WEBVTT

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The committee will come to order .

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Without objection , the chair reserves

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the right to declare the committee in

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recess at any point . Before we begin ,

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I want to remind those , uh , in the

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audience that this hearing is open to

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the public , but actions that disrupt

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or distract the proceedings will not be

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tolerated . The chair reserves the

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right to remove disruptive persons from

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the hearing . The US Capitol Police are

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on hand to assist with that task , and

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I thank them for their service . One

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housekeeping note before we get started ,

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uh , we are expecting to be called to

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the House , uh , floor for votes around

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10:30 . Uh , we'll go as long as we can

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up until those votes , and then I ask

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members to come back as , as soon as

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they can after voting . Uh , upon

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conclusion , um . Well , I also want to

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ask members , when you're , uh ,

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entering and leaving the chamber

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because there's hearings going on all

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across the Capitol because this time of

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day , please go in and out through the

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side door . Those doors make a lot of

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racket when you come in and out . So ,

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uh , ingress , egress through the

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anteroom . All right , with that , I

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wanna welcome our witnesses and thank

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them for their service to our nation .

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Uh , we are meeting today to review the

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Pentagon's FY 27 budget request . Each

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year , the budget presentation gives us

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the opportunity to take a hard look at

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the threats we face and our ability to

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deter and defeat them . It helps us

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decide on a level of investment that

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will actually secure our homeland and

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protect our interests across the globe .

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Here are the facts that underlie this

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year's budget request . We are

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confronting an unprecedented global

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threat environment with multiple

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adversaries working together to

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undermine our security and that of our

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allies . They are building alliances

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and supporting each other with drones ,

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munitions , missile technology , and

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energy supplies , and China is leading

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the charge against us . As you can see

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from this graphic , 25 years ago , the

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PLA was just a defensive force with

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little ability to project beyond uh

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power beyond their borders . Today ,

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the PLA is a modernized military force

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capable of projecting power well into

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the Pacific . Their rapid military

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buildup has delivered thousands of new

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ships , subs , missiles , and space

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assets that severely challenge our

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ability to safeguard our national

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security interests in the Indo-Pacific .

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China continues to invest heavily in

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the PLA's military modernization ,

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announcing another 7% increase in

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defense spending this year . As a

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result , they are spending more of

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their GDP on defense than we are . In

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fact , as you can see from this graphic ,

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all of our adversaries are spending

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more of their GDP on defense than we

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are . Meanwhile , our defense spending

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as a percentage of GDP has been

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steadily falling since World War II .

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That yellow line that you see on the

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graph cutting across that bar

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represents 4 to 5% of GDP spending .

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History has shown that meeting or

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exceeding that level of investment

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ensures we can truly deter our

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adversaries . That's also the level of

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investment we're asking our allies to

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make . But for years , we've chosen not

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to make that same level of investment

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ourselves . Since World War II ,

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defense spending has shrunk

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significantly as a percentage of , uh ,

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federal outlays , as you can see from

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the red line on that chart .

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Nonetheless , uh , non-defense spending ,

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on the other hand , accounts for over

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85% , and it's been increasing for that

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same period of time . This

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underinvestment in our defense has had

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very real consequences . Our defense

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industrial base , long the envy of the

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world , has atrophied significantly .

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We're no longer capable of

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manufacturing for our warfighters at

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scale or speed . Just look at

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shipbuilding . China builds 47% of

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the world's ships . The US

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builds 0.1%. We

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build fewer ships than Croatia or the

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Netherlands . Our global munitions

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stockpiles are low , and we lack the

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capacity to rapidly restock magazine

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depth . We have very little industrial

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capacity to mine , refine , or process

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critical minerals . As a result , many

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of our defense supply chains are

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reliant on the very adversaries we seek

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to deter . Beyond the impact of our ,

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to our industrial base , the inadequate

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investment in our defense has resulted

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in a vicious cycle that has pitted

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sustainment against modernization . For

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years , administration after

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administration comes to this committee

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with budgets asking us to decommission

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weapons systems that they admit we

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still need . Or to cut funding for

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training , parks , and supplies , or to

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put off needed maintenance to the

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facilities where our service members

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live and work , or to reduce the number

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of military personnel . These budgets

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have asked us to make these sacrifices

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and accept the near-term risk so we

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could afford to reinvest in military

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modernization , which is something we

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desperately need to do . But we in

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Congress consistently rejected this

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mutually exclusive choice . Instead ,

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we divided up the limited budget we

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were given and made a worse choice . We

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underfunded both sustainment and

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modernization . The result is we don't

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have enough munitions , ships ,

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aircraft , or autonomous systems to

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ensure dominance against every

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adversary . And the ships and aircraft

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we do have suffer from unacceptably low

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mission capable rates . Fortunately ,

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that's about to change . This president

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has requested a historic $1.5 trillion

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budget for our national defense . For

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the first time in over 40 years , we've

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been presented a budget that accounts

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for the true cost of American

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deterrence . This budget fully funds

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both sustainment and modernization . It

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provides a 24% increase in operation

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and maintenance , including a 20%

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increase in core readiness programs

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like flight hours and combat exercises .

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It includes a 115% increase in funding

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to repair and improve facilities for

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our service members and their families .

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It increases military in strength by

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44,000 and provides for a historic pay

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raise for our service members . It

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calls for an unprecedented 76% increase

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in procurement and 64% increase in

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research and development . This will

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enable us to truly catch up in our

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modernization efforts to by quickly

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building new munitions , aircraft ,

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ships , land , space , and autonomous

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systems to replenish and expand our

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arsenal . It directly confronts the

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challenges in our defense industrial

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base with over $100 billion in

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investments to revitalize manufacturing ,

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expand domestic and allied critical

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minerals projects , and secure our

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supply chains . Finally , this level of

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investment gets defense back to 4.5%.

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That's where we need to be . We want to

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truly deter conflict . It also ensures

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that America leads by example , as our

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allies heed the president's call to

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increase their defense spending and

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improve their military readiness . I

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would also note that it's critical that

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we do not reduce deterrence while we're

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asking our allies to ramp up their own

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capacity . And that's something we're

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going to be paying a lot of attention

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to in this committee . Before I close

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my remarks , I want to highlight the

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bravery , dedication , and

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professionalism of our warfighters

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throughout this conflict with Iran .

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Their tremendous work to achieve the

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very clear military objectives of this

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operation has given the president the

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opening he needs to negotiate a true

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and lasting peace that will ensure Iran

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never acquires a nuclear weapon . Mr .

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Secretary , General Kaine , thank you

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for being here . I look forward to

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hearing how this budget request will

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ensure our military can preserve

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American deterrence for generations to

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come . And with that , I yield to my

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friend , the ranking member , for his

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opening statement . Well , thank you ,

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Mr . Chairman . I appreciate those

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opening marks . I want , I want to

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start by agreeing with you on the last

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point . Our troops have performed .

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Incredibly well in the last 15 months

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they have been asked to do more than

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anyone expected and they have

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demonstrated the incredible capability

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of the United States military . I think

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we should all recognize that even if we

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question the strategy , some of the

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decisions behind it , our troops

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deserve nothing but our praise for the

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incredible job that they have done . It

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has not been perfect . Certainly

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mistakes have been made , but we have

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demonstrated to the world that we have

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a highly capable military . And I hear

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the chairman on the , you know , need

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for an increased budget . I think

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there's a whole lot of needs across the

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United States of America that would

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have the same attitude about healthcare ,

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about education , about infrastructure .

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But the problem is we have a $40

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trillion debt and we insist on cutting

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taxes for absolutely everybody , so we

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reduce the amount of revenue that is

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available to that . We also have to

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have a national security strategy that

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lives within a sound fiscal picture .

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Most experts would say that the most

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profound threat to our national

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security right now is exactly that is

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our fiscal picture . How are we going

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to continue to be able to afford to

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fund the things we need to fund as we

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run the debt ever higher ? The other

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thing worth worrying about is the

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Pentagon has not yet passed an audit .

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If we give them what is roughly a 50 to

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60% increase , is that money going to

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be well spent ? We have every reason to

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doubt that . Now I will say , and I

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praise the chairman of this committee ,

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and in a bipartisan bicameral way , we

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have tackled the problem of acquisition

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reform . I think last year's bill put

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us on a good trajectory to get to the

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point where we can in fact innovate

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faster at scale . I also believe the

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Pentagon and has been working on that .

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We've had many meetings with Deputy

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Secretary Feinberg , who is focused on

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that , but we got a long way to go .

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Can the Pentagon really absorb another

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5 to $600 billion depending on what the

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supplemental and the reconciliation

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package are ? I don't think so . We

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need to pay as much attention to how

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we're spending the money as to how much

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we're spending , and we never seem to

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do that . But the larger problem is the

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strategy that has been put before us .

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I , I looked through the . Secretary's

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remarks and I've heard you give

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speeches before about this , about how

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realism is our strategy and I find that

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absurd um and given what we are doing

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you can say a lot of things about the

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strategy but calling it realistic we

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started a full scale war in the Middle

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East against Iran . To try to reshape

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the Middle East . Now we can talk about

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that in a bunch of different ways , but

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it is the exact opposite of realism .

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And in fact starting wars in the Middle

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East that get out of control and lead

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us to have far greater costs for the

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benefits is one of the cornerstones of

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the unrealistic strategy that this

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administration has criticized over and

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over and over again . And yet here we

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are in a full scale Mideast war and

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we've seen the costs of that .

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Certainly at the top of that list is 13

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service members killed and hundreds

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wounded , but it goes way beyond that ,

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that thousands of civilians have been

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killed . Over a dozen countries now

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have been dragged into this war in one

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way or another . The Israel-Lebanes

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Lebanon war has exploded since this war

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started . We now have a conflict

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between the Shia militias in Iraq and

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Kurdistan . That is straining , um , to

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put it mildly , our relationship with

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Iraq and also causing greater chaos

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throughout the Middle East . We've see

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the impact on the economy certainly

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here at home , gas prices up by over $1 .

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The impact of the fertilizer increase

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is going to come later as food prices

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skyrocket . But what is happening to us

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is a small part of what's happening to

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the rest of the world . Certainly the

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Middle East's economy has been tossed

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up in the air , but dozens of countries

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are rationing gasoline as we speak and

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experiencing extreme economic pain

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because of this war . So there's

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nothing realistic about that , and one

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of the big questions that we need to

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get answered today is where is this

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going ? What is the plan to achieve our

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objectives ? We've seen the cost and

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the cost is very , very high . All we

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keep hearing on the objectives is we

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keep seeing all of the targets that we

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have struck , and again , that is an

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incredible accomplishment , uh , from a

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tactical standpoint . I think the

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proficiency of our military has been on

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display . But we're not in this for a

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tactical advantage . We're in this to

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fundamentally change Iran . And as we

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sit here today , Iran's nuclear program

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is exactly what it was before this war

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started . They have not lost their

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capacity to inflict pain . They still

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have a ballistic missile program .

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They're still able to blockade the

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Strait of Hormuz and have the ships

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that are capable of doing that . What

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is the plan to get that to change ? And

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most disturbingly , The president keeps

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telling us that it's over . What was it

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a week ago Friday , the president

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announced that Iran had agreed to give

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up their nuclear program , to give up

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their ballistic missile program , to

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stop support for terrorist groups , to

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reopen the Strait of Hormuz . The only

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problem with that is literally none of

13:34.919 --> 13:36.979
that was true . It , it was , he was

13:36.979 --> 13:38.979
completely making it up . It wasn't

13:38.979 --> 13:41.380
Iran hadn't even agreed to meet with us ,

13:41.780 --> 13:44.539
as became embarrassingly clear as the

13:44.539 --> 13:46.700
day spun out and poor JD Vance had to

13:46.700 --> 13:48.533
keep going back and forth to the

13:48.533 --> 13:51.099
airport . We never even had a meeting ,

13:51.500 --> 13:53.500
so wish fulfillment is not really a

13:53.500 --> 13:55.722
strategy . I mean , maybe the president

13:55.722 --> 13:57.722
thinks he's doing some sort of Jedi

13:57.722 --> 13:59.944
mind trick and can tell Iran , you will

13:59.944 --> 14:02.167
give up your nuclear weapons , and they

14:02.167 --> 14:04.167
automatically will . But that's not

14:04.167 --> 14:06.389
working , so what we need to hear today

14:06.389 --> 14:08.333
is what is going to work . We have

14:08.333 --> 14:10.333
50,000 troops in the region who are

14:10.333 --> 14:12.500
still at risk . How are those tactical

14:12.500 --> 14:14.667
victories going to translate into some

14:14.667 --> 14:16.833
sort of strategic success ? And by the

14:16.833 --> 14:18.889
way , this is one of the things that

14:18.889 --> 14:21.390
realism recognizes . You can win a

14:21.390 --> 14:23.859
whole lot of little small battles and

14:23.859 --> 14:25.970
lose the war , which is why you don't

14:25.970 --> 14:28.303
stumble into the war in the first place .

14:28.580 --> 14:30.960
But at the same time we're doing all of

14:30.960 --> 14:34.270
this on our own as we increasingly push

14:34.270 --> 14:36.989
away all of our allies sometimes just

14:36.989 --> 14:39.156
because we wanna do what we wanna do ,

14:39.156 --> 14:41.378
um , but we don't wanna have to consult

14:41.378 --> 14:43.211
them sometimes just gratuitously

14:43.211 --> 14:45.322
insulting them . I mean in the middle

14:45.322 --> 14:47.433
of this war where we were asking NATO

14:47.433 --> 14:49.489
to come join us , the president took

14:49.489 --> 14:51.711
time out to insult President Macron and

14:51.711 --> 14:53.878
his wife . OK , how is that helping us

14:53.878 --> 14:55.933
to try and belittle everybody in the

14:55.933 --> 14:58.156
world ? And I also , for the people who

14:58.156 --> 15:00.322
are criticizing NATO over this war , I

15:00.322 --> 15:02.211
will remind people that NATO is a

15:02.211 --> 15:04.433
defensive alliance . What that means is

15:04.433 --> 15:06.690
every country and it pledges to defend

15:06.690 --> 15:09.119
a country if attacked . And when we

15:09.119 --> 15:11.119
were attacked on 9/11 , that's what

15:11.119 --> 15:13.286
NATO did . They put in Article 5 , and

15:13.286 --> 15:15.341
for 20 years they fought beside us .

15:15.341 --> 15:17.400
NATO is not , if any one of the

15:17.400 --> 15:20.359
countries decides to unilaterally and

15:20.359 --> 15:24.260
unwisely start a war precipitously

15:24.469 --> 15:26.747
that everyone else is supposed to join .

15:26.747 --> 15:28.580
That's not the way it works . So

15:28.580 --> 15:30.549
berating and belittling our allies

15:30.549 --> 15:32.605
after we did that and driving . Them

15:32.605 --> 15:35.565
ever further away from us , how is that

15:35.565 --> 15:37.676
realistic ? Not only are we gonna try

15:37.676 --> 15:39.843
to reshape the Middle East , but we're

15:39.843 --> 15:41.954
gonna do it alone while we're pushing

15:41.954 --> 15:44.176
everybody away from us and then we have

15:44.176 --> 15:46.232
other tools in our arsenal . You see

15:46.232 --> 15:48.287
that there's numbers on the budget ,

15:48.287 --> 15:50.176
but the State Department's really

15:50.176 --> 15:50.135
important development is really

15:50.135 --> 15:52.246
important . These are ways to achieve

15:52.246 --> 15:54.413
our ends , and we have moved away from

15:54.413 --> 15:56.357
that . We , we , we got rid of the

15:56.357 --> 15:58.413
entire . USAID literally causing the

15:58.413 --> 16:00.413
starvation of children in countries

16:00.413 --> 16:02.579
where we had pledged to provide food ,

16:02.579 --> 16:04.691
you know , causing massive healthcare

16:04.691 --> 16:06.746
disruptions , people literally dying

16:06.746 --> 16:08.524
because we've cut that off . In

16:08.524 --> 16:10.746
diplomacy , we have sidelined again the

16:10.746 --> 16:12.921
entire world . France and the UK have

16:12.921 --> 16:15.143
brought together 44 different countries

16:15.143 --> 16:17.365
that have an interest in trying to open

16:17.365 --> 16:19.532
up the Strait of Hormuz . We've pushed

16:19.532 --> 16:21.477
them all aside and then we've even

16:21.477 --> 16:23.699
pushed aside our own diplomatic corps .

16:23.699 --> 16:25.754
We have a very , very talented State

16:25.754 --> 16:27.921
Department . I praise today the talent

16:27.921 --> 16:30.032
of our military , and I will stand by

16:30.032 --> 16:32.143
that . They deserve that praise . Our

16:32.143 --> 16:34.254
diplomatic corps deserves that praise

16:34.254 --> 16:36.421
too , but we've shoved them all to the

16:36.421 --> 16:38.532
side in favor of two real estate guys

16:38.532 --> 16:38.309
who are going to go negotiate all the

16:38.309 --> 16:40.531
deals in the world , which to date , by

16:40.531 --> 16:43.750
the way , has yielded exactly nothing .

16:44.140 --> 16:46.179
So it's nothing realistic about

16:46.179 --> 16:48.179
starting a war in the Middle East ,

16:48.179 --> 16:50.346
going it alone , and pushing aside all

16:50.346 --> 16:52.457
diplomacy and all development and all

16:52.457 --> 16:54.679
other tools in our arsenal , and on top

16:54.679 --> 16:56.790
of that , of course , we also want to

16:56.790 --> 16:59.068
dominate the entire Western Hemisphere ,

16:59.068 --> 17:01.123
um , you know , including apparently

17:01.123 --> 17:03.401
annexing Canada and invading Greenland .

17:03.690 --> 17:06.023
How is any of that realistic ? And then ,

17:06.023 --> 17:07.912
and then the administration comes

17:07.912 --> 17:09.690
before us and ask for what is a

17:09.690 --> 17:12.010
hopelessly unrealistic budget in this

17:12.010 --> 17:14.369
environment back in that chart there

17:14.369 --> 17:16.536
when we were showing how much money we

17:16.536 --> 17:18.536
were spending on defense , we had a

17:18.536 --> 17:21.130
balanced budget . We had a surplus many

17:21.130 --> 17:23.849
years . We don't have that anymore , so

17:23.849 --> 17:25.960
call this strategy whatever you wanna

17:25.960 --> 17:27.905
call it , but please don't call it

17:27.905 --> 17:30.920
realism . It's not . Forgive me , it

17:30.920 --> 17:33.087
reminds me of one of my favorite lines

17:33.087 --> 17:35.142
from A Princess Bride . It's a tense

17:35.142 --> 17:37.031
morning . I wanna lighten it up a

17:37.031 --> 17:39.031
little bit , um , and the guy keeps

17:39.031 --> 17:40.976
saying , inconceivable when things

17:40.976 --> 17:43.142
happen . And finally , the guy says to

17:43.142 --> 17:45.087
him , You keep using that word . I

17:45.087 --> 17:47.253
don't think you know what it means . I

17:47.253 --> 17:49.142
don't think we know what the word

17:49.142 --> 17:51.309
realism means . So please , can we not

17:51.309 --> 17:53.420
have the realism conversation ? Let's

17:53.420 --> 17:55.476
have the conversation about what the

17:55.476 --> 17:57.698
strategy actually is , and I'm sure you

17:57.698 --> 17:57.540
have a different definition of it than

17:57.540 --> 17:59.739
I do , but as I look at it , the

17:59.739 --> 18:02.900
strategy seems to be to use as much

18:02.900 --> 18:05.140
violence , as much threats , as much

18:05.140 --> 18:08.560
coercion as possible to bend the world

18:08.560 --> 18:11.689
to our will . I think that is a very

18:11.689 --> 18:13.800
dangerous strategy because one of the

18:13.800 --> 18:16.349
oldest cliches in the military is the

18:16.349 --> 18:18.989
enemy gets a vote and we may think that

18:18.989 --> 18:21.211
we can stand up and talk tough and talk

18:21.211 --> 18:23.322
about how strong we are and how we're

18:23.322 --> 18:25.545
burying our enemies and they're begging

18:25.545 --> 18:27.822
for a deal we can do that all day long ,

18:27.822 --> 18:30.045
all right . But the enemy gets a vote .

18:30.045 --> 18:32.267
They don't have to do what we tell them

18:32.267 --> 18:34.469
to do . And meanwhile that coercive

18:34.469 --> 18:36.430
violent strategy undermines our

18:36.430 --> 18:38.486
credibility in the world because the

18:38.486 --> 18:40.597
chairman is absolutely right and this

18:40.597 --> 18:42.708
is one area where I strongly disagree

18:42.708 --> 18:44.874
with the folks on the far left who say

18:44.874 --> 18:46.986
that we don't really face any threats

18:46.986 --> 18:49.152
that the US is a maligned influence in

18:49.152 --> 18:48.750
the world and always has been . I don't

18:48.750 --> 18:51.083
agree with that . China , Russia , Iran ,

18:51.083 --> 18:53.194
North Korea , Hezbollah , Hamas , the

18:53.194 --> 18:55.035
Houthis . variety of other

18:55.035 --> 18:56.757
transnational terrorist groups

18:56.757 --> 18:58.868
including yes narco terrorists , um ,

18:58.875 --> 19:01.042
and , uh , human traffickers over here

19:01.042 --> 19:03.208
they all are trying to weaken us , all

19:03.208 --> 19:05.319
right ? They don't want a rules-based

19:05.319 --> 19:07.264
order they wanna play by their own

19:07.264 --> 19:09.375
rules . They wanna push us aside . We

19:09.375 --> 19:11.431
wanna be the side that stands up for

19:11.431 --> 19:11.354
the rules , but if what we're saying to

19:11.354 --> 19:14.334
the rest of the world is stick with us

19:14.635 --> 19:16.968
because we're a better bully than China ,

19:17.395 --> 19:19.114
we , we coerce countries more

19:19.114 --> 19:21.790
effectively . That undercuts the very

19:21.790 --> 19:24.012
message we're trying to spread to build

19:24.012 --> 19:26.290
the coalition we need to be successful .

19:26.290 --> 19:28.234
I also worry about the values that

19:28.234 --> 19:30.109
we're showing the world when the

19:30.109 --> 19:33.349
president threatens to kill off an

19:33.349 --> 19:36.310
entire civilization . That that is the

19:36.310 --> 19:38.532
message coming out of the United States

19:38.532 --> 19:40.754
of America . If we are going to be this

19:40.754 --> 19:42.699
big powerful force that throws our

19:42.699 --> 19:44.699
weight around the world , the world

19:44.699 --> 19:47.160
wants to know at a minimum . That we're

19:47.160 --> 19:49.382
doing it for the right reasons and with

19:49.382 --> 19:51.493
a sense of values to protect people ,

19:51.493 --> 19:54.670
not to destroy entire civilizations ,

19:55.030 --> 19:57.086
and we all hear that and we all go ,

19:57.086 --> 19:59.141
well , gosh , you know , he probably

19:59.141 --> 20:01.141
doesn't mean it . Well , that is so

20:01.141 --> 20:03.363
reassuring , OK , that he's just making

20:03.363 --> 20:05.586
it up . We're supposed to be the United

20:05.586 --> 20:07.419
States of America . I grew up on

20:07.419 --> 20:09.530
stories of the US at the end of World

20:09.530 --> 20:11.560
War II being the country that the

20:11.560 --> 20:13.640
Germans wanted to surrender to , not

20:13.640 --> 20:15.751
the Russians . Because they knew they

20:15.751 --> 20:17.918
could trust our values . We don't seem

20:17.918 --> 20:20.255
to care about those values . No rules

20:20.255 --> 20:22.694
of engagement . Give them no quarter .

20:22.974 --> 20:25.334
All right ? That is not who we are

20:25.334 --> 20:28.255
supposed to be . And just one final

20:28.255 --> 20:30.699
point on that . The girls' school that

20:30.699 --> 20:33.520
got hit in the first days of this war ,

20:33.979 --> 20:36.739
there is absolutely no question at this

20:36.739 --> 20:39.072
point what happened . We made a mistake ,

20:39.140 --> 20:41.619
and that happens in war . We identified

20:41.619 --> 20:43.730
this target based on earlier charts ,

20:43.730 --> 20:45.897
and yet two months after it happened ,

20:46.219 --> 20:48.609
we refused to say anything about it ,

20:48.979 --> 20:51.201
giving the world the impression that we

20:51.201 --> 20:54.000
just don't care . We do not care about

20:54.000 --> 20:56.056
the casualties and the chaos that is

20:56.056 --> 20:58.290
caused by our war , and we should care

20:58.560 --> 21:00.739
even if we want to prosecute that war

21:00.880 --> 21:03.439
now I agree with the chairman we need a

21:03.439 --> 21:06.079
strategy we face the most complex

21:06.079 --> 21:08.135
threat environment that we face in a

21:08.135 --> 21:10.079
very , very long time so we really

21:10.079 --> 21:12.135
wanna hear from the administration .

21:12.135 --> 21:13.968
Don't give us this realism chest

21:13.968 --> 21:15.968
thumping stuff . What are we really

21:15.968 --> 21:18.079
gonna do ? To meet those threats , to

21:18.079 --> 21:20.246
deal with the challenges we face , and

21:20.246 --> 21:22.301
I'll close just by saying one of the

21:22.301 --> 21:24.468
other ironies of this , of course , is

21:24.468 --> 21:26.523
we have a great example in the world

21:26.523 --> 21:28.635
right now of what our strategy should

21:28.635 --> 21:30.857
be and where our values should be , and

21:30.857 --> 21:33.190
that's Ukraine . And I'm really curious ,

21:33.190 --> 21:35.246
you know , here we are , we roll out

21:35.246 --> 21:37.412
the red carpet for Vladimir Putin , we

21:37.412 --> 21:39.579
belittle and insult President Zelensky

21:39.579 --> 21:41.746
in the White House . He has no cards ,

21:41.746 --> 21:43.968
right ? Well , here we are a year after

21:43.968 --> 21:46.190
that . Looks like he had a couple cards

21:46.190 --> 21:48.219
to play because Ukraine is actually

21:48.219 --> 21:50.739
winning against Russia . Ukraine , a

21:50.739 --> 21:53.319
sovereign democracy standing up against

21:53.319 --> 21:55.579
a brutal , oppressive , coercive

21:55.579 --> 21:58.920
dictatorship . And we can't even bring

21:58.920 --> 22:01.300
ourselves on a consistent basis to say

22:01.719 --> 22:04.239
we are with Ukraine and we are against

22:04.239 --> 22:06.479
what Putin is doing and stand up and

22:06.479 --> 22:08.849
support them . So I want to see that

22:08.849 --> 22:10.849
strategy to meet the complex threat

22:10.849 --> 22:12.960
environment that we have , but simply

22:12.960 --> 22:15.099
saying we've already won and boasting

22:15.099 --> 22:17.321
and bragging and trying to belittle and

22:17.321 --> 22:19.979
insult the entire world . That's not

22:19.979 --> 22:22.146
going to get us to the posture that we

22:22.146 --> 22:24.368
need . So I hope we have a conversation

22:24.368 --> 22:26.535
about how we can build a strategy that

22:26.535 --> 22:29.560
makes sense and is actually realistic

22:30.099 --> 22:33.020
without a yield back . Uh , I thank the

22:33.020 --> 22:34.742
ranking member for his opening

22:34.742 --> 22:36.576
statement . Uh , now I'd like to

22:36.576 --> 22:38.687
introduce our witnesses , and we have

22:38.687 --> 22:38.619
the Honorable Pete Hegseth , Secretary

22:38.619 --> 22:41.459
of War , General Dan Kane , Chairman of

22:41.459 --> 22:43.515
the Joint Chiefs of Staff , and they

22:43.515 --> 22:45.848
are being accompanied by Mr . Jay Hurst ,

22:45.848 --> 22:47.792
acting Chief Financial Officer and

22:47.792 --> 22:50.015
Comptroller for the department . I also

22:50.015 --> 22:52.181
want to welcome the Secretary's wife ,

22:52.181 --> 22:54.181
Jennifer . Welcome to our hearing .

22:54.181 --> 22:53.979
Glad to have you here with us today .

22:54.219 --> 22:56.386
And with that , Mr . Secretary , we'll

22:56.386 --> 22:58.441
start with you . You're recognized .

22:59.810 --> 23:02.032
Well , thank you , Mr . Chairman , uh ,

23:02.032 --> 23:04.088
Ranking Member Smith , distinguished

23:04.088 --> 23:05.754
members of the committee , we

23:05.754 --> 23:07.866
appreciate the opportunity to testify

23:07.866 --> 23:09.949
in full support of President Trump's

23:09.949 --> 23:13.410
historic $1.5 trillion fiscal year

23:13.410 --> 23:16.709
2027 budget request for the Department

23:16.810 --> 23:20.060
of War . The president's budget request

23:20.060 --> 23:22.116
reflects the urgency of the moment ,

23:22.579 --> 23:25.060
addressing both the deferment of

23:25.060 --> 23:27.020
long-standing problems as well as

23:27.020 --> 23:29.420
positioning our forces for both the

23:29.420 --> 23:32.479
current and the future fight . We think

23:32.479 --> 23:35.300
divesting to invest is a strategy of

23:35.300 --> 23:38.069
austerity . I'm honored to appear

23:38.069 --> 23:40.430
alongside General Dan Kane , Chairman

23:40.430 --> 23:42.597
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , as well

23:42.597 --> 23:44.819
as Jay Hurst , our Comptroller or Chief

23:44.819 --> 23:47.020
Financial Officer . I'd like to start

23:47.020 --> 23:49.242
by thanking this committee and Congress

23:49.242 --> 23:51.310
for your partnership in securing the

23:51.310 --> 23:53.310
investments needed for a stronger ,

23:53.589 --> 23:56.310
prouder , and more secure America . I

23:56.310 --> 23:58.532
think what our troops have demonstrated

23:58.532 --> 24:00.588
to the world over the last 15 months

24:00.588 --> 24:03.630
are a reflection of that . A nation's

24:03.630 --> 24:06.599
ability to build , innovate and support

24:06.599 --> 24:08.710
the critical needs of its warfighters

24:08.710 --> 24:12.359
at speed and at scale is the foundation

24:12.359 --> 24:15.800
upon which its survival rests . However ,

24:15.910 --> 24:18.119
upon taking office on January 20th ,

24:18.239 --> 24:21.680
2025 , President Trump inherited a

24:21.680 --> 24:23.791
defense industrial base that had been

24:23.791 --> 24:26.619
hollowed out by years of America last

24:26.760 --> 24:29.500
policies . Resulting in a diminished

24:29.500 --> 24:32.349
ability to project strength . Under the

24:32.349 --> 24:34.238
previous administration , we were

24:34.238 --> 24:36.460
focused on offshoring and outsourcing .

24:37.180 --> 24:39.569
Riddled with cost overruns and degraded

24:39.569 --> 24:42.890
capabilities . Under the leadership of

24:42.890 --> 24:45.250
President Trump , our builder in chief ,

24:45.329 --> 24:47.579
we are reversing this systemic decay

24:47.729 --> 24:49.951
and putting our defense industrial base

24:49.951 --> 24:53.170
back on a wartime footing . If you ask

24:53.170 --> 24:55.003
anyone at our Pentagon , urgency

24:55.003 --> 24:57.920
informs everything we do . We're

24:57.920 --> 25:00.142
rebuilding a military that the American

25:00.142 --> 25:02.031
people can be proud of . One that

25:02.031 --> 25:04.198
instills nothing less than unrelenting

25:04.198 --> 25:06.364
fear in our adversaries and the utmost

25:06.364 --> 25:08.531
confidence in our allies . We fight to

25:08.531 --> 25:12.390
win . In every scenario . The

25:12.390 --> 25:16.030
$1.5 trillion FY 27 budget put forward

25:16.030 --> 25:18.430
by the president will build upon the

25:18.430 --> 25:22.189
historic $1 trillion FY 26 top line .

25:22.920 --> 25:25.339
And continue to reverse the four years

25:25.339 --> 25:27.719
of underinvestment and mismanagement of

25:27.719 --> 25:31.619
the Biden administration . The $1.5

25:31.619 --> 25:33.786
trillion budget will ensure the United

25:33.786 --> 25:35.619
States continues to maintain the

25:35.619 --> 25:37.508
world's most powerful and capable

25:37.508 --> 25:39.619
military as we grapple with a complex

25:39.619 --> 25:42.079
threat environment across multiple

25:42.380 --> 25:45.219
theaters . Not to mention this budget

25:45.219 --> 25:48.459
also includes a historic troop pay

25:48.459 --> 25:51.819
increase , 7% for lower enlisted , and

25:51.819 --> 25:54.140
the budget eliminates all poor or

25:54.140 --> 25:57.189
failing barracks . Quality of life for

25:57.189 --> 25:59.500
our troops is front and center in this

25:59.500 --> 26:03.219
budget as well . By supercharging our

26:03.560 --> 26:05.920
industrial capability and transforming

26:05.920 --> 26:07.864
how the department does business .

26:08.339 --> 26:10.979
We're restoring American commercial

26:10.979 --> 26:13.890
dominance at a pace unseen in

26:13.890 --> 26:16.057
generations . Transforming the defense

26:16.057 --> 26:17.834
industrial base from a broken ,

26:17.834 --> 26:21.219
slow-moving system of the past . We

26:21.219 --> 26:23.780
have flipped the Pentagon acquisition

26:23.780 --> 26:26.540
process from a bureaucratic model to a

26:26.540 --> 26:29.920
business model . 180 . Decisively

26:29.920 --> 26:32.119
moving from an acquisition environment

26:32.119 --> 26:34.175
paralyzed by bureaucratic red tape .

26:34.839 --> 26:37.119
Into an outcomes-driven organization

26:37.119 --> 26:40.420
focused on delivering the most at cost

26:40.479 --> 26:44.239
at scale for taxpayer dollars . Over

26:44.239 --> 26:46.400
the past year , through historic

26:46.400 --> 26:48.579
multi-year procurement agreements ,

26:49.359 --> 26:51.415
smart business deals for things like

26:51.520 --> 26:53.631
critical munitions and capabilities ,

26:53.800 --> 26:56.699
we've sent an unambiguous demand signal

26:57.040 --> 26:59.207
to industry partners to build more and

26:59.207 --> 27:02.109
build faster . The result has been a

27:02.109 --> 27:05.239
surge , a revitalization of our great

27:05.709 --> 27:08.589
factories and a massive reinvestment in

27:08.589 --> 27:11.069
the skilled American workers who serve

27:11.069 --> 27:14.069
as the industrial muscle behind our

27:14.069 --> 27:17.819
warriors . Let me briefly provide you

27:17.819 --> 27:19.989
with some concrete high-level metrics

27:20.300 --> 27:22.411
of what's been accomplished over just

27:22.411 --> 27:24.189
the past few months . These are

27:24.189 --> 27:26.390
announced new facilities and

27:26.390 --> 27:28.168
investments to support American

27:28.168 --> 27:30.334
warfighters , and I would refer you to

27:30.334 --> 27:32.729
the screen . The department has helped

27:32.729 --> 27:35.300
stimulate more than 250 private

27:35.300 --> 27:38.660
investment deals in 39 states , in 180

27:38.660 --> 27:41.500
cities , and 150 companies worth more

27:41.500 --> 27:45.000
than $50 billion . It's resulted in

27:45.000 --> 27:48.540
280 new or expanded facilities with

27:48.540 --> 27:51.020
18 million new square feet of American

27:51.020 --> 27:54.670
manufacturing . And more than 70,000

27:54.670 --> 27:57.670
new jobs in defense . These ,

27:58.660 --> 28:00.716
this is the key part of this . These

28:00.716 --> 28:03.619
$50 billion of investment in new plants .

