WEBVTT

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This hearing of the Senate

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Appropriations Committee will come to

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order . Before we begin our

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hearing today , I want to take a

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moment to recognize the American

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service members who recently made the

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ultimate sacrifice while serving our

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nation . We extend our

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deepest condolences to their families ,

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loved ones , and fellow service members ,

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and we honor their courage ,

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dedication , and sacrifice .

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We also grieve today in the first

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meeting of the appropriations since his

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passing , the absence of our friend ,

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our dear friend and colleague , Senator

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Lindsey Graham . Turning

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now to the first panel , I want to

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express my appreciation for Senators

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Rounds , Bud , and Padilla for

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appearing before the committee today to

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talk about the urgent . Needs facing

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their states . I also welcome Secretary

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Hegseth , Secretary Rollins , and

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General Kaine and thank them for

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joining us to discuss the president's

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supplemental funding request . Our

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country has many urgent funding needs .

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For many agricultural producers ,

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2025 was a year in which the

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cost of growing their crop at times

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exceeded what they could earn from

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selling it . Severe weather compounded

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these losses . This was certainly the

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case for many growers in the state of

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Maine . Our wild blueberry growers and

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apple producers had to contend with the

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challenge of a combination of

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challenging market conditions and

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excessively rainy spring that prevented

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pollenization and drought conditions

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in the summer and fall . I expect that

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we will hear a great deal today about

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how declining commodity prices , rising

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input costs , labor shortages , trade

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disruptions , pests and disease , and

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increasingly volatile weather are

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squeezing . Our farmers' already thin

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margins nationwide , we have lost

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200,000 farms in the

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last decade . In Maine alone , more

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than 500 closed between

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2017 and 2022 ,

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according to the most recent census of

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agriculture . Our farmers are part of

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the fabric of America's rural

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communities , and they need help to

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survive . USDA has said that

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additional short-term assistance is

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needed to help producers weather these

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extraordinary conditions while

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long-term improvements take hold . I

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look forward to today's discussion and

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making sure that any assistance is

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structured to meet the needs both of

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Roe and specialty crop

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producers such as we have in Maine .

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We will also hear today about the

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ongoing recovery needs of communities

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in North Carolina as well as

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communities in California and I

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suspect other states too that are

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still working to rebuild after being

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hit by devastating hurricanes and

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wildfires . I would note that the

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administration's statement that it is

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open to discussing additional relief

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for other urgent matters is

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encouraging because there is strong

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interest from members on both sides of

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the aisle in discussing additional

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targeted relief . Turning now to the

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defense request , I look forward to

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hearing from our Department of Defense

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witnesses and their discussion on why

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the supplemental funding is critical

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to supporting our service members and

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protecting America's national security .

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There are certainly divergent views on

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this committee about the decision to

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use military force against Iran . The

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Senate as a body has already taken

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numerous votes on these issues and will

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likely continue to do so , but

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irrespective of our differing views

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about the military operations , the

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fact remains that there are must pay

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bills and urgent requirements facing

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the department that affect the ability

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of our troops to be well trained . And

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more broadly of the US military to

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deter and defend against

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potential aggressors worldwide . I

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would note that some of the

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requirements such as the shortfalls in

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munitions have been well known to this

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committee for some time . And prior to

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the conflict with Iran , there has been

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bipartisan support to address these

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shortfalls . While these munitions

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shortfalls have been years in the

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making , they are growing increasingly

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urgent . We should not undermine the

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readiness of our service members for

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any engagement or refuse to

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rebuild critical capabilities . Our

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men and women in uniform do not

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decide . Where they are sent or the

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missions to which they are assigned ,

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Congress has a responsibility to ensure

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that they have the tools , the training ,

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and the support that they need to

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accomplish their missions . On the

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topic of our service members , I would

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be remiss if I did not note that

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since January of last year , the

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department has removed a number of

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senior generals and admirals from their

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positions , blocked or altered

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promotion lists across multiple

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services , and intervened . In several

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senior assignments , a recent New York

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Times story reported that about 40

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senior officers were removed from

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promotion lists and more than 2 dozen

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generals and admirals were fired or

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sidelined , including Admiral

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Lisa Franchetti , the first woman

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to lead the Navy . The Times further

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reports that more than half of those

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fired or removed have been female

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or black , and that for the first time

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in more than a decade , no

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active duty female naval

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officers are likely to be promoted to

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admiral . I find this deeply

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troubling . These are men and women who

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volunteered to serve our country and

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swore an oath to support and defend

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our Constitution over the course of

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their careers , they have earned

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the support . And the trust of their

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commanders and subordinates led our men

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and women in uniform and were selected

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through rigorous command and promotion

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boards . They have served under

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presidents and . Defense secretaries

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from both parties reports that women

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and people of color are

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disproportionately fired or sidelined

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create the impression that their

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service is not valued . This

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is likely to discourage well qualified

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women . And individuals of color from

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joining our armed forces , thus

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depriving us of their talent ,

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dedication , and patriotism . The

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United States military is one of the

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greatest meritocracies in the free

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world . We need to make sure that

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it stays that way . I now recognize

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Vice President Murray for her opening

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statement . Uh , thank you very much ,

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Chair Collins , and thank you to all of

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our witnesses who are here today . I

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first too do want to acknowledge the

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loss of one of our colleagues on this

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dais . Like so many , I was very

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shocked and saddened to learn of

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Senator Graham's passing . We disagreed

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on many issues , but there was no

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denying the energy that Lindsay brought

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to this job . And whenever we could ,

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we found common ground and managed to

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get something done . So I just wanted

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to express that my heart goes out to

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his family , friends , and loved ones

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today . Now I want to start with a few

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facts . 143 days ago ,

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President Trump started a war of his

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own choosing with Iran . He did not

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consult Congress . He did not get

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authorization from Congress . He did

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not build a coalition of allies . He

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did not make a case to the American

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people , nor did he ever win their

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support . 2/3 of Americans opposed the

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war . And the president's decision had

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catastrophic costs . 17 American

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service members have now died , and

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that includes 3 who tragically lost

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their lives over the last few days ,

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and another is still missing . Several

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100 more have been injured , including

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nearly 1000 who've been hurt just in

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the last few weeks . We owe all of them

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and their families a debt of gratitude

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that we can never repay . Thousands of

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civilians have also been killed , and

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this administration will not tell the

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public or Congress the true financial

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costs of this war , but we know it is

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very well into the tens of billions of

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dollars . Tax dollars we could have

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spent helping people afford healthcare

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or building new housing have now been

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lit on fire by a president who

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blundered us into a disastrous war .

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And the cost to families' bank accounts

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are staggering . Economic growth has

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slowed to a crawl . Inflation has shot

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up about 50% since this war began . On

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average , gas costs just under $3 on

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February 28th . Today it is over $4 and

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ticking back up with the strait closed

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again . Americans have now paid more

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than $70 billion more on gas since this

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war began . That is over $550 more per

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household . Fertilizer costs

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skyrocketed in the middle of spring

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planting , crushing farmers operating

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on extremely thin margins and costing

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families more on just about everything

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they buy at the grocery store . The

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costs of this war have been

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astronomical . And what it is , what

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has it been for ? What has actually

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been achieved , we hear a different

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rationale for this war every few days .

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It was about preempting imminent

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threats which we now know did not exist .

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It was about regime change , then

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liberating the Iranian people . It was

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about destroying Iran's nuclear program

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and its navy . And at one point it was

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about taking out its ballistic missiles

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until that is until the president

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decided that actually , and I quote ,

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it's a little bit unfair for them not

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to have some . Trump has even suggested

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the war is about taking Iran's oil to

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quote make a fortune , and now the

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United States' primary strategic

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objective seems to be to actually just

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reopen the Strait of Hormuz , which of

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course was fully open toll-free before

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this war began . President Trump has by

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any objective measure failed to achieve

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his goals . Our country is no safer or

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better off than before the war . In

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fact , we are considerably less safe .

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Our stockpiles have been depleted , and

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it will take years of production to

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fully replenish them , no matter how

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much money is thrown at this problem .

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Our global force posture is much weaker

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and as assets have been moved now to

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the Middle East . And we are now much

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further away from a long term solution

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to halt Iran's nuclear program than we

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were before Trump ripped up the deal

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that President Obama negotiated , which

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secured actual measurable commitments

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and progress without ever starting a

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costly war . In fact , there are new

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reports that Iran may have moved

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nuclear assets into a mountain bunker ,

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which raises concerns about whether

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Iran might restart its program . It

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used to be a pretty somber and serious

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thing , a president taking America to

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war and costing lives and taxpayer

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dollars , but this president has been

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downright flippant . The people I

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represent worry Trump thinks this is

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all a game and has sent men and women

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into harm's way without any sort of

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plan . And now that he's driven that

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car into the ditch , he wants taxpayers

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to bail him out . As the daughter of a

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World War II veteran and a Purple Heart

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recipient , the way this White House

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has blissfully operated with no plan

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for success is disrespectful to our men

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and women in uniform . These are

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patriots . They are highly trained and

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have sacrificed tremendously to keep us

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safe . They shouldn't be forced to put

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a show on for the president's birthday

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parade or do the job of border patrol

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agents or risk their lives in a

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disastrous war that the president

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clearly failed to think through . And

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as a US senator , this administration's

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refusal to explain what it is doing or

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how this war is protecting Americans ,

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it's refusal to seek authorization from

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Congress , and it's expectation that

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Americans will now just pay for it all

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without any explanation or transparency

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is disrespectful and it's insulting to

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the people back home that all of us

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represent . So here we are 5 months

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later , the strait is closed . The

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ceasefire hasn't just disintegrated .

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This , this war is now spiraling out of

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control again . The president is

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threatening escalation and war crimes

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and suggesting this could be another

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forever war . He has told us over 40

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times now that a deal is near and the

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war will be over soon . But now he is

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asking for $70 billion more

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and for us to just trust him it'll work

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out fine . Look , I've been very clear ,

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my Democratic colleagues and I will do

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absolutely everything to ensure that we

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do take care of our service members and

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keep this country safe . Chairman Kane ,

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I hope you know that every Democrat on

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this committee deeply respects the

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sacrifices that you and our service

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members and their families are making .

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Everyone who signed up to serve our

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country deserves to be more than an

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afterthought in a war that the

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president decided to launch despite all

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the blinking red warnings , but my

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colleagues and I cannot and will not

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support rubber stamping a request to

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bankroll this war and whatever other

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misadventures Trump wants to get us

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into next . The American people want to

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see a quick and strategic end to this

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war , not $70 billion of their tax

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dollars sent to keep it going . And I

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want to make a few important points .

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First , the president's request is not

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even a primarily , a primarily a

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request to cover the costs of the Iran

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war . This request is chock full of

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asks to fund unrelated DOD priorities

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which should be considered through our

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annual appropriations process , not in

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an emergency supplemental , and that

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includes almost a billion dollars for

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SouthHCOM , nearly a billion dollars to

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keep deploying the National Guard here

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in DC . And more than a billion dollars

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for the southern southern border .

17:36.790 --> 17:38.846
Secondly , President Trump is making

17:38.846 --> 17:41.189
this request as the Pentagon has a

17:41.189 --> 17:44.310
record breaking $1 trillion total

17:44.310 --> 17:48.150
budget for FY 26 , including over $75

17:48.150 --> 17:51.750
billion it has in unspent money from

17:51.750 --> 17:54.819
Republicans' big ugly bill . Understand

17:54.819 --> 17:57.180
you may have mismanaged your budget ,

17:57.469 --> 17:59.636
Secretary Hague said , but you have to

17:59.636 --> 18:02.180
do your due diligence to fix the cash

18:02.180 --> 18:04.939
flow problems you've caused before

18:04.939 --> 18:08.160
asking taxpayers for more . Third ,

18:08.239 --> 18:10.295
that the president is now asking for

18:10.295 --> 18:13.180
all of us to approve tens of billions

18:13.180 --> 18:16.030
of dollars in new funding for the war

18:16.030 --> 18:18.660
while his administration still has yet

18:18.660 --> 18:21.680
to share actual cost estimates ,

18:22.160 --> 18:24.719
essential information to justify this

18:24.719 --> 18:27.219
request , and a plan for where on earth

18:27.359 --> 18:30.290
this conflict goes next . This

18:30.290 --> 18:32.290
administration is either hiding the

18:32.290 --> 18:34.346
truth from Congress and the American

18:34.346 --> 18:36.457
people , or if you take at face value

18:36.457 --> 18:38.290
what they've said and in the few

18:38.290 --> 18:40.512
briefings that we've had , they have no

18:40.512 --> 18:42.568
idea what is going on and no plan to

18:42.568 --> 18:44.623
right the ship , neither of which is

18:44.623 --> 18:47.300
acceptable . Now Trump is also asking

18:47.300 --> 18:49.411
Congress for over $10 billion to help

18:49.411 --> 18:51.467
struggling American farmers who have

18:51.467 --> 18:53.699
been crushed first by the tariffs and

18:53.699 --> 18:55.579
then by this war which has shot

18:55.579 --> 18:57.801
fertilizer and diesel costs through the

18:57.801 --> 18:59.968
roof . I'm digging into that request ,

18:59.968 --> 19:02.135
but let me be clear , as we're looking

19:02.135 --> 19:04.246
at what farmers might need to weather

19:04.246 --> 19:06.349
Trump's storm , we must also help

19:06.349 --> 19:09.069
families put food on the table , and to

19:09.069 --> 19:11.250
do that , we should delay and

19:11.260 --> 19:13.469
ultimately reverse Republicans' deep

19:13.469 --> 19:15.469
cuts to SNAPP , which have already

19:15.469 --> 19:19.150
kicked at least 1 million kids off of

19:19.150 --> 19:22.180
food assistance . Finally , Trump has

19:22.180 --> 19:24.469
also requested , and I'd read this one

19:24.469 --> 19:28.469
twice to believe , $1.3 billion in

19:28.469 --> 19:30.525
new funding for the State Department

19:30.525 --> 19:32.469
for Global Health and Humanitarian

19:32.469 --> 19:35.469
needs . At the very same time , his

19:35.469 --> 19:37.900
administration is withholding more than

19:37.900 --> 19:40.469
twice that amount in funding that has

19:40.469 --> 19:42.670
already been signed into law and is

19:42.670 --> 19:45.079
available for the same purpose . He's

19:45.079 --> 19:47.689
also asking for authorities to make US

19:47.689 --> 19:49.650
taxpayer dollars subsidize the

19:49.650 --> 19:51.849
Venezuelan oil industry and to finance

19:51.849 --> 19:54.290
the establishment of private investment

19:54.290 --> 19:56.457
funds like the one he just handed over

19:56.457 --> 19:58.234
to one of his ballroom donors .

19:58.280 --> 20:00.447
Unfortunately , Secretary Rubio is not

20:00.447 --> 20:02.447
here with us today to explain those

20:02.447 --> 20:04.719
requests , to talk about how this war

20:04.719 --> 20:07.060
forced one of the largest evacuations

20:07.199 --> 20:09.959
of our diplomatic posts ever , or to

20:09.959 --> 20:12.126
explain whether as a national security

20:12.126 --> 20:14.400
adviser he still thinks this war is

20:14.400 --> 20:16.622
quote the right decision and whether he

20:16.622 --> 20:18.456
still still quote believes in it

20:18.456 --> 20:21.079
strongly . So this is really a request

20:21.079 --> 20:22.746
to make taxpayers pay for the

20:22.746 --> 20:24.968
president's reckless decisions from the

20:24.968 --> 20:27.130
Iran war to his trade wars to his

20:27.130 --> 20:29.439
global health cuts , all while doing

20:29.439 --> 20:31.606
nothing to help our families back home

20:31.606 --> 20:33.550
who are suffering because of those

20:33.550 --> 20:35.606
decisions , and that that is what we

20:35.606 --> 20:37.606
should be focused on helping people

20:37.920 --> 20:40.031
because as Senator Padilla and others

20:40.031 --> 20:42.253
on both sides of the aisle will tell us

20:42.253 --> 20:44.489
shortly . There are urgent domestic

20:44.489 --> 20:46.449
needs that we should be addressing

20:46.810 --> 20:49.032
instead of sending more money for Trump

20:49.032 --> 20:51.130
to drop bombs overseas , priorities

20:51.130 --> 20:52.741
like disaster relief for our

20:52.741 --> 20:54.852
communities that have been ravaged by

20:54.852 --> 20:57.170
the unthinkable or taking action to

20:57.170 --> 20:59.392
lower families' costs . You know what's

20:59.392 --> 21:01.337
a crisis right now ? The fact that

21:01.337 --> 21:03.337
there are families I hear from back

21:03.337 --> 21:05.890
home who are working full time and

21:05.890 --> 21:08.112
still being forced to decide whether to

21:08.112 --> 21:10.057
skip meals so they finally can buy

21:10.057 --> 21:12.168
their kids a pair of shoes . You know

21:12.168 --> 21:13.946
what's a crisis ? The fact that

21:13.946 --> 21:16.001
hospitals are shutting down and kids

21:16.001 --> 21:17.557
are going hungry because of

21:17.557 --> 21:19.310
Republicans' cuts . Instead of

21:19.310 --> 21:21.254
bankrolling the president's war or

21:21.254 --> 21:24.069
sending ICE $70 billion my colleagues

21:24.069 --> 21:26.125
on the other side of the aisle could

21:26.125 --> 21:28.119
work with us to quadruple our

21:28.119 --> 21:30.319
investments to cure cancer or help

21:30.319 --> 21:32.750
families afford childcare or help them

21:32.760 --> 21:34.927
afford to cool their homes . Those are

21:34.927 --> 21:36.859
policy choices . And Republican

21:36.859 --> 21:38.780
leadership has chosen to focus on

21:38.780 --> 21:41.819
funding war and ICE endlessly without a

21:41.819 --> 21:44.041
single cent for our American families .

21:44.041 --> 21:46.020
So let me close with this . This

21:46.020 --> 21:48.260
president says we can afford , can't

21:48.260 --> 21:50.316
afford health care , we can't afford

21:50.316 --> 21:52.482
child care , we can't afford housing ,

21:52.500 --> 21:54.660
but somehow we can always afford

21:54.660 --> 21:57.540
another war . No price tag on that .

21:57.959 --> 21:59.792
Families in Washington state are

21:59.792 --> 22:01.792
skipping doctors visits so they can

22:01.792 --> 22:04.015
afford groceries . Trump wants Congress

22:04.015 --> 22:06.237
to cut him a blank check for a war that

22:06.237 --> 22:08.359
no one supports . The American people

22:08.359 --> 22:10.930
entrust us to spend their taxpayer

22:10.930 --> 22:13.579
dollars strategically and thoughtfully .

22:13.800 --> 22:16.060
This is a huge responsibility . So let

22:16.060 --> 22:18.599
me be clear , I'm ready to work with my

22:18.599 --> 22:21.439
colleagues in a bipartisan way , as

22:21.439 --> 22:23.709
always , to address the needs of our

22:23.709 --> 22:26.140
nation and the American people . But I

22:26.140 --> 22:28.140
hope we can have real conversations

22:28.140 --> 22:30.084
about why there seems to always be

22:30.084 --> 22:32.650
money for Trump's wars but never money

22:32.650 --> 22:34.594
for the families back home who are

22:34.594 --> 22:36.739
desperate for a little relief . So I

22:36.739 --> 22:38.795
look forward to today's discussion .

22:38.795 --> 22:42.339
Thank you . I will now introduce our

22:42.339 --> 22:45.219
first panel of witnesses . Today ,

22:45.300 --> 22:47.819
we're going to be hearing first from

22:47.819 --> 22:51.420
our colleagues , Senator Mike Rounds of

22:51.420 --> 22:54.569
South Dakota , Senator Ted Budd of

22:54.569 --> 22:57.780
North Carolina , and Senator Alex

22:57.780 --> 23:01.640
Padilla of California . I welcome

23:01.729 --> 23:04.420
all of you and Senator Rounds , we'll

23:04.420 --> 23:08.219
begin with you first . Chair

23:08.219 --> 23:10.108
Collins , Vice Chair Murray , and

23:10.108 --> 23:12.163
members of the committee , thank you

23:12.163 --> 23:14.219
for the opportunity to highlight why

23:14.219 --> 23:16.459
food security and national security go

23:16.459 --> 23:18.989
hand in hand . I'd also like to thank

23:18.989 --> 23:20.600
the Trump administration for

23:20.600 --> 23:22.869
recognizing that input pressures have

23:22.869 --> 23:24.949
made it more difficult for American

23:24.949 --> 23:27.469
farmers to support their own operations .

23:28.459 --> 23:30.626
In South Dakota , farming and ranching

23:30.626 --> 23:32.848
is more than a job . It's a way of life

23:32.848 --> 23:35.015
built on hard work , stewardship , and

23:35.015 --> 23:37.237
the hope of leaving the land better for

23:37.237 --> 23:39.189
the next generation . Feeding and

23:39.189 --> 23:41.930
fueling the world has never been easy .

23:42.349 --> 23:44.430
Producers continue showing up year

23:44.430 --> 23:47.150
after year , despite drought , floods ,

23:47.390 --> 23:49.446
disease , pests , volatile markets ,

23:49.510 --> 23:51.829
and other challenges beyond their

23:51.829 --> 23:54.510
control . This supplemental funding

23:54.510 --> 23:56.454
request comes at a critical time .

23:56.569 --> 23:58.650
Farmers and ranchers are facing

23:58.650 --> 24:00.849
production costs that exceed market

24:00.849 --> 24:03.680
returns . Higher fertilizer , diesel

24:03.680 --> 24:06.010
fuel , seed , equipment , and crop

24:06.010 --> 24:08.010
protection costs , coupled with

24:08.010 --> 24:11.010
retaliatory trade practices and

24:11.010 --> 24:13.349
continued market uncertainty have put

24:13.349 --> 24:16.089
enormous have put enormous financial

24:16.089 --> 24:18.930
pressure on producers . Specifically ,

24:19.209 --> 24:22.890
the projected loss per acre across the

24:22.890 --> 24:25.540
country in 2026 for corn . It is

24:25.540 --> 24:28.500
$131 for cotton ,

24:28.619 --> 24:32.079
$342 for wheat ,

24:32.260 --> 24:35.640
$114 and for soybeans ,

24:35.819 --> 24:39.140
$80 . While we work to strengthen

24:39.140 --> 24:41.196
America's ability to produce more of

24:41.196 --> 24:43.260
what we need here at home and reduce

24:43.260 --> 24:45.290
reliance on foreign supply chains ,

24:45.989 --> 24:48.979
Congress should provide stability so

24:48.979 --> 24:51.979
producers can remain in business and

24:51.979 --> 24:54.420
continue producing the best food and

24:54.420 --> 24:57.390
fuel in the world . Today's threats

24:57.390 --> 25:00.130
extend well beyond weather and markets .

25:00.569 --> 25:02.680
Foreign adversaries , cyber threats ,

25:02.890 --> 25:05.290
industry consolidation , arbitrary

25:05.290 --> 25:08.359
standards , and unfair trade practices

25:08.369 --> 25:10.702
impact farmers' ability to produce food ,

25:10.849 --> 25:14.079
fiber , and fuel . Food security ,

25:14.599 --> 25:17.189
energy security , and national security

25:17.369 --> 25:20.229
are connected . We also have an

25:20.229 --> 25:21.951
opportunity to strengthen both

25:21.951 --> 25:24.310
agriculture and energy security by

25:24.310 --> 25:27.589
permanently authorizing voluntary

25:27.589 --> 25:30.510
access to nationwide year-round sales

25:30.510 --> 25:34.500
of E-15 . Giving consumers the option

25:34.500 --> 25:37.420
to choose a higher ethanol blend would

25:37.420 --> 25:39.420
increase domestic fuel production ,

25:39.420 --> 25:41.309
expand markets for corn growers ,

25:41.380 --> 25:43.269
reduce reliance on foreign energy

25:43.269 --> 25:45.500
sources , and provide families with

25:45.500 --> 25:48.699
lower cost options at the pump . Given

25:48.699 --> 25:50.699
the significant defense investments

25:50.699 --> 25:52.866
included in this supplemental , I also

25:52.866 --> 25:54.866
want to emphasize the importance of

25:54.866 --> 25:57.829
fully funding our national defense . We

25:57.829 --> 25:59.940
are living in one of the most complex

25:59.940 --> 26:01.996
and lethal threat environments since

26:01.996 --> 26:04.051
the Second World War , and the brave

26:04.051 --> 26:06.310
men and women who volunteer to defend

26:06.310 --> 26:09.170
this country deserve the leadership ,

26:09.709 --> 26:12.750
training , and equipment , along with

26:12.750 --> 26:14.689
resources necessary to maintain

26:15.630 --> 26:17.352
America's military advantage .

26:17.829 --> 26:19.773
Protecting America's food supply ,

26:19.949 --> 26:22.479
energy supply , and national defense

26:22.829 --> 26:25.270
are not separate priorities . They

26:25.270 --> 26:27.469
reinforce one another . This

26:27.469 --> 26:29.691
supplemental provides needed assistance

26:29.691 --> 26:31.858
to help farm and ranch families endure

26:31.858 --> 26:33.989
today's economic challenges while

26:33.989 --> 26:35.770
Congress and the administration

26:36.349 --> 26:38.729
continue advancing long-term policies

26:38.989 --> 26:41.770
that strengthen American agriculture .

26:42.150 --> 26:44.310
I urge my colleagues to support this

26:44.310 --> 26:46.469
supplemental request to provide

26:46.469 --> 26:50.030
stability to our ag producers at this

26:50.030 --> 26:51.863
time . Thank you , Madam Chair .

26:54.400 --> 26:57.300
Thank you , Senator Rounds , Senator

26:57.479 --> 27:00.319
Budd . Chair Collins , Vice Chair

27:00.319 --> 27:02.319
Murray , members of the committee ,

27:02.420 --> 27:04.253
thank you for the opportunity to

27:04.253 --> 27:06.253
testify this afternoon to provide a

27:06.253 --> 27:08.364
voice for the people in Western North

27:08.364 --> 27:10.420
Carolina . More than 21 months ago ,

27:10.420 --> 27:12.087
Hurricane Helene unleashed an

27:12.087 --> 27:14.599
unprecedented amount of rainfall on the

27:14.599 --> 27:16.710
Blue Ridge Mountains , causing severe

27:16.710 --> 27:19.030
flooding and devastating landslides .

27:19.439 --> 27:22.280
The storm left behind tens of billions

27:22.280 --> 27:25.949
in damage . In December 2024 , Congress

27:25.949 --> 27:27.969
responded by approving a disaster

27:27.969 --> 27:30.290
supplemental that provided billions of

27:30.290 --> 27:32.179
dollars to Western North Carolina

27:32.179 --> 27:34.089
recovery . Additionally , North

27:34.089 --> 27:36.256
Carolina's state government stepped up

27:36.256 --> 27:39.290
by committing roughly $2.4 billion in

27:39.290 --> 27:41.729
state appropriations and redirecting

27:41.729 --> 27:43.680
more than $2 billion from state

27:43.680 --> 27:46.510
agencies for reconstruction . But the

27:46.510 --> 27:48.343
Blue Ridge Mountains challenging

27:48.343 --> 27:50.510
terrain has made it uniquely difficult

27:50.510 --> 27:52.399
for federal programs to operate ,

27:52.560 --> 27:54.838
resulting in delays and inefficiencies ,

27:55.319 --> 27:58.640
and there's still work to be done . Too

27:58.640 --> 28:00.862
many projects in Western North Carolina

28:00.862 --> 28:02.696
have stalled due to insufficient

28:02.696 --> 28:04.680
funding or because of financial

28:04.680 --> 28:06.513
shortfalls from expensive debris

28:06.513 --> 28:09.229
removal and rebuilding efforts . I

28:09.229 --> 28:11.451
greatly appreciate that President Trump

28:11.451 --> 28:13.451
and Secretary Mullen have empowered

28:13.451 --> 28:15.396
FEMA to more rapidly reimburse the

28:15.396 --> 28:17.562
state and local governments for public

28:17.562 --> 28:19.785
assistance projects . However , FEMA is

28:19.785 --> 28:22.010
only one part of the equation . The

28:22.010 --> 28:23.899
Environmental Protection Agency ,

28:23.899 --> 28:25.677
Department of Housing and Urban

28:25.677 --> 28:27.454
Development , and other federal

28:27.454 --> 28:29.510
agencies play a key role in disaster

28:29.510 --> 28:31.510
recovery , and much of the existing

28:31.510 --> 28:33.732
disaster funding for those agencies has

28:33.732 --> 28:36.609
already largely been allocated . When I

28:36.609 --> 28:38.890
visit Western North Carolina , I see

28:38.890 --> 28:41.630
the impacts the delays in recovery have

28:41.640 --> 28:44.530
have caused . Debris still clogs the

28:44.530 --> 28:46.729
waterways . Facilities that provide

28:46.729 --> 28:48.785
drinking water and manage wastewater

28:48.785 --> 28:50.969
have yet to be rebuilt . Most

28:50.969 --> 28:53.191
concerning , some homeowners are paying

28:53.191 --> 28:55.358
mortgages on properties that are still

28:55.358 --> 28:58.400
unlivable or yet to be rebuilt . Towns

28:58.400 --> 29:00.511
have been forced to embrace expensive

29:00.511 --> 29:02.650
short term stopgap solutions just to

29:02.650 --> 29:04.800
carry out their most basic functions

29:05.010 --> 29:07.540
for the residents . In the small town

29:07.540 --> 29:10.140
of Beech Mountain , there is no long

29:10.140 --> 29:12.619
term water supply . The dam and water

29:12.619 --> 29:14.786
treatment plant were heavily damaged ,

29:14.786 --> 29:17.008
forcing the town out of compliance with

29:17.008 --> 29:18.897
state safety standards , and as a

29:18.897 --> 29:20.897
result , the state could be finding

29:21.140 --> 29:24.140
Beech Mountain $25,000 per day .

29:25.609 --> 29:27.609
Most repairs are needed so that the

29:27.609 --> 29:29.831
water treatment plant can function long

29:29.831 --> 29:31.887
term . If funded , this process will

29:31.887 --> 29:33.770
take at least 1 year and require

29:33.770 --> 29:35.969
significant diversion of utilities and

29:35.969 --> 29:38.136
or daily water trucks just so hundreds

29:38.136 --> 29:40.191
of residents will have to have clean

29:40.191 --> 29:42.247
drinking water during construction .

29:42.739 --> 29:44.961
Three years is too long to wait after a

29:44.961 --> 29:46.850
disaster , and we can't delay any

29:46.850 --> 29:49.319
longer . Tourism , the lifeblood of

29:49.319 --> 29:51.375
much of Western North Carolina , has

29:51.375 --> 29:53.430
begun to rebound , but there's still

29:53.430 --> 29:55.541
far too many areas that are unable to

29:55.541 --> 29:57.541
accommodate the travelers they once

29:57.541 --> 29:59.597
welcomed . But I want to highlight a

29:59.597 --> 30:02.130
few examples of success stories to show

30:02.130 --> 30:04.352
how ample funding for the last disaster

30:04.352 --> 30:06.408
supplemental paired with exceptional

30:06.408 --> 30:08.750
planning and project execution made an

30:08.750 --> 30:10.583
immediate impact on our mountain

30:10.583 --> 30:13.390
communities . Last July , portions of

30:13.390 --> 30:15.609
the Blue Ridge Parkway reopened after

30:15.609 --> 30:19.430
57 landslides struck 200 miles of the

30:19.430 --> 30:22.199
parkway . This Memorial Day weekend ,

30:22.420 --> 30:25.290
Lake Lore reopened the public , uh , to

30:25.290 --> 30:27.401
the public after an incredible debris

30:27.401 --> 30:29.739
removal and refilling project , and I

30:29.739 --> 30:32.300
want to be clear that I fully support

30:32.300 --> 30:34.467
President Trump's request to replenish

30:34.467 --> 30:36.578
our munition stockpile and strengthen

30:36.578 --> 30:38.133
our military , and I'm also

30:38.133 --> 30:40.300
appreciative of his efforts to provide

30:40.300 --> 30:42.522
economic assistance to farmers impacted

30:42.522 --> 30:44.856
by disasters and unfair trade practices .

