transformational

12:58.511 --> 13:00.511
technologies and fielding them more

13:00.511 --> 13:02.622
quickly to make our fleet more lethal

13:02.622 --> 13:04.733
and persistent within the current fit

13:04.733 --> 13:06.622
up . We are investing billions of

13:06.622 --> 13:06.479
dollars in the industrial base that

13:06.489 --> 13:09.049
supports us while encouraging them to

13:09.059 --> 13:11.390
invest more in resources themselves at

13:11.400 --> 13:13.859
the same time . And as responsible

13:13.869 --> 13:15.925
stewards of taxpayer funds , we will

13:15.925 --> 13:17.980
enforce accountability to ensure our

13:17.980 --> 13:20.147
sailors and marines have the platforms

13:20.147 --> 13:22.369
and capabilities that they need on time

13:22.369 --> 13:24.536
and on budget . Above all else , we're

13:24.536 --> 13:26.313
taking care of our people , our

13:26.313 --> 13:28.091
personnel , their families , by

13:28.091 --> 13:29.869
focusing on improving housing ,

13:29.869 --> 13:31.702
expanding childcare capacity and

13:31.702 --> 13:33.647
increasing access to mental health

13:33.647 --> 13:35.925
resources amongst other critical areas .

13:35.925 --> 13:37.980
We are cleared , the challenges that

13:37.980 --> 13:40.147
our nation faces today in the maritime

13:40.147 --> 13:42.313
domain , both commercial and naval and

13:42.313 --> 13:44.536
as a maritime nation . We must confront

13:44.536 --> 13:46.758
the challenges of today and prepare for

13:46.758 --> 13:48.925
the potential conflicts of tomorrow by

13:48.925 --> 13:51.036
investing in a strong Navy and Marine

13:51.036 --> 13:53.369
Corps . Again , it's an honor to appear ,

13:53.369 --> 13:55.480
appear before you this morning and we

13:55.480 --> 13:57.702
look forward to discussing with you how

13:57.702 --> 13:59.702
best to deliver the Navy and Marine

13:59.702 --> 14:01.869
Corps that our nation requires . Thank

14:01.869 --> 14:01.590
you . Thank you , Miss Secretary

14:01.679 --> 14:03.235
Admiral . You're recognized

14:05.630 --> 14:07.929
Chairman Rogers , ranking member Smith ,

14:07.940 --> 14:10.218
distinguished members of the committee .

14:10.218 --> 14:12.273
Good morning . And thank you for the

14:12.273 --> 14:14.384
opportunity to testify in the posture

14:14.384 --> 14:16.551
of the United States Navy on behalf of

14:16.551 --> 14:18.496
our sailors , navy , civilians and

14:18.496 --> 14:18.489
their families deployed and stationed

14:18.500 --> 14:20.556
all around the world . Thank you for

14:20.556 --> 14:22.500
your leadership and your continued

14:22.500 --> 14:24.556
support in providing and maintaining

14:24.556 --> 14:26.780
the navy the nation needs . I'd also

14:26.789 --> 14:28.789
like to thank my teammate , General

14:28.789 --> 14:30.900
Smith for his exceptional partnership

14:30.900 --> 14:32.789
and collaboration as we guide our

14:32.789 --> 14:34.622
services under the leadership of

14:34.622 --> 14:36.511
Secretary Del Toro flanked by two

14:36.511 --> 14:38.400
oceans . The United States is and

14:38.400 --> 14:40.859
always has been a maritime nation whose

14:40.869 --> 14:43.669
security and prosperity rely on access

14:43.679 --> 14:46.969
to the sea . And for over 248 years ,

14:46.979 --> 14:49.669
the US Navy has guaranteed that access ,

14:49.679 --> 14:51.760
operating forward , defending our

14:51.770 --> 14:54.210
homeland and keeping open the sea lines

14:54.219 --> 14:56.489
of communication that fuel our economy

14:56.510 --> 14:58.677
and underwrite our nation's security .

14:59.650 --> 15:01.706
The events of this past year and the

15:01.706 --> 15:03.928
actions taken by your Navy Marine Corps

15:03.928 --> 15:05.706
team in the Indo Pacific in the

15:05.706 --> 15:07.594
Mediterranean and the Red Sea and

15:07.594 --> 15:09.317
beyond underscore the enduring

15:09.317 --> 15:12.539
importance of American naval power with

15:12.549 --> 15:14.493
an average of 100 and 10 ships and

15:14.493 --> 15:16.750
70,000 sailors and marines deployed at

15:16.760 --> 15:19.489
sea on any given day . The Navy Marine

15:19.500 --> 15:21.690
Corps team is delivering power for

15:21.700 --> 15:24.400
peace , deterring potential adversaries

15:24.409 --> 15:26.890
and standing ready to fight and win our

15:26.900 --> 15:29.599
nation's wars . If deterrence fails , I

15:29.609 --> 15:31.776
could not be more proud of this team .

15:31.776 --> 15:33.942
No other navy in the world can train ,

15:33.942 --> 15:36.380
deploy and sustain such a lethal combat ,

15:36.390 --> 15:38.619
credible force that operates from the

15:38.630 --> 15:41.460
seabed to space at the scope scale and

15:41.469 --> 15:44.299
tempo that we do . This year's budget

15:44.309 --> 15:46.420
request supports the national defense

15:46.420 --> 15:48.309
strategy and my priorities of war

15:48.309 --> 15:49.976
fighting war fighters and the

15:49.976 --> 15:52.419
foundation that supports them . It

15:52.429 --> 15:54.485
enables the Navy to continue to meet

15:54.485 --> 15:56.707
our congressionally mandated mission in

15:56.707 --> 15:58.707
both peace and war . It is strategy

15:58.707 --> 16:00.818
driven , maintaining our focus on the

16:00.818 --> 16:02.707
People's Republic of China is the

16:02.707 --> 16:04.818
pacing challenge and the acute threat

16:04.818 --> 16:06.985
of Russia and other persistent threats

16:06.985 --> 16:10.359
like the D Pr K , Iran and be Os given

16:10.369 --> 16:12.147
the discretionary spending caps

16:12.147 --> 16:14.369
prescribed by the Fiscal Responsibility

16:14.369 --> 16:16.820
Act and a top line increase of 0.7% .

16:17.049 --> 16:19.210
The Navy had to make tough choices ,

16:19.229 --> 16:21.179
favoring near term readiness ,

16:21.250 --> 16:23.309
investing in our industrial base and

16:23.320 --> 16:25.719
prioritizing our people while assuming

16:25.729 --> 16:29.260
risk in future capabilities within this

16:29.270 --> 16:31.437
fiscally constrained environment . The

16:31.437 --> 16:33.548
budget request fully funds the navy's

16:33.548 --> 16:35.659
top acquisition priority and the most

16:35.659 --> 16:37.937
survivable leg of strategic deterrence .

16:37.937 --> 16:39.826
The Columbia class submarine , it

16:39.826 --> 16:41.826
provides funds for six battle force

16:41.826 --> 16:44.190
ships and incremental funding for two

16:44.200 --> 16:46.311
forward class aircraft carriers in fy

16:46.311 --> 16:49.090
25 . And it continues our support to

16:49.099 --> 16:50.849
Marine Corps Force design by

16:50.859 --> 16:53.109
maintaining 31 amphibious ships

16:53.119 --> 16:56.190
procuring three LP DS one LH A and

16:56.200 --> 16:59.169
eight medium landing ships in total .

16:59.179 --> 17:01.520
The budget request procures 57 ships

17:01.530 --> 17:04.369
and submarines across the fit up . This

17:04.380 --> 17:06.760
budget request prioritizes war fighting

17:06.849 --> 17:09.000
by funding operations , training and

17:09.010 --> 17:11.469
readiness accounts . It invests in our

17:11.479 --> 17:13.439
foundation with funding for our

17:13.449 --> 17:15.439
installations for our shipyard

17:15.449 --> 17:17.859
infrastructure optimization program and

17:17.869 --> 17:20.202
for the broader defense industrial base ,

17:20.202 --> 17:22.425
sending a strong signal to our industry

17:22.425 --> 17:24.959
partners on the need to increase our

17:24.969 --> 17:27.670
capacity to meet the growing demands of

17:27.680 --> 17:30.719
the present and the future . And it

17:30.729 --> 17:32.896
continues our strong commitment to our

17:32.896 --> 17:35.007
war fighters and our families through

17:35.007 --> 17:37.118
pay raises for our sa our sailors and

17:37.118 --> 17:39.340
navy civilians , investments in quality

17:39.340 --> 17:41.079
of service initiatives such as

17:41.089 --> 17:43.229
unaccompanied housing education ,

17:43.239 --> 17:46.800
childcare and sailor resiliency . These

17:46.810 --> 17:49.839
initiatives as well as others enabled

17:49.849 --> 17:52.369
by your steadfast support have helped

17:52.380 --> 17:55.040
us maintain historically high levels of

17:55.050 --> 17:57.660
retention which is imperative given the

17:57.670 --> 17:59.900
current recruiting environment . And

17:59.910 --> 18:01.632
while this environment remains

18:01.632 --> 18:03.188
challenging and our manning

18:03.188 --> 18:05.339
requirements have increased , we are

18:05.349 --> 18:07.780
about 2500 recruits ahead of where we

18:07.790 --> 18:09.900
were last year at this time . And I

18:09.910 --> 18:12.359
remain optimistic that our marketing

18:12.369 --> 18:14.380
and data analytics investments will

18:14.390 --> 18:16.612
show additional progress throughout the

18:16.619 --> 18:19.150
year . I would also like to thank this

18:19.160 --> 18:21.216
committee for your commitment to our

18:21.216 --> 18:23.369
sailors quality of life . The navy is

18:23.380 --> 18:25.602
in receipt of the quality of life panel

18:25.602 --> 18:27.713
report and we look forward to working

18:27.713 --> 18:29.936
closely with Congress and the office of

18:29.936 --> 18:32.102
the Secretary of Defense to ensure our

18:32.102 --> 18:34.102
sailors and their families have all

18:34.102 --> 18:36.269
they need as they support our nation's

18:36.269 --> 18:38.770
security and prosperity . As Chief of

18:38.780 --> 18:41.150
naval Operations , I am committed to

18:41.160 --> 18:44.000
pulling every lever available to me to

18:44.010 --> 18:46.500
put more ready players on the field

18:46.569 --> 18:48.791
platforms that are ready with the right

18:48.791 --> 18:51.339
capabilities , weapons and sustainment ,

18:51.599 --> 18:53.979
and people who are ready with the right

18:53.989 --> 18:57.130
tools , skills , training and mindset

18:57.189 --> 18:59.589
to defend our nation's security and

18:59.599 --> 19:02.959
prosperity wherever and whenever it is

19:02.969 --> 19:05.189
threatened . I thank the committee for

19:05.199 --> 19:07.143
your leadership and partnership in

19:07.143 --> 19:08.977
ensuring the world's premier war

19:08.977 --> 19:11.079
fighting force remains ready to

19:11.089 --> 19:14.000
preserve the peace , respond in crisis

19:14.010 --> 19:17.270
and win decisively in war if called . I

19:17.280 --> 19:19.989
look forward to your questions . Thank

19:20.000 --> 19:21.833
you . Uh Admiral Franchetti , uh

19:21.833 --> 19:23.833
General Smith . You're recognized .

19:25.569 --> 19:27.589
Good morning , Chairman Rogers ,

19:27.599 --> 19:29.488
ranking member Smith . Ladies and

19:29.488 --> 19:31.155
gentlemen , thank you for the

19:31.155 --> 19:33.266
opportunity to represent your marines

19:33.266 --> 19:35.432
today . I'd like to start by sincerely

19:35.432 --> 19:37.210
thanking this committee for its

19:37.210 --> 19:39.377
enduring support and your advocacy for

19:39.377 --> 19:41.377
a timely predictable and sufficient

19:41.377 --> 19:43.599
budget that enables the Marine Corps to

19:43.599 --> 19:45.821
remain the first to fight . I'd like to

19:45.821 --> 19:47.710
express my deep gratitude for the

19:47.710 --> 19:49.932
partnership between my shipmate Admiral

19:49.932 --> 19:49.579
Franchetti and me as we lead our

19:49.589 --> 19:51.422
retrospective services under the

19:51.422 --> 19:53.367
leadership of Secretary Del Toro ,

19:53.790 --> 19:56.089
whether deterring responding to crisis

19:56.099 --> 19:58.300
or in conflict , it will be the Navy

19:58.310 --> 20:00.421
and Marine Corps expeditionary forces

20:00.421 --> 20:02.477
who make first contact with partners

20:02.477 --> 20:04.680
seeking help or adversaries seeking a

20:04.689 --> 20:07.160
fight . Our partnership . Collaboration

20:07.170 --> 20:09.503
and integration is a decisive advantage .

20:10.439 --> 20:12.328
Recently , I published my updated

20:12.328 --> 20:14.550
guidance to the force entitled Maintain

20:14.550 --> 20:16.959
Momentum . I chose this title as I

20:16.969 --> 20:18.913
firmly believe the Corps is on the

20:18.913 --> 20:21.080
right path under forced design . A few

20:21.080 --> 20:23.191
points from that document . First , I

20:23.191 --> 20:25.413
believe that the Corps must continue to

20:25.413 --> 20:27.302
strike a balance between high end

20:27.302 --> 20:29.302
modernization and our commitment to

20:29.302 --> 20:31.191
persistent forward deployed naval

20:31.191 --> 20:33.358
expeditionary forces that campaign and

20:33.358 --> 20:35.569
respond to crises globally . This

20:35.579 --> 20:37.579
effort is represented by our marine

20:37.579 --> 20:39.839
expeditionary units . Second , we must

20:39.849 --> 20:42.260
prioritize our operations with the Navy

20:42.270 --> 20:44.589
and its amphibious ships and we must

20:44.599 --> 20:46.432
provide marines with the organic

20:46.432 --> 20:48.655
mobility to rapidly maneuver from shore

20:48.655 --> 20:50.877
to shore ship to shore and back again .

20:51.280 --> 20:53.420
Third on recruiting , our performance

20:53.430 --> 20:55.652
speaks for itself . We will continue to

20:55.652 --> 20:57.763
make mission without ever diminishing

20:57.763 --> 20:59.930
our standards . Additionally , our top

20:59.930 --> 21:02.041
performing marines are reenlisting at

21:02.041 --> 21:04.263
historic rates and we must sustain this

21:04.263 --> 21:06.569
trend . Fourth , we must maximize the

21:06.579 --> 21:08.729
capability of our reserves to ensure

21:08.739 --> 21:10.906
that our nation has the ready bench of

21:10.906 --> 21:12.795
warriors that they relied on have

21:12.795 --> 21:14.906
relied on . Since the founding of the

21:14.906 --> 21:17.270
Marine Corps Forces Reserve in 1916 and

21:17.280 --> 21:19.280
fifth , I'm dedicated to ensuring a

21:19.280 --> 21:21.336
quality of life for our marines that

21:21.336 --> 21:23.391
matches the high demands we place on

21:23.391 --> 21:25.558
them every day . That means nutritious

21:25.558 --> 21:27.780
food , high quality and accessible gyms

21:27.780 --> 21:29.947
and a safe quiet place to recover from

21:29.947 --> 21:32.058
a hard day's work . Our barracks 2030

21:32.058 --> 21:34.113
initiative is our most consequential

21:34.113 --> 21:36.058
barracks investment ever and it is

21:36.058 --> 21:37.891
sorely needed while aggressively

21:37.891 --> 21:40.113
pursuing these priorities . I commit to

21:40.113 --> 21:42.002
you that our Corps will always be

21:42.002 --> 21:41.780
frugal and accountable with the

21:41.790 --> 21:43.790
resources that you and the American

21:43.790 --> 21:45.623
people provide . I'm proud of my

21:45.623 --> 21:47.457
marines and civilian marines who

21:47.457 --> 21:49.623
enabled the Marine Corps to receive an

21:49.623 --> 21:51.846
unmodified audit opinion . Earlier this

21:51.846 --> 21:53.957
year , the first of any service to do

21:53.957 --> 21:55.957
so , they told us what we have long

21:55.957 --> 21:58.179
known that when you entrust us with the

21:58.179 --> 21:58.140
taxpayers' money , it is money well

21:58.150 --> 22:01.489
spent and fully accounted for all these

22:01.500 --> 22:03.667
things are critical to maintaining the

22:03.667 --> 22:05.778
strength and dominance of your Marine

22:05.778 --> 22:08.000
Corps . This year marks 249 years since

22:08.000 --> 22:10.750
the founding of our corps . That is 249

22:10.760 --> 22:12.871
years of battles won and peace upheld

22:12.871 --> 22:15.093
in the name of democracy and prosperity

22:15.099 --> 22:17.266
for our nation and for all nations who

22:17.266 --> 22:19.432
abide by the international rules based

22:19.432 --> 22:21.543
order . But increasingly world events

22:21.543 --> 22:23.599
demonstrate that this order is being

22:23.599 --> 22:25.766
challenged , free trade , unrestricted

22:25.766 --> 22:27.821
access to the seas , peaceful cooper

22:27.821 --> 22:30.043
operation between nations big and small

22:30.043 --> 22:31.877
are under assault . Our nation's

22:31.877 --> 22:34.043
prosperity is underwritten by a strong

22:34.043 --> 22:33.890
Navy and Marine Corps who maintain a

22:33.900 --> 22:36.130
global presence and keep mal actors at

22:36.140 --> 22:38.280
bay . Thank you again for the

22:38.290 --> 22:40.512
opportunity to represent your Marines .

22:40.512 --> 22:42.568
Today . I pledge to continue to work

22:42.568 --> 22:44.790
closely with each of you to ensure your

22:44.790 --> 22:46.846
Marine Corps remains the most lethal

22:46.846 --> 22:48.901
fighting force on the planet . And I

22:48.901 --> 22:51.068
look forward to your questions . Thank

22:51.068 --> 22:50.280
you , General . Before I recognize

22:50.290 --> 22:52.123
myself for questions , I want to

22:52.123 --> 22:54.234
acknowledge the presence of a special

22:54.234 --> 22:56.457
guest . Today , we've got a former long

22:56.457 --> 22:58.512
term member of this committee uh and

22:58.512 --> 23:01.619
also a uh me , a classmate of mine and

23:01.630 --> 23:04.219
a retired marine Colonel John Klein

23:04.229 --> 23:06.451
with us today . Good to have you John .

23:11.930 --> 23:14.369
Uh Now I recognize myself for questions .

23:14.380 --> 23:16.713
Uh Admiral Franchitti and General Smith .

23:16.713 --> 23:19.650
Um the Navy and Marines fy 25 budget

23:19.660 --> 23:23.349
has $4.5 billion in unfunded uh

23:23.359 --> 23:25.581
requirements . So it's clear you had to

23:25.581 --> 23:27.415
leave some important , important

23:27.415 --> 23:29.619
programs on the cutting table . Uh I'd

23:29.630 --> 23:32.550
like to ask each of you uh to speak to

23:32.560 --> 23:34.727
some of the tradeoffs that you've made

23:34.727 --> 23:37.004
trying to make this budget number work .

23:37.004 --> 23:40.310
Admiral , I'll start with you . Well ,

23:40.319 --> 23:42.319
thank you , Chairman Rogers . And I

23:42.319 --> 23:44.652
said in my opening statement , you know ,

23:44.652 --> 23:44.609
we really prioritized , you know ,

23:44.619 --> 23:47.089
Columbia first and then readiness and

23:47.099 --> 23:49.489
then our people quality of service and

23:49.500 --> 23:51.722
everything that they need to be able to

23:51.722 --> 23:53.500
do jobs . But the things that I

23:53.500 --> 23:55.833
couldn't really get after is , you know ,

23:55.833 --> 23:58.569
we took uh risk in our future

23:58.579 --> 24:01.189
procurement . Uh if you look the things

24:01.199 --> 24:03.421
that , you know , we weren't able to do

24:03.421 --> 24:05.588
in the future , really the Air Wing of

24:05.588 --> 24:07.421
the future , you know , aircraft

24:07.421 --> 24:10.725
carriers , uh SSNXDDGX . So really

24:10.735 --> 24:13.826
prioritized on the current uh readiness

24:13.836 --> 24:16.003
that we need uh and did not prioritize

24:16.003 --> 24:18.505
the future . So if there were uh

24:18.635 --> 24:20.468
additional resources available ,

24:20.468 --> 24:23.495
certainly my UO uh has items on there

24:23.505 --> 24:25.595
that either came up after our budget

24:25.605 --> 24:27.827
was submitted , but the things that are

24:27.827 --> 24:29.938
on , there are things that we need to

24:29.938 --> 24:32.161
accelerate or to get some more fighting

24:32.161 --> 24:34.105
advantage . The last thing I would

24:34.105 --> 24:35.772
mention is uh although I have

24:35.772 --> 24:37.438
prioritized investment in our

24:37.438 --> 24:39.494
foundation which is installations uh

24:39.494 --> 24:41.438
and everything associated with our

24:41.438 --> 24:43.327
infrastructure , about 60% of our

24:43.327 --> 24:45.438
milcom budget is going into the Psyop

24:45.438 --> 24:47.438
program . And so I think there will

24:47.438 --> 24:49.549
always be opportunity to provide more

24:49.549 --> 24:51.438
investment in our installations .

24:51.560 --> 24:55.489
General Smith , Mr chairman , our yil

24:55.500 --> 24:57.439
does two things . It accelerates

24:57.449 --> 24:59.671
modernization against the pacing threat

24:59.671 --> 25:03.219
who is moving at an alarming pace . It

25:03.229 --> 25:04.785
accelerates quality of life

25:04.785 --> 25:06.618
improvements , our barracks 2030

25:06.618 --> 25:08.785
initiative and frankly the risk if not

25:08.785 --> 25:11.339
funded is we will remain capable and

25:11.349 --> 25:13.599
ready but deferred funding will

25:13.609 --> 25:15.776
eventually be paid for in blood by our

25:15.776 --> 25:17.831
marines in crisis or in combat or in

25:17.831 --> 25:20.060
training in the near term . Our success

25:20.069 --> 25:21.791
in recruiting and retention is

25:21.791 --> 25:24.013
jeopardized because we won't be able to

25:24.013 --> 25:25.958
fulfill commitments to marines and

25:25.958 --> 25:27.902
their families . Thank you . Uh Mr

25:27.902 --> 25:30.013
Secretary , uh The review found every

25:30.013 --> 25:31.680
major shipbuilding program is

25:31.680 --> 25:33.791
experiencing significant delays in um

25:34.000 --> 25:36.239
challenges . Can you speak to how you

25:36.250 --> 25:38.790
plan to correct that ? Absolutely . Uh

25:38.800 --> 25:40.911
Mr Chairman , first , let me say that

25:40.911 --> 25:43.022
these are concerns that I've had from

25:43.022 --> 25:45.244
the first month that I became Secretary

25:45.244 --> 25:45.030
of the Navy , trying to address the

25:45.040 --> 25:47.262
most difficult challenges and trying to

25:47.262 --> 25:49.484
make improvements to get us to a better

25:49.484 --> 25:51.651
place . Uh I'm pleased to say that due

25:51.651 --> 25:53.818
to the support of the Congress and the

25:53.818 --> 25:55.818
administration , we are now pumping

25:55.818 --> 25:57.929
nearly $18 billion into the submarine

25:57.929 --> 25:59.873
base , $1 billion into the surface

25:59.873 --> 26:02.040
industrial base as well too . And just

26:02.040 --> 26:04.045
in 24 some of the advancements that

26:04.055 --> 26:06.111
were made established in an additive

26:06.111 --> 26:08.333
manufacturing center down at Danville ,

26:08.333 --> 26:11.275
9700 workers hired across both uh GD

26:11.285 --> 26:14.505
electric boat and uh hi I uh uh Newport

26:14.515 --> 26:16.505
News installation of additive

26:16.515 --> 26:19.025
manufacturing parts uh Groundbreaking

26:19.035 --> 26:21.257
on the submarine manufacturing facility

26:21.380 --> 26:23.670
at uh Newport News , for example ,

26:23.680 --> 26:26.109
strategically outsourcing 3 million

26:26.280 --> 26:29.300
hours of work from the prime vendors to

26:29.310 --> 26:31.421
the sub vendors , something that I've

26:31.421 --> 26:33.477
been encouraging them to do from the

26:33.477 --> 26:35.254
very beginning . And we hope to

26:35.254 --> 26:37.421
actually double that in fiscal year 25

26:37.421 --> 26:39.532
along with increasing other strategic

26:39.532 --> 26:41.699
sourcing as well to scaling of attract

26:41.699 --> 26:43.754
attraction , recruiting training and

26:43.754 --> 26:45.810
retention efforts . As you know , Mr

26:45.810 --> 26:47.866
Chairman , we've had again thanks to

26:47.866 --> 26:49.866
the support of Congress $25 million

26:49.866 --> 26:52.464
retention uh uh uh money that's been

26:52.474 --> 26:54.696
passed to fin and Terry , for example ,

26:54.696 --> 26:56.918
so they can retain more people . We see

26:56.918 --> 26:58.863
another 25 million added to the 25

26:58.863 --> 27:00.918
budgets . So there are a lot of good

27:00.918 --> 27:03.030
news stories that are trying to be uh

27:03.030 --> 27:05.085
executed upon in order to get uh the

27:05.085 --> 27:07.196
state of these production lines up to

27:07.196 --> 27:09.307
where they should be . Thank you . We

27:09.307 --> 27:11.030
used to execute uh heel to toe

27:11.030 --> 27:13.141
amphibious deployments in two A ors .

27:13.430 --> 27:15.869
Uh Now we struggle to maintain one

27:15.880 --> 27:18.109
deployment in one A or can you talk

27:18.119 --> 27:20.452
about what you're doing to correct that ?

27:20.452 --> 27:22.452
Yes , Mr Chairman . In fact , if my

27:22.452 --> 27:24.675
memory serves me right . I think it was

27:24.675 --> 27:27.060
sometime in the 2017 , 2018 time frame

27:27.069 --> 27:29.125
where you actually had a , a heel to

27:29.125 --> 27:31.464
toe of an arg . Uh since then , we've ,

27:31.474 --> 27:33.375
we've unquestionably have been

27:33.385 --> 27:35.218
challenged by maintenance pro uh

27:35.218 --> 27:37.274
problems with our amphibious ships .

27:37.274 --> 27:39.496
And there's no question in my mind that

27:39.496 --> 27:41.274
we should have been buying more

27:41.274 --> 27:43.385
amphibious ships earlier . Uh The age

27:43.385 --> 27:45.552
of our amphibious fleet is excessively

27:45.552 --> 27:47.774
high . Uh We need to continue to invest

27:47.774 --> 27:50.107
in new ships to replace these old ships .

27:50.107 --> 27:52.107
If you take the German Town , which

27:52.107 --> 27:51.920
we're proposing Decommissioning this

27:51.930 --> 27:54.097
year . For example , she is our oldest

27:54.097 --> 27:56.152
LSD . She has wood decks on her that

27:56.152 --> 27:58.208
are corroding . She has a crane that

27:58.208 --> 28:00.208
hasn't been able to be fixed in the

28:00.208 --> 28:02.374
past six years and that's with help of

28:02.374 --> 28:04.541
the OEM the original manufacturer . So

28:04.541 --> 28:06.541
it's time to actually replace these

28:06.541 --> 28:08.800
older L sds with new ones uh in order

28:08.810 --> 28:11.032
to be able to meet the missions uh that

28:11.032 --> 28:12.921
face us tomorrow . Thank you . Uh

28:12.921 --> 28:14.977
You'll do the ranking member . Thank

28:14.977 --> 28:16.921
you , Mr Mr Chair . And I continue

28:16.921 --> 28:19.032
along those lines in terms of the the

28:19.032 --> 28:20.588
shipbuilding challenges and

28:20.588 --> 28:22.532
particularly focus on the , on the

28:22.532 --> 28:24.699
workforce piece of it . Um And I don't

28:24.699 --> 28:26.754
know exactly . Um So I'm curious how

28:26.754 --> 28:28.921
big a factor is that in not being able

28:28.921 --> 28:31.189
to , to keep up and having so many of

28:31.199 --> 28:34.949
our uh ships behind it . It , it is a

28:34.959 --> 28:37.449
significant chapter uh a factor , Mr

28:37.459 --> 28:40.030
Chairman , um the blue-collar workforce

28:40.040 --> 28:41.818
in this country has actually uh

28:41.818 --> 28:44.170
decreased significantly over the course

28:44.180 --> 28:46.347
of the last decade . I would argue and

28:46.347 --> 28:48.569
we actually need to take measures uh in

28:48.569 --> 28:50.791
a whole of maritime statecraft effort .

28:50.791 --> 28:52.958
Quite frankly , to try to recruit more

28:52.958 --> 28:55.069
people to the shipbuilding industry .

28:55.069 --> 28:57.180
Our country doesn't have a commercial

28:57.180 --> 28:57.083
shipbuilding industry either that

28:57.162 --> 28:59.384
significantly hurts the status of naval

28:59.384 --> 29:01.551
shipbuilding in the country and that's

29:01.551 --> 29:03.773
what we're trying to get back to try to

29:03.773 --> 29:05.940
go after the long hanging fruit to try

29:05.940 --> 29:08.106
to retrain more people . Um My members

29:08.106 --> 29:10.218
from my office just came from Ohio uh

29:10.218 --> 29:12.329
just a few days ago , for example , I

29:12.329 --> 29:14.551
meeting with the boiler makers union of

29:14.551 --> 29:16.662
Ohio to try to get them to be able to

29:16.662 --> 29:19.166
retrain people at Bartlett Shipyard ,

29:19.176 --> 29:21.232
for example . And so that they could

29:21.232 --> 29:23.120
actually go into the shipbuilding

29:23.120 --> 29:25.365
industry to about 4000 boiler makers in

29:25.375 --> 29:27.946
the , in the I , is there a way to

29:27.956 --> 29:30.345
quantify this or we like we need 10,000

29:30.355 --> 29:32.595
workers , we need 20,000 understanding

29:32.605 --> 29:34.438
that it's gonna differ , special

29:34.438 --> 29:36.885
specialty . But in general , is there a

29:36.895 --> 29:39.066
number that either you or the admiral

29:39.076 --> 29:41.132
could give us ? And how short we are

29:41.132 --> 29:43.187
here ? I think we need , we're gonna

29:43.187 --> 29:45.187
need upwards of 50,000 or more ship

29:45.187 --> 29:47.354
shipyard workers into the future to be

29:47.354 --> 29:49.409
able to constitute the demand signal

29:49.409 --> 29:51.632
that uh we're putting in have we worked

29:51.632 --> 29:53.890
at all with um high schools on , you

29:53.900 --> 29:56.067
know , beginning to show people that ,

29:56.067 --> 29:57.844
you know , basically career and

29:57.844 --> 29:59.900
technical education to say because I

29:59.900 --> 30:01.844
know there's been a bit of a pivot

30:01.844 --> 30:03.789
certainly in my area and we have a

30:03.789 --> 30:03.560
robust , you know , shipbuilding

30:03.569 --> 30:06.329
industry there . Um We're building a

30:06.339 --> 30:08.599
maritime high school which focuses on a

30:08.609 --> 30:11.140
number of different issues . Um but you

30:11.150 --> 30:13.372
know , an effort to take people in high

30:13.372 --> 30:15.594
school and say , hey , this is a career

30:15.594 --> 30:17.817
that you could pursue . So we're taking

30:17.817 --> 30:20.039
a significant amount of investment from

30:20.039 --> 30:19.369
the submarine industrial base and the

30:19.380 --> 30:21.380
ship industrial base . And Chairman

30:21.380 --> 30:23.602
Courtney knows that up in Connecticut ,

30:23.602 --> 30:25.769
for example , we're pumping that money

30:25.769 --> 30:27.991
into retraining programs so that we can

30:27.991 --> 30:29.936
actually take high school students

30:29.936 --> 30:32.158
tournament uh certified welders and put

30:32.158 --> 30:32.119
them right into the shipyard . We're

30:32.130 --> 30:34.130
doing the same thing with community

30:34.130 --> 30:36.352
colleges as well too . I just visited a

30:36.352 --> 30:38.463
community college up in Maine in Bath

30:38.463 --> 30:40.352
Maine , for example , where we're

30:40.352 --> 30:40.339
trying to do the same thing . OK . And

30:40.349 --> 30:43.089
on the requirements piece , what can we

30:43.099 --> 30:45.266
do ? I mean , it just seems to me like

30:45.266 --> 30:47.321
that does drive cost and then to the

30:47.321 --> 30:49.432
chairman's point , requirements shift

30:49.432 --> 30:51.543
for a variety of different reasons in

30:51.543 --> 30:53.488
the middle of a project . But even

30:53.488 --> 30:55.543
before we get to the shifting , just

30:55.543 --> 30:57.766
the set of requirements that are thrown

30:57.766 --> 30:59.821
up a as a starting point . Is anyone

30:59.821 --> 30:59.770
taking a serious look at that ? And I'd

30:59.780 --> 31:01.947
be interested in all three of you just

31:01.947 --> 31:04.002
give me a quick comment . How can we

31:04.002 --> 31:06.224
shrink that down so that we can be more

31:06.224 --> 31:08.058
nimble and how we meet our , our

31:08.058 --> 31:10.619
manufacturing needs . It's a

31:10.630 --> 31:12.979
complicated , uh it's a complicated

31:12.989 --> 31:15.045
situation and of course , it made it

31:15.045 --> 31:17.100
even more complicated over the years

31:17.100 --> 31:16.979
because every time you have a new

31:16.989 --> 31:19.040
operational requirement , it adds

31:19.050 --> 31:21.161
additional requirements to the factor

31:21.161 --> 31:23.328
as well too . When you take it just as

31:23.328 --> 31:25.439
one example , we , we want to operate

31:25.439 --> 31:27.661
more in the Arctic . Right . Well , our

31:27.661 --> 31:29.828
DDGS , for example , are only designed

31:29.828 --> 31:32.050
to operate a certain set number of days

31:32.050 --> 31:34.161
in the Arctic . But if we're going to

31:34.161 --> 31:33.989
operate more in the Arctic , we got to

31:34.000 --> 31:36.167
reinforce those holes on our DG flight

31:36.167 --> 31:38.785
threes , for example , in our DGXS in

31:38.795 --> 31:41.017
order for them to be able to do so . So

31:41.017 --> 31:42.739
there are times when there are

31:42.739 --> 31:44.851
legitimate growth and requirements to

31:44.851 --> 31:47.073
support an operational mission , but in

31:47.073 --> 31:49.017
many cases , it's also telling the

31:49.017 --> 31:51.017
shipyard how to do their job and we

31:51.017 --> 31:50.655
shouldn't be doing that . We should be

31:50.665 --> 31:52.721
setting the overall requirements and

31:52.721 --> 31:54.276
letting them build to those

31:54.276 --> 31:56.332
requirements as well too . Sometimes

31:56.332 --> 31:58.609
safety factors are at play as well too .