28:04.609 --> 28:07.329
New assembly lines and new factories ,

28:07.410 --> 28:10.680
these are private investments . Not

28:10.680 --> 28:14.479
taxpayer dollars . By changing our

28:14.479 --> 28:16.201
departments , transforming our

28:16.201 --> 28:18.589
department's business model , American

28:18.589 --> 28:21.359
companies are investing in America with

28:21.359 --> 28:24.199
their own money , their own capital , a

28:24.199 --> 28:26.439
historic demonstration of American

28:26.439 --> 28:27.883
manufacturing and defense

28:27.883 --> 28:30.800
revitalization , all again with their

28:30.800 --> 28:34.560
capital , not Uncle Sam's . This has

28:34.560 --> 28:36.910
never been done before . And is long

28:36.910 --> 28:39.479
overdue from a bureaucratic model to a

28:39.479 --> 28:41.839
business model . Anyone on the outside

28:41.839 --> 28:44.199
looking in at what's been done inside

28:44.199 --> 28:46.560
this Pentagon in the last 12 months

28:46.560 --> 28:48.349
cannot deny the fundamental

28:48.349 --> 28:50.959
transformation at speed , at scale to

28:50.959 --> 28:53.126
innovate and meet the threats of today

28:53.126 --> 28:55.910
and tomorrow . These investments equal

28:55.910 --> 28:57.910
great things for America , American

28:57.910 --> 29:00.640
families and American workers and help

29:00.640 --> 29:02.862
to ensure that our warfighters are able

29:02.862 --> 29:04.918
to defend the American dream and all

29:04.918 --> 29:07.430
American made . Together with the help

29:07.430 --> 29:09.260
of the policies , updates and

29:09.260 --> 29:11.260
appropriations passed by Congress ,

29:11.689 --> 29:13.745
President Trump's War Department has

29:13.745 --> 29:15.869
begun to turn the lights back on in

29:15.869 --> 29:18.091
manufacturing towns across this country

29:18.091 --> 29:20.790
and once again forging a lethal arsenal

29:20.790 --> 29:23.250
of freedom . Where critical supply

29:23.250 --> 29:25.028
chains are threatened , the War

29:25.028 --> 29:26.972
Department has acted decisively to

29:26.972 --> 29:29.194
inject capital , stimulate production ,

29:29.194 --> 29:31.361
and prevent adversarial exploitation .

29:31.361 --> 29:33.609
We are firing up the American economic

29:33.609 --> 29:35.449
engine and at every level of our

29:35.449 --> 29:38.270
defense industrial base . Every policy

29:38.270 --> 29:40.310
we pursue , every budgetary item we

29:40.310 --> 29:42.532
request serves to ensure the department

29:42.532 --> 29:44.780
remains laser-focused on increasing

29:44.780 --> 29:46.750
lethality and survivability of our

29:46.750 --> 29:49.589
forces from the front lines to the

29:49.589 --> 29:53.520
factory floors . This is a historic

29:53.520 --> 29:55.687
budget , as you said , Mr . Chairman .

29:55.719 --> 29:58.119
This is a fiscally responsible budget .

29:58.969 --> 30:02.469
This is a war fighting budget . And

30:02.469 --> 30:04.525
speaking of war fighting , a topic ,

30:04.525 --> 30:06.691
the topic of Iran , I'm sure will come

30:06.691 --> 30:08.819
up today . Which I very much welcome

30:09.160 --> 30:11.327
discussing . I look forward to sharing

30:11.327 --> 30:13.280
the incredible successes of our

30:13.280 --> 30:16.780
military achieved in a matter of weeks .

30:17.400 --> 30:19.122
President Trump , unlike other

30:19.122 --> 30:21.122
presidents , has had the courage to

30:21.122 --> 30:23.520
ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon ,

30:23.560 --> 30:26.010
and he's ironclad in that . We had the

30:26.010 --> 30:28.089
best negotiator in the world driving

30:28.089 --> 30:31.550
that deal . The biggest challenge , the

30:31.550 --> 30:34.069
biggest adversary we face at this point .

30:35.040 --> 30:37.209
Are the reckless , feckless , and

30:37.209 --> 30:39.930
defeatist words of congressional

30:39.930 --> 30:43.010
Democrats and some Republicans 2 months

30:43.010 --> 30:46.319
in , I remind you , 2 months in a

30:46.319 --> 30:48.890
conflict , lest I remind you , and my

30:48.890 --> 30:51.112
generation understands how long we were

30:51.112 --> 30:52.779
in Iraq , how long we were in

30:52.779 --> 30:54.719
Afghanistan . How long we were in

30:54.719 --> 30:58.319
Vietnam , 2 months in on an existential

30:58.319 --> 31:00.375
fight for the safety of the American

31:00.375 --> 31:02.400
people , Iran cannot have a nuclear

31:02.400 --> 31:04.733
bomb . We are proud of this undertaking .

31:04.733 --> 31:06.956
I am proud that President Trump has had

31:06.956 --> 31:08.844
the courage to do it , and I look

31:08.844 --> 31:11.011
forward to sharing more about what our

31:11.011 --> 31:13.122
troops have accomplished . So I thank

31:13.122 --> 31:14.956
you again for the opportunity to

31:14.956 --> 31:17.178
address this committee . I ask that God

31:17.178 --> 31:19.289
that God would continue to watch over

31:19.289 --> 31:21.344
our troops in harm's way , and those

31:21.344 --> 31:23.289
that have fallen are always in our

31:23.289 --> 31:25.400
memory , and we fight to ensure their

31:25.400 --> 31:27.567
legacy . Look forward to answering the

31:27.567 --> 31:29.900
questions of this committee . Thank you ,

31:29.900 --> 31:29.880
Mr . Secretary . General Kane , you're ,

31:29.890 --> 31:31.880
you're recognized . Thank you ,

31:31.969 --> 31:34.247
Chairman Rogers , Ranking Member Smith ,

31:34.247 --> 31:36.413
and members of this committee . Thanks

31:36.413 --> 31:38.636
for having me today . I'm honored to be

31:38.636 --> 31:40.858
here today alongside the Honorable Pete

31:40.858 --> 31:42.802
Hegseth and Honorable Jay Hurst to

31:42.802 --> 31:44.969
testify in the president's fiscal year

31:44.969 --> 31:47.010
2027 budget . I'm grateful for the

31:47.010 --> 31:49.177
opportunity to testify today , and I'm

31:49.177 --> 31:51.729
thankful for your continued partnership

31:51.969 --> 31:54.191
in support of our warfighters defending

31:54.191 --> 31:56.302
the homeland and our interests around

31:56.302 --> 31:58.413
the world . It's a privilege to speak

31:58.413 --> 32:00.580
with you today about the foundation of

32:00.580 --> 32:02.636
America's strength , our 2.8 million

32:02.636 --> 32:04.829
members of our joint force , and I'm

32:04.829 --> 32:07.630
continually inspired by our soldiers ,

32:07.750 --> 32:10.540
sailors , airmen , marines , guardians ,

32:10.579 --> 32:12.670
and coastguard guardsmen , and our

32:12.670 --> 32:15.109
civilians standing the watch for our

32:15.109 --> 32:17.630
nation , supported always by their

32:17.630 --> 32:19.829
families . Each and every one of them

32:19.829 --> 32:21.885
could have chosen another path , but

32:21.885 --> 32:23.996
they don't . They choose to serve and

32:23.996 --> 32:25.996
to do something more important than

32:25.996 --> 32:28.051
themselves . And every day they meet

32:28.051 --> 32:30.420
the nation's challenges from combat

32:30.420 --> 32:32.476
operations to critical support roles

32:32.709 --> 32:35.469
with the courage , tenacity , and grit

32:35.469 --> 32:38.369
that keeps our nation strong and secure .

32:38.949 --> 32:41.469
I would also like to express my deep

32:41.469 --> 32:44.349
gratitude for the 39 members of our

32:44.349 --> 32:46.989
joint force who've passed away during

32:46.989 --> 32:49.750
my time as the chairman , including 14

32:49.750 --> 32:51.750
who've passed during Operation Epic

32:51.750 --> 32:54.050
Fury . As the secretary said , we are

32:54.050 --> 32:56.209
deeply grateful for each of them and

32:56.209 --> 32:58.320
their families , and their names will

32:58.320 --> 33:01.150
never be forgotten . As the chairman ,

33:01.540 --> 33:03.429
my duty is to ensure our civilian

33:03.429 --> 33:06.250
leadership has a comprehensive range of

33:06.250 --> 33:08.729
military options and the associated

33:08.729 --> 33:11.689
risks to those leaders who make the

33:11.689 --> 33:14.609
nation's hardest decisions and offer my

33:14.609 --> 33:17.010
military advice privately . I owe the

33:17.010 --> 33:19.165
president . The Secretary and the

33:19.165 --> 33:21.525
Congress , the truth at every turn . My

33:21.525 --> 33:24.525
blueprint for this role is General

33:24.525 --> 33:27.204
George C . Marshall . His commitment to

33:27.204 --> 33:29.505
civilian control of the military and

33:29.505 --> 33:32.604
nonpartisan military remains a constant

33:32.604 --> 33:34.660
standard and something I borrow from

33:34.660 --> 33:37.660
often . I strive daily to emulate his

33:37.660 --> 33:40.859
candor , delivering the facts to our

33:40.859 --> 33:42.915
leaders and telling them always what

33:42.915 --> 33:44.915
they need to hear , not always what

33:44.915 --> 33:47.137
they want to hear . And once a decision

33:47.137 --> 33:49.260
is made , executing it with absolute

33:49.260 --> 33:51.427
dedication , and that is the demand of

33:51.427 --> 33:53.939
our profession . I sit here today

33:54.319 --> 33:56.486
before you representing our incredible

33:56.486 --> 33:58.680
joint force , and I want to emphasize

33:58.680 --> 34:00.902
my commitment to this committee and the

34:00.902 --> 34:02.847
Congress that I will always follow

34:02.847 --> 34:05.160
General Marshall's steadfast example as

34:05.160 --> 34:07.160
by providing clear and candid

34:07.160 --> 34:09.395
nonpartisan . Military advice and

34:09.395 --> 34:11.735
working together with our civilian

34:11.735 --> 34:14.455
leaders to ensure that our military

34:14.675 --> 34:17.475
does the things that we must do , being

34:17.475 --> 34:20.024
prepared to deter and defend our nation ,

34:20.274 --> 34:22.395
and if called upon , win our wars

34:22.395 --> 34:24.810
around the world . America's joint

34:24.810 --> 34:27.290
force is operational at its core ,

34:27.439 --> 34:30.449
purpose built for the realities of a

34:30.449 --> 34:32.649
complex and ever changing world . We

34:32.649 --> 34:35.050
are organized , trained , and equipped

34:35.050 --> 34:37.439
to execute the most demanding missions

34:37.439 --> 34:39.560
across the globe with unrivaled

34:39.560 --> 34:42.449
precision . Over the past year , our

34:42.449 --> 34:44.489
warfighters have consistently

34:44.489 --> 34:47.090
demonstrated exactly what it means to

34:47.090 --> 34:50.090
be the most capable , adaptable , and

34:50.090 --> 34:52.850
most professional military force in the

34:52.850 --> 34:56.270
world . Our shared goals are to ensure

34:56.270 --> 34:58.909
the joint force remains the strategic

34:58.909 --> 35:01.260
maintains the strategic initiative and

35:01.260 --> 35:03.899
advantage , projecting American power

35:03.899 --> 35:06.066
and responding to global challenges on

35:06.066 --> 35:09.030
our nation's terms during Operations

35:09.030 --> 35:11.060
Rough Rider , Midnight Hammer ,

35:11.350 --> 35:13.989
Southern Spear , Absolute Resolve , and

35:13.989 --> 35:17.020
Epic Fury . The joint force executed

35:17.020 --> 35:19.100
globally integrated operations and

35:19.100 --> 35:22.860
missions alongside our interagency and

35:22.860 --> 35:24.971
international partners , and once our

35:24.971 --> 35:27.340
civilian leaders made a decision , we

35:27.340 --> 35:29.007
make those missions our own ,

35:29.060 --> 35:31.719
demonstrating the unmatched capability

35:32.020 --> 35:34.689
to seamlessly synchronize our

35:34.689 --> 35:37.620
capabilities across all domains from

35:37.620 --> 35:40.580
the sea bed to cislunar space and

35:40.580 --> 35:43.239
higher . We're able to accomplish these

35:43.239 --> 35:46.209
complicated missions and work because

35:46.209 --> 35:48.909
we draw from a deep , enduring

35:48.909 --> 35:51.909
reservoir of training , professionalism ,

35:51.929 --> 35:54.649
and commitment . Our operational tempo

35:54.649 --> 35:57.909
is high , but we're designed to sustain

35:57.909 --> 36:00.554
and rebuild our . Strength continuously .

36:00.754 --> 36:03.324
We build readiness every day . We train

36:03.324 --> 36:05.794
professionals every day . We learn and

36:05.794 --> 36:08.274
sharpen our edges every day by being

36:08.274 --> 36:11.074
learning leaders , and I am incredibly

36:11.074 --> 36:13.018
proud to be a member of this joint

36:13.018 --> 36:15.074
force team , proud of the team and

36:15.074 --> 36:17.235
proud of the commanders . As the

36:17.235 --> 36:19.291
chairman and the ranking member both

36:19.291 --> 36:22.544
said , we live in complex and dynamic

36:22.544 --> 36:25.314
times where global risk is scaling .

36:25.739 --> 36:27.820
The complexity of today's modern

36:27.820 --> 36:30.100
battlefields demands our constant

36:30.100 --> 36:32.979
adaptation , innovation , and

36:32.979 --> 36:35.699
partnership with this Congress . As a

36:35.699 --> 36:38.032
joint force , we're up to the challenge .

36:38.032 --> 36:39.977
We're built for this environment .

36:39.977 --> 36:42.610
However , continued success is not

36:42.610 --> 36:45.810
guaranteed by past achievements . It

36:45.810 --> 36:48.032
must be secured through forward-looking

36:48.032 --> 36:50.169
partnerships with Congress . And to

36:50.169 --> 36:53.050
drive this pace and change and maintain

36:53.050 --> 36:55.729
our superiority , we need timely ,

36:55.969 --> 36:58.247
predictable , and sustained investment .

36:58.479 --> 37:01.000
The resources we discussed today are

37:01.000 --> 37:04.000
critical to modernizing our force and

37:04.000 --> 37:06.280
ensuring that whatever threats emerge

37:06.280 --> 37:09.199
in the future , that your joint force

37:09.199 --> 37:11.600
is ready to meet those challenges to

37:11.600 --> 37:13.656
protect our interests and defend our

37:13.656 --> 37:16.179
nation . As the Secretary , the

37:16.179 --> 37:19.179
president's fiscal year 2027 budget

37:19.179 --> 37:21.123
supports the department's goals of

37:21.123 --> 37:23.560
recharging the defense industrial base

37:23.560 --> 37:25.504
and the national industrial base ,

37:25.739 --> 37:27.689
ensuring our military is ready ,

37:27.889 --> 37:30.479
securing our military advantage within

37:30.500 --> 37:32.820
the joint force , the uniform side ,

37:32.899 --> 37:34.732
our priorities remain the same .

37:35.040 --> 37:37.370
Ensuring our warfighters are properly

37:37.370 --> 37:39.949
armed , globally integrated , and ready

37:40.169 --> 37:42.447
while always taking care of our people ,

37:42.447 --> 37:45.320
and what truly sets our people apart

37:45.320 --> 37:47.487
from other militaries around the world

37:47.649 --> 37:50.729
is the 1.8 million members , enlisted

37:50.729 --> 37:53.850
members of our force who maintain ready .

37:54.445 --> 37:57.125
beyond reproach and are the envy of

37:57.125 --> 38:00.264
every other nation . I'm joined today

38:00.264 --> 38:02.405
by the senior enlisted adviser to the

38:02.405 --> 38:04.572
chairman , Dave Isom , who's here with

38:04.572 --> 38:07.645
me today representing the 1.8 million

38:07.645 --> 38:10.165
members of the enlisted force . He is a

38:10.165 --> 38:13.270
great American , not an American . Um ,

38:13.699 --> 38:15.979
while we face dynamic and a dangerous

38:15.979 --> 38:18.709
world , I have the absolute trust in

38:18.709 --> 38:21.899
the extraordinary men and women who

38:21.899 --> 38:24.939
come and volunteer to serve our nation

38:24.939 --> 38:27.340
within our joint force . They execute

38:27.340 --> 38:30.260
the missions quietly every day , and

38:30.260 --> 38:32.260
coupled with the American spirit ,

38:32.580 --> 38:35.100
outthink , outcompete , and

38:35.100 --> 38:37.219
relentlessly innovate . We will

38:37.219 --> 38:39.939
maintain our decisive edge , but doing

38:39.939 --> 38:42.899
so requires your partnership . We stand

38:42.899 --> 38:45.232
ready today to answer our nation's call .

38:45.699 --> 38:47.866
It remains the honor of a lifetime for

38:47.866 --> 38:49.921
me to serve alongside the members of

38:49.921 --> 38:52.540
this joint force . And as we sit here

38:52.540 --> 38:54.780
today in this important hearing , I ask

38:54.780 --> 38:56.739
us all to remember our deployed

38:56.739 --> 38:58.961
teammates who are out there right now .

38:58.961 --> 39:01.739
Doing our nation's business and may we

39:01.739 --> 39:04.399
again always remember our fallen who've

39:04.399 --> 39:06.360
given us the gift of an incredible

39:06.360 --> 39:09.000
example and their family members who

39:09.000 --> 39:11.056
continue to show us what courage and

39:11.056 --> 39:13.111
grit look like . Thank you again for

39:13.111 --> 39:14.944
your enduring support and I look

39:14.944 --> 39:17.167
forward to your questions . Thank you ,

39:17.167 --> 39:19.222
General . I recognize myself now for

39:19.222 --> 39:21.389
questions . Uh , Secretary Hick Seth ,

39:21.389 --> 39:23.500
thank you for undertaking the Arsenal

39:23.500 --> 39:25.556
of Freedom tour . And the great work

39:25.556 --> 39:27.667
the department's doing to help , uh ,

39:27.667 --> 39:29.667
enhance our capacity in our defense

39:29.667 --> 39:31.889
industrial base . Could you tell us how

39:31.889 --> 39:34.056
last year's reconciliation bill helped

39:34.056 --> 39:36.530
enable , um , what you have been able

39:36.530 --> 39:38.697
to do and what you think this year's ,

39:38.770 --> 39:41.370
uh , FY 27 budget request will do on ,

39:41.560 --> 39:43.929
on that front ? Well , Mr . Chairman ,

39:44.000 --> 39:46.167
thank you for your leadership and your

39:46.167 --> 39:48.389
support on that topic . I mean , coming

39:48.389 --> 39:50.444
into this position , we fell in on a

39:50.444 --> 39:52.222
lot of the reforms you and this

39:52.222 --> 39:51.810
committee have been advocating for for

39:51.810 --> 39:54.032
a long time . Looking for somebody that

39:54.032 --> 39:56.199
was willing to run with them , and our

39:56.199 --> 39:58.366
department , uh , have , have run with

39:58.366 --> 40:00.421
those . And that reconciliation bill

40:00.421 --> 40:02.532
last year was kind of the rocket fuel

40:02.532 --> 40:04.588
to initiate , uh , President Trump's

40:04.588 --> 40:06.699
priorities in this department . So we

40:06.699 --> 40:08.532
fell in on a department that was

40:08.532 --> 40:08.129
focused on a lot of the wrong things ,

40:08.209 --> 40:10.689
going in the wrong direction . Uh , and

40:10.830 --> 40:13.163
with reconciliation , we're able to put ,

40:13.163 --> 40:15.441
you know , $22 billion in shipbuilding ,

40:15.441 --> 40:17.608
$22 billion into the Golden Dome , $25

40:17.608 --> 40:19.663
billion into munitions , established

40:19.663 --> 40:21.330
drone dominance , which we're

40:21.330 --> 40:23.497
continuing to do this day in this next

40:23.497 --> 40:25.608
budget funds . So getting in front of

40:25.608 --> 40:27.552
that budget cycle , which had been

40:27.552 --> 40:29.774
notoriously unpredictable , uh , out of

40:29.774 --> 40:31.941
coming out of the continued revolution

40:31.941 --> 40:33.997
resolution of FY 25 to fund this and

40:33.997 --> 40:36.812
then a . a historic bill in FY 26 ,

40:37.123 --> 40:39.234
laid the groundwork for this historic

40:39.234 --> 40:41.401
budget to ensure that we're not coming

40:41.401 --> 40:43.401
at a cold start here . We came into

40:43.401 --> 40:45.456
this administration . Reconciliation

40:45.456 --> 40:47.623
was a beautiful tool . We were able to

40:47.623 --> 40:49.845
use that through that one big beautiful

40:49.845 --> 40:51.845
bill to fund the priorities of this

40:51.845 --> 40:53.845
department . We spent $4 billion on

40:53.845 --> 40:56.012
barracks , started immediately getting

40:56.012 --> 40:58.234
after the quality of life of barracks ,

40:58.234 --> 40:57.923
uh , because of the austerity of the

40:57.923 --> 41:00.090
Biden administration , we traded . Off

41:00.090 --> 41:01.923
of maintenance and traded off of

41:01.923 --> 41:03.812
quality of life to try to fund up

41:03.812 --> 41:06.034
things operationally . Uh , this budget

41:06.034 --> 41:08.256
stops that cycle and both invests in

41:08.256 --> 41:10.486
sustainment and modernization , uh ,

41:10.575 --> 41:12.631
which is , which is something that's

41:12.631 --> 41:14.797
critically important . So without that

41:14.797 --> 41:14.535
reconciliation bill , I think Mr .

41:14.676 --> 41:16.843
Chairman , we'd be in a very different

41:16.843 --> 41:19.065
place . So thank you for that . Great .

41:19.065 --> 41:21.287
Well , as you are aware , the expansion

41:21.287 --> 41:23.398
of the defense industrial base is the

41:23.398 --> 41:25.509
principal focus of this year's NDAA .

41:25.509 --> 41:27.787
So in addition to enacting this budget ,

41:27.787 --> 41:30.009
uh , request that's been submitted , we

41:30.009 --> 41:32.065
want to work with you to enhance the

41:32.065 --> 41:34.176
department's statutory authorities to

41:34.176 --> 41:36.449
improve the capacity of our DIB . What

41:36.449 --> 41:38.939
additional changes in law , such as the

41:38.939 --> 41:41.209
additional multi-year , uh , block by

41:41.209 --> 41:43.649
authority , would you recommend that we

41:43.649 --> 41:46.060
pursue in this year's NDAA ? A few

41:46.060 --> 41:48.010
aspects of the , uh , acquisition

41:48.010 --> 41:50.232
transition , uh , transformation that's

41:50.232 --> 41:52.454
been undertaken by Undersecretary Duffy

41:52.454 --> 41:54.510
in acquisitions and sustainment . So

41:54.510 --> 41:56.677
there's some aspects of that we'd like

41:56.677 --> 41:58.899
to codify even more . But you mentioned

41:58.899 --> 42:00.621
it . Multi-year procurement is

42:00.621 --> 42:02.732
incredibly important and , and one of

42:02.732 --> 42:02.540
the most important parts of this bill .

42:02.899 --> 42:05.010
When this committee and this Congress

42:05.010 --> 42:06.955
funds those things , companies are

42:06.955 --> 42:08.969
already breaking ground on tens of

42:08.969 --> 42:11.247
billions of dollars of new plants . Uh ,

42:11.247 --> 42:13.739
you , you name the , we've got 14 in

42:13.739 --> 42:16.100
our , uh , ammunition council that

42:16.100 --> 42:18.322
we're focusing on certain ammunitions .

42:18.322 --> 42:20.378
There are 14 that are critical . You

42:20.378 --> 42:22.729
know , PC-3s , SM 3s , SM 6s , Thads ,

42:22.830 --> 42:26.169
Patriots , Tomahawks , Amrams , Jazzms ,

42:26.469 --> 42:28.691
you , you name Prisms , you name them .

42:29.110 --> 42:31.229
We were building them at too slow and

42:31.229 --> 42:33.451
too low a level . Now the companies are

42:33.451 --> 42:35.507
going to pay for those factories and

42:35.507 --> 42:37.396
those production lines . And when

42:37.396 --> 42:39.618
you're , when Congress gives those 5 to

42:39.618 --> 42:41.673
7-year demand signals , they'll then

42:41.709 --> 42:43.820
fund it , not just , hey , can we get

42:43.820 --> 42:46.550
10 more per month , but can we 2x , 3X ,

42:46.629 --> 42:49.800
4x the production . Uh , pay for it now

42:49.959 --> 42:51.737
and the companies invest , uh ,

42:51.750 --> 42:53.600
accordingly . So it's been a , a

42:53.600 --> 42:55.711
critical aspect of some of what we've

42:55.711 --> 42:57.933
done so far , but we need more of those

42:57.933 --> 43:00.211
5 to 7 year , uh , investments . Great .

43:00.320 --> 43:02.580
General Kane , what does the $1.5

43:02.580 --> 43:04.802
trillion budget mean for the warfighter

43:04.802 --> 43:06.913
and our ability to project forces and

43:06.913 --> 43:09.136
secure our interests around the globe ?

43:09.879 --> 43:12.459
Chairman , uh , you know , in my , in

43:12.459 --> 43:14.739
my view , this , this represents a , a

43:14.739 --> 43:17.310
historic down payment on future

43:17.310 --> 43:19.770
security . Um , if , if the budget is

43:19.770 --> 43:22.419
approved and ultimately deployed , as

43:22.419 --> 43:24.870
we look at the character of warfare

43:24.870 --> 43:27.260
changing very , very fast , what's

43:27.260 --> 43:29.699
layered in , uh , to this budget by our

43:29.699 --> 43:32.510
civilian leaders will allow us to start

43:32.510 --> 43:35.030
getting ahead of where , uh ,

43:35.620 --> 43:37.949
technology is evolving . And , and as I

43:37.949 --> 43:39.560
mentioned , the character of

43:39.560 --> 43:41.560
warfighting is , is changing pretty

43:41.560 --> 43:44.389
quickly . Mass simultaneity , autonomy ,

43:44.750 --> 43:47.870
undersea , space , cyber , information ,

43:48.229 --> 43:51.310
all of those , those ways that are now

43:51.310 --> 43:52.977
manifesting themselves on the

43:52.977 --> 43:56.449
battlefields around the world , require

43:56.830 --> 43:59.229
a higher end of capital investment ,

43:59.389 --> 44:02.270
and that's why we're grateful for the

44:02.270 --> 44:04.326
opportunity to have this budget make

44:04.326 --> 44:06.548
its way to the joint force . So it's an

44:06.548 --> 44:08.603
important . Uh , down payment on the

44:08.603 --> 44:10.826
future here , sir . Great , thank you .

44:10.826 --> 44:12.881
Thank you , sir . Uh , with that , I

44:12.881 --> 44:12.159
yield to the ranking member for any

44:12.159 --> 44:14.437
questions he may have . Uh , thank you .

44:14.437 --> 44:16.437
Uh , Mr . Hurst , drag you into the

44:16.437 --> 44:18.437
conversation here . We have not yet

44:18.437 --> 44:20.659
received from the Pentagon the costs of

44:20.659 --> 44:22.881
the war . Um , so just for the record ,

44:22.881 --> 44:24.715
we'd like to get that as soon as

44:24.715 --> 44:26.659
possible . Certainly the munitions

44:26.659 --> 44:28.715
expended . But also underreported is

44:28.715 --> 44:30.881
we've had a fair amount of equipment ,

44:30.881 --> 44:33.048
uh , destroyed including 2 C-130s with

44:33.048 --> 44:35.215
the rescue of our downed airmen . Um ,

44:35.215 --> 44:37.719
so do you have either a , a cost

44:37.719 --> 44:40.052
estimate coming to us anytime soon or B ,

44:40.219 --> 44:44.189
a specific supplemental request ? Thank

44:44.189 --> 44:46.070
you for that question . Um , so

44:46.070 --> 44:47.848
approximately at this day we're

44:47.848 --> 44:50.070
spending about $25 billion on Operation

44:50.070 --> 44:51.903
Epic Fury . Um , most of that is

44:51.903 --> 44:53.959
ammunitions . There's part of that ,

44:53.959 --> 44:55.792
it's obviously O&M and equipment

44:55.792 --> 44:57.681
replacement . We will formulate a

44:57.681 --> 44:59.792
supplemental , uh , through the White

44:59.792 --> 44:59.070
House that will come to Congress , uh ,

44:59.189 --> 45:01.300
once we have a full assessment of the

45:01.300 --> 45:03.522
cost of the conflict . So you're saying

45:03.522 --> 45:05.467
the full cost at this point is $25

45:05.467 --> 45:07.522
billion . Yeah , that's our estimate

45:07.522 --> 45:09.745
for the cost . OK , interesting because

45:09.745 --> 45:11.911
we I'm glad you answered that question

45:11.911 --> 45:11.070
because we've been asking for a hell of

45:11.070 --> 45:13.181
a long time and no one's given us the

45:13.181 --> 45:15.403
number , um , so if you could get those

45:15.403 --> 45:17.514
details over to us that that would be

45:17.514 --> 45:19.403
great . um , Mr . Secretary , you

45:19.403 --> 45:21.403
mentioned the the nuclear aspect of

45:21.403 --> 45:23.626
Iran and the war and it is worth noting

45:23.626 --> 45:25.903
that every president prior to this one ,

45:25.903 --> 45:28.070
including President Trump in his first

45:28.070 --> 45:27.989
term , also prevented Iran from getting

45:27.989 --> 45:29.878
a nuclear weapon without actually

45:29.878 --> 45:32.070
having to go to war in Iran , so we

45:32.070 --> 45:34.014
need to keep that in mind but also

45:34.014 --> 45:36.790
since the war started . Iran's nuclear

45:36.790 --> 45:39.600
arsenal has not been weakened in any

45:39.600 --> 45:41.933
way , and at the moment in negotiations ,

45:41.933 --> 45:44.399
what Iran is saying basically pay us to

45:44.399 --> 45:46.566
open up the strait . That that's their

45:46.566 --> 45:48.288
position , which is completely

45:48.288 --> 45:50.399
untenable . I agree . Um , it's worth

45:50.399 --> 45:52.455
noting , of course , that the strait

45:52.455 --> 45:54.566
was open before the war started . Now

45:54.566 --> 45:56.788
we're negotiating to get back to status

45:56.788 --> 45:58.955
quo and Iran's most recent offer is to

45:58.955 --> 46:01.066
say we'll talk about nukes later . So

46:01.066 --> 46:03.177
what is the plan to actually turn all

46:03.177 --> 46:05.840
of this lethal kinetic action into an

46:05.840 --> 46:08.007
improvement in the nuclear situation ,

46:08.007 --> 46:10.118
because we haven't gotten there yet .

46:10.118 --> 46:12.062
Play it out for us . How does that

46:12.062 --> 46:14.173
happen ? How does it actually lead to

46:14.173 --> 46:16.396
that result ? Well , I would take issue

46:16.396 --> 46:18.507
with the premise of the question that

46:18.507 --> 46:20.618
nothing was done . Operation Midnight

46:20.618 --> 46:20.510
Hammer was a , a , a very effective .

46:20.669 --> 46:22.836
Well , I didn't say nothing was done .

46:22.836 --> 46:25.113
I said in this war , ultimately , well ,

46:25.113 --> 46:26.558
this is , this under this

46:26.558 --> 46:28.225
administration , unlike other

46:28.225 --> 46:30.447
administrations which cut bad deals and

46:30.447 --> 46:32.391
pallets of cash with no ability to

46:32.391 --> 46:32.169
oversee whether Iran is actually

46:32.169 --> 46:34.391
pursuing a nuclear program , so we want

46:34.391 --> 46:36.870
to litigate JCPOA or the Iran deal ,

46:37.169 --> 46:39.280
our view . The president's views that

46:39.280 --> 46:41.336
was a very bad deal . It gave them a

46:41.336 --> 46:43.391
bunch of money upfront the future to

46:43.391 --> 46:45.669
fund you talked about negotiated deals ,

46:45.669 --> 46:47.669
funded , allowed them to fund their

46:47.669 --> 46:49.836
proxies and spread Hamas and Hezbollah

46:49.836 --> 46:49.669
all around the region , build up

46:49.669 --> 46:51.613
nuclear capabilities . What are we

46:51.613 --> 46:53.780
going to do ? President Trump has been

46:53.780 --> 46:55.836
clear-eyed from the killing of Qasem

46:55.836 --> 46:57.836
Soleimani to the pulling out of the

46:57.836 --> 47:00.058
Iran deal to Midnight Hammer and now to

47:00.058 --> 47:02.058
this effort to recognize that . You

47:02.058 --> 47:04.169
have to stare down this kind of enemy

47:04.169 --> 47:06.225
who's hell bent on getting a nuclear

47:06.225 --> 47:05.969
weapon and get them to a point where

47:05.969 --> 47:08.530
they're at the table giving it up in a

47:08.530 --> 47:10.641
way that so they haven't have it , so

47:10.641 --> 47:12.689
they haven't broken yet . OK , we

47:12.689 --> 47:15.022
haven't gotten there yet for all of the ,

47:15.022 --> 47:17.078
well , their nuclear facilities have

47:17.078 --> 47:19.245
been obliterated underground . They're

47:19.245 --> 47:21.356
buried and we're watching them 24/7 ,

47:21.356 --> 47:23.467
so we know where any nuclear material

47:23.467 --> 47:25.578
reclaiming my time . We're watching a

47:25.578 --> 47:28.100
second here . We had to start this war

47:28.100 --> 47:31.780
you just said 60 days ago because the

47:31.780 --> 47:34.260
nuclear weapon was an imminent threat .

47:34.860 --> 47:36.527
Now you're saying that it was

47:36.527 --> 47:38.638
completely obliterated . They had not

47:38.638 --> 47:40.804
given up their nuclear ambitions , and

47:40.804 --> 47:42.693
they had a conventional shield of

47:42.693 --> 47:44.582
thousands . So Operation Midnight

47:44.582 --> 47:46.749
Hammer moment , nothing of substance .

47:46.749 --> 47:48.971
It left us in exactly the same place we

47:48.971 --> 47:50.693
were before . So much so their

47:50.693 --> 47:52.971
facilities were bombed and obliterated .

47:52.971 --> 47:55.270
Their , their ambitions continued , and

47:55.270 --> 47:57.548
they're building a conventional shield .

47:57.548 --> 47:59.770
Let me try again . It's the North Korea

47:59.770 --> 48:01.826
strategy . You know this very well .

48:01.826 --> 48:01.340
The North Korea strategy was use

48:01.340 --> 48:03.270
conventional missiles to prevent

48:03.270 --> 48:05.381
anybody from challenging them so they

48:05.381 --> 48:07.381
could slow walk . Way to a weapon .

48:07.381 --> 48:09.603
President Trump saw Iran at its weakest

48:09.603 --> 48:11.770
moment , took an action to ensure in a

48:11.770 --> 48:13.714
way that only the United States of

48:13.714 --> 48:15.603
America could do with our Israeli

48:15.603 --> 48:17.326
partners , and to ensure their

48:17.326 --> 48:19.437
conventional shield was , was brought

48:19.437 --> 48:21.492
one of the questions we've done if I

48:21.492 --> 48:23.492
could get to it . So on Ukraine . A

48:23.492 --> 48:25.381
year plus ago , your advice , the

48:25.381 --> 48:27.492
president's advice was Ukraine had no

48:27.492 --> 48:30.050
cards to play . They should go cut the

48:30.050 --> 48:32.489
best possible deal they could . Clearly

48:32.489 --> 48:34.840
that was wrong . What did you miss ?