30:44.989 --> 30:46.933
However , to address the long term

30:46.933 --> 30:48.711
recovery needs of Western North

30:48.711 --> 30:50.600
Carolina , more federal funds are

30:50.600 --> 30:52.800
needed . Every time I'm in Western

30:52.800 --> 30:54.967
North Carolina , people ask me to make

30:54.967 --> 30:57.619
sure that they're not forgotten . This

30:57.619 --> 30:59.619
is Congress's chance to remind them

30:59.619 --> 31:01.730
that we're serious about helping them

31:01.730 --> 31:03.730
get back on their feet . I'm deeply

31:03.730 --> 31:05.452
grateful to the members of the

31:05.452 --> 31:07.508
committee for holding this hearing ,

31:07.508 --> 31:09.508
and I look forward to continuing to

31:09.508 --> 31:09.219
work with you throughout this whole

31:09.219 --> 31:13.010
process . Thank you . Thank you ,

31:13.209 --> 31:17.209
Senator Budd , Senator Padilla . Thank

31:17.209 --> 31:19.098
you Madam Chair , uh , Vice Chair

31:19.098 --> 31:20.987
Murray , members of the committee

31:20.987 --> 31:23.098
appreciate the opportunity to testify

31:23.098 --> 31:25.320
on behalf of the people of California .

31:25.630 --> 31:27.869
And especially the survivors of last

31:27.869 --> 31:30.091
year's devastating fires in Los Angeles

31:30.091 --> 31:32.091
County and I wanna acknowledge that

31:32.091 --> 31:35.189
some of them are here in the audience

31:35.189 --> 31:38.550
today , uh , advocating uh for relief

31:38.550 --> 31:40.717
and I'm proud to work alongside them .

31:41.300 --> 31:43.522
As many of you recall , 18 months ago ,

31:43.522 --> 31:46.630
60,000 acres across Southern California

31:46.630 --> 31:49.819
burned . That's roughly 3.5 times the

31:49.819 --> 31:53.150
size of Manhattan . Over

31:53.150 --> 31:56.349
16,000 homes , businesses , schools ,

31:56.589 --> 31:58.700
and other structures were destroyed ,

31:58.920 --> 32:01.890
and most devastatingly , 31

32:01.890 --> 32:04.800
Californians lost their lives . To

32:04.800 --> 32:07.239
respond , more than 7500 firefighters

32:07.239 --> 32:10.109
worked literally around the clock for

32:10.109 --> 32:12.109
more than 3 weeks to extinguish the

32:12.109 --> 32:14.449
fires . And those firefighters weren't

32:14.449 --> 32:16.560
just from California . Many came from

32:16.560 --> 32:18.505
our neighboring states of Oregon ,

32:18.505 --> 32:20.727
Washington , Arizona , some as far away

32:20.727 --> 32:23.079
as Utah , Texas , and Montana .

32:23.640 --> 32:25.529
Colleagues , because as Americans

32:25.529 --> 32:29.420
that's what we do . We help

32:29.420 --> 32:33.160
each other We don't condition our

32:33.160 --> 32:35.599
response based on who a community voted

32:35.599 --> 32:38.150
for in the last election . When

32:38.150 --> 32:41.160
Americans need help , we help .

32:42.510 --> 32:44.589
Now walking around the palisades and

32:44.760 --> 32:46.760
the Altadena communities during the

32:46.760 --> 32:48.538
fires and after the fires , you

32:48.538 --> 32:51.489
couldn't help but be moved by the scale

32:51.670 --> 32:54.650
of the devastation , the images of

32:55.050 --> 32:57.599
nothing standing but a chimney amongst

32:57.599 --> 33:00.579
a a pile of ash , cars literally melted

33:00.579 --> 33:02.523
into the streets where the drivers

33:02.523 --> 33:04.523
where they had been parked . In the

33:04.523 --> 33:06.690
wake of disasters like this , Congress

33:06.690 --> 33:09.229
has historically come together on a

33:09.229 --> 33:12.949
bipartisan basis to provide aid and

33:12.949 --> 33:15.150
long term recovery funding to help

33:15.150 --> 33:17.060
communities recover and rebuild

33:17.510 --> 33:19.677
regardless of whether the disaster was

33:19.677 --> 33:21.788
in a state represented by Republicans

33:21.788 --> 33:24.010
or Democrats . But instead of following

33:24.010 --> 33:25.890
that historical practice , this

33:25.890 --> 33:27.834
administration has left California

33:27.834 --> 33:30.057
waiting for more than a year and a half

33:30.609 --> 33:32.776
while asking Congress to fund hundreds

33:32.776 --> 33:34.609
of billions of dollars for other

33:34.890 --> 33:38.380
purposes . I wanna be crystal clear ,

33:38.880 --> 33:41.680
no disaster impacted community

33:41.680 --> 33:43.569
regardless of where it is located

33:43.640 --> 33:46.160
should ever be held hostage or treated

33:46.160 --> 33:47.920
as a bargaining chip for other

33:47.920 --> 33:50.839
political priorities . Californians in

33:50.839 --> 33:52.839
Altadena and the Palisades have now

33:52.839 --> 33:56.369
waited more than 18 months . Yet long

33:56.369 --> 33:58.480
term recovery funding is still absent

33:58.480 --> 34:01.270
from even the administration's request .

34:01.729 --> 34:03.890
Instead , it asks taxpayers to spend

34:03.890 --> 34:06.489
hundreds of billions of dollars more on

34:06.489 --> 34:08.156
a war that Congress has never

34:08.156 --> 34:11.010
authorized , a war that's raising gas

34:11.010 --> 34:13.080
prices , worsening supply chains ,

34:13.169 --> 34:16.560
making our country less safe . And for

34:16.560 --> 34:19.419
which 17 service members have already .

34:20.689 --> 34:23.169
Paid the ultimate sacrifice with many

34:23.169 --> 34:26.020
more seriously injured . Now we know

34:26.020 --> 34:28.020
this committee can address disaster

34:28.020 --> 34:30.179
relief without tying it to a laundry

34:30.179 --> 34:32.739
list of unrelated priorities because

34:32.750 --> 34:34.583
it's done so many times before ,

34:34.899 --> 34:37.239
including as recently as December 2024

34:38.060 --> 34:40.004
when the committee on a bipartisan

34:40.004 --> 34:42.570
basis passed more than $100 billion of

34:42.570 --> 34:45.020
relief . There's no reason we can't do

34:45.020 --> 34:48.340
it again . Congress , we must , uh ,

34:48.370 --> 34:50.592
excuse me , colleagues , we must reject

34:50.592 --> 34:52.481
the premise that it is OK to keep

34:52.481 --> 34:54.648
survivors waiting for help because the

34:54.648 --> 34:57.360
president , any president . Decides

34:57.360 --> 34:59.527
they need something else from Congress

34:59.527 --> 35:02.340
to get it . To that end , I do wanna

35:02.340 --> 35:04.451
thank my colleagues Senators Tillis ,

35:04.459 --> 35:07.100
Schiff , and Curtis for joining me in

35:07.100 --> 35:09.219
sending a bipartisan letter to the

35:09.219 --> 35:11.379
committee just yesterday supporting

35:11.379 --> 35:13.490
long term disaster recovery funding .

35:13.679 --> 35:15.735
Madam Chair , I'd like to enter this

35:15.735 --> 35:17.846
letter into the record at this time .

35:21.179 --> 35:23.620
Thank you Senator Padilla . I'm , I'm

35:23.620 --> 35:25.842
not I'm sorry . Enter the letter to the

35:25.842 --> 35:28.500
record without objection . It will be ,

35:28.820 --> 35:31.042
and I , I'll be , uh , wrapping up soon

35:31.042 --> 35:33.098
here . I , uh , also wanna reiterate

35:33.098 --> 35:35.264
what I said earlier . We know the next

35:35.264 --> 35:37.487
disaster is coming . Anyone who stepped

35:37.487 --> 35:39.709
outside of Washington this last weekend

35:39.709 --> 35:42.729
or across at least a dozen states saw

35:42.729 --> 35:45.379
and breathed the very impacts of

35:45.379 --> 35:47.860
wildfires , and it may be Canada now ,

35:47.939 --> 35:49.939
but it's gonna be one of our states

35:49.939 --> 35:51.995
next . As of last week , the federal

35:51.995 --> 35:54.790
government has already spent over $3.3

35:54.790 --> 35:57.699
billion in wildfire suppression this

35:57.699 --> 36:00.340
fiscal year , even though the peak of

36:00.340 --> 36:02.820
fire season is August and September .

36:02.860 --> 36:05.409
That's still ahead of us . That should

36:05.409 --> 36:07.631
concern the committee . We cannot allow

36:07.631 --> 36:09.853
wildfire suppression funding to run out

36:09.853 --> 36:12.020
before the end of the fiscal year . So

36:12.020 --> 36:14.131
in addition to the long term disaster

36:14.131 --> 36:16.353
recovery funding , I urge the committee

36:16.353 --> 36:18.242
to examine the need for emergency

36:18.242 --> 36:20.465
suppression funds as well , and I would

36:20.465 --> 36:22.409
note that the fire fix , which has

36:22.409 --> 36:24.631
provided a steady resource for fighting

36:24.631 --> 36:26.798
wildfires , will expire in fiscal year

36:26.798 --> 36:29.389
2027 . Congress needs to extend and

36:29.389 --> 36:31.167
increase that funding to ensure

36:31.167 --> 36:33.167
firefighters have all the resources

36:33.167 --> 36:35.000
they need to respond to the ever

36:35.000 --> 36:38.750
growing threat of wildfires . I'll

36:38.750 --> 36:40.972
close by reiterating what I said at the

36:40.972 --> 36:43.194
outset . Disasters do not distinguish .

36:43.750 --> 36:45.917
Between red states and blue states and

36:45.917 --> 36:48.310
when it comes to disaster aid , neither

36:48.310 --> 36:50.477
should Congress so thank you again for

36:50.477 --> 36:52.699
holding this hearing and allowing me to

36:52.699 --> 36:54.866
be a voice for my constituents and for

36:54.909 --> 36:58.229
disaster survivors across the country .

36:58.270 --> 37:00.389
I look forward to working with this

37:00.389 --> 37:02.550
committee to ensure that everyone has

37:02.550 --> 37:04.772
the resources support that they need to

37:04.772 --> 37:07.270
recover and rebuild regardless of which

37:07.270 --> 37:09.381
state they call home . Thank you very

37:09.381 --> 37:12.780
much . I appreciate the testimony of

37:12.780 --> 37:16.699
the entire panel as we consider the

37:16.699 --> 37:18.810
supplemental submitted by

37:19.739 --> 37:22.100
the administration . Your testimony is

37:22.100 --> 37:26.080
very helpful to us . Thank you . I will

37:26.080 --> 37:29.889
now ask that our 2nd panel of witnesses

37:29.889 --> 37:30.949
come forward .

37:59.800 --> 38:00.800
I do .

38:19.689 --> 38:23.169
Well , leave it to our military

38:23.169 --> 38:25.149
witness to be on time .

38:40.850 --> 38:43.379
While we are waiting for our second

38:43.379 --> 38:47.379
panel to be seated , uh , let me

38:47.419 --> 38:50.659
introduce them . We are joined today by

38:50.659 --> 38:53.870
the Secretary of War , Pete Hegseth ,

38:54.260 --> 38:57.419
the Secretary of Agriculture , Brooke

38:57.419 --> 39:00.219
Rollins , and the Chairman of the Joint

39:00.219 --> 39:03.120
Chiefs of Staff , General Dan Kane .

39:03.750 --> 39:05.949
These administration officials

39:05.949 --> 39:08.989
represent the largest components of the

39:08.989 --> 39:10.989
administration's request , and we

39:10.989 --> 39:13.770
welcome them to the committee today .

39:14.739 --> 39:17.149
Secretary Hegseth , we will begin with

39:17.149 --> 39:19.870
your testimony . Please proceed .

39:21.419 --> 39:23.308
Well , Chair Collins , Vice Chair

39:23.308 --> 39:25.030
Murray , members of the Senate

39:25.030 --> 39:27.252
Committee on Appropriations , thank you

39:27.252 --> 39:29.219
for the opportunity to testify on

39:29.219 --> 39:31.386
President Trump's supplemental funding

39:31.386 --> 39:33.689
request for the Department of War . As

39:33.689 --> 39:35.911
you know , we live in a dangerous world

39:35.911 --> 39:38.022
that requires bold and swift action .

39:39.050 --> 39:41.050
Hence this supplemental request for

39:41.050 --> 39:44.780
fiscal year 2026 . This request is an

39:44.780 --> 39:47.459
urgent , necessary injection of

39:47.459 --> 39:49.403
resources to address the immediate

39:49.403 --> 39:51.389
needs of our department . The

39:51.389 --> 39:53.500
supplemental funding request is not a

39:53.500 --> 39:55.790
substitute . President Trump's

39:55.790 --> 39:58.012
following a simple logic , the military

39:58.012 --> 40:00.790
requires a generational investment to

40:00.790 --> 40:04.040
deliver on peace through strength . We

40:04.040 --> 40:06.262
know the best way to create peace is to

40:06.262 --> 40:08.262
prepare for war , to deter it . And

40:08.262 --> 40:10.373
that's exactly what the Department of

40:10.373 --> 40:12.318
War is doing , building a force so

40:12.318 --> 40:14.318
capable that it would be absurd for

40:14.318 --> 40:16.484
anyone to challenge it . As the direct

40:16.484 --> 40:18.651
result of neglected priorities and and

40:18.651 --> 40:21.419
gross negligence that ignored threats

40:21.419 --> 40:23.219
left over from the previous

40:23.219 --> 40:25.052
administration , President Trump

40:25.052 --> 40:27.219
inherited a set of global and domestic

40:27.219 --> 40:30.100
crises . Deferred maintenance almost

40:30.100 --> 40:32.459
across the board . Instead of steering

40:32.459 --> 40:34.459
the ship through gathering storms ,

40:34.459 --> 40:36.237
former leaders let our military

40:36.237 --> 40:38.459
languish through social experiments and

40:38.459 --> 40:41.340
globalist appeasement . Sheer weakness .

40:42.260 --> 40:44.482
Under President Trump , we have built a

40:44.482 --> 40:47.010
different type of department . The

40:47.010 --> 40:48.621
Pentagon is no longer run by

40:48.621 --> 40:50.510
bureaucrats , instead it's led by

40:50.510 --> 40:52.677
combat tested veterans and world-class

40:52.677 --> 40:54.732
business leaders who are running the

40:54.732 --> 40:57.500
department like a business . And tech

40:57.500 --> 40:59.222
titans who are bringing lethal

40:59.222 --> 41:02.060
innovation to the battlefield . We're

41:02.060 --> 41:04.060
also at a different moment , and we

41:04.060 --> 41:06.139
cannot afford inaction . If we don't

41:06.139 --> 41:08.306
make critical investments right now in

41:08.306 --> 41:11.689
tech , in compute , in AI , in

41:11.689 --> 41:15.100
autonomy , in space , our adversaries

41:15.100 --> 41:17.211
who are already making these types of

41:17.211 --> 41:19.179
investments could outpace us .

41:20.989 --> 41:23.156
Without these funds , we face critical

41:23.156 --> 41:25.378
shortfalls that threaten our ability to

41:25.378 --> 41:27.489
also simply pay our service members ,

41:27.489 --> 41:29.267
rapidly replenish equipment and

41:29.267 --> 41:31.429
munitions , and sustain vital

41:31.429 --> 41:34.350
operations without disruption . This

41:34.350 --> 41:36.280
supplemental request serves two

41:36.280 --> 41:39.040
purposes sustain our military readiness

41:39.040 --> 41:41.929
to meet this year's new demands . And

41:41.929 --> 41:43.929
accelerate critical capabilities to

41:43.929 --> 41:46.209
replace and augment those we have used

41:46.209 --> 41:48.487
in contingencies . But make no mistake ,

41:48.489 --> 41:50.870
this is not a one for one replacement .

41:51.250 --> 41:53.810
We are upgrading and we are modernizing

41:53.810 --> 41:56.860
across the force . On the readiness

41:56.860 --> 42:00.570
front , we requested $21 billion . This

42:00.570 --> 42:02.739
will fund military pay , replace much

42:02.739 --> 42:04.961
of the equipment utilized during recent

42:04.961 --> 42:07.072
operations , sustain forward deployed

42:07.072 --> 42:08.850
forces , and grow personnel and

42:08.850 --> 42:10.795
strength while stabilizing mission

42:10.795 --> 42:12.580
critical fueled shortfalls and

42:12.580 --> 42:15.290
supporting the National Guard . On the

42:15.290 --> 42:18.889
capability side , we requested $46

42:18.889 --> 42:21.090
billion . These funds will expand

42:21.090 --> 42:22.868
production lines and accelerate

42:22.868 --> 42:24.868
delivery of high-demand munitions .

42:25.129 --> 42:27.462
We're talking about solid rocket motors ,

42:27.540 --> 42:30.169
JDAMs , hypersonics , and counter drone

42:30.169 --> 42:32.560
capabilities . Additionally , we will

42:32.560 --> 42:34.739
use this investment to secure digital

42:34.739 --> 42:36.860
and space dominance , including

42:36.860 --> 42:38.790
resilient satellite networks .

42:39.120 --> 42:41.231
Department leadership recognizes that

42:41.231 --> 42:43.760
appropriating those funds is just the

42:43.760 --> 42:45.989
first step . Once funds are

42:45.989 --> 42:48.360
appropriated . Or apportioned , excuse

42:48.360 --> 42:50.360
me , to the department , we need to

42:50.360 --> 42:52.582
promptly execute on them and that's why

42:52.582 --> 42:54.693
we're requesting targeted legislative

42:54.693 --> 42:56.860
authorities like transfer authority to

42:56.860 --> 42:58.749
prioritize our greatest needs and

42:58.749 --> 43:00.916
opportunities . Multi-year procurement

43:00.916 --> 43:03.138
for weapons systems revolutionizing the

43:03.138 --> 43:04.749
speed and scale of munitions

43:04.749 --> 43:07.129
procurement and New START authorities .

43:08.429 --> 43:10.229
Rest assured that every dollar

43:10.229 --> 43:12.340
appropriated to the Department of War

43:12.340 --> 43:14.118
will be focused on building the

43:14.118 --> 43:16.020
lethality of our joint force and

43:16.020 --> 43:19.889
reinforcing peace through strength . As

43:19.889 --> 43:23.090
I have said before , not fully funding

43:23.090 --> 43:25.423
this department , the Department of War .

43:25.423 --> 43:27.669
And we know what that means , that that

43:27.669 --> 43:30.139
means 1.5 trillion , given the world

43:30.139 --> 43:32.139
that we live in and the disaster of

43:32.139 --> 43:34.250
what the Biden administration budgets

43:34.250 --> 43:36.361
gave us . Not funding this department

43:36.361 --> 43:38.306
at 1.5 trillion , I believe is the

43:38.306 --> 43:40.528
greatest threat that our nation faces .

43:40.629 --> 43:43.429
Either we invest in our warriors at

43:43.429 --> 43:45.318
this moment of step change on the

43:45.318 --> 43:47.870
battlefield and growing threats , or

43:47.870 --> 43:51.149
this is all just talk . I look forward

43:51.149 --> 43:53.038
to working with this committee to

43:53.038 --> 43:54.982
secure those funds so that our war

43:54.982 --> 43:57.149
fighters can continue to do their work

43:57.149 --> 43:59.205
every day to keep our great republic

43:59.205 --> 44:01.482
safe . Thank you very much . Thank you ,

44:01.482 --> 44:04.219
Mr . Secretary General Kaine .

44:06.489 --> 44:08.830
Chair Collins , uh , Vice Chair Murray ,

44:08.929 --> 44:11.262
distinguished members of this committee ,

44:11.262 --> 44:13.429
I'm honored today to appear before you

44:13.429 --> 44:15.485
with Secretary Hegseth and Secretary

44:15.485 --> 44:17.707
Rollins to testify on the Department of

44:17.707 --> 44:20.889
War's fiscal 2026 supplemental funding

44:20.889 --> 44:22.770
request , and I'll note I fondly

44:22.770 --> 44:25.489
remember my time at USDA earlier in my

44:25.489 --> 44:27.656
career where I had the chance to serve

44:27.656 --> 44:29.850
there . I'm also joined today by my

44:29.850 --> 44:32.510
senior enlisted adviser SEAC Dave Isom .

44:33.149 --> 44:35.550
As always , I'm deeply grateful for

44:35.550 --> 44:37.717
this committee's continued partnership

44:37.717 --> 44:39.772
and support for our common defense .

44:40.020 --> 44:43.050
I'd like to begin by expressing my deep

44:43.050 --> 44:45.540
condolences and that of the Joint

44:45.540 --> 44:48.860
Chiefs of Staff and the SIAC for the

44:48.860 --> 44:51.739
fallen from this past weekend and their

44:51.739 --> 44:54.219
families . Today we remember First

44:54.219 --> 44:56.580
Lieutenant Tyler Fehan , Sergeant

44:56.580 --> 44:59.100
Michael Swinton , and Private Isabel

44:59.100 --> 45:01.820
Gonzalez , and note that the names of

45:01.820 --> 45:04.020
our last fallen will be released when

45:04.020 --> 45:06.860
we can . I'm humbled daily by the

45:06.860 --> 45:09.219
profound commitment of the incredible

45:09.219 --> 45:11.899
2.8 million Americans just like these

45:11.899 --> 45:13.955
names that I've just mentioned , who

45:13.955 --> 45:16.379
make up our joint force and serve our

45:16.379 --> 45:20.350
nation every day . Also , on behalf of

45:20.350 --> 45:22.629
the Joint Force and the Joint Chiefs ,

45:22.879 --> 45:25.239
I want to express my sincere and

45:25.239 --> 45:27.479
heartfelt condolences to the family of

45:27.479 --> 45:30.320
Senator Graham for their loss and all

45:30.320 --> 45:32.790
of you for the loss of your colleague .

45:33.159 --> 45:35.709
The Joint Force remains grateful for

45:35.709 --> 45:39.399
his 44 years of service both in and out

45:39.399 --> 45:41.959
of uniform . There is no doubt he made

45:41.959 --> 45:44.181
a difference to the safety and security

45:44.181 --> 45:47.590
of our nation . On July 22 ,

45:47.899 --> 45:51.159
1940 , General George C . Marshall said ,

45:51.530 --> 45:54.659
and I quote , For almost 20 years we

45:54.659 --> 45:57.139
had all of the time and almost none of

45:57.139 --> 45:59.540
the money . Today we have all of the

45:59.540 --> 46:03.280
money and no time . His words resonate

46:03.780 --> 46:05.939
powerfully with me today as we find

46:05.939 --> 46:08.040
ourselves in a somewhat similar

46:08.129 --> 46:11.020
situation . I've come to you today to

46:11.020 --> 46:13.500
request the necessary funds while in

46:13.500 --> 46:16.370
the window of opportunity . While time

46:16.510 --> 46:19.419
is still on our side . The United

46:19.419 --> 46:21.800
States of America faces a global list

46:21.800 --> 46:24.219
of military challenges in the Middle

46:24.219 --> 46:27.179
East , in Europe , in the Pacific ,

46:27.500 --> 46:30.500
both nuclear and non-nuclear challenges ,

46:30.699 --> 46:32.939
and the continued threat of terrorism .

46:33.810 --> 46:37.330
We find ourselves living and leading in

46:37.330 --> 46:39.760
complex and dynamic times . Our

46:39.760 --> 46:41.810
adversaries are aligning in their

46:41.810 --> 46:44.010
interests , creating simultaneous

46:44.010 --> 46:46.489
challenges across multiple domains .

46:46.929 --> 46:49.449
They're sharing intelligence , combat

46:49.449 --> 46:51.370
capabilities , and technology ,

46:52.449 --> 46:54.889
technology that is accelerating the

46:54.889 --> 46:57.560
speed of war . Isn't it is an

46:57.560 --> 47:00.300
imperative that Americans understand

47:00.800 --> 47:03.260
that the character of war is changing .

47:03.830 --> 47:05.719
Advances in technology are

47:05.719 --> 47:08.560
fundamentally and irreversibly changing

47:08.560 --> 47:12.000
the way we fight , which necessitates

47:12.000 --> 47:15.120
capital to properly arm America's

47:15.120 --> 47:18.560
military . Rapid advancements in

47:18.560 --> 47:21.840
AI autonomous systems deliver critical

47:21.840 --> 47:24.000
technological advantages to our

47:24.000 --> 47:27.060
national defense and simultaneously .

47:27.870 --> 47:30.389
Introduce unprecedented strategic

47:30.389 --> 47:32.820
vulnerabilities and uncertainty across

47:32.820 --> 47:35.153
the world to include right here at home .

47:35.500 --> 47:38.020
The low barrier to entry created by

47:38.020 --> 47:40.540
affordable , ubiquitous , unmanned

47:40.540 --> 47:43.219
systems means our adversaries , rogue

47:43.219 --> 47:45.979
actors , state and non-state actors ,

47:46.100 --> 47:48.780
and violent extremists have access to

47:48.780 --> 47:51.250
disruptive and potentially lethal

47:51.250 --> 47:54.300
technologies at scale . We've seen this

47:54.300 --> 47:56.540
in Ukraine , and we must adopt elements

47:56.540 --> 47:59.260
of this fight for our future fights .

48:00.010 --> 48:03.729
Conflict is never confined neatly to

48:03.729 --> 48:07.050
the land , sea , or air domains . The

48:07.050 --> 48:09.330
modern battlefield stretches from the

48:09.330 --> 48:12.469
seabed up to cislunar space and beyond ,

48:12.889 --> 48:15.370
cyberspace and in the information

48:15.370 --> 48:18.649
domain , all at the same time . Our

48:18.649 --> 48:21.129
nation must be prepared to fight and

48:21.129 --> 48:24.199
win across all of them all the time ,

48:24.370 --> 48:27.199
all at once . In addition , the light

48:27.199 --> 48:29.409
speed at which information travels now

48:29.409 --> 48:31.729
has compressed our leaders' decision

48:31.729 --> 48:34.409
space , taking what was once days or

48:34.409 --> 48:36.409
weeks in World War II down to

48:36.409 --> 48:39.810
milliseconds . Your joint force must be

48:39.810 --> 48:41.588
ready because the United States

48:41.588 --> 48:43.889
military is America's greatest

48:43.889 --> 48:46.469
insurance policy , and I acknowledge

48:46.469 --> 48:49.449
all of us find it difficult at times to

48:49.449 --> 48:51.560
pay for insurance before we need it ,

48:51.889 --> 48:54.050
but we must have insurance before the

48:54.050 --> 48:56.810
storm comes . The armed forces of the

48:56.810 --> 48:58.977
United States of America serves as our

48:58.977 --> 49:01.409
nation's ultimate safeguard and our

49:01.409 --> 49:04.530
insurance policy to preserve , protect ,

49:04.610 --> 49:06.929
and defend our national interests ,

49:07.209 --> 49:09.489
security , and prosperity . To uphold

49:09.489 --> 49:11.629
this responsibility , we require

49:12.290 --> 49:14.889
predictable and consistent funding .

49:15.300 --> 49:16.967
This will allow us to partner

49:16.967 --> 49:18.800
effectively with our defense and

49:18.800 --> 49:21.022
national industrial bases , building on

49:21.022 --> 49:23.189
acquisition reforms that guarantee our

49:23.189 --> 49:25.340
warfighters receive capabilities at

49:25.340 --> 49:28.179
scale before they are required in

49:28.179 --> 49:31.060
conflict or combat . I'm struck by this

49:31.060 --> 49:33.100
season of American history we find

49:33.100 --> 49:35.580
ourselves in , and I continue to ask

49:35.580 --> 49:38.659
myself , if not now , then when , and

49:38.659 --> 49:40.860
if not us in this room and the rest of

49:40.860 --> 49:43.138
the Congress and the nation , then who ?

49:43.138 --> 49:45.459
I acknowledge the environment we all

49:45.459 --> 49:48.219
serve in , but always remember that we

49:48.219 --> 49:50.500
are all Americans with deep and abiding

49:50.500 --> 49:52.929
love of our nation . And our military

49:52.929 --> 49:54.989
service members and their families .

49:55.370 --> 49:57.426
I've come today to ask for your help

49:57.489 --> 49:59.729
and your support . America's armed

49:59.729 --> 50:02.449
forces need $1.5 trillion to meet the

50:02.449 --> 50:04.449
military challenges of the future .

50:04.610 --> 50:06.832
This supplemental is a part of that and

50:06.832 --> 50:08.888
to be allowed to use this capital to

50:08.888 --> 50:11.489
pay for military personnel , operations

50:11.489 --> 50:14.370
and maintenance expenses and accelerate

50:14.370 --> 50:16.592
investments on critical technologies as

50:16.592 --> 50:18.879
the Secretary just mentioned . It is

50:18.879 --> 50:20.823
critical that we stay ahead of our

50:20.823 --> 50:22.768
adversaries , and we must have the

50:22.768 --> 50:24.768
funds before we're out of time . In

50:24.768 --> 50:26.990
closing , I'd ask all of us to remember

50:26.990 --> 50:29.280
our deployed service members around the

50:29.280 --> 50:32.020
world right now , especially our army

50:32.020 --> 50:34.280
teammates who remain deployed after

50:34.280 --> 50:36.502
losing their friends and teammates this

50:36.502 --> 50:39.060
past weekend . And I again ask all of

50:39.060 --> 50:41.419
us here in the Senate and across the

50:41.419 --> 50:43.620
American people to never forget our

50:43.620 --> 50:46.459
fallen and their families who continue

50:46.459 --> 50:49.010
to show us what courage , tenacity ,

50:49.219 --> 50:51.250
grit , and commitment to the nation

50:51.250 --> 50:53.417
looks like . Thank you very much , and

50:53.417 --> 50:55.361
I look forward to your questions .

50:55.361 --> 50:58.699
Thank you , General Secretary Rawlins .

50:59.520 --> 51:02.120
Thank you so much , uh , Chairwoman

51:02.120 --> 51:04.929
Collins , Ranking Member Murray . And

51:04.929 --> 51:07.207
distinguished members of the committee ,

51:07.207 --> 51:09.429
thank you for the opportunity to appear

51:09.429 --> 51:11.485
before you today . Let me begin with

51:11.485 --> 51:13.739
the bottom line up front . The United

51:13.739 --> 51:15.979
States Department of Agriculture is

51:15.979 --> 51:18.020
joining today the United States

51:18.020 --> 51:20.820
Department of War in a fight for

51:20.820 --> 51:23.719
America and for American flourishing .

51:24.260 --> 51:27.000
After all , defending America's ability

51:27.000 --> 51:30.459
to feed and fuel and clothe herself is

51:30.459 --> 51:33.530
defending America , full stop . This

51:33.530 --> 51:36.010
can be easily forgotten . For centuries

51:36.010 --> 51:38.050
we built farms and ranches and

51:38.050 --> 51:40.610
transportation that fed not only

51:40.610 --> 51:43.129
America , but the world too . For a

51:43.129 --> 51:45.810
long time , that prosperity made

51:45.810 --> 51:48.399
America strong and made America safe .

51:48.889 --> 51:51.250
But across the past 100 years and

51:51.250 --> 51:53.159
especially across the last

51:53.159 --> 51:55.381
administration , we took that source of

51:55.381 --> 51:57.570
strength in war and peace , our farms

51:57.570 --> 51:59.770
and our ranches , and the communities

51:59.770 --> 52:02.419
that surrounded them . And we hollowed

52:02.419 --> 52:05.340
them out . We made them weak and we put

52:05.340 --> 52:08.139
them on the precipice of decline and

52:08.139 --> 52:10.879
extinction . We sent our food

52:10.879 --> 52:14.120
production overseas . In fact , 2023

52:14.340 --> 52:16.780
was for the first time a significant

52:16.780 --> 52:19.399
net importer of our food for America ,

52:19.780 --> 52:22.659
and in so doing , we replaced American

52:22.659 --> 52:24.860
production with massive amounts of

52:24.860 --> 52:27.459
imports . We allowed and even

52:27.459 --> 52:29.899
encouraged the consolidation of

52:29.899 --> 52:33.790
agriculture . Seed production ,

52:34.570 --> 52:37.510
processing , fertilizer , and beyond

52:37.729 --> 52:40.310
into massive industries at scale .

52:40.969 --> 52:43.929
Today , nearly 85% of our meat packing

52:43.929 --> 52:45.979
capacity is controlled by just 4

52:45.979 --> 52:48.090
companies , including 2 that are

52:48.090 --> 52:50.560
foreign owned . Additionally , our

52:50.560 --> 52:53.770
largest pork company in America is

52:53.770 --> 52:57.550
owned by a China company or China . 4

52:57.550 --> 53:00.469
fertilizers in America now represent 4

53:00.469 --> 53:03.429
fertilizer companies now represent 78%

53:03.429 --> 53:05.596
of the production versus just a couple

53:05.596 --> 53:07.818
of decades ago that was in the dozens ,

53:08.000 --> 53:10.429
and 2 seed companies now produce more

53:10.429 --> 53:13.669
than 50% of the seed for America .