31:58.609 --> 32:00.721
And uh lawyers get involved and , and

32:00.721 --> 32:02.887
so , you know , one lawsuit drives 100

32:02.887 --> 32:04.943
different additional requirements to

32:04.943 --> 32:06.998
the uh to the process as well . Abso

32:06.998 --> 32:09.221
just very quickly in time , I have left

32:09.221 --> 32:11.221
Admiral General Smith . You want to

32:11.221 --> 32:13.221
offer thoughts , I would just offer

32:13.221 --> 32:15.554
that . It's really important , you know ,

32:15.554 --> 32:17.776
as we are designing the ships initially

32:17.776 --> 32:17.689
and setting the requirements , uh both ,

32:17.699 --> 32:19.643
you know , as we just did with the

32:19.643 --> 32:21.643
landing ship medium , you know , to

32:21.643 --> 32:23.643
really think through that work very

32:23.643 --> 32:25.477
carefully with the uh concept of

32:25.477 --> 32:24.750
employment that we're gonna use and

32:24.760 --> 32:27.319
make sure that we're basically saying

32:27.329 --> 32:29.051
exactly what we need for those

32:29.051 --> 32:31.385
capabilities . When we release that RFP ,

32:32.199 --> 32:34.421
I would echo what my shipmate said that

32:34.421 --> 32:36.532
uh our war Gaming and Analysis Center

32:36.532 --> 32:38.780
is vital to that , to war game through

32:38.790 --> 32:40.949
what actually you need before you set

32:40.959 --> 32:42.737
the requirements . And then our

32:42.737 --> 32:44.626
requirements officer , Lieutenant

32:44.626 --> 32:46.737
General Heckel is there to keep those

32:46.737 --> 32:48.848
requirements on pace and to keep them

32:48.848 --> 32:51.070
steady . Good . Thank you . Thank you ,

32:51.070 --> 32:53.070
Mr Chairman . I go back chair and I

32:53.070 --> 32:55.015
recognize the gentleman from South

32:55.015 --> 32:54.979
Carolina , Mr Wilson . Thank you very

32:54.989 --> 32:57.156
much Mr Chairman . And indeed , we are

32:57.156 --> 32:59.322
so grateful to have with us today . Uh

32:59.322 --> 33:01.211
Congressman Colonel John Klein of

33:01.211 --> 33:03.156
Minnesota . Uh He served with such

33:03.156 --> 33:05.489
distinction . It still does . And so it ,

33:05.489 --> 33:07.489
it's so good to see his bright face

33:07.489 --> 33:09.600
here today . Thank you . Uh with that

33:09.600 --> 33:11.767
too . Uh I wanna thank each of you for

33:11.767 --> 33:13.878
your uh service . Um I grew up with a

33:13.878 --> 33:16.045
great appreciation of the Navy and the

33:16.045 --> 33:17.822
holy city of Charleston , South

33:17.822 --> 33:19.933
Carolina with the navy base there . I

33:19.933 --> 33:22.045
was a sea cadet . Uh And so I , I saw

33:22.045 --> 33:24.156
firsthand the great work and then I'm

33:24.156 --> 33:26.939
also grateful to be a today a navy dad

33:26.949 --> 33:29.520
and my uh son is a orthopedic surgeon

33:29.530 --> 33:32.069
in the Navy . Uh And then for everyone ,

33:32.079 --> 33:33.968
uh and military service can be so

33:33.968 --> 33:36.300
uplifting . Uh I know uh with his

33:36.310 --> 33:38.254
service in Naples Italy , I've got

33:38.254 --> 33:40.366
three grandchildren who speak perfect

33:40.366 --> 33:42.310
Italian . And so uh who would ever

33:42.310 --> 33:44.532
imagine the ripple effect of a military

33:44.532 --> 33:46.754
service . And then general , I'm really

33:46.754 --> 33:48.754
grateful . I previously represented

33:48.754 --> 33:50.699
Paris Island , uh Marine Corps Air

33:50.699 --> 33:52.699
Station Beaufort . Uh And I , I saw

33:52.699 --> 33:54.532
young recruits come uh and to be

33:54.532 --> 33:56.810
totally transformed uh from what they

33:56.819 --> 34:00.079
were uh into uh marines having uh very

34:00.089 --> 34:02.089
uh meaningful lives . And so it's ,

34:02.089 --> 34:04.140
it's just a um an extraordinary uh

34:04.150 --> 34:06.206
opportunity that you provide for the

34:06.206 --> 34:08.094
young people of our country as we

34:08.094 --> 34:10.389
defend our country . And uh Secretary

34:10.399 --> 34:12.399
Toro , the missile defense agency's

34:12.399 --> 34:15.389
budget request for fiscal year 25 cuts

34:15.399 --> 34:17.343
to procurement of standard missile

34:17.590 --> 34:20.729
three or SM three block one B

34:20.739 --> 34:22.899
interceptors , which is our Navy's

34:22.909 --> 34:25.090
primary defense against tactical

34:25.100 --> 34:26.933
ballistic missiles for the AEGIS

34:26.933 --> 34:29.267
ballistic missile defense weapon system .

34:29.267 --> 34:31.378
This deviates from last year's budget

34:31.378 --> 34:33.658
request which set procurement of these

34:33.668 --> 34:36.138
interceptors through fiscal year 29 .

34:36.499 --> 34:38.555
I'm concerned that this proposal was

34:38.555 --> 34:41.299
drafted prior to the commencement of

34:41.309 --> 34:44.218
the outrageous and illegal attacks on

34:44.229 --> 34:46.779
Israel by Iran and its puppets on

34:46.789 --> 34:50.669
October 7 2023 and beyond where

34:50.679 --> 34:54.189
these SM block 31 B

34:54.300 --> 34:56.244
interceptors have been expended to

34:56.244 --> 34:58.939
protect American troops and freedom of

34:58.949 --> 35:01.379
navigation in the Red Sea . With the

35:01.389 --> 35:03.689
current trajectory to end production of

35:03.699 --> 35:05.921
this proven defense against the threats

35:05.921 --> 35:07.810
in this income region . Will this

35:07.810 --> 35:09.977
create a gap of a defense capability ?

35:09.979 --> 35:12.146
And what is the department going to do

35:12.146 --> 35:14.090
to address the gap ? Congressman ?

35:14.090 --> 35:16.090
Thanks for that uh really important

35:16.090 --> 35:19.330
question . Um I truly believe that um

35:19.340 --> 35:21.396
SM three S will be needed in greater

35:21.396 --> 35:23.284
numbers in the future . Given the

35:23.284 --> 35:25.396
operations that took place in defense

35:25.396 --> 35:27.879
of Israel uh here recently where some

35:27.889 --> 35:31.189
were fired uh and very effectively . So ,

35:31.300 --> 35:33.725
um I think given the future , threaten

35:33.735 --> 35:36.685
our deterrence um mission in the Inter

35:36.745 --> 35:38.912
Pacific , we are going to need more SM

35:38.912 --> 35:40.912
three S in the future . And I think

35:40.912 --> 35:43.023
that those decisions were made before

35:43.023 --> 35:45.245
recent operations . I think we're going

35:45.245 --> 35:47.467
to have to rook that uh in order to add

35:47.467 --> 35:49.745
more SM three S uh in the future . And ,

35:49.745 --> 35:51.856
and thank you Mr Secretary because it

35:51.856 --> 35:51.604
really is shocking to me . Uh Here we

35:51.614 --> 35:54.625
are at 21st century uh with the Iran uh

35:54.635 --> 35:56.485
missile attacks on the , on the

35:56.495 --> 35:59.064
citizens of Israel . And then you have

35:59.074 --> 36:02.020
the houthis uh puppets of Iran uh with

36:02.030 --> 36:04.030
their capabilities , underwater sea

36:04.030 --> 36:06.540
capabilities that uh of uh nomads . Uh

36:06.550 --> 36:08.840
No , no . Hey , uh we're dealing with

36:08.850 --> 36:10.739
the dictators uh with rule of gun

36:10.739 --> 36:12.919
invading democracy , rule of law . Uh

36:12.929 --> 36:14.873
whether it be war criminal Putin ,

36:14.873 --> 36:16.929
whether it be the regime in Tehran ,

36:16.929 --> 36:19.120
whether it be uh the Chinese Communist

36:19.129 --> 36:21.120
Party . Um We've just got to be

36:21.129 --> 36:23.209
prepared and uh address the changes

36:23.219 --> 36:26.080
that occur . Additionally , uh with the

36:26.090 --> 36:28.800
hearings that we've had uh the uh

36:28.810 --> 36:30.588
integrated area missile defense

36:30.588 --> 36:33.090
ballistic systems that we have . Um

36:33.100 --> 36:35.211
there has been a dialogue between the

36:35.211 --> 36:38.540
departments of uh integrating the

36:38.550 --> 36:42.239
unmanned aerial systems uh with the uh

36:42.250 --> 36:44.969
aegis uh ballistic missile defense

36:44.979 --> 36:46.889
architecture . Uh is , is that

36:46.899 --> 36:50.419
proceeding ? Uh

36:50.429 --> 36:52.373
I'm I'm sorry , Congress , can you

36:52.373 --> 36:54.207
repeat it ? You're talking about

36:54.207 --> 36:56.429
integrated unmanned aerial systems with

36:56.429 --> 36:58.429
me Uh Yes sir . So as one example ,

36:58.429 --> 37:00.651
we're very excited , obviously by , you

37:00.651 --> 37:02.318
know , the current operations

37:02.318 --> 37:04.485
associated with MQ four MQ nine and in

37:04.485 --> 37:07.860
the future MQ 25 we , we are very much

37:07.870 --> 37:10.000
um planning the integration of MQ 25

37:10.010 --> 37:12.121
for example , with the integrated air

37:12.121 --> 37:14.343
missile defense system , so that we can

37:14.343 --> 37:16.454
recognize that the MQ 25 is operating

37:16.454 --> 37:18.621
out there as an unmanned F-18 Refueler

37:18.659 --> 37:20.826
uh while we're actually protecting the

37:20.826 --> 37:22.979
entire carrier strike group . Well ,

37:22.989 --> 37:25.850
again , as we face uh the changes ,

37:25.860 --> 37:28.040
it's just so startling again in the

37:28.050 --> 37:29.883
21st century , this shouldn't be

37:29.883 --> 37:32.106
occurring . Uh And finally , uh Admiral

37:32.106 --> 37:34.409
Lisa , uh and I'm really grateful

37:34.419 --> 37:36.419
there's a future sailor preparatory

37:36.419 --> 37:38.586
course at Fort Jackson giving uh young

37:38.586 --> 37:40.697
people an opportunity to serve is the

37:40.697 --> 37:42.863
navy looking has been successful . You

37:42.863 --> 37:44.975
need to contact General Kelly . Uh is

37:44.975 --> 37:47.141
um is that being pursued by the navy ?

37:47.770 --> 37:49.881
Uh Yes , Congressman Wilson . We have

37:49.881 --> 37:52.040
also a future sailor prep course

37:52.050 --> 37:54.161
modeled on the army's course for both

37:54.161 --> 37:56.328
physical fitness and academic . And it

37:56.328 --> 37:58.439
is uh having a really positive impact

37:58.439 --> 38:00.439
for our future sailors . You back .

38:00.439 --> 38:02.383
Thank you chair , now , recognized

38:02.383 --> 38:02.280
gentleman from Connecticut , Mr

38:02.290 --> 38:04.510
Courtney . Thank you , Mr Chairman and

38:04.520 --> 38:06.520
I wanna thank all the witnesses for

38:06.520 --> 38:08.520
being here today . Um Secretary Del

38:08.520 --> 38:10.631
Toro , we had good news last night on

38:10.631 --> 38:12.520
August where the state department

38:12.520 --> 38:14.353
issued their itar regulations to

38:14.353 --> 38:16.520
implement the optimal pathway that you

38:16.520 --> 38:16.510
and I witnessed out in San Diego . It's

38:16.520 --> 38:18.576
great to see uh Admiral Franchetti .

38:18.576 --> 38:20.687
Congratulations on your first hearing

38:20.687 --> 38:22.798
and really wanna , you know , welcome

38:22.798 --> 38:25.060
uh General Smith back into the fray and

38:25.070 --> 38:27.030
uh really glad you're back in the

38:27.040 --> 38:28.984
saddle uh leading the , the Marine

38:28.984 --> 38:31.149
Corps uh Mr Chairman . Before I begin

38:31.159 --> 38:33.159
my question , I I request unanimous

38:33.159 --> 38:35.103
consent to enter in the record two

38:35.103 --> 38:37.159
letters uh from the Machinists Union

38:37.159 --> 38:39.326
and the Metal Trades Department of the

38:39.326 --> 38:41.548
A FL Cio urging sustained investment in

38:41.548 --> 38:43.548
the two pre cadence of the Virginia

38:43.548 --> 38:45.826
class submarine objections are ordered .

38:45.826 --> 38:47.437
They represent the welders ,

38:47.437 --> 38:49.381
electricians , painters and boiler

38:49.381 --> 38:49.120
makers who are hard at work right now

38:49.129 --> 38:50.907
delivering three Virginia class

38:50.907 --> 38:53.129
submarines in this calendar year and on

38:53.129 --> 38:55.240
track to deliver two more in 2025 and

38:55.240 --> 38:56.907
are part of that job training

38:56.907 --> 38:59.129
initiative that the secretary mentioned

38:59.129 --> 39:01.296
in New England . Uh 5300 hires uh last

39:01.296 --> 39:04.185
calendar year with an 86% retention

39:04.195 --> 39:06.604
rate . I also request unanimous consent

39:06.614 --> 39:08.781
to enter into the record a letter that

39:08.781 --> 39:10.670
myself and 100 and 19 other house

39:10.670 --> 39:12.892
members submitted to the Appropriations

39:12.892 --> 39:14.836
committee last night in support of

39:14.836 --> 39:16.836
restoring the second Virginia class

39:16.836 --> 39:18.947
submarine . The objection . Thank you

39:18.947 --> 39:22.149
um Admiral uh Franchetti . Um We've had

39:22.159 --> 39:24.270
our posture hearings in over the last

39:24.280 --> 39:26.502
month or so as the chairman mentioned ,

39:26.502 --> 39:28.558
uh we heard from Admiral Aquilino at

39:28.558 --> 39:30.613
Indo Paycom General Guiot from North

39:30.613 --> 39:32.729
Com and General Cali from Ucom that

39:32.739 --> 39:34.961
their requirements for attack submarine

39:34.961 --> 39:37.017
missions extend beyond what the navy

39:37.017 --> 39:39.729
current has uh in its inventory again .

39:39.739 --> 39:43.110
Um The navy's shipbuilding 30 year plan

39:43.120 --> 39:45.229
uh has a requirement for 66 attack

39:45.239 --> 39:48.020
submarines . Um And uh at this point ,

39:48.030 --> 39:51.030
we possess about 50 maybe 51 with the

39:51.040 --> 39:53.373
New Jersey that was delivered last week .

39:53.373 --> 39:55.889
Um Is that still the navy's position ?

39:55.899 --> 39:58.010
That that's the , the target in terms

39:58.010 --> 40:00.159
of what uh should be uh an adequate

40:00.169 --> 40:04.139
attack submarine fleet . Yes , I

40:04.149 --> 40:06.371
can't speak highly enough of our attack

40:06.371 --> 40:08.705
submarine fleet . Really our asymmetric ,

40:08.705 --> 40:10.982
asymmetric advantage . And as you said ,

40:10.982 --> 40:13.205
yes , 66 is our our requirement . Thank

40:13.205 --> 40:15.929
you . So Mr Secretary um during the

40:15.939 --> 40:18.379
budget briefs back in March , um navy

40:18.389 --> 40:20.556
officials said , quote , we were going

40:20.556 --> 40:22.722
about the submarine cut in a strategic

40:22.722 --> 40:24.833
way because we're simply not taking a

40:24.833 --> 40:26.945
submarine out . We're also continuing

40:26.945 --> 40:26.850
investment in advanced procurement to

40:26.860 --> 40:29.027
make sure that the supplier industrial

40:29.027 --> 40:31.193
base is fully funded . Unfortunately ,

40:31.193 --> 40:33.416
committee staff has dug deeper into the

40:33.416 --> 40:35.638
budget books and it's clear that many ,

40:35.638 --> 40:37.804
many suppliers are not included in the

40:37.804 --> 40:39.471
advanced procurement phase of

40:39.471 --> 40:41.582
construction and are not protected by

40:41.582 --> 40:43.304
this strategic way . Our staff

40:43.304 --> 40:42.979
determined that it would cost an

40:42.989 --> 40:45.560
additional $1 billion to achieve the

40:45.570 --> 40:48.010
goal that was stated uh with the Navy's

40:48.020 --> 40:49.798
budget brief when this enormous

40:49.798 --> 40:51.909
shortfall was raised at the sea power

40:51.909 --> 40:54.020
subcomittee two weeks ago , Assistant

40:54.020 --> 40:56.242
Secretary Girton replied , well , we'll

40:56.242 --> 40:58.464
have to take a closer look and see what

40:58.464 --> 40:58.449
we can do to help . Does the Navy today

40:58.459 --> 41:00.850
have an answer to these supply chain

41:00.860 --> 41:02.916
companies which again , the analysis

41:02.916 --> 41:05.138
shows are not going to be protected the

41:05.138 --> 41:07.416
way it was intended ? Well , thank you ,

41:07.416 --> 41:09.193
Mr Chairman , let me first also

41:09.193 --> 41:11.416
reaffirm our complete commitment on the

41:11.416 --> 41:11.050
part of the entire department of the

41:11.060 --> 41:13.639
Navy to the 66 attack submarines . We

41:13.649 --> 41:16.879
currently have 50 we have 11 that are

41:16.889 --> 41:18.945
actually under construction and four

41:18.945 --> 41:21.000
additional ones under the contract .

41:21.000 --> 41:23.340
And I'm confident with the 26 uh budget

41:23.350 --> 41:25.620
will eventually get to the 66 that are

41:25.629 --> 41:27.685
required . Um Of course , we need to

41:27.685 --> 41:29.796
have them built faster and have those

41:29.796 --> 41:31.685
production rates increase regards

41:31.685 --> 41:33.629
specifically to these vendors . Uh

41:33.629 --> 41:35.573
We're in constant con contact with

41:35.573 --> 41:37.796
these vendors , the purpose of advanced

41:37.796 --> 41:39.962
procurement money , however , isn't to

41:39.962 --> 41:42.129
fully fund all the vendors that are in

41:42.129 --> 41:44.240
the supply chain . It's to fund those

41:44.240 --> 41:46.351
vendors that are most critical to the

41:46.351 --> 41:45.879
supply chain . I don't think there's

41:45.889 --> 41:47.945
ever been a confirmation that we can

41:47.945 --> 41:50.000
support , you know , full funding of

41:50.000 --> 41:52.167
all the vendors across the entire spec

41:52.167 --> 41:54.167
Mr Secretary , if I can just say my

41:54.167 --> 41:56.222
time is running out . I know some of

41:56.222 --> 41:58.333
those critical fine chain companies ,

41:58.333 --> 42:00.500
they are left out , ok . With the plan

42:00.500 --> 42:00.110
that was submitted by the Navy ,

42:00.120 --> 42:02.120
they're , they're picked up through

42:02.120 --> 42:04.064
full the full funding phase of the

42:04.064 --> 42:05.898
submarine program , not advanced

42:05.898 --> 42:08.064
procurement long lead item . And , and

42:08.064 --> 42:10.260
again , this is a real problem which

42:10.270 --> 42:12.381
again , we now have dollars and cents

42:12.381 --> 42:14.492
in terms of what it would take to fix

42:14.492 --> 42:16.659
that . Not a penny of that would go to

42:16.659 --> 42:18.492
the general contractor , that $1

42:18.492 --> 42:20.548
billion . That was all again to , to

42:20.548 --> 42:22.659
make sure that all these , you know ,

42:22.659 --> 42:25.290
fabricators and um parts manufacturers

42:25.300 --> 42:27.411
are actually gonna be protected as Mr

42:27.411 --> 42:29.790
Raven had indicated in his um in his

42:29.800 --> 42:31.989
opening statement and again , at some

42:32.000 --> 42:34.510
point to really protect them , we

42:34.520 --> 42:36.742
should , we should just go forward with

42:36.742 --> 42:38.964
what was in the plant , the fit up last

42:38.964 --> 42:41.187
year to have two submarines included in

42:41.187 --> 42:43.353
this year's budget . We are gonna work

42:43.353 --> 42:45.464
really hard with the , with your team

42:45.464 --> 42:47.520
to try and accomplish that goal . Uh

42:47.520 --> 42:49.631
We've done it in the past , we did it

42:49.631 --> 42:51.742
in 2013 when the Obama administration

42:51.742 --> 42:53.964
uh eliminated a submarine and then 2020

42:53.964 --> 42:55.631
when the Trump administration

42:55.631 --> 42:55.580
eliminated a submarine . Sometimes it

42:55.590 --> 42:57.590
was in the eels list , sometimes it

42:57.590 --> 42:59.139
wasn't . But we using our

42:59.149 --> 43:01.979
constitutional duty article one section

43:01.989 --> 43:04.610
eight clause 13 to provide and maintain

43:04.620 --> 43:06.787
a navy . We step forward and fill that

43:06.787 --> 43:08.898
gap and it's a good thing we did with

43:08.898 --> 43:10.676
that . I yield back . Thank you

43:10.676 --> 43:12.564
gentlemen , chair and I recognize

43:12.564 --> 43:12.554
gentleman from Virginia , Mr Whitman .

43:12.564 --> 43:14.675
Thank you , Mr Chairman . I'd like to

43:14.675 --> 43:16.620
thank our witnesses for joining us

43:16.620 --> 43:16.304
today . Secretary De Toro . I want to

43:16.314 --> 43:18.370
begin with you . We know that in the

43:18.370 --> 43:20.794
Indo Pacific in order to deter conflict ,

43:21.014 --> 43:23.125
this is the tip of the spear effort .

43:23.125 --> 43:25.347
It's a Navy Marine Corps fight in order

43:25.347 --> 43:27.403
to do that . We have to have ships .

43:27.403 --> 43:29.458
Listen , our sailors and marines are

43:29.458 --> 43:28.935
great , but until they can walk on

43:28.945 --> 43:30.889
water , we better be building them

43:30.889 --> 43:33.056
ships . We know that the entire effort

43:33.056 --> 43:35.112
there needs to be about the existing

43:35.112 --> 43:36.778
navy and building new ships .

43:36.778 --> 43:39.112
President's budget comes over this year ,

43:39.112 --> 43:41.620
build six , retire 1910 of those before

43:41.629 --> 43:43.907
the end of their expected service life .

43:43.907 --> 43:46.073
I'm not a mathematician , but it seems

43:46.073 --> 43:47.796
to me you can't do addition by

43:47.796 --> 43:51.050
subtraction , we know that there's

43:51.060 --> 43:53.550
continued cost growth and schedule

43:53.560 --> 43:55.671
movement to the right in building new

43:55.671 --> 43:58.219
ships . So if we're not gonna repair

43:58.229 --> 44:00.396
the ships , we have and we're gonna be

44:00.396 --> 44:02.618
delayed in getting new ships . It seems

44:02.618 --> 44:04.673
like to me , the delta will get even

44:04.673 --> 44:06.785
bigger and I've warned for years that

44:06.785 --> 44:06.250
there are real consequences to this .

44:06.260 --> 44:08.482
If you look at what's gonna happen just

44:08.482 --> 44:10.760
in the Hampton Roads area , one of the ,

44:10.760 --> 44:12.927
one of the , the great places for ship

44:12.927 --> 44:15.149
repair from Fy 18 to Fy 28 we'll have a

44:15.149 --> 44:17.260
reduction in workload demand there by

44:17.260 --> 44:19.371
50% employment levels . There will go

44:19.371 --> 44:22.239
from 7800 ship repairs to 3800 ship

44:22.250 --> 44:24.250
repairs . We know once those people

44:24.260 --> 44:26.482
leave , they're not coming back . So Mr

44:26.482 --> 44:28.610
Secretary , what do you have in mind

44:28.620 --> 44:31.100
for the capacity of our US repair yards ?

44:31.250 --> 44:34.229
How do , how do we maintain a navy ?

44:34.239 --> 44:36.406
How do we make sure that we as members

44:36.406 --> 44:38.517
of Congress who have a constitutional

44:38.517 --> 44:40.683
responsibility , the constitution says

44:40.683 --> 44:42.906
to maintain navies , how do we maintain

44:42.906 --> 44:44.961
them if this demand signal goes away

44:44.961 --> 44:47.060
and we have this massive decrease in

44:47.070 --> 44:49.126
the number of ships that we're gonna

44:49.126 --> 44:51.237
keep on when we need them . How , how

44:51.237 --> 44:53.403
does that work ? Tell me what , what's

44:53.403 --> 44:55.237
the navy's plan going forward to

44:55.237 --> 44:57.459
sustain our navy ? Well , thank , thank

44:57.459 --> 44:59.737
you , Mr Chairman , first and foremost ,

44:59.737 --> 45:01.959
as you know , the debt discussions that

45:01.959 --> 45:04.126
took place here on Capitol Hill led to

45:04.126 --> 45:03.820
the Fiscal Responsibility Act that

45:03.830 --> 45:05.889
actually puts excessive downward

45:05.899 --> 45:07.955
pressure on the United States Navy .

45:07.955 --> 45:09.843
And part of that is actually then

45:09.843 --> 45:11.455
having to make the choice to

45:11.600 --> 45:14.479
decommission . I I hate to interrupt

45:14.489 --> 45:16.656
but it's , it's , I know , but this is

45:16.656 --> 45:18.711
the complicated , broader , it's the

45:18.711 --> 45:20.822
broader constitutional responsibility

45:20.822 --> 45:22.989
that we have to defend this nation . I

45:22.989 --> 45:24.545
understand about the Fiscal

45:24.545 --> 45:26.600
Responsibility Act , but it is about

45:26.600 --> 45:28.433
making priority decisions on the

45:28.433 --> 45:30.433
resources that , but I have to make

45:30.433 --> 45:29.965
those priority decisions based on the

45:29.975 --> 45:32.086
law . If the law does not allow me to

45:32.086 --> 45:34.197
spend more money than the 1% increase

45:34.197 --> 45:36.308
over last year's budget , I then have

45:36.308 --> 45:38.197
to make our navies , maintain our

45:38.197 --> 45:40.308
navies , what the constitution says .

45:40.308 --> 45:42.475
But the laws are what I have to follow

45:42.475 --> 45:44.586
on a year to year basis . Uh And so I

45:44.586 --> 45:46.364
have to actually take a look at

45:46.364 --> 45:48.419
retirement legacy systems so that we

45:48.419 --> 45:50.364
could actually build new ships and

45:50.364 --> 45:52.419
we're building 58 of them across the

45:52.419 --> 45:54.308
federal . None of those come into

45:54.308 --> 45:54.219
operation though , inside the future

45:54.229 --> 45:56.118
year defense plan . So all of our

45:56.118 --> 45:58.173
dreams are gonna come true outside .

45:58.173 --> 46:00.396
You'll be long gone . And somebody else

46:00.396 --> 46:00.389
is gonna be saying , well , I , I , I'd

46:00.399 --> 46:02.510
have gotten to the Navy if I didn't ,

46:02.510 --> 46:04.732
didn't have to deal with what was given

46:04.732 --> 46:07.066
to me prior and to the chairman's point ,

46:07.066 --> 46:07.010
I'm trying to work with industry to

46:07.020 --> 46:09.020
increase the production rates . For

46:09.020 --> 46:11.187
example , the New Jer New Jersey , for

46:11.187 --> 46:13.353
example , was delivered just last week

46:13.353 --> 46:15.576
and it was delivered almost three years

46:15.576 --> 46:15.465
late . If all the submarines that we

46:15.475 --> 46:17.697
had ordered actually had been delivered

46:17.697 --> 46:19.919
online because of the challenges to the

46:19.919 --> 46:22.031
production rates . We'd actually have

46:22.031 --> 46:21.854
five additional submarines in our fleet

46:21.864 --> 46:23.475
today to be able to meet our

46:23.475 --> 46:25.586
operational needs across the nation .

46:25.586 --> 46:27.697
So we have to work an entire whole of

46:27.697 --> 46:29.586
government maritime statecraft to

46:29.586 --> 46:31.753
actually try to bring these production

46:31.753 --> 46:33.808
rates back up so that we can get the

46:33.808 --> 46:35.920
ships delivered on time and on budget

46:35.920 --> 46:37.531
and so that we can keep them

46:37.531 --> 46:39.753
operational at sea and actually free up

46:39.753 --> 46:41.920
those shipyards . So when they do need

46:41.920 --> 46:43.920
to come back and be repaired , they

46:43.920 --> 46:43.439
could be made available . We're also

46:43.449 --> 46:45.560
invest making historic investments in

46:45.560 --> 46:47.727
the P SI A program , for example , $20

46:47.727 --> 46:49.782
billion thanks to the support of the

46:49.782 --> 46:51.893
Congress over these last 10 years and

46:51.893 --> 46:53.949
those programs are moving along very

46:53.949 --> 46:55.782
nicely obviously . But these are

46:55.782 --> 46:58.060
programs that haven't been invested in ,

46:58.060 --> 47:00.282
in over 75 years . And so those are the

47:00.282 --> 46:59.830
investments that we are making that I

46:59.840 --> 47:01.618
think are truly historic , that

47:01.618 --> 47:03.562
hopefully will get us to the right

47:03.562 --> 47:05.729
place . But it's gonna get time , it's

47:05.729 --> 47:07.729
gonna take time to get us there and

47:07.729 --> 47:07.429
there's nothing I can do . I can't snap

47:07.439 --> 47:09.550
my fingers and have these ships built

47:09.550 --> 47:11.717
faster . But II I understand about new

47:11.717 --> 47:13.883
construction , but we gotta , we gotta

47:13.883 --> 47:13.760
have the maintainers if we're gonna let

47:13.770 --> 47:15.881
the mate inside atrophy , when you do

47:15.881 --> 47:18.103
get those new ships where the repair is

47:18.103 --> 47:20.214
gonna come from . So then we're gonna

47:20.214 --> 47:22.159
be in a situation of being able to

47:22.159 --> 47:24.381
maintain a 355 ship navy if and when we

47:24.381 --> 47:26.492
ever ever get there . So there is the

47:26.492 --> 47:28.659
maintenance side of the formula that I

47:28.659 --> 47:30.881
think is critically important . I would

47:30.881 --> 47:30.580
argue probably today even more

47:30.590 --> 47:32.479
important than the build side . I

47:32.479 --> 47:34.812
understand the delays in the build side .

47:34.812 --> 47:36.646
All those things are , are , are

47:36.646 --> 47:36.479
reality . Let , let me , let me , let

47:36.489 --> 47:38.545
me ask you this . Admiral Franchetti

47:38.545 --> 47:40.767
wanted , wanted to get your perspective

47:40.767 --> 47:43.530
on where we are with SSN uh projections ,

47:43.629 --> 47:45.573
building one submarine . Now , the

47:45.573 --> 47:47.740
Australians look at that and they go ,

47:47.740 --> 47:47.629
well , wait a minute . We , we thought

47:47.639 --> 47:49.695
we had an August agreement here . We

47:49.695 --> 47:51.750
thought we were going to build two a

47:51.750 --> 47:51.120
year . We thought we're gonna be able

47:51.129 --> 47:53.185
to buy some from the United States .

47:53.185 --> 47:56.010
How do we , how do we sustain the

47:56.020 --> 47:58.187
fundamentals of the August agreement ?

47:58.187 --> 48:00.187
If you were an Australian ? Look at

48:00.187 --> 48:02.353
this and go is us really serious about

48:02.353 --> 48:04.464
this . They're going down to building

48:04.464 --> 48:06.576
one submarine this year when they say

48:06.576 --> 48:08.742
we need to have a pace of 2.3 and they

48:08.742 --> 48:08.590
look at it and go , I thought we were

48:08.600 --> 48:10.878
going to buy some submarines from them .

48:10.878 --> 48:12.989
I thought we were actually gonna have

48:12.989 --> 48:15.156
AAA Cooper Agreement there . Uh How do

48:15.156 --> 48:17.267
you see this as being able to sustain

48:17.560 --> 48:19.727
chair ? And I recognize gentleman from

48:19.727 --> 48:22.939
California , Mr Gamini . Uh Thank you ,

48:22.949 --> 48:26.699
Mr Chairman . So many things

48:26.709 --> 48:29.489
here . Um Money , money or not enough

48:29.500 --> 48:32.179
money . We had

48:33.020 --> 48:36.810
$4.5 billion of unfunded priorities . I

48:36.820 --> 48:39.409
think you mentioned that admiral uh I

48:39.419 --> 48:41.530
would point out to the committee that

48:41.530 --> 48:44.429
uh the Sentinel program has been none

48:44.439 --> 48:47.229
mccurdy stopped 4.5

48:47.239 --> 48:50.560
$4.6 billion is expected to be spent on

48:50.570 --> 48:53.120
it this year . Maybe that could be

48:53.129 --> 48:55.840
delayed and spent uh on the navy .

48:56.860 --> 48:59.239
Maybe if this committee decides what

48:59.250 --> 49:01.510
should be done , we make choices here

49:01.520 --> 49:03.879
about prioritization . The fact of the

49:03.889 --> 49:06.000
matter is we do not need the Sentinel

49:06.000 --> 49:08.278
for at least another decade and a half ,

49:08.629 --> 49:12.489
but this is the navy . You do build

49:12.580 --> 49:14.802
Columbia class submarines , don't you ?

49:15.959 --> 49:19.899
Yes , sir . At about uh 7 to $8

49:19.909 --> 49:23.590
billion a copy Sentinels , 100 and 37

49:23.600 --> 49:25.711
billion over the next decade . Plus ,

49:25.929 --> 49:28.520
that's about eight Columbia class

49:28.530 --> 49:31.429
submarines if we had the shipyards ,

49:31.800 --> 49:34.149
which unfortunately , uh my colleague ,

49:34.159 --> 49:37.070
Mr Waltz is not here . He's he and the

49:37.080 --> 49:39.239
uh subcomittee on readiness has

49:39.250 --> 49:42.770
developed a uh interim national

49:42.780 --> 49:45.350
maritime strategy that speaks to the

49:45.949 --> 49:48.750
commercial side of it , which is also

49:48.760 --> 49:50.816
the shipyard side and the ability of

49:50.816 --> 49:53.959
our shipyards to uh produce uh ships on

49:53.969 --> 49:56.025
the commercial side , but also to uh

49:56.449 --> 49:58.989
repair naval ships . So there's an

49:59.000 --> 50:01.222
overarching strategy that we're working

50:01.222 --> 50:05.050
on here . Um General Smith , welcome

50:05.060 --> 50:06.893
back . Delighted , you're here .

50:06.893 --> 50:09.449
Delighted you appear to be in great

50:09.459 --> 50:13.010
health . Thank you . Um You've always

50:13.020 --> 50:15.242
fancied and you've told me and I'm sure

50:15.242 --> 50:17.298
others that the Marine Corps is fast

50:17.298 --> 50:19.540
and light capable , able to operate

50:19.550 --> 50:21.717
independently as part of an integrated

50:21.717 --> 50:25.520
joint force . What capabilities is the

50:25.530 --> 50:27.770
Marine Corps pursuing to enable that

50:27.780 --> 50:30.080
mobility and contested environments ?