48:34.929 --> 48:36.985
What did you miss about the conflict

48:36.985 --> 48:38.985
between Russia and Ukraine that you

48:38.985 --> 48:41.207
didn't see that Ukraine was going to be

48:41.207 --> 48:43.318
capable of doing what they've done in

48:43.318 --> 48:43.169
the last 14 months ? What we didn't

48:43.169 --> 48:45.502
miss , and we're here in this committee ,

48:45.502 --> 48:46.947
is that Joe Biden with no

48:46.947 --> 48:48.836
accountability , gave hundreds of

48:48.836 --> 48:50.947
billions of dollars of our weapons to

48:50.947 --> 48:53.169
Ukraine . Uh , to an outcome that never

48:53.169 --> 48:52.979
would have happened if President Trump

48:52.979 --> 48:55.530
was president , so he pulled out our ,

48:55.580 --> 48:57.413
you guys don't talk about that .

48:57.413 --> 48:59.524
Ultimately , President Trump believes

48:59.524 --> 49:01.524
there should be a peace deal , uh ,

49:01.524 --> 49:03.636
between Russia and Ukraine , that you

49:03.636 --> 49:02.820
didn't expect Ukraine to be where

49:02.820 --> 49:04.931
they're at right now . I'm asking you

49:04.931 --> 49:06.987
just from a strategic standpoint , I

49:06.987 --> 49:09.153
think the Ukrainians have shown , uh ,

49:09.153 --> 49:11.376
great courage , and I appreciate that ,

49:11.376 --> 49:11.149
uh , Europe is now paying for the weap

49:11.149 --> 49:13.482
any weapons that we provide . All right ,

49:13.482 --> 49:15.593
you're back . Thank you . All right .

49:15.593 --> 49:17.538
Now , I want to remind everybody ,

49:17.538 --> 49:19.705
there's , everybody wants to get their

49:19.705 --> 49:21.593
questions . So we are going to be

49:21.593 --> 49:21.270
strict , sticking strictly to the

49:21.270 --> 49:23.492
five-minute rule today . So with that ,

49:23.492 --> 49:25.548
I recognize the gentleman from South

49:25.548 --> 49:27.603
Carolina , Mr . Wilson . Thank you ,

49:27.603 --> 49:29.381
Chairman Mike Rogers , for your

49:29.381 --> 49:31.270
leadership working with President

49:31.270 --> 49:33.381
Donald Trump . As the grateful father

49:33.381 --> 49:35.381
of 4 sons who've served overseas in

49:35.381 --> 49:37.326
Iraq , Egypt , and Afghanistan , I

49:37.326 --> 49:39.326
especially appreciate War Secretary

49:39.326 --> 49:41.326
Hecketh and Chief of Staff Kane for

49:41.326 --> 49:43.659
your competence , service , and success .

49:43.659 --> 49:45.826
Military families have never been more

49:45.826 --> 49:47.659
appreciated than today , and our

49:47.659 --> 49:49.659
enemies of dictators now understand

49:49.699 --> 49:51.643
peace through strength . Dictators

49:51.643 --> 49:53.866
historically are on the run . With your

49:53.866 --> 49:55.810
leadership , President Trump has .

49:55.810 --> 49:57.810
Given Syria a chance with President

49:57.810 --> 50:00.129
al-Sharra replacing dictator Assad from

50:00.129 --> 50:02.250
Damascus , who now lives in Moscow .

50:02.570 --> 50:04.810
Dictator Maduro is correctly in a

50:04.810 --> 50:07.169
Manhattan jail , as you successfully

50:07.169 --> 50:10.010
revealed in Caracas that the war

50:10.010 --> 50:12.343
criminal Putin air defenses do not work .

50:12.489 --> 50:14.469
The Chinese Communist Party radar

50:14.469 --> 50:16.469
failed , and Cuban mercenaries were

50:16.469 --> 50:18.636
expendable . The Cuban dictatorship is

50:18.636 --> 50:20.719
failing , and the Ultimate mass

50:20.719 --> 50:24.159
murderer dictator Khomeini is dead in

50:24.159 --> 50:27.959
Tehran , Iran , joining 35,000 people

50:27.959 --> 50:29.879
he murdered this year . With your

50:29.879 --> 50:32.046
leadership , American morale has never

50:32.046 --> 50:34.919
been higher and hopes for freedom of

50:34.919 --> 50:37.320
the oppressed people of Iran , Cuba ,

50:37.600 --> 50:39.544
Russia , and China have never been

50:39.544 --> 50:41.767
higher . And it's just an exciting time

50:41.767 --> 50:44.044
to be here with you and Mr . Secretary .

50:44.080 --> 50:46.080
Uh , we continue to see the growing

50:46.080 --> 50:48.199
nuclear threat of our adversaries as

50:48.199 --> 50:50.421
they expand their capabilities with the

50:50.421 --> 50:52.620
largest military buildup in peacetime

50:52.919 --> 50:54.697
in world history by the Chinese

50:54.697 --> 50:57.419
Communist Party . How critical is it

50:57.760 --> 51:00.360
that we continue as at the Savannah

51:00.360 --> 51:02.800
River site in South Carolina , uh , to

51:02.800 --> 51:05.350
develop the plutonium pit processing so

51:05.350 --> 51:06.961
that we have modernization .

51:09.500 --> 51:11.667
Well , Congressman , I appreciate that

51:11.667 --> 51:13.333
question on , on , on nuclear

51:13.333 --> 51:15.444
modernization . This budget funds $71

51:15.444 --> 51:17.500
billion to modernize , modernize the

51:17.500 --> 51:19.667
triad in ways that we had neglected to

51:19.667 --> 51:21.444
do , uh , and our nuclear triad

51:21.444 --> 51:23.611
underwrites everything . But I , I , I

51:23.611 --> 51:25.333
really appreciate your opening

51:25.333 --> 51:27.667
statement . Uh , I think something that .

51:27.667 --> 51:29.889
Obviously , uh , the media doesn't want

51:29.889 --> 51:32.111
to cover and doesn't want to talk about

51:32.111 --> 51:34.222
is the historic record breaking surge

51:34.222 --> 51:36.504
in recruiting in our ranks . 30 year

51:36.504 --> 51:38.945
record in recruiting of Americans

51:38.945 --> 51:40.834
wanting to join our joint force ,

51:40.864 --> 51:42.920
wanting to put the uniform on . Uh ,

51:42.920 --> 51:45.086
we're meeting recruiting goals halfway

51:45.086 --> 51:47.308
through the year . We couldn't meet our

51:47.308 --> 51:49.308
recruiting goals under the previous

51:49.308 --> 51:51.253
administration . Under Joe Biden ,

51:51.253 --> 51:53.142
Americans didn't want to join the

51:53.142 --> 51:55.308
military . We couldn't get it . Now we

51:55.308 --> 51:57.475
have to turn people away and push them

51:57.475 --> 51:57.370
to the next fiscal year . That's why

51:57.370 --> 51:59.770
this budget grows our force by almost

51:59.770 --> 52:02.570
50,000 . Ultimately . Additional troops

52:02.570 --> 52:04.681
into the force that we believe we can

52:04.681 --> 52:06.570
recruit . That's the best vote of

52:06.570 --> 52:08.903
confidence . I can imagine . Well , hey ,

52:08.903 --> 52:10.959
even better , hey , Mr . Secretary ,

52:10.959 --> 52:12.848
you're really understating , uh ,

52:12.860 --> 52:15.350
leaving , leaving no airmen behind .

52:15.820 --> 52:18.153
Hey , what an inspiration on Easter Day .

52:18.153 --> 52:19.931
God bless y'all and what you've

52:19.931 --> 52:21.876
achieved . With that in mind too ,

52:21.876 --> 52:24.042
General Kaine , with your VMI military

52:24.042 --> 52:25.987
perspective , war Colonel Putin is

52:25.987 --> 52:28.209
losing in Ukraine as his 30 day special

52:28.209 --> 52:30.770
mission is now 4 years of , as the

52:30.770 --> 52:32.881
Secretary has identified , courageous

52:32.881 --> 52:35.330
Ukrainian success led by President

52:35.330 --> 52:38.540
Vladimir Zelensky . I appreciate that

52:38.540 --> 52:41.179
NATO and the EU have unified for

52:41.179 --> 52:44.560
Ukraine as the US ranks 17th per

52:44.560 --> 52:47.070
GDP in assistance for Ukraine .

52:48.159 --> 52:50.159
Ukraine is frontline , stopping war

52:50.159 --> 52:52.159
Colonel Putin from resurrecting the

52:52.159 --> 52:54.381
failed Soviet Union , rigging elections

52:54.381 --> 52:56.610
in Belarus , invading Ukraine , keeping

52:56.739 --> 52:59.060
troops in Moldova , and with the

52:59.060 --> 53:01.227
Viavili invading and rigging elections

53:01.227 --> 53:03.610
in the Republic of Georgia . As we're

53:03.610 --> 53:05.832
transitioning greater responsibility to

53:05.832 --> 53:07.777
our NATO allies , how do we ensure

53:07.777 --> 53:09.721
seamless integration to deterrence

53:09.721 --> 53:13.659
during this shift ? Congressman , uh ,

53:13.760 --> 53:16.060
um , we're , we're very fortunate to

53:16.060 --> 53:18.699
have great leaders out in the European

53:18.699 --> 53:20.810
theater right now . General Grikovich

53:20.810 --> 53:22.921
and his leadership team are committed

53:22.921 --> 53:26.129
to ensuring that that integration and

53:26.129 --> 53:28.570
transition takes place in a most

53:28.570 --> 53:31.409
combat-capable and effective way . Uh ,

53:31.780 --> 53:34.010
very entrepreneurial leaders out there

53:34.010 --> 53:36.177
across the components and with General

53:36.177 --> 53:38.639
Grikovich and , And uh and he's doing a

53:38.639 --> 53:40.695
great job out there as the committee

53:40.695 --> 53:42.860
knows and indeed as we conclude

53:43.000 --> 53:45.000
historically President Trump , Mr .

53:45.000 --> 53:47.560
Secretary General , you have united the

53:47.560 --> 53:49.919
Middle East nations unprecedented to

53:49.919 --> 53:51.989
ally with the United States you have

53:51.989 --> 53:54.045
united Latin America unprecedented .

53:54.715 --> 53:57.014
ally with the United States , you've

53:57.014 --> 53:59.334
united the Indo-Pacific unprecedented

53:59.334 --> 54:01.854
to ally with the United States and

54:01.854 --> 54:05.534
united NATO and EU unprecedented to

54:05.534 --> 54:07.590
ally with the United States . You're

54:07.590 --> 54:09.756
achieving peace and deterrence through

54:09.756 --> 54:11.756
strength . I yield back . Gentleman

54:11.756 --> 54:13.812
yields back here and I recognize the

54:13.812 --> 54:15.701
gentleman from Connecticut , Mr .

54:15.701 --> 54:15.590
Courtney . Thank you , uh , Mr .

54:15.600 --> 54:17.544
Chairman . Uh , Mr . Secretary and

54:17.544 --> 54:19.544
General Kaine , this morning's Wall

54:19.544 --> 54:21.711
Street Journal's lead headline reads ,

54:21.711 --> 54:23.767
quote , Trump tells aides to prepare

54:23.767 --> 54:25.989
for an extended blockade of Iran . Uh ,

54:25.989 --> 54:27.822
it goes on to describe again the

54:27.822 --> 54:30.044
thinking behind the strategy , but also

54:30.060 --> 54:32.282
talks about how prolonging the blockade

54:32.282 --> 54:34.504
is going to continue to drive up energy

54:34.504 --> 54:36.727
costs , uh , all over the world . Given

54:36.727 --> 54:38.782
the ever-changing messages from this

54:38.782 --> 54:41.004
administration and the war strategy and

54:41.004 --> 54:40.989
timeline , I really honestly don't

54:40.989 --> 54:42.878
expect you to confirm or deny the

54:42.878 --> 54:45.156
Journal story , but one thing is clear ,

54:45.156 --> 54:47.045
the number of transits across the

54:47.045 --> 54:49.045
Strait of Hormuz has dropped to the

54:49.045 --> 54:51.211
lowest level since the war began , and

54:51.211 --> 54:53.045
commodity markets . Markets have

54:53.045 --> 54:55.156
stopped listening to the happy talk ,

54:55.156 --> 54:55.104
and crude oil prices this morning have

54:55.104 --> 54:57.165
risen to the highest level since the

54:57.165 --> 55:00.465
war in Ukraine started in 2022 . AAA

55:00.465 --> 55:02.632
reported this morning that the average

55:02.632 --> 55:04.975
price of gas is $4.30 a gallon , up 30

55:04.975 --> 55:07.625
cents in one week . Diesel's average is

55:07.625 --> 55:09.824
$5.45 . My friend Mr . Garamendi says

55:09.824 --> 55:12.264
in California it's closer to $8 a

55:12.264 --> 55:15.340
gallon . Uh , and fertilizer prices

55:15.340 --> 55:18.500
have also hammered farmers at exactly

55:18.500 --> 55:20.278
the same time they're beginning

55:20.278 --> 55:22.556
planting , uh , all across the country .

55:22.556 --> 55:24.778
Aside from the damage this war has done

55:24.778 --> 55:26.889
to American consumers , farmers , and

55:26.889 --> 55:29.056
small businesses , I want to focus for

55:29.056 --> 55:31.278
a minute on the cost of the war and our

55:31.278 --> 55:33.333
military readiness , particularly to

55:33.333 --> 55:35.111
other combatant commands . Mr .

55:35.111 --> 55:37.056
Secretary , you put out a national

55:37.056 --> 55:39.056
defense strategy in January , which

55:39.056 --> 55:41.278
listed the threat assessment facing our

55:41.278 --> 55:43.280
country . China was #1 with the 2nd

55:43.280 --> 55:45.502
largest , most powerful military in the

55:45.502 --> 55:47.502
in the world , of course . Russia's

55:47.502 --> 55:50.560
nuclear force clearly it was #2 in

55:50.560 --> 55:52.671
terms of the threat they posed to the

55:52.671 --> 55:54.830
homeland . North Korea , which has

55:54.830 --> 55:56.830
missiles that actually can reach US

55:56.830 --> 55:59.729
territory , was ranked number 3 , and

55:59.729 --> 56:02.560
Iran was described as quote , uh , and

56:02.760 --> 56:05.050
accurately after midnight hammer that

56:05.050 --> 56:06.883
Iran's regime is weaker and more

56:06.883 --> 56:09.161
vulnerable than it has been in decades .

56:09.161 --> 56:11.272
Again , this was before February 28th

56:11.409 --> 56:13.969
when the decision was made to , to go

56:13.969 --> 56:17.969
in the military strikes on Iran . So

56:17.969 --> 56:19.913
today we have three carrier strike

56:19.913 --> 56:22.840
forces in Central Command . The

56:22.840 --> 56:26.000
Indopecom , which is where Russia and

56:26.000 --> 56:28.899
China are operating their navies .

56:29.659 --> 56:32.520
52% of the globe , we have one carrier

56:32.520 --> 56:34.439
strike group in Japan , George

56:34.439 --> 56:37.800
Washington , and the , the imbalance in

56:37.800 --> 56:39.800
terms of just , you know , what our

56:39.800 --> 56:41.856
commitments and frankly , you know ,

56:41.856 --> 56:44.022
what our national defense strategy , I

56:44.022 --> 56:46.078
mean , is just blindingly obvious in

56:46.078 --> 56:47.967
terms of what this war is doing .

56:47.967 --> 56:51.550
Gerald Ford is on day 312 of its

56:51.550 --> 56:53.883
deployment . They've gone through fires ,

56:54.040 --> 56:56.719
plumbing problems , uh , and again an

56:56.719 --> 56:59.750
extended deployment which . In my

56:59.750 --> 57:02.300
opinion , is hitting readiness as hard

57:02.300 --> 57:04.411
as anything I've seen in the , in the

57:04.411 --> 57:06.633
time that I've been on this committee .

57:06.633 --> 57:09.110
So , uh , General Kane , I mean in

57:09.110 --> 57:11.750
terms of again the , the carrier strike

57:11.750 --> 57:13.750
groups that are over there , I mean

57:13.750 --> 57:15.806
assuming that we get to some endgame

57:15.806 --> 57:18.550
here , um , Ford is not going over to

57:18.550 --> 57:20.606
the Indo-Pacific to buttress the the

57:20.606 --> 57:22.750
gap that exists there today . They've

57:22.750 --> 57:24.770
got to go back into pretty heavy .

57:25.800 --> 57:27.967
Repair and availability to in terms of

57:27.967 --> 57:29.919
trying to recover from from their

57:29.919 --> 57:32.760
deployment . So again in terms of just ,

57:32.840 --> 57:34.896
you know , the decisions about where

57:34.896 --> 57:36.951
we're putting people and and putting

57:36.951 --> 57:39.300
really the most powerful part of our ,

57:39.760 --> 57:42.330
our navy , you know , can you explain

57:42.330 --> 57:44.274
uh again what , what that means in

57:44.274 --> 57:46.159
terms of the , the situation in

57:46.159 --> 57:49.179
Indoecom where China is watching we saw

57:49.179 --> 57:51.719
Mr . Rogers pretty powerful

57:51.719 --> 57:54.360
presentation . In terms of the the

57:54.360 --> 57:56.471
buildup that's happening in that part

57:56.471 --> 57:58.693
of the world , how does that align with

57:58.693 --> 58:00.916
the national defense strategy which was

58:00.916 --> 58:03.082
just put out by this administration in

58:03.082 --> 58:05.082
January ? Well , sir , um , first I

58:05.082 --> 58:07.159
want to echo . Uh , your comments on

58:07.159 --> 58:10.179
the Ford strike group , fantastic work

58:10.399 --> 58:13.520
by incredible sailors , uh , not just

58:13.520 --> 58:16.270
the Ford herself , but the other ships

58:16.270 --> 58:19.919
as well on a historic cruise doing , uh ,

58:20.080 --> 58:22.247
incredible work for , for the nation .

58:22.247 --> 58:24.413
Excuse me . How does that balance with

58:24.413 --> 58:26.524
the national ? Well , I'm , I , yes ,

58:26.524 --> 58:28.636
sir , happy to answer the , the way I

58:28.636 --> 58:30.413
think about this . The national

58:30.413 --> 58:32.580
security strategy and national defense

58:32.580 --> 58:34.358
strategy are frameworks . But a

58:34.358 --> 58:37.785
president will employ national force

58:37.785 --> 58:41.045
and power based on the political and

58:41.045 --> 58:43.686
security situations that a president

58:44.585 --> 58:47.105
deems appropriate to use that military

58:47.105 --> 58:49.305
force . There's always trade-offs in

58:49.305 --> 58:52.525
all of these things . I , I'm

58:53.186 --> 58:55.266
confident that the president always

58:55.266 --> 58:57.305
carefully considers these readiness

58:57.305 --> 59:00.645
trade-offs , and I'm sure he has done

59:00.645 --> 59:03.251
so in this case . On , uh , based on

59:03.251 --> 59:05.092
the military options that we've

59:05.092 --> 59:07.632
presented with the associated risks and

59:07.632 --> 59:09.521
make a trade going after a regime

59:09.521 --> 59:11.688
that's weaker and more vulnerable than

59:11.688 --> 59:13.910
it has been in decades , which is quote

59:13.910 --> 59:15.688
unquote from , from the defense

59:15.688 --> 59:17.965
strategies report , uh , does not , in ,

59:17.965 --> 59:19.854
in my opinion , in common sense .

59:19.854 --> 59:22.076
Gentlemen , time's expired . As you can

59:22.076 --> 59:24.188
tell from looking at the dice , votes

59:24.188 --> 59:24.162
have been called , uh , so we are now

59:24.162 --> 59:26.329
going to stand in recess to the end of

59:26.329 --> 59:28.440
this vote . I expect it to take 20 to

59:28.440 --> 59:30.662
25 minutes , but we are now in recess .

59:36.820 --> 59:38.931
To hear him come back to order . Uh ,

59:39.389 --> 59:41.709
Secretary , can you hear my , my voice

59:41.709 --> 59:43.709
clearly , General , can you hear my

59:43.709 --> 59:46.850
microphone now ? OK . Uh , gentleman

59:46.850 --> 59:49.017
from Ohio , Mr . Turner's recognized .

59:49.860 --> 59:51.693
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Uh ,

59:52.520 --> 59:55.010
Secretary Hegseth , um , your written

59:55.010 --> 59:56.729
testimony on page 20

59:58.540 --> 01:00:00.540
Includes a statement concerning the

01:00:00.540 --> 01:00:03.620
importance of FISA and Section 702 ,

01:00:03.669 --> 01:00:06.929
which is incredibly timely because This

01:00:06.929 --> 01:00:10.510
body is going to be voting today on

01:00:10.510 --> 01:00:13.199
702 , which could be expiring this week .

01:00:13.739 --> 01:00:15.795
Uh , you state this vital tool keeps

01:00:15.795 --> 01:00:17.739
Americans safe , provides critical

01:00:17.739 --> 01:00:19.850
intelligence to our warfighters , and

01:00:19.850 --> 01:00:21.795
is subject to a rigorous system of

01:00:21.795 --> 01:00:23.840
oversight by all three branches of

01:00:23.840 --> 01:00:26.007
government to guarantee the protection

01:00:26.007 --> 01:00:28.007
of the constitutional rights of the

01:00:28.007 --> 01:00:30.173
American people . Thought I'd give you

01:00:30.173 --> 01:00:32.173
a moment to expound on that because

01:00:32.173 --> 01:00:31.479
this is going to be very important

01:00:31.479 --> 01:00:33.423
because there's several people who

01:00:33.423 --> 01:00:35.590
right now in this body are going to be

01:00:35.590 --> 01:00:38.159
considering . Their support for 702's

01:00:38.159 --> 01:00:40.326
reauthorization . Well , thank you for

01:00:40.326 --> 01:00:42.437
that opportunity , uh , Congressman .

01:00:42.437 --> 01:00:45.219
Yes , this department strongly supports

01:00:45.219 --> 01:00:48.320
the reauthorization of FFISA 702 , and

01:00:48.330 --> 01:00:50.699
it is not hyperbole to say many of the

01:00:50.699 --> 01:00:52.477
most important missions we have

01:00:52.477 --> 01:00:54.310
executed could not have happened

01:00:54.620 --> 01:00:56.398
without , uh , the intelligence

01:00:56.398 --> 01:00:59.060
gathered through FFISA 702 . So , uh ,

01:00:59.139 --> 01:01:01.250
we would urge members to support that

01:01:01.250 --> 01:01:03.417
so we can continue doing the good work

01:01:03.417 --> 01:01:05.750
of the American people . Thank you , Mr .

01:01:05.750 --> 01:01:05.340
Secretary . I appreciate your comments

01:01:05.340 --> 01:01:07.679
that Iran must never be permitted to ,

01:01:07.979 --> 01:01:10.949
uh , obtain a nuclear weapon . There

01:01:10.949 --> 01:01:13.699
have been many comments that have been

01:01:13.699 --> 01:01:16.340
made concerning allies who have not

01:01:16.610 --> 01:01:18.554
assisted or supported the effort .

01:01:18.709 --> 01:01:20.939
General Kane , there have been many

01:01:20.939 --> 01:01:23.830
allies who have been essential for us

01:01:23.830 --> 01:01:27.530
to be able to execute the functions

01:01:27.530 --> 01:01:29.697
necessary both for Midnight Hammer and

01:01:29.697 --> 01:01:32.510
for the current ongoing operation . Um ,

01:01:32.870 --> 01:01:34.814
I'd like to ask you to speak for a

01:01:34.814 --> 01:01:38.540
moment about the essential aspect of

01:01:38.540 --> 01:01:40.899
the allies that are supporting the

01:01:40.899 --> 01:01:42.939
effort . There are bases that are

01:01:42.939 --> 01:01:45.899
necessary , our forward operating

01:01:45.899 --> 01:01:48.459
facilities , both our allies in the mid .

01:01:49.010 --> 01:01:52.419
Middle East , both our NATO allies ,

01:01:52.580 --> 01:01:55.189
those in Europe throughout , we would

01:01:55.189 --> 01:01:58.090
not be able to undertake this current

01:01:58.090 --> 01:02:00.929
operation without the use and support

01:02:00.929 --> 01:02:04.520
of facilities that we have in our bases

01:02:04.580 --> 01:02:06.524
throughout NATO , Europe , and the

01:02:06.524 --> 01:02:08.747
Middle East . If you could for a moment

01:02:08.747 --> 01:02:12.439
expound on the integral nature

01:02:12.439 --> 01:02:15.540
of our facilities that include those

01:02:15.540 --> 01:02:17.959
bases that are located within our

01:02:17.959 --> 01:02:21.739
allies . Well , Congressman ,

01:02:21.820 --> 01:02:24.000
from a , from a purely military

01:02:24.000 --> 01:02:27.379
standpoint , um , allies and alliances

01:02:27.379 --> 01:02:29.979
are important . Um , they allow us , so

01:02:29.979 --> 01:02:32.201
you , you did a better job than I could

01:02:32.201 --> 01:02:34.300
on articulating the importance of

01:02:34.300 --> 01:02:36.133
access , basing , and overflight

01:02:36.133 --> 01:02:39.020
considerations . Um , You know who

01:02:39.020 --> 01:02:41.260
those allies are and the quality of

01:02:41.260 --> 01:02:43.540
those alliances or left our civilian

01:02:43.540 --> 01:02:45.651
leaders , but certainly we appreciate

01:02:45.651 --> 01:02:48.020
those allies who've helped us and

01:02:48.020 --> 01:02:50.131
assisted us along the way . General ,

01:02:50.131 --> 01:02:52.298
you would , you would describe them as

01:02:52.298 --> 01:02:54.576
having been essential . Uh , yes , sir .

01:02:55.360 --> 01:02:57.527
Cause that's , it's very important . I

01:02:57.527 --> 01:02:59.638
mean , we want to make certain that ,

01:02:59.638 --> 01:03:01.360
you know , our , that we treat

01:03:01.360 --> 01:03:03.582
adversaries as adversaries and allies ,

01:03:03.582 --> 01:03:03.560
like allies , especially those that are

01:03:03.560 --> 01:03:07.510
essential . Um ,

01:03:08.000 --> 01:03:10.278
the , um , the king was here yesterday ,

01:03:10.278 --> 01:03:12.739
and as he was speaking , he , um ,

01:03:12.760 --> 01:03:14.820
received a standing ovation when he

01:03:15.159 --> 01:03:17.120
implored this body to continue our

01:03:17.120 --> 01:03:19.370
support for Ukraine . In the , um ,

01:03:20.300 --> 01:03:22.330
2026 National Defense strategy , it

01:03:22.330 --> 01:03:25.659
assesses Russia will remain a

01:03:25.659 --> 01:03:27.979
persistent manageable threat . It

01:03:27.979 --> 01:03:31.280
specifically identifies Russia's

01:03:31.899 --> 01:03:35.100
continued threats to Ukraine , and we

01:03:35.100 --> 01:03:38.360
have , of course , the

01:03:38.899 --> 01:03:42.699
currently . The presidential

01:03:42.699 --> 01:03:45.159
continued drawdown authority that can

01:03:45.159 --> 01:03:46.860
support Ukraine and also

01:03:49.050 --> 01:03:52.629
President Trump announced Pearl , the

01:03:52.629 --> 01:03:54.851
prioritized Ukraine requirements list ,

01:03:54.851 --> 01:03:58.790
and in the FY 2026 IDAA there is

01:03:58.790 --> 01:04:01.790
the 400 million that is included in the

01:04:01.790 --> 01:04:03.901
European capacity building within the

01:04:03.901 --> 01:04:06.340
defense security cooperation . Um ,

01:04:06.719 --> 01:04:10.629
general , the , um , The last time

01:04:10.629 --> 01:04:12.851
it went on the House floor with respect

01:04:12.851 --> 01:04:16.310
to funding for Ukraine , uh , there was

01:04:16.310 --> 01:04:18.949
a vote in the House of over 300 members

01:04:18.949 --> 01:04:21.060
of the House that supported Ukraine .

01:04:21.060 --> 01:04:23.227
Could you please give us a description

01:04:23.227 --> 01:04:25.282
of some of the things currently that

01:04:25.282 --> 01:04:27.338
we're doing operationally to support

01:04:27.338 --> 01:04:30.310
Ukraine ? Uh , Congressman , I , a few

01:04:30.310 --> 01:04:32.366
of those are , are probably left for

01:04:32.366 --> 01:04:34.669
classified session . Um , we continue

01:04:34.669 --> 01:04:37.149
through our , uh , security assistance

01:04:37.149 --> 01:04:40.320
group Ukraine to assist with some , uh ,

01:04:41.010 --> 01:04:42.899
information sharing matters . UCO

01:04:42.899 --> 01:04:44.954
continues , you would describe it as

01:04:44.954 --> 01:04:47.010
continuous and ongoing and essential

01:04:47.010 --> 01:04:49.232
for Ukraine with US support . So , much

01:04:49.232 --> 01:04:51.399
of the relationship , gentlemen , time

01:04:51.399 --> 01:04:51.189
expired , Chair , and I recognize

01:04:51.189 --> 01:04:53.022
gentleman from California , Mr .

01:04:53.022 --> 01:04:56.699
Garamindi . Thank you Mr .

01:04:56.709 --> 01:04:59.030
Chairman . uh , Mr . Secretary and

01:04:59.030 --> 01:05:00.830
General Kaine , let me begin by

01:05:00.830 --> 01:05:02.719
thanking the men and women of the

01:05:02.719 --> 01:05:04.790
United States military for their

01:05:04.790 --> 01:05:07.110
service and their bravery . I recognize

01:05:07.110 --> 01:05:09.332
that our service members have performed

01:05:09.332 --> 01:05:11.554
with extraordinary courage and tactical

01:05:11.554 --> 01:05:13.554
skill , and they've done incredible

01:05:13.554 --> 01:05:15.721
things that our country has asked them

01:05:15.721 --> 01:05:17.943
to . Their professionalism and selfless

01:05:17.943 --> 01:05:20.389
service are not in question and never

01:05:20.389 --> 01:05:23.250
have been . What is in question is the

01:05:23.250 --> 01:05:26.129
purposes and the strategic direction of

01:05:26.129 --> 01:05:28.969
this war . Mr . Hetseth , as Secretary

01:05:28.969 --> 01:05:31.136
of the Department of Defense , you are

01:05:31.136 --> 01:05:33.302
ultimately responsible for the conduct

01:05:33.302 --> 01:05:37.209
of the Iran war . Any unvarnished

01:05:37.209 --> 01:05:39.320
review of what is happening right now

01:05:39.320 --> 01:05:41.209
in the Middle East would reveal a

01:05:41.209 --> 01:05:44.070
geopolitical calamity . A strategic

01:05:44.070 --> 01:05:47.110
blunder resulting in worldwide economic

01:05:47.110 --> 01:05:49.909
crisis . The result of Trump's war of

01:05:49.909 --> 01:05:52.669
choice is a serious self-inflicted

01:05:52.669 --> 01:05:55.770
wound to America . It will take years

01:05:55.989 --> 01:05:58.270
and a new administration to recover

01:05:58.270 --> 01:06:00.381
from the grave damage to our standing

01:06:00.381 --> 01:06:02.929
in the world , as well as our economy

01:06:02.929 --> 01:06:05.760
and our military . We must remember

01:06:05.860 --> 01:06:07.971
that 13 Americans have been killed in

01:06:07.971 --> 01:06:09.749
action , hundreds wounded , and

01:06:09.749 --> 01:06:11.527
thousands of civilians killed ,

01:06:12.010 --> 01:06:14.288
including more than 100 schoolchildren .

01:06:14.590 --> 01:06:17.409
The risk of this conflict . It was

01:06:17.409 --> 01:06:19.570
foreseeable . I'm certain that the

01:06:19.570 --> 01:06:21.737
Department of Defense knew that it was

01:06:21.737 --> 01:06:25.330
likely that in a war with Iran , Iran

01:06:25.330 --> 01:06:27.497
would create an international economic

01:06:27.497 --> 01:06:29.719
crisis by blocking the Strait of Hormuz

01:06:29.719 --> 01:06:32.649
and thus stopping 20% of the world's

01:06:32.649 --> 01:06:35.850
oil . Was this existential threat

01:06:35.850 --> 01:06:39.439
considered ? Apparently not . During

01:06:39.439 --> 01:06:41.520
the 60 days of Trump's Iran war ,

01:06:41.679 --> 01:06:43.790
critical munitions have been expended

01:06:43.840 --> 01:06:46.080
at an alarming rate , depleting

01:06:46.080 --> 01:06:48.820
magazine levels below what is thought

01:06:48.820 --> 01:06:52.080
necessary to hold China at bay . It

01:06:52.080 --> 01:06:54.760
will take years and tens of billions of

01:06:54.760 --> 01:06:58.330
dollars to restock . A

01:06:58.330 --> 01:07:00.729
significant part of the necessary navy

01:07:00.729 --> 01:07:03.169
and marine force in the Pacific has

01:07:03.169 --> 01:07:05.689
been removed and sent to support the

01:07:05.689 --> 01:07:08.669
Iran war . Our support of Ukraine .

01:07:09.520 --> 01:07:12.159
Has suffered as supplies and defense

01:07:12.159 --> 01:07:14.820
systems are diverted to the Iran war .

01:07:15.820 --> 01:07:18.310
America has lost irreplaceable aircraft ,

01:07:18.649 --> 01:07:21.489
radar systems , and strategic bases

01:07:21.489 --> 01:07:24.830
have been shown to be vulnerable . The

01:07:24.830 --> 01:07:27.379
continued lengthy deployment of ships ,

01:07:27.550 --> 01:07:30.669
equipment and personnel has sacrificed

01:07:30.669 --> 01:07:33.459
readiness . We know what we have lost .

01:07:34.149 --> 01:07:36.699
But what have we gained ? Let's

01:07:36.699 --> 01:07:39.699
consider that the regime in Tehran is

01:07:39.699 --> 01:07:42.590
still intact . With new and more

01:07:42.590 --> 01:07:46.219
radical leadership . As are Iran's

01:07:46.219 --> 01:07:49.649
ballistic missile and drone forces . As

01:07:49.750 --> 01:07:53.250
Iran , as is Iran's ability to rebuild

01:07:53.469 --> 01:07:56.919
their military industries . Also , as

01:07:56.919 --> 01:07:58.919
is Iran's coordination with China ,

01:07:58.989 --> 01:08:02.239
Russia , and North Korea . And Iran's

01:08:02.239 --> 01:08:05.199
ability to choke off global energy

01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:08.429
supplies . And their stockpile of

01:08:08.429 --> 01:08:11.239
highly enriched uranium . Which they

01:08:11.239 --> 01:08:14.149
only built after President Trump

01:08:14.149 --> 01:08:18.120
shredded President Obama's Iran deal in

01:08:18.120 --> 01:08:22.100
2017 . Secretary Hesseth ,

01:08:22.169 --> 01:08:24.169
you have been lying to the American

01:08:24.169 --> 01:08:26.500
public about this war from day one ,

01:08:26.979 --> 01:08:29.100
and so has the president . You have

01:08:29.100 --> 01:08:31.700
misled the public about why we are at

01:08:31.700 --> 01:08:34.060
war . You and the president have

01:08:34.060 --> 01:08:36.620
offered ever changing reasons for this

01:08:36.620 --> 01:08:40.209
war . You've misled the public about

01:08:40.209 --> 01:08:43.008
the progress of the war . While the

01:08:43.008 --> 01:08:45.699
jury executed this war with tactical

01:08:45.699 --> 01:08:48.179
success , the strategy has been an

01:08:48.179 --> 01:08:50.579
astounding incompetence .