53:13.790 --> 53:15.750
These are national security

53:15.750 --> 53:18.149
implications . When President Trump

53:18.149 --> 53:20.260
returned to office , America's farm .

53:20.260 --> 53:22.149
The economy faced one of the most

53:22.149 --> 53:24.093
difficult economic environments in

53:24.093 --> 53:27.030
decades . Between 2020 and 2025 , the

53:27.030 --> 53:30.469
cost of seed rose 19% , crop protection

53:30.469 --> 53:34.350
rose 30% , fertilizer rose over 50% ,

53:34.590 --> 53:37.969
fuel and oils rose nearly 33% ,

53:38.270 --> 53:40.870
electricity 36% , and repair and

53:40.870 --> 53:44.120
maintenance 27% . As these costs

53:44.120 --> 53:46.590
climbed , commodity prices plummeted .

53:46.979 --> 53:49.959
Farm income fell by more than $90

53:49.959 --> 53:53.260
billion from 2023 to 2024 ,

53:53.679 --> 53:55.457
representing one of the largest

53:55.457 --> 53:57.760
single-year declines in history . At

53:57.760 --> 54:00.399
the same time , producers saw not one

54:00.399 --> 54:02.879
new trade deal across the world ,

54:03.340 --> 54:06.060
resulting in an unprecedented $50

54:06.060 --> 54:08.919
billion agricultural trade deficit .

54:09.860 --> 54:12.082
American farmers deserve better and our

54:12.082 --> 54:14.729
national security now demands it . As

54:14.729 --> 54:17.010
long as we are beholden to foreign and

54:17.010 --> 54:19.969
even hostile countries for our food and

54:19.969 --> 54:22.810
our fuel , our freedom is in jeopardy .

54:23.620 --> 54:26.020
Since my first day at USDA , we've been

54:26.020 --> 54:28.020
committed to addressing this crisis

54:28.020 --> 54:30.131
head on . In addition to implementing

54:30.131 --> 54:32.409
the historic working families tax cuts ,

54:32.409 --> 54:34.379
thanks to so many in this room who

54:34.379 --> 54:37.169
worked so hard , moving $40 billion in

54:37.169 --> 54:39.169
disaster and economic assistance to

54:39.169 --> 54:41.391
producers across the country , securing

54:41.391 --> 54:44.500
19 new trade deals , and decreasing

54:44.500 --> 54:46.939
that $50 billion agricultural trade

54:46.939 --> 54:50.540
deficit in one year by 42% .

54:51.110 --> 54:52.989
This year , our corn exports are

54:52.989 --> 54:55.790
expected to be at a record breaking 35% ,

54:55.870 --> 54:58.790
ethanol up 11% , dairy up

54:58.790 --> 55:02.590
15% , and tree nuts up 11% . We are

55:02.590 --> 55:04.989
making progress , but we have a ways to

55:04.989 --> 55:07.570
go . Administrator Zelden has secured

55:07.570 --> 55:09.681
the strongest renewable fuel standard

55:09.681 --> 55:12.129
volumes in history , and the president

55:12.129 --> 55:14.689
continues to support year-round E-15

55:14.689 --> 55:16.969
for our domestic markets . We have led

55:16.969 --> 55:19.330
robust responses to animal health

55:19.330 --> 55:22.209
threats , including HPAI and the New

55:22.209 --> 55:24.153
World screwworm , and have reduced

55:24.153 --> 55:26.169
unnecessary regulatory burdens and

55:26.169 --> 55:28.370
partnered with producers to strengthen

55:28.370 --> 55:30.229
the domestic demand for American

55:30.229 --> 55:33.459
agriculture . These are lasting reforms

55:33.459 --> 55:35.590
and will change the trajectory of

55:35.590 --> 55:37.701
American agriculture for the future .

55:37.840 --> 55:40.280
The trade agreements will take time to

55:40.280 --> 55:42.739
fully execute and generate even more

55:42.959 --> 55:45.600
exports . The biofuel investments take

55:45.600 --> 55:47.520
time to increase the demand for

55:47.520 --> 55:49.742
American crops , although we're already

55:49.742 --> 55:51.742
seeing a 10% increase since just an

55:51.742 --> 55:53.631
announcement a month ago . And of

55:53.631 --> 55:55.464
course onshoring facilities like

55:55.464 --> 55:57.919
fertilizer will continue to take some

55:57.919 --> 56:00.040
time to build out , but we are

56:00.040 --> 56:01.840
confident that the direction of

56:01.840 --> 56:03.896
American agriculture is changing for

56:03.896 --> 56:06.129
the better . But many producers

56:06.129 --> 56:08.330
continue to face economic pressure as

56:08.330 --> 56:11.090
we build that economic infrastructure

56:11.090 --> 56:13.770
out . Specialty crop growers across the

56:13.770 --> 56:15.714
Northeast , the Mid-Atlantic , the

56:15.714 --> 56:17.492
Pacific Northwest , and Florida

56:17.492 --> 56:20.050
suffered devastating freeze losses this

56:20.050 --> 56:22.090
past winter . Producers across the

56:22.090 --> 56:24.449
plains continue recovering from

56:24.449 --> 56:27.010
catastrophic wildfire and events

56:27.010 --> 56:29.010
occurring while many operations are

56:29.010 --> 56:31.232
still working to catch up financially .

56:31.379 --> 56:34.459
That is why our proposed proposal

56:34.459 --> 56:36.780
includes $10 billion in temporary

56:36.780 --> 56:39.419
economic assistance for 2026 row crop

56:39.419 --> 56:42.540
and specialty crop producers and also

56:42.540 --> 56:44.762
includes $1.1 billion to help producers

56:44.762 --> 56:47.570
recover from catastrophic freeze losses

56:47.570 --> 56:49.989
suffered this past winter . Congress

56:49.989 --> 56:51.989
has taken similar action over many

56:51.989 --> 56:53.989
decades , and we're so grateful for

56:53.989 --> 56:56.550
that , but including most recently 2023

56:56.550 --> 57:00.189
and 2024 with economic aid and disaster

57:00.189 --> 57:02.500
relief aid for the hurricane seasons .

57:02.830 --> 57:04.909
I want to be 100% clear as I close ,

57:04.989 --> 57:07.590
for the sake of American national

57:07.590 --> 57:10.429
security , American existence , and the

57:10.429 --> 57:12.800
American future . We must in the long

57:12.800 --> 57:15.100
run in this system that has grown up

57:15.320 --> 57:17.560
like a weed and strangled the American

57:17.560 --> 57:20.280
farmland and food production . Farmers

57:20.280 --> 57:22.580
want to farm for their products , not

57:22.580 --> 57:24.691
for a government check . They want to

57:24.691 --> 57:27.000
be free from dependency and free to

57:27.000 --> 57:29.159
innovate . We know what happens when

57:29.159 --> 57:31.270
they are able to do that . They build

57:31.270 --> 57:33.381
and feed the greatest republic in the

57:33.381 --> 57:35.603
history of man , but when they aren't ,

57:35.603 --> 57:37.715
well , we know the danger that we are

57:37.715 --> 57:39.381
in today . But that's why the

57:39.381 --> 57:41.270
supplemental is so important . It

57:41.270 --> 57:43.639
provides a bridge and extends a hand to

57:43.639 --> 57:45.639
Americans who need it . It buys the

57:45.639 --> 57:48.360
nation the security that we need , and

57:48.360 --> 57:50.719
it buys us time to deconstruct and then

57:50.719 --> 57:53.600
reconstruct a new system , putting our

57:53.600 --> 57:55.919
farmers and ranchers first and to

57:55.919 --> 57:59.320
restore the system that originally made

57:59.320 --> 58:01.469
America great . For our farmers , the

58:01.469 --> 58:03.691
defense of American freedom continues .

58:03.830 --> 58:05.830
They only ask to be free to fight .

58:05.840 --> 58:08.729
Thank you so much . Thank you for your

58:08.729 --> 58:12.429
testimony . We will now begin with

58:12.429 --> 58:14.969
questions for our witnesses . As you

58:14.969 --> 58:17.429
can see , we have a very full

58:17.810 --> 58:20.709
attendance of committee members today ,

58:21.169 --> 58:23.169
so I would ask that all of our

58:23.169 --> 58:25.336
colleagues to please keep track of the

58:25.336 --> 58:28.889
clock and stay within the allotted 5

58:28.889 --> 58:31.810
minute question time . With that , let

58:31.810 --> 58:35.629
me begin . Secretary Hecketh General

58:35.629 --> 58:38.780
Kaine . Members on both sides of the

58:38.780 --> 58:40.502
aisle have questions about the

58:40.502 --> 58:43.489
authorization strategy , objectives ,

58:43.500 --> 58:46.139
and conduct of operations in the Middle

58:46.139 --> 58:49.850
East . Regardless of our differing

58:49.850 --> 58:52.864
views , the fact remains that . There

58:52.864 --> 58:56.014
are must pay bills and urgent

58:56.014 --> 58:58.895
requirements facing the department that

58:58.895 --> 59:02.334
affect the ability of our military to

59:02.334 --> 59:05.875
deter and defend against potential

59:05.875 --> 59:09.860
aggression worldwide . Portions

59:09.860 --> 59:13.229
of the supplemental request go toward

59:13.229 --> 59:17.149
paying these bills and are necessary to

59:17.149 --> 59:19.889
restore readiness , repair or replace

59:20.469 --> 59:23.590
battle damage to aircraft , ships , or

59:23.590 --> 59:27.590
bases and address urgent munitions

59:27.590 --> 59:31.070
challenges . I understand and I'm told

59:31.070 --> 59:35.070
that . Some military services face near

59:35.070 --> 59:39.030
term solvency challenges . What will

59:39.030 --> 59:42.669
be the impact on our troops if

59:42.669 --> 59:46.290
additional funding is not provided ?

59:46.550 --> 59:49.830
Are there military exercises , for

59:49.830 --> 59:53.060
example , that are at risk of

59:53.060 --> 59:56.389
cancellation ? What message will we be

59:56.389 --> 59:58.590
sending to the world ? Secretary

59:58.590 --> 01:00:01.590
Hegseth , either you are Senator or

01:00:01.590 --> 01:00:05.469
General Kaine . Uh Chairwoman ,

01:00:05.510 --> 01:00:07.566
I very much appreciate that question

01:00:07.566 --> 01:00:09.343
and it's , uh , cause it , it's

01:00:09.343 --> 01:00:11.454
connected to the real world realities

01:00:11.454 --> 01:00:13.510
of this budget cycle . Uh , there is

01:00:13.510 --> 01:00:16.189
training , uh , training right now and

01:00:16.189 --> 01:00:18.356
training in the future that would have

01:00:18.356 --> 01:00:20.411
to be curtailed if we do not get our

01:00:20.411 --> 01:00:20.340
budget needs met and met , uh ,

01:00:20.500 --> 01:00:23.030
urgently . And yes , some of that has

01:00:23.030 --> 01:00:25.699
to do with the current budget cycle and

01:00:25.699 --> 01:00:27.921
how things , how things come together ,

01:00:27.921 --> 01:00:30.169
but we are a department . That for 4

01:00:30.169 --> 01:00:32.336
years met funding shortfalls under the

01:00:32.336 --> 01:00:34.502
previous administration . It was not a

01:00:34.502 --> 01:00:34.409
priority to fund the Department of

01:00:34.409 --> 01:00:36.729
Defense under , under Joe Biden . It

01:00:36.729 --> 01:00:38.785
also took the munitions and a lot of

01:00:38.785 --> 01:00:40.507
the , the , the , there were 5

01:00:40.507 --> 01:00:42.507
supplementals out of this committee

01:00:42.507 --> 01:00:44.562
that took munitions 1 for 1 and sent

01:00:44.562 --> 01:00:46.409
them to Ukraine and had tried to

01:00:46.409 --> 01:00:48.631
replace them with the same bureaucratic

01:00:48.631 --> 01:00:50.687
process that was too slow and didn't

01:00:50.687 --> 01:00:52.742
replace them in real time . And then

01:00:52.742 --> 01:00:54.798
there were threats that were ignored

01:00:54.798 --> 01:00:54.530
around the world . So you're looking at

01:00:54.530 --> 01:00:56.870
a lot of negligence and a lot of

01:00:57.050 --> 01:00:58.772
deferred maintenance that this

01:00:58.772 --> 01:01:00.883
department is having to catch up on .

01:01:00.883 --> 01:01:02.661
And so that's why I call this a

01:01:02.661 --> 01:01:04.883
generational investment . It truly is .

01:01:04.883 --> 01:01:07.050
This is $1.5 trillion budget with this

01:01:07.050 --> 01:01:09.272
supplemental being part of it is how we

01:01:09.272 --> 01:01:11.383
catch up and get ahead . And ensuring

01:01:11.383 --> 01:01:13.550
the process we're putting soldiers and

01:01:13.550 --> 01:01:15.494
sailors and airmen first , Marines

01:01:15.494 --> 01:01:17.439
first , guardians , that their pay

01:01:17.439 --> 01:01:19.328
increases , that the end strength

01:01:19.328 --> 01:01:21.328
increases that have gone up because

01:01:21.328 --> 01:01:23.383
recruiting is at historic levels are

01:01:23.383 --> 01:01:25.606
fully funded . So rather than trying to

01:01:25.606 --> 01:01:25.070
play catch up and make sure we're not

01:01:25.070 --> 01:01:27.292
losing training , we should be ahead of

01:01:27.292 --> 01:01:29.348
that curve , and that's where we . I

01:01:29.348 --> 01:01:31.459
think 1.5 trillion can get us . Thank

01:01:31.459 --> 01:01:34.340
you , Senator Kaine . Senator , I keep

01:01:34.340 --> 01:01:36.760
calling you Senator General Kaine . I'm

01:01:36.760 --> 01:01:39.479
going to , uh , ask you to respond for

01:01:39.479 --> 01:01:42.280
the record because in my remaining time

01:01:42.550 --> 01:01:45.860
I do wanna ask Secretary Rollins a

01:01:45.879 --> 01:01:48.350
question . Uh , Secretary Rollins , as

01:01:48.350 --> 01:01:51.270
we heard from the previous panel , our

01:01:51.270 --> 01:01:54.350
country has many outstanding recovery

01:01:54.350 --> 01:01:58.350
needs from disasters and other related

01:01:58.350 --> 01:02:01.629
weather-related events over the past

01:02:01.629 --> 01:02:05.350
two years , as this chart shows , and

01:02:05.350 --> 01:02:07.729
this is a chart from your department .

01:02:08.469 --> 01:02:12.030
Many have unmet weather-related

01:02:12.030 --> 01:02:15.469
agricultural losses in Maine . Many of

01:02:15.469 --> 01:02:18.189
our producers are struggling amid a

01:02:18.189 --> 01:02:20.989
combination of market volatility and

01:02:20.989 --> 01:02:24.229
disaster conditions last year , which

01:02:24.229 --> 01:02:27.189
included excessive rainfall in the

01:02:27.189 --> 01:02:30.149
spring followed by a severe drought .

01:02:30.469 --> 01:02:33.489
They need relief , yet the

01:02:33.489 --> 01:02:35.600
administration . supplemental request

01:02:35.600 --> 01:02:38.090
does not include funding to address

01:02:38.090 --> 01:02:41.770
these recovery needs . It does have

01:02:41.770 --> 01:02:44.629
1.1 billion to help Florida

01:02:44.850 --> 01:02:47.729
agricultural producers rebound from a

01:02:47.729 --> 01:02:51.570
severe freeze this past winter , but

01:02:51.570 --> 01:02:54.489
nothing for prior disasters in other

01:02:54.489 --> 01:02:57.350
states . Can you explain USA

01:02:57.350 --> 01:03:00.580
USDA's thinking ? Behind

01:03:00.580 --> 01:03:03.939
focusing your request just on the

01:03:03.939 --> 01:03:07.860
2026 freeze rather than on

01:03:07.860 --> 01:03:11.540
the 2025 disaster

01:03:11.540 --> 01:03:14.659
declarations that you made . Senator

01:03:16.209 --> 01:03:18.153
Yes , Senator , thank you for that

01:03:18.153 --> 01:03:20.265
question . Uh , the , obviously the ,

01:03:20.265 --> 01:03:22.320
the discussions that went on over at

01:03:22.320 --> 01:03:24.689
OMB and with our teams continue , but

01:03:24.689 --> 01:03:26.689
what I will say is we are obviously

01:03:26.689 --> 01:03:30.689
100% in support of any sort of disaster

01:03:30.689 --> 01:03:32.522
relief program for our farmers ,

01:03:32.522 --> 01:03:35.149
whether it's hurricane , uh , tornado ,

01:03:35.449 --> 01:03:37.969
drought , freeze , etc . So look

01:03:37.969 --> 01:03:40.191
forward to working with you on that and

01:03:40.191 --> 01:03:42.302
specifically understanding the larger

01:03:42.302 --> 01:03:44.469
context here that . Uh , there's a lot

01:03:44.469 --> 01:03:46.691
of farmers , a lot of producers who are

01:03:46.691 --> 01:03:48.747
really hurting , not just in Florida

01:03:48.747 --> 01:03:50.913
and not just from the freeze . So it's

01:03:50.913 --> 01:03:50.419
important that we work together to

01:03:50.419 --> 01:03:53.419
solve for that . Thank you , Senator

01:03:53.419 --> 01:03:56.699
Murray . Thank you , Chair Collins .

01:03:57.030 --> 01:03:58.989
Secretary Hague Seth , um , your

01:03:58.989 --> 01:04:02.750
department received $150 billion last

01:04:02.750 --> 01:04:04.917
year in the Republicans' Big Beautiful

01:04:04.917 --> 01:04:06.750
bill . It also received a record

01:04:06.750 --> 01:04:09.750
$839 billion for fiscal year

01:04:09.750 --> 01:04:12.340
2026 , more money than you asked for

01:04:12.340 --> 01:04:14.909
last year . Combined , that is a $1

01:04:14.909 --> 01:04:17.270
trillion budget for the year and as I

01:04:17.270 --> 01:04:19.492
already mentioned , your department has

01:04:19.492 --> 01:04:21.714
yet to spend half of the reconciliation

01:04:21.714 --> 01:04:23.881
funds . And despite that , you're here

01:04:23.881 --> 01:04:25.979
today asking for tens of billions of

01:04:25.979 --> 01:04:28.030
dollars more for things that you've

01:04:28.030 --> 01:04:30.689
already asked for in your FY 27 request

01:04:30.989 --> 01:04:33.156
or that have nothing to do with Iran .

01:04:33.620 --> 01:04:35.731
This administration has tried to sell

01:04:35.731 --> 01:04:38.340
this as an emergency request , but it

01:04:38.340 --> 01:04:40.507
may be better understood as an attempt

01:04:40.507 --> 01:04:42.820
to skirt the normal appropriations

01:04:42.820 --> 01:04:44.876
process . Here are just a few of the

01:04:44.876 --> 01:04:46.899
things requested in this Iran

01:04:46.899 --> 01:04:49.580
supplemental 800 million for the

01:04:49.580 --> 01:04:52.479
National Guard to patrol DC even longer ,

01:04:52.899 --> 01:04:55.500
over 1 billion for the Army to patrol

01:04:55.500 --> 01:04:57.556
the southern border , which is DHS's

01:04:57.556 --> 01:05:00.649
job , 900 million to support the

01:05:00.649 --> 01:05:02.760
administration's illegal boat strikes

01:05:02.760 --> 01:05:05.110
in the Caribbean . Over 18 billion for

01:05:05.110 --> 01:05:06.943
munitions , which you've already

01:05:06.943 --> 01:05:09.719
requested in your FY 27 budget request ,

01:05:10.070 --> 01:05:13.270
and 1.7 billion to pay for your

01:05:13.270 --> 01:05:15.326
decision to recruit more people than

01:05:15.326 --> 01:05:17.214
the services need , which was not

01:05:17.214 --> 01:05:19.850
contemplated by the FY 26 funding bill

01:05:20.189 --> 01:05:22.669
Congress recently passed . Now you've

01:05:22.669 --> 01:05:24.558
already submitted a reprogramming

01:05:24.558 --> 01:05:26.750
request on this that our subcommittee

01:05:26.750 --> 01:05:28.639
is considering now , which really

01:05:28.639 --> 01:05:30.583
underscores the point I made in my

01:05:30.583 --> 01:05:32.750
opening remarks that the problem's not

01:05:32.750 --> 01:05:34.917
a lack of money but poor planning . So

01:05:34.917 --> 01:05:37.139
I'll be blunt , the , the truth is your

01:05:37.139 --> 01:05:39.306
request does not make a lot of sense .

01:05:39.306 --> 01:05:41.417
So let me ask you a simple question .

01:05:41.417 --> 01:05:43.649
Why exactly are billions of dollars

01:05:43.649 --> 01:05:46.060
more for the National Guard and this

01:05:46.060 --> 01:05:48.282
administration's illegal strikes in the

01:05:48.282 --> 01:05:50.449
Caribbean urgently needed for the Iran

01:05:50.449 --> 01:05:54.080
war ? Well , Senator , I wouldn't , uh ,

01:05:54.159 --> 01:05:55.603
of course agree with your

01:05:55.603 --> 01:05:57.826
characterization , but why this kind of

01:05:57.826 --> 01:05:59.881
spending is needed is because of the

01:05:59.881 --> 01:06:01.881
gross negligence and neglect of the

01:06:01.881 --> 01:06:01.479
Biden administration inside our

01:06:01.479 --> 01:06:03.780
department . Ran it like a bureaucracy .

01:06:04.169 --> 01:06:06.770
Uh , abandoned , uh , our , our , our

01:06:06.770 --> 01:06:08.937
strength posture around the world , so

01:06:08.937 --> 01:06:11.214
we're having to reestablish deterrence .

01:06:11.214 --> 01:06:13.270
Uh , just to , you mentioned the end

01:06:13.270 --> 01:06:12.449
strength numbers , and I will

01:06:12.449 --> 01:06:14.671
acknowledge that , uh , we are ahead of

01:06:14.671 --> 01:06:16.949
schedule on end strength in recruiting .

01:06:16.949 --> 01:06:19.409
8000 in the Navy , 6 , 6000 in the Army ,

01:06:19.489 --> 01:06:21.679
4000 in the Air Force , because under

01:06:21.679 --> 01:06:23.790
President Trump , there's been record

01:06:23.790 --> 01:06:25.846
and historic over 30-year recruiting

01:06:25.846 --> 01:06:28.012
record . Records inside our department

01:06:28.012 --> 01:06:30.123
since he won the election because the

01:06:30.123 --> 01:06:32.290
American people didn't want to sign up

01:06:32.290 --> 01:06:34.346
for what Joe Biden was providing our

01:06:34.346 --> 01:06:36.568
military , and they want to sign up for

01:06:36.568 --> 01:06:36.055
what President Trump is doing in his

01:06:36.055 --> 01:06:37.999
leadership . And so those are good

01:06:37.999 --> 01:06:40.111
problems to have that we need to fund

01:06:40.111 --> 01:06:42.333
and a reflection of momentum , and this

01:06:42.333 --> 01:06:44.388
budget will allow us to continue the

01:06:44.388 --> 01:06:44.355
kind of momentum that gets us ahead .

01:06:44.565 --> 01:06:46.732
My point is that a lot of this request

01:06:46.732 --> 01:06:48.843
does not feel like an emergency . and

01:06:48.843 --> 01:06:51.065
let me move on . Secretary Hague said ,

01:06:51.065 --> 01:06:53.287
like most Americans , I've had a lot of

01:06:53.287 --> 01:06:55.509
trouble following this administration's

01:06:55.509 --> 01:06:57.787
contradictory statements about the war .

01:06:57.787 --> 01:07:00.009
On April 8th , you said , and I quote ,

01:07:00.009 --> 01:07:02.121
Their missile program is functionally

01:07:02.121 --> 01:07:04.065
destroyed , launchers , production

01:07:04.065 --> 01:07:06.121
facilities , and existing stockpiles

01:07:06.121 --> 01:07:08.302
depleted and decimated and almost

01:07:08.302 --> 01:07:11.000
completely ineffective . Mr . Secretary ,

01:07:11.120 --> 01:07:14.270
Iran has been firing at US military

01:07:14.270 --> 01:07:16.439
bases in the region and ships for the

01:07:16.439 --> 01:07:19.320
last week . How is it possible if their

01:07:19.320 --> 01:07:21.439
capabilities were functionally

01:07:21.439 --> 01:07:23.661
destroyed three months earlier , as she

01:07:23.661 --> 01:07:25.883
claimed for them to be doing this now ?

01:07:26.510 --> 01:07:28.732
Well , Senator , Iran is at the weakest

01:07:28.732 --> 01:07:30.954
point militarily it has ever been in in

01:07:30.954 --> 01:07:33.750
the past decade , certainly maybe in 47

01:07:33.750 --> 01:07:35.972
years as they've gathered effectively a

01:07:35.972 --> 01:07:38.139
terror army , and that terror army was

01:07:38.139 --> 01:07:40.139
built to try to create conventional

01:07:40.139 --> 01:07:41.972
capabilities to defend against a

01:07:41.972 --> 01:07:43.917
pursuit of nuclear weapons , which

01:07:43.917 --> 01:07:46.139
meant thousands of ballistic missiles ,

01:07:46.139 --> 01:07:48.028
many of which we have destroyed ,

01:07:48.028 --> 01:07:50.083
others of which they have put inside

01:07:50.083 --> 01:07:49.989
facilities and hidden in underground

01:07:49.989 --> 01:07:52.211
facilities . That's what terror regimes

01:07:52.211 --> 01:07:54.267
would do so . Acknowledge they still

01:07:54.267 --> 01:07:56.433
have capabilities , no doubt , but the

01:07:56.433 --> 01:07:58.545
amount of , the amount of damage that

01:07:58.545 --> 01:08:00.767
we've done to them over the course of ,

01:08:00.767 --> 01:08:02.600
uh , of the , of these series of

01:08:02.600 --> 01:08:02.189
operations has put them in the worst

01:08:02.189 --> 01:08:04.300
place they've ever been . OK , well ,

01:08:04.300 --> 01:08:06.189
let me move on . On May 5th , you

01:08:06.189 --> 01:08:08.300
claimed that Iran doesn't control the

01:08:08.300 --> 01:08:10.467
strait , and you said that there was a

01:08:10.467 --> 01:08:12.522
powerful red , white , and blue dome

01:08:12.522 --> 01:08:14.578
over the strait . If that was true ,

01:08:14.578 --> 01:08:16.800
how did Iran shrink ship traffic in the

01:08:16.800 --> 01:08:18.856
strait to trickle to a trickle again

01:08:18.856 --> 01:08:21.470
last week ? We pushed almost , I

01:08:21.470 --> 01:08:23.790
believe , between 400 and 500 million

01:08:23.790 --> 01:08:25.901
barrels of oil under the nose of Iran

01:08:25.901 --> 01:08:27.957
over the course of Project Freedom ,

01:08:27.957 --> 01:08:30.179
which went underground , which I , uh ,

01:08:30.179 --> 01:08:32.290
acknowledged after we did so covertly

01:08:32.290 --> 01:08:34.457
because it was more effective to do so

01:08:34.457 --> 01:08:34.390
quietly than to do so publicly . So

01:08:34.390 --> 01:08:36.870
we've been in control of moving traffic

01:08:36.870 --> 01:08:38.870
through there for quite some time .

01:08:38.870 --> 01:08:40.759
Well , they retain the ability to

01:08:40.759 --> 01:08:43.092
recklessly shoot at commercial shipping ,

01:08:43.092 --> 01:08:41.709
and that's what happened . We had a

01:08:41.709 --> 01:08:43.779
ceasefire and then they shot at

01:08:43.779 --> 01:08:46.390
commercial shipping recklessly said

01:08:46.390 --> 01:08:48.310
that's what changed it same press

01:08:48.310 --> 01:08:50.643
conference , and I'm going to quote you .

01:08:50.643 --> 01:08:52.588
Um , you urged Iran to quote , let

01:08:52.588 --> 01:08:54.709
innocent ships pass freely . These

01:08:54.709 --> 01:08:56.653
international waters belong to all

01:08:56.653 --> 01:08:59.310
nations , not to Iran to tax , toll or

01:08:59.310 --> 01:09:01.421
control . Last week , President Trump

01:09:01.421 --> 01:09:03.910
said the US would charge a 20% toll to

01:09:03.910 --> 01:09:06.021
each ship to pass through the state .

01:09:06.021 --> 01:09:08.270
So based on your opposition to tolls ,

01:09:08.390 --> 01:09:10.446
did you talk to the president out of

01:09:10.446 --> 01:09:13.229
that idea , or did someone else ? Um ,

01:09:14.220 --> 01:09:16.620
Iran's not charging tolls , and they're

01:09:16.620 --> 01:09:19.259
shooting at ships right now , but Trump

01:09:19.259 --> 01:09:21.310
said that he wanted to charge a 20%

01:09:21.310 --> 01:09:24.119
toll . We , we have a blockade right

01:09:24.119 --> 01:09:26.175
now of all Iranian ships and Iranian

01:09:26.175 --> 01:09:28.341
ports , and uh it's , it's effective .

01:09:28.341 --> 01:09:32.290
My time is up . Senator Murkowski ,

01:09:32.529 --> 01:09:34.696
thank you , Madam Chairman , and thank

01:09:34.696 --> 01:09:37.689
you all for , for being here . Um , uh ,

01:09:37.770 --> 01:09:39.770
challenging , challenging times . I

01:09:39.770 --> 01:09:41.992
think we all recognize that . Secretary

01:09:41.992 --> 01:09:43.881
Hegseth , I wanna ask , um , just

01:09:43.881 --> 01:09:46.470
specific to Iran authorization , um ,

01:09:46.689 --> 01:09:49.529
the administration has made the , the

01:09:49.529 --> 01:09:51.970
case that the action in Iran falls

01:09:51.970 --> 01:09:54.009
under the president's Article 2

01:09:54.009 --> 01:09:57.520
authorities , and we , we . Can have a

01:09:57.520 --> 01:09:59.576
disagreement . Reasonable people can

01:09:59.576 --> 01:10:01.631
disagree about the boundaries of the

01:10:01.631 --> 01:10:03.853
presidential war powers , um , and have

01:10:03.853 --> 01:10:06.020
for a long period of time , but I look

01:10:06.020 --> 01:10:08.242
at the war powers resolution and it's ,

01:10:08.242 --> 01:10:10.464
it's , it's not ambiguous . It requires

01:10:10.464 --> 01:10:12.631
the president to terminate hostilities

01:10:12.631 --> 01:10:14.631
within 60 days absent congressional

01:10:14.631 --> 01:10:17.020
authorization . So hostilities began

01:10:17.020 --> 01:10:21.020
February 28th , um , uh , May 1st ,

01:10:21.299 --> 01:10:23.479
um , Congress was informed that

01:10:23.479 --> 01:10:26.759
hostilities had ended . But yet despite

01:10:26.919 --> 01:10:29.240
the fact that that hostilities had

01:10:29.240 --> 01:10:31.560
ended , we were still seeing sailors

01:10:31.560 --> 01:10:34.759
being fired upon , um , uh , still

01:10:34.759 --> 01:10:38.180
activity . Then in June . Uh , MOU is

01:10:38.180 --> 01:10:40.347
signed to preserve the ceasefire while

01:10:40.347 --> 01:10:43.100
negotiations continue . That MOU has

01:10:43.100 --> 01:10:45.939
now collapsed and we're seeing the uh

01:10:45.939 --> 01:10:48.540
resumed attacks in , in the Straits of

01:10:48.540 --> 01:10:51.180
Hormuz on July 10th . The

01:10:51.180 --> 01:10:53.402
administration sends Congress a new war

01:10:53.402 --> 01:10:55.291
powers notification , effectively

01:10:55.291 --> 01:10:57.513
starting , restarting , excuse me , the

01:10:57.513 --> 01:11:00.020
60 day clock again , so . I'm concerned

01:11:00.020 --> 01:11:03.370
about this sequence because you have

01:11:03.370 --> 01:11:06.549
a situation where the claim essentially

01:11:06.549 --> 01:11:08.716
allows the president to extinguish the

01:11:08.716 --> 01:11:10.716
war powers clock just at the moment

01:11:10.716 --> 01:11:13.790
that it becomes legally inconvenient

01:11:13.790 --> 01:11:15.623
through declaration of temporary

01:11:15.623 --> 01:11:17.790
ceasefire , then it's reset , avoiding

01:11:17.790 --> 01:11:19.870
the congressional authorization that

01:11:19.870 --> 01:11:22.029
the Constitution requires and the war

01:11:22.029 --> 01:11:25.024
powers intends . So we had an

01:11:25.024 --> 01:11:27.135
opportunity in previous uh probations

01:11:27.135 --> 01:11:30.205
hearing for me to ask if you felt the

01:11:30.205 --> 01:11:32.261
administration had all the authority

01:11:32.261 --> 01:11:34.427
that it needed . Um , you indicated at

01:11:34.427 --> 01:11:37.765
that time that no , uh , additional

01:11:37.765 --> 01:11:39.875
authority was not needed . Are you ,

01:11:40.004 --> 01:11:42.115
are you still , is the administration

01:11:42.115 --> 01:11:44.524
still taking that position about

01:11:44.524 --> 01:11:47.084
needing no authorization from Congress

01:11:47.084 --> 01:11:49.899
at this time ? Senator , I know there's

01:11:49.899 --> 01:11:52.359
a long , um , long standing legal ,

01:11:52.370 --> 01:11:54.592
legal debate on this particular topic ,

01:11:54.592 --> 01:11:56.703
but we certainly as a department take

01:11:56.703 --> 01:11:58.703
the share the position of the White

01:11:58.703 --> 01:12:00.870
House that we have all the authorities

01:12:00.870 --> 01:12:00.500
necessary at this moment . So , so let

01:12:00.500 --> 01:12:02.611
me just kind of do a follow on , um .