50:30.330 --> 50:33.370
What do you need to carry out that goal ?

50:35.020 --> 50:37.187
Well , Mr Garamendi , thanks for the ,

50:37.187 --> 50:39.298
for the warm welcome . Uh It's , it's

50:39.298 --> 50:41.353
good to be back . Um What we need is

50:41.353 --> 50:43.899
the landing ship medium . Um The uh

50:43.909 --> 50:45.687
request for proposal is out for

50:45.687 --> 50:47.576
industry now and we can't go fast

50:47.576 --> 50:49.520
enough . Uh landing ship medium uh

50:49.520 --> 50:51.742
built the commercial standards . Um And

50:51.742 --> 50:53.965
I'm pleased with the fy 25 shipbuilding

50:53.965 --> 50:57.560
plan which is 11222 . I use the Ford F

50:57.570 --> 51:00.419
150 analogy . Uh It's based on existing

51:00.429 --> 51:02.919
commercial standards and the

51:02.929 --> 51:06.429
requirement Uh for this is 35 with the

51:06.439 --> 51:08.495
initial purchase of 18 and they will

51:08.495 --> 51:10.439
provide more lial mobility for the

51:10.439 --> 51:13.439
stand in forces . They're low signature ,

51:13.739 --> 51:16.229
they're rapid and they can carry with

51:16.239 --> 51:18.183
them . Our media missile batteries

51:18.183 --> 51:20.510
which are a requirement to deter the

51:20.520 --> 51:23.360
People's Republic of China . Uh very

51:23.370 --> 51:25.360
good . Uh You mentioned commercial

51:25.370 --> 51:28.350
standards . Unfortunately , the ranking

51:28.360 --> 51:30.360
member stepped away . He's way into

51:30.360 --> 51:32.471
standards right now . I was listening

51:32.471 --> 51:34.304
to him early on , I assume those

51:34.304 --> 51:36.580
commercial standards would relieve part

51:36.590 --> 51:39.030
of the problem that he was advo talking

51:39.040 --> 51:40.984
about . I believe they would , sir

51:42.429 --> 51:45.580
Admiral Franchetti . Um one of my

51:45.590 --> 51:47.590
favorite subjects and I know you're

51:47.590 --> 51:49.757
aware of it has to do with the ability

51:49.757 --> 51:51.929
of the shipyards to actually conduct

51:52.139 --> 51:54.600
their work in order for those shipyards

51:54.610 --> 51:57.270
to be efficient and effective . They

51:57.280 --> 52:00.419
have to know well ahead of time what

52:00.429 --> 52:02.790
the incoming availability that is

52:02.800 --> 52:06.030
shipped needs to be done . Could you uh

52:07.110 --> 52:10.659
help me understand how the navy is

52:11.580 --> 52:14.320
uh in real time keeping track of what

52:14.330 --> 52:18.040
every ship needs to be done

52:18.889 --> 52:20.056
in an availability ?

52:23.320 --> 52:25.542
Thank you , Congressman Garamendi . You

52:25.542 --> 52:27.431
know , our shipyards do need that

52:27.431 --> 52:29.598
information ahead of time . And one of

52:29.598 --> 52:31.709
the things that we've been focused on

52:31.709 --> 52:33.487
through the NAV C enterprise is

52:33.487 --> 52:35.598
identifying all of that work uh along

52:35.598 --> 52:37.820
the way through the port engineer , the

52:37.820 --> 52:40.042
type commander and working with all the

52:40.042 --> 52:42.153
different program , executive offices

52:42.153 --> 52:44.264
on whatever modernization needs to be

52:44.264 --> 52:46.431
done in the shipyard . To develop that

52:46.431 --> 52:48.653
full package . Our objective is to have

52:48.653 --> 52:50.709
that package locked in uh 100 and 20

52:50.709 --> 52:52.876
days before a deploy before a shipyard

52:52.876 --> 52:54.987
availability begins . So the shipyard

52:54.987 --> 52:57.042
can plan so we can get the materials

52:57.042 --> 52:59.264
that we need to be able to do that . So

52:59.264 --> 53:01.264
we don't have unnecessary delays or

53:01.264 --> 53:03.320
growth work because that's where you

53:03.320 --> 53:05.320
start to see the delays . Thank you

53:05.320 --> 53:07.264
very much . Uh Secretary de Toro .

53:07.264 --> 53:09.840
Thank you for visiting Me Island . Uh

53:09.850 --> 53:12.017
And I would point out to the committee

53:12.017 --> 53:15.679
that uh the privately owned shipyards

53:15.850 --> 53:18.580
have the have a program available

53:18.590 --> 53:22.080
through med to upgrade their shipyards .

53:22.310 --> 53:24.421
However , the amount of money that is

53:24.421 --> 53:27.310
available through the ongoing budget is

53:27.719 --> 53:29.886
misal gentleman's time expired chair .

53:29.886 --> 53:31.997
I recognized gentleman from Tennessee

53:31.997 --> 53:34.052
doctor dearly . Thank you chairman .

53:34.052 --> 53:35.941
Thank you all for being here . Uh

53:35.941 --> 53:37.830
Secretary Del Toro and uh Admiral

53:37.830 --> 53:40.052
Franchetti . The next questions will be

53:40.052 --> 53:42.163
for you . The US Navy has been tasked

53:42.163 --> 53:44.330
with a critical mission of keeping Red

53:44.330 --> 53:46.441
Sea commercial shipping lanes open by

53:46.441 --> 53:48.552
neutralizing Houthi missile and drone

53:48.552 --> 53:50.608
attacks . Could you briefly describe

53:50.608 --> 53:52.830
this mission for the committee and then

53:52.830 --> 53:54.997
the activity appears to have died down

53:54.997 --> 53:54.379
over the past month ? But how do you

53:54.389 --> 53:58.000
assess the threat moving forward ? Ok ,

54:00.120 --> 54:01.953
Mr Chairman , it's an incredibly

54:01.953 --> 54:03.953
important mission as you know , one

54:03.953 --> 54:05.898
that we've been conducting for 6.5

54:05.898 --> 54:08.179
months with uh close to 200 engagements

54:08.360 --> 54:10.629
with the houthis uh of drones and

54:10.639 --> 54:13.689
missiles shot at our ships directly and

54:13.699 --> 54:15.643
also at innocent merchant Mariners

54:15.643 --> 54:17.977
throughout the Red Sea . Uh regretfully ,

54:17.977 --> 54:20.143
it has uh resulted in probably about a

54:20.143 --> 54:22.090
70% decrease in merchant traffic

54:22.100 --> 54:23.822
through the Red Sea . It's our

54:23.822 --> 54:26.044
responsibility to do the very best that

54:26.044 --> 54:28.100
we can to protect American lives and

54:28.100 --> 54:30.322
protect the lives of those innocent mar

54:30.322 --> 54:32.489
Mariners obviously , and to keep those

54:32.489 --> 54:34.711
ships from being attacked , and I think

54:34.711 --> 54:36.822
our navy has responded brilliantly in

54:36.822 --> 54:39.156
doing so without any loss of life on us ,

54:39.156 --> 54:41.211
navy ships that have been attacked ,

54:41.211 --> 54:43.100
we've regretfully have lost three

54:43.100 --> 54:45.322
special forces operators obviously that

54:45.322 --> 54:47.544
were on the US S Polar , but uh perhaps

54:47.544 --> 54:50.239
the CNO can expand on that . Yes ,

54:50.280 --> 54:52.502
thank you . I just also wanted to add ,

54:52.502 --> 54:54.724
you know , through operation prosperity

54:54.724 --> 54:56.947
guardian . It's really uh you know , us

54:56.947 --> 54:59.169
navy leadership of a coalition of folks

54:59.169 --> 55:01.391
that are doing the uh maritime security

55:01.391 --> 55:03.558
mission through the Red Sea and in the

55:03.558 --> 55:05.724
Gulf of Aden , we're also coordinating

55:05.724 --> 55:07.947
with the EU mission which is called the

55:07.947 --> 55:10.058
speedies uh to make sure that we have

55:10.058 --> 55:12.280
an integrated plan , uh you know , with

55:12.280 --> 55:11.979
them to , to deconflict any uh

55:11.989 --> 55:14.739
potential . Um You know , both of us is

55:14.750 --> 55:16.917
squirting the same things . So I think

55:16.917 --> 55:19.028
this operation has gone really well ,

55:19.028 --> 55:21.306
really proud of the team . Uh You know ,

55:21.306 --> 55:23.417
we've learned a lot through this . Um

55:23.417 --> 55:25.361
We've embarked on uh expeditionary

55:25.361 --> 55:27.250
resupply uh everything that we're

55:27.250 --> 55:29.250
learning in the Red Sea and through

55:29.250 --> 55:30.917
this operation against a very

55:30.917 --> 55:33.083
challenging houthi threat . Uh is some

55:33.083 --> 55:35.250
things that we can replicate and learn

55:35.250 --> 55:37.361
from in uh other areas of the world .

55:37.361 --> 55:39.250
When reviewing the fiscal year 25

55:39.250 --> 55:41.472
budget request , I was surprised to see

55:41.472 --> 55:43.583
that the number of SM six is that you

55:43.583 --> 55:45.417
are uh procuring considering the

55:45.417 --> 55:47.472
heightened activity in the Red Sea ,

55:47.472 --> 55:47.459
the budget request just seems

55:47.469 --> 55:49.580
insufficient to meet the need . Would

55:49.580 --> 55:52.129
you agree ? Congressman , we've

55:52.139 --> 55:55.260
actually uh emphasized uh the growth in

55:55.270 --> 55:57.830
SM two missile production , which is

55:57.840 --> 56:00.062
the majority of the missiles that we're

56:00.062 --> 56:02.118
actually shooting . The SM sixes are

56:02.118 --> 56:04.229
essential missiles as well as are the

56:04.229 --> 56:06.396
SM three S . They take a lot longer to

56:06.396 --> 56:08.451
actually build , uh which is part of

56:08.451 --> 56:10.673
the reason why we haven't invested more

56:10.673 --> 56:12.729
money into them until the production

56:12.729 --> 56:14.840
rates can come up to a point where we

56:14.840 --> 56:17.062
could actually invest more money to buy

56:17.062 --> 56:19.007
more , more , more SM sixes and SM

56:19.007 --> 56:21.007
threes as well too . Ok . You , you

56:21.007 --> 56:23.229
mentioned touch on it briefly earlier .

56:23.229 --> 56:23.129
Can you discuss the Navy's plan to

56:23.139 --> 56:25.306
field directed energy weapons and high

56:25.306 --> 56:27.195
energy lasers to support maritime

56:27.195 --> 56:29.195
missile defense ? Yes , sir . We've

56:29.195 --> 56:31.083
accelerate the development in the

56:31.090 --> 56:33.201
testing of the Helios Laser program ,

56:33.201 --> 56:35.560
which in many ways is a replacement ,

56:35.570 --> 56:37.737
not a replacement , but it supplements

56:37.737 --> 56:40.239
the uh seaway system . Uh We also have

56:40.250 --> 56:42.830
six other uh laser projects and high

56:42.840 --> 56:45.550
energy um projects , some of which are

56:45.560 --> 56:47.449
classified and I can't talk about

56:47.449 --> 56:49.671
openly . But uh this is a high priority

56:49.671 --> 56:51.893
area for us . Uh We obviously well into

56:51.893 --> 56:54.004
the future , cannot continue to shoot

56:54.004 --> 56:56.290
down drones with simply SM two S and SM

56:56.300 --> 56:58.300
Sixes . We need to develop the high

56:58.300 --> 57:00.580
energy , high lasers and , and directed

57:00.590 --> 57:02.739
energy uh programs to be able to

57:02.750 --> 57:04.806
counter these uh air drones that are

57:04.806 --> 57:07.110
being shot at us as well . Thank you .

57:09.520 --> 57:11.409
Thank you , gentlemen , chair , I

57:11.409 --> 57:13.520
recognize you . I'm from New Jersey ,

57:13.520 --> 57:15.687
Mr Norcross . Thank you , Chairman and

57:15.687 --> 57:17.909
to the witnesses for being here today .

57:17.909 --> 57:21.129
Uh Secretary Del Toro , we were

57:21.139 --> 57:23.479
commissioning a ship down in uh Key

57:23.489 --> 57:27.409
West um last year . And on the way down

57:27.419 --> 57:30.540
there , I sat next to a young lady who

57:30.739 --> 57:34.520
happened to be a teacher and I came up

57:34.530 --> 57:36.808
that what her Children are going to do .

57:38.770 --> 57:40.881
And she said , well , my mom wants to

57:40.881 --> 57:43.090
go to college , the other one wants to

57:43.100 --> 57:46.250
uh you know , become a mechanic and

57:46.260 --> 57:48.469
immediately went to the issue of what

57:48.479 --> 57:50.535
we're talking about today , where is

57:50.535 --> 57:53.060
our next generation of worker who work

57:53.070 --> 57:55.126
with their hands and their head come

57:55.126 --> 57:57.181
from ? And she said something that I

57:57.181 --> 57:59.181
will not forget we need to give our

57:59.181 --> 58:02.239
Children a permission to pursue

58:03.389 --> 58:05.445
an area that they're interested in .

58:05.459 --> 58:08.080
Whether it's to be a lawyer , a doctor

58:08.090 --> 58:11.570
or an electrician permission to do that .

58:11.860 --> 58:13.916
Because the narrative in our country

58:13.916 --> 58:15.971
today is you got to go to college to

58:15.971 --> 58:18.780
make it where we're , you know , in the

58:18.790 --> 58:21.000
process of taking away debt for those

58:21.010 --> 58:23.379
who went to college . But for those who

58:23.389 --> 58:25.500
go to work in the shipyard , they get

58:25.500 --> 58:28.520
nothing . I think we as a society have

58:28.530 --> 58:30.989
this wrong , whether you want to become

58:31.000 --> 58:33.333
a lawyer or you want to become a welder ,

58:33.333 --> 58:35.899
we value those the same . And until we

58:35.909 --> 58:38.659
as a nation value those things the same

58:38.669 --> 58:40.891
way , we're not going to get the people

58:40.891 --> 58:43.530
in the shipyard the way we need it . We

58:43.540 --> 58:46.429
look at them many times as a society as

58:46.439 --> 58:50.060
second class . I know that and I see

58:50.070 --> 58:52.290
that . So when we talk about that next

58:52.300 --> 58:55.500
50,000 , we as a nation have to value

58:55.510 --> 58:58.520
that for what it is . And do that . You

58:58.530 --> 59:00.629
talk about the blue collar workforce

59:00.639 --> 59:03.780
being reduced over the last 50 years

59:03.790 --> 59:06.860
and it has the number one reason is we

59:06.870 --> 59:10.000
offshored those items that

59:10.010 --> 59:12.500
manufacturing that we did , we did that

59:12.510 --> 59:15.860
to ourselves chasing the dollar instead

59:15.870 --> 59:18.092
of the capacity . So here we are trying

59:18.092 --> 59:20.203
to build it back up and wondering why

59:20.203 --> 59:22.370
we can't get there . Well , I think we

59:22.370 --> 59:24.481
need to look in the mirror and saying

59:24.481 --> 59:26.703
we need to make sure that capacity goes

59:26.703 --> 59:28.703
on here . We need friends , we need

59:28.703 --> 59:30.870
allies and we need to work with them ,

59:30.870 --> 59:32.981
but we need to have the capacity here

59:32.981 --> 59:35.148
long term , not just for two days . So

59:35.148 --> 59:37.489
after that rant , we're sitting here

59:37.500 --> 59:39.556
and I wanna thank uh the admiral for

59:39.556 --> 59:42.040
visiting Philadelphia South Jersey Yard ,

59:42.110 --> 59:44.221
the capacity that we have there . And

59:44.221 --> 59:46.332
we had this very conversation when we

59:46.332 --> 59:48.332
were there . Why can't we get those

59:48.332 --> 59:50.840
people ? The Philadelphia Repair Yard

59:50.879 --> 59:52.823
is literally talking about closing

59:53.000 --> 59:55.056
because they can't get enough work .

59:55.439 --> 59:58.370
The work that's going on there today is

59:58.379 --> 01:00:01.010
with the US S New Jersey that we

01:00:01.020 --> 01:00:04.229
retired almost 25 years ago . They're

01:00:04.239 --> 01:00:06.406
doing it , but after that , their work

01:00:06.406 --> 01:00:08.360
isn't there . So Mr Whitman talked

01:00:08.370 --> 01:00:10.689
about that repair . We have to send the

01:00:10.699 --> 01:00:12.921
demand signals . Why would I want to go

01:00:12.921 --> 01:00:14.921
to work someplace that's gonna shut

01:00:14.921 --> 01:00:17.169
down in two years . So , other than

01:00:17.179 --> 01:00:21.050
money Secretary Del Toro and to each of

01:00:21.060 --> 01:00:23.171
uh the general and the admiral , what

01:00:23.171 --> 01:00:25.419
can we do other than money to send the

01:00:25.429 --> 01:00:28.560
bright signals to get that workforce

01:00:29.020 --> 01:00:31.489
that we value them ? How do you do that ?

01:00:32.060 --> 01:00:34.116
Well , Congressman , I , I think you

01:00:34.116 --> 01:00:36.282
hit the nail on the head . Um And I've

01:00:36.282 --> 01:00:38.282
been calling for a call to National

01:00:38.282 --> 01:00:40.449
Maritime Service . Uh not just to , to

01:00:40.449 --> 01:00:42.671
uniform service obviously in the Marine

01:00:42.671 --> 01:00:44.560
Corps and the Navy uh through our

01:00:44.560 --> 01:00:46.560
recruiting efforts . Um But also to

01:00:46.560 --> 01:00:48.671
increase the number of civilians that

01:00:48.671 --> 01:00:50.727
we have working in the Department of

01:00:50.727 --> 01:00:52.838
the Navy and in our shipyards as well

01:00:52.838 --> 01:00:55.004
too because it is honorable service as

01:00:55.004 --> 01:00:57.282
you know . And uh we need electricians ,

01:00:57.282 --> 01:00:59.504
we need plumbers , we need uh welders ,

01:00:59.504 --> 01:01:01.616
fitters , we need everything to build

01:01:01.616 --> 01:01:03.838
these great ships . But in my call to a

01:01:03.838 --> 01:01:06.004
national Maritime statecraft , I think

01:01:06.004 --> 01:01:07.616
resurgence of the commercial

01:01:07.616 --> 01:01:09.727
shipbuilding industry would also help

01:01:09.727 --> 01:01:11.949
tremendously . So and it would help the

01:01:11.949 --> 01:01:11.520
economy , it would help create more

01:01:11.530 --> 01:01:14.030
jobs across the entire country . We've

01:01:14.040 --> 01:01:16.262
essentially have given up on commercial

01:01:16.262 --> 01:01:18.429
shipbuilding and China and thank God ,

01:01:18.429 --> 01:01:20.651
our allies in Japan and North and South

01:01:20.651 --> 01:01:22.715
Korea have also invested heavily in

01:01:22.725 --> 01:01:24.892
shipbuilding , but we've lost that art

01:01:24.892 --> 01:01:26.947
here in the United States . We can't

01:01:26.947 --> 01:01:29.003
even build our own LNG ships here in

01:01:29.003 --> 01:01:31.169
the United States , for example , when

01:01:31.169 --> 01:01:33.392
we should be building them . So I think

01:01:33.392 --> 01:01:35.614
it's also complicated by uh some of our

01:01:35.614 --> 01:01:35.195
immigration policies . We need to

01:01:35.205 --> 01:01:37.427
increase legal immigration , we need to

01:01:37.427 --> 01:01:39.483
increase work visa programs to allow

01:01:39.483 --> 01:01:41.261
other workers coming from other

01:01:41.261 --> 01:01:43.483
countries to come here as well and fill

01:01:43.483 --> 01:01:45.538
these jobs that are being unfilled .

01:01:45.538 --> 01:01:47.649
The good news is that unemployment is

01:01:47.649 --> 01:01:49.761
under 4% across the kind of country .

01:01:49.761 --> 01:01:51.983
The challenge however , is that we need

01:01:51.983 --> 01:01:53.983
more workers uh to , to continue to

01:01:53.983 --> 01:01:55.872
feed our growing economy . And so

01:01:55.872 --> 01:01:58.094
that's the challenge that we have . And

01:01:58.094 --> 01:02:00.261
I think uh a national call to maritime

01:02:00.261 --> 01:02:00.149
service is what I'm committed to if ,

01:02:00.159 --> 01:02:03.280
if I may , in addition to those leaving

01:02:03.290 --> 01:02:05.810
the service , recruiting them to go

01:02:05.820 --> 01:02:07.709
back to work because many of them

01:02:07.709 --> 01:02:09.931
continue to work for years after that .

01:02:09.931 --> 01:02:12.042
And more importantly than that is the

01:02:12.042 --> 01:02:14.209
number one way other than telling them

01:02:14.209 --> 01:02:16.560
of their value is to pay them the right

01:02:16.570 --> 01:02:19.080
wages . And with that I yield back in

01:02:19.090 --> 01:02:21.257
complete agreement with that statement

01:02:21.257 --> 01:02:23.090
uh that uh chair and I recognize

01:02:23.090 --> 01:02:25.090
gentlemen from Mississippi , uh the

01:02:25.090 --> 01:02:27.257
General . Yeah , I wanna concur with a

01:02:27.257 --> 01:02:29.479
lot of thoughts . Listen , we can blame

01:02:29.479 --> 01:02:31.312
it on money , we can blame it on

01:02:31.312 --> 01:02:33.590
budgets . But for the last three years ,

01:02:33.590 --> 01:02:35.590
we've asked to give away more ships

01:02:35.590 --> 01:02:37.757
than we're bringing . So it's not just

01:02:37.757 --> 01:02:40.090
that thing . And here's what I will say .

01:02:40.090 --> 01:02:43.719
We have to have a consistent message to

01:02:43.729 --> 01:02:45.896
our shipbuilder that we're gonna build

01:02:45.896 --> 01:02:48.118
ships . We can't change that . We can't

01:02:48.118 --> 01:02:50.209
change the requirements . We have to

01:02:50.219 --> 01:02:52.479
send a constant message that we're

01:02:52.489 --> 01:02:54.545
gonna continue because we will never

01:02:54.545 --> 01:02:56.545
get our work force in place . If we

01:02:56.550 --> 01:02:58.399
continue to say we're gonna do a

01:02:58.409 --> 01:03:00.915
strategic pause on fibs , we're gonna

01:03:00.925 --> 01:03:03.475
do a strategic pause on Virginia class .

01:03:03.485 --> 01:03:05.652
You've got to let them catch up to get

01:03:05.652 --> 01:03:07.707
on schedule . We never allow them to

01:03:07.707 --> 01:03:09.874
get on schedule with that being said ,

01:03:09.874 --> 01:03:12.074
Admiral Friend Cady . Um , what the

01:03:12.084 --> 01:03:14.435
heck is going on with the Boxer ? I

01:03:14.445 --> 01:03:17.885
mean , she underwent a $200 million

01:03:17.895 --> 01:03:20.594
overhaul in 2022 and hasn't been

01:03:20.604 --> 01:03:22.985
underway since . In fact , she really

01:03:22.995 --> 01:03:24.995
hadn't been out of the dock in five

01:03:24.995 --> 01:03:27.217
years . So what is going on with the US

01:03:27.217 --> 01:03:31.030
S Boxer ? Thank you , Congressman

01:03:31.040 --> 01:03:32.929
Kelly , let me , I'll give you an

01:03:32.929 --> 01:03:35.040
update on the Boxer . So , you know ,

01:03:35.040 --> 01:03:37.151
the Boxer did actually go through all

01:03:37.151 --> 01:03:39.318
of her , uh workups for a deployment .

01:03:39.318 --> 01:03:41.484
Uh , she headed out but now she's back

01:03:41.484 --> 01:03:44.199
in San Diego . Uh she has a bearing on

01:03:44.209 --> 01:03:48.199
her starboard rudder . Uh that is

01:03:48.929 --> 01:03:51.790
not uh it's not in good condition , so

01:03:51.800 --> 01:03:53.800
it needs to be replaced . So we are

01:03:53.800 --> 01:03:56.100
basically right now . She is there . Uh

01:03:56.110 --> 01:03:57.989
We are evaluating the different

01:03:58.379 --> 01:04:00.546
procedures that will be done to repair

01:04:00.546 --> 01:04:02.768
her . It's about right now about a 4 to

01:04:02.768 --> 01:04:04.879
6 week repair . Uh We look to be able

01:04:04.879 --> 01:04:06.990
to finish that repair pier side , The

01:04:06.990 --> 01:04:09.046
bearing is available and uh and then

01:04:09.046 --> 01:04:10.990
get her back out on deployment . I

01:04:10.990 --> 01:04:12.490
would say that we're still

01:04:12.490 --> 01:04:14.768
investigating the cause of the bearing ,

01:04:14.768 --> 01:04:16.990
but it was either potentially installed

01:04:16.990 --> 01:04:19.324
uh improperly or the bearing itself was

01:04:19.334 --> 01:04:21.445
uh had some type of defect . So we're

01:04:21.445 --> 01:04:23.864
going to continue that inquiry . Uh Let ,

01:04:23.875 --> 01:04:26.042
let me get to General Smith . How does

01:04:26.042 --> 01:04:28.274
the Boxer unavailability impact the

01:04:28.284 --> 01:04:31.870
Marine Corps Congressman ? We're ,

01:04:31.879 --> 01:04:33.935
we're designed to operate on a three

01:04:33.935 --> 01:04:36.020
ship amphibious ready group , uh one

01:04:36.030 --> 01:04:40.030
big deck Lhalhd and 22 small boys , two

01:04:40.040 --> 01:04:43.750
LP DS . Um So when you lose your big

01:04:43.760 --> 01:04:46.090
deck , you lose most of your aviation

01:04:46.100 --> 01:04:48.110
assets and you lose your crisis

01:04:48.120 --> 01:04:50.570
response force . You also lose the

01:04:50.580 --> 01:04:52.729
ability to train and exercise those

01:04:52.739 --> 01:04:55.590
marines also . Is that correct ? All

01:04:55.600 --> 01:04:57.711
right , I , I wanna talk a little bit

01:04:57.711 --> 01:04:59.878
uh without the 31 amphibious ships and

01:04:59.878 --> 01:05:02.149
35 landing ships . Can the Marine Corps

01:05:02.159 --> 01:05:04.590
fight survive and meet combatant

01:05:04.600 --> 01:05:06.929
commander requirements ? Uh As a stand

01:05:06.949 --> 01:05:10.760
in force , sir , we , we cannot um

01:05:10.770 --> 01:05:13.780
we , we need those , uh , agree agreed

01:05:13.790 --> 01:05:16.570
upon uh 31 S and the CNO and I have

01:05:16.580 --> 01:05:18.413
locked shields on that and we're

01:05:18.413 --> 01:05:20.413
determined to get there and I wanna

01:05:20.413 --> 01:05:22.580
talk a little bit about the LSM or the

01:05:22.580 --> 01:05:25.250
medium landing ship . Uh We've got that

01:05:25.260 --> 01:05:27.260
we do not need and , and I know you

01:05:27.260 --> 01:05:29.427
agree with me , commandant , we do not

01:05:29.427 --> 01:05:31.316
need to turn that into the Navy's

01:05:31.316 --> 01:05:33.316
version of Pentagon Wars . We don't

01:05:33.316 --> 01:05:35.620
need to create uh something that's

01:05:35.629 --> 01:05:39.320
gonna be so expensive and uh to , to ,

01:05:39.330 --> 01:05:41.600
to be survivable , the Marine Corps has

01:05:41.610 --> 01:05:43.830
asked for a requirement and I think we

01:05:43.840 --> 01:05:45.840
should trust the Marine Corps or to

01:05:45.840 --> 01:05:48.062
build them the ship that they asked for

01:05:48.062 --> 01:05:50.229
because you know how to employ those .

01:05:50.229 --> 01:05:52.229
Is that correct ? Our commandant is

01:05:52.229 --> 01:05:54.451
correct and all the considerations that

01:05:54.451 --> 01:05:56.618
other people are taking to create this

01:05:56.618 --> 01:05:58.840
into something different . Uh Those are

01:05:58.840 --> 01:06:01.062
those being asked for by you commandant

01:06:01.062 --> 01:06:03.284
or did you ask for the requirement that

01:06:03.284 --> 01:06:02.639
you need as the commandant of the

01:06:02.649 --> 01:06:04.649
Marine Corps ? Uh Congressman , I I

01:06:04.649 --> 01:06:06.816
asked for the requirement that is that

01:06:06.816 --> 01:06:09.038
is required for them to be survivable ,

01:06:09.038 --> 01:06:12.800
mobile and beach . Absolutely . And

01:06:13.050 --> 01:06:15.810
I guess , um I , I think

01:06:17.629 --> 01:06:19.889
Secretary Del Toro , I think we've made

01:06:19.899 --> 01:06:22.649
some progress , but I do think that we

01:06:22.659 --> 01:06:24.770
need to be very careful about when we

01:06:24.770 --> 01:06:27.139
do a 30 year shipbuilding plan that the

01:06:27.149 --> 01:06:29.371
1st 10 years are locked in and we never

01:06:29.371 --> 01:06:31.482
move those or five years I don't know

01:06:31.482 --> 01:06:33.705
what that number is , but what we do is

01:06:33.705 --> 01:06:35.871
we keep shifting year one and we can't

01:06:35.871 --> 01:06:38.038
do that . We have to send a consistent

01:06:38.038 --> 01:06:40.205
demand signal to industry or they will

01:06:40.205 --> 01:06:42.093
never be able to keep up with the

01:06:42.093 --> 01:06:44.316
maintenance or the shipbuilding that is

01:06:44.316 --> 01:06:46.538
required . So I hope that you guys will

01:06:46.538 --> 01:06:48.482
understand . We have to build what

01:06:48.482 --> 01:06:50.705
we're building . We can't change that ,

01:06:50.705 --> 01:06:52.927
uh , can , can I get a commitment to do

01:06:52.927 --> 01:06:55.149
that ? Secretary Delta or Mr Chairman ?

01:06:55.149 --> 01:06:57.260
I , I have uh I've tried to keep that

01:06:57.260 --> 01:06:59.371
commitment since the day I came in as

01:06:59.371 --> 01:07:01.593
Secretary of the Navy and for the first

01:07:01.593 --> 01:07:03.482
three years until this budget , I

01:07:03.482 --> 01:07:05.593
haven't been able to , I've been able

01:07:05.593 --> 01:07:07.649
to do that where no numbers of ships

01:07:07.649 --> 01:07:09.871
have changed in the 1st 10 years of the

01:07:09.871 --> 01:07:12.209
shipbuilding plan . However , it is the

01:07:12.219 --> 01:07:14.163
Fiscal Responsibility Act that was

01:07:14.163 --> 01:07:17.149
passed by the Congress and again , in

01:07:17.250 --> 01:07:19.260
response to the very difficult

01:07:19.270 --> 01:07:21.437
negotiations that were done around the

01:07:21.437 --> 01:07:23.492
debt limit that forced our hand this

01:07:23.492 --> 01:07:25.659
year to be able to have to remove that

01:07:25.659 --> 01:07:27.770
one submarine in a situation where it

01:07:27.770 --> 01:07:29.826
simply could not be delivered by the

01:07:29.830 --> 01:07:32.340
shipyards . And that's opportunity cost ,

01:07:32.350 --> 01:07:34.840
opportunity cost . And I recognize you

01:07:34.989 --> 01:07:38.989
from Maine , Mr Golden . Thank

01:07:39.000 --> 01:07:42.439
you . Uh Mr Secretary

01:07:42.669 --> 01:07:45.189
last month Admiral Pitts testified that

01:07:45.199 --> 01:07:49.010
one flight 3d DG 51 uh to

01:07:49.020 --> 01:07:52.550
date , um Only one has been delivered

01:07:52.560 --> 01:07:54.782
to the fleet . Uh He also expressed the

01:07:54.782 --> 01:07:56.504
importance of fielding the new

01:07:56.504 --> 01:07:58.671
capabilities that come with a baseline

01:07:58.671 --> 01:08:02.209
10 in the spy six radar . Uh Of course ,

01:08:02.219 --> 01:08:05.100
before Congress passed an fy 24 probes

01:08:05.110 --> 01:08:07.332
bill , the administration requested two

01:08:07.332 --> 01:08:09.850
ddgs in the president's uh budget

01:08:09.860 --> 01:08:12.889
requests . Uh Now that we have a 24

01:08:12.899 --> 01:08:16.080
approach uh threw into law and it

01:08:16.089 --> 01:08:18.770
included 1.3 billion for advanced

01:08:18.779 --> 01:08:22.250
procurement . Uh It seems to me like

01:08:22.259 --> 01:08:24.592
that's a clear indication from Congress ,

01:08:24.592 --> 01:08:26.703
not to mention just a lot of the work

01:08:26.703 --> 01:08:28.870
of the committee over the last several

01:08:28.870 --> 01:08:31.092
years . Uh that Congress wants to speed

01:08:31.092 --> 01:08:33.315
the delivery of flight three ships . Um

01:08:33.315 --> 01:08:35.426
Is that , is that a priority that you

01:08:35.426 --> 01:08:37.315
agree with ? Would you agree that

01:08:37.315 --> 01:08:39.481
Congress should be trying to speed the

01:08:39.481 --> 01:08:39.049
delivery of flight three to the Navy

01:08:39.060 --> 01:08:41.060
fleet to the extent that it doesn't

01:08:41.060 --> 01:08:43.116
take away from other uh requirements

01:08:43.116 --> 01:08:44.838
that I have to meet across the

01:08:44.838 --> 01:08:47.060
Department of the Navy . Yes , I always

01:08:47.060 --> 01:08:49.282
welcome more DDG flight threes into the

01:08:49.282 --> 01:08:51.504
navy . More ships is good . All right .

01:08:51.504 --> 01:08:55.479
Um Mr Kelly just stole the question . I

01:08:55.490 --> 01:08:57.546
was gonna ask you , but I guess I'll

01:08:57.546 --> 01:08:59.546
just reiterate . I mean , it sounds

01:08:59.546 --> 01:09:01.601
like what you're saying is you would

01:09:01.601 --> 01:09:03.657
commit to adhering to the , the five

01:09:03.657 --> 01:09:06.988
year plan uh o on the landing ships uh

01:09:06.999 --> 01:09:10.169
and , and procuring be carrying eight

01:09:10.180 --> 01:09:12.236
of them . Uh assuming Congress gives

01:09:12.236 --> 01:09:14.236
you the resources you need , it's a

01:09:14.236 --> 01:09:16.291
priority for the Navy as well as the

01:09:16.291 --> 01:09:16.020
Marine Corps , right . Congressman ,

01:09:16.029 --> 01:09:18.085
I've been a big supporter of the LSM

01:09:18.085 --> 01:09:20.140
and I've worked to try to accelerate

01:09:20.140 --> 01:09:22.307
the LSM schedule as much as possible .