01:08:52.250 --> 01:08:54.890
Doing immense economic damage to

01:08:54.890 --> 01:08:57.370
America , Mr . Chairman , Mr . Chairman ,

01:08:57.970 --> 01:08:59.748
with the personal attack on the

01:08:59.748 --> 01:09:01.414
Secretary , he should have an

01:09:01.414 --> 01:09:03.526
opportunity to respond . He certainly

01:09:03.959 --> 01:09:05.959
at the time you're doing , it's the

01:09:05.959 --> 01:09:08.126
gentleman's time . He can use it as he

01:09:08.126 --> 01:09:10.292
sees fit and add an extra 5 seconds to

01:09:10.292 --> 01:09:12.515
Mr . Garamendi's time . Thank you . You

01:09:12.515 --> 01:09:14.515
and the president are ever changing

01:09:14.515 --> 01:09:16.737
reasons for the war . You've misled the

01:09:16.737 --> 01:09:18.903
public about the progress of the war .

01:09:18.903 --> 01:09:20.959
While the military has executed this

01:09:20.959 --> 01:09:22.737
war with tactical success , the

01:09:22.737 --> 01:09:24.681
strategy has been an outstanding .

01:09:25.229 --> 01:09:28.430
Example of incompetence . This war of

01:09:28.430 --> 01:09:30.374
choice is a political and economic

01:09:30.374 --> 01:09:33.008
disaster at every level . Despite the

01:09:33.008 --> 01:09:35.119
president's promise to lower the cost

01:09:35.119 --> 01:09:37.528
of living , gas prices are up 40% , and

01:09:37.528 --> 01:09:40.088
inflation is soaring so much for

01:09:40.088 --> 01:09:42.250
lowering the cost of living . The

01:09:42.250 --> 01:09:44.361
president has got himself and America

01:09:44.361 --> 01:09:46.583
stuck in the quagmire of another war in

01:09:46.583 --> 01:09:48.528
the Middle East . He's desperately

01:09:48.528 --> 01:09:50.583
trying to extricate himself from his

01:09:50.583 --> 01:09:53.319
own mistakes . It is in America's and

01:09:53.319 --> 01:09:55.330
indeed the world's interest that he

01:09:55.330 --> 01:09:58.629
succeed in that . I yield back ,

01:09:59.089 --> 01:10:01.033
gentlemen , yields back here and I

01:10:01.033 --> 01:10:03.256
recognize the gentleman from Virginia ,

01:10:03.256 --> 01:10:05.033
Mr . Whitman . Thank you , Mr .

01:10:05.033 --> 01:10:06.867
Chairman . I'd like to thank our

01:10:06.867 --> 01:10:06.259
witnesses for joining us today .

01:10:06.379 --> 01:10:08.657
General Kane , Secretary Heckseth , Mr .

01:10:08.657 --> 01:10:10.823
Hurst , thank you so much . I wanna go

01:10:10.823 --> 01:10:12.879
to a statement I've been making here

01:10:12.879 --> 01:10:14.990
for the last several years , and that

01:10:14.990 --> 01:10:16.768
is we are in the most dangerous

01:10:16.768 --> 01:10:18.823
national security position that this

01:10:18.823 --> 01:10:21.500
world has been in since 1939 , and we

01:10:21.500 --> 01:10:24.890
know that . It's a critical effort that

01:10:24.890 --> 01:10:28.020
we undertake to make sure we can deter

01:10:28.799 --> 01:10:30.855
through the concept of peace through

01:10:30.855 --> 01:10:33.077
strength . Mr . Secretary , I'd like to

01:10:33.077 --> 01:10:35.077
start with you . We know that peace

01:10:35.077 --> 01:10:37.299
through strength has a number of , uh ,

01:10:37.299 --> 01:10:39.466
tenets . I think the most important of

01:10:39.466 --> 01:10:41.521
those is presence . And we know that

01:10:41.521 --> 01:10:43.688
the United States has the Marine Corps

01:10:43.688 --> 01:10:45.799
Amphibious Ready Group , Marine Corps

01:10:45.799 --> 01:10:47.910
Expeditionary unit . That provides us

01:10:47.910 --> 01:10:50.077
that that presence . We know there are

01:10:50.077 --> 01:10:51.855
over 2000 Marines and , uh , an

01:10:51.855 --> 01:10:54.021
aircraft combat unit that are on board

01:10:54.021 --> 01:10:56.243
those , those vessels , and they let us

01:10:56.243 --> 01:10:55.419
do a number of different things .

01:10:55.500 --> 01:10:57.556
That's the crisis response team that

01:10:57.556 --> 01:10:59.778
gets to go around the world today as we

01:10:59.778 --> 01:11:01.611
speak , we have 3 AGMUs that are

01:11:01.611 --> 01:11:03.167
deployed around the world .

01:11:03.167 --> 01:11:05.333
Unfortunately , that's an anomaly . It

01:11:05.333 --> 01:11:07.333
should be standard , uh , Secretary

01:11:07.333 --> 01:11:09.111
Hegseth . The president and the

01:11:09.111 --> 01:11:11.000
combatant commanders need maximum

01:11:11.000 --> 01:11:12.944
flexibility to respond in multiple

01:11:12.944 --> 01:11:15.111
places at multiple times to combat and

01:11:15.111 --> 01:11:17.740
deter these threats . Um , I just want

01:11:17.740 --> 01:11:21.060
to get your perspective on your goal to

01:11:21.060 --> 01:11:23.890
make sure we have a persistent 3.0 RU

01:11:23.890 --> 01:11:26.729
presence . And to look at how we're

01:11:26.729 --> 01:11:28.451
going to make sure through our

01:11:28.451 --> 01:11:30.618
shipbuilding plans that we assure that

01:11:30.618 --> 01:11:32.785
we have the adequate number of amphibs

01:11:32.785 --> 01:11:34.785
that are being built . I think that

01:11:34.785 --> 01:11:37.007
number's probably right around 40 . And

01:11:37.007 --> 01:11:36.529
then what are we going to do to make

01:11:36.529 --> 01:11:39.450
sure too that the AUO , the operational

01:11:39.450 --> 01:11:41.689
availability , is going to be at the

01:11:41.689 --> 01:11:44.549
level where we can maintain an RGU 3.0

01:11:44.649 --> 01:11:46.705
with the effort we have to put in to

01:11:46.705 --> 01:11:48.927
maintain these ships . So thank you for

01:11:48.927 --> 01:11:51.260
the question . The substantive question .

01:11:51.260 --> 01:11:53.482
Um , ultimately we support 3.0 R . Uh ,

01:11:54.479 --> 01:11:56.646
that presence right now gives us a lot

01:11:56.646 --> 01:11:58.757
of flexibility , uh , and this budget

01:11:58.757 --> 01:12:00.812
supports moving in that direction to

01:12:00.812 --> 01:12:02.979
ensure that , uh , this administration

01:12:02.979 --> 01:12:05.035
and future administrations have that

01:12:05.035 --> 01:12:07.090
kind of , uh , strategic flexibility

01:12:07.090 --> 01:12:09.257
with the incredible . Capabilities the

01:12:09.257 --> 01:12:11.090
RMU provides , uh , we saw it in

01:12:11.090 --> 01:12:13.257
Southern Spear . We saw it on , on the

01:12:13.257 --> 01:12:13.089
Maduro raid . We saw it . We see it

01:12:13.089 --> 01:12:14.756
right now . It's a persistent

01:12:14.756 --> 01:12:16.867
capability . So , uh , I think you'll

01:12:16.867 --> 01:12:18.478
find our shipbuilding , uh ,

01:12:19.040 --> 01:12:21.318
investments to meet that as well . But ,

01:12:21.318 --> 01:12:23.484
but if I may , I didn't get a chance .

01:12:23.529 --> 01:12:25.251
I didn't see a question in the

01:12:25.251 --> 01:12:27.418
statement from the congressman . I , I

01:12:27.418 --> 01:12:29.585
hope you appreciate how reckless it is

01:12:29.609 --> 01:12:31.720
when I said reckless , feckless , and

01:12:31.720 --> 01:12:33.942
defeatist of congressional Democrats at

01:12:33.942 --> 01:12:35.998
the beginning . Uh , that came after

01:12:35.998 --> 01:12:38.165
watching you say the same thing on CNN

01:12:38.165 --> 01:12:40.450
this morning , uh , a quagmire . My

01:12:40.450 --> 01:12:42.672
generation served in a quagmire in Iraq

01:12:42.672 --> 01:12:44.839
and Afghanistan , years and years of ,

01:12:44.839 --> 01:12:47.330
of nebulous missions and utopian nation

01:12:47.330 --> 01:12:49.850
building that led us to nothing . What

01:12:49.850 --> 01:12:53.290
we have right now , the way you stain

01:12:53.290 --> 01:12:55.970
the troops when you tell them 2 months

01:12:55.970 --> 01:12:58.450
in , 2 months in , Congressman , you

01:12:58.450 --> 01:13:00.450
should know better . Shame on you .

01:13:00.520 --> 01:13:02.799
Calling this a quagmire two months in ,

01:13:03.080 --> 01:13:05.247
the effort , what they've undertaken ,

01:13:05.247 --> 01:13:07.469
what they've succeeded , the success on

01:13:07.469 --> 01:13:09.358
the battlefield that could create

01:13:09.358 --> 01:13:09.279
strategic opportunities , the courage

01:13:09.279 --> 01:13:11.335
of a president to confront a nuclear

01:13:11.335 --> 01:13:13.335
Iran , and you call it a quagmire ,

01:13:13.335 --> 01:13:15.335
handing propaganda to our enemies ,

01:13:15.335 --> 01:13:17.446
shame on you for that statement , and

01:13:17.446 --> 01:13:19.501
statements like that are reckless to

01:13:19.501 --> 01:13:21.557
our troops . Don't say I support the

01:13:21.557 --> 01:13:21.520
troops on one hand , and then a two

01:13:21.520 --> 01:13:23.720
month mission is a quagmire . That's a

01:13:23.720 --> 01:13:25.942
false equivalent . Who are you cheering

01:13:25.942 --> 01:13:27.998
for here ? Who are you pulling for ?

01:13:27.998 --> 01:13:30.164
Our troops are doing incredible work .

01:13:30.164 --> 01:13:32.331
They've done incredible things for the

01:13:32.331 --> 01:13:34.442
entirety of this mission and achieved

01:13:34.442 --> 01:13:36.609
incredible battlefield successes . And

01:13:36.609 --> 01:13:38.609
you sit there and go on TV for your

01:13:38.609 --> 01:13:40.354
clickbait about quagmires . It

01:13:40.354 --> 01:13:42.521
undermines the mission . Your , your ,

01:13:42.521 --> 01:13:44.915
your hatred for President Trump blinds ,

01:13:44.955 --> 01:13:47.575
blinds you to the truth of the success

01:13:47.575 --> 01:13:50.075
of this mission and the historic stakes

01:13:50.075 --> 01:13:52.019
that the president is addressing ,

01:13:52.019 --> 01:13:54.019
which the American people support .

01:13:54.019 --> 01:13:56.353
Iran's been at war with us for 47 years .

01:13:56.353 --> 01:13:58.519
You want to talk about a forever war ?

01:13:58.519 --> 01:14:00.408
For 2 months , this president has

01:14:00.408 --> 01:14:02.575
stared them down . He's going to get a

01:14:02.575 --> 01:14:02.359
better deal than anyone ever has and

01:14:02.359 --> 01:14:04.415
ensure that Iran never had a nuclear

01:14:04.415 --> 01:14:06.790
weapon . I know the American people

01:14:06.799 --> 01:14:09.021
support that mission despite your loose

01:14:09.021 --> 01:14:12.779
talk and words like quagmire . Thank

01:14:12.779 --> 01:14:14.723
you . Thank you , Mr . Secretary .

01:14:14.723 --> 01:14:16.835
General Kane , I wanna , uh , quickly

01:14:16.835 --> 01:14:19.001
go to you . We know all about the need

01:14:19.001 --> 01:14:21.112
for exquisite platforms , but we know

01:14:21.112 --> 01:14:23.223
if we're gonna close the gap with our

01:14:23.223 --> 01:14:23.160
pacing threats , we have to make sure

01:14:23.160 --> 01:14:25.680
we have those those expendable and

01:14:25.680 --> 01:14:27.624
incredible platforms , and we know

01:14:27.624 --> 01:14:29.847
those nation capabilities are key , and

01:14:29.847 --> 01:14:31.791
we have to be able to spin them up

01:14:31.791 --> 01:14:33.958
quickly because that's the fastest way

01:14:33.958 --> 01:14:36.124
for us to again deter by peace through

01:14:36.124 --> 01:14:38.291
strength . Give us your perspective on

01:14:38.291 --> 01:14:40.513
how you see the urgency of getting that

01:14:40.513 --> 01:14:42.624
capacity , uh , not only in place but

01:14:42.624 --> 01:14:44.736
getting that ability to go . To scale

01:14:44.736 --> 01:14:44.346
and get those capabilities in the hands

01:14:44.346 --> 01:14:46.679
of our warfighters , sir , I think it's ,

01:14:46.679 --> 01:14:48.902
uh , I think it's critical . And when I

01:14:48.902 --> 01:14:52.366
look at what OSW above us is doing and

01:14:52.366 --> 01:14:54.166
the Deputy Secretary as well as

01:14:54.166 --> 01:14:56.596
Secretary Duffy and frankly , the

01:14:56.605 --> 01:14:58.846
national and defense industrial bases

01:14:58.846 --> 01:15:01.465
all rallying around the need to scale

01:15:01.886 --> 01:15:03.942
along with the new Entrants that are

01:15:03.942 --> 01:15:06.053
out there who are coming and bringing

01:15:06.053 --> 01:15:08.219
products to the joint force . A key is

01:15:08.219 --> 01:15:10.442
capacity expired here , and I recognize

01:15:10.442 --> 01:15:12.386
a gentleman from New Jersey , Mr .

01:15:12.386 --> 01:15:14.497
Norcross . Thank you , Chairman . I'd

01:15:14.497 --> 01:15:16.608
like to thank the witnesses for being

01:15:16.608 --> 01:15:18.830
here today . Mr . Secretary , it's well

01:15:18.830 --> 01:15:20.997
known that our defense industrial base

01:15:20.997 --> 01:15:22.830
and maritime industrial base has

01:15:22.830 --> 01:15:24.942
declined greatly over time . It's the

01:15:24.942 --> 01:15:27.160
shipyards . It's many things that you

01:15:27.160 --> 01:15:29.430
already spoke about . In my community ,

01:15:29.479 --> 01:15:32.279
we used to have 3 shipyards , 40,000

01:15:32.279 --> 01:15:35.569
workers . We've lost that critical job

01:15:35.569 --> 01:15:38.580
skills earned and 40,000 people who

01:15:38.580 --> 01:15:41.109
know how to do it and quite frankly ,

01:15:41.259 --> 01:15:43.740
most of it went overseas because it was

01:15:43.740 --> 01:15:46.209
cheaper . Well , cheaper doesn't buy

01:15:46.209 --> 01:15:48.859
the security we need for our industrial

01:15:48.859 --> 01:15:52.169
base . I championed a provision in the

01:15:52.169 --> 01:15:54.720
24 NDAA entitled .

01:15:55.569 --> 01:15:58.040
Enhanced domestic content requirement

01:15:58.040 --> 01:16:00.520
for major acquisition programs had to

01:16:00.520 --> 01:16:03.359
do with our industrial base making

01:16:03.359 --> 01:16:06.759
things here in America long before this

01:16:06.759 --> 01:16:08.870
administration came in . The goal was

01:16:08.870 --> 01:16:11.640
to strengthen our supply chains and

01:16:11.640 --> 01:16:14.919
have that critical oversight , push for

01:16:14.919 --> 01:16:16.863
greater investments , much of what

01:16:16.863 --> 01:16:19.200
you're doing now . On these major

01:16:19.200 --> 01:16:22.700
defense acquisition programs , so

01:16:23.680 --> 01:16:26.419
we passed that in a bipartisan manner

01:16:26.839 --> 01:16:29.419
because we knew that this was critical

01:16:29.609 --> 01:16:31.831
and things can happen . Lo and behold ,

01:16:31.831 --> 01:16:34.479
here we are . There was a reporting

01:16:34.479 --> 01:16:36.535
requirement and that that's calls on

01:16:36.535 --> 01:16:38.750
you , the Secretary of Defense , to

01:16:38.750 --> 01:16:41.819
establish an information repository ,

01:16:42.319 --> 01:16:44.919
issue rules , create a fallback process

01:16:44.919 --> 01:16:47.030
to govern the Department of Defense .

01:16:47.120 --> 01:16:49.839
We wanted to better understand much of

01:16:49.839 --> 01:16:52.439
what is being done here , but it's not

01:16:52.439 --> 01:16:55.689
being reported back to us . I sent to

01:16:55.689 --> 01:16:57.800
your office on January 8th , followed

01:16:57.800 --> 01:16:59.770
up on February 4th . We're years

01:16:59.770 --> 01:17:02.290
overdue on this report that will give

01:17:02.290 --> 01:17:05.169
us insight on how we're addressing it .

01:17:05.399 --> 01:17:07.729
We hear what you're saying , but can

01:17:07.729 --> 01:17:10.062
you commit that we will get that report .

01:17:11.080 --> 01:17:14.720
To us in the next 30 days . Um ,

01:17:15.100 --> 01:17:17.100
unless Jay has additional details ,

01:17:17.100 --> 01:17:18.933
I'll make sure we look into it .

01:17:18.933 --> 01:17:21.044
Whatever we can get to you as rapidly

01:17:21.044 --> 01:17:23.267
as possibly , we will . Uh , we'll also

01:17:23.267 --> 01:17:25.433
check with the new Navy leadership and

01:17:25.433 --> 01:17:27.600
make sure they're complying as rapidly

01:17:27.600 --> 01:17:27.540
as possible with every aspect that

01:17:27.540 --> 01:17:29.596
could apply to shipbuilding . That's

01:17:29.596 --> 01:17:32.020
been our focus on the Navy side . Not

01:17:32.020 --> 01:17:34.100
just shipbuilding major acquisition

01:17:34.100 --> 01:17:36.220
programs across the board . This is

01:17:36.220 --> 01:17:38.379
incredibly important , and they are

01:17:38.379 --> 01:17:41.290
ignoring this and 30 days is being

01:17:41.290 --> 01:17:43.970
generous certainly . Second issue is ,

01:17:43.979 --> 01:17:45.979
uh , you talk about championing the

01:17:45.979 --> 01:17:48.146
American worker and how important this

01:17:48.146 --> 01:17:51.509
is . Yet in a memo on April 9th you

01:17:51.509 --> 01:17:53.731
terminate all the collective bargaining

01:17:53.731 --> 01:17:55.953
agreements across the DOD , taking away

01:17:55.953 --> 01:17:58.339
from hundreds of thousands of workers

01:17:58.339 --> 01:18:00.549
at DOD their collective bargaining

01:18:00.549 --> 01:18:03.500
rights that they voted for . There was

01:18:03.500 --> 01:18:05.444
nothing to indicate there were any

01:18:05.444 --> 01:18:07.333
issues with any of the bargaining

01:18:07.333 --> 01:18:09.459
agreements , yet you decided to take

01:18:09.459 --> 01:18:12.040
away from them . Over the last few

01:18:12.040 --> 01:18:14.379
years we have increased the wages for

01:18:14.379 --> 01:18:16.140
those warfighters , incredibly

01:18:16.140 --> 01:18:19.100
important this year , up to 7% . Yet on

01:18:19.100 --> 01:18:21.379
the other side of this , you talk about

01:18:21.379 --> 01:18:23.580
supercharging the defense industrial

01:18:23.580 --> 01:18:26.899
base . We are in this . How do you go

01:18:26.899 --> 01:18:28.740
and say yes , we support the

01:18:28.740 --> 01:18:31.399
warfighters . They can't do their job

01:18:31.399 --> 01:18:33.640
unless we are building things that they

01:18:33.640 --> 01:18:37.120
can use , yet no evidence to prove that

01:18:37.120 --> 01:18:39.287
these collective bargaining agreements

01:18:39.319 --> 01:18:41.263
were a problem anywhere across the

01:18:41.263 --> 01:18:43.319
Department of Defense under Democrat

01:18:43.319 --> 01:18:45.680
and Republican administrations . How do

01:18:45.680 --> 01:18:47.902
you kind of square that circle that you

01:18:47.902 --> 01:18:49.902
care about this , yet you take away

01:18:49.902 --> 01:18:53.049
their voice in the job ? Well ,

01:18:53.359 --> 01:18:55.359
certainly , sir , the great workers

01:18:55.359 --> 01:18:57.303
that , that , uh , whether they're

01:18:57.303 --> 01:18:59.303
contractors or DOD civilians that ,

01:18:59.303 --> 01:19:01.526
that do the important work for us , the

01:19:01.526 --> 01:19:00.580
great ones are gonna stay and we've

01:19:00.580 --> 01:19:02.691
invested in more in merit bonuses for

01:19:02.691 --> 01:19:04.580
civilians than any administration

01:19:04.580 --> 01:19:06.580
previous . So if you're doing great

01:19:06.580 --> 01:19:08.580
work , you're gonna stay and you're

01:19:08.580 --> 01:19:08.040
gonna have even more opportunities .

01:19:08.339 --> 01:19:10.561
But with our ear to the ground in those

01:19:10.561 --> 01:19:12.895
shipyards and other factory floors . Uh ,

01:19:12.895 --> 01:19:14.783
there were issues with collective

01:19:14.783 --> 01:19:17.006
bargaining which led to restrictions to

01:19:17.006 --> 01:19:16.779
the workforce and our ability to move

01:19:16.779 --> 01:19:19.169
faster if I may , and in that case we

01:19:19.169 --> 01:19:21.391
made the decision to provide additional

01:19:21.391 --> 01:19:23.502
flexibility . You didn't take it away

01:19:23.502 --> 01:19:25.558
from the shipyard workers . You took

01:19:25.558 --> 01:19:27.336
away from Department of Defense

01:19:27.336 --> 01:19:29.447
employers where there hasn't been any

01:19:29.447 --> 01:19:31.447
issues . Let's be clear , those are

01:19:31.447 --> 01:19:33.558
independent contractors and they have

01:19:33.558 --> 01:19:33.410
their collective bargaining agreements ,

01:19:33.580 --> 01:19:36.950
the ones that work for you . The ones

01:19:36.950 --> 01:19:39.709
that work for us should be at will like

01:19:39.709 --> 01:19:42.042
anybody else based on their performance ,

01:19:42.042 --> 01:19:44.209
and , and if they're performing well ,

01:19:44.209 --> 01:19:46.209
which I'm sure they are , as you've

01:19:46.209 --> 01:19:45.850
represented , they will have a job at

01:19:45.850 --> 01:19:48.072
the department . But where is the issue

01:19:48.072 --> 01:19:50.072
that you took away their collective

01:19:50.072 --> 01:19:49.870
bargaining rights ? Why did you do it

01:19:49.870 --> 01:19:52.410
if it wasn't a problem ? Well , I , I

01:19:52.410 --> 01:19:54.688
stated upfront , it has been a problem .

01:19:54.688 --> 01:19:56.688
There are plenty of cases , whether

01:19:56.688 --> 01:19:58.910
it's or inside our own department where

01:19:58.910 --> 01:20:00.966
collective collective bargaining had

01:20:00.966 --> 01:20:03.188
led to arrangements and agreements that

01:20:03.188 --> 01:20:02.609
minimize the efficiency and

01:20:02.609 --> 01:20:04.831
effectiveness of employees at the point

01:20:04.831 --> 01:20:06.942
of their impact . That's what we were

01:20:06.942 --> 01:20:09.109
focusing on and that's why we made the

01:20:09.109 --> 01:20:11.387
change which we very much stand behind .

01:20:11.387 --> 01:20:13.553
Well , I yield back . Gentleman yields

01:20:13.553 --> 01:20:15.665
back chair and I recognize the gentle

01:20:15.665 --> 01:20:15.459
lady from New York , Ms . Stefanik .

01:20:16.069 --> 01:20:18.180
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Secretary

01:20:18.180 --> 01:20:20.347
Seth , I appreciate the department and

01:20:20.347 --> 01:20:22.569
the administration's focus on expansion

01:20:22.569 --> 01:20:24.236
and innovation in the defense

01:20:24.236 --> 01:20:26.347
industrial base . That's particularly

01:20:26.347 --> 01:20:28.458
important for emerging technologies .

01:20:28.458 --> 01:20:30.680
For years on this committee , my office

01:20:30.680 --> 01:20:32.347
has led the effort to ban the

01:20:32.347 --> 01:20:34.680
procurement of Chinese communist drones ,

01:20:34.680 --> 01:20:36.569
which pose a significant national

01:20:36.569 --> 01:20:38.791
security threat . And last year , After

01:20:38.791 --> 01:20:40.958
years of work , this committee finally

01:20:40.958 --> 01:20:43.069
passed my countering CCP Drones Act ,

01:20:43.069 --> 01:20:45.450
or Section 1709 of the NDAA , which was

01:20:45.450 --> 01:20:47.569
fully implemented in December . How

01:20:47.569 --> 01:20:50.770
does the FY 27 budget scale domestic

01:20:50.770 --> 01:20:52.970
production and deployment of drone

01:20:52.970 --> 01:20:54.850
systems to ensure the US has the

01:20:54.850 --> 01:20:57.410
decisive advantage against our US

01:20:57.410 --> 01:21:00.259
enemies ? Well , thank you for the

01:21:00.259 --> 01:21:02.481
question . First of all , thank you for

01:21:02.481 --> 01:21:04.481
your work on that . In critically ,

01:21:04.481 --> 01:21:03.899
critically important , when you look

01:21:03.899 --> 01:21:05.899
under the hood of the ways in which

01:21:06.020 --> 01:21:07.798
China is trying to use critical

01:21:07.798 --> 01:21:10.020
elements of , of our defense industrial

01:21:10.020 --> 01:21:12.020
base and supply chain against us or

01:21:12.020 --> 01:21:14.131
capabilities in the future that could

01:21:14.131 --> 01:21:14.060
hamstring us with options for a future

01:21:14.060 --> 01:21:16.569
president , it's staggering . So drones

01:21:16.569 --> 01:21:18.459
is , is one that not only have we

01:21:18.459 --> 01:21:20.237
recognized , but thanks to your

01:21:20.237 --> 01:21:22.570
leadership and the leadership of others ,

01:21:22.570 --> 01:21:24.681
we are supercharging in this budget ,

01:21:24.681 --> 01:21:26.770
uh , conservatively $54 billion in

01:21:26.770 --> 01:21:29.103
drone . Drone dominance and counter UAS .

01:21:29.274 --> 01:21:31.552
Uh , Jay just slid me a piece of paper .

01:21:31.552 --> 01:21:33.496
If you add it all up , it could be

01:21:33.496 --> 01:21:35.663
closer to 74 billion . Uh , we started

01:21:35.663 --> 01:21:37.718
a defense autonomous working group ,

01:21:37.718 --> 01:21:39.885
autonomous warfare group , excuse me ,

01:21:39.885 --> 01:21:39.645
to focus on this , but we're going to

01:21:39.645 --> 01:21:41.645
do even more . We , we will shortly

01:21:41.645 --> 01:21:43.478
announce a sub-unified command ,

01:21:43.478 --> 01:21:45.725
autonomous warfare . Uh , drones are so

01:21:45.725 --> 01:21:47.781
central to the future of warfare and

01:21:47.781 --> 01:21:49.947
where we get them from that we have to

01:21:49.947 --> 01:21:52.169
be able to both make the exquisite ones

01:21:52.169 --> 01:21:54.281
better than anybody else and also the

01:21:54.281 --> 01:21:56.503
attritable swarm , uh . And the ability

01:21:56.503 --> 01:21:58.614
to defeat them ahead of our adversary

01:21:58.614 --> 01:22:00.836
learning from battlefields like Ukraine

01:22:00.836 --> 01:22:02.947
and epic fury . So thank you for your

01:22:02.947 --> 01:22:05.114
leadership . It is front and center in

01:22:05.114 --> 01:22:07.169
this budget . I very much appreciate

01:22:07.169 --> 01:22:06.790
all that the department is doing under

01:22:06.790 --> 01:22:09.012
your leadership . One of the concerns I

01:22:09.012 --> 01:22:11.234
have is recent reporting indicates that

01:22:11.234 --> 01:22:13.068
while DJI , which is a communist

01:22:13.068 --> 01:22:15.470
Chinese drone company , is prohibited

01:22:15.470 --> 01:22:17.692
from receiving new FCC authorizations ,

01:22:17.970 --> 01:22:20.169
there are still DJI products such as

01:22:20.169 --> 01:22:23.895
the DJI Avada 360 . Widely available in

01:22:23.895 --> 01:22:26.615
the US through major retailers . These

01:22:26.615 --> 01:22:28.975
received FCC authorizations before my

01:22:28.975 --> 01:22:30.814
provision in the NDAA was fully

01:22:30.814 --> 01:22:33.495
implemented . So my question to you is ,

01:22:33.734 --> 01:22:35.623
we need to close this loophole to

01:22:35.623 --> 01:22:37.678
protect our national security . Will

01:22:37.678 --> 01:22:39.456
you commit to working with this

01:22:39.456 --> 01:22:41.567
committee in my office to ensure that

01:22:41.567 --> 01:22:43.734
these products that pose a significant

01:22:43.734 --> 01:22:45.790
risk to our national security are no

01:22:45.790 --> 01:22:47.845
longer permitted , given the evident

01:22:47.845 --> 01:22:50.015
threat CCP drones pose to US national

01:22:50.015 --> 01:22:53.069
security ? Congressman , uh , yes , the

01:22:53.069 --> 01:22:55.236
department will commit to working with

01:22:55.236 --> 01:22:57.458
your staff and looking at that loophole

01:22:57.458 --> 01:22:59.347
which we are aware of , and I , I

01:22:59.347 --> 01:23:01.680
missed in my first response , of course ,

01:23:01.680 --> 01:23:03.847
that 54 billion is American-made drone

01:23:03.847 --> 01:23:05.791
dominance . That , that is exactly

01:23:05.791 --> 01:23:07.958
where they need to be , and that's our

01:23:07.958 --> 01:23:10.069
focus is . Great . Another emerging .

01:23:10.069 --> 01:23:09.805
Technology that's very important and

01:23:09.805 --> 01:23:11.995
has a strong tie to my district is

01:23:11.995 --> 01:23:14.325
quantum computing . China continues to

01:23:14.325 --> 01:23:16.436
invest heavily in quantum computing ,

01:23:16.436 --> 01:23:18.658
sensing , and secure communications for

01:23:18.658 --> 01:23:20.769
military advantage . Um , I represent

01:23:20.769 --> 01:23:22.936
Rome Air Force Research Lab , which is

01:23:22.936 --> 01:23:24.881
a hub of research when it comes to

01:23:24.881 --> 01:23:27.047
quantum . Secretary Hegseth , how does

01:23:27.047 --> 01:23:29.214
the budget proposal position the US to

01:23:29.214 --> 01:23:31.269
maintain leadership in operationally

01:23:31.269 --> 01:23:34.990
relevant quantum technologies ? The

01:23:34.990 --> 01:23:37.830
country that dominates in quantum will

01:23:37.830 --> 01:23:40.779
dominate the future in C2 , in comms ,

01:23:40.850 --> 01:23:42.906
in every , every way that we fight .

01:23:42.906 --> 01:23:44.649
And so this makes the maximal

01:23:45.040 --> 01:23:47.509
investment possible here at home to

01:23:47.509 --> 01:23:49.731
ensure that quantum compute and working

01:23:49.731 --> 01:23:51.842
across the interagency , by the way ,

01:23:51.842 --> 01:23:54.009
this is not just a DOW issue , this is

01:23:54.009 --> 01:23:56.120
an interagency issue , uh , to ensure

01:23:56.120 --> 01:23:58.342
that we've got the ability to scale and

01:23:58.342 --> 01:24:00.565
compute , outcomput adversaries who are

01:24:00.565 --> 01:24:02.453
racing for the same , same code .

01:24:02.453 --> 01:24:04.509
General Kane , throughout my time in

01:24:04.509 --> 01:24:06.231
Congress , I've pushed for the

01:24:06.231 --> 01:24:08.398
department to optimize its approach to

01:24:08.398 --> 01:24:10.731
quantum and develop a strategic roadmap .

01:24:10.731 --> 01:24:12.509
In your opinion , which quantum

01:24:12.509 --> 01:24:14.287
capability areas offer the most

01:24:14.287 --> 01:24:16.342
immediate benefit to the joint force

01:24:16.342 --> 01:24:18.287
and should be priority investments

01:24:18.287 --> 01:24:20.398
moving forward ? Probably some of the

01:24:20.398 --> 01:24:22.620
work in crypto and quantum to make sure

01:24:22.620 --> 01:24:24.509
we can see , sense , understand ,

01:24:24.509 --> 01:24:26.731
defeat , and protect our own stuff . So

01:24:26.731 --> 01:24:28.898
that's where I'm most interested in it

01:24:28.898 --> 01:24:31.065
right now , ma'am . Great . And I also

01:24:31.065 --> 01:24:30.979
want to use my remaining time . I just

01:24:30.979 --> 01:24:32.979
want to invite both of you to visit

01:24:32.979 --> 01:24:35.090
Fort Drum , home of the 10th Mountain

01:24:35.090 --> 01:24:37.146
Division , most deployed division in

01:24:37.146 --> 01:24:39.257
the US Army since 9/11 . In the first

01:24:39.257 --> 01:24:41.423
Trump administration , I had the honor

01:24:41.423 --> 01:24:41.180
of hosting President Trump where he

01:24:41.180 --> 01:24:43.620
signed the NDAA in my district , and

01:24:43.620 --> 01:24:45.953
it's been a privilege to represent them .

01:24:45.953 --> 01:24:48.064
So encourage you to visit that , uh ,

01:24:48.064 --> 01:24:50.064
installation before the end of this

01:24:50.064 --> 01:24:52.009
year . Thank you very much , and I

01:24:52.009 --> 01:24:54.064
yield back . Generally yields back .

01:24:54.064 --> 01:24:56.064
Chair I recognizes a gentleman from

01:24:56.064 --> 01:24:58.120
Massachusetts , Mr . Moulton . Thank

01:24:58.120 --> 01:24:58.000
you very much , Mr . Chairman . Mr .

01:24:58.029 --> 01:25:00.140
Secretary , you and I agree that Iran

01:25:00.140 --> 01:25:02.362
is a national security threat to us and

01:25:02.362 --> 01:25:04.529
our allies . Now earlier you called us

01:25:04.529 --> 01:25:06.696
feckless for questioning your war . Do

01:25:06.696 --> 01:25:08.473
you think Congress was smart or

01:25:08.473 --> 01:25:10.549
feckless when it failed to ask tough

01:25:10.549 --> 01:25:12.605
questions of the Bush administration

01:25:12.605 --> 01:25:14.771
and gave them a blank check for Iraq ?