01:12:03.000 --> 01:12:05.209
Uh , in the Clinton administration ,

01:12:05.290 --> 01:12:08.290
this is 1999 , there was a , uh , an

01:12:08.290 --> 01:12:10.512
operation that was launched , Operation

01:12:10.512 --> 01:12:12.729
Allied Force , NATO airstrikes against

01:12:12.729 --> 01:12:15.770
Yugoslavia . There was not , um , a

01:12:15.770 --> 01:12:17.937
prior congressional authorization that

01:12:17.937 --> 01:12:20.700
was sought . Uh , President Clinton

01:12:20.700 --> 01:12:22.867
notified Congress under the war powers

01:12:22.867 --> 01:12:26.600
resolution , um . And then , uh , sent ,

01:12:27.220 --> 01:12:29.379
uh , subsequent to that sent Congress

01:12:29.379 --> 01:12:31.500
an emergency supplemental funding

01:12:31.500 --> 01:12:33.580
request . It was about $6 billion to

01:12:33.580 --> 01:12:36.899
cover the cost of Kosovo operations .

01:12:37.419 --> 01:12:39.990
Congress then passed a supplemental

01:12:39.990 --> 01:12:43.140
package that that covered the

01:12:43.140 --> 01:12:45.279
president's request plus additional

01:12:45.620 --> 01:12:48.140
military funding , but Congress never

01:12:48.140 --> 01:12:50.259
passed a standalone authorization for

01:12:50.259 --> 01:12:53.189
use of military force in in Kosovo . Uh ,

01:12:53.229 --> 01:12:55.285
when the war powers clock was set to

01:12:55.285 --> 01:12:59.060
run out then in , in May of 1999 , the ,

01:12:59.279 --> 01:13:02.609
the Clinton Justice Department's Office

01:13:02.609 --> 01:13:05.350
of Legal Counsel issued an opinion

01:13:05.350 --> 01:13:07.017
holding that the supplemental

01:13:07.017 --> 01:13:09.750
appropriation itself passed without any

01:13:09.750 --> 01:13:12.750
authorizing language satisfied the war

01:13:12.750 --> 01:13:15.910
powers resolution requirement . So is

01:13:15.910 --> 01:13:19.069
the department looking to that or

01:13:19.069 --> 01:13:21.109
intending to rely on that same

01:13:21.109 --> 01:13:24.189
reasoning . That funding alone can

01:13:24.189 --> 01:13:26.830
substitute for explicit congressional

01:13:26.830 --> 01:13:30.009
authorization . Senator , I , I would ,

01:13:30.069 --> 01:13:32.236
uh , I would have to defer to our , to

01:13:32.236 --> 01:13:34.458
our legal department and we'll get back

01:13:34.458 --> 01:13:34.259
to you with , with our views on that .

01:13:34.370 --> 01:13:36.879
But as of right now we think standalone

01:13:37.180 --> 01:13:39.402
Article Two authorities exist for us to

01:13:39.402 --> 01:13:41.624
conduct this operation on behalf of the

01:13:41.624 --> 01:13:41.410
defense of the American people that the

01:13:41.410 --> 01:13:43.410
president has those authorities and

01:13:43.410 --> 01:13:45.466
seeking this funding is important in

01:13:45.466 --> 01:13:47.577
pursuit of that and our $1.5 trillion

01:13:47.577 --> 01:13:49.799
budget , but I wouldn't connect the two

01:13:49.799 --> 01:13:52.021
without consulting with our legal folks

01:13:52.021 --> 01:13:54.189
first . In my remaining time , let me

01:13:54.189 --> 01:13:56.649
turn to you , uh , Secretary Rawlins .

01:13:56.910 --> 01:13:58.688
Um , I appreciate that you have

01:13:58.688 --> 01:14:00.910
acknowledged that fishermen are farmers

01:14:00.910 --> 01:14:03.509
of the sea . Um , I don't know whether

01:14:03.509 --> 01:14:05.629
you are aware whether any fishermen

01:14:05.629 --> 01:14:07.407
will be eligible for any of the

01:14:07.407 --> 01:14:09.462
supplemental funding . They too have

01:14:09.462 --> 01:14:11.629
faced many of the same challenges that

01:14:11.629 --> 01:14:13.851
our farmers have with high fuel costs ,

01:14:13.851 --> 01:14:15.573
uh , the impact from tariffs ,

01:14:15.573 --> 01:14:18.810
disasters , um , that we have seen , uh ,

01:14:19.109 --> 01:14:21.310
in the 15 seconds remaining , any help

01:14:21.310 --> 01:14:23.629
for our fishermen . Well , I remember

01:14:23.629 --> 01:14:25.740
having the conversation with you when

01:14:25.740 --> 01:14:27.851
we were going through the process and

01:14:27.851 --> 01:14:29.851
my commitment to you and to Senator

01:14:29.851 --> 01:14:31.962
Collins and Some of our others on the

01:14:31.962 --> 01:14:34.185
across the aisle was that it's time for

01:14:34.185 --> 01:14:36.407
USDA to recognize our fishermen as part

01:14:36.407 --> 01:14:38.351
of our farmers of the sea . That's

01:14:38.351 --> 01:14:40.518
never happened before . We now have an

01:14:40.518 --> 01:14:42.629
office at USDA focused on fishermen ,

01:14:42.629 --> 01:14:44.796
and so I think as you all move forward

01:14:44.796 --> 01:14:44.520
with the supplemental , the

01:14:44.520 --> 01:14:46.687
conversation , obviously up to you all

01:14:46.687 --> 01:14:48.464
what that looks like , but very

01:14:48.464 --> 01:14:50.576
supportive of treating our , uh , our

01:14:50.576 --> 01:14:52.742
fishermen similarly to the rest of our

01:14:52.742 --> 01:14:54.964
farmers . Thank you . Thank you , Madam

01:14:54.964 --> 01:14:57.020
Chair . Thank you , Senator Durbin .

01:14:57.140 --> 01:14:59.680
Thanks , Madam Chair . Mr . Secretary ,

01:15:00.310 --> 01:15:02.032
I'd like to ask you to help me

01:15:02.032 --> 01:15:04.620
reconcile some numbers . It's my

01:15:04.620 --> 01:15:06.287
understanding that this whole

01:15:06.287 --> 01:15:09.589
supplementary funding request is $87.6

01:15:09.589 --> 01:15:12.939
billion and most of the funding , $67

01:15:12.939 --> 01:15:14.772
billion is for the Department of

01:15:14.772 --> 01:15:16.439
Defense . Yet we are told the

01:15:16.439 --> 01:15:18.810
Department of Defense still has $75

01:15:18.810 --> 01:15:21.240
billion in unobligated funding from

01:15:21.240 --> 01:15:23.500
last year's reconciliation package . Is

01:15:23.500 --> 01:15:27.299
that true ? Um , roughly correct

01:15:27.299 --> 01:15:29.620
numbers , yes . So you left some change

01:15:29.620 --> 01:15:31.620
on the dresser before you , uh ,

01:15:32.220 --> 01:15:34.220
prepared to come for this hearing .

01:15:34.220 --> 01:15:36.109
What's going to happen to that 75

01:15:36.109 --> 01:15:38.479
billion ? Well , that 75 is , there's

01:15:38.649 --> 01:15:40.760
plans and designs on that part of the

01:15:40.760 --> 01:15:42.982
rebuild of our military which had to be

01:15:42.982 --> 01:15:44.982
undertaken and so one big beautiful

01:15:44.982 --> 01:15:47.205
bill gave us specific avenues , but I'd

01:15:47.205 --> 01:15:47.140
have to get you the exact numbers of

01:15:47.140 --> 01:15:49.362
what that is left to be allocated to do

01:15:49.362 --> 01:15:51.473
with the war in Iran . No , this is ,

01:15:51.473 --> 01:15:53.529
this is rebuilding our military from

01:15:53.529 --> 01:15:55.640
what was not funded in the past under

01:15:55.640 --> 01:15:57.807
the Biden administration . So that's ,

01:15:57.807 --> 01:15:59.918
these are , this is from 2026 , 1 big

01:15:59.918 --> 01:15:59.879
beautiful bill which , which helped

01:16:00.140 --> 01:16:02.196
move the president's priorities like

01:16:02.196 --> 01:16:04.196
Golden Dome for America , move away

01:16:04.196 --> 01:16:06.251
from all the woke priorities of , of

01:16:06.251 --> 01:16:05.939
what the Biden administration was

01:16:05.939 --> 01:16:07.995
pursuing , give us a chance to start

01:16:07.995 --> 01:16:10.161
cutting these deals on munitions , all

01:16:10.161 --> 01:16:12.383
the things that we , he , the president

01:16:12.383 --> 01:16:14.439
wanted us to focus on shipbuilding ,

01:16:14.439 --> 01:16:16.272
hypersonics . I mean , the Biden

01:16:16.272 --> 01:16:15.660
administration ignored hypersonics .

01:16:15.899 --> 01:16:18.066
They just decided to pretend like that

01:16:18.066 --> 01:16:19.788
technology didn't exist and we

01:16:19.788 --> 01:16:21.843
shouldn't invest in it . They're are

01:16:21.843 --> 01:16:23.899
things . I , I don't know what Lloyd

01:16:23.899 --> 01:16:26.232
Austin did for 4 years . I really don't .

01:16:26.232 --> 01:16:28.343
The amount of neglect , the amount of

01:16:28.343 --> 01:16:30.566
stale thinking and bureaucracy , it was

01:16:30.566 --> 01:16:32.677
staggering when we took over . So one

01:16:32.677 --> 01:16:34.843
big beautiful bill gave us a chance to

01:16:34.843 --> 01:16:34.330
interrupt your speech for a minute , Mr .

01:16:34.490 --> 01:16:36.540
Secretary . It's my turn to ask

01:16:36.540 --> 01:16:38.318
questions . I've been listening

01:16:38.318 --> 01:16:39.984
patiently while you made your

01:16:39.984 --> 01:16:41.984
presentation . You estimated at one

01:16:41.984 --> 01:16:44.151
point that the cost of the war in Iran

01:16:44.151 --> 01:16:47.919
was $29 billion but then

01:16:47.930 --> 01:16:49.850
added a caveat that there was a

01:16:49.850 --> 01:16:52.128
replacement of munitions , for example .

01:16:52.128 --> 01:16:54.239
Do you have a new estimate about what

01:16:54.239 --> 01:16:56.294
the war has cost us so far in this ,

01:16:56.294 --> 01:16:58.350
the fifth month of the first year of

01:16:58.350 --> 01:17:00.461
this war in Iran ? Uh , Senator , the

01:17:00.461 --> 01:17:03.330
estimate we have as of today is $37.5

01:17:03.330 --> 01:17:05.930
billion . And is the current activity

01:17:05.930 --> 01:17:07.839
which we've been told about the

01:17:07.839 --> 01:17:10.580
exchange of fire back and forth in Iran

01:17:10.580 --> 01:17:12.802
an indication that that number is going

01:17:12.802 --> 01:17:15.080
to go up in the months ahead . So , uh ,

01:17:15.080 --> 01:17:17.302
some of that number captures additional

01:17:17.302 --> 01:17:19.358
O&M mill pay and other that would be

01:17:19.358 --> 01:17:21.580
anticipate through the fiscal year . So

01:17:21.580 --> 01:17:23.580
some of that anticipates what costs

01:17:23.580 --> 01:17:23.089
would be going out in the future as

01:17:23.089 --> 01:17:25.200
well . So the new number you've given

01:17:25.200 --> 01:17:28.859
me is what ? 37.5 billion and

01:17:28.859 --> 01:17:30.859
that represents the cost of the war

01:17:30.859 --> 01:17:33.620
through what period of time ? Through

01:17:33.620 --> 01:17:35.676
now for certain aspects of it , uh ,

01:17:35.740 --> 01:17:37.660
but also mill pay O&M , other

01:17:37.660 --> 01:17:39.810
anticipated costs through September

01:17:39.810 --> 01:17:42.220
30th , Senator General Kaine , let me

01:17:42.220 --> 01:17:44.459
ask you a question . I joined a group

01:17:44.459 --> 01:17:46.620
of senators , some are here , Senator

01:17:46.620 --> 01:17:49.709
Rounds , Senator Coons . Senator

01:17:49.709 --> 01:17:52.390
Shaheen and met with President Zelensky

01:17:52.390 --> 01:17:55.910
in Turkey during the NATO summit . He

01:17:55.910 --> 01:17:58.430
was very explicit in terms of what he

01:17:58.430 --> 01:18:01.870
needed . To win He feels the

01:18:01.870 --> 01:18:04.600
momentum in Ukraine is moving to his

01:18:04.600 --> 01:18:07.359
side and that he is putting a foot

01:18:07.359 --> 01:18:09.526
forward instead of back . Is that your

01:18:09.526 --> 01:18:13.310
feeling ? Sir , I think

01:18:13.310 --> 01:18:16.009
the pressure that Ukraine is putting on

01:18:16.009 --> 01:18:18.120
Russia is substantive at this point .

01:18:18.990 --> 01:18:21.279
Do you acknowledge his request that we

01:18:21.279 --> 01:18:23.439
help him with air defenses as a high

01:18:23.439 --> 01:18:25.759
priority ? Sure , I know he's made the

01:18:25.759 --> 01:18:27.959
request . Whether or not that moves

01:18:27.959 --> 01:18:29.919
forward is always a debate in our

01:18:29.919 --> 01:18:32.086
civilian leadership , but I'm aware of

01:18:32.086 --> 01:18:34.086
that request . Are you aware of the

01:18:34.086 --> 01:18:35.975
fact that we appropriated and the

01:18:35.975 --> 01:18:38.141
president signed into law $400 billion

01:18:38.141 --> 01:18:40.252
of supplemental funding for Ukraine ,

01:18:40.252 --> 01:18:42.680
including money for air defenses ? I am ,

01:18:42.799 --> 01:18:45.620
sir . Are you also aware the

01:18:45.620 --> 01:18:47.620
administration has informed us that

01:18:47.620 --> 01:18:49.620
that money will not be available in

01:18:49.620 --> 01:18:51.731
many aspects until the next president

01:18:51.731 --> 01:18:53.842
is in office ? Sir , I'm not aware of

01:18:53.842 --> 01:18:55.731
that . My understanding , uh , my

01:18:55.731 --> 01:18:57.953
understanding was that that capital had

01:18:57.953 --> 01:19:00.176
been allocated , but I'll have to defer

01:19:00.176 --> 01:19:02.287
to my civilian leadership . I'm sorry

01:19:02.287 --> 01:19:04.509
to tell you the pay plan tells us to be

01:19:04.509 --> 01:19:06.676
prepared to spend that money in fiscal

01:19:06.676 --> 01:19:08.787
year 29 . The new president , whoever

01:19:08.787 --> 01:19:10.898
it may be , will make that decision .

01:19:10.939 --> 01:19:12.995
If you're talking about air defenses

01:19:12.995 --> 01:19:14.772
and the momentum on the side of

01:19:14.772 --> 01:19:16.939
Zelensky , what impact will it have if

01:19:16.939 --> 01:19:18.828
we cannot fund this for 3 years ?

01:19:19.649 --> 01:19:21.970
That's right , I want to highlight that

01:19:21.970 --> 01:19:24.270
the incredible work that the Ukraine

01:19:24.569 --> 01:19:27.009
industrial base is doing as they scale

01:19:27.009 --> 01:19:30.129
their own capabilities . It ranges from

01:19:30.129 --> 01:19:32.290
their surface to air capabilities to

01:19:32.290 --> 01:19:34.370
their air to air capabilities . I'll

01:19:34.370 --> 01:19:36.592
note that recently we had the first air

01:19:36.592 --> 01:19:38.814
to air kill where a Ukrainian F-16 shot

01:19:38.814 --> 01:19:40.814
down a Russian fighter . So I think

01:19:40.814 --> 01:19:42.870
their ability to scale their layered

01:19:42.870 --> 01:19:45.939
defense has come along . A long way

01:19:45.939 --> 01:19:48.490
over the past couple of years with the

01:19:48.490 --> 01:19:52.140
help and assistance of many . General ,

01:19:52.250 --> 01:19:54.139
thank you for your service to the

01:19:54.139 --> 01:19:56.306
country and I'm sorry for our losses .

01:19:56.306 --> 01:19:58.250
I believe 17 servicemen have given

01:19:58.250 --> 01:20:00.583
their lives in Iran so far and hundreds ,

01:20:00.583 --> 01:20:02.750
hundreds have been injured . We should

01:20:02.750 --> 01:20:04.972
acknowledge that fact . And let me also

01:20:04.972 --> 01:20:07.139
say we're at a moment in history where

01:20:07.139 --> 01:20:09.361
we can win the war in Ukraine . Victory

01:20:09.361 --> 01:20:11.583
would be critically important for those

01:20:11.583 --> 01:20:13.750
people who have fought for more than 4

01:20:13.750 --> 01:20:15.917
years against the odds and proven they

01:20:15.917 --> 01:20:18.028
can put Putin back on his heels . But

01:20:18.028 --> 01:20:20.194
instead of finding the money that they

01:20:20.194 --> 01:20:22.083
need now for air defenses , we're

01:20:22.083 --> 01:20:24.194
putting more money into this exchange

01:20:24.194 --> 01:20:26.250
with Iran , a war of choice which we

01:20:26.250 --> 01:20:28.472
never should have entered . Thank you ,

01:20:28.472 --> 01:20:31.870
General . Senator Moran , Chairman

01:20:31.870 --> 01:20:33.926
Collins , thank you very much . Uh ,

01:20:33.926 --> 01:20:36.037
let me first begin , uh , with just a

01:20:36.037 --> 01:20:37.926
statement to you , uh , Secretary

01:20:37.926 --> 01:20:40.259
Rollins . Thank you for your leadership .

01:20:40.259 --> 01:20:42.314
Uh , thank you for your attention to

01:20:42.314 --> 01:20:43.926
disaster assistance , hugely

01:20:43.926 --> 01:20:46.037
significant and important , uh , in ,

01:20:46.037 --> 01:20:48.092
uh , in many states represented here

01:20:48.092 --> 01:20:50.259
but across the country , and , uh , it

01:20:50.259 --> 01:20:52.481
is as challenging circumstances as I've

01:20:52.481 --> 01:20:54.592
seen farmers in , uh , in my time and

01:20:54.592 --> 01:20:56.810
represent representing them in the

01:20:56.810 --> 01:20:59.529
United States Congress . Uh , and I

01:20:59.529 --> 01:21:01.696
appreciate my colleague Senator Rounds

01:21:01.696 --> 01:21:03.418
for making that case today . I

01:21:03.418 --> 01:21:05.307
appreciate the efforts by Senator

01:21:05.307 --> 01:21:07.140
Bozeman , the chairman of the Ag

01:21:07.140 --> 01:21:09.196
Committee , and Senator Rounds and ,

01:21:09.196 --> 01:21:11.251
and , uh , his vice chairman Shaheen

01:21:11.251 --> 01:21:11.129
for their efforts here on this

01:21:11.129 --> 01:21:13.729
committee for that effort . Secretary

01:21:13.729 --> 01:21:15.840
Hegseth , let me ask you , uh , about

01:21:15.840 --> 01:21:18.689
your recent visit to the 101st Airborne

01:21:18.689 --> 01:21:22.250
Division . You saw the MV-75 Cheyenne .

01:21:22.970 --> 01:21:24.970
You saw it firsthand and heard from

01:21:24.970 --> 01:21:27.081
soldiers , as I understand it , about

01:21:27.081 --> 01:21:29.248
the next generation capabilities , how

01:21:29.248 --> 01:21:31.414
they will transform the way we fight .

01:21:31.759 --> 01:21:34.970
The Cheyenne has broken through and it

01:21:34.970 --> 01:21:36.803
appears to me in the acquisition

01:21:36.803 --> 01:21:39.930
bureaucracy to deliver a capability for

01:21:39.930 --> 01:21:42.390
our war fighting much faster than it

01:21:42.390 --> 01:21:44.899
otherwise would have happened . As you

01:21:44.899 --> 01:21:46.979
look across acquisition , I mean ,

01:21:47.129 --> 01:21:49.462
we're here talking about appropriations ,

01:21:49.462 --> 01:21:51.629
but the ultimate success we'll have in

01:21:51.629 --> 01:21:53.740
defending our country is putting that

01:21:53.740 --> 01:21:55.907
money to work as quickly as possible .

01:21:55.907 --> 01:21:59.500
So as you look at acquisition , what

01:21:59.500 --> 01:22:01.611
would you tell me we learned from the

01:22:01.611 --> 01:22:03.459
Cheyenne ? Is it a model how the

01:22:03.459 --> 01:22:05.720
department can , uh , it intends to

01:22:05.720 --> 01:22:08.160
field the next generation of capacity

01:22:08.660 --> 01:22:10.771
going forward . What does the program

01:22:10.771 --> 01:22:13.859
need from this committee to meet both

01:22:13.859 --> 01:22:16.759
the schedule and the necessity of its

01:22:16.759 --> 01:22:19.549
capabilities ? Senator , I appreciate

01:22:19.549 --> 01:22:21.771
the question . I think it's in part one

01:22:21.771 --> 01:22:23.993
of the untold stories of our department

01:22:23.993 --> 01:22:25.493
is , is how we've tried to

01:22:25.493 --> 01:22:27.549
revolutionize the speed and scale of

01:22:27.549 --> 01:22:29.771
new acquisitions and procurement . Some

01:22:29.771 --> 01:22:31.827
of it through munitions and ensuring

01:22:31.827 --> 01:22:31.529
that companies pay for building their

01:22:31.529 --> 01:22:33.585
own factories and their own assembly

01:22:33.585 --> 01:22:35.807
lines so that we're saving billions and

01:22:35.807 --> 01:22:37.918
billions as taxpayers while companies

01:22:37.918 --> 01:22:39.696
invest . And when you invest in

01:22:39.696 --> 01:22:39.529
something with your own money , you

01:22:39.529 --> 01:22:41.307
want to see it succeed ahead of

01:22:41.307 --> 01:22:43.529
schedule and on time . Also opening the

01:22:43.529 --> 01:22:45.529
aperture so it's not just the prime

01:22:45.529 --> 01:22:47.585
contractors that are competing , but

01:22:47.585 --> 01:22:49.751
new entrants who make , uh , high cost

01:22:49.751 --> 01:22:51.918
and low cost capabilities . I think in

01:22:51.918 --> 01:22:54.085
particular on the Cheyenne and , and ,

01:22:54.085 --> 01:22:56.307
and , you know , the Black Hawk and the

01:22:56.307 --> 01:22:58.362
replacement . The gap that some have

01:22:58.362 --> 01:23:00.362
identified could exist based on the

01:23:00.362 --> 01:23:02.473
hesitation on speed and replacement .

01:23:02.473 --> 01:23:04.473
Is , is , uh , exists because of an

01:23:04.473 --> 01:23:06.640
austerity mindset again that goes back

01:23:06.640 --> 01:23:08.751
to the Biden administration of divest

01:23:08.751 --> 01:23:10.862
to invest and so you end up divesting

01:23:10.862 --> 01:23:13.029
in certain systems like the Black Hawk

01:23:13.029 --> 01:23:14.807
before the next one is online ,

01:23:14.807 --> 01:23:16.862
creating gaps for actual operators .

01:23:16.862 --> 01:23:18.585
And what we're funding in this

01:23:18.585 --> 01:23:20.751
supplemental and across this budget is

01:23:20.751 --> 01:23:22.918
the ability to do both . Make sure the

01:23:22.918 --> 01:23:22.770
systems we rely on the battlefield

01:23:22.770 --> 01:23:25.000
right now are delivered and that newer

01:23:25.000 --> 01:23:27.111
entrants that we're going to need for

01:23:27.111 --> 01:23:29.195
long range fight to . Deliver , uh ,

01:23:29.485 --> 01:23:31.525
you know , to be more survivable in

01:23:31.525 --> 01:23:33.525
contested environments which you're

01:23:33.525 --> 01:23:35.581
talking about when I had a chance to

01:23:35.581 --> 01:23:35.525
see it , the , the soldiers were proud

01:23:35.525 --> 01:23:37.636
to be in it because they felt like it

01:23:37.636 --> 01:23:39.692
would give them greater advantage in

01:23:39.692 --> 01:23:41.858
the future . We need to accelerate the

01:23:41.858 --> 01:23:43.858
timelines of those and deliver them

01:23:43.858 --> 01:23:45.969
even more quickly . Uh , and when you

01:23:45.969 --> 01:23:48.081
allow new entrants with all the right

01:23:48.081 --> 01:23:50.247
incentives , those things happen , and

01:23:50.247 --> 01:23:49.405
it's happening in that . Will that take

01:23:49.405 --> 01:23:51.461
place in , I think you may have just

01:23:51.461 --> 01:23:53.461
said this , but will that will take

01:23:53.461 --> 01:23:55.738
place , uh , uh , in this circumstance .

01:23:55.738 --> 01:23:57.738
Of the Cheyenne , I believe in this

01:23:57.738 --> 01:23:59.905
administration because of the policies

01:23:59.905 --> 01:24:02.016
of this administration , it is likely

01:24:02.016 --> 01:24:04.238
to do so just like the B-21 , just like

01:24:04.238 --> 01:24:06.349
the F-47 , just like so many other of

01:24:06.349 --> 01:24:08.516
our exquisite munitions that otherwise

01:24:08.516 --> 01:24:10.516
would have taken years and years to

01:24:10.516 --> 01:24:10.291
even get into development . We're

01:24:10.291 --> 01:24:12.291
moving those things left by in some

01:24:12.291 --> 01:24:14.458
cases years so that we get them in the

01:24:14.458 --> 01:24:16.458
hands of warfighters who would need

01:24:16.458 --> 01:24:18.347
them right now and not held up in

01:24:18.347 --> 01:24:20.513
bureaucracy in this town . Thank you ,

01:24:20.513 --> 01:24:22.847
sir . Let me turn to you , General Kane .

01:24:22.847 --> 01:24:24.569
The department is requesting a

01:24:24.569 --> 01:24:26.791
significant supplemental to address the

01:24:26.791 --> 01:24:28.680
ongoing operational demands . Our

01:24:28.680 --> 01:24:31.950
adversaries are watching how we

01:24:31.950 --> 01:24:35.509
resource this moment . Beijing , Moscow ,

01:24:35.669 --> 01:24:38.509
Tehran are all increasingly

01:24:38.509 --> 01:24:40.790
coordinating their activities and

01:24:40.790 --> 01:24:44.569
intelligence . Uh In your

01:24:44.569 --> 01:24:46.236
judgment , do you believe our

01:24:46.236 --> 01:24:48.529
adversaries view this moment as an

01:24:48.529 --> 01:24:50.640
opportunity to exploit US commitments

01:24:50.640 --> 01:24:52.307
elsewhere ? And how does this

01:24:52.307 --> 01:24:54.251
supplemental ensure our deterrence

01:24:54.251 --> 01:24:56.490
posture and our commitments to allies

01:24:56.490 --> 01:24:59.359
remain credible in every theater all at

01:24:59.359 --> 01:25:01.759
once ? Well sir , thanks for the

01:25:01.759 --> 01:25:03.759
question . In , in my job , it's to

01:25:03.759 --> 01:25:05.870
look across the globe and look at the

01:25:05.870 --> 01:25:08.600
range of trade-offs out there . We are

01:25:08.600 --> 01:25:10.711
the strongest military in the world .

01:25:10.879 --> 01:25:13.600
Our adversaries still fear America's

01:25:13.600 --> 01:25:15.879
ability to project power at the time

01:25:15.879 --> 01:25:18.200
and place of our choosing . Uh , there

01:25:18.200 --> 01:25:20.439
is no doubt that they are aligning , as

01:25:20.439 --> 01:25:23.439
I've said before . And I think this

01:25:23.439 --> 01:25:25.399
supplemental and whatever funding

01:25:25.399 --> 01:25:27.600
structure that Congress , working with

01:25:27.600 --> 01:25:29.919
the executive branch , decides to

01:25:29.919 --> 01:25:31.919
structure and give us the capital ,

01:25:31.919 --> 01:25:34.030
we'll use that capital to ensure that

01:25:34.030 --> 01:25:36.252
we sustain that , sir . You're assuring

01:25:36.252 --> 01:25:38.363
us that this supplemental and further

01:25:38.363 --> 01:25:40.530
efforts will reduce the risks . To our

01:25:40.530 --> 01:25:42.863
nation and its national securities , uh ,

01:25:42.863 --> 01:25:44.863
yes sir , I , I , I view this , and

01:25:44.863 --> 01:25:46.919
I've spoken to some of you , uh , on

01:25:46.919 --> 01:25:49.141
the phone , uh , leading up to this . I

01:25:49.141 --> 01:25:51.308
view this as future investments to buy

01:25:51.308 --> 01:25:53.141
down risk similar to what I said

01:25:53.141 --> 01:25:55.363
Marshall thought through in those heady

01:25:55.363 --> 01:25:57.475
days in 1940 where the need to invest

01:25:57.475 --> 01:26:00.609
capital early to deliver scale , uh ,

01:26:00.850 --> 01:26:03.330
is , uh , is an opportunity that I hope ,

01:26:03.430 --> 01:26:05.541
uh , I hope we don't miss , Senator .

01:26:05.541 --> 01:26:07.430
General , thank you . Thank you ,

01:26:07.430 --> 01:26:10.029
Chairwoman . Senator Reed , thank you ,

01:26:10.279 --> 01:26:12.612
Madam Chairman . Uh , Secretary Rollins ,

01:26:12.612 --> 01:26:14.835
I just want to reiterate a point that ,

01:26:14.835 --> 01:26:17.720
uh , Senator Padilla made . Uh , we

01:26:17.720 --> 01:26:20.439
have $10 billion in this request for

01:26:20.439 --> 01:26:22.720
Midwestern farmers who are suffering

01:26:22.720 --> 01:26:26.209
because of the . interruption of fuel

01:26:26.209 --> 01:26:28.729
and fertilizers because of President

01:26:28.729 --> 01:26:31.390
Trump's war , unauthorized war .

01:26:32.330 --> 01:26:35.890
Yet , uh , many states , blue states

01:26:35.890 --> 01:26:38.168
particularly , have submitted requests .

01:26:38.168 --> 01:26:40.334
Rhode Island has 1 February we had the

01:26:40.334 --> 01:26:43.910
worst snowstorm in our recent history .

01:26:44.299 --> 01:26:46.577
And we've been denied by the president .

01:26:46.577 --> 01:26:48.743
In fact , if you look at the numbers ,

01:26:48.743 --> 01:26:51.779
20% of blue states seem to get approved

01:26:51.779 --> 01:26:55.549
and about 80% of red states . I'm

01:26:55.549 --> 01:26:57.827
making a point , not asking a question .