01:09:22.307 --> 01:09:24.029
We had to go through some very

01:09:24.029 --> 01:09:26.251
difficult survivability discussions . I

01:09:26.251 --> 01:09:27.973
think we're in the right place

01:09:27.973 --> 01:09:29.973
supporting the , the comment on the

01:09:29.973 --> 01:09:29.450
Marine Corps and the requirements that

01:09:29.459 --> 01:09:32.119
are set forth which the CNO agrees with

01:09:32.128 --> 01:09:34.295
as well too . So , we're united in the

01:09:34.295 --> 01:09:36.461
future of the LSM . We're committed to

01:09:36.461 --> 01:09:38.508
building the , uh , 18 Ls MS uh

01:09:38.519 --> 01:09:41.749
initially eventually to get to 35 . But

01:09:41.758 --> 01:09:43.869
we want to be able to get these first

01:09:43.869 --> 01:09:45.702
few out to have the Marine Corps

01:09:45.702 --> 01:09:47.869
continue to exper experiment with them

01:09:47.869 --> 01:09:49.925
and make sure that they're the final

01:09:49.925 --> 01:09:51.647
design before we go to advance

01:09:51.647 --> 01:09:53.758
procurement for the 35 . I think it's

01:09:53.758 --> 01:09:55.980
no secret that some members of Congress

01:09:55.980 --> 01:09:58.147
are appropriators authorizes , are out

01:09:58.147 --> 01:10:00.258
there talking about whether or not we

01:10:00.258 --> 01:10:02.258
should be adhering to these uh caps

01:10:02.258 --> 01:10:04.479
that you keep referring to . Um It's

01:10:04.490 --> 01:10:06.740
not necessarily your decision , but I

01:10:06.750 --> 01:10:09.229
mean , in a , in a perfect world , you

01:10:09.240 --> 01:10:11.462
would not be structuring a budget based

01:10:11.462 --> 01:10:13.796
upon these caps . Does that sound right ?

01:10:13.796 --> 01:10:15.962
That's correct . Congressman obviously

01:10:15.962 --> 01:10:18.129
would , would spend to the amount that

01:10:18.129 --> 01:10:19.684
the Congress authorizes and

01:10:19.684 --> 01:10:23.089
appropriates . Sure . Um And I think Mr

01:10:23.100 --> 01:10:25.211
Norcross touched upon this , I mean ,

01:10:25.211 --> 01:10:27.378
there's been a pretty good focus today

01:10:27.378 --> 01:10:30.020
on talking about uh the need to really

01:10:30.029 --> 01:10:33.000
focus on shipbuilding uh shipbuilders

01:10:33.009 --> 01:10:35.500
and developing a workforce that can

01:10:35.509 --> 01:10:37.689
meet the needs of the Navy and our

01:10:37.700 --> 01:10:41.060
national security . Um , I've tried to

01:10:41.069 --> 01:10:43.291
do a lot of work on that uh through the

01:10:43.291 --> 01:10:45.569
years , uh with reporting requirements ,

01:10:45.569 --> 01:10:47.569
it seems like maybe you're actually

01:10:47.569 --> 01:10:49.680
benefiting from some of the reporting

01:10:49.680 --> 01:10:51.736
that Navy has done uh as a result of

01:10:51.736 --> 01:10:53.847
that uh and have a good understanding

01:10:53.847 --> 01:10:53.459
of , of where we're at and where we

01:10:53.470 --> 01:10:56.589
need to be . Um , I just want to

01:10:56.600 --> 01:10:58.950
reiterate again . My office is even

01:10:58.959 --> 01:11:02.149
hearing from uh shipyards in the Philly

01:11:02.160 --> 01:11:03.790
region uh who do repairs and

01:11:03.799 --> 01:11:05.743
maintenance that they're , they're

01:11:05.743 --> 01:11:07.910
getting ready to , to lay people off .

01:11:07.910 --> 01:11:09.966
I know that we're behind schedule on

01:11:09.966 --> 01:11:12.299
maintenance and repairs in general . So ,

01:11:12.299 --> 01:11:14.355
um I'm just , you know , hoping that

01:11:14.355 --> 01:11:13.870
the navy will do a good job of

01:11:13.879 --> 01:11:15.990
spreading some work around to try and

01:11:15.990 --> 01:11:18.046
ensure that we're not losing skilled

01:11:18.046 --> 01:11:20.212
workers at a time . When we're talking

01:11:20.212 --> 01:11:22.379
about having Congress , we have robust

01:11:22.379 --> 01:11:24.546
conversations with all the shipyards ,

01:11:24.546 --> 01:11:26.712
uh small , medium and large across the

01:11:26.712 --> 01:11:28.935
nation . I personally have visited many

01:11:28.935 --> 01:11:30.879
of them , Mayor Allen Philadelphia

01:11:30.879 --> 01:11:33.046
naval shipyard . Uh We would obviously

01:11:33.046 --> 01:11:35.212
try to keep them as full as possible ,

01:11:35.212 --> 01:11:37.379
but our primary role is to keep sheeps

01:11:37.379 --> 01:11:37.314
ships out at sea and to keep them

01:11:37.325 --> 01:11:39.381
operational . Obviously , we need to

01:11:39.381 --> 01:11:41.325
maintain them on time when we have

01:11:41.325 --> 01:11:43.381
delays and how we maintain the ships

01:11:43.381 --> 01:11:45.603
because of extended operational periods

01:11:45.603 --> 01:11:47.214
that are driven by real life

01:11:47.214 --> 01:11:49.325
circumstances that creates problems .

01:11:49.325 --> 01:11:51.325
Obviously , has anyone from uh from

01:11:51.325 --> 01:11:53.492
like Atlantic ship prepared , notified

01:11:53.492 --> 01:11:55.325
the navy that they might lay off

01:11:55.325 --> 01:11:57.492
members of their workforce in the near

01:11:57.492 --> 01:11:57.354
term future . I , I'd have to get back

01:11:57.365 --> 01:11:59.587
to you . Uh Congressman , we'd be happy

01:11:59.587 --> 01:12:01.754
to report back to your staff on recent

01:12:01.754 --> 01:12:03.809
conversations with regards to layoff

01:12:03.809 --> 01:12:05.809
there . Thank you . I yelled back .

01:12:06.390 --> 01:12:08.279
Gentleman yields back chair , not

01:12:08.279 --> 01:12:10.390
recognized , gentleman from Indiana ,

01:12:10.390 --> 01:12:12.612
Mr Banks . Thank you , Mr Chairman . Um

01:12:12.612 --> 01:12:14.834
The Navy was the only service last year

01:12:14.834 --> 01:12:17.830
that failed to meet its recruit quality

01:12:17.839 --> 01:12:20.270
benchmarks and continues to fail to

01:12:20.279 --> 01:12:23.649
meet them again . This year . Fy 2024

01:12:24.120 --> 01:12:26.342
for the first half of the fiscal year ,

01:12:26.342 --> 01:12:28.459
the Navy is 35% short of its

01:12:28.470 --> 01:12:32.410
recruitment goal and an fy 23 was 20%

01:12:32.419 --> 01:12:35.140
short of recruitment goals . Secretary

01:12:35.149 --> 01:12:37.205
Del Toro , why do you think the Navy

01:12:37.205 --> 01:12:39.260
has had so much more trouble hitting

01:12:39.260 --> 01:12:41.371
its recruiting goals than the army or

01:12:41.371 --> 01:12:43.482
the Air Force ? I don't like the Navy

01:12:43.482 --> 01:12:45.649
losing to the army or the Air Force in

01:12:45.649 --> 01:12:47.816
anything , especially when it comes to

01:12:47.816 --> 01:12:49.982
recruitment . Why are we struggling so

01:12:49.982 --> 01:12:51.982
much more than the other branches ?

01:12:51.982 --> 01:12:51.649
Well , first and foremost , congressman ,

01:12:51.660 --> 01:12:53.716
thank you for your question . Um I'm

01:12:53.716 --> 01:12:55.882
concerned about recruiting for all our

01:12:55.882 --> 01:12:57.993
military services . This one team one

01:12:57.993 --> 01:13:00.160
fight having said that the Navy wasn't

01:13:00.160 --> 01:13:02.271
the only service last year to meet to

01:13:02.271 --> 01:13:01.890
fall short on his recruiting goals . He

01:13:01.899 --> 01:13:04.066
fell much further short than the other

01:13:04.066 --> 01:13:06.520
branches . Uh We last year we began the

01:13:06.529 --> 01:13:08.740
year at 17,500 thinking we were going

01:13:08.750 --> 01:13:11.709
short fall , fall short by 17,500 . We

01:13:11.720 --> 01:13:13.939
were short by 7500 . This year we

01:13:13.950 --> 01:13:16.117
started uh thinking that we would fall

01:13:16.117 --> 01:13:18.529
short by 16,400 it looks like we're

01:13:18.540 --> 01:13:20.596
gonna fall short maybe by 6200 . But

01:13:20.596 --> 01:13:22.720
what we haven't done is what we have

01:13:22.729 --> 01:13:24.785
done actually is we've increased the

01:13:24.785 --> 01:13:26.951
goal . So we've actually increased the

01:13:26.951 --> 01:13:29.250
goal by 7000 to 40,000 that we need to

01:13:29.259 --> 01:13:31.592
make up for the shortages of past years .

01:13:31.629 --> 01:13:33.685
So it's kind of a false narrative is

01:13:33.685 --> 01:13:35.907
what it is . We're striving to meet the

01:13:35.907 --> 01:13:37.907
new higher 40,000 goal that we have

01:13:37.907 --> 01:13:39.796
actually established for it , for

01:13:39.796 --> 01:13:41.796
ourselves . So that we're setting a

01:13:41.796 --> 01:13:41.759
goal and you're not meeting it and the

01:13:41.770 --> 01:13:43.770
other branches are coming closer to

01:13:43.770 --> 01:13:45.937
reaching their goals . What , what are

01:13:45.937 --> 01:13:48.048
we learning from the Army and the Air

01:13:48.048 --> 01:13:47.689
Force and the Navy ? This isn't a

01:13:47.700 --> 01:13:49.811
numbers game , congressman . I mean ,

01:13:49.811 --> 01:13:51.859
we hired and it raised the goal to

01:13:51.870 --> 01:13:53.814
40,000 . You're secretary , you're

01:13:53.814 --> 01:13:56.037
turning it into a numbers game . Well ,

01:13:56.037 --> 01:13:58.314
but you're the one who brought this up .

01:13:58.314 --> 01:13:58.240
I mean , if the other services lowered

01:13:58.250 --> 01:14:00.709
their goals and met their goals and we

01:14:00.720 --> 01:14:02.831
hired our goals and we're striving to

01:14:02.831 --> 01:14:04.776
meet our goals . I think that's an

01:14:04.776 --> 01:14:06.942
admirable uh challenge , right ? We're

01:14:06.942 --> 01:14:09.109
trying to make up . Well , yes , we're

01:14:09.109 --> 01:14:11.109
trying to make up for the shortages

01:14:11.109 --> 01:14:13.220
that we had in previous years because

01:14:13.220 --> 01:14:15.331
it's all about filling billets at sea

01:14:15.331 --> 01:14:17.498
is what it's all about . That's what I

01:14:17.498 --> 01:14:17.240
would love to have a Secretary of the

01:14:17.250 --> 01:14:19.417
Navy come before us and talk about how

01:14:19.417 --> 01:14:21.417
you're disappointed that you're not

01:14:21.417 --> 01:14:23.417
reaching your goals and what you're

01:14:23.417 --> 01:14:23.020
going to do to reach them . So let me

01:14:23.029 --> 01:14:25.140
ask you , I think you misunderstood .

01:14:25.140 --> 01:14:27.418
Right . Let me ask you a different way .

01:14:27.418 --> 01:14:27.089
But I think it's important for me to go

01:14:27.100 --> 01:14:29.399
on the record . What are you doing to

01:14:29.410 --> 01:14:31.243
meet your ? I said we raised our

01:14:31.243 --> 01:14:33.649
recruiting goals to 40,000 . Answer my

01:14:33.750 --> 01:14:36.020
question , please answer my question .

01:14:36.029 --> 01:14:38.140
What are you doing to meet your goals

01:14:38.140 --> 01:14:40.196
that you're not doing ? What are you

01:14:40.196 --> 01:14:42.418
going to do to meet those goals ? We've

01:14:42.418 --> 01:14:44.473
actually filled all , we're about to

01:14:44.473 --> 01:14:46.585
fill all our recruiting billets . For

01:14:46.585 --> 01:14:46.229
example , we're taking a lot of lessons

01:14:46.240 --> 01:14:48.240
learned from the Marine Corps , for

01:14:48.240 --> 01:14:50.740
example , uh we've actually made

01:14:50.750 --> 01:14:52.806
numerous process changes actually to

01:14:52.806 --> 01:14:55.028
try to get us to a better place and I'd

01:14:55.028 --> 01:14:57.250
be happy to have the CNO add additional

01:14:57.250 --> 01:14:59.194
details to that list . Um I , I'll

01:14:59.194 --> 01:15:01.306
stick with you . Secretary . You said

01:15:01.306 --> 01:15:01.029
that fighting climate change is the

01:15:01.040 --> 01:15:04.169
Navy's quote , top priority . No , sir .

01:15:04.180 --> 01:15:06.291
That's not correct . I said it is one

01:15:06.291 --> 01:15:08.458
of the navy's top priorities , not the

01:15:08.458 --> 01:15:11.350
top priority . Is it still , is it

01:15:11.359 --> 01:15:13.359
still a top priority ? Absolutely .

01:15:13.359 --> 01:15:15.637
It's still a top priority . Where does ,

01:15:15.637 --> 01:15:17.790
where does recruitment fall into your

01:15:17.799 --> 01:15:20.132
priority list ? Is it above recruitment ?

01:15:20.132 --> 01:15:22.466
There's also a top priority as well too .

01:15:22.466 --> 01:15:24.577
I have numerous top priorities in the

01:15:24.577 --> 01:15:23.919
Department of the Navy that I have to

01:15:23.930 --> 01:15:26.450
worry about any given day . So what

01:15:26.459 --> 01:15:28.515
about uh delays in shipbuilding ? Is

01:15:28.515 --> 01:15:30.737
that more of a priority than uh climate

01:15:30.737 --> 01:15:32.959
change or less ? We've made significant

01:15:32.959 --> 01:15:35.126
changes and delays in , in maintenance

01:15:35.126 --> 01:15:37.348
days at uh shipyards to actually try to

01:15:37.348 --> 01:15:39.403
get these ships out of the shipyards

01:15:39.403 --> 01:15:41.626
quicker . Secretary . You don't seem to

01:15:41.626 --> 01:15:43.681
be too concerned about recruitment ,

01:15:43.681 --> 01:15:42.990
which is really bad . I am

01:15:43.000 --> 01:15:44.667
significantly concerned about

01:15:44.667 --> 01:15:46.889
recruiting . We've actually made a huge

01:15:46.889 --> 01:15:48.944
difference . I just told you that we

01:15:49.049 --> 01:15:51.140
are you , are you worried that the ,

01:15:51.149 --> 01:15:53.439
that the navy shrinking by another 5000

01:15:53.450 --> 01:15:55.450
sailors can make it harder to deter

01:15:55.450 --> 01:15:57.672
communist China ? Are you worried about

01:15:57.672 --> 01:15:59.783
that ? Actually , we're , I just told

01:15:59.783 --> 01:16:01.894
you we're trying to increase our goal

01:16:01.894 --> 01:16:04.117
to 40,000 to recruit to that so that we

01:16:04.117 --> 01:16:06.283
have more sailors to close the gaps at

01:16:06.283 --> 01:16:06.220
sea so that we can be even more combat

01:16:06.250 --> 01:16:08.306
ready . I got one minute left . What

01:16:08.306 --> 01:16:10.306
are you gonna do to meet the Navy's

01:16:10.306 --> 01:16:12.528
recruitment goals in fy 2024 ? It's all

01:16:12.528 --> 01:16:14.583
hands on deck with all the processes

01:16:14.583 --> 01:16:16.750
and everything that we've put in place

01:16:16.750 --> 01:16:18.750
to actually shorten that goal . And

01:16:18.750 --> 01:16:20.694
we're actually 2500 ahead . We are

01:16:20.694 --> 01:16:22.861
actually 2500 ahead than where we were

01:16:22.861 --> 01:16:24.917
last year . So I hope that we get to

01:16:24.917 --> 01:16:26.861
meet our goals . Are you , are you

01:16:26.861 --> 01:16:29.028
going to meet your goal in fy 20 we're

01:16:29.028 --> 01:16:28.919
doing everything we can . I don't have ,

01:16:29.089 --> 01:16:31.256
what is everything that you can ? What

01:16:31.256 --> 01:16:33.367
does that mean ? What are you doing ?

01:16:33.367 --> 01:16:35.367
That means that I'm putting all our

01:16:35.367 --> 01:16:37.422
resources that we have made dramatic

01:16:37.422 --> 01:16:39.589
improvements in how we recruit . We've

01:16:39.589 --> 01:16:39.319
taken lessons from the Marine Corps as

01:16:39.330 --> 01:16:42.390
well too to meet our and we are

01:16:42.399 --> 01:16:45.740
actually doing 2500 this year than we

01:16:45.750 --> 01:16:47.861
were last year . So we have , we have

01:16:47.861 --> 01:16:49.917
six months left in the calendar year

01:16:49.917 --> 01:16:51.917
basically to get to the fiscal year

01:16:51.917 --> 01:16:54.083
more or less . And we will continue to

01:16:54.083 --> 01:16:56.306
actually decrease that gap until we get

01:16:56.306 --> 01:16:58.583
close . But it's all hands on concrete .

01:16:58.583 --> 01:17:00.750
You haven't given me a single concrete

01:17:00.750 --> 01:16:59.919
answer to how you're going to meet

01:16:59.930 --> 01:17:02.041
those recruiters . I think I've given

01:17:02.041 --> 01:17:04.208
you many concrete lot , lot of hot air

01:17:04.208 --> 01:17:04.040
with that Mr Chairman I yield , but

01:17:04.049 --> 01:17:06.160
we'd be happy to work with your staff

01:17:06.160 --> 01:17:08.493
to provide you even more answers for me .

01:17:08.493 --> 01:17:10.438
Gentlemen , yields the chair . Now

01:17:10.438 --> 01:17:12.105
recognizes Mr Carba Hall from

01:17:12.105 --> 01:17:14.979
California . Thank you very much . Um

01:17:15.410 --> 01:17:17.466
Thank you to the witnesses for being

01:17:17.466 --> 01:17:20.140
here today . General Smith . Uh Welcome

01:17:20.149 --> 01:17:23.669
back the GAO report from September

01:17:23.680 --> 01:17:26.390
2023 highlighted there are major

01:17:26.399 --> 01:17:28.510
concerns with our military barracks .

01:17:28.819 --> 01:17:30.986
Some of these service members reported

01:17:30.986 --> 01:17:33.152
that the conditions of barracks affect

01:17:33.152 --> 01:17:35.263
their quality of life and readiness .

01:17:35.263 --> 01:17:37.375
Your number one unfunded priority was

01:17:37.375 --> 01:17:40.709
$230 million for restoration and

01:17:40.720 --> 01:17:43.040
modernization of barracks for the

01:17:43.049 --> 01:17:45.919
Barrack 2030 initiative . While the

01:17:45.930 --> 01:17:48.810
fiscal year 25 budget request only

01:17:48.819 --> 01:17:52.669
appears to be for 65 million . I'm

01:17:52.680 --> 01:17:54.680
sure we both agree that our service

01:17:54.680 --> 01:17:57.430
members are our number one priority and

01:17:57.439 --> 01:18:00.000
our most valuable asset with barracks

01:18:00.009 --> 01:18:02.569
being such an issue . Can you help me

01:18:02.580 --> 01:18:04.939
understand why your budget request did

01:18:04.950 --> 01:18:07.009
not include the 230 million for

01:18:07.020 --> 01:18:10.850
restoration and modernization . Um In

01:18:10.859 --> 01:18:12.600
your unfunded priority list ,

01:18:15.169 --> 01:18:18.930
congressman , I can uh barracks 2030 is

01:18:18.939 --> 01:18:20.717
our most consequential barracks

01:18:20.717 --> 01:18:22.883
investment . Um We're , we're tackling

01:18:22.883 --> 01:18:25.020
it from multiple avenues . We're

01:18:25.029 --> 01:18:26.751
attacking it from professional

01:18:26.751 --> 01:18:28.973
management which returns 500 marines to

01:18:28.973 --> 01:18:31.419
the fleet . Uh Fram facility ,

01:18:31.430 --> 01:18:33.097
sustainment , restoration and

01:18:33.097 --> 01:18:35.263
modernization funds maximizing those .

01:18:35.263 --> 01:18:37.597
That's the fix washers , dryers , locks ,

01:18:37.597 --> 01:18:39.779
windows . Um We're doing material

01:18:39.790 --> 01:18:42.890
furniture um again , washers , locks

01:18:43.169 --> 01:18:45.391
and I've directed a rigorous inspection

01:18:45.391 --> 01:18:48.020
of over 58,000 rooms . Um We've

01:18:48.029 --> 01:18:50.085
completed that inspection and we now

01:18:50.085 --> 01:18:52.319
know what is what needs to be fixed and

01:18:52.330 --> 01:18:54.219
that's why my number one unfunded

01:18:54.219 --> 01:18:56.219
priority request is the almost $450

01:18:56.219 --> 01:18:58.330
million to accelerate barracks 2030 .

01:18:58.950 --> 01:19:01.000
Thank you , General Smith . The

01:19:01.009 --> 01:19:03.065
reduction in maritime prepositioning

01:19:03.065 --> 01:19:04.898
ships underway has significantly

01:19:04.898 --> 01:19:06.953
reduced the Marine Corps flexibility

01:19:07.189 --> 01:19:09.350
for crisis response operations in the

01:19:09.359 --> 01:19:11.609
Indo Pacific , Mediterranean and

01:19:11.620 --> 01:19:14.049
elsewhere . Today , only two squadrons

01:19:14.060 --> 01:19:16.250
and maritime prepositioning ships are

01:19:16.259 --> 01:19:18.649
available to support Marine Corps

01:19:18.750 --> 01:19:20.850
global commitments . How are the

01:19:20.859 --> 01:19:23.390
marines compensating for this reduction ?

01:19:23.700 --> 01:19:25.810
And how much risk are we accepting ?

01:19:25.819 --> 01:19:28.950
Strategically ? Congressman , I would

01:19:28.959 --> 01:19:30.570
argue that we're accepting a

01:19:30.570 --> 01:19:33.169
significant risk strategically , um

01:19:33.180 --> 01:19:36.109
those mitts and maritime prepositioning

01:19:36.120 --> 01:19:40.000
squadrons are , are , are ready base .

01:19:40.009 --> 01:19:42.910
They're designed to flow forward and

01:19:42.919 --> 01:19:46.020
offload their cargo to co to complete

01:19:46.029 --> 01:19:49.109
uh such tasks as the Korea plan . And

01:19:49.209 --> 01:19:52.620
uh they would be used um as a uh as a

01:19:52.629 --> 01:19:55.290
ready reserve if you will of , of

01:19:55.299 --> 01:19:57.750
assets . So I would uh offer that ,

01:19:57.759 --> 01:19:59.703
that , that's a real risk when you

01:19:59.703 --> 01:20:01.779
don't have the metron available to

01:20:01.790 --> 01:20:05.020
replace the um equipment that will be

01:20:05.029 --> 01:20:07.390
in , inevitably lost in combat and to

01:20:07.399 --> 01:20:10.529
speed the , the marrying up of marines

01:20:10.540 --> 01:20:12.939
who deploy by aviation assets and then

01:20:12.950 --> 01:20:15.061
the Seaborne assets that are on those

01:20:15.061 --> 01:20:18.339
mips runs . Thank you , Admiral Frutti .

01:20:18.350 --> 01:20:20.600
Uh Congratulations on your finally

01:20:20.609 --> 01:20:23.029
being appointed as the 33rd chief of

01:20:23.040 --> 01:20:26.169
naval operations . I I

01:20:26.479 --> 01:20:30.189
apologize for you on , for the

01:20:30.200 --> 01:20:32.970
Tuberville sec national security breach .

01:20:32.979 --> 01:20:34.859
We , our country went through in

01:20:34.870 --> 01:20:37.092
delaying your appointment and I know we

01:20:37.092 --> 01:20:39.379
have many aspiring senators in this

01:20:39.390 --> 01:20:41.890
committee . I sure hope they understand

01:20:41.899 --> 01:20:44.359
the breach that was created by not

01:20:44.370 --> 01:20:46.426
allowing many of our appointments to

01:20:46.426 --> 01:20:48.899
move forward . Admiral . Can you speak

01:20:48.910 --> 01:20:50.966
to the Navy Sea Lift campaign plan ?

01:20:50.966 --> 01:20:53.509
Specifically how the buy use program

01:20:53.700 --> 01:20:55.850
will work with sea lift . Preposition

01:20:55.859 --> 01:20:59.720
and search assets . Thank

01:20:59.729 --> 01:21:01.562
you . And you know , sea lift is

01:21:01.562 --> 01:21:03.729
critically important , one of our core

01:21:03.729 --> 01:21:05.618
functions of the navy . And we're

01:21:05.618 --> 01:21:07.507
really taking a , a three pronged

01:21:07.507 --> 01:21:09.562
approach uh to sea lift . First , we

01:21:09.562 --> 01:21:11.618
are doing service life extensions on

01:21:11.618 --> 01:21:13.840
our existing platforms and then the buy

01:21:13.840 --> 01:21:16.062
used uh program that you mentioned . Uh

01:21:16.062 --> 01:21:17.951
this has been very productive and

01:21:17.951 --> 01:21:20.173
speaking with Transcom and uh and merit

01:21:20.173 --> 01:21:22.285
on these conversations . This is uh a

01:21:22.285 --> 01:21:24.340
very good program . Uh We've already

01:21:24.340 --> 01:21:26.340
bought a number of ships and we are

01:21:26.340 --> 01:21:28.725
projected to uh buy up to nine which is

01:21:28.734 --> 01:21:30.964
our limit . So uh we have a legislative

01:21:30.975 --> 01:21:33.435
proposal in there to uh remove that

01:21:33.444 --> 01:21:35.666
limit . So we can continue to do that .

01:21:35.666 --> 01:21:37.444
We're also uh in the process of

01:21:37.444 --> 01:21:40.084
designing a , a new sea lift ship . And

01:21:40.095 --> 01:21:41.651
so again , working with all

01:21:41.651 --> 01:21:43.817
stakeholders to make sure that we have

01:21:43.817 --> 01:21:45.651
that capacity that we need going

01:21:45.651 --> 01:21:47.706
forward . Thank you , Admiral and uh

01:21:47.706 --> 01:21:50.220
I'm out of time . So um Secretary Del

01:21:50.229 --> 01:21:52.451
Toro , thank you for being here . Thank

01:21:52.451 --> 01:21:55.290
you for articulating the good answers

01:21:55.299 --> 01:21:57.521
to the bad questions that sometimes you

01:21:57.521 --> 01:21:59.688
receive . Thank you very much for your

01:21:59.688 --> 01:22:01.743
service , Miss madam chair . I yield

01:22:01.743 --> 01:22:03.966
back the gentleman yields the chair now

01:22:03.966 --> 01:22:07.339
recognizes Mr Walz from Florida . Thank

01:22:07.350 --> 01:22:11.160
you madam chair , uh Secretary Del Toro

01:22:11.169 --> 01:22:13.750
and uh General Smith , we just talked

01:22:13.759 --> 01:22:15.648
very quickly about the Abbey Gate

01:22:15.648 --> 01:22:19.459
families uh from the disgraceful

01:22:19.470 --> 01:22:21.669
Afghanistan withdrawal . Uh Mr

01:22:21.680 --> 01:22:23.347
Secretary I sent you a letter

01:22:23.347 --> 01:22:25.649
requesting that the 11 marines killed

01:22:25.660 --> 01:22:27.882
at Abbey Gate during the the withdrawal

01:22:27.882 --> 01:22:30.620
be posthumously promoted uh in

01:22:30.629 --> 01:22:34.160
accordance with 10 US code section 1563 .

01:22:34.169 --> 01:22:36.113
It authorizes member of members of

01:22:36.113 --> 01:22:38.225
Congress to initiate a recommendation

01:22:38.225 --> 01:22:40.225
or honorary promotion and I'm , I'm

01:22:40.225 --> 01:22:42.447
grateful that less than two weeks after

01:22:42.447 --> 01:22:44.669
the bombing , you posthumously promoted

01:22:44.700 --> 01:22:48.120
Navy Corpsman Sovik to hospital

01:22:48.129 --> 01:22:50.185
corpsman third class . But it's been

01:22:50.185 --> 01:22:52.240
nearly three years since these brave

01:22:52.240 --> 01:22:54.850
marines were killed . And more than six

01:22:54.859 --> 01:22:57.569
months since I made this request to you .

01:22:58.359 --> 01:23:00.248
When can we do ? What's right and

01:23:00.248 --> 01:23:01.470
promote these marines

01:23:04.169 --> 01:23:06.589
congressman ? This is um a very

01:23:06.600 --> 01:23:08.799
sensitive issue , obviously . Um , the

01:23:08.810 --> 01:23:10.870
corps member was promoted largely

01:23:10.879 --> 01:23:12.768
because she had already was under

01:23:12.768 --> 01:23:14.850
consideration for promotion . Um I

01:23:14.859 --> 01:23:17.379
asked my staff to take a look at medal

01:23:17.390 --> 01:23:19.557
of honor recipients who received their

01:23:19.557 --> 01:23:22.109
medal of honor posthumously since the

01:23:22.120 --> 01:23:24.176
beginning of the Vietnam war . We've

01:23:24.176 --> 01:23:26.890
had over 50 marines that courageously

01:23:26.899 --> 01:23:30.220
lost their lives in battle um and

01:23:30.229 --> 01:23:32.459
received the medal of honor . Um None

01:23:32.470 --> 01:23:36.020
of them promoted . We have huge issues .

01:23:36.029 --> 01:23:38.251
I get five minutes on behalf of none of

01:23:38.251 --> 01:23:41.430
them were promoted . When are we gonna

01:23:41.439 --> 01:23:43.661
promote or can you give me an answer of

01:23:43.661 --> 01:23:45.772
why you're not going to promote these

01:23:45.772 --> 01:23:47.828
11 Marines ? It's been three years .

01:23:47.828 --> 01:23:49.939
It's , it's under consideration , but

01:23:49.939 --> 01:23:49.549
it's very unlikely that they will be

01:23:49.560 --> 01:23:51.671
promoted . It's very unlikely . Yes ,

01:23:51.671 --> 01:23:53.560
sir , because they were not under

01:23:53.560 --> 01:23:55.893
consideration at the time for promotion .

01:23:55.893 --> 01:23:58.116
Um So given the fact that we haven't uh

01:23:58.116 --> 01:24:00.338
posthumously promoted 50 medal of honor

01:24:00.338 --> 01:24:02.227
recipients since the beginning of

01:24:02.227 --> 01:24:04.338
Vietnam , they killed in action . All

01:24:04.338 --> 01:24:06.282
50 excuse me , were they killed in

01:24:06.282 --> 01:24:08.504
action ? All 50 ? Yes , sir . They were

01:24:08.504 --> 01:24:10.727
killed in action . There are a number ,

01:24:10.727 --> 01:24:12.782
we'll come back to you within , as I

01:24:12.782 --> 01:24:15.004
stated in the letter , there's a number

01:24:15.004 --> 01:24:17.004
of instances where where soldiers ,

01:24:17.004 --> 01:24:19.169
sailors , marines were not under

01:24:19.180 --> 01:24:21.790
consideration for promotion , including

01:24:21.799 --> 01:24:24.850
some that I lost in action and yet they

01:24:24.859 --> 01:24:26.859
were promoted because their service

01:24:26.859 --> 01:24:28.803
secretary decided it was the right

01:24:28.803 --> 01:24:31.026
thing to do . You have that authority ?

01:24:31.060 --> 01:24:33.171
I have the authority and I'd be happy

01:24:33.171 --> 01:24:35.227
to conduct further . You're making a

01:24:35.227 --> 01:24:37.504
decision to not execute that authority .

01:24:37.504 --> 01:24:39.782
Uh Well , like I said , uh Congressman ,

01:24:39.782 --> 01:24:41.671
there have been 50 medal of honor

01:24:41.671 --> 01:24:43.893
recipients that were not promoted . God

01:24:43.893 --> 01:24:46.060
bless , but in this case , and one has

01:24:46.060 --> 01:24:48.116
to take a look at that as precedents

01:24:48.116 --> 01:24:50.282
basically for actions moving forward .