01:25:15.399 --> 01:25:17.621
Well , if you're trying to compare this

01:25:17.621 --> 01:25:19.843
war to the Iraq , I'm just asking you ,

01:25:19.843 --> 01:25:22.066
do you think the president is the first

01:25:22.066 --> 01:25:21.520
one to call a stupid war , then it's a

01:25:21.520 --> 01:25:24.160
false comparison . OK , well , probably

01:25:24.160 --> 01:25:26.382
a good idea to ask tough questions . So

01:25:26.382 --> 01:25:28.493
let me just ask you a few questions .

01:25:28.493 --> 01:25:30.549
Did you advise the president that we

01:25:30.549 --> 01:25:32.771
should attack Iran ? Uh , we were first

01:25:32.771 --> 01:25:35.049
of all in this position in the cabinet .

01:25:35.049 --> 01:25:36.938
We never talk about what we would

01:25:36.938 --> 01:25:39.104
advise the president to do or not . Do

01:25:39.104 --> 01:25:38.259
you think the president , or I've been

01:25:38.259 --> 01:25:40.370
in deserves more . I've been in every

01:25:40.370 --> 01:25:42.148
meeting . I understand that the

01:25:42.148 --> 01:25:44.092
chairman and everybody else as the

01:25:44.092 --> 01:25:43.709
secretary . I'm asking the were made ,

01:25:43.990 --> 01:25:46.069
and he got every , every perspective

01:25:46.069 --> 01:25:48.291
possible when it came . I'm just asking

01:25:48.291 --> 01:25:50.236
what your perspective is . Are you

01:25:50.236 --> 01:25:52.347
afraid to take ownership of this ? Do

01:25:52.347 --> 01:25:51.689
you think it was a good idea or not ?

01:25:52.120 --> 01:25:54.120
My , when I , as I've consulted the

01:25:54.120 --> 01:25:56.342
president , do I think it's a good idea

01:25:56.342 --> 01:25:58.564
to confront a nuclear bomb in the hands

01:25:58.564 --> 01:26:00.676
of the , imagine what the world would

01:26:00.676 --> 01:26:02.564
look like right now if Iran had a

01:26:02.564 --> 01:26:02.120
nuclear weapon . OK , so let's just ,

01:26:02.240 --> 01:26:04.407
just imagine , which , by the way , if

01:26:04.407 --> 01:26:06.629
they had one , which the Obama deal was

01:26:06.629 --> 01:26:08.796
gonna allow them , including the first

01:26:08.796 --> 01:26:07.799
Trump administration , they had

01:26:07.799 --> 01:26:09.855
prevented them from having a nuclear

01:26:09.855 --> 01:26:11.910
weapon . So listen , how is this war

01:26:11.910 --> 01:26:13.855
going ? Do you think we're winning

01:26:13.855 --> 01:26:15.910
militarily on the battlefield ? It's

01:26:15.910 --> 01:26:18.021
been an astounding military success ,

01:26:18.021 --> 01:26:20.355
but are we winning the war ? Absolutely .

01:26:20.355 --> 01:26:22.410
OK , so do you call Iran closing the

01:26:22.410 --> 01:26:24.410
Strait of Hormuz winning ? Well , I

01:26:24.410 --> 01:26:26.410
would say the blockade that we hold

01:26:26.410 --> 01:26:28.577
that doesn't allow anything to come in

01:26:28.577 --> 01:26:30.466
or out of Iranian ports , OK , so

01:26:30.466 --> 01:26:32.355
always , so we've blockaded their

01:26:32.355 --> 01:26:34.355
blockade . So they blockaded us and

01:26:34.355 --> 01:26:36.299
then we blockaded their blockade .

01:26:36.299 --> 01:26:38.355
That's like saying tag G it or , you

01:26:38.355 --> 01:26:40.410
know , if , if President Madison had

01:26:40.410 --> 01:26:40.240
said , well , the British just burned

01:26:40.240 --> 01:26:42.240
down Washington , but don't worry ,

01:26:42.240 --> 01:26:44.462
we're gonna burn it down as well . Uh ,

01:26:44.620 --> 01:26:46.731
Chairman Kain , did the military have

01:26:46.731 --> 01:26:49.549
plans for the idea that Iran might

01:26:49.549 --> 01:26:52.009
blockade the strait ? Sir , thanks for ,

01:26:52.049 --> 01:26:54.180
uh , thanks for the question . Um ,

01:26:54.569 --> 01:26:57.450
I'll , uh , I'll answer it , uh , this

01:26:57.450 --> 01:26:59.810
way , you know , in this job , I have

01:26:59.810 --> 01:27:02.049
to maintain trust with a variety of ,

01:27:02.100 --> 01:27:04.209
of , of constituents to include the

01:27:04.209 --> 01:27:06.729
president . Yes sir , as always , my

01:27:06.729 --> 01:27:08.840
point in this is , as I explained the

01:27:08.840 --> 01:27:10.896
role , my point in this is we always

01:27:10.896 --> 01:27:14.129
offer a full range of military options

01:27:14.129 --> 01:27:16.296
that are carefully considered with the

01:27:16.296 --> 01:27:19.250
associated risks with those options and

01:27:19.250 --> 01:27:21.890
the considerations therein . So , did

01:27:21.890 --> 01:27:25.600
you consider this risk ? Of course ,

01:27:25.609 --> 01:27:27.498
this department has looked at all

01:27:27.498 --> 01:27:29.620
aspects of this risk and because this

01:27:29.620 --> 01:27:31.564
department minesweepers , the only

01:27:31.564 --> 01:27:33.509
minesweepers we had in the Gulf to

01:27:33.509 --> 01:27:35.787
Singapore weeks before the war started .

01:27:35.787 --> 01:27:37.898
We have lots of capabilities that you

01:27:37.898 --> 01:27:40.120
may or may not be aware aware of at the

01:27:40.120 --> 01:27:42.231
classified level . OK , and so with ,

01:27:42.231 --> 01:27:41.339
uh , to deal with , by the way , would

01:27:41.339 --> 01:27:43.561
the Trump class battleships have helped

01:27:43.561 --> 01:27:45.506
with this ? You're talking about a

01:27:45.506 --> 01:27:47.700
prospective future battleship which we

01:27:47.700 --> 01:27:49.811
welcome in the fleet . OK , so you're

01:27:49.811 --> 01:27:52.089
supportive of the , of the battleships .

01:27:52.089 --> 01:27:54.830
Yes , sir . OK , um , how much has Iran

01:27:54.830 --> 01:27:56.770
profited from your administration

01:27:56.770 --> 01:27:58.930
lifting the sanctions on Iran ?

01:28:00.750 --> 01:28:02.917
When you started this war , I can tell

01:28:02.917 --> 01:28:04.861
you Iran is financially devastated

01:28:04.861 --> 01:28:07.028
right now in , in conjunction with the

01:28:07.028 --> 01:28:09.028
treasury about $14 billion economic

01:28:09.028 --> 01:28:10.972
fury . Uh , they're , they're at a

01:28:10.972 --> 01:28:13.028
point where between the blockade and

01:28:13.028 --> 01:28:12.750
what we've done to them militarily ,

01:28:12.870 --> 01:28:14.870
remember , they don't have a navy ,

01:28:14.870 --> 01:28:17.037
they can't contest the blockade . Uh ,

01:28:17.037 --> 01:28:16.589
between what we've done to the

01:28:16.589 --> 01:28:18.811
militarily and financially , they're at

01:28:18.811 --> 01:28:20.978
a place . They have very few options .

01:28:20.978 --> 01:28:23.145
How many Chinese missiles can they buy

01:28:23.145 --> 01:28:25.311
for $14 billion ? Does that sound like

01:28:25.311 --> 01:28:27.689
winning ? Um , they're not , we're ,

01:28:27.810 --> 01:28:29.921
we're insuring and they're not buying

01:28:29.921 --> 01:28:32.032
Chinese missiles . OK . You know , at

01:28:32.032 --> 01:28:34.088
the end of the day , this also has a

01:28:34.088 --> 01:28:36.199
cost to us . If you , if , if , let's

01:28:36.199 --> 01:28:38.477
say this war costs $100 billion I mean ,

01:28:38.477 --> 01:28:40.699
you've already said give us more time .

01:28:40.699 --> 01:28:40.330
It's only been two months . It could go

01:28:40.330 --> 01:28:41.997
on for 20 years like Iraq and

01:28:41.997 --> 01:28:44.108
Afghanistan . Let's just say it costs

01:28:44.108 --> 01:28:46.052
$100 billion . What is that to the

01:28:46.052 --> 01:28:48.274
average American taxpayer ? Do you have

01:28:48.274 --> 01:28:50.108
any idea ? Well , unlike foolish

01:28:50.108 --> 01:28:52.274
previous administrations , it won't go

01:28:52.274 --> 01:28:51.930
on . No , I'm just asking for , for ,

01:28:52.089 --> 01:28:54.256
for years and decades . But let's just

01:28:54.256 --> 01:28:56.256
say sitting in this position , it's

01:28:56.256 --> 01:28:56.129
hard to imagine how you know that's

01:28:56.129 --> 01:28:58.185
allowed those things to happen . You

01:28:58.185 --> 01:29:00.240
were a part of that war , so was I .

01:29:00.240 --> 01:29:02.351
And never , I never , I'm just asking

01:29:02.351 --> 01:29:04.296
if you know what your war cost the

01:29:04.296 --> 01:29:06.518
average American taxpayer . What is the

01:29:06.518 --> 01:29:08.573
cost of Iran having a nuclear weapon

01:29:08.573 --> 01:29:07.759
that they wield ? I'm just asking if

01:29:07.759 --> 01:29:09.592
you know the cost of the average

01:29:09.592 --> 01:29:11.703
American . It's about $600 . So for ,

01:29:11.703 --> 01:29:13.870
for the American taxpayers out there ,

01:29:13.870 --> 01:29:15.537
my constituents , some of the

01:29:15.537 --> 01:29:17.759
constituents you wanted to represent in

01:29:17.759 --> 01:29:16.919
Minnesota , I'm just wondering if they

01:29:16.919 --> 01:29:19.240
have an extra $600 lying around to pay

01:29:19.240 --> 01:29:21.549
for your war . I think that's just a ,

01:29:21.759 --> 01:29:23.926
just a question that we ought to ask .

01:29:23.926 --> 01:29:26.169
Now . Quickly , on March 13th in a

01:29:26.169 --> 01:29:28.459
press conference , you said we will

01:29:28.459 --> 01:29:30.515
give them no quarter , no mercy . In

01:29:30.515 --> 01:29:32.737
order for no quarter or no survivors is

01:29:32.737 --> 01:29:34.348
a war crime under the Geneva

01:29:34.348 --> 01:29:36.348
Conventions . You understand that's

01:29:36.348 --> 01:29:38.681
murder . Do you stand by that statement ?

01:29:39.060 --> 01:29:41.116
Uh , the Department of War fights to

01:29:41.116 --> 01:29:42.727
win , and we ensure that our

01:29:42.727 --> 01:29:44.393
warfighters have the rules of

01:29:44.393 --> 01:29:46.616
engagement necessary to be as effective

01:29:46.616 --> 01:29:48.449
as humanly possible . You called

01:29:48.449 --> 01:29:50.504
Democratic members of Congress to be

01:29:50.504 --> 01:29:50.149
tried for sedition for reminding our

01:29:50.149 --> 01:29:52.371
troops to follow the law , but when you

01:29:52.371 --> 01:29:54.482
tell them to commit a war crime , you

01:29:54.482 --> 01:29:56.593
stand by yourself for insinuating the

01:29:56.593 --> 01:29:58.371
laws that we're giving them are

01:29:58.371 --> 01:30:00.482
gentlemen expired , and I recognize a

01:30:00.482 --> 01:30:00.270
gentleman from Tennessee , Doctor

01:30:00.270 --> 01:30:02.492
Desjarlis . Thank you , Mr . Chairman .

01:30:02.492 --> 01:30:04.548
I thank our witnesses for being here

01:30:04.548 --> 01:30:06.659
today , and I'd like to thank . Thank

01:30:06.659 --> 01:30:08.770
you for , uh , your commitment to our

01:30:08.770 --> 01:30:10.826
advancement in space , Golden Dome ,

01:30:10.826 --> 01:30:12.770
and nuclear modernization , all of

01:30:12.770 --> 01:30:14.937
which are critical . And also , uh , I

01:30:14.937 --> 01:30:17.194
understand we're going to start , uh ,

01:30:17.375 --> 01:30:19.455
some reproduction of the MQ-9 Reaper

01:30:19.455 --> 01:30:22.035
drones , which , uh , you , Mr .

01:30:22.174 --> 01:30:24.341
Secretary , and , and Ms . Secretary ,

01:30:24.341 --> 01:30:26.618
uh , share my great state of Tennessee ,

01:30:26.618 --> 01:30:28.730
and we know the 118th Air Wing , uh ,

01:30:28.730 --> 01:30:30.952
the National Guard operates Barry Field

01:30:30.952 --> 01:30:33.230
and conduct many of these missions and ,

01:30:33.230 --> 01:30:35.007
and , and they do so with great

01:30:35.007 --> 01:30:37.285
precision . So thank you for that . Uh ,

01:30:37.285 --> 01:30:39.507
Secretary Hegseth , you commissioned as

01:30:39.507 --> 01:30:41.452
an infantry officer in the US Army

01:30:41.452 --> 01:30:43.507
National Guard in 2003 . You've been

01:30:43.507 --> 01:30:45.341
deployed to Iraq , Afghanistan ,

01:30:45.341 --> 01:30:47.341
Guantanamo Bay . Uh , you have been

01:30:47.341 --> 01:30:49.341
awarded 2 Bronze Stars , the Combat

01:30:49.341 --> 01:30:50.959
Infantryryman Badge , Joint

01:30:51.580 --> 01:30:53.191
Commendation Medals , 2 Army

01:30:53.191 --> 01:30:55.080
Commendation Medals , among other

01:30:55.080 --> 01:30:57.191
recognitions . You have seen military

01:30:57.191 --> 01:30:59.247
actions from both an operational and

01:30:59.247 --> 01:31:01.358
service member perspective . Have you

01:31:01.358 --> 01:31:03.580
ever seen operations with the scope and

01:31:03.580 --> 01:31:05.913
scale and complexity of Midnight Hammer ,

01:31:05.913 --> 01:31:07.747
Operation Absolute Resolve , and

01:31:07.747 --> 01:31:11.509
Operation Epic Fury ? Thank you for the

01:31:11.509 --> 01:31:13.676
question , Mr . Congressman . Uh , not

01:31:13.676 --> 01:31:16.009
only have I not seen missions like that ,

01:31:16.009 --> 01:31:18.065
but if you ask , if you earnestly go

01:31:18.065 --> 01:31:20.549
into our formations right now , and you

01:31:20.549 --> 01:31:22.970
talk to colonels and majors and staff

01:31:22.970 --> 01:31:25.081
sergeants and two-star generals , and

01:31:25.081 --> 01:31:27.192
you ask them about the environment of

01:31:27.192 --> 01:31:28.914
our military right now and its

01:31:28.914 --> 01:31:30.970
capabilities right now , compared to

01:31:30.970 --> 01:31:33.137
under the Biden administration , under

01:31:33.137 --> 01:31:35.303
Obama , they will tell you it is night

01:31:35.303 --> 01:31:37.414
and day . Even the , even the ranking

01:31:37.414 --> 01:31:39.414
member acknowledged that the troops

01:31:39.414 --> 01:31:39.160
performed incredibly well over the past

01:31:39.160 --> 01:31:41.327
15 months and have demonstrated to the

01:31:41.327 --> 01:31:43.438
world . These are not new troops in a

01:31:43.438 --> 01:31:45.327
lot of cases . These are the same

01:31:45.327 --> 01:31:47.600
troops with new leadership under

01:31:47.600 --> 01:31:49.767
President Trump , who gives them every

01:31:49.767 --> 01:31:51.767
authority , under a department that

01:31:51.767 --> 01:31:53.822
ensures they have what they need . I

01:31:53.822 --> 01:31:56.044
have operators looking at me saying for

01:31:56.044 --> 01:31:56.000
the first time ever , we have

01:31:56.000 --> 01:31:58.056
everything we need to accomplish the

01:31:58.056 --> 01:32:00.000
mission , both in equipment and in

01:32:00.000 --> 01:32:02.167
authorities . That matters when you go

01:32:02.167 --> 01:32:04.333
37 hours around the world for midnight

01:32:04.333 --> 01:32:06.278
hammers . That matters when you go

01:32:06.278 --> 01:32:08.389
downtown , uh , in , in Venezuela and

01:32:08.389 --> 01:32:10.611
grab the indicted dictator of a country

01:32:10.611 --> 01:32:12.778
in the middle of the night in the most

01:32:12.778 --> 01:32:14.833
fortified location . That matters at

01:32:14.833 --> 01:32:16.889
the outset of the Iran conflict . It

01:32:16.889 --> 01:32:19.056
matters during Operation Rough Rider ,

01:32:19.056 --> 01:32:18.839
which there's a reason why the Houthis

01:32:18.839 --> 01:32:20.783
aren't on the , uh , in this fight

01:32:20.783 --> 01:32:23.006
right now , because they experienced 50

01:32:23.006 --> 01:32:25.006
days of the American military under

01:32:25.006 --> 01:32:27.117
President Trump . That matters in the

01:32:27.117 --> 01:32:28.839
Caribbean in our fight against

01:32:28.839 --> 01:32:31.006
designated terror organizations . This

01:32:31.006 --> 01:32:33.172
military is unleashed and morale is at

01:32:33.172 --> 01:32:35.339
a level that this country has not seen

01:32:35.339 --> 01:32:37.506
for decades and decades because of the

01:32:37.506 --> 01:32:39.395
leadership of President Trump and

01:32:39.395 --> 01:32:41.561
because the War Department allows them

01:32:41.561 --> 01:32:43.339
to get back to basics . No more

01:32:43.339 --> 01:32:45.395
distractions , no more debris . It's

01:32:45.395 --> 01:32:47.390
simple accountability , training ,

01:32:47.399 --> 01:32:49.479
standards , lethality , and they

01:32:49.479 --> 01:32:51.646
respond to it . And it's That response

01:32:51.646 --> 01:32:53.993
that's manifest in highly and historic

01:32:53.993 --> 01:32:56.353
successful military operations led by

01:32:56.353 --> 01:32:58.672
our incredible joint force , uh , who

01:32:58.672 --> 01:33:00.672
are grateful to have a commander in

01:33:00.672 --> 01:33:02.839
chief that has their back . I can tell

01:33:02.839 --> 01:33:04.894
you for that our nation , myself and

01:33:04.894 --> 01:33:06.894
all of us are incredibly grateful .

01:33:06.894 --> 01:33:09.005
Secretary Hegseth and General Kaine ,

01:33:09.005 --> 01:33:10.728
with your vision and steadfast

01:33:10.728 --> 01:33:12.672
commitment to our nation's service

01:33:12.672 --> 01:33:12.545
members , you have both overseen . The

01:33:12.545 --> 01:33:14.101
beginning of a generational

01:33:14.101 --> 01:33:16.267
transformation of our armed services .

01:33:16.267 --> 01:33:18.156
This budget request reflects that

01:33:18.156 --> 01:33:20.267
commitment by building and sustaining

01:33:20.267 --> 01:33:21.934
our defense industrial base ,

01:33:21.934 --> 01:33:24.156
increasing service member pay , housing

01:33:24.156 --> 01:33:26.045
and benefits , robust funding for

01:33:26.045 --> 01:33:28.156
Golden Dome missile defense and space

01:33:28.156 --> 01:33:30.323
capabilities , and the emphasis on the

01:33:30.323 --> 01:33:32.101
peace through strength doctrine

01:33:32.101 --> 01:33:33.934
outlined in the national defense

01:33:33.934 --> 01:33:35.823
strategy . Based on the defense .

01:33:35.823 --> 01:33:37.823
Department's recent track record of

01:33:37.823 --> 01:33:39.823
successful missions . Can you share

01:33:39.823 --> 01:33:41.934
some examples of military action that

01:33:41.934 --> 01:33:44.101
illustrate exactly how your leadership

01:33:44.101 --> 01:33:46.323
and vision for the Department of War is

01:33:46.323 --> 01:33:48.489
translating the peace through strength

01:33:48.489 --> 01:33:50.545
doctrine into an operational reality

01:33:50.545 --> 01:33:52.712
and what psychological impact that may

01:33:52.712 --> 01:33:54.878
have on our near peer adversaries such

01:33:54.878 --> 01:33:56.989
as China and Russia . And I'd like to

01:33:56.989 --> 01:33:58.934
get both yours and General Kaine's

01:33:58.934 --> 01:33:58.770
perspective if you can take 30 seconds

01:33:58.770 --> 01:34:00.603
each . I'll keep it brief . Uh ,

01:34:00.603 --> 01:34:02.659
re-establishing deterrence is one of

01:34:02.659 --> 01:34:04.826
the core pillars of what we set out to

01:34:04.826 --> 01:34:06.881
do after Afghanistan , after October

01:34:06.881 --> 01:34:09.048
7th , after the war in Ukraine , after

01:34:09.048 --> 01:34:11.159
Lloyd Austin went AWOL for a week and

01:34:11.159 --> 01:34:13.326
no one seemed to care . The world took

01:34:13.326 --> 01:34:15.159
notice of that , and through the

01:34:15.159 --> 01:34:17.381
actions we've taken swiftly that I just

01:34:17.381 --> 01:34:19.381
laid out , the world has recognized

01:34:19.381 --> 01:34:21.492
that American power is back and , and

01:34:21.492 --> 01:34:23.492
the willingness to utilize it shows

01:34:23.492 --> 01:34:22.799
that we can achieve peace through

01:34:22.799 --> 01:34:25.021
strength . And General Kaine , in terms

01:34:25.021 --> 01:34:28.180
of our adversaries , yes sir , um . You

01:34:28.180 --> 01:34:30.459
know , when we look at the totality of

01:34:30.459 --> 01:34:32.620
actions that we've done over the last

01:34:32.620 --> 01:34:34.842
year , one thing leaps out at me that I

01:34:34.842 --> 01:34:37.089
think is clearly and unambiguously seen

01:34:37.089 --> 01:34:39.299
by our adversaries or those that may

01:34:39.299 --> 01:34:41.521
consider it , and that's our ability to

01:34:41.521 --> 01:34:44.720
integrate and synchronize a whole range

01:34:44.720 --> 01:34:46.979
of capabilities that we have in the

01:34:46.979 --> 01:34:50.339
joint force , um , information , cyber ,

01:34:50.540 --> 01:34:52.430
uh , you know , deception , uh ,

01:34:52.569 --> 01:34:54.819
jamming , uh , air power , sea power ,

01:34:54.899 --> 01:34:57.020
land power , etc . and I think that .

01:34:57.479 --> 01:35:00.520
That ability and I'm so proud of our

01:35:00.520 --> 01:35:02.631
joint force , those young gentlemen's

01:35:02.631 --> 01:35:04.687
time expired chair and I recognize a

01:35:04.687 --> 01:35:06.520
gentleman from California , Mr .

01:35:06.520 --> 01:35:08.631
Carvajal . Thank you , Mr . Chair and

01:35:08.631 --> 01:35:10.687
thank you , General Cain , uh , Mr .

01:35:10.687 --> 01:35:13.020
Heckseth and Hurst for being here today .

01:35:13.439 --> 01:35:15.680
I associate myself with the comments of

01:35:15.680 --> 01:35:18.200
Ranking Member Smith and uh Mr .

01:35:18.209 --> 01:35:20.680
Garamendi , so that I won't repeat a

01:35:20.680 --> 01:35:23.089
lot of what has been said . Mr .

01:35:23.109 --> 01:35:26.100
Hecketh , I recently realized that . We

01:35:26.100 --> 01:35:28.870
have something in common . I'm also a

01:35:28.870 --> 01:35:31.439
fan of Pulp Fiction . And no , the

01:35:31.439 --> 01:35:33.550
movie is not an accurate portrayal of

01:35:33.550 --> 01:35:35.661
the Bible . You know what I'm talking

01:35:35.661 --> 01:35:37.680
about . This president and his

01:35:37.680 --> 01:35:39.902
administration has , have claimed to be

01:35:39.902 --> 01:35:42.124
the most transparent of all time . With

01:35:42.124 --> 01:35:44.124
that in mind , I'd love to get some

01:35:44.124 --> 01:35:46.013
straightforward , straightforward

01:35:46.013 --> 01:35:49.330
answers today . Some estimates show

01:35:49.330 --> 01:35:51.497
that the Trump administration's war of

01:35:51.497 --> 01:35:53.497
choice in Iran is costing taxpayers

01:35:53.810 --> 01:35:57.209
around $1 billion every day . In

01:35:57.209 --> 01:35:59.376
addition to spending taxpayer money on

01:35:59.376 --> 01:36:01.320
a war they don't want , it is also

01:36:01.320 --> 01:36:03.680
driving up costs , the cost of gas ,

01:36:03.770 --> 01:36:05.326
while the cost of living is

01:36:05.326 --> 01:36:07.319
skyrocketing under this

01:36:07.319 --> 01:36:10.000
administration's policies . To me and I

01:36:10.000 --> 01:36:12.560
assume to the American people , it is

01:36:12.560 --> 01:36:14.919
unclear why we started this war , how

01:36:14.919 --> 01:36:18.000
it will end , and what anyone gained

01:36:18.000 --> 01:36:21.450
from it . Mr . Heckseth , about how

01:36:21.450 --> 01:36:24.189
much money has been spent on this war

01:36:24.189 --> 01:36:26.810
to date and how much more do you

01:36:26.810 --> 01:36:30.740
anticipate spending ? Well , as our

01:36:30.740 --> 01:36:32.518
comptroller laid out , uh , the

01:36:32.518 --> 01:36:34.518
estimate is less than 25 billion at

01:36:34.518 --> 01:36:36.629
this point as far as an expenditure ,

01:36:36.629 --> 01:36:38.518
and the question I would ask this

01:36:38.518 --> 01:36:40.462
committee is , what is it worth to

01:36:40.462 --> 01:36:42.573
ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear

01:36:42.573 --> 01:36:42.459
weapon , considering the radical

01:36:42.459 --> 01:36:44.459
ambitions of that regime ? I mean ,

01:36:44.459 --> 01:36:46.459
almost every member of this dais at

01:36:46.459 --> 01:36:48.515
some point has said , whether it was

01:36:48.515 --> 01:36:50.626
thank you for your answer . I'll I'll

01:36:50.626 --> 01:36:52.737
proceed . Iran nuclear weapon . Thank

01:36:52.737 --> 01:36:52.580
you for your answer . President Trump

01:36:52.580 --> 01:36:54.747
is the one that's willing to make sure

01:36:54.747 --> 01:36:56.913
it doesn't happen . Supposedly we have

01:36:56.913 --> 01:36:58.969
taken care of the nuclear capability

01:36:58.969 --> 01:37:01.080
last time around . And now this war ,

01:37:01.080 --> 01:37:03.247
we're at it again because obviously we

01:37:03.247 --> 01:37:05.413
said we did , but we didn't . In a way

01:37:05.413 --> 01:37:07.580
that the United States , wait , wait ,

01:37:07.580 --> 01:37:09.747
wait , United States military can do ,

01:37:09.747 --> 01:37:11.747
I want to reclaim my time . We know

01:37:11.747 --> 01:37:13.858
that the cost of oil and gas has gone

01:37:13.858 --> 01:37:15.969
up as a direct result of this war and

01:37:15.969 --> 01:37:18.024
the American people are feeling that

01:37:18.024 --> 01:37:20.024
pain at the pump . In an attempt to

01:37:20.024 --> 01:37:22.191
alleviate the high price of gas caused

01:37:22.191 --> 01:37:24.358
directly by this president , he lifted

01:37:24.358 --> 01:37:27.470
sanctions on Russian oil . The way I

01:37:27.470 --> 01:37:29.830
see it , this is a massive gift to

01:37:29.830 --> 01:37:32.490
Putin and Russia's struggling economy .

01:37:33.169 --> 01:37:35.810
Mr . Hegseth , is there any concern

01:37:35.810 --> 01:37:38.220
that easing sanctions against Russia

01:37:38.609 --> 01:37:41.450
will allow Putin to continue funding

01:37:41.450 --> 01:37:44.250
Russia's illegal war against Ukraine ?

01:37:47.020 --> 01:37:49.020
Uh , well , we've seen Russia's and

01:37:49.020 --> 01:37:51.069
Putin's inability to make effective

01:37:51.069 --> 01:37:52.958
battlefield gains just like their

01:37:52.958 --> 01:37:55.069
inability to defend the Maduro regime

01:37:55.069 --> 01:37:57.291
with the billions of dollars of systems

01:37:57.291 --> 01:37:59.513
the Russians sent to Venezuela in order

01:37:59.513 --> 01:37:58.930
to defend him , which were defeated in

01:37:58.930 --> 01:38:01.500
15 minutes . So Russia's military

01:38:01.500 --> 01:38:03.556
capabilities are no match for ours ,

01:38:03.819 --> 01:38:05.930
and you don't when it comes to easing

01:38:05.930 --> 01:38:08.259
the sanctions is helping Russia . Well ,

01:38:08.529 --> 01:38:10.529
we have the best energy team in the

01:38:10.529 --> 01:38:12.696
planet , uh , at the , it's just a yes

01:38:12.696 --> 01:38:14.918
or no . We're gonna ensure that this is

01:38:14.918 --> 01:38:17.140
not deja vu . It's a simple yes or no .

01:38:17.140 --> 01:38:19.196
Understand the energy dominance that

01:38:19.196 --> 01:38:21.418
this administration has unleashed . All

01:38:21.418 --> 01:38:21.100
right , well , I'll proceed to my next

01:38:21.100 --> 01:38:23.339
question . Last week it was announced

01:38:23.339 --> 01:38:25.395
that the Department of Defense is no

01:38:25.395 --> 01:38:27.617
longer requiring service members to get

01:38:27.617 --> 01:38:29.783
their annual flu shot . Now this is an

01:38:29.783 --> 01:38:31.839
easy one for you . It's a softball .

01:38:31.839 --> 01:38:34.169
Don't screw it up . The rationale was

01:38:34.479 --> 01:38:37.399
to , and I quote , restore freedom to

01:38:37.399 --> 01:38:40.080
our joint force . This has been a

01:38:40.080 --> 01:38:43.799
requirement since 1950 because it is an

01:38:43.799 --> 01:38:46.660
effective . At preventing the spread of

01:38:46.660 --> 01:38:49.180
flu among our troops . It's not some

01:38:49.180 --> 01:38:52.060
new woke requirement as you like to

01:38:52.060 --> 01:38:54.649
lean on for much of your rhetoric .

01:38:55.180 --> 01:38:57.236
This decision is actively making our

01:38:57.236 --> 01:39:00.899
military less safe and less pre Mr .

01:39:00.939 --> 01:39:03.180
Heckseth , at this time , there are

01:39:03.180 --> 01:39:05.740
plans , are there plans to remove the

01:39:05.740 --> 01:39:07.462
mandatory requirement of other

01:39:07.462 --> 01:39:10.979
vaccinations like measles , mumps , and

01:39:10.979 --> 01:39:14.589
polio ? Uh , we made very clear in our

01:39:14.589 --> 01:39:16.756
announcement that it applies to , uh ,

01:39:16.756 --> 01:39:18.867
service members having a choice as it

01:39:18.867 --> 01:39:22.209
pertains to the flu vaccine . Don't you

01:39:22.209 --> 01:39:26.169
think that's a little reckless ? No ,

01:39:26.250 --> 01:39:28.370
I think , uh , allowing well-informed

01:39:28.370 --> 01:39:30.592
Americans who serve our country to make

01:39:30.592 --> 01:39:32.314
a choice is not reckless , and

01:39:32.314 --> 01:39:34.426
commanders will still have latitude ,

01:39:34.426 --> 01:39:36.648
say , for a submarine or something else

01:39:36.648 --> 01:39:36.209
to make a decision for a unit about

01:39:36.209 --> 01:39:38.153
whether it could be mandatory in a

01:39:38.153 --> 01:39:40.265
particular circumstance . But overall

01:39:40.265 --> 01:39:42.431
our troops have earned the right to be

01:39:42.431 --> 01:39:44.431
able to choose about something like

01:39:44.431 --> 01:39:46.431
that related to their health . Mr .

01:39:46.431 --> 01:39:48.819
Hecketh , I stand by what I said last

01:39:48.819 --> 01:39:50.486
time you were here . You were

01:39:50.486 --> 01:39:53.259
incompetent then . You're incompetent

01:39:53.259 --> 01:39:55.540
now , and you're the gift that keeps on

01:39:55.540 --> 01:39:57.707
giving when it comes to incompetence .

01:39:57.707 --> 01:39:59.707
With that , Mr . Chairman , I yield

01:39:59.707 --> 01:40:01.873
back . Gentlemen , yields back , cheer

01:40:01.873 --> 01:40:03.818
on that , I'm doing gentlemen from

01:40:03.818 --> 01:40:05.984
Mississippi , Mr . Kelly . Thank you ,

01:40:05.984 --> 01:40:08.096
Mr . Chairman . Secretary , don't you

01:40:08.096 --> 01:40:10.040
think it was extremely reckless to

01:40:10.040 --> 01:40:11.959
mandate COVID vaccines for the

01:40:11.959 --> 01:40:15.319
healthiest and most unlikely to get

01:40:15.319 --> 01:40:18.140
COVID and kick them out of the service

01:40:18.319 --> 01:40:21.040
if they did not comply with a , uh ,

01:40:21.319 --> 01:40:24.439
although legal , uh , crazy order from

01:40:24.439 --> 01:40:26.661
the previous administration , don't you

01:40:26.661 --> 01:40:28.772
think it was reckless to require that

01:40:28.772 --> 01:40:30.939
those soldiers and Marines and sailors

01:40:30.939 --> 01:40:32.772
had to take that COVID vaccine ?

01:40:33.370 --> 01:40:35.148
Congressman , thank you for the

01:40:35.148 --> 01:40:37.259
question . Not only do I think it was

01:40:37.259 --> 01:40:36.689
reckless , but we point out the nature

01:40:36.689 --> 01:40:38.930
of the emergency , uh , and lack of

01:40:38.930 --> 01:40:41.208
actual data on it . We think it wasn't ,

01:40:41.208 --> 01:40:43.152
may not have been legal . And as a

01:40:43.152 --> 01:40:45.152
result , we're working very hard to

01:40:45.152 --> 01:40:47.319
ensure that any service member who was

01:40:47.319 --> 01:40:49.541
pushed out is brought back in . If they

01:40:49.541 --> 01:40:51.708
were forcibly pushed out with back pay

01:40:51.708 --> 01:40:53.930
and rank and everything that comes with

01:40:53.930 --> 01:40:55.986
it , those , uh , soldiers and , and

01:40:55.986 --> 01:40:58.097
troops of conscious . who had to make

01:40:58.097 --> 01:41:00.152
that choice , the best troops in our

01:41:00.152 --> 01:41:02.263
force . Listen , I'm grateful that we

01:41:02.263 --> 01:41:04.152
have two great National Guardsmen

01:41:04.152 --> 01:41:06.097
sitting at that table today . As a

01:41:06.097 --> 01:41:08.097
longtime serving guardsman who just

01:41:08.097 --> 01:41:07.944
retired , I'm so proud of y'all and

01:41:07.944 --> 01:41:10.095
what you mean for our total force .

01:41:10.225 --> 01:41:12.392
It's not a National Guard . It's not a

01:41:12.392 --> 01:41:14.614
reserve . It's not an Army . It's not a

01:41:14.614 --> 01:41:16.781
navy . It is a total force , and thank

01:41:16.781 --> 01:41:18.781
y'all for recognizing that . I just

01:41:18.781 --> 01:41:21.114
wanna go back to some of the Iran stuff .