01:26:57.830 --> 01:27:00.390
This is unfair . Thank you . Uh ,

01:27:00.470 --> 01:27:02.819
Secretary Heck said , um , on February

01:27:02.819 --> 01:27:04.959
28th , when you initiated this war

01:27:04.959 --> 01:27:07.070
without authorization from Congress ,

01:27:07.070 --> 01:27:09.379
the Strait of Hormuz was open and

01:27:09.379 --> 01:27:12.109
providing vital fuel supplies for the

01:27:12.109 --> 01:27:14.430
whole world . Now they're closed ,

01:27:14.439 --> 01:27:17.189
effectively , impacting globally the

01:27:17.189 --> 01:27:19.680
price of oil and the economies of the

01:27:19.680 --> 01:27:22.270
whole world . But the Department of

01:27:22.270 --> 01:27:25.370
Defense has been planning for potential

01:27:25.419 --> 01:27:27.790
operations against Iran for many , many

01:27:27.790 --> 01:27:30.189
years , and one of their obvious

01:27:30.189 --> 01:27:33.310
assumptions was that the 3 of Hommuz

01:27:33.310 --> 01:27:37.120
could be close . Were you unaware of

01:27:37.120 --> 01:27:40.770
that ? Uh ,

01:27:40.859 --> 01:27:43.026
Senator , you , you are correct . Uh ,

01:27:43.026 --> 01:27:45.026
nobody plans more and looks at more

01:27:45.026 --> 01:27:47.248
contingencies than our department . And

01:27:47.248 --> 01:27:49.359
so of course , undertaking a historic

01:27:49.359 --> 01:27:51.303
effort like this of this scope and

01:27:51.303 --> 01:27:50.529
scale , of course , the Strait of

01:27:50.529 --> 01:27:52.585
Hormuz was front and center in every

01:27:52.585 --> 01:27:54.696
single aspect of that . Hence why one

01:27:54.696 --> 01:27:56.918
of our key objectives to begin with was

01:27:56.918 --> 01:27:59.029
to , uh , sink the entirety of , of ,

01:27:59.029 --> 01:28:00.640
uh , Iran's navy , which its

01:28:00.640 --> 01:28:02.807
conventional navy was sunk . Now , you

01:28:02.807 --> 01:28:05.029
can't get rid of every single fast boat

01:28:05.029 --> 01:28:04.490
and every single machine gun and a fast

01:28:04.490 --> 01:28:06.529
boat or every single , uh , coastal

01:28:06.529 --> 01:28:08.751
cruise missile . So we acknowledge that

01:28:08.751 --> 01:28:10.696
if the state decided to . Become a

01:28:10.696 --> 01:28:12.696
terror state shooting at commercial

01:28:12.696 --> 01:28:14.807
shipping that would be an ongoing and

01:28:14.807 --> 01:28:17.029
contested part of the battle to include

01:28:17.029 --> 01:28:19.251
their willingness to mine international

01:28:19.251 --> 01:28:21.251
waters . So one side weaponized the

01:28:21.251 --> 01:28:23.418
strait , and we've been fighting aware

01:28:23.418 --> 01:28:25.362
that the Strait of Hormuz could be

01:28:25.362 --> 01:28:27.307
closed and obviously sinking their

01:28:27.307 --> 01:28:29.473
ships . Has not affected their ability

01:28:29.473 --> 01:28:31.640
to effectively close the straits . Did

01:28:31.640 --> 01:28:33.640
it , did you , we had US boats that

01:28:33.640 --> 01:28:35.807
surrendered to Iranian ships under the

01:28:35.807 --> 01:28:37.862
Biden administration , so their navy

01:28:37.862 --> 01:28:40.029
was effective in we're talking about a

01:28:40.029 --> 01:28:42.470
war you started , not a situation in

01:28:42.470 --> 01:28:45.390
which oil was flowing freely . There

01:28:45.390 --> 01:28:48.189
was no conflict . We weren't losing

01:28:48.189 --> 01:28:50.069
personnel as a result of Iranian

01:28:50.069 --> 01:28:53.509
actions . So , uh , your fallback to

01:28:53.509 --> 01:28:55.842
the Biden administration is just a very ,

01:28:55.870 --> 01:28:58.410
very . obvious

01:28:59.830 --> 01:29:02.629
excuse for what I think is probably as

01:29:02.629 --> 01:29:04.907
you describe so often gross negligence .

01:29:04.950 --> 01:29:07.310
You did not fully inform the president

01:29:07.549 --> 01:29:09.870
that you would be in a situation where

01:29:09.870 --> 01:29:11.537
the Strait of Hormuz could be

01:29:11.537 --> 01:29:13.648
effectively closed , oil prices could

01:29:13.648 --> 01:29:17.549
surge , and effectively the Iranians

01:29:17.549 --> 01:29:20.189
could maintain their ability to strike

01:29:20.189 --> 01:29:22.356
back as they are right now . They just

01:29:22.356 --> 01:29:24.300
killed some of our servicemen last

01:29:24.300 --> 01:29:27.140
weekend . This , this battlefield and

01:29:27.140 --> 01:29:29.251
all the dynamics of it , of which the

01:29:29.251 --> 01:29:31.196
chairman and I are responsible for

01:29:31.196 --> 01:29:33.140
ensuring the president understands

01:29:33.140 --> 01:29:32.979
every branch and sequel of what could

01:29:32.979 --> 01:29:35.146
happen , and we did . So the fact that

01:29:35.146 --> 01:29:37.201
those contingencies all were part of

01:29:37.201 --> 01:29:39.368
the possibility and we understood that

01:29:39.368 --> 01:29:41.423
is all the more reason why President

01:29:41.423 --> 01:29:43.479
Trump deserves the kind of praise he

01:29:43.479 --> 01:29:45.368
should get . For undertaking this

01:29:45.368 --> 01:29:47.479
effort , having the courage to ensure

01:29:47.479 --> 01:29:49.368
that crazy Islamists can't have a

01:29:49.368 --> 01:29:51.423
nuclear weapon to hold us at issue ,

01:29:51.423 --> 01:29:53.646
and he's been willing to stay committed

01:29:53.646 --> 01:29:53.370
to that regardless of the challenges .

01:29:53.490 --> 01:29:55.601
Excuse me , so he should be praised .

01:29:55.601 --> 01:29:58.410
He should be praised for starting a war

01:29:58.410 --> 01:30:00.709
without authority , creating a

01:30:00.709 --> 01:30:02.931
situation in which the world economy is

01:30:02.931 --> 01:30:04.931
suffering tremendously . We have to

01:30:04.931 --> 01:30:07.609
have extra money for our farmers , and

01:30:07.609 --> 01:30:11.089
we have no outcome . Uh , at least no

01:30:11.089 --> 01:30:13.680
realistic outcome in sight yet . Let me

01:30:13.680 --> 01:30:15.902
switch to General Kane . General Kane ,

01:30:15.902 --> 01:30:18.069
uh , these airstrikes have not yet

01:30:18.169 --> 01:30:21.410
deterred and defeated the Iranians . Do

01:30:21.410 --> 01:30:23.743
you think airstrikes alone will do that ?

01:30:25.399 --> 01:30:27.720
Sir , I think academically as you look

01:30:27.720 --> 01:30:29.776
across the totality of history , air

01:30:29.776 --> 01:30:31.998
power's got limits , and we always have

01:30:31.998 --> 01:30:34.680
to be mindful of those . I think where

01:30:34.680 --> 01:30:37.120
America's area of exclusivity is , is

01:30:37.120 --> 01:30:39.759
when we bring the totality of the

01:30:39.759 --> 01:30:42.720
diplomatic , informational , economic ,

01:30:42.750 --> 01:30:44.861
and pair that with the military , and

01:30:44.861 --> 01:30:46.972
there's a lot of that work going on .

01:30:46.972 --> 01:30:48.972
Well , the military , the next step

01:30:48.972 --> 01:30:51.139
would be escalation by ground combat .

01:30:51.139 --> 01:30:53.472
Do you anticipate that escalation , sir ?

01:30:53.620 --> 01:30:55.620
I think it'd be unhelpful for me to

01:30:55.620 --> 01:30:57.620
opine on hypotheticals . What I can

01:30:57.620 --> 01:30:59.620
tell you is we always develop an

01:30:59.620 --> 01:31:01.899
unbelievable amount of options and the

01:31:01.899 --> 01:31:04.600
associated risks , and then my main job

01:31:04.859 --> 01:31:07.299
is to always ensure that leaders

01:31:07.299 --> 01:31:09.577
understand those options and the risks .

01:31:09.577 --> 01:31:11.632
Now , if you employ ground troops to

01:31:11.632 --> 01:31:14.140
seize objectives , which I would assume

01:31:14.140 --> 01:31:16.740
would be the first stage . Are you

01:31:16.740 --> 01:31:18.907
prepared for an extended guerrilla war

01:31:18.907 --> 01:31:21.184
which would likely happen in that area ,

01:31:21.184 --> 01:31:23.240
sir ? With all due respect , I think

01:31:23.240 --> 01:31:25.296
it'd be unhelpful for me to opine on

01:31:25.296 --> 01:31:27.660
hypothetical situations on whatever

01:31:27.660 --> 01:31:29.827
decisions the president may or may not

01:31:29.827 --> 01:31:32.220
take in the future . Have you advised

01:31:32.220 --> 01:31:34.899
the president that a ground combat

01:31:34.899 --> 01:31:37.779
would be very expensive in the lives of

01:31:37.779 --> 01:31:39.859
our soldiers , sailors , marines ,

01:31:39.939 --> 01:31:42.500
airmen , and also could probably lead

01:31:42.500 --> 01:31:45.060
to an extended . Uh , um ,

01:31:45.819 --> 01:31:47.870
unconventional war in that area . I

01:31:47.870 --> 01:31:50.310
don't see the Iranians sort of throwing

01:31:50.310 --> 01:31:52.254
their hands up saying , you know ,

01:31:52.254 --> 01:31:56.209
welcome to Iran . Uh , Senator , I

01:31:56.209 --> 01:31:58.790
always advise the president on a range

01:31:58.790 --> 01:32:01.250
of military options and all of the

01:32:01.250 --> 01:32:03.417
risks that are contained within that ,

01:32:03.439 --> 01:32:05.589
but I have to keep my military advice

01:32:05.589 --> 01:32:08.129
to the president private , sir . But ,

01:32:08.649 --> 01:32:10.930
well , thank you . Thank you , sir .

01:32:11.209 --> 01:32:13.169
Senator Hoeven , thank you , Madam

01:32:13.169 --> 01:32:15.450
Chair . Secretary Rollins , I want to

01:32:15.450 --> 01:32:17.672
thank President Trump . I want to thank

01:32:17.672 --> 01:32:19.339
you for including Farm bridge

01:32:19.339 --> 01:32:21.672
assistance in this supplemental request .

01:32:21.799 --> 01:32:23.966
I know I've worked very hard to get it

01:32:23.966 --> 01:32:26.132
included . I know you have worked very

01:32:26.132 --> 01:32:28.355
hard to get it included , and I want to

01:32:28.355 --> 01:32:30.577
thank you and your whole department for

01:32:30.577 --> 01:32:32.521
your work on it and for this vital

01:32:32.521 --> 01:32:34.632
support of our farmers and ranchers .

01:32:34.632 --> 01:32:36.799
What I want to ask you about though is

01:32:36.799 --> 01:32:38.855
actually crop insurance . The number

01:32:38.855 --> 01:32:40.743
one risk management tool that our

01:32:40.743 --> 01:32:42.799
farmers have is crop insurance , and

01:32:42.799 --> 01:32:44.959
the buyout option is critically

01:32:44.959 --> 01:32:48.359
important . It covers 67 million acres ,

01:32:48.459 --> 01:32:52.359
67 million . Acres of farmland in this

01:32:52.359 --> 01:32:55.919
country , it , it was

01:32:55.919 --> 01:32:57.808
decommissioned and we need to get

01:32:57.808 --> 01:33:00.040
reinstated again . You and I both

01:33:00.040 --> 01:33:02.080
worked very hard on this . Please

01:33:02.080 --> 01:33:04.191
update me on where we are in terms of

01:33:04.191 --> 01:33:06.136
getting that buyup option for crop

01:33:06.136 --> 01:33:09.790
insurance reinstated . We are 100%

01:33:09.790 --> 01:33:11.679
supportive of that and are moving

01:33:11.679 --> 01:33:13.846
forward to execute that buyup option .

01:33:13.846 --> 01:33:15.957
Uh , thank you for your leadership on

01:33:15.957 --> 01:33:18.123
that , Senator . Thank , thank you for

01:33:18.123 --> 01:33:20.290
your support . Also , Secretary , uh ,

01:33:20.290 --> 01:33:22.623
Assistant Secretary Fortis for his , uh ,

01:33:22.623 --> 01:33:24.957
support . Um , it , it's very impactful ,

01:33:25.209 --> 01:33:27.265
very important , and will make a big

01:33:27.265 --> 01:33:29.431
difference for our farmers right now .

01:33:29.431 --> 01:33:31.542
So thank you for that , Secretary Hag

01:33:31.542 --> 01:33:35.299
Seth . Um Are Russia and

01:33:35.299 --> 01:33:39.279
China helping Iran , and if so , how ?

01:33:41.770 --> 01:33:43.603
Well , Senator , as the chairman

01:33:43.603 --> 01:33:45.381
alluded to , there's definitely

01:33:45.381 --> 01:33:47.548
adversary alignment , uh , attempts to

01:33:47.548 --> 01:33:49.649
do so , uh , and there are many ways

01:33:49.649 --> 01:33:51.919
that we , uh , deter that , some of

01:33:51.919 --> 01:33:53.919
which are , and , and the depth and

01:33:53.919 --> 01:33:56.141
extent of it ought to remain classified

01:33:56.141 --> 01:33:58.252
and it should , but there are ways in

01:33:58.252 --> 01:34:00.141
which both of those countries are

01:34:00.390 --> 01:34:02.501
limiting , uh , at different levels ,

01:34:02.729 --> 01:34:04.840
uh , enabling some of the things Iran

01:34:04.840 --> 01:34:07.990
is doing , yes . General Kane , would

01:34:07.990 --> 01:34:11.660
you like to add ? Sir , I'd rather , um ,

01:34:11.669 --> 01:34:14.779
not opine on the specifics because that

01:34:14.779 --> 01:34:18.109
would divulge what we know and I never

01:34:18.109 --> 01:34:20.990
want the adversary to know what I know .

01:34:21.310 --> 01:34:23.366
I just want to know it and hopefully

01:34:23.366 --> 01:34:25.549
we'll get a chance to do that in the .

01:34:26.165 --> 01:34:28.498
Happy to , happy to do that in the gift .

01:34:28.498 --> 01:34:31.234
This , so this relates both to the

01:34:31.234 --> 01:34:33.645
funding but also again to how we

01:34:33.645 --> 01:34:36.785
achieve our objectives , uh , with Iran ,

01:34:37.165 --> 01:34:39.221
uh , starting with you , Secretary ,

01:34:39.221 --> 01:34:41.443
can we get to the point and , and we're

01:34:41.443 --> 01:34:43.054
seeing continued , I think ,

01:34:43.285 --> 01:34:45.805
improvement and progress on this , but

01:34:45.805 --> 01:34:47.972
essentially where we can and hopefully

01:34:47.972 --> 01:34:50.138
our allies will , they need to step in

01:34:50.138 --> 01:34:52.361
there with us . But where we get to the

01:34:52.361 --> 01:34:54.509
point where we can , uh , operate in

01:34:54.509 --> 01:34:57.680
the Strait of Hormuz but keep Iran

01:34:57.680 --> 01:34:59.910
blockaded . We're continuing to get

01:34:59.910 --> 01:35:02.243
better at that , but that's how we keep ,

01:35:02.243 --> 01:35:04.466
they'll never do anything that they say

01:35:04.466 --> 01:35:06.521
they're going to do . They've proven

01:35:06.521 --> 01:35:05.589
that over and over . We have to keep

01:35:05.589 --> 01:35:07.811
the pressure on , but if we can do that

01:35:07.811 --> 01:35:09.922
effectively , we keep the pressure on

01:35:09.922 --> 01:35:11.978
and achieve our objectives . Tell us

01:35:11.978 --> 01:35:13.589
where we are in getting that

01:35:13.589 --> 01:35:15.890
accomplished , Senator . I think that's

01:35:15.890 --> 01:35:17.501
a really good point . That's

01:35:17.501 --> 01:35:19.612
effectively what we did to create the

01:35:19.612 --> 01:35:21.390
pressure that led . Uh , to the

01:35:21.390 --> 01:35:23.668
circumstances of the MOU , which was a ,

01:35:23.668 --> 01:35:25.723
we're running that , running a route

01:35:25.723 --> 01:35:27.890
where ships , and we did it covertly ,

01:35:27.890 --> 01:35:27.810
uh , in cooperation with Gulf countries

01:35:27.810 --> 01:35:29.921
and others who were willing to take ,

01:35:29.921 --> 01:35:31.643
take some of the risk with our

01:35:31.643 --> 01:35:33.477
protection and then maintain the

01:35:33.477 --> 01:35:35.366
blockade . So effectively , oil's

01:35:35.366 --> 01:35:35.279
coming in and out , oil prices are

01:35:35.279 --> 01:35:37.168
coming down , but our blockade is

01:35:37.168 --> 01:35:39.390
staying and the pressure is mounting on

01:35:39.390 --> 01:35:41.446
Iran . That's something we have done

01:35:41.446 --> 01:35:43.557
and continue to do . We moved into an

01:35:43.557 --> 01:35:45.668
MOU where Iran said we won't shoot at

01:35:45.668 --> 01:35:45.660
shipping . And then they turned , the

01:35:45.660 --> 01:35:47.882
IRGC turned around and decided to start

01:35:47.882 --> 01:35:50.104
shooting at commercial shipping again ,

01:35:50.104 --> 01:35:52.327
at which point the president , I mean ,

01:35:52.327 --> 01:35:54.438
as he should , cannot tolerate that .

01:35:54.438 --> 01:35:56.771
And so we respond , as he said 10 times ,

01:35:56.771 --> 01:35:56.500
uh , you shoot at ships , we're going

01:35:56.500 --> 01:35:58.667
to shoot at you overwhelmingly , which

01:35:58.667 --> 01:36:00.778
we have been doing now , uh , for , I

01:36:00.778 --> 01:36:02.944
believe it's a 10th consecutive , uh ,

01:36:02.944 --> 01:36:05.167
evening . So consequences come with the

01:36:05.167 --> 01:36:07.111
willingness to shoot at commercial

01:36:07.111 --> 01:36:06.970
shipping . Our blockade has been

01:36:06.970 --> 01:36:09.379
reimposed and is effectively

01:36:09.379 --> 01:36:11.379
impenetrable . We , we've , uh , we

01:36:11.379 --> 01:36:13.712
mount , we got seized a ship inside the .

01:36:14.049 --> 01:36:16.271
Arabian Gulf as well . So there's a lot

01:36:16.271 --> 01:36:18.327
of different angles to it , a lot of

01:36:18.327 --> 01:36:20.979
levers we can pull , and ultimately a

01:36:20.979 --> 01:36:23.146
lot of the strikes that Admiral Cooper

01:36:23.146 --> 01:36:25.201
and CETCOM have been undertaking are

01:36:25.201 --> 01:36:27.368
taking Iran's ability to see and sense

01:36:27.368 --> 01:36:29.423
away in the Strait of Hormuz , which

01:36:29.423 --> 01:36:31.368
has tactical benefits for us , and

01:36:31.368 --> 01:36:33.368
that's what this funding is about .

01:36:33.368 --> 01:36:35.535
This funding is about making sure that

01:36:35.535 --> 01:36:37.590
we and our allies can operate in the

01:36:37.590 --> 01:36:39.646
Strait of Hormuz , which helps bring

01:36:39.646 --> 01:36:41.646
down energy prices for every single

01:36:41.646 --> 01:36:43.757
American consumer , and that we force

01:36:43.757 --> 01:36:45.868
Iran . To meet our objectives , isn't

01:36:45.868 --> 01:36:47.979
that what this package is all about ?

01:36:47.979 --> 01:36:49.819
This is a peace through strength

01:36:50.009 --> 01:36:52.640
package . That's what 1.5 trillion has

01:36:52.640 --> 01:36:54.473
always been about a generational

01:36:54.473 --> 01:36:56.362
investment at a , as the chairman

01:36:56.362 --> 01:36:58.529
alluded to , a step change moment . We

01:36:58.529 --> 01:37:00.696
need to be able to do it at speed , at

01:37:00.696 --> 01:37:02.973
scale , with autonomy , with AI , with ,

01:37:02.973 --> 01:37:05.084
with exquisite high cost and low cost

01:37:05.084 --> 01:37:07.279
to be ahead and get , stay ahead so

01:37:07.279 --> 01:37:09.501
that you're not just able to do what we

01:37:09.501 --> 01:37:11.557
need to do in the Strait of Hormuz ,

01:37:11.557 --> 01:37:13.668
but deter adversaries like Russia and

01:37:13.668 --> 01:37:15.779
China from getting involved in future

01:37:15.779 --> 01:37:17.890
contingencies . And just General Kane

01:37:17.890 --> 01:37:17.759
for any follow up that you would like

01:37:17.759 --> 01:37:19.815
on that issue , sir , I , I wouldn't

01:37:19.815 --> 01:37:21.815
have anything to add . OK , again ,

01:37:21.815 --> 01:37:23.926
thank you and thank you to all of our

01:37:23.926 --> 01:37:25.592
men and women in uniform . We

01:37:25.592 --> 01:37:29.040
appreciate them so much . Senator

01:37:29.040 --> 01:37:31.680
Shaheen . Thank you Madam Chair .

01:37:31.799 --> 01:37:33.743
Secretary Hegseth , since you last

01:37:33.743 --> 01:37:36.839
testified before this committee , we

01:37:36.839 --> 01:37:39.061
finally received the spend plan for the

01:37:39.061 --> 01:37:42.000
400 million FY26 appropriation for

01:37:42.000 --> 01:37:44.560
Ukraine security assistance . This

01:37:44.560 --> 01:37:46.959
funding was passed back in January ,

01:37:47.270 --> 01:37:49.492
and now there are only 3 months left in

01:37:49.492 --> 01:37:52.319
this fiscal year . And while I

01:37:52.319 --> 01:37:55.160
appreciate that we now see what most of

01:37:55.160 --> 01:37:58.089
the funding is intended for . I just

01:37:58.089 --> 01:38:00.410
heard from the CEO of one of the

01:38:00.410 --> 01:38:02.521
manufacturers of the defense articles

01:38:02.521 --> 01:38:05.310
that are contained in the spend plan

01:38:05.620 --> 01:38:07.620
that they not only haven't received

01:38:07.620 --> 01:38:09.787
funding , but they haven't even seen a

01:38:09.787 --> 01:38:12.120
contract , so . When are we going to

01:38:12.120 --> 01:38:13.953
see a contract for those defense

01:38:13.953 --> 01:38:15.898
articles that are contained in the

01:38:15.898 --> 01:38:19.129
spend plan for Iraq ? I'm sorry , for

01:38:19.129 --> 01:38:21.296
Ukraine , for Ukraine , uh , uh , uh ,

01:38:21.529 --> 01:38:23.696
Senator , I'll have to get back to you

01:38:23.696 --> 01:38:25.696
on the specifics of the timeline of

01:38:25.696 --> 01:38:25.450
that . I'll talk to our policy shop as

01:38:25.450 --> 01:38:27.617
well as the UCO commander to determine

01:38:27.617 --> 01:38:29.672
where that's at . Well , you've told

01:38:29.672 --> 01:38:31.894
this committee that you've barely spent

01:38:31.894 --> 01:38:33.450
half of the $150 billion in

01:38:33.450 --> 01:38:35.450
reconciliation funding , and if you

01:38:35.450 --> 01:38:38.140
still have $75 billion available , why

01:38:38.140 --> 01:38:40.251
are you asking the American people to

01:38:40.251 --> 01:38:42.259
absorb the cost of a war they don't

01:38:42.259 --> 01:38:44.819
support instead of asking for transfer

01:38:44.819 --> 01:38:47.220
authority for unspent reconciliation

01:38:47.220 --> 01:38:49.387
funding , especially if you can't even

01:38:49.387 --> 01:38:52.379
get $400 million in Ukraine funding out

01:38:52.379 --> 01:38:55.439
the door . Um , as I mentioned earlier ,

01:38:55.549 --> 01:38:57.660
Senator , that money from the one Big

01:38:57.660 --> 01:38:59.771
Beautiful bill is otherwise allocated

01:38:59.771 --> 01:39:01.938
to the rebuilding of our military with

01:39:01.938 --> 01:39:01.919
priorities of the president like Golden

01:39:01.919 --> 01:39:03.975
Dome for America and hypersonics and

01:39:03.975 --> 01:39:05.975
other munitions investments that we

01:39:05.975 --> 01:39:08.141
made upfront as we tried to adjust the

01:39:08.141 --> 01:39:10.086
Biden budget into an America first

01:39:10.086 --> 01:39:12.252
budget . And so reallocating that away

01:39:12.252 --> 01:39:14.419
from those priorities is robbing Peter

01:39:14.419 --> 01:39:16.475
to pay Paul . Those are allocated to

01:39:16.475 --> 01:39:18.586
rebuild my point and ultimately we're

01:39:18.586 --> 01:39:20.641
committed if you can't to spend on a

01:39:20.641 --> 01:39:23.439
timeline that makes sense . Why do you

01:39:23.439 --> 01:39:25.383
need to come back and ask for more

01:39:25.383 --> 01:39:27.550
money ? Wouldn't it be better to spend

01:39:27.550 --> 01:39:29.661
money that you already have ? And one

01:39:29.661 --> 01:39:31.883
of the things I noted was , or at least

01:39:31.883 --> 01:39:33.995
I think that the supplemental doesn't

01:39:33.995 --> 01:39:36.217
include funding to repair damage to our

01:39:36.217 --> 01:39:38.439
bases or to our military infrastructure

01:39:38.439 --> 01:39:41.270
in the region , and . I have not heard

01:39:41.270 --> 01:39:43.790
that we've gotten the full extent of

01:39:44.009 --> 01:39:46.250
any of those damage estimates , so

01:39:46.250 --> 01:39:48.410
should we expect another request to

01:39:48.410 --> 01:39:50.930
address that , uh , military

01:39:50.930 --> 01:39:53.529
construction costs ? And at what point

01:39:53.529 --> 01:39:55.585
do you stop asking Americans to foot

01:39:55.585 --> 01:39:57.839
the bill for a war they don't support

01:39:57.839 --> 01:40:01.069
on top of an inflated budget , um ,

01:40:01.450 --> 01:40:03.617
request and billions in reconciliation

01:40:03.617 --> 01:40:05.672
funds that you still haven't spent .

01:40:05.979 --> 01:40:07.923
Well , Senator , I obviously don't

01:40:07.923 --> 01:40:09.923
agree with your characterization of

01:40:09.923 --> 01:40:12.146
that . Uh , I appreciate that , but you

01:40:12.146 --> 01:40:14.257
didn't ask , but I want you to answer

01:40:14.257 --> 01:40:16.312
my question . I know you don't agree

01:40:16.312 --> 01:40:15.939
with my characterization . I don't

01:40:15.939 --> 01:40:17.883
agree with yours either . Well , I

01:40:20.069 --> 01:40:22.291
One of the reasons I , I , I take issue

01:40:22.291 --> 01:40:24.513
with that characterization is something

01:40:24.513 --> 01:40:26.736
that Senator Durbin said when he talked

01:40:26.736 --> 01:40:26.430
about Ukraine and he talked about

01:40:26.430 --> 01:40:28.541
winning . And I appreciate as much as

01:40:28.541 --> 01:40:30.597
anybody winning a war , but I sit in

01:40:30.597 --> 01:40:32.819
front of a committee that wants to talk

01:40:32.819 --> 01:40:32.459
about winning a war that's been going

01:40:32.459 --> 01:40:34.181
on for 4 years and talks about

01:40:34.181 --> 01:40:36.292
strategic defeat of a conflict that's

01:40:36.292 --> 01:40:38.403
been going on for 4 months to prevent

01:40:38.403 --> 01:40:40.459
Iran from getting a nuclear bomb . I

01:40:40.459 --> 01:40:42.515
want , I , I , I would hope for some

01:40:42.515 --> 01:40:44.292
perspective in this town of the

01:40:44.292 --> 01:40:46.515
historic nature of what President Trump

01:40:46.515 --> 01:40:46.020
is undertaking . Do you want radical

01:40:46.020 --> 01:40:47.964
Islamists to have a nuclear bomb I

01:40:47.964 --> 01:40:49.853
don't want to tear down the world

01:40:49.853 --> 01:40:51.798
because I have limited time . So I

01:40:51.798 --> 01:40:53.853
don't you can't answer my question ,

01:40:53.853 --> 01:40:56.187
then I will move on to my next question .

01:40:56.187 --> 01:40:58.660
Secretary Rollins , the timber industry

01:40:58.759 --> 01:41:00.926
has also been hard hit , as you know ,

01:41:00.926 --> 01:41:03.279
by trade wars , by drought , by

01:41:03.279 --> 01:41:05.919
wildfires , by other natural disasters

01:41:05.919 --> 01:41:08.359
that are increasingly common , um , in

01:41:08.359 --> 01:41:10.970
New Hampshire . Which is the 2nd most

01:41:10.970 --> 01:41:13.137
heavily forested state in the nation .

01:41:14.140 --> 01:41:16.196
The one of the things that we really

01:41:16.196 --> 01:41:18.362
need , as you know , because we've had

01:41:18.362 --> 01:41:21.259
this conversation is a research program

01:41:21.259 --> 01:41:23.203
and Forest Service staffing on the

01:41:23.203 --> 01:41:25.270
ground , um , in a variety of ways ,

01:41:25.339 --> 01:41:26.950
but particularly at Bartlett

01:41:26.950 --> 01:41:30.540
Experimental Forest , um . These small

01:41:30.540 --> 01:41:32.596
investments in research and staffing

01:41:32.596 --> 01:41:34.620
and sound management help make the

01:41:34.620 --> 01:41:36.740
forest economies healthier and more

01:41:36.740 --> 01:41:39.339
competitive . I very much appreciate

01:41:39.339 --> 01:41:41.580
your having staff visit Bartlett last

01:41:41.580 --> 01:41:44.299
week with my staff and with staff from

01:41:44.299 --> 01:41:46.859
the governor's office , but can you

01:41:46.859 --> 01:41:49.540
commit to restoring staffing at

01:41:49.540 --> 01:41:51.707
Bartlett and to keeping the facilities

01:41:51.707 --> 01:41:54.279
there open now that you've seen , um ,

01:41:54.379 --> 01:41:56.879
the critical nature of that research ?

01:41:59.410 --> 01:42:01.632
Why don't I follow up with you ? I have

01:42:01.632 --> 01:42:03.799
not gotten a report from their visit ,

01:42:03.799 --> 01:42:05.966
so I would like to do that first , but

01:42:05.966 --> 01:42:05.370
obviously you and I have been in a

01:42:05.370 --> 01:42:07.620
continuing conversation . About that ,

01:42:07.709 --> 01:42:09.765
the good news , there's no doubt our

01:42:09.765 --> 01:42:11.931
timber industry is in distress and has

01:42:11.931 --> 01:42:14.153
been for a long time . The fact that we

01:42:14.153 --> 01:42:16.098
import 90% or something from other

01:42:16.098 --> 01:42:18.376
countries of our lumber needs is crazy .

01:42:18.589 --> 01:42:20.922
We're changing that . But the good news ,

01:42:20.922 --> 01:42:23.033
we had more board feet sold last year

01:42:23.033 --> 01:42:25.145
than any time in 30 years . This year

01:42:25.145 --> 01:42:27.311
we're gonna exceed that target again ,

01:42:27.311 --> 01:42:29.645
so we're making the right moves on this ,

01:42:29.645 --> 01:42:31.756
but there's no doubt that research is

01:42:31.756 --> 01:42:34.033
important to that , as we've discussed ,

01:42:34.033 --> 01:42:36.089
and I'll follow up with our team and

01:42:36.089 --> 01:42:38.145
then we'll , we'll reconnect . Thank

01:42:38.145 --> 01:42:37.970
you , I appreciate that . As you

01:42:37.970 --> 01:42:40.081
pointed out , research is critical to

01:42:40.081 --> 01:42:41.914
ensuring that the timber economy

01:42:41.914 --> 01:42:44.192
continues to be successful . Thank you ,

01:42:44.192 --> 01:42:45.970
Madam Chair . Senator Kennedy .

01:42:51.129 --> 01:42:53.351
Thank , thank you , Madam Chair . Thank

01:42:53.351 --> 01:42:55.351
you all for being here today . Uh ,

01:42:55.351 --> 01:42:58.919
General . In in the war between .