01:24:50.839 --> 01:24:53.540
Uh Mr Secretary , that's if that's your

01:24:53.549 --> 01:24:55.549
decision , that's certainly . But I

01:24:55.549 --> 01:24:57.660
want I also out there for the record

01:24:57.669 --> 01:25:00.029
that you have the authority to promote

01:25:00.040 --> 01:25:02.100
those marines general . Should those

01:25:02.109 --> 01:25:05.640
marines get promoted ? Congressman

01:25:05.759 --> 01:25:09.069
as a rule ? We we , we do not uh

01:25:09.080 --> 01:25:12.680
grant posthumous promotions . Um That

01:25:12.689 --> 01:25:14.856
does not take away from the sacrifices

01:25:14.856 --> 01:25:17.078
of those marines killed at a gate . But

01:25:17.078 --> 01:25:19.022
even our posthumous medal of honor

01:25:19.022 --> 01:25:21.133
recipients have not been posthumously

01:25:21.133 --> 01:25:20.770
promoted . I don't think the level of

01:25:20.779 --> 01:25:23.620
award general necessarily should

01:25:23.629 --> 01:25:26.529
dictate whether you give a posthumous

01:25:26.540 --> 01:25:28.651
promotion you look at , I mean , this

01:25:28.651 --> 01:25:30.873
was the worst withdrawal since Saigon ,

01:25:30.873 --> 01:25:33.096
these marines were put in an impossible

01:25:33.096 --> 01:25:35.318
position , defend an airfield . Yet let

01:25:35.318 --> 01:25:38.109
people through by the hundreds , if not

01:25:38.120 --> 01:25:39.898
thousands , they were put in an

01:25:39.898 --> 01:25:42.009
impossible position . So we also have

01:25:42.009 --> 01:25:43.898
to look at the mission , not just

01:25:43.898 --> 01:25:46.009
historic precedent . And Mr Secretary

01:25:46.009 --> 01:25:47.564
and I would think with your

01:25:47.564 --> 01:25:49.620
recommendation general , if you have

01:25:49.620 --> 01:25:51.842
the authority to do it , I'd ask you to

01:25:51.842 --> 01:25:53.787
reconsider . Uh and , and let's at

01:25:53.787 --> 01:25:56.064
least give these families that closure ,

01:25:56.064 --> 01:25:58.330
given the entire nature of what

01:25:58.339 --> 01:26:00.395
happened in that withdrawal and that

01:26:00.395 --> 01:26:02.506
they were put in mission impossible ,

01:26:02.506 --> 01:26:04.617
not by either of you but by the White

01:26:04.617 --> 01:26:06.617
House . But thank you . If we could

01:26:06.617 --> 01:26:08.506
just talk about . Number one , Mr

01:26:08.506 --> 01:26:10.450
Secretary , I told you we're gonna

01:26:10.450 --> 01:26:12.450
recognize the bravery and I want it

01:26:12.450 --> 01:26:14.617
loud and clear of those sailors in the

01:26:14.617 --> 01:26:17.189
Red Sea . Uh They're kicking and taking

01:26:17.200 --> 01:26:19.640
names uh and , and , and we should

01:26:19.660 --> 01:26:22.814
absolutely pound the table and please ,

01:26:22.904 --> 01:26:25.126
I'll be there in Jacksonville when they

01:26:25.126 --> 01:26:27.182
come back to Mayport . God bless the

01:26:27.182 --> 01:26:29.515
Carney . But if we uh we ate up my time

01:26:29.524 --> 01:26:33.345
here , but we have the Columbia , the

01:26:33.354 --> 01:26:36.285
Virginia , the constellation , our ddgs

01:26:36.665 --> 01:26:39.305
are all behind . We have a broader

01:26:39.314 --> 01:26:41.592
systemic problem here and it's , and I ,

01:26:41.592 --> 01:26:43.758
I know it's an all of society . I have

01:26:43.758 --> 01:26:45.925
a maritime strategy that I'm releasing

01:26:45.925 --> 01:26:48.709
next week issue uh to get it workforce

01:26:48.720 --> 01:26:50.609
to get it shipyards and steal the

01:26:50.609 --> 01:26:52.609
materials and all that . And I look

01:26:52.609 --> 01:26:54.831
forward to working with the legislative

01:26:54.831 --> 01:26:56.998
recommendations in it . But I think we

01:26:56.998 --> 01:26:56.680
have a systemic problem in the Navy as

01:26:56.689 --> 01:26:58.689
well . Can you speak to that in the

01:26:58.689 --> 01:27:00.745
time ? I have remaining . Well , the

01:27:00.745 --> 01:27:02.967
major reasons for the delays on most of

01:27:02.967 --> 01:27:04.689
these ships is actually delays

01:27:04.689 --> 01:27:06.800
associated with the delivery of major

01:27:06.800 --> 01:27:08.467
components from the vendors ,

01:27:08.467 --> 01:27:10.411
particularly Northrop Grumman with

01:27:10.411 --> 01:27:12.578
regards to turbine generators and main

01:27:12.578 --> 01:27:14.411
reduction gears to their primary

01:27:14.411 --> 01:27:17.009
vendors . That is the root cause of the

01:27:17.020 --> 01:27:19.076
major delays associated with each of

01:27:19.076 --> 01:27:21.242
these . With the exception of the , of

01:27:21.242 --> 01:27:22.859
the um the F and Terry , the

01:27:22.870 --> 01:27:24.870
gentleman's time is expired . We're

01:27:24.879 --> 01:27:26.990
running out of time . Mr Secretary of

01:27:26.990 --> 01:27:28.990
2027 the gentleman who aspire , the

01:27:28.990 --> 01:27:31.101
chair now recognizes Miss Jacobs from

01:27:31.109 --> 01:27:33.479
California . Thank you madam chair . Um

01:27:33.490 --> 01:27:36.270
Thank you so much uh to our witnesses

01:27:36.279 --> 01:27:38.589
as the representative from San Diego .

01:27:38.600 --> 01:27:41.080
Um Both of these services are

01:27:41.089 --> 01:27:44.270
incredibly important uh to my community .

01:27:44.279 --> 01:27:46.223
Uh And so I'm grateful for you all

01:27:46.223 --> 01:27:48.168
being here . I first wanted to ask

01:27:48.168 --> 01:27:50.001
about the US S Boxer . I know my

01:27:50.001 --> 01:27:52.112
colleague , uh Mr Kelly already asked

01:27:52.112 --> 01:27:55.720
uh uh some of it . Um But you know what ,

01:27:55.729 --> 01:27:57.951
what one of the things I was interested

01:27:57.951 --> 01:28:00.720
in is just before uh its deployment in

01:28:00.729 --> 01:28:03.040
March , it was reported that the ship

01:28:03.049 --> 01:28:05.970
won several awards including the battle

01:28:05.979 --> 01:28:09.609
effectiveness award . Um I guess

01:28:09.620 --> 01:28:12.049
I I'm a little concerned that that

01:28:12.060 --> 01:28:14.060
shows that we don't actually have a

01:28:14.060 --> 01:28:16.116
good way to measure the readiness of

01:28:16.116 --> 01:28:19.209
our ships . Um And you know that

01:28:20.689 --> 01:28:22.522
we're awarding ships for mission

01:28:22.522 --> 01:28:25.430
readiness that clearly are not mission

01:28:25.439 --> 01:28:29.220
ready . A how do we ,

01:28:29.229 --> 01:28:31.979
how , how do you assess readiness and

01:28:31.990 --> 01:28:34.212
how do we make sure it's accurate given

01:28:34.212 --> 01:28:36.979
these recent developments , whichever

01:28:36.990 --> 01:28:40.839
of you would like to answer . Uh ,

01:28:40.850 --> 01:28:42.961
thank you for your question and thank

01:28:42.961 --> 01:28:45.017
you for your support to our folks in

01:28:45.017 --> 01:28:47.183
San Diego , you know , in the , in the

01:28:47.183 --> 01:28:49.183
boxer casualty equipment , casualty

01:28:49.183 --> 01:28:51.350
that you're having right now , this is

01:28:51.350 --> 01:28:53.572
a material failure . So , you know , we

01:28:53.572 --> 01:28:56.549
have a very good set of standards for ,

01:28:56.560 --> 01:28:58.616
uh , all of our ships in each one of

01:28:58.616 --> 01:29:00.393
their primary warfare areas and

01:29:00.393 --> 01:29:02.839
including engineering and uh all of the

01:29:02.850 --> 01:29:04.961
different things that they need to be

01:29:04.961 --> 01:29:06.961
able to do . They're assessed by an

01:29:06.961 --> 01:29:09.183
afloat training group . And then as the

01:29:09.183 --> 01:29:09.060
ship progresses from individual

01:29:09.069 --> 01:29:11.180
training to intermediate and advanced

01:29:11.180 --> 01:29:13.347
training , we have standards that each

01:29:13.347 --> 01:29:15.347
one of the ships is supposed to met

01:29:15.347 --> 01:29:17.513
with very rigid criteria and very well

01:29:17.513 --> 01:29:19.729
qualified uh inspectors . So then why

01:29:19.740 --> 01:29:22.229
was the Boxer awarded this readiness

01:29:22.240 --> 01:29:25.240
award when they were clearly not ready ?

01:29:25.839 --> 01:29:28.220
So the particular casualty was a

01:29:28.229 --> 01:29:29.951
documented casualty . It had a

01:29:29.951 --> 01:29:32.850
engineering assessment for some uh not

01:29:32.859 --> 01:29:34.410
related uh departures from

01:29:34.419 --> 01:29:36.752
specifications on the rudder , but they ,

01:29:36.752 --> 01:29:39.609
this current casualty is a new casualty

01:29:39.620 --> 01:29:41.731
that was not part of those departures

01:29:41.731 --> 01:29:43.839
from specifications . Got it . Ok ,

01:29:43.850 --> 01:29:45.906
thanks . Um And then in terms of the

01:29:45.906 --> 01:29:48.180
the sailors who are on the Boxer , um

01:29:48.189 --> 01:29:50.411
are they gonna stay on the ship through

01:29:50.411 --> 01:29:52.467
the duration of the maintenance ? Um

01:29:52.467 --> 01:29:54.689
And will the current maintenance period

01:29:54.689 --> 01:29:56.911
add time to their deployment schedule ?

01:29:57.189 --> 01:29:59.411
So , the Pacific fleet commander is the

01:29:59.411 --> 01:30:01.578
one who made all the decisions about ,

01:30:01.578 --> 01:30:03.689
about the Boxer . In fact , he is one

01:30:03.689 --> 01:30:05.745
that approved the , uh , maintenance

01:30:05.745 --> 01:30:07.800
repair plan right now . The way that

01:30:07.800 --> 01:30:09.911
the current plan is , um , you know ,

01:30:09.911 --> 01:30:12.133
we were optimistic that the repair will

01:30:12.133 --> 01:30:14.300
be done in about 4 to 6 weeks . He has

01:30:14.300 --> 01:30:16.467
several other branch , uh , courses of

01:30:16.467 --> 01:30:18.633
action if this one doesn't work , uh ,

01:30:18.633 --> 01:30:20.856
the intention if it finishes on time is

01:30:20.856 --> 01:30:22.633
to get the ship back out on its

01:30:22.633 --> 01:30:24.689
deployment . Um Because we are , you

01:30:24.689 --> 01:30:27.022
know , a teammate with the Marine Corps .

01:30:27.022 --> 01:30:28.745
Uh The Marine Corps also has a

01:30:28.745 --> 01:30:28.720
deployment , you know , when their

01:30:28.729 --> 01:30:30.729
deployment ends . So we'll end that

01:30:30.729 --> 01:30:32.840
deployment on time uh after the Boxer

01:30:32.840 --> 01:30:34.896
gets out there . Great . Thank you .

01:30:34.896 --> 01:30:38.810
And then , um uh I wanted to ask , um

01:30:38.870 --> 01:30:40.759
you know , that the Navy has made

01:30:40.759 --> 01:30:43.037
tremendous strides in experimental and ,

01:30:43.037 --> 01:30:45.148
and , and research regarding un crude

01:30:45.148 --> 01:30:47.092
systems . Um and the digital tools

01:30:47.092 --> 01:30:49.370
necessary to enable their capabilities .

01:30:49.370 --> 01:30:51.426
I myself have been out to Bahrain to

01:30:51.426 --> 01:30:53.370
see some of the , the amazing work

01:30:53.370 --> 01:30:55.481
we're doing that in San Diego . We've

01:30:55.481 --> 01:30:57.648
got some examples . Um But I guess one

01:30:57.648 --> 01:30:59.870
of the things I'm wondering is , is why

01:30:59.870 --> 01:31:02.092
given all of that research , we haven't

01:31:02.092 --> 01:31:04.148
procured those systems in sufficient

01:31:04.148 --> 01:31:06.314
bulk for the fleet , even though we've

01:31:06.314 --> 01:31:08.481
identified them as a high priority and

01:31:08.481 --> 01:31:10.703
why it's dependent on an OS D program ,

01:31:10.703 --> 01:31:12.814
the replicator initiative to fund and

01:31:12.814 --> 01:31:14.981
procure these systems . Um rather than

01:31:14.981 --> 01:31:17.109
going through the actual naval

01:31:17.120 --> 01:31:19.220
procurement process . Thank you ,

01:31:19.229 --> 01:31:21.340
Congress . Uh first and foremost , we

01:31:21.340 --> 01:31:23.562
have been buying some of those unmanned

01:31:23.562 --> 01:31:25.340
vessels and the numbers that we

01:31:25.340 --> 01:31:27.562
currently need to be able to experiment

01:31:27.562 --> 01:31:29.562
with them as we continue to further

01:31:29.562 --> 01:31:31.729
operationalize them . So for example ,

01:31:31.729 --> 01:31:33.840
in tests 459 we , you know , we had a

01:31:33.840 --> 01:31:35.729
set number of cell drones that we

01:31:35.729 --> 01:31:37.840
purchased from the cell drone company

01:31:37.840 --> 01:31:39.951
when we actually moved that to fourth

01:31:39.951 --> 01:31:42.062
fleet and conducting operations uh in

01:31:42.062 --> 01:31:43.951
Thera between Haiti and Cuba . Uh

01:31:43.951 --> 01:31:45.951
taking a look at drug runners , for

01:31:45.951 --> 01:31:47.951
example , we bought additional cell

01:31:47.951 --> 01:31:47.910
drones as well too . So we're

01:31:47.919 --> 01:31:50.141
purchasing them and the numbers that we

01:31:50.141 --> 01:31:52.086
currently need them in the case of

01:31:52.086 --> 01:31:54.308
operationalize them in the Pacific . We

01:31:54.308 --> 01:31:56.197
have four of them that we've been

01:31:56.197 --> 01:31:58.419
experimenting now with a good part of a

01:31:58.419 --> 01:32:00.641
year . But I think what you will see in

01:32:00.641 --> 01:32:00.419
the next few years is actually more of

01:32:00.430 --> 01:32:02.729
those coming to fruition as we continue

01:32:02.740 --> 01:32:04.851
to bring more of them to work side by

01:32:04.851 --> 01:32:07.456
side mad vessels as we operationalize

01:32:07.465 --> 01:32:09.687
them in the in the Pacific as well . So

01:32:09.687 --> 01:32:11.909
I think you'll see a significant growth

01:32:11.909 --> 01:32:13.909
in the numbers . Uh The XL UUV is a

01:32:13.909 --> 01:32:16.076
perfect example of that ORCA is in the

01:32:16.076 --> 01:32:18.187
final stages of um of testing for its

01:32:18.187 --> 01:32:19.909
IOC , for example , we'll have

01:32:19.909 --> 01:32:22.021
additional four of those once they're

01:32:22.021 --> 01:32:24.187
fully manufactured and deployed out to

01:32:24.187 --> 01:32:26.243
sea . Great . Thank you . Well , you

01:32:26.243 --> 01:32:28.298
know , I just want to make sure that

01:32:28.298 --> 01:32:27.912
this approach outlives the current

01:32:27.921 --> 01:32:29.921
senior leadership at the Pentagon .

01:32:29.921 --> 01:32:31.921
We've seen great programs fail when

01:32:31.921 --> 01:32:34.352
leadership changes . Um And that given

01:32:34.472 --> 01:32:36.981
the recent uh issues that have come up

01:32:36.992 --> 01:32:39.214
with the Air Force and the F-35 that we

01:32:39.214 --> 01:32:41.214
make sure that the Navy has control

01:32:41.214 --> 01:32:43.325
over the architecture and software of

01:32:43.325 --> 01:32:45.912
these kinds of programs . Thank you .

01:32:45.921 --> 01:32:47.865
You're not recognized Jen Lee from

01:32:47.865 --> 01:32:50.049
South Carolina . Thank you , Mr

01:32:50.060 --> 01:32:52.227
Chairman . I wanna thank Secretary Del

01:32:52.227 --> 01:32:54.449
Toro , Admiral Franti and General Smith

01:32:54.449 --> 01:32:56.338
for being with us here today . My

01:32:56.338 --> 01:32:58.669
constituents have a great appreciation

01:32:58.680 --> 01:33:00.736
of the importance of the US Navy and

01:33:00.736 --> 01:33:02.902
our Marine Corps in the low country of

01:33:02.902 --> 01:33:05.160
South Carolina . We make marines and

01:33:05.169 --> 01:33:06.947
we're really proud of that . Uh

01:33:06.947 --> 01:33:09.169
Beaufort County is home to the Paris to

01:33:09.169 --> 01:33:11.280
Paris Island and the Marine Corps Air

01:33:11.280 --> 01:33:13.391
Station , Beaufort , our community is

01:33:13.391 --> 01:33:15.613
deeply supportive of the important work

01:33:15.613 --> 01:33:17.836
being done to train the next generation

01:33:17.836 --> 01:33:20.058
of marines and to defend the homeland .

01:33:20.058 --> 01:33:22.113
I would like to use my time today to

01:33:22.113 --> 01:33:24.002
highlight the importance of these

01:33:24.002 --> 01:33:23.700
installations and their capacity to

01:33:23.709 --> 01:33:25.640
play an even greater role in our

01:33:25.649 --> 01:33:28.500
National defense . Um The Marine Corps

01:33:28.509 --> 01:33:30.731
Air Station Buford has the support of a

01:33:30.731 --> 01:33:32.509
local community . It has excess

01:33:32.509 --> 01:33:34.770
capacity and room to grow . The number

01:33:34.779 --> 01:33:36.830
of squadrons has shrunk from shrunk

01:33:36.839 --> 01:33:38.959
from 9 to 5 . While the infant

01:33:39.095 --> 01:33:41.317
structure to support a larger number of

01:33:41.317 --> 01:33:43.651
squadrons remains from my understanding ,

01:33:43.651 --> 01:33:45.762
Marine Corps Air Station , Beaufort's

01:33:45.762 --> 01:33:47.595
location also provides among the

01:33:47.595 --> 01:33:49.762
largest training areas anywhere on the

01:33:49.762 --> 01:33:51.955
eastern seaboard . So general , my

01:33:51.964 --> 01:33:54.242
first question for you this morning is ,

01:33:54.242 --> 01:33:56.131
is do we have plans to expand the

01:33:56.131 --> 01:33:58.075
mission set or number of squadrons

01:33:58.075 --> 01:34:01.140
stationed there ? Congresswoman ? We

01:34:01.149 --> 01:34:03.290
don't have plans right now to expand

01:34:03.299 --> 01:34:05.466
the number of squadrons there , but we

01:34:05.466 --> 01:34:07.632
will modify the number of aircraft and

01:34:07.632 --> 01:34:09.688
those , those aircraft will increase

01:34:09.688 --> 01:34:11.910
squatter sizes from 10 to 12 . And then

01:34:11.910 --> 01:34:13.509
what's the timing of that

01:34:13.520 --> 01:34:15.950
implementation ? Um I'll get back to

01:34:15.959 --> 01:34:18.070
you on that congresswoman to give you

01:34:18.070 --> 01:34:20.181
the exact details and dates . Ok . My

01:34:20.181 --> 01:34:22.181
understanding is it starts in a few

01:34:22.181 --> 01:34:22.000
months delivery of some of the the

01:34:22.009 --> 01:34:24.350
newer aircraft on that installation .

01:34:24.629 --> 01:34:26.890
Uh Currently Paris Island lacks the um

01:34:26.899 --> 01:34:29.066
on base medical facilities , personnel

01:34:29.066 --> 01:34:30.677
and capabilities required to

01:34:30.677 --> 01:34:32.621
efficiently treat recruits who are

01:34:32.621 --> 01:34:35.350
injured in training . Um Under the

01:34:35.359 --> 01:34:37.470
current model , the naval Hospital in

01:34:37.470 --> 01:34:39.850
Beaufort provides only ambulatory care

01:34:40.040 --> 01:34:41.818
and so many of the recruits are

01:34:41.818 --> 01:34:43.984
required to secure outside treatment .

01:34:43.984 --> 01:34:46.151
And we know that if their treatment uh

01:34:46.151 --> 01:34:48.373
is prolonged and off the installation ,

01:34:48.373 --> 01:34:50.429
they're more apt to maybe not return

01:34:50.429 --> 01:34:52.429
back to training . And we want make

01:34:52.429 --> 01:34:54.540
sure that they get the immediate care

01:34:54.540 --> 01:34:56.651
that they need . Um would building an

01:34:56.651 --> 01:34:58.818
on base multi-purpose medical facility

01:34:58.818 --> 01:35:01.040
at Parris Island in a smaller clinic at

01:35:01.040 --> 01:35:03.040
Marine Corps Air Station , Beaufort

01:35:03.040 --> 01:35:03.000
help our marines get appropriate

01:35:03.009 --> 01:35:05.009
medical care . What is your sort of

01:35:05.009 --> 01:35:07.065
sense of medical care for our marine

01:35:07.065 --> 01:35:09.600
recruits and their training . Well ,

01:35:09.609 --> 01:35:11.831
congresswoman , I'm committed to making

01:35:11.831 --> 01:35:13.887
sure that all of our recruits , East

01:35:13.887 --> 01:35:13.790
coast and west coast have adequate

01:35:13.799 --> 01:35:16.490
medical care . Um And I defer to our

01:35:16.500 --> 01:35:18.620
surgeon general , uh Navy surgeon

01:35:18.629 --> 01:35:20.850
general on the allocation of resources

01:35:20.859 --> 01:35:23.609
and medical providers to , to ensure

01:35:23.620 --> 01:35:25.842
that our recruits have what they need .

01:35:25.842 --> 01:35:28.064
Um Because right now there , there is a

01:35:28.064 --> 01:35:31.080
lack of um of medical readiness at

01:35:31.089 --> 01:35:33.145
Parris Island and I acknowledge that

01:35:33.145 --> 01:35:35.367
and some of it are , you know , some of

01:35:35.367 --> 01:35:37.533
it might be related , chronic staffing

01:35:37.533 --> 01:35:39.700
shortages like at the naval hospital .

01:35:39.700 --> 01:35:41.922
Have you all had discussions about that

01:35:41.922 --> 01:35:41.549
and been aware of maybe some of the

01:35:41.560 --> 01:35:44.680
high turnover as well . Congresswoman ,

01:35:44.689 --> 01:35:46.800
we have , I speak with Admiral Miller

01:35:46.800 --> 01:35:48.689
who's the surgeon general for the

01:35:48.689 --> 01:35:50.800
Marine Corps on a literally right now

01:35:50.800 --> 01:35:52.967
almost on a daily basis . Is there are

01:35:52.967 --> 01:35:55.133
there plans to increase recruitment of

01:35:55.133 --> 01:35:57.300
um medical personnel to , to treat our

01:35:57.300 --> 01:35:59.467
service members at this time , ma'am ?

01:35:59.467 --> 01:36:01.189
I'll defer to the navy on , on

01:36:01.189 --> 01:36:03.669
recruiting navy personnel . Ok . Um I

01:36:03.680 --> 01:36:05.791
appreciate that . So Marine Corps , I

01:36:05.791 --> 01:36:07.847
have a minute and a half left Marine

01:36:07.847 --> 01:36:09.791
Corps Air Station in Beaufort . Ex

01:36:09.791 --> 01:36:11.902
experience a housing housing crisis .

01:36:11.902 --> 01:36:13.902
Uh We have a military population of

01:36:13.902 --> 01:36:15.847
around 12,000 in Beaufort County .

01:36:15.847 --> 01:36:18.120
There are only 1140 units , housing

01:36:18.129 --> 01:36:20.129
units at Marine Corps Air Station ,

01:36:20.129 --> 01:36:22.410
Beaufort and approximately 960 of those

01:36:22.419 --> 01:36:24.939
units are occupied with the less the

01:36:24.950 --> 01:36:27.100
rest being unlivable or in industry

01:36:27.200 --> 01:36:29.422
here . I'm sure you're well aware about

01:36:29.422 --> 01:36:31.644
these units . Uh They were built in the

01:36:31.644 --> 01:36:33.811
19 sixties . They have not experienced

01:36:33.811 --> 01:36:35.700
significant upgrades or increased

01:36:35.700 --> 01:36:37.422
volume since construction . So

01:36:37.422 --> 01:36:39.589
obviously this is an issue that I hear

01:36:39.589 --> 01:36:41.756
about day in and day out from folks um

01:36:41.756 --> 01:36:43.811
in the low country and in Beaufort ,

01:36:43.811 --> 01:36:46.033
what are we doing to ensure our marines

01:36:46.033 --> 01:36:48.200
and their families uh In Beaufort have

01:36:48.200 --> 01:36:50.311
access to safe quality and affordable

01:36:50.311 --> 01:36:52.533
housing while they're stationed there .

01:36:52.533 --> 01:36:54.790
Well , ma'am , the , the on base

01:36:54.799 --> 01:36:56.799
housing is in need of refurbishment

01:36:56.799 --> 01:36:59.040
that there's no doubt about that . Um

01:36:59.049 --> 01:37:03.009
Our budget calls for an update in our

01:37:03.259 --> 01:37:05.790
ps room which is our , our barracks um

01:37:05.799 --> 01:37:07.855
facility , sustainment , restoration

01:37:07.855 --> 01:37:10.810
and modernization . And it calls for um

01:37:10.819 --> 01:37:12.875
ensuring that there's enough quality

01:37:12.875 --> 01:37:16.609
housing on base to , to satisfy the

01:37:16.620 --> 01:37:19.799
needs which right now it's not . So the

01:37:19.810 --> 01:37:22.439
increased budget will assist us in in

01:37:22.459 --> 01:37:24.850
improving the housing that is there and

01:37:24.859 --> 01:37:27.081
then others will live out in town based

01:37:27.081 --> 01:37:29.248
on cost of living allowance . Ok . And

01:37:29.248 --> 01:37:31.415
is there any movement afoot to look at

01:37:31.415 --> 01:37:33.415
the contractors and who we're using

01:37:33.415 --> 01:37:35.470
down there to improve the quality of

01:37:35.470 --> 01:37:37.526
construction and maintenance ? Yes ,

01:37:37.526 --> 01:37:39.637
ma'am . Ok , cool . All right . Thank

01:37:39.637 --> 01:37:41.637
you so much , Mr Chairman , I , you

01:37:41.637 --> 01:37:43.859
back . I thank the gentle lady , uh the

01:37:43.859 --> 01:37:45.859
chair and I recognize the gentleman

01:37:45.859 --> 01:37:48.081
from Massachusetts , Mr Moulton . Thank

01:37:48.081 --> 01:37:50.192
you very much , Mr Chairman , General

01:37:50.192 --> 01:37:52.359
Smith . The Marine Corps has attracted

01:37:52.359 --> 01:37:54.526
a fair number of critics for the speed

01:37:54.526 --> 01:37:58.330
of your modernization , including even

01:37:58.339 --> 01:38:00.339
some from uh from our own ranks ,

01:38:00.399 --> 01:38:02.970
retired generals and whatnot . Why is

01:38:02.979 --> 01:38:05.229
the Marine Corps moving faster with

01:38:05.240 --> 01:38:07.462
modernization than the other services ?

01:38:08.890 --> 01:38:10.779
Well , Congressman , uh there's a

01:38:10.779 --> 01:38:12.834
couple of reasons . Uh one we have a

01:38:12.834 --> 01:38:15.770
commandant um and when the commandant

01:38:15.779 --> 01:38:19.259
says move marines move , um but it's

01:38:19.270 --> 01:38:21.529
not just based on my assessment , it's

01:38:21.540 --> 01:38:25.509
based on a deep um research , deep war

01:38:25.520 --> 01:38:27.750
gaming , deep analysis and in

01:38:27.759 --> 01:38:29.815
compliance with the national defense

01:38:29.815 --> 01:38:32.037
strategy . So our modernization efforts

01:38:32.037 --> 01:38:34.203
under , under the name of force design

01:38:34.203 --> 01:38:36.640
are designed to make us the most lethal

01:38:36.649 --> 01:38:38.760
and most ready for the fight . That's

01:38:38.760 --> 01:38:40.982
coming , not for the fight that we just

01:38:40.982 --> 01:38:42.760
had . Well , some uh members of

01:38:42.760 --> 01:38:44.871
Congress got together and wrote an op

01:38:44.871 --> 01:38:46.816
ed in the Wall Street Journal some

01:38:46.816 --> 01:38:46.750
months ago when this debate was at its

01:38:46.759 --> 01:38:49.290
height and uh it was extremely

01:38:49.299 --> 01:38:51.521
supportive of course , of what you're ,

01:38:51.521 --> 01:38:53.577
what you're trying to do . Um But we

01:38:53.577 --> 01:38:55.910
did have one criticism . We read one

01:38:55.919 --> 01:38:57.919
criticism in the whole article . We

01:38:57.919 --> 01:38:59.919
said if anything , the Marine Corps

01:38:59.919 --> 01:39:03.100
should be moving faster now , your your

01:39:03.109 --> 01:39:05.419
plan is to maintain momentum . That's

01:39:05.430 --> 01:39:07.500
the title of your , of your current

01:39:07.509 --> 01:39:09.565
plan . But the chairman of the joint

01:39:09.565 --> 01:39:11.453
chiefs says we need to accelerate

01:39:11.453 --> 01:39:14.759
change or lose . What can the Marine

01:39:14.770 --> 01:39:17.370
Corps do to move even faster with

01:39:17.379 --> 01:39:19.546
modernization and what can Congress do

01:39:19.546 --> 01:39:22.580
to help Congressman the the steady ,

01:39:22.589 --> 01:39:25.419
reliable funding um is , is really

01:39:25.430 --> 01:39:28.220
important . Uh frankly , um when we go

01:39:28.229 --> 01:39:30.640
into uh and this is not to criticize ,

01:39:30.649 --> 01:39:33.939
but when we go into um uh uh

01:39:34.450 --> 01:39:36.561
continue resolutions . Thank you , Mr

01:39:36.561 --> 01:39:38.283
Secretary . Um When we go into

01:39:38.283 --> 01:39:40.506
continued resolutions , we cannot spend

01:39:40.506 --> 01:39:42.672
at that year's rate , we have to spend

01:39:42.672 --> 01:39:44.783
at last year's rate . And , and our ,

01:39:44.783 --> 01:39:46.728
all of our advancements are in the

01:39:46.728 --> 01:39:48.839
current year . So it , it retards our

01:39:48.839 --> 01:39:51.006
pro our process and it retards our pro

01:39:51.006 --> 01:39:53.006
our progress and it slows us down .

01:39:53.006 --> 01:39:55.117
Well , I would just say that if there

01:39:55.117 --> 01:39:57.228
are any more specific things that you

01:39:57.228 --> 01:39:59.394
can come to us and say , uh you know ,

01:39:59.394 --> 01:40:01.728
if we do this , we can move even faster ,

01:40:01.728 --> 01:40:03.783
we can get rid of the old stuff more

01:40:03.783 --> 01:40:05.728
quickly , we can invest in the new

01:40:05.728 --> 01:40:05.490
things and field them to the troops

01:40:05.640 --> 01:40:07.751
even more quickly than we are today .

01:40:07.751 --> 01:40:09.862
There's gonna be a lot of receptivity

01:40:09.862 --> 01:40:12.084
for that on this uh on this committee .

01:40:12.084 --> 01:40:14.109
Um Admiral Franchetti , a lot of my

01:40:14.120 --> 01:40:16.410
colleagues talk about a 355 ship navy .

01:40:16.419 --> 01:40:18.641
Do you think that's a reasonable goal ?

01:40:20.850 --> 01:40:23.017
I do , I think every study really that

01:40:23.017 --> 01:40:25.183
we've done since 2016 shows that we do

01:40:25.183 --> 01:40:27.350
need a larger navy . And uh you know ,

01:40:27.350 --> 01:40:29.572
we're committed as we said in , through

01:40:29.572 --> 01:40:31.239
all of our investments in the

01:40:31.239 --> 01:40:33.239
industrial base , but it isn't just

01:40:33.239 --> 01:40:35.406
about the numbers , it is about having

01:40:35.406 --> 01:40:34.990
ready ships with the munitions , with

01:40:35.000 --> 01:40:37.000
the right number of people with the

01:40:37.000 --> 01:40:39.222
training , you know , that can fight as

01:40:39.222 --> 01:40:41.000
part of that joint war fighting

01:40:41.000 --> 01:40:43.222
ecosystem that we need to be able to do

01:40:43.222 --> 01:40:45.167
in the high end fight . I've heard

01:40:45.167 --> 01:40:44.689
nothing but good things about you . So

01:40:44.700 --> 01:40:46.811
it's not really fair to have my first

01:40:46.811 --> 01:40:48.811
question to you be a bit of a trick

01:40:48.811 --> 01:40:51.033
question . But I'm very concerned about

01:40:51.033 --> 01:40:52.978
a 355 ship navy because I think we

01:40:52.978 --> 01:40:55.089
should probably add a zero to that or

01:40:55.089 --> 01:40:57.089
maybe two zeros because if we don't

01:40:57.089 --> 01:40:58.811
have a navy that has literally

01:40:58.811 --> 01:41:01.033
thousands of autonomous ships , I don't

01:41:01.033 --> 01:41:02.922
know that we're gonna win the the

01:41:02.922 --> 01:41:05.529
future fight . Yeah , I'm , I'm very

01:41:05.540 --> 01:41:08.310
focused on uh increasing our abilities

01:41:08.319 --> 01:41:10.375
in the unmanned space . You know , I

01:41:10.375 --> 01:41:12.375
think that as you look forward , we

01:41:12.375 --> 01:41:14.541
really need to have that complimentary

01:41:14.541 --> 01:41:16.652
force that will be able to expand the

01:41:16.652 --> 01:41:18.375
reach and the lethality of our

01:41:18.375 --> 01:41:20.263
conventionally manned platforms .

01:41:20.263 --> 01:41:22.597
That's what we need to do in the future .

01:41:22.597 --> 01:41:22.240
And I'm committed to focusing on that

01:41:22.459 --> 01:41:24.570
growing that as quickly as possible .

01:41:24.850 --> 01:41:26.961
General Smith , one core component of

01:41:26.961 --> 01:41:28.683
your strategy with marine lial

01:41:28.683 --> 01:41:30.739
regiments is being able to put these

01:41:30.739 --> 01:41:32.850
marines on places like islands in the

01:41:32.850 --> 01:41:34.961
Philippines . Um So they're , they're

01:41:34.961 --> 01:41:34.899
spread out , they're dispersed ,

01:41:34.910 --> 01:41:37.189
they're autonomous . Uh they can uh

01:41:37.200 --> 01:41:39.640
they can do a lot to disrupt uh Chinese

01:41:39.649 --> 01:41:41.430
plans , but of course , that's

01:41:41.439 --> 01:41:43.779
dependent on having these agreements

01:41:43.790 --> 01:41:45.790
with nations like the Philippines ,

01:41:45.790 --> 01:41:47.846
perhaps Japan as well . What are you

01:41:47.846 --> 01:41:50.012
doing to foster those agreements ? And

01:41:50.012 --> 01:41:52.459
actually get marines practicing what

01:41:52.470 --> 01:41:54.979
you preach congressman . We're

01:41:54.990 --> 01:41:57.779
exercising with our Filipino allies on

01:41:57.790 --> 01:41:59.623
a , on a regular basis . We just

01:41:59.623 --> 01:42:01.950
finished ban the largest one ever uh

01:42:01.959 --> 01:42:04.750
involving thousands of marines . And so

01:42:04.759 --> 01:42:07.339
our ability to exercise throughout the

01:42:07.350 --> 01:42:10.040
southern Ryuko , the Japanese Home

01:42:10.049 --> 01:42:13.029
Islands and the Philippines is with ,

01:42:13.040 --> 01:42:16.680
without question . We have um um a

01:42:16.689 --> 01:42:19.169
very hospitable host in the Philippines .