01:41:21.114 --> 01:41:23.003
I don't know , maybe they're in a

01:41:23.003 --> 01:41:22.729
different world than I'm living in ,

01:41:22.879 --> 01:41:26.450
but from where I live since 1979 , Iran

01:41:26.450 --> 01:41:28.728
has been at war with the United States ,

01:41:28.728 --> 01:41:30.894
although we refuse to acknowledge it .

01:41:30.894 --> 01:41:33.117
Uh , whether that's Hezbollah , whether

01:41:33.117 --> 01:41:35.283
that's the Houthis , uh , whether that

01:41:35.283 --> 01:41:37.649
is Hamas , whether that is trying to

01:41:37.649 --> 01:41:40.810
build nuclear weapons , exporting

01:41:40.810 --> 01:41:43.049
terror everywhere . I know for a fact

01:41:43.049 --> 01:41:46.290
when I was in Iraq , both tours , That

01:41:46.290 --> 01:41:50.089
EFPs made by Iranians killed our troops .

01:41:50.370 --> 01:41:52.770
I know for a fact that many of the

01:41:52.770 --> 01:41:54.881
munitions , I know for a fact many of

01:41:54.881 --> 01:41:58.640
the militias , militias in Iran that

01:41:58.640 --> 01:42:01.709
were Shia-based were there to attack

01:42:01.770 --> 01:42:05.299
Americans at the willing . Knowledge of

01:42:05.299 --> 01:42:07.410
the Iranian government . Do you agree

01:42:07.410 --> 01:42:09.410
they've been at war with us and are

01:42:09.410 --> 01:42:11.355
still at war with us and the world

01:42:11.355 --> 01:42:15.100
since 1979 ? Of course , uh , for 47

01:42:15.100 --> 01:42:17.529
years from Beirut to Baghdad , uh ,

01:42:17.580 --> 01:42:19.524
Iran has sought the most dangerous

01:42:19.524 --> 01:42:21.691
weapons in the world to try to achieve

01:42:21.691 --> 01:42:24.140
death to America . And if they were to

01:42:24.140 --> 01:42:26.196
get the most dangerous weapon in the

01:42:26.196 --> 01:42:28.540
world , a nuclear weapon , they would

01:42:28.540 --> 01:42:31.020
most certainly use it , which is why

01:42:31.020 --> 01:42:33.020
this is at the level of seriousness

01:42:33.020 --> 01:42:34.964
that President Trump is willing to

01:42:34.964 --> 01:42:36.909
address it . And and that's what I

01:42:36.909 --> 01:42:39.242
think so many in this body misrepresent .

01:42:39.242 --> 01:42:41.353
North Korea is the lesson . Everybody

01:42:41.353 --> 01:42:43.409
thought North Korea shouldn't have a

01:42:43.409 --> 01:42:43.129
weapon . Under the Clinton

01:42:43.129 --> 01:42:45.296
administration , they gathered so many

01:42:45.296 --> 01:42:47.518
ballistic missiles that their ballistic

01:42:47.518 --> 01:42:47.379
missile shield allowed them to

01:42:47.379 --> 01:42:49.490
blackmail the region and the world to

01:42:49.490 --> 01:42:51.712
say , we're going to get a nuke and you

01:42:51.712 --> 01:42:53.935
can't do anything about it . Under this

01:42:53.935 --> 01:42:56.046
administration , them weakened by the

01:42:56.046 --> 01:42:55.839
twelve-day War and what happened with

01:42:55.839 --> 01:42:58.006
Midnight Hammer , the president made a

01:42:58.006 --> 01:43:00.117
bold choice on behalf of the American

01:43:00.117 --> 01:43:02.283
people to say never will , will Iran ,

01:43:02.283 --> 01:43:04.395
with their view of death to America ,

01:43:04.395 --> 01:43:06.728
death to Israel , have a nuclear weapon ,

01:43:06.728 --> 01:43:08.839
because if they have it , they'll use

01:43:08.839 --> 01:43:10.783
it , and he's he's taken that bold

01:43:10.783 --> 01:43:10.560
action in a way I think the American

01:43:10.560 --> 01:43:12.449
people , when they understand the

01:43:12.449 --> 01:43:14.560
nature of that threat , and they do ,

01:43:14.560 --> 01:43:16.616
uh , they support it . Uh , Chairman

01:43:16.616 --> 01:43:18.919
Kang , wow , I've been around a long

01:43:18.919 --> 01:43:22.450
time . Can any other military in the

01:43:22.450 --> 01:43:24.830
history of the world pull off Venezuela ,

01:43:25.129 --> 01:43:28.040
Midnight Hammer , and Epic Fury , the

01:43:28.040 --> 01:43:31.319
way that our great warriors that defend

01:43:31.319 --> 01:43:33.263
and project power for our nation ,

01:43:33.263 --> 01:43:35.208
could , are you aware of any other

01:43:35.208 --> 01:43:37.430
nation in the history of the world that

01:43:37.430 --> 01:43:39.541
could have done that ? I'm not sure ,

01:43:39.541 --> 01:43:41.541
um , and I remain very proud of the

01:43:41.541 --> 01:43:43.541
Joint Force . I'll also say we're a

01:43:43.541 --> 01:43:45.652
learning organization and we're gonna

01:43:45.652 --> 01:43:47.819
continue to look at the things that go

01:43:47.819 --> 01:43:49.763
right in any operations that we're

01:43:49.763 --> 01:43:51.875
tasked to do . And we're going to get

01:43:51.875 --> 01:43:54.097
better every day , so we do not want to

01:43:54.097 --> 01:43:56.263
sit on the successes and assume future

01:43:56.263 --> 01:43:58.375
successes . We owe it to the nation .

01:43:58.375 --> 01:44:01.000
Uh , and the citizens to constantly

01:44:01.000 --> 01:44:02.959
improve no matter how well , uh ,

01:44:03.080 --> 01:44:05.279
something goes . So , I'm incredibly

01:44:05.279 --> 01:44:07.479
proud of the joint force . That said ,

01:44:07.600 --> 01:44:09.822
I'm even more proud when they come back

01:44:09.822 --> 01:44:11.933
after that . They go into a team room

01:44:11.933 --> 01:44:14.100
and they start debriefing to make sure

01:44:14.100 --> 01:44:15.933
that we do it better next time ,

01:44:15.933 --> 01:44:18.156
whatever it may be . And , and my final

01:44:18.156 --> 01:44:20.322
point , I just want to talk about what

01:44:20.322 --> 01:44:22.156
a stroke of genius it was , uh ,

01:44:22.156 --> 01:44:24.211
greater than I would have thought to

01:44:24.211 --> 01:44:26.322
blockade the ports of Iran . And that

01:44:26.322 --> 01:44:28.529
blow economically to their entire

01:44:28.529 --> 01:44:30.529
economy and to their leadership and

01:44:30.529 --> 01:44:32.529
everything else , it's gonna take a

01:44:32.529 --> 01:44:34.585
little bit of time to play out , but

01:44:34.585 --> 01:44:37.020
that was so smart because it is more

01:44:37.020 --> 01:44:39.076
effective than any bombs , and those

01:44:39.076 --> 01:44:41.409
bombs were effective in Midnight Hammer .

01:44:41.409 --> 01:44:43.631
They continue to be . But until we kill

01:44:43.631 --> 01:44:45.853
their will to create a nuclear weapon ,

01:44:45.853 --> 01:44:47.909
they will always be a nuclear threat

01:44:47.909 --> 01:44:50.020
because they've advanced . Far enough

01:44:50.020 --> 01:44:51.853
along , but that blockade was so

01:44:51.853 --> 01:44:54.020
important , and it amazes me now we're

01:44:54.020 --> 01:44:56.187
crying about high gas prices when they

01:44:56.187 --> 01:44:58.187
were $2 a gallon more , uh , just 4

01:44:58.187 --> 01:45:00.131
years ago or 5 years ago under the

01:45:00.131 --> 01:45:02.353
previous administration . With that , I

01:45:02.353 --> 01:45:02.024
yield back . Gentlemen , yields back .

01:45:02.095 --> 01:45:04.151
Chair and I recognize this gentleman

01:45:04.151 --> 01:45:06.484
from California , Mr . Kana . Thank you ,

01:45:06.484 --> 01:45:08.484
Mr . Chairman . Secretary Headset ,

01:45:08.484 --> 01:45:10.651
tomorrow is 2 months since the war has

01:45:10.651 --> 01:45:12.706
begun . You've testified that it was

01:45:12.706 --> 01:45:15.270
$25 billion in cost in terms of the

01:45:15.270 --> 01:45:17.549
munitions we used and what we paid for

01:45:17.549 --> 01:45:20.149
it , but when you add to that the

01:45:20.149 --> 01:45:23.149
damage that was done to our bases and

01:45:23.149 --> 01:45:25.350
today's dollars for buying replacement

01:45:25.350 --> 01:45:27.779
munitions and replacement aircrafts ,

01:45:28.069 --> 01:45:30.180
what has the total cost been over the

01:45:30.180 --> 01:45:33.850
last 60 days ? That number right

01:45:33.850 --> 01:45:36.017
now reflects the total cost that we're

01:45:36.017 --> 01:45:38.072
seeing , including buying in today's

01:45:38.072 --> 01:45:40.128
dollars , the new , uh , weapons and

01:45:40.128 --> 01:45:42.239
replacements and including the damage

01:45:42.239 --> 01:45:44.183
there . That's your testimony . If

01:45:44.183 --> 01:45:44.120
there's adjustments to that , I would ,

01:45:44.209 --> 01:45:46.431
I would , uh , defer to the comptroller

01:45:46.431 --> 01:45:48.542
on that . And how much are you seeing

01:45:48.542 --> 01:45:50.598
in terms of , uh , are you asking in

01:45:50.598 --> 01:45:52.765
terms of supplemental funding just for

01:45:52.765 --> 01:45:54.653
the Iran , uh , mission from this

01:45:54.653 --> 01:45:56.653
committee ? If , if , if and when a

01:45:56.653 --> 01:45:58.431
supplemental is submitted , the

01:45:58.431 --> 01:46:00.598
majority of it would not just be for .

01:46:00.598 --> 01:46:02.709
It would not be for what would be for

01:46:02.709 --> 01:46:05.279
Iran munitions related to the entirety

01:46:05.279 --> 01:46:07.390
of the numbers want to get done . The

01:46:07.390 --> 01:46:09.612
number , what , what would you submit ?

01:46:09.612 --> 01:46:11.723
What it would be within the on Iran ,

01:46:11.723 --> 01:46:13.890
it would be less than 25 billion , but

01:46:13.890 --> 01:46:13.839
there's a lot more we would ask for

01:46:13.839 --> 01:46:16.117
beyond this you're saying it's 25 . OK ,

01:46:16.117 --> 01:46:18.228
I would just , if you come back , you

01:46:18.228 --> 01:46:20.283
want to revise those numbers because

01:46:20.283 --> 01:46:22.339
all the experts are disagreeing with

01:46:22.339 --> 01:46:24.561
you when it comes to today's dollars in

01:46:24.561 --> 01:46:26.617
damage , but you can revise it . How

01:46:26.617 --> 01:46:28.783
much did it cost American taxpayers in

01:46:28.783 --> 01:46:28.375
terms of the strike to the Iranian

01:46:28.375 --> 01:46:30.542
school where kids were killed ? Do you

01:46:30.542 --> 01:46:32.486
have that number ? In terms of the

01:46:32.486 --> 01:46:35.750
missiles we used . As I've said , that ,

01:46:35.839 --> 01:46:38.350
uh , unfortunate situation remains

01:46:38.350 --> 01:46:40.406
under investigation . You don't know

01:46:40.406 --> 01:46:42.350
how much its investigation , but I

01:46:42.350 --> 01:46:44.683
wouldn't tie a cost to that to anything .

01:46:44.683 --> 01:46:46.906
It's a reasonable question , no , sir ?

01:46:46.906 --> 01:46:46.669
I mean , our taxpayer money was going

01:46:46.669 --> 01:46:48.725
there . Do you know how much it will

01:46:48.725 --> 01:46:50.558
cost Americans in terms of their

01:46:50.558 --> 01:46:53.310
increased cost in gas and food over the

01:46:53.310 --> 01:46:55.310
next year because of the Iran war ?

01:46:57.700 --> 01:46:59.922
I would simply ask you what the cost is

01:46:59.922 --> 01:47:02.089
of an Iranian nuclear bomb . I'm gonna

01:47:02.089 --> 01:47:04.256
give you that . I would simply ask you

01:47:04.256 --> 01:47:06.089
what the , you're playing gotcha

01:47:06.089 --> 01:47:05.740
questions about domestic things . I'm

01:47:05.740 --> 01:47:07.740
not , you're asking , you're saying

01:47:07.740 --> 01:47:09.962
it's a gotcha question to ask what it's

01:47:09.962 --> 01:47:12.018
gonna be in terms of the increased .

01:47:12.018 --> 01:47:14.129
Why won't you answer what it costs to

01:47:14.129 --> 01:47:14.100
to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear

01:47:14.100 --> 01:47:16.267
bomb ? I give you that , sir . But let

01:47:16.267 --> 01:47:18.322
me , what would it cost ? What would

01:47:18.322 --> 01:47:17.979
you pay to ensure Iran doesn't get a

01:47:17.979 --> 01:47:20.146
nuclear bomb ? Do you , what would you

01:47:20.146 --> 01:47:22.201
pay ? I reclaim my time . Do you not

01:47:22.201 --> 01:47:24.312
know ? You had no one do the analysis

01:47:24.312 --> 01:47:26.423
of what the increased cost of gas and

01:47:26.423 --> 01:47:28.535
food on the American people are gonna

01:47:28.535 --> 01:47:30.646
be . What is the cost of Iran holding

01:47:30.646 --> 01:47:32.646
that straight at issue with nuclear

01:47:32.646 --> 01:47:34.868
weapons ? It's $631 billion which means

01:47:34.868 --> 01:47:38.799
it's an increase of $5000 a year for

01:47:38.799 --> 01:47:40.910
American households . Now let me give

01:47:40.910 --> 01:47:42.910
you this point . You're saying that

01:47:42.910 --> 01:47:45.077
your operation is preventing a nuclear

01:47:45.077 --> 01:47:47.243
Iran . Will you acknowledge that there

01:47:47.243 --> 01:47:49.720
is an economic cost to the American

01:47:49.720 --> 01:47:52.220
people for doing what you believe is

01:47:52.220 --> 01:47:54.553
necessary to make Iran , uh , denuclear ?

01:47:54.560 --> 01:47:56.838
Will you acknowledge the economic cost ?

01:47:57.000 --> 01:47:59.000
We have an incredible economic team

01:47:59.000 --> 01:48:01.609
that's managing this better than what

01:48:01.609 --> 01:48:03.776
the previous administration did to our

01:48:03.776 --> 01:48:05.331
economy , what the previous

01:48:05.331 --> 01:48:07.331
administration did with inflation ,

01:48:07.331 --> 01:48:09.442
what the , you know what the previous

01:48:09.442 --> 01:48:09.410
administration did with COVID , and

01:48:09.410 --> 01:48:10.854
you're gonna lecture this

01:48:10.854 --> 01:48:13.021
administration about the economy . You

01:48:13.021 --> 01:48:15.021
know what is upset incredible . You

01:48:15.021 --> 01:48:17.243
didn't even do the analysis on how much

01:48:17.243 --> 01:48:17.129
it's costing the American people . It's

01:48:17.129 --> 01:48:19.240
one thing if you said , OK , cost the

01:48:19.240 --> 01:48:21.462
American people $5000 but we think it's

01:48:21.462 --> 01:48:23.629
worth it . Uh , that's what we've done

01:48:23.629 --> 01:48:25.851
in World War II and other wars . Here's

01:48:25.851 --> 01:48:28.018
what it costs . You gotta pay for it .

01:48:28.018 --> 01:48:30.073
You don't even know what the average

01:48:30.073 --> 01:48:32.073
American is paying . You don't know

01:48:32.073 --> 01:48:34.185
what we paid in terms of the missiles

01:48:34.185 --> 01:48:33.419
that hit the Iranian school . You don't

01:48:33.419 --> 01:48:35.697
know what we're paying in terms of gas .

01:48:35.697 --> 01:48:37.697
You don't know what we're paying in

01:48:37.697 --> 01:48:39.919
terms of food . Your $25 billion number

01:48:39.919 --> 01:48:42.197
is totally off . It's the incompetence .

01:48:42.197 --> 01:48:44.363
It's the incompetence . Let me ask you

01:48:44.363 --> 01:48:46.530
this . Certainly maybe here we'll find

01:48:46.530 --> 01:48:48.641
agreement . There is still 440 pounds

01:48:48.641 --> 01:48:50.641
of low enriched uranium , correct ,

01:48:50.641 --> 01:48:52.752
when President Obama after the JPOA ,

01:48:52.959 --> 01:48:56.270
is that accurate ? Um , the amounts and

01:48:56.270 --> 01:48:59.509
types are classified . OK . Will you

01:48:59.509 --> 01:49:02.169
acknowledge that there were 970 pounds

01:49:02.169 --> 01:49:04.930
of uranium enriched , uh , after Trump

01:49:05.359 --> 01:49:09.279
tore up the JCPOA ? Uh , the JCPOA

01:49:09.279 --> 01:49:11.501
was a terrible deal that allowed Iran a

01:49:11.501 --> 01:49:13.723
path to a nuclear bomb . You , you deal

01:49:13.723 --> 01:49:15.890
with vague platitudes . I'm asking you

01:49:15.890 --> 01:49:18.001
about numbers . Like , you don't know

01:49:18.001 --> 01:49:20.057
what gas costs . You don't know what

01:49:20.057 --> 01:49:22.112
food costs . You don't know what the

01:49:22.112 --> 01:49:24.057
operation costs . You know , I get

01:49:24.057 --> 01:49:26.168
sound bites , but how about numbers .

01:49:26.168 --> 01:49:28.057
Do you know how much the enriched

01:49:28.057 --> 01:49:30.057
uranium was after you ripped up the

01:49:30.057 --> 01:49:32.112
JCPOA ? Trump said , I'll give you a

01:49:32.112 --> 01:49:34.335
number . I know that as was stated by ,

01:49:34.335 --> 01:49:36.335
uh , early on , the price of gas is

01:49:36.335 --> 01:49:38.557
twice as expensive in California , your

01:49:38.557 --> 01:49:38.044
home state , as anywhere else in the

01:49:38.044 --> 01:49:39.822
country because of the horrible

01:49:39.822 --> 01:49:41.988
policies your state pursued . You know

01:49:41.988 --> 01:49:44.044
what it used to be that that type of

01:49:44.044 --> 01:49:46.211
stuff worked , and then you started to

01:49:46.211 --> 01:49:48.433
lose the people that you campaigned you

01:49:48.433 --> 01:49:50.544
said you wanted to be for because you

01:49:50.544 --> 01:49:52.655
said you won't get us into bad wars .

01:49:52.655 --> 01:49:54.877
You said you wouldn't , you would bring

01:49:54.877 --> 01:49:57.100
down the prices . You know what I'm sad

01:49:57.100 --> 01:49:56.560
for ? I'm sad for all the people who

01:49:56.560 --> 01:49:58.839
voted for Trump . I'm sad for them

01:49:58.839 --> 01:50:00.783
because you betrayed them . You've

01:50:00.783 --> 01:50:02.950
betrayed a lot of that MAGA base , and

01:50:02.950 --> 01:50:04.895
you know who knows that ? JD Vance

01:50:04.895 --> 01:50:06.895
knows that gentleman , that's why I

01:50:06.895 --> 01:50:09.061
recognizes a gentleman from Nebraska ,

01:50:09.109 --> 01:50:11.387
Mr . Bacon . Thank you , Mr . Chairman .

01:50:11.387 --> 01:50:13.609
I thank all three of you for being here

01:50:13.609 --> 01:50:15.720
today . It's a real privilege to be a

01:50:15.720 --> 01:50:17.942
part of this committee . Uh , we're the

01:50:17.942 --> 01:50:20.109
most bipartisan committee out of 20 in

01:50:20.109 --> 01:50:21.998
Congress . We have a tradition of

01:50:21.998 --> 01:50:24.209
voting on NDAAs with large , large

01:50:24.209 --> 01:50:26.930
majorities year after year , and it's

01:50:26.930 --> 01:50:29.097
important not to be a Republican first

01:50:29.097 --> 01:50:31.097
in here or a Democrat first . We're

01:50:31.097 --> 01:50:33.097
Americans trying to ensure that our

01:50:33.097 --> 01:50:35.152
country is well defended and in that

01:50:35.152 --> 01:50:38.000
spirit , I compliment . The operations

01:50:38.000 --> 01:50:40.167
in Iran . I served 30 years in the Air

01:50:40.167 --> 01:50:42.333
Force . We were attacked repeatedly by

01:50:42.333 --> 01:50:44.167
proxy groups from Iran and every

01:50:44.167 --> 01:50:46.167
deployment I was on , they were the

01:50:46.167 --> 01:50:48.389
number one threat where I was located .

01:50:48.389 --> 01:50:50.722
I've lost friends like at Khobar Towers .

01:50:50.722 --> 01:50:52.722
I ran with a nuclear weapon . would

01:50:52.722 --> 01:50:54.889
have been an existential threat to our

01:50:54.889 --> 01:50:57.056
country and if they had a missile that

01:50:57.056 --> 01:50:59.111
could hit New York , they would have

01:50:59.111 --> 01:50:58.500
done it . They would have done it two

01:50:58.500 --> 01:51:02.109
months ago . So I support our

01:51:02.109 --> 01:51:04.276
operations there . I think it was good

01:51:04.276 --> 01:51:06.498
that we got Maduro out , you know . I ,

01:51:06.498 --> 01:51:05.589
I , I would say it would be important

01:51:05.589 --> 01:51:07.645
to get the representative government

01:51:07.750 --> 01:51:09.917
that duly won their election there and

01:51:09.917 --> 01:51:12.028
not good to replace one dictator with

01:51:12.028 --> 01:51:14.139
another dictator , but Maduro was bad

01:51:14.139 --> 01:51:16.250
for their country , and I support our

01:51:16.250 --> 01:51:18.361
5% GDP spending . Uh , there's no way

01:51:18.361 --> 01:51:20.417
to modernize our nuclear force , 6th

01:51:20.417 --> 01:51:22.583
generation fighters , take care of our

01:51:22.583 --> 01:51:24.750
men and women in uniform without being

01:51:24.750 --> 01:51:27.330
a 5% GDP . But also in the spirit . I ,

01:51:27.439 --> 01:51:30.080
I share a bipartisan concern of the

01:51:30.080 --> 01:51:32.302
firings that we've seen at the Pentagon

01:51:32.600 --> 01:51:34.839
for the six service chiefs , for

01:51:34.839 --> 01:51:38.189
example , the Coast Guard . We , we had

01:51:38.189 --> 01:51:40.370
a huge bipartisan majority here that

01:51:40.589 --> 01:51:42.899
had confidence in the Army Chief of

01:51:42.899 --> 01:51:45.121
Staff and the Secretary of the Navy . I

01:51:45.121 --> 01:51:46.843
would just point out it may be

01:51:46.843 --> 01:51:48.955
constitutionally right . You have the

01:51:48.955 --> 01:51:51.288
constitutional right to do these things ,

01:51:51.288 --> 01:51:53.455
but it doesn't make it right or wise .

01:51:53.455 --> 01:51:53.379
Now my first question is is dealing

01:51:53.379 --> 01:51:55.435
with the housing allowance . So I've

01:51:55.435 --> 01:51:57.712
been working for the last 2 or 3 years .

01:51:57.712 --> 01:51:59.657
Our housing allowances underpaying

01:51:59.657 --> 01:52:01.546
people in certain areas . And the

01:52:01.546 --> 01:52:03.490
department and that hasn't started

01:52:03.490 --> 01:52:05.601
under this administration , it's been

01:52:05.601 --> 01:52:07.823
going on for a while , they take out 5%

01:52:07.823 --> 01:52:09.935
of the housing allowance they send it

01:52:09.935 --> 01:52:12.046
to other needs , but that means we're

01:52:12.046 --> 01:52:14.101
underpaying our servicemen and women

01:52:14.101 --> 01:52:16.268
living off base by 5% . So we tried to

01:52:16.268 --> 01:52:18.560
fix it with a $2.9 billion dollar line

01:52:18.560 --> 01:52:20.560
item to fix housing allowance , but

01:52:20.560 --> 01:52:22.782
that money was moved . So I just , Mr .

01:52:22.782 --> 01:52:24.893
Secretary , can you tell us how we're

01:52:24.893 --> 01:52:26.727
gonna fix this because we have a

01:52:26.727 --> 01:52:28.949
shortfall in housing allowance , and we

01:52:28.949 --> 01:52:30.949
tried to fix it out of here and I'd

01:52:30.949 --> 01:52:33.116
like to get it fixed . Congressman , I

01:52:33.116 --> 01:52:34.949
agree with you . I think that is

01:52:34.949 --> 01:52:37.060
precisely the kind of quality of life

01:52:37.060 --> 01:52:39.282
issue that's been ignored time and time

01:52:39.282 --> 01:52:41.171
again . Uh , oftentimes with good

01:52:41.171 --> 01:52:42.949
intentions of trying to do some

01:52:42.949 --> 01:52:45.171
trade-off with something else , but I ,

01:52:45.171 --> 01:52:47.060
I mentioned the 7% pay increase .

01:52:47.060 --> 01:52:49.227
That's just for junior enlisted . It's

01:52:49.227 --> 01:52:51.393
6% from , you know , E6 to 03 and it's

01:52:51.393 --> 01:52:54.330
5% from 04 all the way up . It's , but

01:52:54.330 --> 01:52:56.959
closing that gap , uh , Tricare

01:52:56.959 --> 01:52:59.070
reimbursement's a big one we're gonna

01:52:59.070 --> 01:53:01.237
look at as well . If , if we reimburse

01:53:01.237 --> 01:53:03.403
Tricare lower than Medicare . Then the

01:53:03.403 --> 01:53:05.570
net , no one wants to take Tricare and

01:53:05.570 --> 01:53:07.681
now you don't have a real network for

01:53:07.681 --> 01:53:09.903
service members . So those places where

01:53:09.903 --> 01:53:12.126
we've pinched pennies to try to eke out

01:53:12.126 --> 01:53:14.126
additional budget space have really

01:53:14.126 --> 01:53:16.237
hurt service members . So we're , I ,

01:53:16.237 --> 01:53:16.189
I'm committed to working with you on

01:53:16.189 --> 01:53:18.356
that to , to close that gap and ensure

01:53:18.356 --> 01:53:20.300
that folks can live where they are

01:53:20.300 --> 01:53:22.467
asked to serve because they can afford

01:53:22.467 --> 01:53:24.467
housing . OK , I think it's already

01:53:24.467 --> 01:53:26.689
been addressed to a degree , but I just

01:53:26.689 --> 01:53:28.578
want to emphasize we did put $400

01:53:28.578 --> 01:53:30.800
million in for Ukraine . I asked you to

01:53:30.800 --> 01:53:33.022
execute it . It's important for most of

01:53:33.022 --> 01:53:34.856
us in here . It has overwhelming

01:53:34.856 --> 01:53:36.967
support . Also , I'm the chair of the

01:53:36.967 --> 01:53:39.133
Baltic Security Caucus , and we've put

01:53:39.133 --> 01:53:40.967
money in for the Baltic Security

01:53:40.967 --> 01:53:43.245
Initiative . These people love America .

01:53:43.245 --> 01:53:45.245
They love freedom more than any but

01:53:45.245 --> 01:53:47.578
where I've ever been , and they need us .

01:53:47.578 --> 01:53:49.856
They're on the front lines with Russia .

01:53:49.856 --> 01:53:51.967
Uh , Mike , I have a question for the

01:53:51.967 --> 01:53:54.078
chairman . So we did 29 years of . Of

01:53:54.078 --> 01:53:56.339
the nuclear alert , airborne alert ,

01:53:56.450 --> 01:53:59.689
the Looking Glass mission in 1991 , we

01:53:59.689 --> 01:54:01.745
turned that off because the Cold War

01:54:01.745 --> 01:54:03.967
turned to our favor , but I think we're

01:54:03.967 --> 01:54:06.078
back to where we were at . Russia's a

01:54:06.078 --> 01:54:08.078
threat . China's building a nuclear

01:54:08.078 --> 01:54:10.300
force to match ours . I think we need a

01:54:10.300 --> 01:54:13.200
looking glass to and restore that

01:54:13.200 --> 01:54:14.756
nuclear command and control

01:54:14.756 --> 01:54:17.033
survivability that gives us deterrence .

01:54:17.200 --> 01:54:19.089
Russia and China needs to know no

01:54:19.089 --> 01:54:21.089
matter what they do , we can launch

01:54:21.089 --> 01:54:23.144
those 400 ICBMs . What's your vision

01:54:23.144 --> 01:54:25.479
for the Looking Glass tour , the follow

01:54:25.479 --> 01:54:27.819
on ? Well , sir , as you know , um ,

01:54:28.089 --> 01:54:30.145
right now we're looking at all three

01:54:30.145 --> 01:54:32.311
legs of the nuclear triad to make sure

01:54:32.311 --> 01:54:34.759
that that most critical backstop on our

01:54:34.759 --> 01:54:37.319
nation's most important day is reliable ,

01:54:37.439 --> 01:54:39.959
redundant , uh , and , and workable .

01:54:40.000 --> 01:54:42.200
And so , Um , we'll , we'll , we'll

01:54:42.200 --> 01:54:44.311
take a look at that . I know the team

01:54:44.311 --> 01:54:46.640
already deep in analysis on all the ,

01:54:46.649 --> 01:54:49.830
from NC3 to the , to the end state . Um ,

01:54:50.040 --> 01:54:52.262
but what I , what I want you to know is

01:54:52.262 --> 01:54:54.484
the most important thing is the ability

01:54:54.484 --> 01:54:56.651
to execute if we had to , and we can ,

01:54:56.839 --> 01:54:58.783
you know , for 29 years , we had a

01:54:58.783 --> 01:55:01.061
plane airborne with a shuttle on board ,

01:55:01.061 --> 01:55:03.117
and it gave the Pentagon , the White

01:55:03.117 --> 01:55:05.228
House , Stratcom , the assurance that

01:55:05.228 --> 01:55:07.450
we had a backup . I think we're back to

01:55:07.450 --> 01:55:09.561
the future and I appreciate your look

01:55:09.561 --> 01:55:11.728
at it . I just flew with them and they

01:55:11.728 --> 01:55:13.839
were doing great . Gentleman's time's

01:55:13.839 --> 01:55:13.560
expired . Chair , I recognize a

01:55:13.560 --> 01:55:15.560
gentleman from Massachusetts , Mr .

01:55:15.560 --> 01:55:17.782
Keating . Thank you , Mr . Chairman . I

01:55:17.782 --> 01:55:19.949
want to talk briefly about the current

01:55:19.949 --> 01:55:21.671
US doctrine and conduct of the

01:55:21.671 --> 01:55:23.727
administration in a particular event

01:55:23.727 --> 01:55:25.949
and , and a series of events actually ,

01:55:25.949 --> 01:55:27.893
as everybody in the diocese in the

01:55:27.893 --> 01:55:29.893
witness table , uh , is aware , the

01:55:29.893 --> 01:55:32.116
Department of Defense Law of war manual

01:55:32.116 --> 01:55:33.949
specifies that any order to kill

01:55:33.949 --> 01:55:36.180
shipwrecked persons in illegal order .

01:55:37.310 --> 01:55:40.790
would constitute a war crime . It isn't

01:55:40.790 --> 01:55:43.589
suggested there's a specific example to

01:55:43.589 --> 01:55:47.129
show a clear cut example of what this

01:55:47.390 --> 01:55:50.160
entails in our own manual . With that

01:55:50.160 --> 01:55:52.379
in mind , let's look back a few weeks

01:55:52.379 --> 01:55:54.540
ago when a fishing crew ended a long

01:55:54.540 --> 01:55:57.180
day of hard fishing , scoring a full

01:55:57.180 --> 01:55:59.709
stock of albacore and swordfish on

01:55:59.709 --> 01:56:02.160
board . Without any warning or

01:56:02.160 --> 01:56:04.160
expectation , this small Ecuadorian

01:56:04.160 --> 01:56:06.160
fishing vessel operating about 200

01:56:06.160 --> 01:56:08.560
nautical miles off the Galapagos

01:56:08.560 --> 01:56:12.040
Islands was militarily engaged by US

01:56:12.040 --> 01:56:14.509
forces . It was hit once , then it was

01:56:14.509 --> 01:56:16.731
hit again , not a warning shot , not an

01:56:16.731 --> 01:56:19.229
interdiction , two drone strikes .

01:56:19.640 --> 01:56:22.120
Survivors described chaos and severe

01:56:22.120 --> 01:56:24.240
injuries . Our US forces then

01:56:24.240 --> 01:56:26.129
handcuffed the crew at gunpoint ,

01:56:26.200 --> 01:56:28.311
placed black hoods over their heads ,

01:56:28.311 --> 01:56:30.533
seized and scrubbed their devices . And

01:56:30.533 --> 01:56:33.509
then held them for days . Ultimately ,

01:56:34.009 --> 01:56:36.120
the crew was released given there was

01:56:36.120 --> 01:56:38.176
no evidence , no evidence to support

01:56:38.176 --> 01:56:41.660
any . Narco activity or any charges

01:56:41.660 --> 01:56:43.938
that may be against them . So to recap ,

01:56:43.938 --> 01:56:46.271
we struck a vessel , we struck it again ,

01:56:46.271 --> 01:56:48.879
set fire to as it was sinking . And as

01:56:48.879 --> 01:56:50.879
public reports say even drank their

01:56:50.879 --> 01:56:53.220
beer . We , we detained the survivors

01:56:53.439 --> 01:56:55.550
and then we let them go . This should

01:56:55.550 --> 01:56:58.129
be eye-opening . Let's go to another

01:56:58.129 --> 01:57:00.569
example , the double tap or two strike

01:57:00.569 --> 01:57:03.209
attack that took place on September 2nd

01:57:03.370 --> 01:57:05.648
in the Caribbean . A vessel was struck ,

01:57:05.649 --> 01:57:07.593
disabled , and then struck again ,

01:57:07.593 --> 01:57:10.169
killing all but two survivors that were

01:57:10.169 --> 01:57:13.470
left clinging to the wreckage . And

01:57:13.470 --> 01:57:15.390
this is the thing , we know this

01:57:15.390 --> 01:57:18.080
happened . We know how it happened .

01:57:18.669 --> 01:57:20.502
And the Defense Department still

01:57:20.502 --> 01:57:22.669
refuses to release the follow-up video

01:57:22.669 --> 01:57:24.558
of the killing of the shipwrecked

01:57:24.558 --> 01:57:26.669
survivors , even though they released

01:57:26.669 --> 01:57:28.819
the initial one . To the public in

01:57:28.819 --> 01:57:32.479
major news networks worldwide . No

01:57:32.479 --> 01:57:34.535
difference in sources and methods in

01:57:34.535 --> 01:57:36.757
the two videos , but still not released

01:57:36.757 --> 01:57:38.750
to the public . Of course , the

01:57:38.750 --> 01:57:41.189
backlash was severe at the time and

01:57:41.189 --> 01:57:43.078
perhaps it's been forgotten . And

01:57:43.078 --> 01:57:45.790
impractable , but a noble display of

01:57:45.790 --> 01:57:47.846
character from this administration .