01:43:00.500 --> 01:43:03.140
Russia and Ukraine , who do we want to

01:43:03.140 --> 01:43:06.830
win ? Uh , sir , I want ,

01:43:06.950 --> 01:43:10.850
I want Ukraine to win . Is Russia

01:43:10.850 --> 01:43:13.600
America's friend ? I'm sorry , sir , I

01:43:13.600 --> 01:43:15.767
couldn't quite hear your question . Is

01:43:15.767 --> 01:43:19.259
Russia , America's friend . Uh , I , I

01:43:19.259 --> 01:43:21.370
think that depends on your definition

01:43:21.370 --> 01:43:23.537
of friend . I think it's a complicated

01:43:23.537 --> 01:43:27.479
relationship . But no , I don't think

01:43:27.479 --> 01:43:30.330
they're our friends . Thank you .

01:43:34.810 --> 01:43:38.450
If we could cut off Russia's

01:43:38.450 --> 01:43:42.040
cash flow . Which

01:43:42.040 --> 01:43:44.680
suspend , which depends substantially

01:43:45.339 --> 01:43:47.395
on its sale of oil , would that help

01:43:47.395 --> 01:43:50.529
Ukraine win ? So I think militarily any

01:43:50.529 --> 01:43:54.490
time you can restrict uh resources and

01:43:54.490 --> 01:43:57.919
cash flows against , uh , an adversary

01:43:57.919 --> 01:44:00.141
that's a good thing so much respect for

01:44:00.141 --> 01:44:02.197
you , yes sir , but I have so little

01:44:02.197 --> 01:44:04.197
time . Yes sir , I , I'll try to be

01:44:04.197 --> 01:44:06.252
briefer . Give me succinct answers .

01:44:06.252 --> 01:44:08.530
Yes sir , it would , it would assist a ,

01:44:08.530 --> 01:44:10.680
uh , yes sir . Yes sir . OK .

01:44:12.040 --> 01:44:15.959
Um , If we could

01:44:15.959 --> 01:44:19.959
stop people , entities , and countries

01:44:19.959 --> 01:44:22.839
from buying Russia's oil , that would

01:44:22.839 --> 01:44:25.399
help cut off its cash flow , wouldn't

01:44:25.399 --> 01:44:29.009
it ? Yes sir . We have a

01:44:29.009 --> 01:44:31.850
bill to do that , as I'm sure you're

01:44:31.850 --> 01:44:35.600
aware . We have the

01:44:35.600 --> 01:44:38.529
votes today to pass it .

01:44:39.919 --> 01:44:43.669
Overwhelmingly . I

01:44:43.669 --> 01:44:47.029
have also have enormous respect and

01:44:47.029 --> 01:44:50.310
admiration . For our majority leader ,

01:44:50.419 --> 01:44:54.410
Senator Thune . But I hope everybody on

01:44:54.410 --> 01:44:57.669
this panel . Well today ,

01:44:59.830 --> 01:45:03.509
Contact Senator Thune and ask him to

01:45:03.509 --> 01:45:07.479
bring that bill to the floor . We

01:45:07.479 --> 01:45:11.430
should vote on it at a minimum of next

01:45:11.430 --> 01:45:11.890
week .

01:45:15.560 --> 01:45:17.520
Some of my colleagues , general .

01:45:19.370 --> 01:45:22.290
Want America to just stop in Iran .

01:45:23.740 --> 01:45:27.310
In the blockade . Bring all of our ,

01:45:27.319 --> 01:45:31.259
our , our warriors home . What

01:45:31.259 --> 01:45:34.839
would be the consequences of that in

01:45:34.839 --> 01:45:38.819
your estimation ? Sir , I think ,

01:45:38.890 --> 01:45:41.060
uh , termination criteria is always a

01:45:41.060 --> 01:45:43.669
political decision . However , I assess

01:45:43.669 --> 01:45:46.830
that Iran will continue to be a

01:45:46.830 --> 01:45:49.149
challenge moving forward . So we have

01:45:49.149 --> 01:45:52.109
to be thoughtful . Will they put tolls

01:45:52.109 --> 01:45:54.165
on the strait ? I don't know , sir .

01:45:54.165 --> 01:45:56.387
That's a decision that's a hypothetical

01:45:56.387 --> 01:45:58.553
and will depend on what happens . It's

01:45:58.553 --> 01:46:00.776
not hypothetical . We've got a blockade

01:46:00.776 --> 01:46:03.029
to stop them . We do , sir . That's

01:46:03.029 --> 01:46:05.196
putting economic pressure on . I'm not

01:46:05.196 --> 01:46:07.362
asking you for , I'm not trying to get

01:46:07.362 --> 01:46:09.529
you in trouble . I know your advice to

01:46:09.529 --> 01:46:12.740
the president . It is , uh , it is , is

01:46:12.740 --> 01:46:15.700
private , but this is serious as 4

01:46:15.700 --> 01:46:17.399
heart attacks and a stroke .

01:46:19.350 --> 01:46:23.029
Now what happens ? If we come

01:46:23.029 --> 01:46:26.330
home and end the blockade . To the

01:46:26.330 --> 01:46:30.049
world Sir , Iran has the

01:46:30.049 --> 01:46:33.109
potential to continue to be a threat ,

01:46:33.240 --> 01:46:35.240
and we're , we will need to prepare

01:46:35.240 --> 01:46:38.129
military options to do that , sir ,

01:46:38.169 --> 01:46:40.336
that's a hypothetical question , and I

01:46:40.336 --> 01:46:42.391
don't know the answer to that . Oh ,

01:46:42.391 --> 01:46:44.613
it's not hypothetical . You come home ,

01:46:44.613 --> 01:46:46.613
we come home . It's not going to be

01:46:46.613 --> 01:46:48.891
hypothetical , you know that , General .

01:46:48.891 --> 01:46:51.359
And I do too . And , and I , I

01:46:51.359 --> 01:46:53.526
appreciate your discretion . But we're

01:46:53.526 --> 01:46:56.859
down to it . We need some hard answers

01:46:56.859 --> 01:47:00.049
and some straight talk . What'll happen ,

01:47:00.259 --> 01:47:04.120
Pete ? Senator , I would , I

01:47:04.120 --> 01:47:06.342
would agree with the chairman , but the

01:47:06.342 --> 01:47:08.342
likely outcome is they would try to

01:47:08.342 --> 01:47:07.990
impose their will on the , on the

01:47:07.990 --> 01:47:10.299
waterways in ways that , uh , that the

01:47:10.299 --> 01:47:12.521
world would not like . Call it a toll .

01:47:12.521 --> 01:47:14.632
Call it a fee . Call it an exchange .

01:47:14.632 --> 01:47:16.410
Call it control . They would do

01:47:16.410 --> 01:47:18.521
something that they would try to hold

01:47:18.521 --> 01:47:18.479
it at issue . Yes . Would they , would

01:47:18.479 --> 01:47:22.000
they try to , uh , to , to redevelop to

01:47:22.000 --> 01:47:24.222
be , uh , commence development again of

01:47:24.222 --> 01:47:28.000
a nuclear warhead . Um , part of the

01:47:28.000 --> 01:47:30.167
reason President Trump had to have the

01:47:30.167 --> 01:47:31.944
courage to do what he did after

01:47:31.944 --> 01:47:31.450
Midnight Hammer is that they didn't

01:47:31.450 --> 01:47:33.450
give up their ambitions even though

01:47:33.450 --> 01:47:35.061
their nuclear sites had been

01:47:35.061 --> 01:47:37.228
obliterated . So this is a regime hell

01:47:37.228 --> 01:47:39.006
bent on nuclear ambitions , and

01:47:39.006 --> 01:47:41.172
President Trump is willing to go after

01:47:41.172 --> 01:47:42.950
it . We need straight answers .

01:47:45.029 --> 01:47:47.850
Do we have the ability to destroy

01:47:48.509 --> 01:47:51.509
whatever is underneath Pickaxe Mountain ?

01:47:54.649 --> 01:47:56.427
A lot of Senator , a lot of our

01:47:56.427 --> 01:47:58.482
capabilities are classified , but if

01:47:58.482 --> 01:48:00.705
anybody in the world can reach anything

01:48:00.705 --> 01:48:02.871
on this , on God's given , God's green

01:48:02.871 --> 01:48:02.419
earth , it's the United States military ,

01:48:02.500 --> 01:48:04.833
the most powerful military in the world .

01:48:04.833 --> 01:48:07.056
It's all about options and trade-offs .

01:48:07.056 --> 01:48:06.660
All right , I'm gonna take a little

01:48:06.660 --> 01:48:08.604
extra time because others got it ,

01:48:08.604 --> 01:48:10.438
Madam Chair . I won't abuse it ,

01:48:10.438 --> 01:48:13.700
Secretary . Uh , are , are shrimpers

01:48:13.700 --> 01:48:17.189
farmers . Absolutely , yes , there are

01:48:17.189 --> 01:48:19.700
farmers of the sea , oyster harvesters

01:48:19.700 --> 01:48:22.109
farmers , yes , in this USDA , they

01:48:22.109 --> 01:48:24.276
having to compete with other countries

01:48:24.276 --> 01:48:27.359
who grow oysters and shrimp in a ditch

01:48:27.589 --> 01:48:30.100
and shoot them full of pot full of

01:48:30.100 --> 01:48:33.870
antibiotics . 100% yes . And if you

01:48:33.870 --> 01:48:36.229
eat too much of that foreign , foreign

01:48:36.229 --> 01:48:38.299
shrimp and oysters , you'll grow an

01:48:38.299 --> 01:48:41.310
extra ear , won't you ? I'm not sure

01:48:41.310 --> 01:48:43.588
about that , but I know it is not good ,

01:48:43.588 --> 01:48:45.643
and I also know we import 90% of our

01:48:45.643 --> 01:48:47.643
shrimp , the shrimp and the oysters

01:48:47.643 --> 01:48:49.532
from abroad . Well , it goes much

01:48:49.532 --> 01:48:51.754
larger than that . Why are we importing

01:48:51.754 --> 01:48:53.977
so much from abroad , which goes to the

01:48:53.977 --> 01:48:56.088
president's trade agenda ? I'm in big

01:48:56.088 --> 01:48:58.620
trouble . Yes , you are . Guys , look ,

01:48:58.819 --> 01:49:00.875
we need straight answers now . We're

01:49:00.875 --> 01:49:01.799
down to it .

01:49:06.290 --> 01:49:08.234
Senator Merkley , uh , thank you ,

01:49:08.250 --> 01:49:10.361
Madam Chair and Secretary Rawlins . I

01:49:10.361 --> 01:49:12.083
appreciate your partnership on

01:49:12.083 --> 01:49:14.194
addressing several issues in Oregon ,

01:49:14.194 --> 01:49:16.139
and I sent you information about a

01:49:16.139 --> 01:49:18.139
couple others and you responded . I

01:49:18.139 --> 01:49:20.306
appreciate it . We'll follow up on the

01:49:20.306 --> 01:49:20.209
research service . We'll follow up on

01:49:20.209 --> 01:49:23.879
the concern about in-kind contributions ,

01:49:23.919 --> 01:49:26.049
uh , uh , serving as a , as , as a

01:49:26.049 --> 01:49:29.490
match , but I particularly , uh , need

01:49:29.490 --> 01:49:33.129
your help on the fire funding .

01:49:33.529 --> 01:49:36.220
And I know you've indicated how how

01:49:36.220 --> 01:49:38.660
important that is . Where we stand now

01:49:38.660 --> 01:49:41.379
is that , uh , the Senate seems

01:49:41.379 --> 01:49:44.540
hamstrung that they're seeking to have

01:49:44.540 --> 01:49:47.330
OMB give them a number on that . Uh ,

01:49:47.459 --> 01:49:49.348
various sources say the number is

01:49:49.348 --> 01:49:51.292
probably about 5 billion . I don't

01:49:51.292 --> 01:49:54.620
really . Care if it's 4.5 or 5 or 5.5 .

01:49:54.689 --> 01:49:57.439
The point is that folks here , senators

01:49:57.819 --> 01:50:00.259
are asking for a number from OMB in

01:50:00.259 --> 01:50:02.419
order to go forward . And when we're

01:50:02.419 --> 01:50:04.475
looking at the fires right now in my

01:50:04.475 --> 01:50:06.530
home state's the epicenter of of the

01:50:06.530 --> 01:50:08.641
highest risk in the , in the , in the

01:50:08.641 --> 01:50:10.697
country . So can we get your help to

01:50:10.697 --> 01:50:12.919
get that number and move this process ?

01:50:12.919 --> 01:50:15.030
Yes , absolutely . It is of paramount

01:50:15.030 --> 01:50:17.141
importance , especially in the middle

01:50:17.141 --> 01:50:19.308
of fire season right now . Thank you ,

01:50:19.308 --> 01:50:19.259
thank you so much . Thank you and

01:50:19.259 --> 01:50:23.250
Chairman , Kane . Uh , the , um , I ,

01:50:23.299 --> 01:50:26.169
I think there was a uh a sense that the ,

01:50:26.180 --> 01:50:28.402
the president expressed at the start of

01:50:28.402 --> 01:50:31.259
the war , uh , that the US military

01:50:31.259 --> 01:50:33.580
power was overwhelming and would likely

01:50:33.580 --> 01:50:36.979
produce unconditional surrender quickly

01:50:36.979 --> 01:50:40.750
by by Iran . Uh , and that obviously

01:50:40.750 --> 01:50:42.919
hasn't happened . Was it your opinion

01:50:42.919 --> 01:50:45.580
as as well ? Did you feel like the ,

01:50:45.649 --> 01:50:48.200
the our military force could produce an

01:50:48.209 --> 01:50:50.209
an unconditional surrender in quick

01:50:50.209 --> 01:50:53.450
order ? Sir , I won't , uh , I , I ,

01:50:53.560 --> 01:50:55.560
with due respect , I won't share my

01:50:55.560 --> 01:50:57.727
private advice to the president . What

01:50:57.727 --> 01:50:59.671
I will assure you and the American

01:50:59.671 --> 01:51:01.893
people is I always speak truth to power

01:51:01.893 --> 01:51:04.116
and offer , um , an accurate assessment

01:51:04.116 --> 01:51:06.171
of what my assessment is of both our

01:51:06.171 --> 01:51:08.680
readiness , the plans and activities

01:51:08.680 --> 01:51:10.640
that might be undertaken , the

01:51:10.640 --> 01:51:13.200
associated risks , and the secondary

01:51:13.200 --> 01:51:15.200
and tertiary considerations that go

01:51:15.200 --> 01:51:17.720
with those opinions or options . Uh ,

01:51:17.859 --> 01:51:19.692
thank you . So you feel like the

01:51:19.692 --> 01:51:21.692
various risks that Iran would close

01:51:21.692 --> 01:51:23.859
this , could possibly close the strait

01:51:23.859 --> 01:51:25.859
if despite the destruction of their

01:51:25.859 --> 01:51:27.581
navy , that the possibility of

01:51:27.581 --> 01:51:29.692
assassinating their political leaders

01:51:29.692 --> 01:51:31.526
and their military leaders could

01:51:31.526 --> 01:51:33.526
produce a strengthened hardline and

01:51:33.526 --> 01:51:36.560
weaken the reformers that , uh , Iran

01:51:36.560 --> 01:51:38.671
would have the ability to sustain its

01:51:38.671 --> 01:51:40.838
ability to attack sites throughout the

01:51:40.838 --> 01:51:43.620
Middle East , that the initial

01:51:43.620 --> 01:51:45.676
requirements of the war could surely

01:51:45.676 --> 01:51:48.870
deplete our . Ah , basically high-end

01:51:48.870 --> 01:51:52.549
standoff munitions . That this could

01:51:52.549 --> 01:51:54.438
affect our our relations with our

01:51:54.438 --> 01:51:56.990
allies . All those were factors well

01:51:56.990 --> 01:51:59.046
considered in this decision to go to

01:51:59.046 --> 01:52:01.790
war , sir , as I said , I won't opine

01:52:01.790 --> 01:52:03.959
on or share my private advice to the

01:52:03.959 --> 01:52:06.070
president . I'm not asking about your

01:52:06.070 --> 01:52:08.181
vice president . I'm asking you , did

01:52:08.181 --> 01:52:07.830
you understand these issues or have

01:52:07.830 --> 01:52:09.886
these become revelations as the wars

01:52:09.886 --> 01:52:11.865
unfolded , sir . My job is to

01:52:11.865 --> 01:52:14.095
understand all of the considerations

01:52:14.095 --> 01:52:16.206
that go into the carefully considered

01:52:16.206 --> 01:52:18.455
use of military power . Let me ask you

01:52:18.455 --> 01:52:20.622
this then . Yes sir , I understand why

01:52:20.622 --> 01:52:22.733
you don't want to respond , but these

01:52:22.733 --> 01:52:25.174
are , these are all massive risks that

01:52:25.174 --> 01:52:27.814
seem to be poorly weighed in the , in

01:52:27.814 --> 01:52:31.049
the beginning of this misadventure . Uh ,

01:52:31.310 --> 01:52:33.310
currently there are reports that we

01:52:33.310 --> 01:52:35.990
have hit the Banji desalination plant

01:52:35.990 --> 01:52:37.768
that provides water to about 20

01:52:37.768 --> 01:52:39.879
villages or about 10,000 people , and

01:52:39.879 --> 01:52:42.046
we also damaged the desalination plant

01:52:42.046 --> 01:52:44.029
at Keshe Island . Uh , were these

01:52:44.029 --> 01:52:46.529
deliberate targets by the United States ?

01:52:47.520 --> 01:52:49.649
Sir , I'm not aware of those as being

01:52:49.649 --> 01:52:51.816
particular targets , nor am I aware of

01:52:51.816 --> 01:52:53.816
those reports , and I'll have to go

01:52:53.816 --> 01:52:55.927
back and get back to you on that . If

01:52:55.927 --> 01:52:58.149
you could , I'd appreciate that you are

01:52:58.149 --> 01:52:59.871
aware that infrastructure that

01:52:59.871 --> 01:53:01.871
civilians rely on to survive is not

01:53:01.871 --> 01:53:01.750
generally considered legitimate

01:53:01.750 --> 01:53:03.917
military targets . Sir , as you know ,

01:53:03.917 --> 01:53:06.089
we have a robust process which

01:53:06.089 --> 01:53:08.256
considers a target that goes through a

01:53:08.256 --> 01:53:10.450
system that looks at a variety of

01:53:10.450 --> 01:53:12.561
considerations to include what you're

01:53:12.561 --> 01:53:14.783
alluding to around both purely civilian

01:53:14.783 --> 01:53:16.950
or dual use targets . I have trust and

01:53:16.950 --> 01:53:19.089
confidence in CENTCO , uh , that

01:53:19.089 --> 01:53:21.200
they're looking at the range of those

01:53:21.200 --> 01:53:23.200
things on a daily basis . It sounds

01:53:23.200 --> 01:53:25.422
like you are assuring us that we will ,

01:53:25.422 --> 01:53:27.589
the United States , not target even in

01:53:27.589 --> 01:53:31.250
retaliatory sense of . Infrastructure

01:53:31.250 --> 01:53:33.810
that is generally considered to be

01:53:33.810 --> 01:53:37.290
primarily for civilian survival . So ,

01:53:37.620 --> 01:53:39.939
uh , as I mentioned , we have a robust

01:53:39.939 --> 01:53:42.050
process and , uh , you know , we have

01:53:42.050 --> 01:53:44.161
the most professional military forces

01:53:44.161 --> 01:53:46.272
be nice to have you say yes . Because

01:53:46.272 --> 01:53:48.217
this is international law . If you

01:53:48.217 --> 01:53:50.550
understand the international law . I do ,

01:53:50.550 --> 01:53:52.606
sir . I've got a lot of lawyers that

01:53:52.606 --> 01:53:52.464
help me understand . Thank you , thank

01:53:52.464 --> 01:53:54.575
you . Yes sir . And you'll , will you

01:53:54.575 --> 01:53:56.520
get back to us on that question of

01:53:56.520 --> 01:53:58.575
whether we targeted the desalination

01:53:58.575 --> 01:54:00.742
plants ? And if so , um , if , if so ,

01:54:00.742 --> 01:54:04.569
why ? Um , my time's up , but I do want

01:54:04.669 --> 01:54:08.589
to express , uh , encouragement to look

01:54:08.589 --> 01:54:10.709
at what the negotiators have put

01:54:10.709 --> 01:54:13.310
forward or , uh , advisors as to

01:54:13.310 --> 01:54:17.270
whether a 10 day break could facilitate

01:54:17.270 --> 01:54:19.492
returning to dialogue that might find a

01:54:19.492 --> 01:54:23.129
path forward . Senator Hyde Smith .

01:54:24.569 --> 01:54:26.791
Thank you , Madam Chairman , and I want

01:54:26.791 --> 01:54:28.791
to thank all three of you for being

01:54:28.791 --> 01:54:30.847
here today . I am gonna to direct my

01:54:30.847 --> 01:54:32.958
first question to Secretary Rollins ,

01:54:32.958 --> 01:54:34.899
and again , I want to commend you

01:54:34.899 --> 01:54:37.819
publicly for the outstanding job you're

01:54:37.819 --> 01:54:40.459
doing at USDA . You know , this is my

01:54:40.459 --> 01:54:43.180
world . As former ag commissioner , I

01:54:43.180 --> 01:54:45.540
hear from a lot of producers in

01:54:45.540 --> 01:54:48.459
Mississippi and they are so pleased

01:54:48.459 --> 01:54:50.570
with your performance and , uh , that

01:54:50.570 --> 01:54:52.970
is just truly genuine right there . But ,

01:54:52.979 --> 01:54:54.689
uh , I'm pleased to see the

01:54:54.689 --> 01:54:56.800
administration's supplemental request

01:54:56.979 --> 01:54:59.209
as for ag producers because , uh ,

01:54:59.220 --> 01:55:01.276
before I comment on that I just want

01:55:01.276 --> 01:55:03.498
the entire committee and administration

01:55:03.498 --> 01:55:05.609
to take note of the tremendous timber

01:55:05.609 --> 01:55:07.620
losses as well in places like

01:55:07.620 --> 01:55:10.259
Mississippi due to winter storms and

01:55:10.259 --> 01:55:12.779
the tornadoes we've had there . It is

01:55:12.779 --> 01:55:14.612
significant and I certainly look

01:55:14.612 --> 01:55:17.020
forward to working with you , uh , with

01:55:17.020 --> 01:55:19.500
the , uh , concerns of the timber

01:55:19.500 --> 01:55:22.299
sector . Regarding this supplemental ,

01:55:22.520 --> 01:55:24.687
you know , our row crop producers , as

01:55:24.687 --> 01:55:26.520
you've mentioned in your opening

01:55:26.520 --> 01:55:30.040
remarks , uh , they are truly in a

01:55:30.049 --> 01:55:32.720
serious situation . I've talked to

01:55:32.720 --> 01:55:35.279
multi-generation farmers back home who

01:55:35.279 --> 01:55:38.100
are the best of the best that did not

01:55:38.100 --> 01:55:40.799
even plant this year because they could

01:55:40.799 --> 01:55:43.649
not make the numbers work . And

01:55:43.649 --> 01:55:45.982
producers in Mississippi and nationwide ,

01:55:45.982 --> 01:55:48.450
you know , we continue to face these

01:55:48.450 --> 01:55:50.672
economic conditions . They're not going

01:55:50.672 --> 01:55:53.729
away anytime immediately or soon , but

01:55:53.729 --> 01:55:56.540
we've seen the commodity prices drop

01:55:56.540 --> 01:55:58.970
and the , uh , input costs just go

01:55:58.970 --> 01:56:02.029
through the roof . If we want the next

01:56:02.120 --> 01:56:03.970
generation to stay on the land ,

01:56:04.209 --> 01:56:06.410
Congress , we're going to have to take

01:56:06.410 --> 01:56:09.209
this opportunity to provide this

01:56:09.209 --> 01:56:11.569
critical market assistance for our

01:56:11.569 --> 01:56:15.549
farmers and . Enact policies that build

01:56:15.549 --> 01:56:18.370
structural demands for commodities like

01:56:18.370 --> 01:56:21.120
the Buy American Cotton Act that , uh ,

01:56:21.450 --> 01:56:25.049
year-round E15 . All of which would

01:56:25.049 --> 01:56:28.549
make the paths better , more favorable

01:56:28.549 --> 01:56:31.609
for these producers going forward , but

01:56:31.609 --> 01:56:33.770
I appreciate the administration's

01:56:33.770 --> 01:56:35.770
effort to this date , including the

01:56:35.770 --> 01:56:37.919
farmer bridge assistance program that

01:56:37.919 --> 01:56:40.350
was so valuable implementation of the

01:56:40.350 --> 01:56:42.689
updated farm safety net with Working

01:56:42.689 --> 01:56:45.290
Families Tax Cut Act and now the

01:56:45.290 --> 01:56:48.290
supplemental request . Before Congress ,

01:56:48.410 --> 01:56:50.632
but will you speak to why it's critical

01:56:51.000 --> 01:56:53.890
for Congress to act swiftly to pass

01:56:53.890 --> 01:56:56.001
this supplemental and the need for us

01:56:56.001 --> 01:56:58.919
to pass legislation that drives the

01:56:58.919 --> 01:57:01.859
demand for farmers' products . Yes ,

01:57:01.979 --> 01:57:03.979
thank you , Senator , for your kind

01:57:03.979 --> 01:57:05.757
words . Uh , a couple of really

01:57:05.757 --> 01:57:07.868
important points . Number one , as we

01:57:07.868 --> 01:57:09.868
work to open the markets around the

01:57:09.868 --> 01:57:09.379
world and we're seeing , as I mentioned

01:57:09.379 --> 01:57:11.268
in my opening remarks , uh , just

01:57:11.268 --> 01:57:13.101
extraordinary numbers , that $50

01:57:13.101 --> 01:57:14.879
billion agricultural deficit we

01:57:14.879 --> 01:57:17.046
inherited a year and a half ago is now

01:57:17.046 --> 01:57:19.220
down into the $20 billion . We expect

01:57:19.220 --> 01:57:21.442
it to go down significantly this year .

01:57:21.620 --> 01:57:23.740
Uh , again , the highest price we've

01:57:23.740 --> 01:57:25.979
seen in over a year in corn is today ,

01:57:26.060 --> 01:57:28.649
and soybeans is today , etc . Your

01:57:28.649 --> 01:57:30.816
point , Senator , about opening up the

01:57:30.816 --> 01:57:32.982
domestic markets is really important ,

01:57:32.982 --> 01:57:34.982
whether that's E15 , renewable fuel

01:57:34.982 --> 01:57:37.316
standards . Obviously the RVOs came out ,

01:57:37.316 --> 01:57:39.649
which is a reason for the drive up , uh ,

01:57:39.649 --> 01:57:41.760
in some of our row crop prices in the

01:57:41.760 --> 01:57:41.259
last month , which is really important .

01:57:41.609 --> 01:57:43.665
But also , as I mentioned , bringing

01:57:43.665 --> 01:57:45.498
the cost of inputs down . We are

01:57:45.498 --> 01:57:47.442
expanding fertilizer , the largest

01:57:47.442 --> 01:57:49.498
ammonia plant . We're going to break

01:57:49.498 --> 01:57:51.442
ground in Louisiana in two weeks ,

01:57:51.442 --> 01:57:53.498
reshoring , bringing back to America

01:57:53.498 --> 01:57:55.609
real fertilizer production . And then

01:57:55.609 --> 01:57:57.553
also the long term , we , we gotta

01:57:57.553 --> 01:57:59.498
figure out how we're , we're doing

01:57:59.498 --> 01:58:01.553
these supplementals and these bridge

01:58:01.553 --> 01:58:03.720
payments which we have to do for these

01:58:03.720 --> 01:58:05.720
farmers to survive , but what we're

01:58:05.720 --> 01:58:07.609
seeing is just survival and we're

01:58:07.609 --> 01:58:09.720
seeing a lot of the input companies ,

01:58:09.720 --> 01:58:11.942
equipment , seed , fertilizer . Or make

01:58:11.942 --> 01:58:14.165
record profit . So we've got to be able

01:58:14.165 --> 01:58:16.220
to dig into that as well . But as of

01:58:16.220 --> 01:58:18.442
today , ensuring that we can keep these

01:58:18.442 --> 01:58:20.665
farmers farming while we're opening the

01:58:20.665 --> 01:58:20.060
markets , while we're bringing down the

01:58:20.060 --> 01:58:22.339
cost of inputs is paramount for a

01:58:22.339 --> 01:58:24.561
secure America . And that's why this is

01:58:24.561 --> 01:58:26.959
so important today . Thank you very ,

01:58:27.160 --> 01:58:29.104
very much for that . And Secretary

01:58:29.104 --> 01:58:31.220
Hexit , thank you for being here and

01:58:31.220 --> 01:58:33.331
the amazing job that you're doing . I

01:58:33.331 --> 01:58:35.498
have the utmost respect for you , your

01:58:35.498 --> 01:58:37.664
team , and what you're accomplishing .

01:58:37.770 --> 01:58:40.479
But I as well am committed to ensuring

01:58:40.479 --> 01:58:43.459
that our warfighters have all the tools

01:58:43.459 --> 01:58:45.626
necessary to accomplish the mission in

01:58:45.626 --> 01:58:48.000
Iran and whatever else that they need

01:58:48.000 --> 01:58:50.740
to defend our nation's interest . The

01:58:50.740 --> 01:58:52.796
supplemental request is in line with

01:58:52.796 --> 01:58:55.560
that goal , and I'd like to shift my

01:58:55.609 --> 01:58:57.498
conversation right now quickly to

01:58:57.498 --> 01:58:59.660
shipbuilding , which is extremely

01:58:59.660 --> 01:59:01.771
important to the state of Mississippi

01:59:01.779 --> 01:59:04.180
and our country's ability to protect

01:59:04.180 --> 01:59:07.799
itself . The president's FY 2027 budget

01:59:07.799 --> 01:59:11.799
requests funding for 1 DDG-51

01:59:12.569 --> 01:59:14.791
while Navy leaders have said their goal

01:59:14.791 --> 01:59:17.160
remains to build two destroyers a year

01:59:17.500 --> 01:59:19.611
and at the same time , the department

01:59:19.611 --> 01:59:21.722
is exploring options for using Allied

01:59:21.722 --> 01:59:23.930
shipyards and overseas fabrication in

01:59:23.930 --> 01:59:25.939
future naval construction , which

01:59:25.939 --> 01:59:27.995
raises questions about the long-term

01:59:27.995 --> 01:59:30.299
role of the American naval industrial

01:59:30.299 --> 01:59:32.299
base for shifting work away from

01:59:32.299 --> 01:59:35.450
domestic shipbuilders . Shipyards like

01:59:35.450 --> 01:59:37.617
Ingalls in Mississippi , which I would

01:59:37.617 --> 01:59:39.790
love to invite you down to there , it

01:59:39.790 --> 01:59:41.910
is amazing and the thousands of

01:59:41.910 --> 01:59:44.209
suppliers and small businesses they

01:59:44.209 --> 01:59:46.431
support , they need the confidence that

01:59:46.431 --> 01:59:48.376
the work will be there so they can

01:59:48.376 --> 01:59:50.376
invest in new facilities , hire and

01:59:50.376 --> 01:59:52.320
train skilled workers , and expand

01:59:52.320 --> 01:59:54.270
capacity that we will need in the

01:59:54.270 --> 01:59:56.950
future . Will you help or talk to us

01:59:56.950 --> 01:59:59.229
about the department's short and long

01:59:59.229 --> 02:00:01.629
term shipbuilding plan and how it gives

02:00:01.629 --> 02:00:04.580
industry the confidence to invest ? Um ,

02:00:04.700 --> 02:00:06.811
you just , you just made the case for

02:00:06.811 --> 02:00:09.033
this generational investment because of

02:00:09.033 --> 02:00:10.978
the underinvestment , Senator , in

02:00:10.978 --> 02:00:12.589
shipbuilding in the previous

02:00:12.589 --> 02:00:14.700
administration , just static , flat ,

02:00:14.700 --> 02:00:16.922
bureaucratic , slow . Uh , we're having

02:00:16.922 --> 02:00:19.144
to revitalize that industry and one DDG

02:00:19.144 --> 02:00:21.089
is a reflection of . A backlog and

02:00:21.089 --> 02:00:23.033
capability . So as we ramp on more

02:00:23.033 --> 02:00:25.200
capacity , those numbers of DDGs , the

02:00:25.200 --> 02:00:27.311
workhorse of our Navy , will go up as

02:00:27.311 --> 02:00:29.533
we grow that force . The senator's time

02:00:29.533 --> 02:00:32.035
has expired . Senator Coons , thank you ,

02:00:32.115 --> 02:00:34.154
Chairman Collins , Ranking Member

02:00:34.154 --> 02:00:36.154
Murray . Um , thank you , Secretary

02:00:36.154 --> 02:00:38.265
Hegseth , Secretary Rollins , General

02:00:38.265 --> 02:00:40.376
Kane , for your service . Um , I want

02:00:40.376 --> 02:00:42.321
to start with the things I know we

02:00:42.321 --> 02:00:44.543
agree on . Uh , we agree that we should

02:00:44.543 --> 02:00:46.710
honor our fallen , that we should stop

02:00:46.710 --> 02:00:48.598
and remember them and console and

02:00:48.598 --> 02:00:50.821
comfort their families , that we should

02:00:50.821 --> 02:00:53.430
be mindful of the hundreds of Americans

02:00:53.430 --> 02:00:55.652
who've been wounded and injured in this

02:00:55.652 --> 02:00:58.450
war in Iran . General Kane , your

02:00:58.450 --> 02:01:00.617
observations about how our adversaries

02:01:00.617 --> 02:01:02.672
are aligning more and more closely .