01:42:19.810 --> 01:42:21.866
Uh Finally , Mr Secretary , you know

01:42:21.866 --> 01:42:23.977
how important uh mental health of our

01:42:23.977 --> 01:42:26.199
service members is to me personally and

01:42:26.199 --> 01:42:28.477
having worked with a fellow veteran to ,

01:42:28.477 --> 01:42:30.910
to pass uh 988 . Can you just tell me

01:42:30.930 --> 01:42:34.870
uh at , at , at this point is 988

01:42:34.879 --> 01:42:38.870
diable from without a prefix

01:42:38.879 --> 01:42:41.379
without a postfix from all unclassified

01:42:41.390 --> 01:42:43.501
dod telephone systems in the Navy and

01:42:43.501 --> 01:42:45.501
the Marine Corps Congress . I can't

01:42:45.501 --> 01:42:47.446
confirm that it's doable for every

01:42:47.446 --> 01:42:49.557
single one , but I will , what I will

01:42:49.557 --> 01:42:51.779
tell you is that the marketing campaign

01:42:51.779 --> 01:42:53.779
that we put into effect to actually

01:42:53.779 --> 01:42:55.723
have the uh 988 posters throughout

01:42:55.723 --> 01:42:58.029
every installation uh is extraordinary

01:42:58.279 --> 01:43:00.279
and gentleman Toms expired . I have

01:43:00.279 --> 01:43:02.390
this lady from Virginia , Miss Kins .

01:43:02.390 --> 01:43:04.557
Thank you . Thank you to our panel for

01:43:04.557 --> 01:43:06.779
being here . It's certainly a privilege

01:43:06.779 --> 01:43:06.279
to be in the same room as , as the

01:43:06.290 --> 01:43:08.234
three of you . We've done a lot of

01:43:08.234 --> 01:43:10.457
talking today about the number of ships

01:43:10.457 --> 01:43:12.623
and , and how this this fiscal year 25

01:43:12.623 --> 01:43:14.179
budget takes us down to 287

01:43:14.179 --> 01:43:16.234
Decommissioning ships prior to their

01:43:16.234 --> 01:43:18.346
expected service life Decommissioning

01:43:18.346 --> 01:43:20.568
more than we're commissioning , slowing

01:43:20.568 --> 01:43:20.459
the aircraft carrier bills , you know ,

01:43:20.470 --> 01:43:23.040
having the , having the submarine uh

01:43:23.049 --> 01:43:25.790
build . So I'm just worried about the ,

01:43:25.799 --> 01:43:27.966
you know , that message that's sending

01:43:27.966 --> 01:43:29.966
to our allies . We , we've got this

01:43:29.966 --> 01:43:32.021
Great Aus Agreement in place . We're

01:43:32.021 --> 01:43:33.910
excited about it . Uh Also to our

01:43:33.910 --> 01:43:33.549
shipbuilding partners , we talked today

01:43:33.560 --> 01:43:35.560
about the number of ship repair and

01:43:35.560 --> 01:43:37.560
I've got them in my district in Vir

01:43:37.560 --> 01:43:39.893
Virginia too . That , that message that ,

01:43:39.893 --> 01:43:39.589
that sends to them , they can't keep

01:43:39.600 --> 01:43:41.433
their people . I know continuing

01:43:41.433 --> 01:43:43.267
resolutions is part of it . It's

01:43:43.267 --> 01:43:45.378
frustrating to me too . Uh And I know

01:43:45.378 --> 01:43:47.600
the defense budget is always inadequate

01:43:47.600 --> 01:43:47.540
but , but what are we doing or what can

01:43:47.549 --> 01:43:50.250
we do to be more reassuring to partners

01:43:50.259 --> 01:43:52.609
like allies like Australia or people we

01:43:52.620 --> 01:43:54.787
need in the fight like our ship repair

01:43:54.787 --> 01:43:57.009
and shipbuilding industry . Thank you ,

01:43:57.009 --> 01:43:56.645
Congresswoman . I think the biggest

01:43:56.654 --> 01:43:58.710
thing we can do is actually reaffirm

01:43:58.710 --> 01:44:00.821
the commitment uh just in this fit up

01:44:00.821 --> 01:44:03.225
alone that we're investing $18 billion

01:44:03.234 --> 01:44:05.234
in the submarine industrial base to

01:44:05.234 --> 01:44:07.456
actually try to increase the production

01:44:07.456 --> 01:44:09.623
rates to where they need to be so that

01:44:09.623 --> 01:44:11.734
we can actually build more submarines

01:44:11.734 --> 01:44:13.790
and well into the future along those

01:44:13.790 --> 01:44:15.567
same lines , just talking about

01:44:15.567 --> 01:44:17.790
messaging and uh getting our message to

01:44:17.790 --> 01:44:19.845
our , our partners like allies and ,

01:44:19.845 --> 01:44:22.067
and she prepared shipbuilder uh for the

01:44:22.067 --> 01:44:24.067
recruitment retention side . I know

01:44:24.067 --> 01:44:23.500
we've talked about that today too and I

01:44:23.509 --> 01:44:25.565
have the privilege of sitting on the

01:44:25.565 --> 01:44:27.787
recruitment , retention quality of life

01:44:27.787 --> 01:44:27.319
task force . I hope you all have copies

01:44:27.330 --> 01:44:29.274
of , of the bound book that we put

01:44:29.274 --> 01:44:31.386
together . Uh My ask yesterday to the

01:44:31.386 --> 01:44:33.441
Secretary of Defense was just to get

01:44:33.441 --> 01:44:35.608
that word out to the American Public .

01:44:35.608 --> 01:44:37.830
I need them to know that Congress hears

01:44:37.830 --> 01:44:37.569
them that we've emphasized things like

01:44:37.580 --> 01:44:39.358
paying compensation , housing ,

01:44:39.358 --> 01:44:41.191
childcare , health care , spouse

01:44:41.191 --> 01:44:43.413
employment , I need that message to get

01:44:43.413 --> 01:44:45.247
to them . So through that's a pr

01:44:45.247 --> 01:44:47.358
campaign or uh and kudos to the build

01:44:47.358 --> 01:44:49.302
submarines.com , I've had multiple

01:44:49.302 --> 01:44:51.524
people in my district come up to me and

01:44:51.524 --> 01:44:50.479
say , hey , we , we've reached out to ,

01:44:50.490 --> 01:44:52.434
we we saw the ad . So , so I think

01:44:52.434 --> 01:44:54.546
those things work . So let's get that

01:44:54.546 --> 01:44:56.768
message out to the American people that

01:44:56.768 --> 01:44:56.299
we heard them and we're taking care of

01:44:56.310 --> 01:44:58.532
our military , men and women . 9000 new

01:44:58.532 --> 01:45:00.477
applications just this past year ,

01:45:00.477 --> 01:45:02.643
ma'am and retention is as high as it's

01:45:02.643 --> 01:45:04.699
ever been in the Navy and the Marine

01:45:04.699 --> 01:45:06.866
Corps . Thanks to your investments and

01:45:06.866 --> 01:45:06.600
all your life and we need to keep ,

01:45:06.609 --> 01:45:08.776
keep down that track . Want us gear to

01:45:08.776 --> 01:45:10.998
naval aviation subject near and dear to

01:45:10.998 --> 01:45:13.109
my heart as a former navy pilot . But

01:45:13.109 --> 01:45:15.220
uh you know , I look at programs like

01:45:15.220 --> 01:45:17.553
the A 12 like the F-22 and , and we can ,

01:45:17.553 --> 01:45:19.720
we can ask a lot of questions , but if

01:45:19.720 --> 01:45:19.209
we should have done some things

01:45:19.220 --> 01:45:21.442
differently , I'm looking at the F-35 ,

01:45:21.442 --> 01:45:23.664
right now and yesterday we talked a lot

01:45:23.664 --> 01:45:25.887
about that expense and how it continues

01:45:25.887 --> 01:45:28.053
to grow . We have quite a few that are

01:45:28.053 --> 01:45:27.629
still sitting on flight lines . They're

01:45:27.640 --> 01:45:29.862
not , we don't have pilots and cockpits

01:45:29.862 --> 01:45:31.862
yet . Uh I wanna put in my plug for

01:45:31.862 --> 01:45:33.751
Naval Air Station , Oceana and my

01:45:33.751 --> 01:45:35.973
strict and how , and I know secretary ,

01:45:35.973 --> 01:45:35.459
we've had discussions too about

01:45:35.470 --> 01:45:37.692
considering them . Uh East Coast Master

01:45:37.692 --> 01:45:39.914
Jet Base so that we can , can house the

01:45:39.914 --> 01:45:42.026
F-35 of the city of Virginia Beach is

01:45:42.026 --> 01:45:44.192
very welcoming to the idea and , and I

01:45:44.192 --> 01:45:46.026
look forward to pursuing further

01:45:46.026 --> 01:45:48.137
discussions about that uh along those

01:45:48.137 --> 01:45:48.020
same lines though , thinking of naval

01:45:48.029 --> 01:45:50.251
aviation training . Uh And again , my ,

01:45:50.251 --> 01:45:52.418
my son is now in Corpus Christi , very

01:45:52.418 --> 01:45:54.585
proud of him uh started the pipeline .

01:45:54.585 --> 01:45:56.529
But that wait , the wait for those

01:45:56.529 --> 01:45:58.640
students is too long . We've invested

01:45:58.640 --> 01:46:00.529
in them uh from Cessna training .

01:46:00.529 --> 01:46:02.640
They're sitting , they're waiting for

01:46:02.640 --> 01:46:01.870
starting primary , but now we're

01:46:01.879 --> 01:46:03.879
looking at the T 45 . I know we had

01:46:03.879 --> 01:46:05.879
recent compressor stall issues . Uh

01:46:05.879 --> 01:46:08.101
This is the second time that we are now

01:46:08.101 --> 01:46:10.268
halting , you know , training in the T

01:46:10.268 --> 01:46:12.323
45 . So I need the navy to have some

01:46:12.323 --> 01:46:14.490
foresight and to think about what that

01:46:14.490 --> 01:46:13.810
replacement aircraft looks like for

01:46:13.819 --> 01:46:15.930
advanced jet training because this is

01:46:15.939 --> 01:46:18.106
not our first go around with this . We

01:46:18.106 --> 01:46:20.106
have options out there . So I wanna

01:46:20.106 --> 01:46:20.049
hear from you all . What is the

01:46:20.060 --> 01:46:23.000
timeline for replacing that T 45 ? So

01:46:23.009 --> 01:46:25.065
ma'am , as you know , we're actually

01:46:25.065 --> 01:46:27.176
several years from replacing the T 45

01:46:27.176 --> 01:46:28.953
but we're accelerating , uh the

01:46:28.953 --> 01:46:31.120
necessary work , uh to actually try to

01:46:31.120 --> 01:46:33.176
move that to the left so that we can

01:46:33.176 --> 01:46:35.176
actually get the next generation of

01:46:35.176 --> 01:46:37.231
trainers out there and have it be uh

01:46:37.231 --> 01:46:39.398
reliable . It can't happen fast enough

01:46:39.398 --> 01:46:41.509
because when those guys are delayed ,

01:46:41.509 --> 01:46:43.620
then I got the , the hornet ragged or

01:46:43.620 --> 01:46:42.870
Shannon delayed and I got the fleet

01:46:42.879 --> 01:46:44.990
pilots that are , that are then being

01:46:44.990 --> 01:46:46.990
held up . So , so as much as we can

01:46:46.990 --> 01:46:49.101
expedite that uh and then I also just

01:46:49.101 --> 01:46:51.323
wanted to close with this story . I had

01:46:51.323 --> 01:46:51.060
the privilege of traveling to Israel

01:46:51.069 --> 01:46:53.013
about three weeks ago meeting with

01:46:53.013 --> 01:46:55.236
military intelligence officers , dining

01:46:55.236 --> 01:46:57.013
with just everyday Israelis and

01:46:57.013 --> 01:46:59.013
families uh and listening to them ,

01:46:59.013 --> 01:47:01.069
thank me as a representative uh from

01:47:01.069 --> 01:47:03.236
Hampton Roads . Thanking , thanking me

01:47:03.236 --> 01:47:05.402
and all of us for sending our aircraft

01:47:05.402 --> 01:47:07.069
carriers , the the Ford , the

01:47:07.069 --> 01:47:09.236
Eisenhower , the Baton over to sit off

01:47:09.236 --> 01:47:11.125
the coast of Israel and our quick

01:47:11.125 --> 01:47:13.347
response after October 7th , they truly

01:47:13.347 --> 01:47:15.513
believe each and every Israeli I spoke

01:47:15.513 --> 01:47:17.736
to that because of our aircraft carrier

01:47:17.736 --> 01:47:17.500
presence . That is why Hezbollah did

01:47:17.509 --> 01:47:19.680
not invade Israel from the north . I

01:47:19.689 --> 01:47:21.856
had Israeli families dining with their

01:47:21.856 --> 01:47:23.745
Children skipping around the room

01:47:23.745 --> 01:47:25.745
saying I want to go on the aircraft

01:47:25.745 --> 01:47:25.350
carrier , I want to go on the aircraft

01:47:25.359 --> 01:47:27.069
carrier . So , so I was the

01:47:27.080 --> 01:47:29.024
representative that received phone

01:47:29.024 --> 01:47:31.247
calls and we extended those deployments

01:47:31.247 --> 01:47:31.169
when they missed Christmas with their

01:47:31.180 --> 01:47:33.291
families , when they missed the birth

01:47:33.291 --> 01:47:35.402
of their first child . But because of

01:47:35.402 --> 01:47:37.513
those service men and women , because

01:47:37.513 --> 01:47:39.513
of our US Navy , you know , we , we

01:47:39.513 --> 01:47:41.680
maintain some stability and some peace

01:47:41.680 --> 01:47:41.149
in that region . I've shared that story

01:47:41.160 --> 01:47:43.382
with the ship repair shipbuilder , with

01:47:43.382 --> 01:47:45.549
navy leadership . But please take that

01:47:45.549 --> 01:47:47.771
story back to your men and women . We ,

01:47:47.771 --> 01:47:49.549
we know it's a sacrifice but we

01:47:49.549 --> 01:47:51.660
appreciate their sacrifice and that's

01:47:51.660 --> 01:47:51.189
what keeps the peace in the world . So

01:47:51.200 --> 01:47:53.422
thank you so much for all that you do .

01:47:53.422 --> 01:47:55.367
Are you back ? I think the general

01:47:55.367 --> 01:47:57.367
agent chair and I recognize there's

01:47:57.367 --> 01:47:59.479
another uh lady from uh Hawaii Taka ,

01:47:59.490 --> 01:48:02.319
Mr Kuda . Thank you , Mr Chair uh Mr

01:48:02.330 --> 01:48:04.052
Secretary . Thank you for your

01:48:04.052 --> 01:48:06.052
continued personal attention to Red

01:48:06.052 --> 01:48:07.886
Hill on the significant work the

01:48:07.886 --> 01:48:10.108
department is doing to get things right

01:48:10.108 --> 01:48:12.163
after the November 2021 fuel bill as

01:48:12.163 --> 01:48:14.386
the Navy assumes responsibility for the

01:48:14.386 --> 01:48:16.441
closure of Red Hill . I respectfully

01:48:16.441 --> 01:48:16.180
request your focus as well on the

01:48:16.189 --> 01:48:18.411
necessary work to remediate and restore

01:48:18.411 --> 01:48:20.467
the aquifer and ensure the long term

01:48:20.467 --> 01:48:22.633
safety of our water supply . There's a

01:48:22.633 --> 01:48:24.689
lot of concern among our communities

01:48:24.689 --> 01:48:26.745
and constituents that our department

01:48:26.745 --> 01:48:28.911
continues to view the Red Hill problem

01:48:28.911 --> 01:48:31.022
set in sequential order . Moving from

01:48:31.022 --> 01:48:33.078
Deuel to closure to remediation when

01:48:33.078 --> 01:48:35.300
elements of closure and remediation can

01:48:35.300 --> 01:48:37.522
and should be done concurrently . Uh Mr

01:48:37.522 --> 01:48:39.689
Secretary in the interests of time , I

01:48:39.689 --> 01:48:39.455
won't ask you to respond , but would

01:48:39.464 --> 01:48:41.825
strongly encourage the department to

01:48:41.834 --> 01:48:44.305
urgently prioritize aquifer restoration

01:48:44.314 --> 01:48:46.725
and remediation efforts for Red Hill .

01:48:47.009 --> 01:48:48.953
Um I will go on to say though that

01:48:48.953 --> 01:48:51.176
there continues to be gaps in community

01:48:51.176 --> 01:48:53.342
trust . Then this is a broken trust as

01:48:53.342 --> 01:48:55.509
we know in the department's ability to

01:48:55.509 --> 01:48:57.453
guarantee the health and safety of

01:48:57.453 --> 01:48:57.209
their drinking water . Especially given

01:48:57.220 --> 01:48:59.470
the uncertainty created by the Navy's

01:48:59.479 --> 01:49:01.540
testing regime . The Navy recently

01:49:01.549 --> 01:49:03.382
released its data supporting the

01:49:03.382 --> 01:49:05.605
hypothesis that low level detections of

01:49:05.605 --> 01:49:07.549
TPH at Pearl Harbor drinking water

01:49:07.549 --> 01:49:09.549
system were likely caused by issues

01:49:09.549 --> 01:49:11.882
with its testing methods ? Mr Secretary ,

01:49:11.882 --> 01:49:13.993
would you um please explain why would

01:49:13.993 --> 01:49:16.216
the Navy use testing for wastewater and

01:49:16.216 --> 01:49:19.004
solid waste analysis for drinking water

01:49:19.015 --> 01:49:21.182
and why did it take two years and over

01:49:21.182 --> 01:49:23.237
8000 samples to figure out that they

01:49:23.237 --> 01:49:25.714
were not doing the right test ? Well ?

01:49:25.725 --> 01:49:27.725
Well , ma'am , the conclusions that

01:49:27.725 --> 01:49:29.836
were made with regards to the testing

01:49:29.836 --> 01:49:31.892
procedures was a combined conclusion

01:49:31.892 --> 01:49:34.003
with the president of , of the Health

01:49:34.003 --> 01:49:37.069
Department of Hawaii , the EPA and the

01:49:37.080 --> 01:49:39.459
Navy and collectively , they determined

01:49:39.470 --> 01:49:42.140
that chlorine was actually impacting

01:49:42.149 --> 01:49:44.371
the actual test results with regards to

01:49:44.810 --> 01:49:46.921
it's the first step to the question .

01:49:46.921 --> 01:49:49.143
So did the Department of Health and EPA

01:49:49.143 --> 01:49:51.589
tell you two years ago to use a test on

01:49:51.600 --> 01:49:53.711
these 8000 samples that were made for

01:49:53.711 --> 01:49:55.822
wastewater and solid waste analysis ,

01:49:55.822 --> 01:49:58.120
not drinking water . Ma'am . The tests

01:49:58.129 --> 01:50:00.351
that were used at the time were the the

01:50:00.351 --> 01:50:02.573
only tests that were actually available

01:50:02.573 --> 01:50:04.740
at the time to be able to use and they

01:50:04.740 --> 01:50:07.790
were actually off the , the off they

01:50:07.799 --> 01:50:09.966
were on the mainland basically . So we

01:50:09.966 --> 01:50:12.021
had to actually send all , all those

01:50:12.021 --> 01:50:13.855
tests back to the mainland . And

01:50:13.855 --> 01:50:15.910
actually just yesterday , I signed a

01:50:15.910 --> 01:50:18.077
letter to the governor actually saying

01:50:18.077 --> 01:50:17.740
they were donating the necessary

01:50:17.750 --> 01:50:19.861
equipment for Hawaii to actually have

01:50:19.861 --> 01:50:23.060
its own water testing laboratory in

01:50:23.069 --> 01:50:24.958
Hawaii . That's great . So you're

01:50:24.958 --> 01:50:27.069
telling me two years ago when we were

01:50:27.069 --> 01:50:29.236
suffering from a situation where there

01:50:29.236 --> 01:50:31.180
was no trust in the drinking water

01:50:31.180 --> 01:50:33.291
because jet fuel had been poured into

01:50:33.291 --> 01:50:35.125
it . We were using the only test

01:50:35.125 --> 01:50:37.125
available . So there was no te test

01:50:37.125 --> 01:50:39.291
available for drinking water . We were

01:50:39.291 --> 01:50:39.100
using a test on these samples to

01:50:39.109 --> 01:50:41.134
determine if there was any kind of

01:50:41.145 --> 01:50:43.201
contaminants in people's home . That

01:50:43.201 --> 01:50:45.145
was for wastewater and solid waste

01:50:45.145 --> 01:50:46.978
analysis . That was the only one

01:50:46.978 --> 01:50:48.978
available to , I am not the subject

01:50:48.978 --> 01:50:51.145
matter expert on this , but I will say

01:50:51.145 --> 01:50:50.794
that we were using the test that was

01:50:50.805 --> 01:50:52.861
recommended to the Department of the

01:50:52.861 --> 01:50:54.916
Navy and to the Department of Hawaii

01:50:54.916 --> 01:50:57.138
Health Resources and to the EPA to test

01:50:57.138 --> 01:50:59.194
those water samples at the time . So

01:50:59.194 --> 01:51:01.194
would you now say based upon your ,

01:51:01.194 --> 01:51:03.361
because if we had , if we had known of

01:51:03.361 --> 01:51:03.089
some better tests , we would have

01:51:03.100 --> 01:51:05.156
actually been using that test at the

01:51:05.156 --> 01:51:07.378
time . I don't think we understood that

01:51:07.378 --> 01:51:09.544
the chlorine and the water that's used

01:51:09.544 --> 01:51:11.600
to actually chlorinate all the water

01:51:11.600 --> 01:51:11.589
across the United States , which

01:51:11.600 --> 01:51:13.729
actually have an impact on TPH uh

01:51:13.740 --> 01:51:16.160
detections in the test itself . If I

01:51:16.169 --> 01:51:18.336
may just continue my question , I find

01:51:18.336 --> 01:51:20.391
it also hard to believe that we have

01:51:20.391 --> 01:51:22.502
the best minds in science and defense

01:51:22.502 --> 01:51:24.725
sitting in the Navy also sitting in the

01:51:24.725 --> 01:51:26.891
EPA part of Department of Health . And

01:51:26.891 --> 01:51:28.725
they were unable to determine or

01:51:28.725 --> 01:51:30.836
identify that two years ago when they

01:51:30.836 --> 01:51:32.891
started these samplings because your

01:51:32.891 --> 01:51:35.002
men and women and their families were

01:51:35.002 --> 01:51:37.113
seeing sheens in their drinking water

01:51:37.113 --> 01:51:39.225
experiencing massive health impacts .

01:51:39.225 --> 01:51:41.695
That maybe something wasn't right there

01:51:41.706 --> 01:51:43.762
in that particular thing . So I just

01:51:43.762 --> 01:51:45.817
ask you this hypothetical question .

01:51:45.817 --> 01:51:45.585
I'll flip the switch on you a little

01:51:45.596 --> 01:51:47.652
bit . I'm assuming that suppliers of

01:51:47.652 --> 01:51:49.707
ammunition to dod are required to do

01:51:49.707 --> 01:51:52.040
regular testing to ensure functionality .

01:51:52.040 --> 01:51:54.040
And what if a series of their tests

01:51:54.040 --> 01:51:56.096
found flaws and then they later came

01:51:56.096 --> 01:51:58.263
back and said they've been testing the

01:51:58.263 --> 01:52:00.485
ammo in the wrong way for two years and

01:52:00.485 --> 01:52:02.652
now everything is ok . Would you trust

01:52:02.652 --> 01:52:02.602
putting ammo in a soldier's gun ?

01:52:02.611 --> 01:52:04.555
Knowing it could be the difference

01:52:04.555 --> 01:52:06.611
between life and death , ma'am . I'm

01:52:06.611 --> 01:52:08.778
not a subject matter expert on testing

01:52:08.778 --> 01:52:10.889
fresh water . Well , I'm thinking you

01:52:10.889 --> 01:52:10.711
would wanna make sure that the bullets

01:52:10.722 --> 01:52:12.833
in the soldier's gun actually works .

01:52:12.833 --> 01:52:14.778
It should be no different when the

01:52:14.778 --> 01:52:17.000
quality of the water is coming out of a

01:52:17.000 --> 01:52:19.222
service member and their family's water

01:52:19.222 --> 01:52:21.389
pipe . You could do much more in terms

01:52:21.389 --> 01:52:23.389
of rebuilding this trust and I will

01:52:23.389 --> 01:52:25.389
tell you that that was a big lethal

01:52:25.389 --> 01:52:27.389
blow to the trust of the Navy a few

01:52:27.389 --> 01:52:29.611
weeks ago when the public got this kind

01:52:29.611 --> 01:52:31.722
of response , I'm running out of time

01:52:31.722 --> 01:52:31.339
here . But given these recent events ,

01:52:31.350 --> 01:52:33.406
will the Navy consent to independent

01:52:33.406 --> 01:52:35.517
third party testing to help track and

01:52:35.517 --> 01:52:37.628
verify the Navy's testing ? I believe

01:52:37.628 --> 01:52:39.572
we have had third water testing uh

01:52:39.572 --> 01:52:41.628
going on allow people to come in and

01:52:41.628 --> 01:52:43.683
drill holes , collect samples and do

01:52:43.683 --> 01:52:45.794
their own independent testing . Those

01:52:45.794 --> 01:52:47.961
decisions that have to be made between

01:52:47.961 --> 01:52:49.906
the Department of the Navy and the

01:52:49.906 --> 01:52:52.128
Department of Health in Hawaii . And so

01:52:52.128 --> 01:52:54.294
you're giving consent that third party

01:52:54.294 --> 01:52:54.162
independent drilling and testing can

01:52:54.171 --> 01:52:56.393
take place so that it can be verified .

01:52:56.393 --> 01:52:58.504
And I believe we have had third party

01:52:58.504 --> 01:53:00.671
testing in the past . Ok . That is not

01:53:00.671 --> 01:53:02.893
the understanding I have , but I'm glad

01:53:02.893 --> 01:53:02.602
to hear that we have the consent of the

01:53:02.611 --> 01:53:04.944
secretary to go ahead and allow them to .

01:53:04.944 --> 01:53:07.401
I said that we expired and I recognize

01:53:07.631 --> 01:53:09.909
from Florida . Mr Gates . Mr Secretary .

01:53:09.909 --> 01:53:12.131
I want to personally thank you for your

01:53:12.131 --> 01:53:13.964
involvement in Naval Air Station

01:53:13.964 --> 01:53:16.187
Pensacola to unlock the great potential

01:53:16.187 --> 01:53:18.298
of our naval museum with some changes

01:53:18.298 --> 01:53:20.520
to the gating system there . This was a

01:53:20.520 --> 01:53:22.464
sticky wicket for us for years and

01:53:22.464 --> 01:53:24.575
because you took the time to go there

01:53:24.575 --> 01:53:26.798
and really understand that mission , we

01:53:26.798 --> 01:53:28.964
were able to achieve greater success .

01:53:28.964 --> 01:53:31.187
And I think it's because you get it . I

01:53:31.187 --> 01:53:33.514
think you understand that um unlocking

01:53:33.523 --> 01:53:35.695
the imagination in the minds of young

01:53:35.706 --> 01:53:37.650
people when they interact with our

01:53:37.650 --> 01:53:40.085
museums and with our uh demonstration

01:53:40.096 --> 01:53:43.326
teams , that's a critical vector in the

01:53:43.335 --> 01:53:45.168
recruiting crisis that we're all

01:53:45.168 --> 01:53:47.391
dealing with . So I'd , I'd love you to

01:53:47.391 --> 01:53:47.315
share your perspective on that with the

01:53:47.326 --> 01:53:48.937
committee . No , thank you ,

01:53:48.937 --> 01:53:51.159
Congressman . I always try my very best

01:53:51.159 --> 01:53:53.159
to get to the core problems that we

01:53:53.159 --> 01:53:55.270
face and try to fix those problems so

01:53:55.270 --> 01:53:55.195
we can make our Navy and Marine Corps a

01:53:55.206 --> 01:53:57.425
stronger team and actually trying to

01:53:57.436 --> 01:53:59.325
gain greater access to all of our

01:53:59.325 --> 01:54:01.492
museums , but particularly that museum

01:54:01.492 --> 01:54:03.638
uh which is so very special to the

01:54:03.647 --> 01:54:05.814
community , the aviation community and

01:54:05.814 --> 01:54:08.036
to the entire department of the Navy is

01:54:08.036 --> 01:54:10.091
critical so that young people , high

01:54:10.091 --> 01:54:12.147
school graduates , community college

01:54:12.147 --> 01:54:14.314
graduates , grammar school uh students

01:54:14.314 --> 01:54:16.425
can actually go and see what the Navy

01:54:16.425 --> 01:54:19.187
is all about uh is important . And I'm

01:54:19.198 --> 01:54:21.087
glad that we've been able to make

01:54:21.087 --> 01:54:23.087
progress in actually opening up the

01:54:23.087 --> 01:54:25.309
museum to a greater number of people in

01:54:25.309 --> 01:54:27.531
the region . And I , I must confess you

01:54:27.531 --> 01:54:29.754
may become a victim of your own success

01:54:29.754 --> 01:54:31.865
here . Uh Because uh I have a similar

01:54:31.865 --> 01:54:33.920
problem that I think you'll see in a

01:54:33.920 --> 01:54:36.031
similar way , the blue angels as they

01:54:36.031 --> 01:54:38.087
travel around the country and travel

01:54:38.087 --> 01:54:40.309
around the world , they , they ignite a

01:54:40.309 --> 01:54:42.365
sense of optimism about the Navy and

01:54:42.365 --> 01:54:45.270
adventure . And we are so proud in

01:54:45.279 --> 01:54:47.335
Pensacola to be the home of the blue

01:54:47.335 --> 01:54:49.501
angels , but some of the conditions of

01:54:49.501 --> 01:54:51.501
our hangar systems have fallen into

01:54:51.501 --> 01:54:53.446
some disrepair following Hurricane

01:54:53.446 --> 01:54:55.729
Sally . And so we're working right now

01:54:55.740 --> 01:54:57.684
with your office to try to get the

01:54:57.684 --> 01:54:59.851
right uh the right alignment of PD and

01:54:59.851 --> 01:55:02.018
E funds to get a new hangar system for

01:55:02.018 --> 01:55:04.184
the blue angels . But I wanted to make

01:55:04.184 --> 01:55:06.073
sure that you saw the blue angels

01:55:06.073 --> 01:55:08.129
similarly , like you saw the naval ,

01:55:08.129 --> 01:55:10.296
the , the museum promoting all that is

01:55:10.296 --> 01:55:12.569
good and right uh in the Navy to get

01:55:12.580 --> 01:55:14.802
more young people excited about it . Is

01:55:14.802 --> 01:55:16.691
that something we can work on ? A

01:55:16.691 --> 01:55:18.913
absolutely congressman ? I think the CN

01:55:18.913 --> 01:55:18.089
I would agree that the Blue Angels

01:55:18.100 --> 01:55:19.822
brings tremendous value to our

01:55:19.822 --> 01:55:21.989
recruiting mission . Yes , great . And

01:55:21.989 --> 01:55:24.044
you know , we want to just make sure

01:55:24.044 --> 01:55:26.044
you know that they've got the right

01:55:26.044 --> 01:55:25.959
digs . I think admiral I'd invite you

01:55:25.970 --> 01:55:28.081
to come down and spend some time with

01:55:28.081 --> 01:55:30.137
us in Pensacola as the secretary has

01:55:30.137 --> 01:55:32.192
the cradle of n Naval aviation . But

01:55:32.192 --> 01:55:34.303
you , you would likely walk away from

01:55:34.303 --> 01:55:36.526
that experience , deeply concerned that

01:55:36.526 --> 01:55:38.581
there are buckets that are having to

01:55:38.581 --> 01:55:40.137
collect rainfall , which we

01:55:40.137 --> 01:55:42.303
occasionally get in Florida inside the

01:55:42.305 --> 01:55:45.055
hangar system , not outside . And so uh

01:55:45.064 --> 01:55:47.286
I would encourage you to , to come join

01:55:47.286 --> 01:55:49.453
us because we certainly would want our

01:55:49.453 --> 01:55:51.620
greatest uh our greatest demonstration

01:55:51.620 --> 01:55:53.786
of naval capability to be able to have

01:55:53.786 --> 01:55:55.953
the right accommodations to be able to

01:55:55.953 --> 01:55:57.786
do the mission . Thanks , I look

01:55:57.786 --> 01:55:59.897
forward to coming down and visiting .

01:55:59.897 --> 01:56:01.953
Yeah . Well , see , and I'm inviting

01:56:01.953 --> 01:56:01.060
you to a beautiful place . You know ,

01:56:01.069 --> 01:56:03.125
not all the people on this committee

01:56:03.125 --> 01:56:04.847
are from beautiful places like

01:56:04.847 --> 01:56:06.791
Northwest Florida . So , uh we , I

01:56:06.791 --> 01:56:06.689
certainly hope you'll , you'll take us

01:56:06.700 --> 01:56:08.520
up , uh up on that , on that

01:56:08.529 --> 01:56:10.640
opportunity . Uh In , in my remaining

01:56:10.640 --> 01:56:12.751
moments , I want to talk a little bit

01:56:12.751 --> 01:56:14.918
about the L CS . Uh The ranking member

01:56:14.918 --> 01:56:17.140
has sort of convinced me that the Latal

01:56:17.140 --> 01:56:19.819
combat ship may sadly , tragically in

01:56:19.830 --> 01:56:21.830
some circumstances , turn out to be

01:56:21.870 --> 01:56:24.270
just an aquatic casket in a world in

01:56:24.279 --> 01:56:26.446
which we are unable to have sufficient

01:56:26.446 --> 01:56:28.740
air defense for those while China is

01:56:28.750 --> 01:56:30.972
shooting hypersonic missiles at them in

01:56:30.972 --> 01:56:33.306
the event of a Taiwan scenario . I mean ,

01:56:33.306 --> 01:56:35.509
is there a fight that we can imagine

01:56:35.520 --> 01:56:38.569
now in great competition where the L CS

01:56:38.580 --> 01:56:40.359
will even get in the fight , Mr

01:56:40.370 --> 01:56:42.426
Secretary uh very much congressman .