01:57:47.870 --> 01:57:50.037
Fingers were pointed at one another as

01:57:50.037 --> 01:57:52.148
everyone scurried to cover in a tacit

01:57:52.148 --> 01:57:54.314
acknowledgement that this was an issue

01:57:54.390 --> 01:57:56.723
potentially violating international law .

01:57:56.870 --> 01:57:59.203
Now I've reviewed what's been available ,

01:57:59.203 --> 01:58:02.169
the phony rationale that this , uh ,

01:58:02.310 --> 01:58:04.270
these attacks are about fentanyl

01:58:04.270 --> 01:58:06.270
trafficking . When we know fentanyl

01:58:06.270 --> 01:58:10.160
comes from . China India to

01:58:10.160 --> 01:58:12.520
Mexico , then the baseless argument

01:58:12.520 --> 01:58:14.576
that this was about narcoterrorism .

01:58:15.520 --> 01:58:17.853
You know , I don't believe a word of it .

01:58:17.853 --> 01:58:20.020
This was to create leverage for regime

01:58:20.020 --> 01:58:23.759
change in Venezuela . And now the

01:58:23.759 --> 01:58:25.870
president acknowledged that was about

01:58:25.870 --> 01:58:27.939
oil . Beyond the simple need for

01:58:27.939 --> 01:58:31.160
justice and exercising American values ,

01:58:31.540 --> 01:58:33.651
it's important for us to discuss what

01:58:33.651 --> 01:58:36.259
the US belligerence in the world stage

01:58:36.259 --> 01:58:38.426
means to our security , our ability to

01:58:38.426 --> 01:58:41.189
marshal cooperation with our allies ,

01:58:41.580 --> 01:58:44.080
and most importantly , not to normalize

01:58:44.080 --> 01:58:46.419
these actions that could endanger the

01:58:46.419 --> 01:58:49.700
lives of our own service members put in

01:58:49.700 --> 01:58:53.620
similar peril . Let me

01:58:53.620 --> 01:58:55.890
be clear about one thing , whether it's

01:58:55.890 --> 01:58:58.223
these particular strikes discussed here ,

01:58:58.223 --> 01:59:00.334
the one that killed 11 others off the

01:59:00.334 --> 01:59:02.879
coast of Venezuela , was 178 other

01:59:03.100 --> 01:59:05.600
killings . With each of these

01:59:05.600 --> 01:59:08.560
extrajudicial killings . The

01:59:09.750 --> 01:59:11.750
administration is pirating American

01:59:11.750 --> 01:59:13.361
values . We'll continue . To

01:59:13.361 --> 01:59:16.810
investigate this . We will . It'll come

01:59:16.810 --> 01:59:19.020
forward in the future . Some days ,

01:59:19.689 --> 01:59:21.745
that second video will be released .

01:59:22.540 --> 01:59:24.660
But we've got to stop also using our

01:59:24.660 --> 01:59:27.500
precious resources that are being taxed

01:59:27.500 --> 01:59:29.556
so heavily all all over the world on

01:59:29.556 --> 01:59:31.879
actions that hurt our military .

01:59:33.770 --> 01:59:35.826
They hurt our military and they hurt

01:59:35.826 --> 01:59:38.290
our standing internationally . And

01:59:38.290 --> 01:59:40.609
they're hurting our standard here at

01:59:40.609 --> 01:59:44.120
home . I hope that we move

01:59:44.120 --> 01:59:46.220
forward . I hope we're gonna review

01:59:46.359 --> 01:59:49.560
whether these are justified because I

01:59:49.560 --> 01:59:52.470
found no justification . We were given

01:59:52.470 --> 01:59:54.470
classified information on the 2nd

01:59:54.470 --> 01:59:57.029
strike . I can't discuss it , but I

01:59:57.029 --> 01:59:58.890
must tell you , it's the most

01:59:58.990 --> 02:00:01.189
convoluted bullshit I ever heard in my

02:00:01.189 --> 02:00:04.029
life . This should be public . This is

02:00:04.029 --> 02:00:06.229
our honor . This is what it makes

02:00:06.229 --> 02:00:08.340
American a difference maker . This is

02:00:08.340 --> 02:00:10.562
what we're an incredible array of false

02:00:10.562 --> 02:00:13.680
accusations , and incredible gentlemen

02:00:13.680 --> 02:00:15.669
yields back . Chair I recognizes a

02:00:15.669 --> 02:00:17.891
gentleman from Texas , Doctor Jackson .

02:00:18.700 --> 02:00:20.922
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Thank you ,

02:00:20.922 --> 02:00:22.978
Secretary Hegseth and General Kane ,

02:00:22.978 --> 02:00:25.339
and Mr . Hurst for your bold leadership

02:00:25.339 --> 02:00:27.283
and for your time today . I really

02:00:27.283 --> 02:00:29.339
appreciate it . I can't tell you how

02:00:29.339 --> 02:00:31.395
awesome this hearing is today . It's

02:00:31.395 --> 02:00:33.450
fantastic . After someone who's from

02:00:33.450 --> 02:00:35.450
someone who sit up here for 4 years

02:00:35.450 --> 02:00:37.561
during the last administration , this

02:00:37.561 --> 02:00:39.617
is a great day . Despite some of the

02:00:39.617 --> 02:00:41.728
crazy and disrespectful comments from

02:00:41.728 --> 02:00:43.839
some in this room , the Department of

02:00:43.839 --> 02:00:45.895
War is back . Today is a win because

02:00:45.895 --> 02:00:47.895
we're discussing American power and

02:00:47.895 --> 02:00:49.895
dominance , national security , and

02:00:49.895 --> 02:00:52.061
making America great again . There may

02:00:52.061 --> 02:00:54.339
be differences in how we go about that ,

02:00:54.339 --> 02:00:56.506
but at least we are not wasting all of

02:00:56.506 --> 02:00:56.129
our time talking about how to

02:00:56.129 --> 02:00:58.296
restructure the Department of War into

02:00:58.296 --> 02:01:00.930
a social experiment that appeases the

02:01:00.930 --> 02:01:03.569
far left woke agenda that existed for

02:01:03.569 --> 02:01:06.430
the last 4 years . Thank God those 4

02:01:06.430 --> 02:01:08.350
years of the disastrous Biden

02:01:08.350 --> 02:01:11.430
administration are done . On behalf of

02:01:11.430 --> 02:01:13.541
someone who served 25 years on active

02:01:13.541 --> 02:01:15.669
duty and almost everyone I know

02:01:15.669 --> 02:01:17.790
currently serving in uniform , thank

02:01:17.790 --> 02:01:19.901
you , Mr . Secretary , for saving the

02:01:19.901 --> 02:01:23.740
department . OK , my question . The

02:01:23.740 --> 02:01:25.796
US Special Operations Command budget

02:01:25.796 --> 02:01:27.851
has been relatively flat , flat over

02:01:27.851 --> 02:01:30.018
the past decade , failing to keep pace

02:01:30.018 --> 02:01:31.796
with inflation and reducing the

02:01:31.796 --> 02:01:33.907
command's purchasing power by 14% . I

02:01:33.907 --> 02:01:35.962
was disappointed to see that SOCOM's

02:01:35.962 --> 02:01:39.399
FY27 budget request was only $223

02:01:39.399 --> 02:01:41.621
million higher than last year's enacted

02:01:41.621 --> 02:01:43.732
level , dropping even further from an

02:01:43.732 --> 02:01:45.910
already less than 2% to now just above

02:01:45.910 --> 02:01:48.379
1% of the department's overall budget .

02:01:48.839 --> 02:01:50.617
All of this comes despite being

02:01:50.617 --> 02:01:52.810
increasingly asked to do more . From

02:01:52.810 --> 02:01:56.490
2023 to 2025 , there was a 35% increase

02:01:56.490 --> 02:01:58.546
in combatant command demand for soft

02:01:58.546 --> 02:02:00.770
capabilities . And last year alone ,

02:02:01.049 --> 02:02:03.529
SOCOM was unable to satisfy roughly 70

02:02:03.529 --> 02:02:05.490
missions specific requests due to

02:02:05.490 --> 02:02:07.459
resource and capacity restraints .

02:02:07.879 --> 02:02:10.046
Secretary Hegseth , I have appreciated

02:02:10.046 --> 02:02:12.268
the opportunity to meet with members of

02:02:12.268 --> 02:02:14.323
your team and leaders like ASW Solik

02:02:14.323 --> 02:02:16.379
Anderson and SOCOM Commander Admiral

02:02:16.379 --> 02:02:19.129
Bradley . As we work to grow the SOCOM

02:02:19.129 --> 02:02:21.410
top line for future fiscal years , can

02:02:21.410 --> 02:02:23.354
you discuss the critical role soft

02:02:23.354 --> 02:02:25.609
plays in underpinning , in underpinning

02:02:25.609 --> 02:02:27.776
deterrence , and do you agree with the

02:02:27.776 --> 02:02:29.831
urgent need to grow the SOCOM budget

02:02:29.831 --> 02:02:32.490
accordingly ? Well , Congressman ,

02:02:32.560 --> 02:02:34.671
thank you for your words , uh , and I

02:02:34.671 --> 02:02:36.893
wholeheartedly agree . When you look at

02:02:36.893 --> 02:02:38.838
the burden that SOCOM shoulders on

02:02:38.838 --> 02:02:41.060
behalf of the Joint Force , it's , uh ,

02:02:41.060 --> 02:02:43.227
it's incredible and it's significant .

02:02:43.227 --> 02:02:42.810
And so many of the things we have

02:02:42.810 --> 02:02:44.643
accomplished would not have been

02:02:44.643 --> 02:02:46.421
possible without the incredible

02:02:46.421 --> 02:02:48.310
leadership of , of , uh , Admiral

02:02:48.310 --> 02:02:50.366
Bradley , General Braga , and others

02:02:50.366 --> 02:02:52.477
inside that community and what , what

02:02:52.477 --> 02:02:54.532
they do . I , I , I recognize , uh ,

02:02:54.609 --> 02:02:56.498
your desire for increased funding

02:02:56.498 --> 02:02:58.810
beyond what is in FY 27 . We have and

02:02:58.810 --> 02:03:00.866
will continue to look at that . That

02:03:00.866 --> 02:03:02.977
needs to happen . I think some of the

02:03:02.977 --> 02:03:05.254
other , other things inside the budget ,

02:03:05.254 --> 02:03:07.366
drones , quality of life , there will

02:03:07.366 --> 02:03:09.310
be things that are applied to that

02:03:09.310 --> 02:03:11.421
community even more so , we believe ,

02:03:11.421 --> 02:03:11.020
uh , to ensure that they're taken care

02:03:11.020 --> 02:03:13.242
of properly . And then there's facility

02:03:13.242 --> 02:03:15.353
questions , uh , that are outstanding

02:03:15.353 --> 02:03:17.520
also , which , which we're examining .

02:03:17.520 --> 02:03:17.379
So we're committed and we want to work

02:03:17.379 --> 02:03:19.379
with you where , where we've missed

02:03:19.379 --> 02:03:21.379
something , we need to get it right

02:03:21.379 --> 02:03:23.435
because they are , uh , at the front

02:03:23.435 --> 02:03:22.939
lines . Thank you . And that leads into

02:03:22.939 --> 02:03:25.050
my next question . I just want to ask

02:03:25.050 --> 02:03:27.050
this real quickly , uh , but , uh ,

02:03:27.050 --> 02:03:29.217
this , uh , this year's budget request

02:03:29.217 --> 02:03:31.383
of 54.6 billion for the , uh , for the

02:03:31.383 --> 02:03:33.217
dog . For the Defense Autonomous

02:03:33.217 --> 02:03:35.050
Warfare Group is a vital step to

02:03:35.050 --> 02:03:34.783
unleash American drone dominance and

02:03:34.783 --> 02:03:36.616
rapidly integrate autonomous and

02:03:36.616 --> 02:03:38.950
unmanned systems across the joint force ,

02:03:38.950 --> 02:03:38.612
and we've talked about that a little

02:03:38.612 --> 02:03:40.933
bit here . However , my concern is only

02:03:40.933 --> 02:03:43.044
1 billion of this proposed funding is

02:03:43.044 --> 02:03:45.211
included in , in the base request with

02:03:45.211 --> 02:03:47.453
the remaining 53.6 billion dependent on

02:03:47.453 --> 02:03:49.675
future reconciliation package . While I

02:03:49.675 --> 02:03:51.453
understand the flexibility this

02:03:51.453 --> 02:03:53.620
approach provides , I remain concerned

02:03:53.620 --> 02:03:55.620
about the potential gaps created if

02:03:55.620 --> 02:03:57.731
such a package fails to occur , where

02:03:57.731 --> 02:03:59.897
funding for the dog is not included in

02:03:59.897 --> 02:04:02.231
future budget requests . To , and , and ,

02:04:02.231 --> 02:04:04.397
and like you said , I'm hoping that uh

02:04:04.397 --> 02:04:06.453
SOCOM is a big part of this , but to

02:04:06.453 --> 02:04:08.620
avoid critical capability gaps , how's

02:04:08.620 --> 02:04:10.731
the department planning to fully fund

02:04:10.731 --> 02:04:12.585
DOG at the $5454.6 billion if

02:04:12.585 --> 02:04:14.474
reconciliation stalls , or if the

02:04:14.474 --> 02:04:16.418
department , uh , or , or does the

02:04:16.418 --> 02:04:18.529
department intend to transition funds

02:04:18.529 --> 02:04:20.585
for autonomous requirements into the

02:04:20.585 --> 02:04:22.529
base budget for future years ? And

02:04:22.529 --> 02:04:24.641
additionally , as you mentioned , how

02:04:24.641 --> 02:04:26.474
will the department ensure SOCOM

02:04:26.474 --> 02:04:28.641
receives and executes portions of this

02:04:28.641 --> 02:04:28.585
funding to meet future mission

02:04:28.585 --> 02:04:30.890
requirements ? It's the right question ,

02:04:30.899 --> 02:04:33.066
and we plan to work hand in glove with

02:04:33.066 --> 02:04:35.121
this committee , with OMB , with the

02:04:35.121 --> 02:04:36.899
White House to ensure that that

02:04:36.899 --> 02:04:38.843
reconciliation package is properly

02:04:38.843 --> 02:04:41.066
tailored and timed so that it is passed

02:04:41.066 --> 02:04:43.232
so that critical money gets there . So

02:04:43.232 --> 02:04:45.232
we're not looking to FY 28 or FY 29

02:04:45.232 --> 02:04:47.177
because we need those capabilities

02:04:47.177 --> 02:04:46.890
right now , which is why I appreciate

02:04:46.890 --> 02:04:49.001
the chairman's opening question about

02:04:49.001 --> 02:04:50.890
reconciliation . It is a critical

02:04:50.890 --> 02:04:54.250
vehicle in this calendar year to ensure

02:04:54.250 --> 02:04:56.472
this department is fully funded to meet

02:04:56.472 --> 02:04:58.417
the threats of the future . Well ,

02:04:58.417 --> 02:05:00.639
thank you once again . I think you guys

02:05:00.639 --> 02:05:00.430
are doing an incredible job . I

02:05:00.430 --> 02:05:02.486
appreciate your leadership and thank

02:05:02.486 --> 02:05:04.763
you for your time today . I yield back ,

02:05:04.763 --> 02:05:03.899
Mr . Chair . Gentlemen , yields back .

02:05:03.990 --> 02:05:06.157
Chair , I recognize a gentle lady from

02:05:06.157 --> 02:05:08.212
Pennsylvania , Miss Houlihan . Thank

02:05:08.212 --> 02:05:10.434
you , Mr . Chair , and I appreciate you

02:05:10.434 --> 02:05:12.546
gentlemen , uh , for being here today

02:05:12.546 --> 02:05:14.712
and for the opportunity to have a face

02:05:14.712 --> 02:05:16.934
to face conversation with each of you .

02:05:17.069 --> 02:05:19.291
I have many questions and unfortunately

02:05:19.291 --> 02:05:21.625
need to start with some that disturb me ,

02:05:21.625 --> 02:05:23.569
Mr . Secretary , from your opening

02:05:23.569 --> 02:05:26.100
remarks . In your opening remarks , Mr .

02:05:26.109 --> 02:05:28.689
Secretary , you reserved more words and

02:05:28.689 --> 02:05:31.910
more time and more vitriol to condemn

02:05:31.910 --> 02:05:34.830
Democrats than you did for Xi and for

02:05:34.830 --> 02:05:37.540
Putin combined . It's pretty telling to

02:05:37.540 --> 02:05:39.651
me that you decided to use your words

02:05:39.651 --> 02:05:41.979
and your time for that . It turns out

02:05:41.979 --> 02:05:44.370
that Democrats , even Democrats in

02:05:44.370 --> 02:05:47.180
Congress , are patriots as well . We

02:05:47.180 --> 02:05:49.569
serve in our uniformed services . We

02:05:49.569 --> 02:05:51.847
admire and love our uniformed services ,

02:05:51.859 --> 02:05:54.299
and we love our country just as much as

02:05:54.299 --> 02:05:57.120
Republicans do . In fact , in this body ,

02:05:57.379 --> 02:05:59.435
I and Representative Bacon , who you

02:05:59.435 --> 02:06:02.100
just spoke to , led the junior enlisted

02:06:02.100 --> 02:06:04.211
pay raises that you now sit there and

02:06:04.211 --> 02:06:06.990
laud as your and take credit for . We

02:06:06.990 --> 02:06:09.990
led the closing of the BAH which then

02:06:09.990 --> 02:06:12.629
you ended up poaching and using for

02:06:12.629 --> 02:06:15.540
other things . This body led and

02:06:15.540 --> 02:06:17.596
authorized Ukrainian funding that is

02:06:17.596 --> 02:06:20.270
now being withheld . You also in your

02:06:20.270 --> 02:06:22.437
opening remarks , strangely admonished

02:06:22.437 --> 02:06:24.603
us here for not being patient with the

02:06:24.603 --> 02:06:26.714
results of your two month war , a war

02:06:26.714 --> 02:06:28.881
of your suggestion to this president ,

02:06:28.881 --> 02:06:30.990
a war of your choice , a war you

02:06:30.990 --> 02:06:32.712
executed without congressional

02:06:32.712 --> 02:06:34.919
consultation . And so it shouldn't be

02:06:34.919 --> 02:06:37.086
shocking , sir , Mr . Secretary , that

02:06:37.086 --> 02:06:38.975
we have questions . Indeed , it's

02:06:38.975 --> 02:06:41.086
constitutionally our right to do so .

02:06:41.086 --> 02:06:43.779
So to be clear , despite a brilliant

02:06:43.779 --> 02:06:45.779
performance by our men and women in

02:06:45.779 --> 02:06:48.001
uniform , despite thousands of tactical

02:06:48.001 --> 02:06:50.060
successes , Iran still has nuclear

02:06:50.060 --> 02:06:52.060
material , still has air defenses ,

02:06:52.060 --> 02:06:54.171
still has small boats , and still has

02:06:54.171 --> 02:06:56.430
the strait . So despite the fact that

02:06:56.430 --> 02:06:58.939
your recent comments indicate that

02:06:58.939 --> 02:07:01.161
operations appear to be finished , it's

02:07:01.161 --> 02:07:03.272
clear there clearly is more work that

02:07:03.272 --> 02:07:05.495
needs to be done . As mentioned , today

02:07:05.495 --> 02:07:07.717
is indeed 60 days . So Mr . Secretary ,

02:07:07.717 --> 02:07:09.772
how many more months , just order of

02:07:09.772 --> 02:07:11.828
magnitude , do you think that you're

02:07:11.828 --> 02:07:13.883
going to need to be able to conclude

02:07:13.883 --> 02:07:16.050
operations successfully ? And how many

02:07:16.050 --> 02:07:18.161
more billions of dollars do you think

02:07:18.161 --> 02:07:18.000
you're going to ask this body for ?

02:07:19.890 --> 02:07:21.668
Well , as you know , and as the

02:07:21.668 --> 02:07:23.834
president has stated , you would never

02:07:23.834 --> 02:07:25.946
tell your adversary , especially once

02:07:25.946 --> 02:07:28.279
you've that is the line that you always ,

02:07:28.279 --> 02:07:27.709
especially once you've an order of

02:07:27.709 --> 02:07:29.542
decimated their military and you

02:07:29.542 --> 02:07:31.598
control their freight , how long you

02:07:31.598 --> 02:07:33.820
would be committed to the mission . And

02:07:33.820 --> 02:07:35.876
the next thing that you mentioned in

02:07:35.876 --> 02:07:35.470
your opening response , Mr . Secretary ,

02:07:36.549 --> 02:07:39.189
is that you called on which , which

02:07:39.189 --> 02:07:41.029
astounded me , examples of the

02:07:41.029 --> 02:07:43.085
Afghanistan War , the Iraq War , and

02:07:43.085 --> 02:07:45.229
the Vietnam War . Those are stunning

02:07:45.229 --> 02:07:47.173
examples to me of something . That

02:07:47.173 --> 02:07:49.419
didn't go our way . We had the

02:07:49.419 --> 02:07:51.819
opportunity to execute on those wars

02:07:51.819 --> 02:07:53.930
quite well , but we didn't accomplish

02:07:53.930 --> 02:07:55.930
any mission , in my opinion , and I

02:07:55.930 --> 02:07:58.152
think you would agree on that as well .

02:07:58.152 --> 02:08:00.208
My point is this effort is not those

02:08:00.208 --> 02:08:00.140
efforts . That's exactly it . Is this

02:08:00.140 --> 02:08:02.362
war shaping up to be that war ? Because

02:08:02.362 --> 02:08:04.584
it has we're shaping up to get the same

02:08:04.584 --> 02:08:06.751
kind of Democrats we got in those wars

02:08:06.751 --> 02:08:08.973
who were naysayers from the beginning ,

02:08:08.973 --> 02:08:10.918
undermining the progress of troops

02:08:10.918 --> 02:08:13.084
conversation about the country and the

02:08:13.084 --> 02:08:15.196
nation and not about parties . This ,

02:08:15.196 --> 02:08:17.418
the Democratic Party wanted to socially

02:08:17.418 --> 02:08:19.584
engineer the Department of War . We've

02:08:19.584 --> 02:08:19.479
had to undo that and get it to a point

02:08:19.479 --> 02:08:21.757
where it's capable of protecting power ,

02:08:22.169 --> 02:08:24.225
and that's exactly what we've done .

02:08:24.225 --> 02:08:26.225
And I will rebuilt and I'm going to

02:08:26.225 --> 02:08:28.169
reclaim my time . General George ,

02:08:28.169 --> 02:08:30.447
let's talk about a guy who's a patriot ,

02:08:30.447 --> 02:08:32.558
somebody who every single person here

02:08:32.558 --> 02:08:34.613
in this dioce and down there in that

02:08:34.613 --> 02:08:36.669
audience and out there in this world

02:08:36.669 --> 02:08:38.725
has huge admiration for . Why did he

02:08:38.725 --> 02:08:42.250
get fired ? Well , as with ,

02:08:42.310 --> 02:08:44.390
uh , any moves we make with general

02:08:44.390 --> 02:08:46.557
officers , first of all , I thank them

02:08:46.557 --> 02:08:48.779
for their service , uh , and ultimately

02:08:48.779 --> 02:08:50.890
my impression is you thanked him by a

02:08:50.890 --> 02:08:53.057
text or a phone call . You didn't even

02:08:53.057 --> 02:08:55.223
do it to his face . Out of respect for

02:08:55.223 --> 02:08:57.279
these officers , we never talk about

02:08:57.279 --> 02:08:59.501
the nature of their removal , but every

02:08:59.501 --> 02:08:59.419
one of them , including myself , knows

02:08:59.419 --> 02:09:01.586
that they serve at the pleasure of the

02:09:01.586 --> 02:09:03.808
president . Ultimately , out of respect

02:09:03.808 --> 02:09:06.086
to these officers , we don't reveal it .

02:09:06.086 --> 02:09:07.863
However , I will note it's very

02:09:07.863 --> 02:09:09.919
difficult to change the culture of a

02:09:09.919 --> 02:09:09.799
department that has been destroyed by

02:09:09.799 --> 02:09:11.855
the wrong perspectives with the same

02:09:11.855 --> 02:09:13.910
officers that were there destroyed a

02:09:13.910 --> 02:09:16.077
culture . There are many we've , we've

02:09:16.077 --> 02:09:18.243
gotten rid of many general officers in

02:09:18.243 --> 02:09:20.466
this administration because we need new

02:09:20.466 --> 02:09:22.243
leadership . You have no way of

02:09:22.243 --> 02:09:22.100
explaining why you fired one of the

02:09:22.100 --> 02:09:24.322
most decorated and remarkable men who's

02:09:24.322 --> 02:09:26.620
we needed new leadership . And so your

02:09:26.620 --> 02:09:28.580
answer is a very immature way of

02:09:28.580 --> 02:09:31.060
responding to my , my request . My next

02:09:31.060 --> 02:09:33.116
question has to do with my remaining

02:09:33.116 --> 02:09:34.838
time about the fact that there

02:09:34.838 --> 02:09:36.727
apparently are orders that you've

02:09:36.727 --> 02:09:38.782
recently given to the Navy to detail

02:09:38.782 --> 02:09:40.949
officers to command billets in special

02:09:40.949 --> 02:09:43.116
operations where they , the people who

02:09:43.116 --> 02:09:44.893
you're . Detailing have already

02:09:44.893 --> 02:09:46.838
received bad performance reviews .

02:09:46.838 --> 02:09:48.727
They've received negative fitness

02:09:48.727 --> 02:09:50.671
reports . Is there a truth to that

02:09:50.671 --> 02:09:52.893
statement , sir ? I'm not aware of what

02:09:52.893 --> 02:09:52.625
you're referring to . Have you ever

02:09:52.625 --> 02:09:54.544
ordered a Navy , the Navy to add

02:09:54.544 --> 02:09:56.766
officers who never screened for Special

02:09:56.766 --> 02:09:58.544
Operations Major Command to the

02:09:58.544 --> 02:10:00.779
promotion list for flag officer ? I ,

02:10:00.799 --> 02:10:02.966
I'm not aware of what you're referring

02:10:02.966 --> 02:10:05.132
to . All right , I'll take that for uh

02:10:05.132 --> 02:10:07.188
no , thank you . I yield . Generally

02:10:07.188 --> 02:10:09.132
yields back , uh , for everybody's

02:10:09.132 --> 02:10:11.299
situational awareness , it's my plan ,

02:10:11.299 --> 02:10:13.355
uh , at 1 o'clock or approximately 1

02:10:13.355 --> 02:10:13.279
o'clock to recess for about 10 minutes

02:10:13.279 --> 02:10:15.168
to give the witnesses a chance to

02:10:15.168 --> 02:10:16.946
stretch your legs and visit the

02:10:16.946 --> 02:10:19.057
restroom if necessary . Uh , but with

02:10:19.057 --> 02:10:20.946
that , uh , we will now go to the

02:10:20.946 --> 02:10:23.168
gentleman from Florida , Mr . Jimenez .

02:10:23.168 --> 02:10:25.335
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . And , um ,

02:10:25.335 --> 02:10:27.279
uh , Mr . Secretary , uh . Are you

02:10:27.279 --> 02:10:29.446
aware that uh that Iran either through

02:10:29.446 --> 02:10:31.446
our intelligence or they themselves

02:10:31.446 --> 02:10:33.612
said they had about 500 kg of enriched

02:10:33.612 --> 02:10:35.470
uranium up to about 60% ? Hm

02:10:40.240 --> 02:10:42.351
We're aware of what they have or what

02:10:42.351 --> 02:10:44.573
they believe they have and what we know

02:10:44.573 --> 02:10:44.479
they have , but all of that is , is

02:10:44.479 --> 02:10:46.799
classified . Fair enough . And , and if

02:10:46.799 --> 02:10:49.600
it , if indeed they had 500 kg of , of

02:10:49.600 --> 02:10:51.878
your enriched uranium , how many , how ,

02:10:51.878 --> 02:10:53.933
how long would it take to take it to

02:10:53.933 --> 02:10:57.220
weapons grade ? Quickly enough that

02:10:57.220 --> 02:10:59.220
it's a serious national security

02:10:59.220 --> 02:11:01.053
problem for the United States of

02:11:01.053 --> 02:11:03.109
America I said , if I said days or a

02:11:03.109 --> 02:11:05.276
few weeks , would that be inaccurate ?

02:11:05.276 --> 02:11:07.553
You might be somewhere in the ballpark .

02:11:07.553 --> 02:11:09.609
OK , thank you . Actually , that's ,

02:11:09.609 --> 02:11:11.776
you can just get that from , uh , chat

02:11:11.776 --> 02:11:11.529
GDP . It'll , it'll give it to you , OK .

02:11:12.580 --> 02:11:14.802
So , um , so it's not that classified ,

02:11:14.802 --> 02:11:18.140
all right , um . Would you say that our

02:11:18.140 --> 02:11:21.100
primary mission in this war is to deny

02:11:21.100 --> 02:11:23.220
Iran the capability to develop a

02:11:23.220 --> 02:11:27.069
nuclear weapon ? Yes . And

02:11:27.069 --> 02:11:29.013
would you say that a regime that's

02:11:29.013 --> 02:11:31.509
capable of killing 35,000 of its own

02:11:31.509 --> 02:11:33.830
people within a two day period , are

02:11:33.830 --> 02:11:36.052
they capable , if they had the delivery

02:11:36.052 --> 02:11:38.109
systems to carry out their threat to

02:11:38.109 --> 02:11:40.709
destroy Israel and also to harm the

02:11:40.709 --> 02:11:44.120
United States of America ? Any regime

02:11:44.120 --> 02:11:46.231
willing to kill 35,000 , and we think

02:11:46.231 --> 02:11:48.680
it might be more , 45,000 of their own

02:11:48.680 --> 02:11:51.089
citizens in cold blood . Uh , would

02:11:51.089 --> 02:11:53.145
most certainly be willing to use the

02:11:53.145 --> 02:11:55.200
most dangerous weapon in the world ,

02:11:55.200 --> 02:11:57.422
especially as history teaches us , when

02:11:57.422 --> 02:11:59.589
a nation says they will do something ,

02:11:59.589 --> 02:12:01.589
you ought to listen . And when they

02:12:01.589 --> 02:12:03.533
chant Death to America or Death to

02:12:03.533 --> 02:12:05.422
Israel , if they got that nuclear

02:12:05.422 --> 02:12:05.259
weapon , history tells us they might

02:12:05.259 --> 02:12:07.203
use it . Well , Hitler said he was

02:12:07.203 --> 02:12:09.315
going to kill the Jewish , and he was

02:12:09.315 --> 02:12:11.370
going to try to eliminate the Jewish

02:12:11.370 --> 02:12:13.426
population and Jews from the face of

02:12:13.426 --> 02:12:15.703
the world . Nobody really believes him ,

02:12:15.703 --> 02:12:15.529
but he's really tried to do that . So

02:12:15.529 --> 02:12:17.839
when somebody tells me for 47 years

02:12:18.299 --> 02:12:20.521
that they want to kill us . I think I'm

02:12:20.521 --> 02:12:22.577
gonna take them at their word and so

02:12:22.577 --> 02:12:25.310
would you also agree that that the a a

02:12:25.310 --> 02:12:29.270
now another uh goal of ours is

02:12:29.270 --> 02:12:31.437
to make sure that Iran never blockades

02:12:31.437 --> 02:12:33.270
the Strait of Hormuz , never has

02:12:33.270 --> 02:12:35.492
control of the Strait of Hormuz , would

02:12:35.492 --> 02:12:38.310
that be a an objective of ours ? If ,

02:12:38.509 --> 02:12:40.287
what they're doing right now is

02:12:40.287 --> 02:12:42.398
effectively piracy . It's terrorism .

02:12:42.398 --> 02:12:44.731
It's threatening international shipping ,

02:12:44.731 --> 02:12:46.953
uh , and our blockade is , is signaling

02:12:46.953 --> 02:12:49.065
to the world that we actually control

02:12:49.065 --> 02:12:51.120
that strait . And I would ask , uh ,

02:12:51.120 --> 02:12:53.342
this committee , what would this effort

02:12:53.342 --> 02:12:55.676
look like if Iran had nuclear . Weapons .

02:12:55.676 --> 02:12:57.453
Imagine if not Iran had nuclear

02:12:57.453 --> 02:12:57.020
capabilities what they would do to

02:12:57.020 --> 02:12:59.242
wield over any advantage they have from

02:12:59.242 --> 02:13:01.464
proxies , uh , to funding international

02:13:01.464 --> 02:13:03.687
terrorism . Mr . Secretary , also , not

02:13:03.687 --> 02:13:05.798
only would they do that , but imagine

02:13:05.798 --> 02:13:08.439
if we had not become energy independent

02:13:08.899 --> 02:13:11.066
under the previous administration they

02:13:11.066 --> 02:13:13.379
were hampering our ability to be energy

02:13:13.379 --> 02:13:15.601
independent , uh , under the guise of ,

02:13:15.740 --> 02:13:17.796
of , you know , the Green New Deal ,

02:13:17.796 --> 02:13:19.907
which is insanity , by the way , uh ,

02:13:19.907 --> 02:13:21.796
I'm gonna go back a little bit in

02:13:21.796 --> 02:13:23.851
history . Uh , we were bombed . Uh ,

02:13:23.851 --> 02:13:25.740
Pearl Harbor was bombed on , uh ,

02:13:25.740 --> 02:13:29.259
December 7th , 1941 . Um , do you know

02:13:29.259 --> 02:13:31.426
how long it took for the United States

02:13:31.426 --> 02:13:33.370
to have its first major victory in

02:13:33.370 --> 02:13:35.259
World War Two in , in the Pacific

02:13:35.259 --> 02:13:38.120
theater ? Number of years , no , it was

02:13:38.120 --> 02:13:40.342
actually 6 months . It was , it was the

02:13:40.342 --> 02:13:42.564
Battle of Midway , all right . It was a

02:13:42.564 --> 02:13:44.731
turning point of , uh , World War II .

02:13:44.731 --> 02:13:46.731
Could you imagine if we had had the

02:13:46.731 --> 02:13:48.731
same Democrats , uh , asking , uh ,

02:13:48.731 --> 02:13:51.064
then Secretary of War , all right , gee ,

02:13:51.120 --> 02:13:53.520
it's been 2 months , OK , and we

02:13:53.520 --> 02:13:56.390
haven't won this war yet . Back then ,

02:13:57.200 --> 02:13:59.311
We didn't even have , we didn't win a

02:13:59.311 --> 02:14:01.689
major battle for six months . Your job ,

02:14:01.790 --> 02:14:03.901
the job of the military , what you've

02:14:03.901 --> 02:14:05.457
done in the 1st 2 months is

02:14:05.457 --> 02:14:08.140
extraordinary . And so again for my one

02:14:08.140 --> 02:14:10.196
a couple of final questions , do you

02:14:10.196 --> 02:14:12.529
know how much money we spent on Ukraine ?

02:14:13.750 --> 02:14:15.694
Helping Ukraine under the previous

02:14:15.694 --> 02:14:17.806
administration , no , right now up to

02:14:17.806 --> 02:14:19.972
now , up to upwards of $300 billion.03

02:14:19.972 --> 02:14:21.917
you're probably right , about $300

02:14:21.917 --> 02:14:24.139
billion . And yet I don't hear anything

02:14:24.139 --> 02:14:23.879
about , you know , gee , how much money

02:14:23.879 --> 02:14:26.101
have we spent on Ukraine from the other

02:14:26.101 --> 02:14:28.268
side . The difference between them and

02:14:28.268 --> 02:14:31.939
me is this I . The United States

02:14:32.399 --> 02:14:34.720
and their efforts to help Ukraine .