02:01:02.672 --> 02:01:04.750
Technology is accelerating and cheap

02:01:04.750 --> 02:01:06.972
and lethal and easily accessible drones

02:01:06.972 --> 02:01:09.083
pose greater and greater risks to our

02:01:09.083 --> 02:01:10.861
troops , our homeland , and our

02:01:10.861 --> 02:01:13.083
security . And Secretary Hegseth , that

02:01:13.083 --> 02:01:15.250
we need to protect our troops wherever

02:01:15.250 --> 02:01:17.306
our president directs them , that we

02:01:17.306 --> 02:01:19.639
need to protect our partners and allies ,

02:01:19.639 --> 02:01:21.806
and that the dangerous radical Iranian

02:01:21.806 --> 02:01:23.917
regime should never possess a nuclear

02:01:23.917 --> 02:01:25.917
weapon . I think we agree on all of

02:01:25.917 --> 02:01:28.139
these core basic points . Where I think

02:01:28.139 --> 02:01:30.361
we may disagree is on this supplemental

02:01:30.361 --> 02:01:32.879
and on the strategic choices made to

02:01:32.879 --> 02:01:34.823
achieve some of these core goals .

02:01:35.000 --> 02:01:37.839
We're 143 days into a war with Iran , a

02:01:37.839 --> 02:01:39.895
war of choice that we started . With

02:01:39.895 --> 02:01:42.229
Israel but did not include consult or

02:01:42.229 --> 02:01:44.970
incorporate our core allies , our NATO

02:01:44.970 --> 02:01:46.914
allies , our regional allies , the

02:01:46.914 --> 02:01:49.529
American people and Congress . And the

02:01:49.529 --> 02:01:51.609
reason to consult and include our

02:01:51.609 --> 02:01:54.069
allies and Congress and the American

02:01:54.069 --> 02:01:56.490
people is so that when the costs and

02:01:56.490 --> 02:01:58.930
the length of a war extend beyond what

02:01:58.930 --> 02:02:01.097
we'd initially imagined , the American

02:02:01.097 --> 02:02:03.097
people and their representatives in

02:02:03.097 --> 02:02:05.263
Congress understand that sacrifice and

02:02:05.263 --> 02:02:07.319
can continue to support it . I think

02:02:07.319 --> 02:02:09.541
your first strategic mistake was to not

02:02:09.541 --> 02:02:11.763
consult the American people in Congress

02:02:11.763 --> 02:02:13.979
and make a clear case for the reasons

02:02:13.979 --> 02:02:16.330
behind this war . There have been many ,

02:02:16.580 --> 02:02:18.802
lots offered , and I think our military

02:02:18.802 --> 02:02:21.060
has executed on the core missions .

02:02:22.069 --> 02:02:24.470
Attack ballistic missile sites , sink

02:02:24.470 --> 02:02:27.270
the blue water navy , attack their

02:02:27.270 --> 02:02:29.450
proxies , constrain their capacity .

02:02:29.870 --> 02:02:31.870
But I frankly think it was entirely

02:02:31.870 --> 02:02:34.270
foreseeable that Iran would close the

02:02:34.270 --> 02:02:36.326
Strait of Hormuz , would use cheap ,

02:02:36.390 --> 02:02:38.612
lethal , widely available Shahid drones

02:02:38.612 --> 02:02:40.279
that they've led the world in

02:02:40.279 --> 02:02:42.501
manufacturing to attack our bases , our

02:02:42.501 --> 02:02:44.668
troops , our partners and allies , and

02:02:44.668 --> 02:02:46.759
impose real costs . Higher costs in

02:02:46.759 --> 02:02:48.959
fertilizer , and fuel , higher costs

02:02:48.959 --> 02:02:50.979
for the world , and tragically

02:02:50.979 --> 02:02:53.240
increasingly higher human costs for us

02:02:53.240 --> 02:02:56.330
and for our troops . So , 2 questions ,

02:02:56.490 --> 02:02:58.712
the 2 general lines of questioning if I

02:02:58.712 --> 02:03:00.879
could . Mr . Secretary , your question

02:03:00.879 --> 02:03:02.990
says without these supplemental funds

02:03:02.990 --> 02:03:05.101
we will face critical shortfalls that

02:03:05.101 --> 02:03:07.323
threaten our ability to pay our service

02:03:07.323 --> 02:03:09.434
members and sustain global operations

02:03:09.434 --> 02:03:11.601
without disruption . You've been asked

02:03:11.601 --> 02:03:13.740
repeatedly there's $75 billion

02:03:14.279 --> 02:03:16.959
appropriated but unobligated . Can we

02:03:16.959 --> 02:03:19.410
really not avoid critical short-term

02:03:19.410 --> 02:03:21.577
shortfalls ? What does that mean about

02:03:21.577 --> 02:03:23.410
the budget management within the

02:03:23.410 --> 02:03:26.169
department in terms of unexpected and

02:03:26.200 --> 02:03:29.100
um unbudgeted wars , uh , first

02:03:29.200 --> 02:03:31.910
Operation Southern Spear and then , um ,

02:03:31.919 --> 02:03:35.390
Operation Epic Fearing . I , I would

02:03:35.390 --> 02:03:37.870
just note , uh , I was sort of updated

02:03:37.870 --> 02:03:40.020
95% of that One Big Beautiful bill

02:03:40.020 --> 02:03:42.242
funding will be allocated by the end of

02:03:42.242 --> 02:03:44.131
September in , in accordance with

02:03:44.131 --> 02:03:46.131
congressional intent . So these are

02:03:46.131 --> 02:03:48.187
things we are , we , we , we said we

02:03:48.187 --> 02:03:48.069
would spend and we told you we would

02:03:48.069 --> 02:03:50.125
spend them on , and we plan to spend

02:03:50.125 --> 02:03:52.069
them on those things by the end of

02:03:52.069 --> 02:03:54.125
September . So this is a new request

02:03:54.125 --> 02:03:56.236
based on new realities of , of , of ,

02:03:56.236 --> 02:03:58.402
of a world we face stepping up to meet

02:03:58.402 --> 02:04:00.625
that moment . Uh , and also Secretary ,

02:04:00.625 --> 02:04:02.625
but that , that's news to me . Um ,

02:04:02.709 --> 02:04:05.229
that that 75 billion will be out the

02:04:05.229 --> 02:04:07.709
door , appropriated , sorry , allocated

02:04:07.709 --> 02:04:10.270
and spent by September , and I was

02:04:10.270 --> 02:04:12.589
simply questioning how we have , um .

02:04:13.279 --> 02:04:15.390
Ships running out of fuel in the open

02:04:15.390 --> 02:04:17.668
seas and planes being grounded , and I ,

02:04:17.720 --> 02:04:19.887
I didn't say ships were running out of

02:04:19.887 --> 02:04:21.720
fuel in open seas or planes were

02:04:21.720 --> 02:04:21.720
grounded . I'm saying we have to make

02:04:21.720 --> 02:04:24.319
trade-offs . Everything our troops need

02:04:24.319 --> 02:04:26.486
on the battlefield , they're , they're

02:04:26.486 --> 02:04:28.486
getting in spades and beyond . Uh ,

02:04:28.486 --> 02:04:30.819
it's ultimately looking into the future .

02:04:30.819 --> 02:04:32.930
Can we invest above and beyond that ,

02:04:32.930 --> 02:04:35.041
the types of munitions fast enough as

02:04:35.041 --> 02:04:37.208
we . Upgrade and modernize our force .

02:04:37.208 --> 02:04:39.208
That's what's at issue here in this

02:04:39.208 --> 02:04:41.430
$1.5 trillion this supplemental and any

02:04:41.430 --> 02:04:41.370
other additional funding that comes .

02:04:41.509 --> 02:04:44.259
Two quite different things a $1.5

02:04:44.259 --> 02:04:46.870
trillion base budget request and a now

02:04:46.870 --> 02:04:49.899
$76 billion supplemental . And I was

02:04:49.899 --> 02:04:52.520
simply going to point to a Department

02:04:52.520 --> 02:04:54.464
of Homeland Security is sitting on

02:04:54.464 --> 02:04:57.270
nearly $100 billion in unobligated

02:04:57.270 --> 02:04:58.937
funds . You haven't requested

02:04:58.937 --> 02:05:00.826
reimbursement for the millions of

02:05:00.826 --> 02:05:02.603
frankly billions of dollars the

02:05:02.603 --> 02:05:04.548
department has spent . Uh , on law

02:05:04.548 --> 02:05:06.381
enforcement , Second , we , um ,

02:05:06.609 --> 02:05:08.831
requested reimbursement and are getting

02:05:08.831 --> 02:05:10.998
a substantial reimbursement from DHS .

02:05:10.998 --> 02:05:13.276
That's good news and that's news to me ,

02:05:13.276 --> 02:05:15.629
um , and , and frankly , as we reflect

02:05:15.629 --> 02:05:17.851
on the service and sacrifice of those ,

02:05:17.851 --> 02:05:20.073
um , who put their lives on the line of

02:05:20.073 --> 02:05:21.962
this war , one of the things I've

02:05:21.962 --> 02:05:24.018
raised over and over and over is the

02:05:24.018 --> 02:05:26.129
ways in which this administration has

02:05:26.129 --> 02:05:28.129
dragged its feet on partnering with

02:05:28.129 --> 02:05:30.669
Ukraine in order to deploy . The best

02:05:30.669 --> 02:05:32.629
in class sensors , detectors , and

02:05:32.629 --> 02:05:34.569
counter drone systems to protect

02:05:35.140 --> 02:05:37.830
everything from Dover Air Force Base to

02:05:37.830 --> 02:05:40.069
our bases in the region to our troops

02:05:40.069 --> 02:05:42.620
to our partners . I want to see you

02:05:42.620 --> 02:05:45.109
focus on accelerating the defense of

02:05:45.109 --> 02:05:47.270
our troops and our nation . Focus on

02:05:47.270 --> 02:05:50.180
accelerating the defense of our troops

02:05:50.180 --> 02:05:52.950
and this region , and a strategy that

02:05:52.950 --> 02:05:55.560
has a real chance at succeeding . At

02:05:55.560 --> 02:05:57.727
the goals that we agree on because the

02:05:57.727 --> 02:05:59.782
strategy followed , I think , has no

02:05:59.782 --> 02:06:01.616
credible likelihood of success .

02:06:03.160 --> 02:06:05.830
Senator Britt , thank you , Madam Chair .

02:06:05.950 --> 02:06:08.228
Appreciate all of you being here today .

02:06:08.319 --> 02:06:12.060
Um , so since the beginning of the , um ,

02:06:12.479 --> 02:06:15.720
Putin's aggression into Ukraine .

02:06:16.680 --> 02:06:19.399
This body has passed 5 supplemental

02:06:19.399 --> 02:06:22.359
bills funding different portions of

02:06:22.359 --> 02:06:25.009
that war . You mentioned in your

02:06:25.009 --> 02:06:27.470
opening , Mr . Secretary , about .

02:06:28.970 --> 02:06:31.959
Not getting those munitions that had

02:06:31.959 --> 02:06:34.569
come through this body quick enough to

02:06:34.569 --> 02:06:37.169
Ukraine and also being able to

02:06:37.169 --> 02:06:40.009
replenish those here at home . Can you

02:06:40.009 --> 02:06:42.009
talk a little bit more about that ?

02:06:42.009 --> 02:06:44.290
Because I remember the previous

02:06:44.359 --> 02:06:47.169
administration dragging its feet after

02:06:47.169 --> 02:06:49.200
this body gave them directive as to

02:06:49.200 --> 02:06:51.311
what to do . So can you shed a little

02:06:51.311 --> 02:06:53.256
bit more light as to what you were

02:06:53.256 --> 02:06:55.422
talking about in your opening ? Well ,

02:06:55.422 --> 02:06:57.200
thank you for that question . I

02:06:57.200 --> 02:06:57.189
sometimes we forget recent history ,

02:06:57.200 --> 02:06:58.867
which , which under the Biden

02:06:58.867 --> 02:07:00.533
administration , there were 5

02:07:00.533 --> 02:07:02.811
supplemental requests for Ukraine . Uh ,

02:07:02.811 --> 02:07:04.978
which almost every member of this body

02:07:04.978 --> 02:07:06.700
voted for descend rapidly in a

02:07:06.700 --> 02:07:08.811
bipartisan fashion for something that

02:07:08.811 --> 02:07:10.922
this committee and the administration

02:07:10.922 --> 02:07:13.033
deemed to be urgent . President Trump

02:07:13.033 --> 02:07:15.089
may take a different view , but that

02:07:15.089 --> 02:07:15.000
was the view of the Biden

02:07:15.000 --> 02:07:17.111
administration . And and real quick ,

02:07:17.111 --> 02:07:19.278
wouldn't you say it would be urgent to

02:07:19.278 --> 02:07:18.259
make sure that our men and women in

02:07:18.259 --> 02:07:20.426
uniform right now have everything that

02:07:20.426 --> 02:07:22.648
they need ? I would argue providing for

02:07:22.648 --> 02:07:24.703
American men and women as opposed to

02:07:24.703 --> 02:07:26.703
Ukrainian men and women is a higher

02:07:26.703 --> 02:07:29.037
priority for . The United States Senate .

02:07:29.037 --> 02:07:31.370
So 5 supplementals that went to Ukraine ,

02:07:31.370 --> 02:07:33.481
as good as that cause may be , why is

02:07:33.481 --> 02:07:35.426
that righteous to do , but funding

02:07:35.426 --> 02:07:38.250
troops in harm's way right now ,

02:07:39.310 --> 02:07:41.199
given the threat and what they're

02:07:41.199 --> 02:07:43.032
undertaking , this is a partisan

02:07:43.032 --> 02:07:45.129
exercise . It's hypocrisy , and I

02:07:45.129 --> 02:07:47.129
appreciate you pointing it out real

02:07:47.129 --> 02:07:49.589
quick , Madam Secretary , question for

02:07:49.589 --> 02:07:51.629
you . When the Russia-Ukraine war

02:07:51.629 --> 02:07:54.709
started . We saw obviously cost go up

02:07:54.709 --> 02:07:56.910
around the world , in particular in

02:07:56.910 --> 02:07:59.132
that region . We know that supplying of

02:07:59.132 --> 02:08:01.419
fertilizer , you know , was tremendous .

02:08:01.629 --> 02:08:04.109
We also know Ukraine was top 5 when it

02:08:04.109 --> 02:08:06.990
came to wheat and corn and other things

02:08:06.990 --> 02:08:09.270
that we utilize , you know , across ,

02:08:09.470 --> 02:08:12.029
across the globe . It's my , it's my

02:08:12.029 --> 02:08:14.669
recollection that fertilizer went up

02:08:14.669 --> 02:08:17.850
about 55% . Obviously if we were able

02:08:17.850 --> 02:08:20.549
to create stability there in the region

02:08:20.549 --> 02:08:22.830
and have peace , it would , it would

02:08:22.830 --> 02:08:25.390
follow that then prices would likely go

02:08:25.390 --> 02:08:27.870
down over time within the agriculture

02:08:27.870 --> 02:08:30.148
world as well . Is that , is that fair ?

02:08:30.270 --> 02:08:32.430
Yes , that's correct . OK . And when

02:08:32.430 --> 02:08:35.750
we're looking at the Ukraine and Russia

02:08:35.750 --> 02:08:38.990
war and trying to end Putin's

02:08:38.990 --> 02:08:41.046
aggression , trying to bring peace ,

02:08:42.000 --> 02:08:44.419
General Kane , if we were to cut off

02:08:45.120 --> 02:08:47.899
the funding , That Russia was getting

02:08:50.089 --> 02:08:52.450
Would it follow that that would be a

02:08:52.450 --> 02:08:55.629
driver that could possibly lead Putin

02:08:55.850 --> 02:08:59.669
to the table ? Sarah , yes , and

02:08:59.669 --> 02:09:02.029
their economy's struggling now . Thank

02:09:02.029 --> 02:09:04.229
you . And we also know I saw reports

02:09:04.229 --> 02:09:06.270
this weekend that it is said that

02:09:06.270 --> 02:09:08.950
possibly Russia and China , which I

02:09:08.950 --> 02:09:11.061
know you can't comment on right now ,

02:09:11.061 --> 02:09:14.430
but are actually helping Iran , whether

02:09:14.430 --> 02:09:16.859
it is targeting our troops , funding ,

02:09:16.870 --> 02:09:19.037
and other mechanisms . So I think that

02:09:19.037 --> 02:09:21.037
we could all agree that ending that

02:09:21.037 --> 02:09:23.609
would be . Helpful . I want to just ,

02:09:23.620 --> 02:09:25.676
uh , echo Senator Kennedy's comments

02:09:25.676 --> 02:09:27.898
that I think the sooner we can get this

02:09:27.898 --> 02:09:30.176
bill on the floor and passed , um , it ,

02:09:30.176 --> 02:09:32.398
it would be , it'd be huge with regards

02:09:32.398 --> 02:09:34.509
to Russian sanctions . Um , also want

02:09:34.509 --> 02:09:36.231
to just talk briefly about the

02:09:36.231 --> 02:09:38.064
dysfunction of this body . So my

02:09:38.064 --> 02:09:40.231
question is for you , Mr . Secretary ,

02:09:40.231 --> 02:09:42.398
and you , General Kaine . I would have

02:09:42.398 --> 02:09:44.509
to think that our adversaries , and I

02:09:44.509 --> 02:09:46.700
believe that we need to fully fund our

02:09:46.700 --> 02:09:48.560
military , making sure that our

02:09:48.899 --> 02:09:51.177
warfighter is the best ready , trained ,

02:09:51.177 --> 02:09:53.121
and equipped across the planet . I

02:09:53.121 --> 02:09:55.288
think we have an obligation and a duty

02:09:55.288 --> 02:09:57.177
to not only meet the needs of the

02:09:57.177 --> 02:09:59.343
moment , but to also look at what's to

02:09:59.343 --> 02:10:01.399
come and be preparing for that . You

02:10:01.399 --> 02:10:01.250
talked about an insurance policy . You

02:10:01.250 --> 02:10:03.306
talk about what we need to do . Then

02:10:03.306 --> 02:10:05.361
now is the time to do those things ,

02:10:05.361 --> 02:10:07.306
but I would have to think that the

02:10:07.306 --> 02:10:09.528
dysfunction of this body . Whether it's

02:10:09.528 --> 02:10:11.806
the full shutdown , a partial shutdown ,

02:10:11.806 --> 02:10:13.972
a partial shutdown , not being able to

02:10:13.972 --> 02:10:16.306
pass NDAA , not being able to pass FISA ,

02:10:16.306 --> 02:10:18.028
I would have to think that our

02:10:18.028 --> 02:10:20.270
adversaries . Look at that , and it

02:10:20.270 --> 02:10:22.939
gives them a little bit more , uh ,

02:10:23.370 --> 02:10:25.259
credence as to what they're doing

02:10:25.259 --> 02:10:27.426
abroad . Can either one of you comment

02:10:27.426 --> 02:10:29.592
on that ? Thank you , Senator . That's

02:10:29.592 --> 02:10:31.648
why I've said and I will continue to

02:10:31.648 --> 02:10:33.870
say that the inability to properly fund

02:10:33.870 --> 02:10:36.203
this department , the Department of War ,

02:10:36.203 --> 02:10:35.990
is probably the single greatest threat

02:10:35.990 --> 02:10:38.189
our nation faces . Whether or not we

02:10:38.189 --> 02:10:40.549
will make a generational investment in

02:10:40.549 --> 02:10:42.660
not just winning the wars currently ,

02:10:42.660 --> 02:10:44.827
but deterring the wars of the future ,

02:10:44.827 --> 02:10:46.993
given the step change in technology of

02:10:46.993 --> 02:10:49.105
this moment . And the underfunding of

02:10:49.105 --> 02:10:48.470
the previous administration , you mean

02:10:48.470 --> 02:10:50.081
you didn't mention continued

02:10:50.081 --> 02:10:52.248
resolutions , which is a whole another

02:10:52.248 --> 02:10:54.414
way our department has , has foolishly

02:10:54.414 --> 02:10:56.137
budgeted . So I appreciate you

02:10:56.137 --> 02:10:58.470
highlighting that it's very true . Yeah ,

02:10:58.470 --> 02:10:57.830
and , and , and General King , question

02:10:57.830 --> 02:11:00.600
for you . Obviously a shutdown is just ,

02:11:00.910 --> 02:11:03.069
is , is a terrible thing for the

02:11:03.069 --> 02:11:05.291
Department of War and the men and women

02:11:05.291 --> 02:11:07.402
that you oversee , but I would assume

02:11:07.402 --> 02:11:09.569
that a CR is not much better . Can you

02:11:09.569 --> 02:11:11.890
comment on the effects of that ? Ma'am ,

02:11:11.970 --> 02:11:14.879
the department's done a lot of work to

02:11:14.879 --> 02:11:17.609
bind together founders , funders , and

02:11:17.609 --> 02:11:19.720
fighters as we look to the challenges

02:11:19.720 --> 02:11:21.831
that we face in the future , and a CR

02:11:21.831 --> 02:11:24.129
would hurt badly the effort to properly

02:11:24.129 --> 02:11:26.129
arm the joint force . I hope we can

02:11:26.129 --> 02:11:28.240
work together to do the right thing .

02:11:28.240 --> 02:11:30.573
Thanks . The people are depending on it .

02:11:30.573 --> 02:11:32.629
Senator Schatz . Thank you , Chair .

02:11:32.629 --> 02:11:34.573
Thank you , Secretaries and , uh ,

02:11:34.573 --> 02:11:36.629
General , for being here . I want to

02:11:36.629 --> 02:11:39.410
start . By paying my respects to First

02:11:39.410 --> 02:11:41.521
Lieutenant Tyler Fehan of Eva Beach ,

02:11:41.609 --> 02:11:44.529
Hawaii , who was among those killed in

02:11:44.529 --> 02:11:46.640
Jordan this weekend while serving our

02:11:46.640 --> 02:11:48.770
country . His courage , selfless

02:11:48.770 --> 02:11:50.937
dedication , and unwavering commitment

02:11:50.937 --> 02:11:53.569
to duty reflect the very best of our

02:11:53.569 --> 02:11:55.890
armed forces . We extend our deepest

02:11:55.890 --> 02:11:58.410
condolences to his family , his loved

02:11:58.410 --> 02:12:01.450
ones , his fellow service members , and

02:12:01.450 --> 02:12:03.228
remain forever grateful for his

02:12:03.228 --> 02:12:04.228
sacrifice .

02:12:08.149 --> 02:12:11.830
Secretary , about 190,000 people in the

02:12:11.830 --> 02:12:13.941
state of Hawaii , believe it or not ,

02:12:13.941 --> 02:12:15.941
voted for Donald John Trump , and I

02:12:15.941 --> 02:12:17.997
know a lot of them , and I represent

02:12:17.997 --> 02:12:20.169
all of them . And one of the reasons

02:12:20.669 --> 02:12:22.558
that they were enthusiastic about

02:12:22.558 --> 02:12:24.780
Donald Trump and you , Mr . Secretary .

02:12:25.250 --> 02:12:28.000
Was they , they thought . That we were

02:12:28.000 --> 02:12:31.009
going to have a new foreign policy .

02:12:31.970 --> 02:12:34.192
And that I think I'm paraphrasing , but

02:12:34.192 --> 02:12:36.359
I think you characterize yourself as a

02:12:36.359 --> 02:12:38.414
reformed neocon or some such thing ,

02:12:38.414 --> 02:12:40.526
and people were pretty thrilled about

02:12:40.526 --> 02:12:42.637
the idea that we were going to , that

02:12:42.637 --> 02:12:45.580
America first in their mind . Meant

02:12:45.580 --> 02:12:47.919
that we were going to not do this kind

02:12:47.919 --> 02:12:51.390
of adventurism . And so I , I don't

02:12:51.390 --> 02:12:53.501
want you to answer me , I want you to

02:12:53.501 --> 02:12:55.668
answer them , and I wanna walk through

02:12:55.668 --> 02:12:58.200
the sort of stated objectives of this

02:12:58.200 --> 02:13:01.669
war at the outset . Regime

02:13:01.669 --> 02:13:04.850
change We now have a younger and more

02:13:04.850 --> 02:13:06.640
radical regime .

02:13:08.850 --> 02:13:10.779
Depleting , eliminating their

02:13:10.779 --> 02:13:13.339
conventional missile capability . It's

02:13:13.339 --> 02:13:15.120
true that we've depleted their

02:13:15.540 --> 02:13:17.707
conventional missile capability . It's

02:13:17.707 --> 02:13:19.873
also true that anything the Department

02:13:19.873 --> 02:13:22.020
of War sets out to do , it usually

02:13:22.020 --> 02:13:24.700
succeeds at . So the question is not do

02:13:24.700 --> 02:13:28.419
we kick , it's when do we decide to use

02:13:28.419 --> 02:13:32.120
kinetic engagement . To extend

02:13:32.120 --> 02:13:35.770
our power across the globe and it's

02:13:35.770 --> 02:13:38.049
clear that Iran still retains enough

02:13:38.049 --> 02:13:41.089
conventional missile capability to

02:13:41.089 --> 02:13:43.200
attack our bases and our interests in

02:13:43.200 --> 02:13:46.089
the region . Now it's true that the

02:13:46.089 --> 02:13:48.311
Bluewater navy is destroyed . It's also

02:13:48.311 --> 02:13:50.311
true , and you know this , that the

02:13:50.311 --> 02:13:52.311
IRGC has something that you may not

02:13:52.311 --> 02:13:54.533
call a navy , but it's got capabilities

02:13:54.533 --> 02:13:57.930
to , to touch us with drones and

02:13:57.930 --> 02:14:00.919
missiles and lay mines . In the Strait

02:14:00.919 --> 02:14:04.390
of Hormuz . Preventing their

02:14:04.390 --> 02:14:06.390
nuclear capability , it's also true

02:14:06.390 --> 02:14:08.390
that if you bomb the out of a place

02:14:08.390 --> 02:14:10.612
they're going to have less capabilities

02:14:10.612 --> 02:14:12.723
by the end of it , but it's also true

02:14:12.723 --> 02:14:14.612
that we have not eliminated their

02:14:14.612 --> 02:14:16.501
nuclear capability , and whatever

02:14:16.501 --> 02:14:18.612
duration we've set them back actually

02:14:18.612 --> 02:14:20.723
pales in comparison to the , and I'll

02:14:20.723 --> 02:14:22.834
say it , the Obama nuclear deal which

02:14:22.834 --> 02:14:26.259
we did without having . To put our

02:14:26.560 --> 02:14:29.509
people in harm's way . And then the

02:14:29.509 --> 02:14:31.731
last objective , which has become a new

02:14:31.731 --> 02:14:33.950
objective , is open up the Strait of

02:14:33.950 --> 02:14:36.061
Hormuz , but the Strait of Hormuz was

02:14:36.061 --> 02:14:39.779
open before this war started . And so

02:14:39.790 --> 02:14:43.160
you tell my constituents why this war

02:14:43.160 --> 02:14:44.330
is going so well .

02:14:47.520 --> 02:14:50.040
Uh , I think you did accurately portray

02:14:50.040 --> 02:14:52.262
me as a reformed neo-con and members of

02:14:52.262 --> 02:14:54.429
our generation in Iraq and Afghanistan

02:14:54.429 --> 02:14:56.540
watched administrations on both sides

02:14:56.750 --> 02:14:58.759
try to project some remaking of a

02:14:58.759 --> 02:15:00.815
society in , in the image of America

02:15:00.815 --> 02:15:03.092
that spent thousands of lives . I mean ,

02:15:03.092 --> 02:15:05.370
in Iraq , um , you know , 15 . I don't ,

02:15:05.370 --> 02:15:07.370
I don't know the exact number , but

02:15:07.370 --> 02:15:09.315
tens of thousands between Iraq and

02:15:09.315 --> 02:15:09.080
Afghanistan , men and women lost .

02:15:09.410 --> 02:15:11.243
President Trump said , we're not

02:15:11.243 --> 02:15:13.410
fighting stupid wars like that again ,

02:15:13.410 --> 02:15:15.521
and he hasn't . That's why we haven't

02:15:15.521 --> 02:15:17.743
been trying to remake Iranian society ,

02:15:17.743 --> 02:15:19.854
but simply in a realist America first

02:15:19.854 --> 02:15:22.021
way , ensure they never have a path to

02:15:22.021 --> 02:15:24.243
a nuclear bomb , full stop . And he has

02:15:24.243 --> 02:15:26.188
said as a candidate . He said as a

02:15:26.188 --> 02:15:28.410
private citizen , Iran can never have a

02:15:28.410 --> 02:15:30.132
nuclear weapon because radical

02:15:30.132 --> 02:15:30.095
Islamists with nuclear weapons will

02:15:30.095 --> 02:15:32.615
wield it over our head in perpetuity .

02:15:33.015 --> 02:15:35.237
So President Trump ran on fighting wars

02:15:35.237 --> 02:15:36.959
differently and we're doing so

02:15:36.959 --> 02:15:39.126
overwhelmingly , and he was very clear

02:15:39.126 --> 02:15:41.348
as a candidate that Iran can never have

02:15:41.348 --> 02:15:43.515
a nuclear capability . So I think he's

02:15:43.515 --> 02:15:43.285
directly on par with exactly what back

02:15:43.285 --> 02:15:46.080
in here . I think we're

02:15:47.350 --> 02:15:49.517
I think we're understanding the limits

02:15:49.517 --> 02:15:53.069
of air power here . Because we're

02:15:53.069 --> 02:15:54.902
basically at a stalemate . You ,

02:15:55.020 --> 02:15:57.076
someone says the Strait of Hormuz is

02:15:57.076 --> 02:15:59.131
closed , and we say , well , we're ,

02:15:59.131 --> 02:16:01.298
we've got a naval blockade , and we're

02:16:01.298 --> 02:16:03.409
just gonna see who blinks first . And

02:16:03.409 --> 02:16:05.353
the truth is , in order to sort of

02:16:05.353 --> 02:16:08.310
change the . Balance here , change the

02:16:08.310 --> 02:16:11.189
equation here . Some kind of escalation

02:16:11.189 --> 02:16:13.245
would have to be considered , and if

02:16:13.245 --> 02:16:15.467
you're taking that off the table , then

02:16:15.467 --> 02:16:18.140
we are in a holding pattern . And I go

02:16:18.140 --> 02:16:20.307
back to the original five objectives ,

02:16:20.307 --> 02:16:22.418
and none of them have been met . Some

02:16:22.418 --> 02:16:24.640
of them have changed , but none of them

02:16:24.640 --> 02:16:27.459
have been met . And with gas at now 402 ,

02:16:27.620 --> 02:16:29.787
with the Brent crude hit 90 today , up

02:16:29.787 --> 02:16:33.019
from 72 weeks ago , gas up about 1 buck

02:16:33.019 --> 02:16:35.241
nationwide , about 150s in the state of

02:16:35.241 --> 02:16:38.419
Hawaii . People want to know why are we

02:16:38.419 --> 02:16:39.759
even doing this .