01:56:42.426 --> 01:56:44.203
And actually , we're taking the

01:56:44.203 --> 01:56:46.426
necessary steps right now . We've added

01:56:46.426 --> 01:56:48.537
um the naval strike missile to six of

01:56:48.537 --> 01:56:50.648
the L CS S , for example , by 26 we ,

01:56:50.648 --> 01:56:52.592
we hope to have them all on the uh

01:56:52.592 --> 01:56:54.648
independence class and , and then on

01:56:54.648 --> 01:56:56.939
the freedom class uh by , by 2032

01:56:57.009 --> 01:56:59.176
actually , I may have those reversed ,

01:56:59.176 --> 01:57:01.069
right . But we plan to provide

01:57:01.080 --> 01:57:02.939
hypersonic air defense , the

01:57:02.950 --> 01:57:05.117
hypersonics , you won't be able to put

01:57:05.117 --> 01:57:07.283
in my work . But , but , but , but you

01:57:07.283 --> 01:57:09.450
can put , you actually can fire sm six

01:57:09.450 --> 01:57:11.506
from a mo mobile launchers off the ,

01:57:11.506 --> 01:57:13.506
the decks and that's something that

01:57:13.506 --> 01:57:15.506
we've already experimented with and

01:57:15.506 --> 01:57:17.728
have proven out successfully . So , the

01:57:17.728 --> 01:57:16.939
fact that we could actually be able to

01:57:16.950 --> 01:57:19.484
fire an SM six from an L CS is actually

01:57:19.495 --> 01:57:21.717
very , very positive . We're doing that

01:57:21.717 --> 01:57:23.828
now . Yes . Yes , sir . We've already

01:57:23.828 --> 01:57:25.884
expended on and we're confident that

01:57:25.884 --> 01:57:25.714
that would be a sufficient capability

01:57:25.725 --> 01:57:28.145
to defend against an o an offensive

01:57:28.154 --> 01:57:30.685
hypersonic system from China . Well ,

01:57:30.694 --> 01:57:33.027
it'll make it that much more defendable ,

01:57:33.027 --> 01:57:35.194
that's for sure . And I don't know , I

01:57:35.194 --> 01:57:37.361
don't know . I , I hope that's right ,

01:57:37.361 --> 01:57:39.472
but I really worry that we've adopted

01:57:39.472 --> 01:57:42.169
this theory that just more is better on ,

01:57:42.180 --> 01:57:44.580
on some of these platforms and if , if ,

01:57:44.589 --> 01:57:46.669
if they're not relevant to the fight

01:57:46.680 --> 01:57:48.902
because they can't get into the fight .

01:57:48.902 --> 01:57:50.958
Um I worry about how many of them we

01:57:50.958 --> 01:57:52.902
should buy and how many of them we

01:57:52.902 --> 01:57:54.736
should build . Uh Did you have a

01:57:54.736 --> 01:57:57.013
perspective on that ? Admiral ? I mean ,

01:57:57.013 --> 01:57:59.180
the L CS performs uh you know , pretty

01:57:59.180 --> 01:57:59.149
critical mission for mine

01:57:59.160 --> 01:58:01.327
countermeasures , you know , and we're

01:58:01.327 --> 01:58:03.382
moving forward with that package . I

01:58:03.382 --> 01:58:05.271
think , you know , that is a very

01:58:05.271 --> 01:58:07.382
important mission that we do a lot of

01:58:07.382 --> 01:58:09.493
our allies and partners do that too .

01:58:09.493 --> 01:58:08.669
So being able to integrate that

01:58:08.680 --> 01:58:10.736
capability is critically important .

01:58:10.736 --> 01:58:12.847
Again , there's a lot of different uh

01:58:12.847 --> 01:58:15.013
scenarios that we might encounter . So

01:58:15.013 --> 01:58:17.124
having multiple tools in the tool bag

01:58:17.124 --> 01:58:19.069
is very important . OK . Well , de

01:58:19.069 --> 01:58:20.979
mining is a far more constrained

01:58:20.990 --> 01:58:23.157
concept . Than we'd originally had for

01:58:23.157 --> 01:58:25.268
the LC si , don't know that's able to

01:58:25.268 --> 01:58:25.020
achieve all those goals , but thank you ,

01:58:25.029 --> 01:58:27.085
Mr Chairman . I'll go back . I thank

01:58:27.085 --> 01:58:29.307
you , gentlemen , chair and I recognize

01:58:29.307 --> 01:58:28.990
General you from Virginia , MS

01:58:29.000 --> 01:58:31.167
mcclelland . Thank you , Mr Chairman .

01:58:31.167 --> 01:58:32.833
I wanted to follow up on your

01:58:32.833 --> 01:58:35.056
discussion with my landlock colleague ,

01:58:35.056 --> 01:58:38.729
um Mr Banks about climate change and I

01:58:38.740 --> 01:58:41.290
want to talk about the impact that

01:58:41.299 --> 01:58:43.859
climate change has on readiness

01:58:43.870 --> 01:58:47.169
operations , infrastructure , um Our

01:58:47.180 --> 01:58:49.799
forces and their families . Uh Naval

01:58:49.810 --> 01:58:51.866
Station Norfolk is the largest naval

01:58:51.866 --> 01:58:54.259
insta installation in the world and is

01:58:54.270 --> 01:58:56.437
located in a city that has the highest

01:58:56.437 --> 01:58:58.381
rate of sea level rise on the east

01:58:58.381 --> 01:59:01.080
coast . Recent projections show that it

01:59:01.089 --> 01:59:04.759
will face um one major flood a year and

01:59:04.770 --> 01:59:08.220
a minor flood every week . Uh Meanwhile ,

01:59:08.229 --> 01:59:10.930
we are seeing record setting heat waves

01:59:10.939 --> 01:59:13.729
in the Pacific Northwest . Um Can you

01:59:13.740 --> 01:59:16.279
discuss how sea level rise , recurring

01:59:16.290 --> 01:59:18.457
floods , more frequent and destructive

01:59:18.457 --> 01:59:20.734
hurricanes , record setting heat waves ?

01:59:20.810 --> 01:59:23.169
Um discuss the impact that they all

01:59:23.180 --> 01:59:25.620
have and will continue to have on

01:59:25.629 --> 01:59:28.169
readiness operations , our naval

01:59:28.180 --> 01:59:30.236
infrastructure , our service members

01:59:30.236 --> 01:59:32.569
and their families . Yes , ma'am . Well ,

01:59:32.569 --> 01:59:34.729
first and foremost , uh climate uh

01:59:34.740 --> 01:59:37.169
insulation redness is combat redness .

01:59:37.450 --> 01:59:39.729
Uh If we can't deploy our , if we can't

01:59:39.740 --> 01:59:41.740
house our ships safely in , in , in

01:59:41.740 --> 01:59:44.290
ports and deploy them safely , then we

01:59:44.299 --> 01:59:46.729
have a bigger problem , right . And so

01:59:47.189 --> 01:59:49.356
mitigating , making the investments in

01:59:49.356 --> 01:59:51.522
order to mitigate the negative effects

01:59:51.522 --> 01:59:53.300
of climate change are extremely

01:59:53.300 --> 01:59:55.411
important in all our ports across the

01:59:55.411 --> 01:59:57.633
entire United States . And we're seeing

01:59:57.633 --> 01:59:59.522
the dramatic challenges that that

01:59:59.522 --> 02:00:01.578
brings and so greater investments in

02:00:01.578 --> 02:00:03.467
moving the utilities to the right

02:00:03.467 --> 02:00:05.356
places so that , that they're not

02:00:05.356 --> 02:00:07.467
negatively impacted by the rising sea

02:00:07.467 --> 02:00:09.522
levels is incredibly important . How

02:00:09.522 --> 02:00:11.578
you construct the piers themselves ,

02:00:11.578 --> 02:00:11.270
for example , and where you put the

02:00:11.279 --> 02:00:13.529
utilities on those piers is extremely

02:00:13.540 --> 02:00:15.899
important . And so again , insulation

02:00:15.910 --> 02:00:18.021
redness is combat redness . In fact ,

02:00:18.021 --> 02:00:19.743
Cno can comment more so on the

02:00:19.743 --> 02:00:23.080
operational side as well . Yeah , I

02:00:23.089 --> 02:00:25.145
think , you know , one of the things

02:00:25.145 --> 02:00:27.089
you know that we look for is we're

02:00:27.089 --> 02:00:29.200
designing our new platforms is making

02:00:29.200 --> 02:00:31.311
sure um from an operational readiness

02:00:31.311 --> 02:00:33.311
perspective that they um you know ,

02:00:33.311 --> 02:00:35.367
have the ability to operate wherever

02:00:35.367 --> 02:00:35.000
they need to be able to operate . And

02:00:35.009 --> 02:00:37.176
so again , having the right facilities

02:00:37.176 --> 02:00:38.953
where we can pull them in uh is

02:00:38.953 --> 02:00:41.229
critically important and corrosion has

02:00:41.240 --> 02:00:44.790
an impact on metal and an impact on

02:00:44.799 --> 02:00:47.799
ships and ship readiness as well .

02:00:48.540 --> 02:00:51.250
And record setting heat waves have an

02:00:51.259 --> 02:00:53.740
effect on our sailors and our corpsmen

02:00:53.750 --> 02:00:56.040
correct and their ability to do their

02:00:56.049 --> 02:00:58.770
job and the health and their readiness .

02:00:59.209 --> 02:01:01.376
Very much so , uh congresswoman , it's

02:01:01.376 --> 02:01:03.542
had an impact on unaccompanied housing

02:01:03.542 --> 02:01:05.376
as well too . Look , we , we for

02:01:05.376 --> 02:01:07.598
decades have made the Congress has made

02:01:07.598 --> 02:01:09.820
really impressive investments in family

02:01:09.820 --> 02:01:11.876
housing , but we haven't invested in

02:01:11.876 --> 02:01:13.876
unaccompanied housing to the extent

02:01:13.876 --> 02:01:16.153
that we should , we're correcting that .

02:01:16.153 --> 02:01:15.950
Now we're doing that moving forward .

02:01:15.959 --> 02:01:17.959
And I think our sailors and marines

02:01:17.959 --> 02:01:19.681
appreciate that given the high

02:01:19.681 --> 02:01:21.848
retention rates that we've seen in the

02:01:21.848 --> 02:01:24.015
Navy and Marine Corps . But it's still

02:01:24.015 --> 02:01:25.903
a huge challenge in areas of high

02:01:25.903 --> 02:01:28.015
humidity . So whether it's Key West ,

02:01:28.015 --> 02:01:29.903
whether it's Paris Island , other

02:01:29.903 --> 02:01:32.070
places like that , San Diego as well ,

02:01:32.070 --> 02:01:34.181
too , you know , these are the places

02:01:34.181 --> 02:01:34.104
we have to pay even more attention to ,

02:01:34.115 --> 02:01:36.282
quite frankly , to be able to get them

02:01:36.282 --> 02:01:38.337
up to the standards where they could

02:01:38.337 --> 02:01:40.504
resist the , the humidity . And to put

02:01:40.504 --> 02:01:42.615
a finer point on that uh increased uh

02:01:42.615 --> 02:01:44.837
temperatures and increased flooding and

02:01:44.837 --> 02:01:46.948
increased moisture leads to increased

02:01:46.948 --> 02:01:50.290
mold in our very . Thank you . Um Now I

02:01:50.299 --> 02:01:52.299
wanna focus on the readiness of the

02:01:52.299 --> 02:01:54.410
Navy for a possible conflict in the ,

02:01:54.410 --> 02:01:57.009
in the Pacific region and discuss our

02:01:57.020 --> 02:01:59.919
overseas repair capability . Uh My

02:01:59.930 --> 02:02:02.160
staff recently traveled to Japan to

02:02:02.169 --> 02:02:04.600
meet with security partners there who

02:02:04.609 --> 02:02:07.220
expressed concerns that shipbuilding

02:02:07.229 --> 02:02:09.839
and repair capabilities are located

02:02:09.850 --> 02:02:12.183
almost exclusively in the United States .

02:02:12.299 --> 02:02:15.560
And that um in in case of a war or a

02:02:15.569 --> 02:02:17.830
conflict , this would severely restrain

02:02:17.839 --> 02:02:20.069
our combat capability if we have to

02:02:20.080 --> 02:02:22.024
send the ships all the way back to

02:02:22.024 --> 02:02:24.080
Hawaii or San Diego for repairs . Um

02:02:24.089 --> 02:02:26.256
What is your assessment of this risk ?

02:02:26.256 --> 02:02:28.256
And what are the department and the

02:02:28.256 --> 02:02:30.367
administration doing to ensure robust

02:02:30.367 --> 02:02:32.819
repair capabilities are available in

02:02:32.830 --> 02:02:34.941
the Pacific ? Should a conflict break

02:02:34.941 --> 02:02:36.997
out ? Well , thank you , Congressman

02:02:36.997 --> 02:02:39.052
for that question and it is indeed a

02:02:39.052 --> 02:02:41.163
combat related question . I mean , if

02:02:41.163 --> 02:02:43.219
we find ourselves in conflict and we

02:02:43.219 --> 02:02:45.497
suffer damage , which is in inevitable .

02:02:45.497 --> 02:02:47.441
Uh We will be able to have to send

02:02:47.441 --> 02:02:49.552
those ships back to the closest depot

02:02:49.552 --> 02:02:51.608
necessary to be able to repair those

02:02:51.608 --> 02:02:53.608
ships . So what we're asking of the

02:02:53.608 --> 02:02:55.552
Congress this year basically is to

02:02:55.552 --> 02:02:57.441
authorize us up to six continuous

02:02:57.441 --> 02:02:59.663
maintenance availabilities of less than

02:02:59.663 --> 02:03:01.719
90 days so that we can then now I go

02:03:01.719 --> 02:03:03.941
and assess which foreign shipyards will

02:03:03.941 --> 02:03:05.941
be able to do this work effectively

02:03:05.941 --> 02:03:08.052
during times of peace . And I hope we

02:03:08.052 --> 02:03:10.052
never have to go to war . But if we

02:03:10.052 --> 02:03:12.274
should have to go to war , we will then

02:03:12.274 --> 02:03:14.441
have full knowledge of which shipyards

02:03:14.441 --> 02:03:16.497
and what countries we could actually

02:03:16.497 --> 02:03:18.608
send these ships to be able to do the

02:03:18.608 --> 02:03:18.000
damage repair that's going to be

02:03:18.009 --> 02:03:20.330
necessary . Thank you , Mr Chair .

02:03:20.339 --> 02:03:23.700
You're back . I think the lady , the

02:03:23.720 --> 02:03:25.831
chair now recognizes a gentleman from

02:03:25.831 --> 02:03:28.053
Georgia , Mr mccormick . Thank you , Mr

02:03:28.053 --> 02:03:30.379
Chair . Sorry that I was out of line .

02:03:30.390 --> 02:03:32.557
I saw Mr Fallon came in ahead of you .

02:03:32.557 --> 02:03:34.779
I apologize . Gentleman from Texas . Mr

02:03:34.779 --> 02:03:36.890
Fallon is recognized doctor mccormick

02:03:36.890 --> 02:03:40.439
denied . Uh

02:03:40.620 --> 02:03:42.787
Thank you , Mr Chairman . I appreciate

02:03:42.787 --> 02:03:46.490
it . Uh ok . So it's Mr , thank you and ,

02:03:46.500 --> 02:03:48.667
and uh General Admiral , thank you for

02:03:48.667 --> 02:03:50.833
being here . The thing that II I get I

02:03:50.833 --> 02:03:52.889
come back to and we had a discussion

02:03:52.889 --> 02:03:54.833
about this last year is recruiting

02:03:54.833 --> 02:03:56.778
price . So , and , and I apologize

02:03:56.778 --> 02:03:58.944
because I I was um up in my office and

02:03:58.944 --> 02:03:58.200
missed a , a little bit of this

02:03:58.209 --> 02:04:00.270
testimony . But Mr Jerry , do you

02:04:00.279 --> 02:04:02.390
believe that the recruiting crisis is

02:04:02.390 --> 02:04:04.612
an existential threat to the Republic ?

02:04:04.612 --> 02:04:06.612
I , I think it is across the entire

02:04:06.612 --> 02:04:08.668
nation . In fact , we need more blue

02:04:08.668 --> 02:04:10.890
collar workers . We need more young men

02:04:10.890 --> 02:04:13.001
and women actually who are willing to

02:04:13.001 --> 02:04:15.223
come into our armed services across the

02:04:15.223 --> 02:04:15.120
board and serve . No , I think I , it

02:04:15.129 --> 02:04:17.296
ironically and oddly , it's refreshing

02:04:17.296 --> 02:04:19.518
to hear that because if we're not going

02:04:19.518 --> 02:04:21.629
to solve a problem , unless we really

02:04:21.629 --> 02:04:23.851
understand that the gravity of it and ,

02:04:23.851 --> 02:04:23.279
and thank you for that . And so I was

02:04:23.290 --> 02:04:25.870
looking at the , the statisticss and

02:04:25.879 --> 02:04:28.046
from all branches , but particularly ,

02:04:28.046 --> 02:04:30.046
I wish we talk about the Navy today

02:04:30.046 --> 02:04:32.268
that we missed their goals last year by

02:04:32.268 --> 02:04:34.435
20% . About seven . Yes , sir . We had

02:04:34.435 --> 02:04:36.323
a , we actually fell short at the

02:04:36.323 --> 02:04:38.546
beginning of the year . We thought we'd

02:04:38.546 --> 02:04:40.546
be at 17,500 . We ended the year at

02:04:40.546 --> 02:04:42.601
7500 this year . At the beginning of

02:04:42.601 --> 02:04:44.601
the year , we thought we'd be short

02:04:44.601 --> 02:04:46.546
about 16,500 we'll probably end it

02:04:46.546 --> 02:04:48.379
perhaps at 6400 or less . But we

02:04:48.379 --> 02:04:50.601
actually increased our goal . Yeah , to

02:04:50.601 --> 02:04:52.712
40,000 , which is important to note ,

02:04:52.712 --> 02:04:54.823
you know , we want to make up for the

02:04:54.823 --> 02:04:56.935
shortages from previous years . So we

02:04:56.935 --> 02:04:59.157
can reduce the number of , of gaps that

02:04:59.157 --> 02:05:01.212
we have at sea . Yeah , because this

02:05:01.212 --> 02:05:01.174
happens every once in a while and where

02:05:01.185 --> 02:05:03.185
it's , but it's an anomaly and it's

02:05:03.185 --> 02:05:05.241
just the year and then the next year

02:05:05.241 --> 02:05:04.595
and you can , you can mitigate some of

02:05:04.604 --> 02:05:06.937
it , of course , with retention as well .

02:05:06.937 --> 02:05:09.160
But what I'm alarmed about is when it's

02:05:09.160 --> 02:05:11.382
year , over year and it's , of course ,

02:05:11.382 --> 02:05:11.209
with , at least with the Navy it's

02:05:11.220 --> 02:05:13.442
going to be two years in a row with the

02:05:13.442 --> 02:05:15.553
army , it's been three years , but of

02:05:15.553 --> 02:05:15.220
course , the Marine Corps always meets

02:05:15.229 --> 02:05:17.285
the recruiting goals . They have the

02:05:17.285 --> 02:05:19.396
best commercials . What are you gonna

02:05:19.396 --> 02:05:21.507
do ? But , uh yeah , look at the navy

02:05:21.507 --> 02:05:23.618
slash marine guy over here . That was

02:05:23.618 --> 02:05:25.673
uh the Air force one , this one , by

02:05:25.673 --> 02:05:28.290
the way . Uh So what can we do ? What

02:05:28.299 --> 02:05:31.180
new innovative ideas can we use , uh Mr

02:05:31.189 --> 02:05:33.899
Secretary to mitigate this and , and ,

02:05:33.910 --> 02:05:35.799
and really end it because I think

02:05:35.799 --> 02:05:38.021
that's what we're after here is if it's

02:05:38.021 --> 02:05:40.021
been 33 unsuccessful years with the

02:05:40.021 --> 02:05:42.243
Army and two with the Navy , we need to

02:05:42.243 --> 02:05:42.180
do something differently . And what ,

02:05:42.189 --> 02:05:44.189
what do you think those things ? So

02:05:44.189 --> 02:05:46.133
please understand it's been an all

02:05:46.133 --> 02:05:48.356
hands on deck effort across the board .

02:05:48.356 --> 02:05:50.411
And the CNO can talk specifically to

02:05:50.411 --> 02:05:50.379
some of the measures that we have taken ,

02:05:50.390 --> 02:05:52.501
but it is all hands on deck and we're

02:05:52.501 --> 02:05:54.279
actually putting a call out the

02:05:54.279 --> 02:05:56.334
maritime service across the board as

02:05:56.334 --> 02:05:59.169
well too . Thank you . And I agree ,

02:05:59.180 --> 02:06:01.549
recruiting is really an existential

02:06:01.560 --> 02:06:04.200
threat . Um So we're kind of taking two

02:06:04.209 --> 02:06:06.320
pronged approach . One is first to re

02:06:06.320 --> 02:06:08.209
approve the recruiting enterprise

02:06:08.209 --> 02:06:10.319
itself . So the navy just put a two

02:06:10.330 --> 02:06:12.497
star admiral in charge of recruiting .

02:06:12.649 --> 02:06:16.020
Um We have also adopted a thing that we

02:06:16.029 --> 02:06:18.689
use in aviation for ay operations

02:06:18.700 --> 02:06:20.644
maintenance , understanding what's

02:06:20.644 --> 02:06:22.700
going on with each type model series

02:06:22.700 --> 02:06:24.922
we're looking at , we have a recruiting

02:06:24.922 --> 02:06:24.839
operations center now to look at what's

02:06:24.850 --> 02:06:26.517
going on with each one of our

02:06:26.517 --> 02:06:28.517
recruiting centers , each recruiter

02:06:28.517 --> 02:06:30.739
because it's really about through P per

02:06:30.739 --> 02:06:32.961
recruiter and how do we need to improve

02:06:32.961 --> 02:06:35.017
their ability to recruit ? The other

02:06:35.017 --> 02:06:37.183
thing as the secretary mentioned , you

02:06:37.183 --> 02:06:39.649
know , we had taken uh 60% manning cut

02:06:39.660 --> 02:06:42.439
uh to man at 60% in our recruiting

02:06:42.649 --> 02:06:45.319
centers when we put more people at sea .

02:06:45.850 --> 02:06:47.572
So we actually had reduced our

02:06:47.572 --> 02:06:49.794
recruiting force by the end of May . We

02:06:49.794 --> 02:06:51.850
should have that fully restored . So

02:06:51.850 --> 02:06:53.961
we'll be able to do that . I think on

02:06:53.961 --> 02:06:55.906
the other side , it's sorry . II I

02:06:55.906 --> 02:06:58.128
don't make it a habit to interrupt flag

02:06:58.128 --> 02:07:00.239
officers . I apologize for that . But

02:07:00.239 --> 02:07:02.294
um I , I really wanna emphasize , we

02:07:02.294 --> 02:07:04.461
need it to be measurable as well . And

02:07:04.461 --> 02:07:06.628
also a question when we have excellent

02:07:06.628 --> 02:07:08.739
recruiters , are they allowed to stay

02:07:08.739 --> 02:07:10.906
within the recruiting command ? Yeah ,

02:07:10.906 --> 02:07:13.580
we have a recruiter . OK . Good . OK .

02:07:13.589 --> 02:07:15.589
So they , they , they can do it for

02:07:15.589 --> 02:07:17.700
because that's the thing I don't want

02:07:17.700 --> 02:07:19.867
is somebody highly successful and then

02:07:19.867 --> 02:07:22.089
they leave and I would generally gently

02:07:22.089 --> 02:07:24.311
suggest that we build everything around

02:07:24.311 --> 02:07:23.890
recruiting right now , make sure that

02:07:23.899 --> 02:07:26.160
they're manned and then build that .

02:07:26.169 --> 02:07:28.540
That should be the first thing . Just

02:07:28.549 --> 02:07:30.882
right . That's how we get our seed corn .

02:07:30.882 --> 02:07:32.493
We really need to make those

02:07:32.493 --> 02:07:34.549
investments . And , you know , I was

02:07:34.549 --> 02:07:33.910
thinking about as far as the Navy ,

02:07:33.919 --> 02:07:36.141
you're on all the planes , you're under

02:07:36.141 --> 02:07:38.030
the water , you're on the water ,

02:07:38.030 --> 02:07:37.709
you're in the air , you're on the

02:07:37.720 --> 02:07:39.664
ground , you're in space . I don't

02:07:39.664 --> 02:07:41.720
think any of the brands can say that

02:07:41.720 --> 02:07:43.942
and always forward . Yeah . Right . But

02:07:43.942 --> 02:07:45.998
uh because of that , I would imagine

02:07:45.998 --> 02:07:48.164
that you would recruit the submarine ,

02:07:48.164 --> 02:07:50.053
the submarine or differently than

02:07:50.053 --> 02:07:49.785
you're gonna attract somebody to , to

02:07:49.794 --> 02:07:51.944
say , go into the uh special ops and

02:07:51.955 --> 02:07:54.066
seals or somebody to go into cyber or

02:07:54.066 --> 02:07:56.765
intel or service fleet . And uh I just

02:07:56.774 --> 02:07:58.830
wanted to touch on that a little bit

02:07:58.830 --> 02:08:02.424
and ask you , uh what are , what field

02:08:02.435 --> 02:08:05.785
or expertise has been most hit by

02:08:05.794 --> 02:08:07.738
recruiting the recruiting crisis ?

02:08:08.509 --> 02:08:10.509
Actually , the medical profession ,

02:08:10.509 --> 02:08:12.731
we're , we're having a really hard time

02:08:12.731 --> 02:08:14.676
in the medical profession and also

02:08:14.676 --> 02:08:16.898
recruiting in the nuclear field as well

02:08:16.898 --> 02:08:16.810
too . Uh because we just don't have

02:08:16.819 --> 02:08:18.652
enough students in colleges that

02:08:18.652 --> 02:08:20.875
actually go into those studies . And so

02:08:20.875 --> 02:08:22.763
we're , we're having to work at a

02:08:22.763 --> 02:08:24.930
younger age in the case of the nukes ,

02:08:24.930 --> 02:08:26.819
actually trying to encourage high

02:08:26.819 --> 02:08:26.779
schoolers to actually go into the

02:08:26.790 --> 02:08:28.623
nuclear field and you know , the

02:08:28.623 --> 02:08:30.790
problems that exist in , in recruiting

02:08:30.790 --> 02:08:32.957
health professionals and I'd just like

02:08:32.957 --> 02:08:35.012
to , again , gently ask and poly ask

02:08:35.012 --> 02:08:37.179
maybe uh with the recruiting stuff , a

02:08:37.179 --> 02:08:38.901
quarterly report given to this

02:08:38.901 --> 02:08:38.799
committee would be wonderful for us

02:08:38.810 --> 02:08:40.977
because it is a role for us to play as

02:08:40.977 --> 02:08:42.921
well . And we want to give you the

02:08:42.921 --> 02:08:45.032
resources to succeed . We just want a

02:08:45.032 --> 02:08:44.919
measurable and think out of outside the

02:08:44.930 --> 02:08:47.041
box because we've got to take care of

02:08:47.041 --> 02:08:49.263
this . None of us want to go dare I say

02:08:49.263 --> 02:08:51.430
to a draft and if we're going to times

02:08:51.430 --> 02:08:51.189
expired , and I recognized gentleman

02:08:51.200 --> 02:08:53.367
from North Carolina , Mr Davis , thank

02:08:53.367 --> 02:08:55.256
you so much , Mr Chair and to the

02:08:55.256 --> 02:08:57.422
witnesses . Um Good afternoon to you ,

02:08:57.422 --> 02:08:59.256
Mr Se . We spoke last year about

02:08:59.256 --> 02:09:01.879
expediting toxic water claims , um

02:09:01.890 --> 02:09:05.149
processing um for those veterans as a

02:09:05.160 --> 02:09:08.479
result of the camp LAO um situation .

02:09:09.009 --> 02:09:11.176
Uh Mr Secretary , what's the estimated

02:09:11.176 --> 02:09:13.398
timeline now that you would forecast in

02:09:13.398 --> 02:09:15.759
getting claims , um heard , uh and

02:09:15.770 --> 02:09:17.881
particularly with the elective option

02:09:18.009 --> 02:09:20.231
been in place ? Yes , sir . It actually

02:09:20.231 --> 02:09:22.287
depends on how quickly the claimants

02:09:22.287 --> 02:09:24.509
themselves actually completely fill the

02:09:24.509 --> 02:09:26.176
paperwork online . We've made

02:09:26.176 --> 02:09:28.176
tremendous progress and investments

02:09:28.176 --> 02:09:30.287
because this is very important to the

02:09:30.287 --> 02:09:32.231
Department of the Navy to , to the

02:09:32.231 --> 02:09:31.859
Department of Defense of the President

02:09:31.870 --> 02:09:34.037
of the United States actually . And so

02:09:34.037 --> 02:09:35.870
we have 100 and 90,000 claimants

02:09:35.870 --> 02:09:38.092
basically that have now signed online ,

02:09:38.092 --> 02:09:40.314
but many of them actually haven't their

02:09:40.314 --> 02:09:42.537
full regiment of paperwork necessary to

02:09:42.537 --> 02:09:44.648
be able to process those claims . But

02:09:44.648 --> 02:09:46.648
we are moving extremely fast once a

02:09:46.648 --> 02:09:48.585
claimant actually submits all the

02:09:48.596 --> 02:09:50.485
necessary documentation , all the

02:09:50.485 --> 02:09:53.536
necessary uh paperwork to make them the

02:09:53.545 --> 02:09:56.775
authors that they so deserve from the

02:09:56.786 --> 02:09:58.508
time that a completed claim is

02:09:58.508 --> 02:10:00.786
submitted , uh What would you estimate ?

02:10:00.786 --> 02:10:02.342
I'd have to get back to you

02:10:02.342 --> 02:10:04.564
specifically on , on the amount of time

02:10:04.564 --> 02:10:06.730
we could do the analysis on those that

02:10:06.730 --> 02:10:08.675
have fully submitted their , their

02:10:08.675 --> 02:10:10.786
paperwork . And I do know that out of

02:10:10.786 --> 02:10:10.702
the ones that have fully submitted

02:10:10.711 --> 02:10:12.767
their paperwork , for example , some

02:10:12.767 --> 02:10:14.822
have actually taken time to consider

02:10:14.822 --> 02:10:17.812
the , the , the um the offers that have

02:10:17.821 --> 02:10:20.441
been made . Um And so we can provide

02:10:20.452 --> 02:10:22.230
you all the specific statistics

02:10:22.230 --> 02:10:24.285
associated with the . Uh There was a

02:10:24.285 --> 02:10:26.396
report that was due in January on the

02:10:26.396 --> 02:10:28.396
first . When do you anticipate that

02:10:28.396 --> 02:10:30.508
report ? I'll have to get back to you

02:10:30.508 --> 02:10:32.674
on where that report is Congressman in

02:10:32.680 --> 02:10:34.624
Eastern North Carolina . There's a

02:10:34.624 --> 02:10:36.180
growing need for employment

02:10:36.180 --> 02:10:38.236
opportunities that can provide young

02:10:38.236 --> 02:10:40.347
people with careers . Um Recently , I

02:10:40.347 --> 02:10:42.013
facilitated a meeting between

02:10:42.013 --> 02:10:44.124
representatives from the Newport News

02:10:44.124 --> 02:10:46.124
Shipyard , um Community Colleges in

02:10:46.124 --> 02:10:47.736
North Carolina and workforce

02:10:47.736 --> 02:10:50.040
development officials um from across

02:10:50.049 --> 02:10:52.049
our region to collaborate on these

02:10:52.060 --> 02:10:54.338
opportunities in our part of the state .

02:10:54.338 --> 02:10:57.589
Um Mr Secretary um is there a

02:10:57.600 --> 02:11:00.169
pool ? I mean , we know there's a pool

02:11:00.180 --> 02:11:03.540
of existing talent that's going to exit

02:11:04.160 --> 02:11:06.759
uh the Navy in particular , uh they're

02:11:06.770 --> 02:11:09.459
separating for whatever reason . Um How

02:11:09.470 --> 02:11:12.419
can we better assist in particular um

02:11:12.430 --> 02:11:14.419
service members that we know are

02:11:14.430 --> 02:11:16.220
exiting through the transition

02:11:16.229 --> 02:11:18.930
assistance program um in the certain

02:11:18.939 --> 02:11:21.950
critical areas that are important for

02:11:21.959 --> 02:11:23.689
our national security . Still

02:11:23.770 --> 02:11:25.881
congressman , first and foremost , my

02:11:25.881 --> 02:11:28.048
goal is to keep them in obviously . So

02:11:28.048 --> 02:11:30.270
we're trying our very best and actually

02:11:30.270 --> 02:11:32.270
10 has been the highest . It's been

02:11:32.270 --> 02:11:34.492
historic actually for both the Navy and

02:11:34.492 --> 02:11:33.766
the Marine Corps . So we're doing our

02:11:33.775 --> 02:11:35.886
job well and providing necessary

02:11:35.895 --> 02:11:38.006
quality of life , quality of services

02:11:38.006 --> 02:11:40.228
necessary to keep them in . But I think

02:11:40.228 --> 02:11:42.451
you raise an important point and one of

02:11:42.451 --> 02:11:42.036
the things that we've been talking

02:11:42.045 --> 02:11:44.335
about in this call to maritime services

02:11:44.346 --> 02:11:46.513
for those individuals that do depart ,

02:11:46.513 --> 02:11:48.679
actually , how could we actually guide

02:11:48.679 --> 02:11:50.735
them to work in our shipyards as one

02:11:50.735 --> 02:11:52.902
example . Um you know , we have a very

02:11:52.902 --> 02:11:54.679
robust Naval X program in North

02:11:54.679 --> 02:11:56.679
Carolina , for example , that helps

02:11:56.679 --> 02:11:58.735
private industry in North Carolina ,

02:11:58.735 --> 02:12:00.902
work with the Department of the Navy .

02:12:00.902 --> 02:12:03.013
And that's part of that as well too ,

02:12:03.013 --> 02:12:05.124
Mr Secretary , obviously , we want to

02:12:05.124 --> 02:12:07.013
continue to keep them in . Um But

02:12:07.013 --> 02:12:09.013
obviously , there's a point in time

02:12:09.013 --> 02:12:11.124
where we know the separation is going

02:12:11.124 --> 02:12:13.346
to occur . And that's what I was really

02:12:13.346 --> 02:12:13.251
highlighting , you know , when we know

02:12:13.262 --> 02:12:16.270
it's going to occur . Um Now we're a

02:12:16.279 --> 02:12:18.612
matter of transitioning . So , you know ,

02:12:18.612 --> 02:12:20.779
that's definitely something I think we

02:12:20.779 --> 02:12:23.029
have to continue to um think through in

02:12:23.040 --> 02:12:25.009
partic particular our transition

02:12:25.020 --> 02:12:27.589
assistance programs um because that

02:12:27.600 --> 02:12:29.890
still can be the pipeline to secure our

02:12:29.899 --> 02:12:31.939
national security . So I appreciate

02:12:31.950 --> 02:12:34.359
that Elizabeth City State University is

02:12:34.370 --> 02:12:37.620
an H BC U in my district as a growing

02:12:37.629 --> 02:12:40.100
aviation program , the only fouryear

02:12:40.109 --> 02:12:42.053
Aviation Sciences program in North

02:12:42.053 --> 02:12:45.080
Carolina um that's on track to , to

02:12:45.089 --> 02:12:47.256
grow in an increase in this capacity .

02:12:47.256 --> 02:12:49.422
Um They're looking to build additional

02:12:49.422 --> 02:12:51.533
aviation hubs in particular at Marine

02:12:51.533 --> 02:12:54.720
Corps Air Station cherry Point um in

02:12:54.729 --> 02:12:57.060
one of the locations , um this program

02:12:57.069 --> 02:13:00.359
could provide a pipeline of pilots um

02:13:00.640 --> 02:13:02.807
to the military . So I'm trying to get

02:13:02.807 --> 02:13:04.973
them in too , not just concerned about

02:13:04.973 --> 02:13:07.029
the transition , we're trying to get

02:13:07.029 --> 02:13:08.918
him in as well . How can the Navy

02:13:08.918 --> 02:13:11.084
collaborate and leverage programs like

02:13:11.084 --> 02:13:13.196
this universities like Elizabeth City

02:13:13.196 --> 02:13:15.196
State University and other HB CS to

02:13:15.196 --> 02:13:17.251
alleviate powers , power shortages ?