02:14:35.529 --> 02:14:38.810
Against a dictatorial , uh , aggressive

02:14:38.810 --> 02:14:41.032
power like Russia , which is our second

02:14:41.032 --> 02:14:43.254
greatest adversary , but I also support

02:14:43.330 --> 02:14:45.552
our efforts to make sure that that Iran

02:14:45.649 --> 02:14:48.689
never has a nuclear weapon and so

02:14:48.689 --> 02:14:50.800
you'll always have my support and I'm

02:14:50.800 --> 02:14:53.078
pretty , I'm pretty consistent in that .

02:14:53.078 --> 02:14:55.189
I also support our efforts in what we

02:14:55.189 --> 02:14:57.356
did in Venezuela . We still have to go

02:14:57.356 --> 02:14:59.245
a little bit further because that

02:14:59.245 --> 02:15:01.578
remnants of that regime are still there .

02:15:01.578 --> 02:15:03.800
Uh , and we need to provide freedom for

02:15:03.800 --> 02:15:05.856
the people of Venezuela and also one

02:15:05.856 --> 02:15:07.911
thing for me I guess what I'm , what

02:15:07.911 --> 02:15:10.022
I'm looking for in this war with Iran

02:15:10.022 --> 02:15:12.133
is to make sure that Iran never has a

02:15:12.133 --> 02:15:13.800
nuclear weapon , that we have

02:15:13.800 --> 02:15:15.911
established an inspection , uh , uh ,

02:15:16.169 --> 02:15:18.336
protocol to make sure they never get a

02:15:18.336 --> 02:15:20.502
nuclear weapon and that we control the

02:15:20.502 --> 02:15:22.725
strait , and they never can control the

02:15:22.725 --> 02:15:24.891
gentleman's time's expired . Chair and

02:15:24.891 --> 02:15:24.399
I recognize you gentleman from Colorado ,

02:15:24.490 --> 02:15:26.768
Mr . Crowe . Thank you , Chairman . Mr .

02:15:26.850 --> 02:15:29.017
Secretary , I wanna go in a little bit

02:15:29.017 --> 02:15:31.709
different direction . Timothy Parltore

02:15:31.709 --> 02:15:33.598
served as your private attorney ,

02:15:33.598 --> 02:15:37.509
correct ? Uh , correct .

02:15:38.419 --> 02:15:41.060
And Mr . Partulli Parlatori also served

02:15:41.060 --> 02:15:42.949
as private attorney for President

02:15:42.949 --> 02:15:45.350
Trump's campaign , correct ? I'm not

02:15:45.350 --> 02:15:47.649
privy to every professional , uh ,

02:15:47.740 --> 02:15:49.851
position that he's held . Well , I'll

02:15:49.851 --> 02:15:51.680
help you out . He did . And you

02:15:51.680 --> 02:15:53.600
appointed Mr . Parliatori as your

02:15:53.600 --> 02:15:57.589
senior advisor , correct ? Uh , he does

02:15:57.729 --> 02:16:00.209
reserve duty on behalf of the navy . Uh ,

02:16:00.330 --> 02:16:02.552
his title is senior as an advisor . You

02:16:02.552 --> 02:16:04.663
gave him that title , correct ? And I

02:16:04.663 --> 02:16:06.830
would , uh , count him as very much an

02:16:06.830 --> 02:16:09.052
advisor of mine . Yep , he travels with

02:16:09.052 --> 02:16:11.108
you . Correct , uh , Tim Parlitore's

02:16:11.108 --> 02:16:13.219
been a long-term friend . Uh , he's a

02:16:13.219 --> 02:16:15.163
great patriot . Travels with you .

02:16:15.163 --> 02:16:14.959
That's not what I asked to reclaim my

02:16:14.959 --> 02:16:17.292
time . He travels with you , doesn't he ?

02:16:17.292 --> 02:16:19.237
He travels with you , doesn't he ?

02:16:19.629 --> 02:16:21.462
Correct . There's there's public

02:16:21.462 --> 02:16:23.518
Instagram that shows this . Just say

02:16:23.518 --> 02:16:25.740
yes . Yes , of course . OK . He sits in

02:16:25.740 --> 02:16:27.740
meetings with you and advises you ,

02:16:27.740 --> 02:16:30.919
doesn't he ? Uh , he sits in some

02:16:30.919 --> 02:16:32.752
meetings on occasion . Well , he

02:16:32.752 --> 02:16:34.808
maintains a desk in an office in the

02:16:34.808 --> 02:16:36.863
Pentagon , does he not ? I'd have to

02:16:36.863 --> 02:16:40.049
check . You don't know ? It's a big

02:16:40.070 --> 02:16:44.000
Pentagon . You directly commissioned Mr .

02:16:44.120 --> 02:16:46.120
Parlatori in the Naval Reserve as a

02:16:46.120 --> 02:16:48.330
Navy commander in March 2025 , did you

02:16:48.330 --> 02:16:51.160
not ? I was very proud to do so . And

02:16:51.160 --> 02:16:53.104
when you did , because he's a Navy

02:16:53.104 --> 02:16:55.480
Reserve officer , he didn't have to go

02:16:55.480 --> 02:16:57.480
through the PPO process , the White

02:16:57.480 --> 02:16:59.591
House presidential Personnel Office ,

02:16:59.591 --> 02:17:01.591
right ? He wasn't vetted by a White

02:17:01.591 --> 02:17:03.813
House PPO . Uniformed service members ,

02:17:03.813 --> 02:17:05.924
uh , don't get vetted by . The answer

02:17:05.924 --> 02:17:05.910
is yes . He didn't have to be vetted by

02:17:05.910 --> 02:17:08.000
a White House PPO . He didn't go

02:17:08.000 --> 02:17:10.222
through the Senate confirmation process

02:17:10.222 --> 02:17:13.269
either , did he ? The answer is no .

02:17:14.160 --> 02:17:16.271
I don't know what you're getting to ,

02:17:16.271 --> 02:17:18.438
but Tim is a fantastic . I'll tell you

02:17:18.438 --> 02:17:17.969
what I'm getting to . The answer is no ,

02:17:18.110 --> 02:17:21.110
right ? He does great work , OK . Um ,

02:17:22.169 --> 02:17:24.391
He didn't maintain a security clearance

02:17:24.391 --> 02:17:27.549
when You appointed him as special

02:17:27.549 --> 02:17:30.769
advisor , is that right ? I'd , I'd

02:17:30.769 --> 02:17:33.878
have to check . You don't know . I mean ,

02:17:34.128 --> 02:17:36.184
anybody that has access to sensitive

02:17:36.184 --> 02:17:38.350
material is gonna have the appropriate

02:17:38.350 --> 02:17:40.517
clearance . OK , so when you appointed

02:17:40.517 --> 02:17:42.406
him as special advisor , he had a

02:17:42.406 --> 02:17:44.517
security clearance . I don't . You're

02:17:44.517 --> 02:17:46.628
trying to piece together a timeline .

02:17:46.628 --> 02:17:46.280
No , I'm asking a simple question . One

02:17:46.280 --> 02:17:48.113
of your special , most sensitive

02:17:48.113 --> 02:17:50.002
advisors , did he have a security

02:17:50.002 --> 02:17:49.759
clearance ? No , you're playing a

02:17:49.759 --> 02:17:51.950
gotcha game like you do on TV and

02:17:51.950 --> 02:17:53.894
everywhere else . You're trying to

02:17:53.894 --> 02:17:55.728
thread together details that are

02:17:55.728 --> 02:17:57.950
clearly directed about something else .

02:17:57.950 --> 02:17:57.879
Clearly you're concerned about my line

02:17:57.879 --> 02:17:59.823
of questioning , aren't you , Mr .

02:17:59.823 --> 02:18:02.046
Secretary , because you know where it's

02:18:02.046 --> 02:18:04.323
going , don't you ? I , I think you do .

02:18:04.780 --> 02:18:07.540
So , does Mr . Parlitoi represent

02:18:07.540 --> 02:18:09.707
foreign governments ? He has a private

02:18:09.707 --> 02:18:12.490
law practice , does he not ? Um , from

02:18:12.490 --> 02:18:14.712
what I understand of his law practice ,

02:18:14.712 --> 02:18:16.934
he does a lot of great work for service

02:18:16.934 --> 02:18:19.101
members in the military and other . He

02:18:19.101 --> 02:18:18.849
maintains a private law practice . Does

02:18:18.849 --> 02:18:20.849
he represent foreign governments or

02:18:20.849 --> 02:18:22.849
foreign persons in that private law

02:18:22.849 --> 02:18:24.793
practice ? Uh , I don't know . You

02:18:24.793 --> 02:18:26.960
don't know . Somebody who's sitting in

02:18:26.960 --> 02:18:26.849
in your meetings , a special advisor ,

02:18:26.929 --> 02:18:30.490
you don't know . Uh , does he represent

02:18:30.490 --> 02:18:32.601
any senior officers who are currently

02:18:32.601 --> 02:18:34.657
under consideration for promotion by

02:18:34.657 --> 02:18:37.889
you or your office ? The only person

02:18:37.889 --> 02:18:40.056
that makes determinations about senior

02:18:40.056 --> 02:18:42.620
officers is me . The answer the

02:18:42.620 --> 02:18:44.620
question . Does he represent senior

02:18:44.620 --> 02:18:46.676
officers who are under consideration

02:18:46.676 --> 02:18:48.787
for promotion by you ? No , I'm , I'm

02:18:48.787 --> 02:18:50.731
the one that makes decisions about

02:18:50.731 --> 02:18:53.009
choosing . Does he represent them , Mr .

02:18:53.009 --> 02:18:52.780
Secretary ? Does he represent them ?

02:18:52.900 --> 02:18:55.122
Represent anyone . He's a legal advisor

02:18:55.122 --> 02:18:56.956
and always has been , but he has

02:18:56.956 --> 02:18:59.011
clients , does he not ? He's a legal

02:18:59.011 --> 02:19:01.178
advisor to me on reserve duty , and he

02:19:01.178 --> 02:19:02.956
always has been , and he does a

02:19:02.956 --> 02:19:02.429
fantastic . Is it job true that Mr .

02:19:02.759 --> 02:19:04.870
Parltori was removed ? I reclaimed my

02:19:04.870 --> 02:19:06.981
time . Is it true that Mr . Parletori

02:19:06.981 --> 02:19:09.037
was removed from an investigation by

02:19:09.037 --> 02:19:10.981
the White House last year ? Uh , I

02:19:10.981 --> 02:19:13.092
don't know what you're referring to ,

02:19:13.092 --> 02:19:15.037
but , uh , not that I'm aware of .

02:19:15.037 --> 02:19:17.092
You're not aware of it . Was it true

02:19:17.092 --> 02:19:16.740
that you were also removed from that

02:19:16.740 --> 02:19:19.719
same investigation ? The answer is yes ,

02:19:20.160 --> 02:19:22.382
no , not that I'm aware of . You're not

02:19:22.382 --> 02:19:24.716
aware of it . That's interesting . Well ,

02:19:24.716 --> 02:19:27.150
um , is it true that Mr . Parlatorre

02:19:27.150 --> 02:19:28.809
disparaged President Trump ?

02:19:31.048 --> 02:19:33.270
Uh , I don't know what you're referring

02:19:33.270 --> 02:19:35.215
to , but no . Is it true that Mr .

02:19:35.258 --> 02:19:37.258
Parlatorre was accused by President

02:19:37.258 --> 02:19:41.099
Trump and his lawyers of lying ? What

02:19:41.099 --> 02:19:43.099
you're accused of is a cute line of

02:19:43.099 --> 02:19:45.432
questioning that's going nowhere . Well ,

02:19:45.432 --> 02:19:47.432
it's going somewhere , which is why

02:19:47.432 --> 02:19:49.655
you're not answering the question . Was

02:19:49.655 --> 02:19:51.877
it true that he was accused of lying by

02:19:51.877 --> 02:19:54.309
the president's legal team ? I'm not ,

02:19:54.360 --> 02:19:56.527
uh , familiar to you'd have to give me

02:19:56.527 --> 02:19:58.693
the context . Well , it's right here .

02:19:58.693 --> 02:20:00.749
You wanna look at the statement from

02:20:00.749 --> 02:20:00.330
President . Anybody could blow up a

02:20:00.330 --> 02:20:02.552
quote and claim it says something , and

02:20:02.552 --> 02:20:04.608
that's what you're doing in a little

02:20:04.608 --> 02:20:04.559
stunt , Secretary Hegseth . What I'm

02:20:04.559 --> 02:20:06.670
really concerned about is you purport

02:20:06.670 --> 02:20:08.392
to have unfaltering loyalty to

02:20:08.392 --> 02:20:10.281
President Trump , and yet you are

02:20:10.281 --> 02:20:12.281
continuously , you care a lot about

02:20:12.281 --> 02:20:14.448
President Trump , don't you ? You're a

02:20:14.448 --> 02:20:16.559
cute waste of your 5 minutes , a huge

02:20:16.559 --> 02:20:18.700
cute waste of your 5 minutes that led

02:20:18.700 --> 02:20:21.320
to nowhere time . You are repeatedly

02:20:21.320 --> 02:20:23.487
going behind the president's gentleman

02:20:23.487 --> 02:20:25.653
from Colorado's time . Go ahead , Mr .

02:20:25.653 --> 02:20:27.820
Carl . You are repeatedly going behind

02:20:27.820 --> 02:20:29.820
President Trump's back , appointing

02:20:29.820 --> 02:20:31.764
people who he , he is accused of a

02:20:31.764 --> 02:20:31.719
lying , who the White House is accused

02:20:31.719 --> 02:20:33.719
of lying inspired , and you are not

02:20:33.719 --> 02:20:35.663
being honest with gentle lady from

02:20:35.663 --> 02:20:37.941
South Carolina , Ms . Mace . Thank you ,

02:20:37.941 --> 02:20:39.775
Mr . Chairman . Thank you , Mr .

02:20:39.775 --> 02:20:41.941
Chairman . I request unanimous consent

02:20:41.941 --> 02:20:44.163
to enter a number of documents into the

02:20:44.163 --> 02:20:45.997
record . The first of which is a

02:20:45.997 --> 02:20:48.163
statement from the first of which is a

02:20:48.163 --> 02:20:50.052
statement from Corey Mills' first

02:20:50.052 --> 02:20:52.275
sergeant stating his forms and accounts

02:20:52.275 --> 02:20:54.497
of his military service are falsified .

02:20:54.497 --> 02:20:56.497
The second document is a picture of

02:20:56.497 --> 02:20:56.389
Corey Mills wearing a Bronze Star from

02:20:56.389 --> 02:20:59.120
2019 before he ever got a Bronze Star .

02:20:59.820 --> 02:21:01.980
The third document is a document that

02:21:01.980 --> 02:21:05.540
conveys a Bronze Star Medal and his

02:21:05.540 --> 02:21:07.660
life saving care to the wounded , and

02:21:07.660 --> 02:21:09.604
according to the soldiers who were

02:21:09.604 --> 02:21:11.382
there , said they said it never

02:21:11.382 --> 02:21:13.549
happened according to the men who were

02:21:13.549 --> 02:21:15.271
there . The next document is a

02:21:15.271 --> 02:21:17.493
transcript of a conversation I had with

02:21:17.493 --> 02:21:19.660
Brigadier General Arnold Gordon Bray ,

02:21:19.660 --> 02:21:21.827
who confirmed that he did not review ,

02:21:21.827 --> 02:21:24.459
did not read , did not physically sign

02:21:24.459 --> 02:21:27.589
the form , uh , DD , I guess 638 , Form

02:21:27.589 --> 02:21:30.469
638 . That Mills submitted for a Bronze

02:21:30.469 --> 02:21:32.802
Star and to be candid , he said , quote ,

02:21:32.802 --> 02:21:35.120
I didn't look at it . Um , I asked to

02:21:35.120 --> 02:21:37.570
review the email that he sent to to ,

02:21:37.610 --> 02:21:39.832
uh , Mill's staff about authorizing his

02:21:39.832 --> 02:21:42.110
signature for a form he did not review ,

02:21:42.110 --> 02:21:44.277
and he said that he would not share it

02:21:44.277 --> 02:21:46.610
with me . Um , that's a future subpoena .

02:21:46.610 --> 02:21:48.499
I would like to enter to record a

02:21:48.499 --> 02:21:50.666
picture of Corey Mills , who says this

02:21:50.666 --> 02:21:52.777
is the 2nd time he got blown up , but

02:21:52.777 --> 02:21:52.509
what he wouldn't tell people that the

02:21:52.509 --> 02:21:54.709
blood on the pant leg in this photo is

02:21:54.709 --> 02:21:56.990
the blood of Sergeant Ray . It is not

02:21:56.990 --> 02:21:59.309
Corey Mills' blood . And the same

02:21:59.309 --> 02:22:01.531
series of photos he shares when he said

02:22:01.531 --> 02:22:03.830
he was blown up are images of a Humvee

02:22:03.830 --> 02:22:07.709
that exploded with uh . Severe damage

02:22:07.709 --> 02:22:09.709
that is not his Humvee . His Humvee

02:22:09.709 --> 02:22:11.598
purportedly was 50 yards away and

02:22:11.598 --> 02:22:13.931
suffered no damage and was not blown up .

02:22:13.931 --> 02:22:16.153
This is a copy of Corey Mills' marriage

02:22:16.153 --> 02:22:18.849
certificate with a 9/11 imam at a 9/11

02:22:18.849 --> 02:22:20.738
mosque entered for the record and

02:22:20.738 --> 02:22:22.738
redacted with family members' names

02:22:22.738 --> 02:22:24.793
redacted and . Protected . This is a

02:22:24.793 --> 02:22:27.016
picture of Corey Mills with a purported

02:22:27.016 --> 02:22:29.127
Russian hooker in Afghanistan , which

02:22:29.127 --> 02:22:31.349
he of course denies . And then last but

02:22:31.349 --> 02:22:33.349
not least , I would like to request

02:22:33.349 --> 02:22:35.349
unanimous consent to enter into the

02:22:35.349 --> 02:22:37.293
record a restraining order against

02:22:37.293 --> 02:22:39.516
Corey Mills for dating violence . Thank

02:22:39.516 --> 02:22:42.639
you . I just buried my father on

02:22:42.639 --> 02:22:45.160
Thursday , Mr . Chairman . My father

02:22:45.160 --> 02:22:48.679
died with shrapnel in his body . He had

02:22:48.679 --> 02:22:51.480
3 tours of combat , 2 in Vietnam , 1 in

02:22:51.480 --> 02:22:53.480
1965 during the coup d'etat of the

02:22:53.480 --> 02:22:56.629
Dominican Republic . And I take stolen

02:22:56.629 --> 02:22:58.870
valor seriously because we have men and

02:22:58.870 --> 02:23:01.037
women in uniform that have given their

02:23:01.037 --> 02:23:03.540
lives and and an individual that steals

02:23:03.540 --> 02:23:06.150
the stories of dead soldiers or injured

02:23:06.150 --> 02:23:09.589
soldiers have no right to serve in this

02:23:09.589 --> 02:23:12.759
body , let alone on this committee . Um ,

02:23:12.799 --> 02:23:14.839
and so I take it very seriously . I

02:23:14.839 --> 02:23:17.440
want to thank you , Mr . Secretary ,

02:23:17.679 --> 02:23:19.790
and the folks that serve under you in

02:23:19.790 --> 02:23:21.846
the Department of War . As my father

02:23:21.846 --> 02:23:23.879
lay dying on April 14th , there was

02:23:23.879 --> 02:23:25.990
only one thing that calmed him down ,

02:23:26.080 --> 02:23:28.559
that gave him the courage to pass on to

02:23:28.559 --> 02:23:30.919
the next life , and that was for me to

02:23:30.919 --> 02:23:33.190
read stories and testimony from three

02:23:33.190 --> 02:23:35.357
different soldiers that we didn't have

02:23:35.357 --> 02:23:37.468
our family previously . didn't have .

02:23:37.468 --> 02:23:39.579
We've been doing a lot of research on

02:23:39.579 --> 02:23:41.579
my father's service when he when he

02:23:41.579 --> 02:23:41.456
received the Distinguished Service

02:23:41.456 --> 02:23:43.536
Cross with the device in 1968 in

02:23:43.536 --> 02:23:46.175
Dongzai . He rescued every man in that

02:23:46.175 --> 02:23:49.055
battle in that firefight over a two day

02:23:49.055 --> 02:23:51.175
period . Uh , he rescued them dead or

02:23:51.175 --> 02:23:53.416
alive on his own . He stood up to take

02:23:53.416 --> 02:23:56.255
fire over and over and over again . He

02:23:56.255 --> 02:23:58.725
called on artillery , heavy artillery ,

02:23:58.986 --> 02:24:01.208
onto his position . Position within 100

02:24:01.208 --> 02:24:03.430
m of his position , the man should have

02:24:03.430 --> 02:24:05.486
never made it out of Vietnam alive .

02:24:05.486 --> 02:24:07.597
And in fact , his commanding officers

02:24:07.597 --> 02:24:09.597
kept him back in many cases because

02:24:09.597 --> 02:24:11.430
they thought he was on a suicide

02:24:11.430 --> 02:24:13.153
mission because he was just so

02:24:13.153 --> 02:24:15.319
dangerous out there , but he saved the

02:24:15.319 --> 02:24:17.430
lives of so many soldiers . And so as

02:24:17.430 --> 02:24:19.653
he was taking his final breaths , I was

02:24:19.653 --> 02:24:21.819
provided by the Department of the Army

02:24:21.819 --> 02:24:23.875
some testimony of soldiers we didn't

02:24:23.875 --> 02:24:25.986
have . And diagrams and information ,

02:24:25.986 --> 02:24:28.042
it was the one thing that calmed him

02:24:28.042 --> 02:24:30.264
down so that he could pass away knowing

02:24:30.280 --> 02:24:33.000
that he was a war hero and knowing that

02:24:33.000 --> 02:24:37.000
Jesus loved him and um uh it it

02:24:37.000 --> 02:24:39.110
changed our family's life . And it

02:24:39.110 --> 02:24:41.277
changed his life in his last moments ,

02:24:41.280 --> 02:24:43.759
his last breaths , his last hours , and

02:24:43.759 --> 02:24:45.950
for that I am so grateful for the ship

02:24:45.950 --> 02:24:48.172
that you're running at the Pentagon and

02:24:48.172 --> 02:24:50.228
the Department of War . I have heard

02:24:50.228 --> 02:24:52.172
from people in the way that you're

02:24:52.172 --> 02:24:54.394
trying to innovate and trying to change

02:24:54.394 --> 02:24:56.561
the way we do business there , and I'm

02:24:56.561 --> 02:24:56.280
glad that you're firing people . There

02:24:56.280 --> 02:24:58.336
are people there that are getting in

02:24:58.336 --> 02:25:00.391
your way . They need to go , and the

02:25:00.391 --> 02:25:02.391
efficiencies that you wanna bring ,

02:25:02.391 --> 02:25:01.919
whether it's shipbuilding , whether

02:25:01.919 --> 02:25:04.086
it's cyber , whether it's AI , whether

02:25:04.086 --> 02:25:06.197
it's public-private partnerships , we

02:25:06.197 --> 02:25:08.419
have never seen a second . Secretary of

02:25:08.419 --> 02:25:10.530
the Department of War who has been as

02:25:10.530 --> 02:25:13.224
innovative as you have , so I can't say

02:25:13.224 --> 02:25:15.502
enough good things about you right now .

02:25:15.584 --> 02:25:17.751
Uh , I was impressed . I was concerned

02:25:17.751 --> 02:25:19.695
about troops on the ground in Iran

02:25:19.695 --> 02:25:21.806
early on , and I was impressed with ,

02:25:21.806 --> 02:25:23.806
uh , where we are today , how those

02:25:23.806 --> 02:25:25.973
soldiers were evacuated that were that

02:25:25.973 --> 02:25:28.251
got in that , uh , flight that crashed ,

02:25:28.251 --> 02:25:30.362
but everything I have seen , you have

02:25:30.362 --> 02:25:32.528
surpassed all of my expectations , and

02:25:32.528 --> 02:25:34.640
I just want to say thank you from the

02:25:34.640 --> 02:25:36.806
bottom of my heart and God bless you .

02:25:36.806 --> 02:25:39.028
Gentle lady yields back , chair , and I

02:25:39.028 --> 02:25:41.362
recognize the gentleman from Maine , Mr .

02:25:41.362 --> 02:25:43.417
Golden . Thank you , Mr . Chairman .

02:25:43.417 --> 02:25:45.306
Good morning , Mr . Secretary and

02:25:45.306 --> 02:25:47.528
General Kaine . I'd like to use my time

02:25:47.528 --> 02:25:49.695
to drill down on an important decision

02:25:49.695 --> 02:25:51.917
concerning America's surface fleet that

02:25:51.917 --> 02:25:53.973
is the future of the DDG 51 Flight 3

02:25:53.973 --> 02:25:56.140
destroyer . Everyone on this committee

02:25:56.140 --> 02:25:58.140
knows about the Navy's struggles to

02:25:58.140 --> 02:26:00.084
successfully design , manage , and

02:26:00.084 --> 02:26:02.251
field new classes of ships . To name a

02:26:02.251 --> 02:26:04.140
few examples , I'll highlight the

02:26:04.140 --> 02:26:06.084
Littoral combat ship , the Zumwalt

02:26:06.084 --> 02:26:08.028
class destroyer , and the recently

02:26:08.028 --> 02:26:10.195
canceled Constellation class frigate .

02:26:10.195 --> 02:26:12.362
By any measure , the Arley Burke class

02:26:12.362 --> 02:26:14.528
destroyer has been a highly successful

02:26:14.528 --> 02:26:16.640
program that continues to deliver the

02:26:16.640 --> 02:26:18.751
Navy a large surface combatant it can

02:26:18.751 --> 02:26:20.584
depend on . So the Zumwalt class

02:26:20.584 --> 02:26:22.640
destroyers were going to replace the

02:26:22.640 --> 02:26:24.640
Arley Burke . It's a ship with some

02:26:24.640 --> 02:26:24.269
interesting capabilities , but the Navy

02:26:24.269 --> 02:26:26.509
rushed to construction before the

02:26:26.509 --> 02:26:28.620
design was complete , and it lacked a

02:26:28.620 --> 02:26:30.731
workable weapons system that the Navy

02:26:30.731 --> 02:26:32.898
wanted to outfit it with . So the Navy

02:26:32.898 --> 02:26:34.898
scrapped the program at 3 ships and

02:26:34.898 --> 02:26:36.953
went back to the DDG . I'm in my 8th

02:26:36.953 --> 02:26:39.176
year on this committee , and the entire

02:26:39.176 --> 02:26:41.398
time I've been in conversation with the

02:26:41.398 --> 02:26:43.509
Navy publicly and privately about the

02:26:43.509 --> 02:26:45.398
latest Flight 3 destroyer and how

02:26:45.398 --> 02:26:47.620
critical a role it will play , it would

02:26:47.620 --> 02:26:49.842
play and now is playing for the surface

02:26:49.842 --> 02:26:51.565
fleet . And yet even before we

02:26:51.565 --> 02:26:51.349
delivered one to the fleet , the Navy

02:26:51.349 --> 02:26:54.870
was already planning the DDGX . I'm

02:26:54.870 --> 02:26:56.981
skeptical about the transition to yet

02:26:56.981 --> 02:26:59.203
another new class of surface ship given

02:26:59.203 --> 02:27:01.259
the troubles I've laid out already .

02:27:01.259 --> 02:27:03.426
From my perspective , we have a proven

02:27:03.426 --> 02:27:05.592
hall for an Arley Burke destroyer that

02:27:05.592 --> 02:27:07.814
is described by CNO after CNO again and

02:27:07.814 --> 02:27:09.981
again and again as the backbone of the

02:27:09.981 --> 02:27:12.690
Navy's surface fleet . But now I'm even

02:27:12.690 --> 02:27:15.259
more skeptical . The proposal cuts

02:27:15.259 --> 02:27:17.315
production of the , of the destroyer

02:27:17.315 --> 02:27:19.459
down to just one ship , scraps the

02:27:19.459 --> 02:27:22.410
future destroyer , and proposes $17

02:27:22.410 --> 02:27:24.354
billion to build just a single new

02:27:24.354 --> 02:27:26.466
battleship , a class of ship the Navy

02:27:26.466 --> 02:27:30.009
decommissioned in 1992 . Mr . Secretary ,

02:27:30.089 --> 02:27:32.256
when you visited Bath Iron Works , you

02:27:32.256 --> 02:27:34.256
discussed this budget proposal with

02:27:34.256 --> 02:27:36.478
shipbuilders . You said , quote , we're

02:27:36.478 --> 02:27:38.700
maxing out on DDGs . It's a workhorse ,

02:27:38.700 --> 02:27:41.049
and it's a good workhorse . You were

02:27:41.049 --> 02:27:42.938
right about the DDGs . They are a

02:27:42.938 --> 02:27:44.993
workhorse . They're cost efficient ,

02:27:44.993 --> 02:27:47.049
deadly effective , and feared by our

02:27:47.049 --> 02:27:49.160
enemies . And I'm wondering why would

02:27:49.160 --> 02:27:51.382
we move on so quickly from a relatively

02:27:51.382 --> 02:27:53.382
new Flight 3 destroyer . That's the

02:27:53.382 --> 02:27:55.605
gold standard for ballistic missile and

02:27:55.605 --> 02:27:57.605
drone defense capabilities . It's a

02:27:57.605 --> 02:27:59.549
ship that's proven itself time and

02:27:59.549 --> 02:28:01.660
again recently in the Mediterranean ,

02:28:01.660 --> 02:28:03.827
Persian Gulf , and the Taiwan Strait .

02:28:03.827 --> 02:28:05.882
I understand the Navy wants to field

02:28:05.882 --> 02:28:07.771
hypersonic missiles , but look no

02:28:07.771 --> 02:28:09.882
further than the 3 Zumwalt ships that

02:28:09.882 --> 02:28:11.882
the Navy has in the fleet that have

02:28:11.882 --> 02:28:13.827
been refitted with vertical launch

02:28:13.827 --> 02:28:15.993
tubes capable of delivering hypersonic

02:28:15.993 --> 02:28:17.993
missiles at a at a great payload at

02:28:17.993 --> 02:28:21.940
over 17,000 miles this year . Perhaps

02:28:22.280 --> 02:28:24.502
what's most troubling to me is that the

02:28:24.502 --> 02:28:27.139
battleship plan . Proposes moving at a

02:28:27.139 --> 02:28:30.809
pace . That is , I think ,

02:28:31.169 --> 02:28:33.391
extremely dangerous or just high risk ,

02:28:33.391 --> 02:28:36.169
low reward to begin construction so

02:28:36.169 --> 02:28:38.502
quickly , breezing right through design .

02:28:38.610 --> 02:28:40.889
It's well documented that expediting

02:28:40.889 --> 02:28:42.778
design and preemptively moving to

02:28:42.778 --> 02:28:45.370
construction is the greatest recipe for

02:28:45.370 --> 02:28:48.480
failure . This represents an

02:28:48.480 --> 02:28:51.440
unacceptable cost to taxpayers if it

02:28:51.440 --> 02:28:54.650
fails and leaves America less secure

02:28:55.000 --> 02:28:58.379
and our navy navy less prepared . I

02:28:58.379 --> 02:29:00.546
understand the proposed battleship was

02:29:00.546 --> 02:29:02.712
a bit of a dream child of the recently

02:29:02.712 --> 02:29:04.935
departed Secretary of the Navy . I want

02:29:04.935 --> 02:29:06.935
to remind everyone here that recent

02:29:06.935 --> 02:29:09.157
history is littered with failed efforts

02:29:09.157 --> 02:29:11.379
to replace existing successful programs

02:29:11.379 --> 02:29:13.712
that remain the best in class worldwide .

02:29:14.099 --> 02:29:16.266
This isn't the failure of shipbuilders

02:29:16.266 --> 02:29:18.432
or sailors . It's a failure by leaders

02:29:18.432 --> 02:29:20.599
to learn a simple lesson . If it ain't

02:29:20.599 --> 02:29:22.790
broke , don't fix it . My sincere hope

02:29:22.790 --> 02:29:24.990
is that you , the Navy , and the

02:29:24.990 --> 02:29:27.101
Congress will pump the brakes on this

02:29:27.101 --> 02:29:29.157
battleship . Take the time to get it

02:29:29.157 --> 02:29:31.323
right , whatever it is . And for now ,

02:29:31.323 --> 02:29:33.434
focus on the workhorse you can depend

02:29:33.434 --> 02:29:35.490
on . America cannot afford a surface

02:29:35.490 --> 02:29:38.519
fleet without a backbone . I very much

02:29:38.519 --> 02:29:40.719
appreciate that perspective and , uh ,

02:29:40.730 --> 02:29:43.809
the idea of divesting of an a asset

02:29:43.809 --> 02:29:46.009
that's , uh , indispensable right now

02:29:46.009 --> 02:29:48.120
is not just a navy problem . I mean ,

02:29:48.120 --> 02:29:50.231
we've seen the same on . MQ-nines and

02:29:50.231 --> 02:29:52.342
Apaches and A-10s and systems that we

02:29:52.342 --> 02:29:54.565
warfighters continue to rely on , which

02:29:54.565 --> 02:29:56.731
is why divesting to invest , which was

02:29:56.731 --> 02:29:58.898
sold under the previous administration

02:29:58.898 --> 02:30:01.009
because of continuing resolutions and

02:30:01.009 --> 02:30:03.065
insufficient budgets , created a gap

02:30:03.065 --> 02:30:05.065
where now you're getting rid of the

02:30:05.065 --> 02:30:07.287
very things that you need right now and

02:30:07.287 --> 02:30:09.453
you don't have available things of the

02:30:09.453 --> 02:30:11.565
future that you said you would have .

02:30:11.565 --> 02:30:13.731
Because of the way this department did

02:30:13.731 --> 02:30:15.842
business . Always over costs , always

02:30:15.842 --> 02:30:15.816
delayed . So there's one destroyer ,

02:30:15.866 --> 02:30:18.088
one Arlee Burke class destroyer in this

02:30:18.088 --> 02:30:20.199
budget , because , and I hate to even

02:30:20.199 --> 02:30:20.175
say it , I'm not gonna say it in an

02:30:20.175 --> 02:30:22.397
open hearing , how many years behind we

02:30:22.397 --> 02:30:24.342
are on the backlog of building the

02:30:24.342 --> 02:30:26.453
Arlee Burke class destroyers . So the

02:30:26.453 --> 02:30:28.008
bulk of the money goes into

02:30:28.008 --> 02:30:30.064
shipbuilding to fix that , ensure we

02:30:30.064 --> 02:30:32.008
can get new places to build . More

02:30:32.008 --> 02:30:34.391
faster then you can fund additional uh

02:30:34.391 --> 02:30:36.391
whether it's this class or the next

02:30:36.391 --> 02:30:38.447
class but we're almost over time I'm

02:30:38.447 --> 02:30:40.558
gonna reclaim and just say in my last

02:30:40.558 --> 02:30:42.502
seconds here careful with the pace

02:30:42.502 --> 02:30:44.613
moving through design to construction

02:30:44.613 --> 02:30:46.835
so quickly as proposed by this budget .

02:30:46.835 --> 02:30:49.058
Thank you , General's time's expired as

02:30:49.058 --> 02:30:48.211
announced earlier , we're gonna now

02:30:48.211 --> 02:30:50.612
recess until 10 minutes past the hour

02:30:50.612 --> 02:30:51.171
of 1 .