02:13:19.390 --> 02:13:21.470
Well , Congressman , I I don't , I'm

02:13:21.479 --> 02:13:23.368
not familiar with Elizabeth State

02:13:23.368 --> 02:13:25.201
University , but I'm gonna be by

02:13:25.201 --> 02:13:27.257
tonight and my commanding general of

02:13:27.257 --> 02:13:29.201
Marine Corps recruiting command is

02:13:29.201 --> 02:13:32.500
gonna be by tomorrow morning and

02:13:33.319 --> 02:13:35.319
because we are , we are looking for

02:13:35.319 --> 02:13:37.541
pilots . Um We are looking for pilots .

02:13:38.339 --> 02:13:40.561
Well , from this air to the devil dog ,

02:13:40.569 --> 02:13:43.410
I say huh , you bag miss it here . I

02:13:43.500 --> 02:13:45.278
thank the gentleman chair and I

02:13:45.278 --> 02:13:47.333
recognize as the doctor from Georgia

02:13:47.333 --> 02:13:49.740
this time for real . Thank you , Mr

02:13:49.750 --> 02:13:51.639
Chair . I appreciate you . Uh and

02:13:51.639 --> 02:13:53.694
interesting uh when you talked about

02:13:53.694 --> 02:13:55.694
recruiting just recently , I wasn't

02:13:55.694 --> 02:13:57.861
planning on talking about this , but a

02:13:57.861 --> 02:14:00.028
couple things came to mind when , when

02:14:00.028 --> 02:14:02.250
we forgive student debt , for example ,

02:14:02.250 --> 02:14:04.306
and we have people who never went to

02:14:04.306 --> 02:14:06.528
college paying for people who did go to

02:14:06.528 --> 02:14:06.169
college , we then have their debt

02:14:06.180 --> 02:14:08.180
forgiven . Where's the incentive to

02:14:08.180 --> 02:14:10.759
give away scholarships for the military ?

02:14:10.959 --> 02:14:13.126
When we're recruiting , the college is

02:14:13.126 --> 02:14:15.540
already paid for , for free ? Where is

02:14:15.549 --> 02:14:17.716
the incentive to motivate people to go

02:14:17.716 --> 02:14:19.716
into medicine or anything else when

02:14:19.716 --> 02:14:21.882
they don't incur debt ? Otherwise , we

02:14:21.882 --> 02:14:23.716
have to remember that this is an

02:14:23.716 --> 02:14:26.810
incentive driven society and that we

02:14:26.819 --> 02:14:28.930
are all volunteer force . And I think

02:14:28.930 --> 02:14:30.986
we have to realize in our recruiting

02:14:30.986 --> 02:14:32.930
force . Secondly , I think when it

02:14:32.930 --> 02:14:35.041
comes to our unlisted folks , uh when

02:14:35.041 --> 02:14:37.263
we recruit , we always have to go after

02:14:37.263 --> 02:14:36.759
the warriors , which means we recruit

02:14:36.770 --> 02:14:38.714
on the right stations to the right

02:14:38.714 --> 02:14:40.714
places with the right message . The

02:14:40.714 --> 02:14:42.937
sergeant major of the uh the army , the

02:14:42.937 --> 02:14:45.159
former sergeant major still owes me 100

02:14:45.159 --> 02:14:44.990
push ups because I told him he was

02:14:45.000 --> 02:14:47.222
barking up the wrong tree by , by going

02:14:47.222 --> 02:14:49.222
after the recruiting uh venues that

02:14:49.222 --> 02:14:51.389
they were using . I like the marines .

02:14:51.389 --> 02:14:53.444
I , I may be a little biased . I may

02:14:53.444 --> 02:14:53.009
have been involved in something like

02:14:53.020 --> 02:14:55.759
that . But when you talk about the few ,

02:14:56.040 --> 02:14:58.580
the proud the marines and it is about a

02:14:58.589 --> 02:15:01.109
warrior ethos . That's why we make our

02:15:01.120 --> 02:15:03.064
quota because we recruit the right

02:15:03.064 --> 02:15:05.009
people for the right mission . And

02:15:05.009 --> 02:15:07.009
that's what we should focus on . Uh

02:15:07.009 --> 02:15:09.231
with that said we do have a mission and

02:15:09.231 --> 02:15:11.509
it's all over the globe right now . Uh ,

02:15:11.509 --> 02:15:11.450
one of the things that we're having a

02:15:11.459 --> 02:15:13.570
hard time delivering is our people to

02:15:13.570 --> 02:15:15.737
the right place at the right time with

02:15:15.737 --> 02:15:15.680
our amphibious shipping , which we're

02:15:15.689 --> 02:15:17.856
obviously in a shortfall right now . I

02:15:17.856 --> 02:15:19.967
know we're trying to reallocate for a

02:15:19.967 --> 02:15:22.133
mission all over the world . A diverse

02:15:22.133 --> 02:15:24.078
mission which I understand we have

02:15:24.078 --> 02:15:26.189
limited funds for . Um , do you think

02:15:26.189 --> 02:15:28.411
we're gonna be able to fix this or we ,

02:15:28.411 --> 02:15:28.390
are we shifting away from this

02:15:28.399 --> 02:15:31.290
amphibious warfare model or we uh are

02:15:31.299 --> 02:15:33.243
we gonna reinvest in expanding our

02:15:33.243 --> 02:15:35.243
amphibious fleet so we can meet the

02:15:35.243 --> 02:15:37.355
needs of the Corps and the Navy ? But

02:15:37.355 --> 02:15:39.577
by no means uh imaginable congressman ,

02:15:39.577 --> 02:15:41.688
we are fully dedicated uh to a strong

02:15:41.688 --> 02:15:44.040
and robust amphibious fleet . Uh Just

02:15:44.049 --> 02:15:45.771
in this budget alone , we have

02:15:45.771 --> 02:15:48.899
reinserted three LP DS in 2527 and 29 .

02:15:49.020 --> 02:15:51.890
We actually moved LH A 10 to the left

02:15:51.899 --> 02:15:55.089
by uh two years . Um And so we're fully

02:15:55.100 --> 02:15:57.156
committed and that commitment has to

02:15:57.156 --> 02:15:59.267
continue well into the future as well

02:15:59.267 --> 02:16:01.489
too with uh bringing on the , the , the

02:16:01.489 --> 02:16:03.489
LS MS that the commandant mentioned

02:16:03.489 --> 02:16:05.544
earlier as well too . Uh Our , our ,

02:16:05.564 --> 02:16:07.620
the marines need to move around long

02:16:07.620 --> 02:16:09.675
distances in the , in the Pacific as

02:16:09.675 --> 02:16:11.897
well as island to island and we need to

02:16:11.897 --> 02:16:14.120
give them the capabilities to do . So ,

02:16:14.120 --> 02:16:13.765
do we think that we're on what kind of

02:16:13.774 --> 02:16:15.996
timeline before we start to catch up to

02:16:15.996 --> 02:16:18.163
that curve that we're obviously behind

02:16:18.163 --> 02:16:17.935
on right now , we're , we're , we're

02:16:17.944 --> 02:16:20.111
struggling to meet our needs . I think

02:16:20.111 --> 02:16:22.333
as long as we , we can remain steady on

02:16:22.333 --> 02:16:24.444
uh on LP D production , for example ,

02:16:24.444 --> 02:16:26.111
uh we're gonna be OK . Uh The

02:16:26.111 --> 02:16:28.689
production lines down in uh and , and

02:16:28.700 --> 02:16:30.839
Pascagoula are not as challenged as

02:16:30.850 --> 02:16:33.049
they are uh in the submarine community

02:16:33.059 --> 02:16:35.339
and , and up north as well either . And

02:16:35.349 --> 02:16:37.516
so they're being able to deliver these

02:16:37.516 --> 02:16:39.682
ships pretty much on time on budget uh

02:16:39.682 --> 02:16:41.405
few months , delayed , but not

02:16:41.405 --> 02:16:44.030
certainly years delayed . Uh I'm aware

02:16:44.040 --> 02:16:46.207
that the Marine Corps in fiscal year 2

02:16:46.207 --> 02:16:50.049
2024 has uh uh requested for

02:16:50.059 --> 02:16:52.639
to reinstate a couple of 53 kg . Uh

02:16:52.650 --> 02:16:54.889
those beautiful magnificent birds that

02:16:54.900 --> 02:16:57.589
they are uh near and dear to my heart .

02:16:57.650 --> 02:16:59.549
Uh What it seems like just two

02:16:59.559 --> 02:17:01.448
helicopters . What , what kind of

02:17:01.448 --> 02:17:03.670
impact does that have on the fleet when

02:17:03.670 --> 02:17:03.230
we talk about two helicopters ,

02:17:04.269 --> 02:17:06.379
congressman , uh two helicopters is

02:17:06.389 --> 02:17:10.250
significant uh for us . Um And , and

02:17:10.709 --> 02:17:12.709
to , to answer your question , it's

02:17:12.709 --> 02:17:15.389
about the ch 53 K , which is an

02:17:15.400 --> 02:17:17.289
incredible platform that can lift

02:17:17.289 --> 02:17:19.511
itself . It can literally lift itself .

02:17:19.511 --> 02:17:21.678
It is the only heavy lift , true heavy

02:17:21.678 --> 02:17:23.900
lift helicopter in the dod inventory in

02:17:23.900 --> 02:17:26.309
flight refuel and can lift itself . It

02:17:26.320 --> 02:17:29.290
can lift £48,000 external , which is

02:17:29.299 --> 02:17:31.730
stunning . So I'm committed to making

02:17:31.740 --> 02:17:34.469
sure that our fleet of uh C 53 KS is

02:17:34.480 --> 02:17:37.780
robust and is fully outfitted . Thank

02:17:37.790 --> 02:17:39.901
you and and , uh , I love the picture

02:17:39.901 --> 02:17:43.040
recently of the 53 ki uh kilo with a

02:17:43.049 --> 02:17:46.410
slung loath , uh , at 35 area . We

02:17:46.419 --> 02:17:48.650
feeling nonetheless . Uh , I , I hope

02:17:48.660 --> 02:17:51.070
to be on the next one of those ops . Um ,

02:17:51.299 --> 02:17:53.540
speaking of air , the Ospreys still

02:17:53.549 --> 02:17:55.493
very concerned about the delays in

02:17:55.493 --> 02:17:57.438
getting them back up online . Um ,

02:17:57.438 --> 02:17:59.660
obviously we've seen what's happened in

02:17:59.660 --> 02:18:01.993
Africom with the waving . Uh , you know ,

02:18:01.993 --> 02:18:04.271
and I still think it's a safe aircraft ,

02:18:04.271 --> 02:18:03.808
incredible uh safety profile

02:18:03.819 --> 02:18:05.930
considering its new technologies . Uh

02:18:05.930 --> 02:18:07.930
but where are we at in , in getting

02:18:07.930 --> 02:18:09.930
them back to work at full process ,

02:18:09.930 --> 02:18:12.097
getting our pilots up to speed . Uh so

02:18:12.097 --> 02:18:14.208
they can be proficient what they do .

02:18:14.208 --> 02:18:16.838
Best Congressman the MV 22 as you note

02:18:17.079 --> 02:18:20.268
is uh it's our workhorse . Uh We're

02:18:20.279 --> 02:18:23.088
always um looking to modernize this

02:18:23.098 --> 02:18:25.650
asset , but we've been flying in combat

02:18:25.660 --> 02:18:27.889
and in training since 2007 , it's got a

02:18:27.900 --> 02:18:30.122
safety record consistent with all , all

02:18:30.122 --> 02:18:32.709
other platforms . Um and it's a return

02:18:32.719 --> 02:18:34.809
to flight uh has met the standard by

02:18:34.820 --> 02:18:36.820
NAV Air . So we are returning it to

02:18:36.820 --> 02:18:38.987
flight , we're going through day check

02:18:38.987 --> 02:18:41.098
rides , night check rides and getting

02:18:41.098 --> 02:18:43.098
it back in the fight . Got you with

02:18:43.098 --> 02:18:44.987
that . I have five seconds to say

02:18:44.987 --> 02:18:47.153
simplify . Welcome back to the fight U

02:18:47.660 --> 02:18:49.660
I . Thank the gentleman cheer . Now

02:18:49.660 --> 02:18:51.882
recognized gentleman from New York , Mr

02:18:51.882 --> 02:18:53.660
Lalo . Thank you chairman um Mr

02:18:53.660 --> 02:18:55.882
Secretary . Good to be with you today ,

02:18:55.882 --> 02:18:58.049
sir . Um Our Navy Marine Corps team is

02:18:58.049 --> 02:19:00.216
the most lethal fighting force of good

02:19:00.216 --> 02:19:02.382
for good the world has ever known . Do

02:19:02.382 --> 02:19:01.629
you agree with that ? Yes , sir .

02:19:01.639 --> 02:19:03.950
Absolutely . Um , when he was Secretary

02:19:03.959 --> 02:19:06.150
of Defense General Mattis would say

02:19:06.160 --> 02:19:08.271
that the policy decisions made at the

02:19:08.271 --> 02:19:10.327
Pentagon made here should be made in

02:19:10.327 --> 02:19:12.493
contemplation of ensuring that we have

02:19:12.493 --> 02:19:14.438
the most lethal fighting force the

02:19:14.438 --> 02:19:16.493
world has ever known . And general ,

02:19:16.493 --> 02:19:18.716
would you agree with that ? I'm sorry ,

02:19:18.716 --> 02:19:20.938
in general , Mr Secretary , I'm sorry ,

02:19:20.938 --> 02:19:20.620
I thought you were referring to the

02:19:20.629 --> 02:19:23.059
general and not in general . Uh

02:19:23.070 --> 02:19:26.049
Absolutely , sir . Um And of all the

02:19:26.059 --> 02:19:28.269
things that make our Navy Marine Corps

02:19:28.280 --> 02:19:30.450
team , uh the most lethal fighting

02:19:30.459 --> 02:19:32.681
force . We've talked about a few things

02:19:32.681 --> 02:19:36.400
today . SM 236 shipbuilding , um some

02:19:36.410 --> 02:19:38.577
other equipment and fibs and whatnot .

02:19:38.700 --> 02:19:41.150
Uh But our people , uh do our people

02:19:41.160 --> 02:19:43.280
still remain the biggest component to

02:19:43.290 --> 02:19:45.070
our success without question ,

02:19:45.080 --> 02:19:48.008
Congressman ? Um And I'm frustrated uh

02:19:48.058 --> 02:19:50.280
because my questions aren't going to be

02:19:50.280 --> 02:19:52.502
about some of the infrastructure , some

02:19:52.502 --> 02:19:54.669
of the decisions about where our bases

02:19:54.669 --> 02:19:56.725
are and some of the technology we're

02:19:56.725 --> 02:19:58.614
acquiring , which are uh rightful

02:19:58.614 --> 02:20:00.780
endeavors to us for us to discuss . Um

02:20:00.780 --> 02:20:02.836
Admiral . Do you remember meeting on

02:20:02.836 --> 02:20:04.947
the floor of the house two months ago

02:20:04.947 --> 02:20:04.569
or so during the State of the Union ?

02:20:05.250 --> 02:20:07.194
Do you remember our conversation ?

02:20:07.194 --> 02:20:10.669
Admiral ? I , I , I'll remind you um it

02:20:10.679 --> 02:20:12.901
was about status of forces agreements .

02:20:12.959 --> 02:20:15.126
Um Do you remember who my guest was at

02:20:15.126 --> 02:20:17.330
the State of the Union . Uh

02:20:19.259 --> 02:20:21.203
Yes , I think it was the Mrs Alcon

02:20:21.410 --> 02:20:23.299
Lieutenant Ridge Alcon and his uh

02:20:23.299 --> 02:20:25.900
spouse , uh Britney Alcon . Um , and

02:20:25.910 --> 02:20:28.200
I'm hoping that with the 100 years of

02:20:28.209 --> 02:20:30.431
collective naval service that the three

02:20:30.431 --> 02:20:32.660
of you have combat deployments command

02:20:32.669 --> 02:20:34.836
at sea command at sea , even for you ,

02:20:34.836 --> 02:20:37.058
Mr Secretary , that you could help with

02:20:37.058 --> 02:20:39.002
this issue because I think it does

02:20:39.002 --> 02:20:42.410
strongly relate to lethality . Um , 25

02:20:42.419 --> 02:20:44.641
years ago when I was a midshipman , the

02:20:44.641 --> 02:20:46.752
top of our class at the Naval Academy

02:20:46.752 --> 02:20:48.697
of which I was not a part uh would

02:20:48.697 --> 02:20:51.049
select ships in the seventh fleet for

02:20:51.059 --> 02:20:53.281
the most part because that was the most

02:20:53.281 --> 02:20:55.059
challenging tip of the spear uh

02:20:55.059 --> 02:20:57.003
assignments and , and our best and

02:20:57.003 --> 02:20:59.003
brightest and from ROTC and O CS uh

02:20:59.003 --> 02:21:01.410
would , would pick the same because of

02:21:01.419 --> 02:21:03.586
the challenge of those assignments and

02:21:03.586 --> 02:21:05.919
the specter that um if we as a Navy

02:21:05.929 --> 02:21:08.080
Marine Corps team were in the biggest

02:21:08.089 --> 02:21:10.256
part of the fight , it would likely be

02:21:10.256 --> 02:21:12.478
in that part of the world . Uh And that

02:21:12.478 --> 02:21:14.589
was in the year 2000 . Now , 24 years

02:21:14.589 --> 02:21:16.811
later , it's much more apparent that uh

02:21:16.811 --> 02:21:18.756
if our Navy Marine Corps team gets

02:21:18.756 --> 02:21:20.811
called into the biggest fight , it's

02:21:20.811 --> 02:21:23.089
likely to be in that part of the world .

02:21:23.089 --> 02:21:25.145
And because of the weaknesses of our

02:21:25.145 --> 02:21:26.756
status of forces agreement ,

02:21:26.756 --> 02:21:28.811
specifically with Japan , less folks

02:21:28.811 --> 02:21:31.759
are seeking orders to Japan because

02:21:31.769 --> 02:21:33.880
they're inferior our status of forces

02:21:33.880 --> 02:21:35.610
agreements . Um in the case of

02:21:35.620 --> 02:21:37.679
Lieutenant Regel Conus real briefly

02:21:37.690 --> 02:21:39.746
while traveling down Mount Fuji with

02:21:39.746 --> 02:21:41.857
his family . He innocently because of

02:21:41.857 --> 02:21:44.079
mountain altitude sickness lost control

02:21:44.079 --> 02:21:46.190
of his vehicle , no drinking or drugs

02:21:46.190 --> 02:21:48.468
involved , lost control of his vehicle .

02:21:48.468 --> 02:21:50.690
Tragically resulted in the death of two

02:21:50.690 --> 02:21:52.857
Japanese nationals . The Japanese took

02:21:52.857 --> 02:21:55.023
custody of the lieutenant denied him a

02:21:55.023 --> 02:21:57.246
right to a translator , denied him . Uh

02:21:57.246 --> 02:21:59.468
any sort of attorney sleep deprived him

02:21:59.468 --> 02:22:01.357
and ultimately coerced him into a

02:22:01.357 --> 02:22:03.579
confession that resulted in him serving

02:22:03.579 --> 02:22:05.634
507 days in a Japanese prison . That

02:22:05.634 --> 02:22:07.801
outcome would not have happened likely

02:22:07.801 --> 02:22:09.857
in Korea or any police else where we

02:22:09.857 --> 02:22:11.968
have status of forces agreements . Um

02:22:11.968 --> 02:22:14.190
So my question is this Mr Secretary , I

02:22:14.200 --> 02:22:15.922
realize this is not under your

02:22:15.922 --> 02:22:18.144
jurisdiction . I realize that status of

02:22:18.144 --> 02:22:17.969
force agreements are generally

02:22:17.980 --> 02:22:20.036
negotiated between the Department of

02:22:20.036 --> 02:22:22.313
State and that friendly foreign nation .

02:22:22.313 --> 02:22:24.202
But Mr Secretary , you are in the

02:22:24.202 --> 02:22:26.258
business uh of ensuring that we have

02:22:26.258 --> 02:22:28.202
the most lethal fighting force the

02:22:28.202 --> 02:22:30.369
world has ever known . And the specter

02:22:30.369 --> 02:22:32.480
of conflict in that part of the world

02:22:32.480 --> 02:22:34.591
is more real than it's ever been . Uh

02:22:34.591 --> 02:22:36.424
Mr Secretary , can you commit to

02:22:36.424 --> 02:22:38.647
working with the Secretary of Defense ,

02:22:38.647 --> 02:22:40.758
the Secretary of the State and others

02:22:40.758 --> 02:22:42.758
to ensure that our status of forces

02:22:42.758 --> 02:22:44.647
agreements and nations like Japan

02:22:44.647 --> 02:22:46.647
comport with our values contemplate

02:22:46.647 --> 02:22:48.940
lethality to ensure that if our men and

02:22:48.950 --> 02:22:51.080
women are called into fight in that

02:22:51.089 --> 02:22:52.867
battle , that they can have the

02:22:52.867 --> 02:22:55.033
confidence knowing that if they're out

02:22:55.033 --> 02:22:57.200
in town on liberty and find themselves

02:22:57.450 --> 02:22:59.283
accused of a crime by a friendly

02:22:59.283 --> 02:23:01.339
foreign nation that they have rights

02:23:01.339 --> 02:23:03.339
similar to what rights the everyday

02:23:03.339 --> 02:23:05.339
American citizen have would have in

02:23:05.339 --> 02:23:07.394
America . Absolutely . Congressman ,

02:23:07.394 --> 02:23:09.580
the safety of our personnel um in the

02:23:09.589 --> 02:23:12.030
United States and serving overseas is

02:23:12.040 --> 02:23:14.096
incredibly important to us . And the

02:23:14.096 --> 02:23:16.096
sofa agreements are also incredibly

02:23:16.096 --> 02:23:18.096
important to protect their rights .

02:23:18.096 --> 02:23:20.262
Thank you , Mr Secretary . And can you

02:23:20.262 --> 02:23:22.429
commit to following up in due course ,

02:23:22.429 --> 02:23:24.429
three or six months to tell me what

02:23:24.429 --> 02:23:26.484
progress we've made as a Navy Marine

02:23:26.484 --> 02:23:28.596
Corps team to ensure that our sailors

02:23:28.596 --> 02:23:30.596
and marines in the seventh fleet in

02:23:30.596 --> 02:23:32.540
Japan have better protections , Mr

02:23:32.540 --> 02:23:34.707
Secretary . Absolutely . Congressman .

02:23:34.707 --> 02:23:34.250
Thank you . And with the remainder of

02:23:34.259 --> 02:23:36.910
my time on behalf of Mr Waltz , uh with

02:23:37.040 --> 02:23:39.040
the with the unanimous consent , Mr

02:23:39.040 --> 02:23:41.262
Chairman to enter into the record , his

02:23:41.262 --> 02:23:43.660
letter uh to you Mr Secretary regarding

02:23:43.669 --> 02:23:46.179
his request that uh those service

02:23:46.190 --> 02:23:48.301
members at Abbey Gate be post Lucy uh

02:23:48.301 --> 02:23:50.523
promoted without objection so ordered .

02:23:50.523 --> 02:23:52.301
Thank you all you Mr Chairman .

02:23:52.301 --> 02:23:54.523
Gentleman yields chair , not recognized

02:23:54.523 --> 02:23:56.690
gentleman from Colorado , Mr Lamborn .

02:23:56.690 --> 02:23:58.412
Thank you , Mr Chairman . Um M

02:23:58.412 --> 02:24:00.468
Secretary Del Toro . The last time I

02:24:00.468 --> 02:24:02.579
saw you , we were under the ice up in

02:24:02.579 --> 02:24:04.579
the Arctic Ocean , uh ice X . Uh we

02:24:04.579 --> 02:24:06.523
were on an attack sub and that was

02:24:06.523 --> 02:24:08.468
quite an experience . There's some

02:24:08.468 --> 02:24:10.523
amazing capability that we we filled

02:24:10.523 --> 02:24:12.750
out there . Uh Admiral French , I'll

02:24:12.759 --> 02:24:14.870
ask my first question to you over the

02:24:14.870 --> 02:24:16.759
past several years , Congress has

02:24:16.759 --> 02:24:18.815
appropriated over $3 billion for the

02:24:18.815 --> 02:24:20.981
development of the conventional prompt

02:24:20.981 --> 02:24:23.620
strike CPS hypersonic missile . Yet to

02:24:23.629 --> 02:24:25.240
date that program has yet to

02:24:25.240 --> 02:24:28.139
successfully test an all up round . I

02:24:28.150 --> 02:24:30.889
understand these testing problems are

02:24:30.900 --> 02:24:33.219
driving a program replan that aims to

02:24:33.230 --> 02:24:35.589
feel the hypersonic capability on us .

02:24:35.599 --> 02:24:38.730
S Zoom Walt by the end of 2025 and the

02:24:38.740 --> 02:24:40.969
Virginia class SSN five years later in

02:24:40.980 --> 02:24:43.860
2030 given the recently reported

02:24:43.870 --> 02:24:46.740
shipbuilding delays are these platforms

02:24:46.750 --> 02:24:49.290
on track to accommodate hypersonic

02:24:49.299 --> 02:24:51.419
capability on this timeline ?

02:24:53.480 --> 02:24:55.702
Well , thank you for the question . And

02:24:55.702 --> 02:24:57.591
you know , first , let me say how

02:24:57.591 --> 02:24:59.702
important the CPS capability is . You

02:24:59.702 --> 02:24:59.519
know , it's extremely lethal

02:24:59.530 --> 02:25:01.752
maneuverable and it's something that we

02:25:01.752 --> 02:25:03.974
need to have going forward and we're in

02:25:03.974 --> 02:25:06.030
development of that program uh along

02:25:06.030 --> 02:25:08.197
with the army . And so we're committed

02:25:08.197 --> 02:25:10.308
to developing that , getting that out

02:25:10.308 --> 02:25:12.474
as quickly as possible and making sure

02:25:12.474 --> 02:25:14.308
that we are doing all the proper

02:25:14.308 --> 02:25:16.363
testing to move that forward . Um As

02:25:16.363 --> 02:25:18.530
far as our platforms go , the Zoom all

02:25:18.530 --> 02:25:20.474
uh entered the shipyard uh down in

02:25:20.474 --> 02:25:22.641
Pasagola now . And uh you know , she ,

02:25:22.641 --> 02:25:24.808
I went down to visit her just uh about

02:25:24.808 --> 02:25:27.030
maybe a month ago and uh they're moving

02:25:27.030 --> 02:25:29.906
fast to get her ready for the CP SS alt .

02:25:30.076 --> 02:25:32.187
And uh I'm looking forward to getting

02:25:32.187 --> 02:25:34.409
her out . And so when she's done , that

02:25:34.409 --> 02:25:36.632
would be uh coincident with the missile

02:25:36.632 --> 02:25:38.909
uh being ready uh the Virginia payload .

02:25:38.909 --> 02:25:40.909
We've certainly seen uh some of the

02:25:40.909 --> 02:25:43.132
delays in our submarines and , uh , you

02:25:43.132 --> 02:25:45.243
know , right now we want to invest in

02:25:45.243 --> 02:25:47.465
the submarine industrial base so we can

02:25:47.465 --> 02:25:49.687
increase the cadence and really set the

02:25:49.687 --> 02:25:51.632
conditions to meet the cadence and

02:25:51.632 --> 02:25:51.471
delivery that we really need going

02:25:51.482 --> 02:25:53.593
forward and that will be part of that

02:25:53.593 --> 02:25:55.649
capability . Yeah , let's talk about

02:25:55.649 --> 02:25:57.593
that . Um , I understand that some

02:25:57.593 --> 02:25:59.992
critical flight tests for CPS are

02:26:00.001 --> 02:26:02.112
scheduled for later this year and I'm

02:26:02.112 --> 02:26:04.168
hopeful that they'll be successful ,

02:26:04.168 --> 02:26:06.057
but I think we're not moving fast

02:26:06.057 --> 02:26:07.834
enough . Can you please tell us

02:26:07.834 --> 02:26:10.057
specifically what we can do to increase

02:26:10.057 --> 02:26:11.890
the tempo or cadence of , of the

02:26:11.890 --> 02:26:14.759
testing ? Well , I think , you know ,

02:26:14.769 --> 02:26:16.769
continuing to work with our testing

02:26:16.769 --> 02:26:18.713
community with Admiral Wolf , with

02:26:18.713 --> 02:26:20.825
everyone who's involved with this and

02:26:20.825 --> 02:26:22.713
uh the army . You know , they are

02:26:22.713 --> 02:26:24.936
moving with a sense of urgency and they

02:26:24.936 --> 02:26:26.713
feel that every single day , uh

02:26:26.713 --> 02:26:28.880
Secretary Del Toro , since the October

02:26:28.880 --> 02:26:31.139
7th attack on Israel , we've seen a

02:26:31.230 --> 02:26:33.139
steadily deteriorating security

02:26:33.150 --> 02:26:35.690
environment in the Middle East . One of

02:26:35.700 --> 02:26:37.756
the hallmarks of that environment is

02:26:37.756 --> 02:26:40.639
the attacks by Iranian backed militias

02:26:40.650 --> 02:26:43.459
specifically using cheap attra attack

02:26:43.469 --> 02:26:46.070
drones . I applaud the US Navy's

02:26:46.080 --> 02:26:48.191
performance in defending against this

02:26:48.191 --> 02:26:50.358
threat , but it comes at a significant

02:26:50.358 --> 02:26:52.849
and unsustainable cost . Long term .

02:26:53.129 --> 02:26:54.685
You testified to the Senate

02:26:54.685 --> 02:26:56.573
Appropriations Committee that the

02:26:56.573 --> 02:26:58.407
service required about a billion

02:26:58.407 --> 02:27:00.351
dollars to replenish stocks of air

02:27:00.351 --> 02:27:02.490
defense missiles . And uh General

02:27:02.500 --> 02:27:04.509
Carilla told this committee that he

02:27:04.519 --> 02:27:06.686
encourages the Navy to deploy directed

02:27:06.686 --> 02:27:08.929
energy specifically ship borne lasers

02:27:08.940 --> 02:27:11.169
such as the helio system to get on the

02:27:11.179 --> 02:27:13.669
right side of the cost per shot

02:27:13.679 --> 02:27:16.440
equation . So secretary um under

02:27:16.450 --> 02:27:18.280
Secretary Xu recently said the

02:27:18.290 --> 02:27:20.290
department is working on a directed

02:27:20.290 --> 02:27:22.401
energy system for the Navy with three

02:27:22.401 --> 02:27:24.700
times the power of existing systems .

02:27:24.790 --> 02:27:27.769
Can you update us on what the Navy is

02:27:27.780 --> 02:27:30.759
doing to develop shipboard directed

02:27:30.769 --> 02:27:34.320
energy capability ? Right .

02:27:37.030 --> 02:27:38.863
Thank you , Congressman . You're

02:27:38.863 --> 02:27:40.974
absolutely right that we need to make

02:27:40.974 --> 02:27:43.252
even greater investments in the future .

02:27:43.252 --> 02:27:42.740
We should have been making them for a

02:27:42.750 --> 02:27:44.861
long , long time . But nevertheless ,

02:27:44.861 --> 02:27:46.509
uh we are continuing to make

02:27:46.519 --> 02:27:48.463
investments in order to get helios

02:27:48.463 --> 02:27:50.419
deployable . She will hopefully be

02:27:50.429 --> 02:27:52.650
deployable here sometime in , in the

02:27:52.660 --> 02:27:54.827
next several months , but certainly by

02:27:54.827 --> 02:27:57.500
the end of the year um on us s Prebble .

02:27:57.519 --> 02:27:59.408
Uh but we have six other programs

02:27:59.408 --> 02:28:01.463
including some of the one that Heidi

02:28:01.463 --> 02:28:03.686
Shu is talking about as as well to make

02:28:03.686 --> 02:28:05.940
added investments in high , more high

02:28:05.950 --> 02:28:08.400
high power lasers as well as other

02:28:08.410 --> 02:28:10.354
directed energy programs . Many of

02:28:10.354 --> 02:28:12.354
which are also s a programs that we

02:28:12.354 --> 02:28:15.759
can't talk about openly and uh General

02:28:15.769 --> 02:28:18.750
Smith . Um I know that part of the

02:28:18.759 --> 02:28:21.179
Force design 2030 has been to rethink

02:28:21.190 --> 02:28:23.246
the capabilities of the Marine Corps

02:28:23.429 --> 02:28:25.309
and the needs in the Indo paycom

02:28:25.320 --> 02:28:27.153
theater . Can you talk about the

02:28:27.153 --> 02:28:29.264
importance of systems like the medium

02:28:29.264 --> 02:28:31.376
range intercept capability which is a

02:28:31.376 --> 02:28:35.259
directed energy um uh capability and

02:28:35.269 --> 02:28:37.102
what we're doing to speed up its

02:28:37.102 --> 02:28:40.230
delivery to the marines . Well , sir ,

02:28:40.240 --> 02:28:42.790
I can um the Erick medium range

02:28:42.799 --> 02:28:44.799
intercept capability is one of the

02:28:44.809 --> 02:28:47.839
backbones of our strategy . Uh It

02:28:47.849 --> 02:28:50.889
paired with a TPS 80 gator radar can

02:28:50.900 --> 02:28:54.379
sense uh targets uh very small uh

02:28:54.389 --> 02:28:57.660
diameter targets at great range and can

02:28:57.669 --> 02:29:00.009
intercept them uh at again at great

02:29:00.019 --> 02:29:02.241
range and at a different classification

02:29:02.241 --> 02:29:04.297
level , I can discuss the range with

02:29:04.297 --> 02:29:06.463
you , but it is a , a critical part of

02:29:06.463 --> 02:29:08.575
our force design throughout the first

02:29:08.575 --> 02:29:10.741
island chain to disrupt a potential pr

02:29:10.741 --> 02:29:13.075
C attack . Thank you all night . Y beck .

02:29:13.879 --> 02:29:15.990
I thank the gentleman and I think the

02:29:15.990 --> 02:29:18.157
witnesses , uh this testimony has been

02:29:18.157 --> 02:29:20.323
very helpful and uh we look forward to

02:29:20.323 --> 02:29:22.546
taking uh what you shared with us today

02:29:22.546 --> 02:29:24.379
and folding it into the National

02:29:24.379 --> 02:29:26.601
Defense Authorization Act uh later this

02:29:26.601 --> 02:29:28.823
month . And with that , I will yield to

02:29:28.823 --> 02:29:28.120
the ranking member for any closing

02:29:28.129 --> 02:29:31.500
comments he may have . We're done .

02:29:31.509 --> 02:29:32.019
Thank you .