02:16:43.200 --> 02:16:46.739
Senator Fisher , go ahead . Thank you

02:16:46.739 --> 02:16:49.939
Madam Chair . Secretary Higgs Seth , I

02:16:49.939 --> 02:16:52.749
appreciated your perspective on the

02:16:52.749 --> 02:16:55.869
focus on the 4-year war in

02:16:55.869 --> 02:16:59.728
comparison to a 4 month war with a

02:16:59.789 --> 02:17:03.030
nuclear adversary . And I thought it

02:17:03.030 --> 02:17:05.870
was very well said . Thank you . Uh ,

02:17:06.269 --> 02:17:10.150
if we , if we want to support Ukraine

02:17:10.150 --> 02:17:12.950
going forward , I think the best way to

02:17:12.950 --> 02:17:16.809
do that is to dramatically increase

02:17:16.990 --> 02:17:20.758
munition production . And we need more

02:17:20.758 --> 02:17:23.540
interceptors . We have to be able to

02:17:23.540 --> 02:17:26.139
move forward , so , so do our allies

02:17:26.139 --> 02:17:29.940
and our friends , and let me emphasize

02:17:29.940 --> 02:17:31.884
that this supplemental does that .

02:17:33.830 --> 02:17:36.110
This is what we're talking about here

02:17:36.110 --> 02:17:38.110
today . It's one of the things that

02:17:38.110 --> 02:17:40.277
we're talking about as a member of the

02:17:40.277 --> 02:17:42.332
Armed Services Committee , one of my

02:17:42.332 --> 02:17:44.910
priorities for over 5 years now has

02:17:44.910 --> 02:17:48.070
been on munition production . Uh ,

02:17:48.230 --> 02:17:50.870
General Cain , what happens if Congress

02:17:50.870 --> 02:17:53.809
doesn't fund this $21 billion request

02:17:54.330 --> 02:17:57.588
for additional munitions ? Well ma'am ,

02:17:57.668 --> 02:17:59.724
there's , there's been a lot of work

02:17:59.724 --> 02:18:01.890
done by the department to partner with

02:18:01.890 --> 02:18:04.001
the private sector . I'll acknowledge

02:18:04.001 --> 02:18:06.057
some of the efforts that the private

02:18:06.057 --> 02:18:08.112
sector is doing to utilize their own

02:18:08.112 --> 02:18:10.335
capital to facilitize factories . If we

02:18:10.335 --> 02:18:12.829
don't , um , as a team , uh , figure

02:18:12.829 --> 02:18:15.708
out how to properly fund , uh , the

02:18:15.708 --> 02:18:17.708
department , then , uh , you know ,

02:18:17.708 --> 02:18:19.819
we're not gonna get the munitions and

02:18:19.819 --> 02:18:21.986
there's gonna be a lack of shared risk

02:18:21.986 --> 02:18:24.152
between . The federal government , the

02:18:24.152 --> 02:18:26.375
private sector , and I think we're at a

02:18:26.375 --> 02:18:28.486
point in time in our history where we

02:18:28.486 --> 02:18:30.541
need to partner . We need to find an

02:18:30.541 --> 02:18:32.652
ability to share risk . We need to be

02:18:32.652 --> 02:18:34.875
better sellers and buyers on both sides

02:18:34.875 --> 02:18:37.041
in order to make sure that the young ,

02:18:37.041 --> 02:18:39.041
all volunteer force has the weapons

02:18:39.041 --> 02:18:41.264
that they need before they are asked to

02:18:41.264 --> 02:18:43.486
go do something . What you're saying is

02:18:43.486 --> 02:18:45.597
we need to be prepared as a country .

02:18:45.889 --> 02:18:48.089
Yes ma'am , and I , I , I hope , as I

02:18:48.089 --> 02:18:50.256
said in my opening statement , that we

02:18:50.256 --> 02:18:52.929
will find a way to make sure that we

02:18:52.929 --> 02:18:55.330
seize this moment in this time in

02:18:55.330 --> 02:18:57.889
history , uh , to ensure that we've got

02:18:57.889 --> 02:19:00.111
the right mix of munitions , high , low

02:19:00.111 --> 02:19:02.167
scale , autonomous . What's , what's

02:19:02.167 --> 02:19:04.389
your plan B if the supplemental doesn't

02:19:04.389 --> 02:19:07.169
pass ? What's Plan B , ma'am ? We , we

02:19:07.169 --> 02:19:09.490
will always figure things out . We will

02:19:09.490 --> 02:19:11.490
always have contingencies . We will

02:19:11.490 --> 02:19:13.969
always , uh , uh , determine a way to

02:19:13.969 --> 02:19:16.514
create multiple . simultaneous dilemmas

02:19:16.514 --> 02:19:18.674
for adversaries around the world in

02:19:18.674 --> 02:19:21.084
order to create time for us to do the

02:19:21.084 --> 02:19:22.806
work that the Congress and the

02:19:22.806 --> 02:19:24.862
Department needs to do together , as

02:19:24.862 --> 02:19:26.973
you've heard me say a number of times

02:19:26.973 --> 02:19:28.806
in our posture hearings on armed

02:19:28.806 --> 02:19:30.584
services and also in classified

02:19:30.584 --> 02:19:32.806
briefings , uh , we don't have a lot of

02:19:32.806 --> 02:19:35.519
time , do we , sir ? No , ma'am ,

02:19:35.599 --> 02:19:38.019
that's why I said if not now then when

02:19:38.519 --> 02:19:41.360
and if not us then who and I truly

02:19:41.360 --> 02:19:43.471
believe we're at one of those moments

02:19:43.471 --> 02:19:45.527
in history where we have a choice to

02:19:45.527 --> 02:19:47.693
make just given what I see on the next

02:19:47.693 --> 02:19:50.519
couple ridge lines , um , and I , I

02:19:50.519 --> 02:19:52.599
encourage us to move forward . Thank

02:19:52.599 --> 02:19:55.360
you , uh , Mr . Secretary . How would

02:19:55.360 --> 02:19:58.209
this request scale munitions production

02:19:58.209 --> 02:20:00.400
and be able to accelerate our delivery

02:20:00.400 --> 02:20:03.200
times ? In the past , previous

02:20:03.200 --> 02:20:05.367
administrations would sort of send the

02:20:05.367 --> 02:20:07.589
same amount of dollars into trying to .

02:20:07.589 --> 02:20:09.644
Encourage companies to build another

02:20:09.644 --> 02:20:11.756
factory and add an additional shift .

02:20:11.756 --> 02:20:13.700
What this munition request does is

02:20:13.700 --> 02:20:15.922
fulfills deals that our department have

02:20:15.922 --> 02:20:17.867
cut with these companies . First ,

02:20:17.867 --> 02:20:20.033
multi-year procurement , where these ,

02:20:20.033 --> 02:20:21.978
these companies that make SM-3s or

02:20:21.978 --> 02:20:23.978
Patriots or THAADs or Tomahawks , a

02:20:23.978 --> 02:20:26.089
priority for , uh , our NDAA a couple

02:20:26.089 --> 02:20:28.200
of years , and you have provided that

02:20:28.200 --> 02:20:30.256
authority , multi-year procurement ,

02:20:30.256 --> 02:20:32.478
and now those companies are spending $4

02:20:32.478 --> 02:20:35.240
billion.05 billion dollars , $3 billion

02:20:35.240 --> 02:20:37.351
on building their own new factories .

02:20:37.599 --> 02:20:40.480
That then produce 2x , 3x , or 4x the

02:20:40.480 --> 02:20:42.536
amount of munitions than they did in

02:20:42.536 --> 02:20:44.591
the past , and they paid for it . So

02:20:44.591 --> 02:20:46.758
actually in this budget , which is $21

02:20:46.758 --> 02:20:49.500
billion as you mentioned . It saves $18

02:20:49.500 --> 02:20:51.556
billion over the PI dip on munitions

02:20:51.556 --> 02:20:53.444
because we're buying munitions at

02:20:53.444 --> 02:20:55.500
today's cost and not at 5 or 7 years

02:20:55.500 --> 02:20:57.722
from now when we will also get them . I

02:20:57.722 --> 02:20:59.833
hate to interrupt , but we're running

02:20:59.833 --> 02:21:01.889
out of time . We also have the , the

02:21:01.889 --> 02:21:04.509
request includes , uh , 4.1 billion for

02:21:04.509 --> 02:21:07.179
our space-based capabilities , and that

02:21:07.549 --> 02:21:10.809
includes the AMTI . And our space data ,

02:21:11.219 --> 02:21:13.730
uh , network capabilities and these

02:21:13.990 --> 02:21:16.309
really underpin the long range kill

02:21:16.309 --> 02:21:18.540
chains and allow our warfighters to

02:21:18.540 --> 02:21:21.629
detect and also then to attract to

02:21:21.629 --> 02:21:24.019
track the airborne threats . So Mr .

02:21:24.030 --> 02:21:25.974
Secretary , what's the risk to the

02:21:25.974 --> 02:21:28.410
joint force if we delay these programs

02:21:28.900 --> 02:21:32.780
until FY 28 or beyond ? Um , Senator ,

02:21:32.860 --> 02:21:35.027
not being able to see , not being able

02:21:35.027 --> 02:21:37.249
to sense before an adversary is able to

02:21:37.249 --> 02:21:39.304
engage one of our capabilities , and

02:21:39.304 --> 02:21:41.193
which means falling behind in the

02:21:41.193 --> 02:21:43.304
domain of space , which means falling

02:21:43.304 --> 02:21:45.471
behind at every other domain . Great ,

02:21:45.471 --> 02:21:44.980
thank you . And John McCain , do you

02:21:44.980 --> 02:21:47.940
have anything to add on that about why

02:21:47.940 --> 02:21:50.500
Congress can't wait ? I think you make

02:21:50.500 --> 02:21:53.259
such an excellent , uh , case on that .

02:21:54.099 --> 02:21:56.321
No , ma'am , I'll , I'll stick with the

02:21:56.321 --> 02:21:58.099
words that I , that I offered .

02:21:58.099 --> 02:22:00.266
Secretary Rollins , thank you for your

02:22:00.266 --> 02:22:03.129
folks on year-round sale of B-15 for

02:22:03.129 --> 02:22:05.073
taking care of , uh , the horrible

02:22:05.073 --> 02:22:07.540
disasters we've had in Nebraska . We

02:22:07.540 --> 02:22:09.820
appreciate you coming out and , um , I

02:22:09.820 --> 02:22:12.042
have a couple things more , of course ,

02:22:12.042 --> 02:22:14.209
that I wanna bring to your attention ,

02:22:14.209 --> 02:22:16.320
but thank you very much . Thank you ,

02:22:16.320 --> 02:22:18.542
Madam Chair . Senator Van Hollen . Uh ,

02:22:18.542 --> 02:22:20.264
thank you , uh , Madam Chair .

02:22:20.264 --> 02:22:22.540
Secretary Rollins , uh , the Beltsville

02:22:22.540 --> 02:22:24.450
Agricultural Research Center in

02:22:24.450 --> 02:22:28.139
Maryland is one of the crown jewels of

02:22:28.139 --> 02:22:30.083
agriculture research in the United

02:22:30.083 --> 02:22:32.139
States , and my question is simple ,

02:22:32.139 --> 02:22:34.250
can we find some time to get together

02:22:34.250 --> 02:22:36.195
in the coming weeks to discuss the

02:22:36.195 --> 02:22:38.309
situation there ? Absolutely , yes ,

02:22:38.599 --> 02:22:40.766
thank you , Madam Secretary . Uh , let

02:22:40.766 --> 02:22:43.099
me , let me turn to the , the Iran war .

02:22:43.669 --> 02:22:47.400
Uh , we recently lost 3 American heroes .

02:22:48.120 --> 02:22:50.400
That brings the death toll for American

02:22:50.400 --> 02:22:53.799
soldiers to 18 . One is still missing .

02:22:54.230 --> 02:22:56.730
Hundreds have been injured . That's on

02:22:56.730 --> 02:22:58.809
top of the civilian death toll

02:22:58.809 --> 02:23:00.920
throughout the region that now stands

02:23:00.920 --> 02:23:04.290
at several 1000 including the over 150

02:23:04.290 --> 02:23:06.234
people killed in the bombing of an

02:23:06.234 --> 02:23:08.234
elementary school in Mina in Iran .

02:23:09.120 --> 02:23:11.120
Meanwhile , the Strait of Hormuz is

02:23:11.120 --> 02:23:14.000
closed . Gas prices today in the United

02:23:14.000 --> 02:23:16.839
States again spiked above $4 a gallon .

02:23:17.469 --> 02:23:19.636
And that will also continue to push up

02:23:19.636 --> 02:23:21.790
costs for groceries and other things

02:23:21.790 --> 02:23:25.759
that that families . Bye Secretary

02:23:25.759 --> 02:23:27.759
Heckseth , you said in your opening

02:23:27.759 --> 02:23:29.926
statement the best way to ensure peace

02:23:29.926 --> 02:23:31.926
is to prepare for war , and I agree

02:23:31.926 --> 02:23:34.500
with you about deterrence . I would

02:23:34.500 --> 02:23:36.780
also submit that the best way to ensure

02:23:36.780 --> 02:23:39.769
peace is not to start wars because wars

02:23:39.769 --> 02:23:42.339
are a lot easier to start than they are

02:23:42.339 --> 02:23:45.030
to end . General Kane , I heard your

02:23:45.030 --> 02:23:47.349
testimony saying Iran will continue to

02:23:47.349 --> 02:23:49.860
be a challenge . And I think it's

02:23:49.860 --> 02:23:53.269
pretty clear that that is in fact the

02:23:53.269 --> 02:23:57.110
case . And General , in order

02:23:57.110 --> 02:24:00.950
for you to develop a military strategy .

02:24:01.889 --> 02:24:04.200
To accomplish a particular objective ,

02:24:04.750 --> 02:24:06.861
you obviously need to know what those

02:24:06.861 --> 02:24:08.250
objectives are , right ?

02:24:10.790 --> 02:24:13.012
Yes sir , it all , it all starts with ,

02:24:13.012 --> 02:24:16.009
um , uh , what , what is the political

02:24:16.009 --> 02:24:18.230
objective , and from that we derive

02:24:18.230 --> 02:24:20.452
military objectives that support , uh ,

02:24:20.452 --> 02:24:22.619
whatever that end state and as you say

02:24:22.619 --> 02:24:24.952
that is a political objective , yes sir .

02:24:25.830 --> 02:24:28.480
So Mr . Secretary , you've talked a lot

02:24:28.480 --> 02:24:31.009
about winning . Talked about winning in

02:24:31.009 --> 02:24:33.065
your testimony today , you've talked

02:24:33.065 --> 02:24:35.290
about winning throughout the Iran war ,

02:24:35.330 --> 02:24:37.860
and we all like winning . But I think

02:24:37.860 --> 02:24:40.410
the American people to deserve a

02:24:40.410 --> 02:24:44.269
definition of what it means . To win

02:24:45.000 --> 02:24:48.959
In Iran . Because this

02:24:48.959 --> 02:24:51.080
war has dragged out for a lot longer

02:24:51.080 --> 02:24:53.080
than certainly the President of the

02:24:53.080 --> 02:24:56.000
United States . Indicated Indeed , the

02:24:56.000 --> 02:24:58.799
president said on March 20th , and I'm

02:24:58.799 --> 02:25:02.190
quoting , We've won this war .

02:25:02.650 --> 02:25:04.650
This war has been won . Do you know

02:25:04.650 --> 02:25:07.049
what the president meant by that back

02:25:07.049 --> 02:25:09.919
in March ? Well , Senator , I would

02:25:09.919 --> 02:25:11.975
just note that militarily , I mean ,

02:25:11.975 --> 02:25:14.030
Iran has been completely overmatched

02:25:14.030 --> 02:25:15.863
and , and , and crushed from the

02:25:15.863 --> 02:25:17.475
beginning militarily . Their

02:25:17.475 --> 02:25:19.641
capabilities are nowhere near ours . I

02:25:19.641 --> 02:25:21.530
would take issue with , with your

02:25:21.530 --> 02:25:23.752
characterization that we didn't start ,

02:25:23.752 --> 02:25:25.975
that we started this war . Iran started

02:25:25.975 --> 02:25:27.863
this war 47 years ago and they've

02:25:27.863 --> 02:25:27.639
killed thousands of Americans ,

02:25:27.759 --> 02:25:29.426
including our brothers on the

02:25:29.426 --> 02:25:31.592
battlefield in Iraq . So Iran has been

02:25:31.592 --> 02:25:33.315
targeting us for a long time .

02:25:33.500 --> 02:25:36.339
Secretary , let me , let me just ask

02:25:36.339 --> 02:25:38.980
you this since you said that what the

02:25:38.980 --> 02:25:42.059
president meant by his statement on

02:25:42.059 --> 02:25:45.019
March 24th , I think that we had sort

02:25:45.019 --> 02:25:48.660
of defeated Iran militarily , but that

02:25:48.660 --> 02:25:51.559
is not the entire objective of this war .

02:25:51.620 --> 02:25:53.842
I don't think there was ever a question

02:25:53.842 --> 02:25:55.898
about whether the United States with

02:25:55.898 --> 02:25:59.610
its superior military . Could destroy a

02:25:59.610 --> 02:26:02.790
lot of Iranian assets , military assets

02:26:03.169 --> 02:26:05.113
or other assets . That was never a

02:26:05.113 --> 02:26:08.620
question . But when most people think

02:26:08.620 --> 02:26:11.370
of winning the war , they think that

02:26:11.379 --> 02:26:13.546
that means the war is going to come to

02:26:13.546 --> 02:26:15.490
an end because we've won . And the

02:26:15.490 --> 02:26:17.657
president said back in March that we'd

02:26:17.657 --> 02:26:21.099
won . So I guess my question to you is

02:26:21.639 --> 02:26:25.440
how are we going to define winning ? I

02:26:25.440 --> 02:26:28.919
hear back in March you said about the

02:26:28.919 --> 02:26:31.030
Iranians , and I quote , whether they

02:26:31.030 --> 02:26:33.639
will have a ceremony in Tehran Square

02:26:33.639 --> 02:26:37.519
and surrender , that's up to them . So

02:26:37.519 --> 02:26:39.241
my question , Mr . Secretary ,

02:26:39.799 --> 02:26:42.400
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is

02:26:42.400 --> 02:26:44.344
necessary in order for us to win ,

02:26:44.344 --> 02:26:46.511
right ? That's just a simple yes or no

02:26:46.511 --> 02:26:48.344
question . You asked me what the

02:26:48.344 --> 02:26:50.511
overarching objective is , and I would

02:26:50.511 --> 02:26:52.622
say ensuring Iran never has a nuclear

02:26:52.622 --> 02:26:52.129
weapon . That's been clear from the

02:26:52.129 --> 02:26:54.250
president from day one . That's why

02:26:54.250 --> 02:26:56.139
Midnight Hammer was undertaken to

02:26:56.139 --> 02:26:58.361
obliterate their nuclear sites . That's

02:26:58.361 --> 02:27:00.639
why we're watching their nuclear sites .

02:27:00.639 --> 02:26:59.809
That's why that was a part of

02:26:59.809 --> 02:27:02.280
negotiations , ensuring that the next

02:27:02.280 --> 02:27:04.391
generation of Americans don't have to

02:27:04.391 --> 02:27:06.447
deal with Iran that wields a nuclear

02:27:06.447 --> 02:27:06.339
weapon . Since that's what you're

02:27:06.339 --> 02:27:08.617
leading with , Mr . Secretary , let me ,

02:27:08.617 --> 02:27:11.969
let me just say this . You said . After

02:27:11.969 --> 02:27:14.191
midnight Hammer , and I'm quoting , our

02:27:14.191 --> 02:27:16.650
bombing campaign obliterated Iran's

02:27:16.650 --> 02:27:18.650
ability to create nuclear weapons ,

02:27:18.650 --> 02:27:21.690
unquote . Clearly that is not the case

02:27:21.690 --> 02:27:23.746
based on your testimony today . It's

02:27:23.746 --> 02:27:27.330
also a fact that the DNI Tulsi Gabbard

02:27:27.330 --> 02:27:29.497
testified in front of the intelligence

02:27:29.497 --> 02:27:31.552
Committee that it was our assessment

02:27:31.552 --> 02:27:33.799
that Iran did not intend to restart its

02:27:33.799 --> 02:27:35.966
nuclear program . The president of the

02:27:35.966 --> 02:27:38.188
United States . Just about a week ago ,

02:27:38.190 --> 02:27:40.357
said Iran has committed not to develop

02:27:40.357 --> 02:27:42.579
a nuclear weapon , which of course is a

02:27:42.579 --> 02:27:44.857
commitment they've made for many years .

02:27:44.857 --> 02:27:46.968
We need to enforce that . That's what

02:27:46.968 --> 02:27:49.023
we are doing under the JCPOA . Thank

02:27:49.023 --> 02:27:51.246
you , Madam Chairman . Senator Rounds .

02:27:51.629 --> 02:27:53.740
Thank you , thank you , Madam Chair .

02:27:56.500 --> 02:27:58.700
I , I had the opportunity to serve as

02:27:58.700 --> 02:28:02.620
governor of South Dakota for 8 years .

02:28:04.259 --> 02:28:06.299
During that time , we deployed over

02:28:06.299 --> 02:28:09.500
5000 young men and women into harm's

02:28:09.500 --> 02:28:13.030
way . National Guard members from South

02:28:13.030 --> 02:28:16.620
Dakota . I attended their departure

02:28:16.620 --> 02:28:20.519
ceremonies . Um , I attended their

02:28:20.519 --> 02:28:23.269
welcome home ceremonies . And I

02:28:23.269 --> 02:28:27.269
attended 31 funerals . One of

02:28:27.269 --> 02:28:30.919
the . Main reasons .

02:28:32.129 --> 02:28:35.769
That I decided to . Come to Washington

02:28:37.000 --> 02:28:39.519
was because I never wanted to see young

02:28:39.519 --> 02:28:41.519
men and women going into harm's way

02:28:41.519 --> 02:28:44.080
again . If they didn't have the best

02:28:44.080 --> 02:28:48.049
leadership . The best training And the

02:28:48.049 --> 02:28:49.493
best equipment possible .

02:28:51.870 --> 02:28:55.389
Now . This body , the Senate ,

02:28:56.620 --> 02:28:59.620
With regard to the Iranian war .

02:29:00.580 --> 02:29:03.070
To date this body has chosen not to

02:29:03.070 --> 02:29:06.309
impose war power limitations on the

02:29:06.309 --> 02:29:10.030
president . Nor have we pushed for the

02:29:10.030 --> 02:29:12.252
withdrawal of forces from the theater .

02:29:12.929 --> 02:29:16.099
I think the decision to take out Iran's

02:29:16.099 --> 02:29:18.540
nuclear program and their missile

02:29:18.540 --> 02:29:21.139
production capacity was the right one .

02:29:22.280 --> 02:29:24.280
And it should have been done a long

02:29:24.280 --> 02:29:27.540
time ago . But when the president did

02:29:27.540 --> 02:29:31.280
that , We also assumed that there would

02:29:31.280 --> 02:29:34.240
be risk involved . And when you put

02:29:34.240 --> 02:29:36.462
young men and women in harm's way , you

02:29:36.462 --> 02:29:38.573
want to do everything you can to make

02:29:38.573 --> 02:29:40.740
sure that you get in , you get the job

02:29:40.740 --> 02:29:42.962
done , and you get out . I think that's

02:29:42.962 --> 02:29:46.540
what we talk about . Now , today , it

02:29:46.540 --> 02:29:49.500
has been since February that we now

02:29:49.500 --> 02:29:51.500
have the Iranians that are shooting

02:29:51.500 --> 02:29:55.129
back . We haven't finished the job . I

02:29:55.129 --> 02:29:57.185
think the question that the American

02:29:57.185 --> 02:29:59.910
people have is when the difficult

02:30:00.410 --> 02:30:02.577
decision comes , because I don't think

02:30:02.577 --> 02:30:04.743
diplomacy is necessarily working , and

02:30:04.743 --> 02:30:06.854
I think most people would say , we've

02:30:06.854 --> 02:30:09.089
got more issues in front of us before

02:30:09.089 --> 02:30:11.620
this is complete . For

02:30:12.839 --> 02:30:15.500
General Caine , when the time comes ,

02:30:15.599 --> 02:30:18.719
and the president is asking for the

02:30:18.719 --> 02:30:20.830
decisions about the options available

02:30:20.830 --> 02:30:24.139
to him to appropriately end this war

02:30:24.139 --> 02:30:27.030
favorable to the United States . And to

02:30:27.030 --> 02:30:29.509
take care of this problem permanently .

02:30:30.360 --> 02:30:32.730
Are you prepared to provide him with

02:30:32.730 --> 02:30:35.799
the appropriate options that he is

02:30:35.799 --> 02:30:37.799
going to have to make a decision to

02:30:37.799 --> 02:30:41.200
choose from ? Sir , I always provide

02:30:41.200 --> 02:30:43.367
the president with appropriate options

02:30:43.367 --> 02:30:45.719
and risks that he can choose from , and

02:30:45.719 --> 02:30:48.259
those options that he will have to

02:30:48.259 --> 02:30:50.790
choose from will cost money . And

02:30:50.790 --> 02:30:53.269
that's our role here . Because if we

02:30:53.269 --> 02:30:55.820
don't do it right , Young men and women

02:30:55.820 --> 02:30:59.160
die . The question to you , sir , is

02:30:59.160 --> 02:31:02.280
this . You've offered a supplemental

02:31:02.280 --> 02:31:04.280
request , and I recognize that it's

02:31:04.280 --> 02:31:07.589
part of a 1.5 trillion overall . But is

02:31:07.589 --> 02:31:10.070
this enough money to get the job done ,

02:31:10.429 --> 02:31:12.429
or is this going to just get us far

02:31:12.429 --> 02:31:14.596
enough until we've got to come back in

02:31:14.596 --> 02:31:16.669
here and in the meantime we may very

02:31:16.669 --> 02:31:18.891
well not have these young men and women

02:31:18.891 --> 02:31:20.780
out of harm's way yet ? That's my

02:31:20.780 --> 02:31:22.947
question , sir . I want to first start

02:31:22.947 --> 02:31:25.110
with recognizing your 31 fallen from

02:31:25.110 --> 02:31:28.469
home and mourn their losses . We

02:31:28.469 --> 02:31:30.750
carefully consider the use of military

02:31:30.750 --> 02:31:33.860
force every single day . And the most

02:31:33.860 --> 02:31:36.027
important thing that I do is make sure

02:31:36.027 --> 02:31:37.860
that the president and the other

02:31:37.860 --> 02:31:39.693
leaders understand the risks and

02:31:39.693 --> 02:31:41.804
carefully consider the Dover test , a

02:31:41.804 --> 02:31:44.027
place you've been many times , and that

02:31:44.027 --> 02:31:46.138
is , are we willing to go to Dover as

02:31:46.138 --> 02:31:48.082
we will tomorrow to bring back the

02:31:48.082 --> 02:31:50.304
fallen . I can't answer the question on

02:31:50.304 --> 02:31:52.527
what it will cost because the enemy has

02:31:52.527 --> 02:31:54.638
a vote . Um , what I'll commit to you

02:31:54.638 --> 02:31:56.638
as this plays out , uh , we'll make

02:31:56.638 --> 02:31:58.693
sure that the Congress is informed ,

02:31:58.693 --> 02:32:00.916
but because I'm not quite sure how this

02:32:00.916 --> 02:32:03.082
is going to play out yet , it would be

02:32:03.082 --> 02:32:05.027
unwise for me to comment on what a

02:32:05.027 --> 02:32:06.804
future cost may or may not be ,

02:32:06.804 --> 02:32:08.804
depending on what they choose . And

02:32:08.804 --> 02:32:10.971
then general , you will provide a plan

02:32:10.971 --> 02:32:13.240
to Congress at whatever the appropriate

02:32:13.240 --> 02:32:15.980
classification level is . On what

02:32:15.980 --> 02:32:19.059
resources are required to execute what

02:32:19.059 --> 02:32:21.629
the president's intent will be to

02:32:21.629 --> 02:32:23.820
successfully end this conflict , sir ,

02:32:23.870 --> 02:32:25.981
I will , I will always make sure that

02:32:25.981 --> 02:32:28.530
as we have that we're moving data as

02:32:28.530 --> 02:32:30.641
appropriate to Congress . Yes , sir .

02:32:31.570 --> 02:32:33.900
Let me come back in just in in terms of

02:32:33.900 --> 02:32:36.139
follow up on this a little bit , uh .

02:32:37.129 --> 02:32:39.129
Some have criticized Operation Epic

02:32:39.129 --> 02:32:41.351
Fury for expending many of our munition

02:32:41.351 --> 02:32:45.040
stockpiles . Were our munitions ,

02:32:45.490 --> 02:32:47.889
the inventories of those munitions and

02:32:47.889 --> 02:32:49.556
the capacity of our munitions

02:32:49.556 --> 02:32:51.690
industrial base sufficient for great

02:32:51.690 --> 02:32:53.610
power competition with near peer

02:32:53.610 --> 02:32:55.980
adversaries like China prior to

02:32:55.980 --> 02:32:59.490
Operation Epic Fury , Secretary Hegseth .

02:33:00.870 --> 02:33:02.926
Senator , as I laid out , because of

02:33:02.926 --> 02:33:04.814
the previous administration short

02:33:04.814 --> 02:33:06.537
funding shortfalls , munitions

02:33:06.537 --> 02:33:08.870
transferred to Ukraine and not replaced .

02:33:08.870 --> 02:33:11.037
And then ignoring threats , it built a

02:33:11.037 --> 02:33:12.870
lot of risk that required , that

02:33:12.870 --> 02:33:14.981
requires this kind of investment . So

02:33:14.981 --> 02:33:17.148
you'd look at the 67 billion alongside

02:33:17.148 --> 02:33:19.370
the remainder for 1.5 . That's the kind

02:33:19.370 --> 02:33:21.370
of generational investment that not

02:33:21.370 --> 02:33:23.910
just matches peer adversaries but far

02:33:23.910 --> 02:33:26.077
surpasses them , which I think is your

02:33:26.077 --> 02:33:28.021
expectation , having been to those

02:33:28.021 --> 02:33:30.021
ceremonies , which is mine , having

02:33:30.021 --> 02:33:29.990
been to them and going to them , is

02:33:29.990 --> 02:33:32.212
that we give everything possible to the

02:33:32.212 --> 02:33:34.323
warfighter that they , they deserve .

02:33:34.323 --> 02:33:36.379
Senator Heinrich , thank you , Madam

02:33:36.379 --> 02:33:38.490
Chair . Thank you . Thank you , Madam

02:33:38.490 --> 02:33:41.780
Chair . Uh , General Kane , um . Our

02:33:41.780 --> 02:33:44.209
military is the best in the world and

02:33:44.549 --> 02:33:46.799
so I don't think any of us should be

02:33:46.799 --> 02:33:49.190
surprised uh with the technical

02:33:49.190 --> 02:33:51.870
execution of its attacks on the Iranian

02:33:51.870 --> 02:33:54.269
regime's forces . They've been flawless .

02:33:54.509 --> 02:33:57.059
Um , I , what I don't want us to

02:33:57.059 --> 02:34:00.629
confuse is flawless technical

02:34:00.629 --> 02:34:03.150
execution with long term strategic

02:34:03.150 --> 02:34:06.429
success . And I think one objective

02:34:06.429 --> 02:34:08.889
that is relatively modest because it

02:34:08.889 --> 02:34:11.000
puts us back to where we were when we

02:34:11.000 --> 02:34:13.167
started this , but none nonetheless is

02:34:13.167 --> 02:34:15.370
incredibly important as a critical

02:34:15.370 --> 02:34:17.809
objective is that I want to see the

02:34:17.809 --> 02:34:20.169
strait open again , and I want to see

02:34:20.169 --> 02:34:22.400
it open where shippers can transit that

02:34:22.400 --> 02:34:25.389
strait without being extorted by Iran .

02:34:26.129 --> 02:34:28.450
Uh , and I would love to see that

02:34:28.450 --> 02:34:32.049
before our commercial and other oil

02:34:32.049 --> 02:34:34.559
reserves are exhausted because of the

02:34:34.559 --> 02:34:36.781
impacts that that will then have on the

02:34:36.781 --> 02:34:39.530
pocketbooks of American families . Is

02:34:39.530 --> 02:34:42.290
that a reasonable objective and is one ,

02:34:42.450 --> 02:34:45.709
is it one that you share ? Sir , I'll

02:34:45.709 --> 02:34:49.030
defer on the military objectives to the

02:34:49.030 --> 02:34:51.490
political leaders who set them . Um ,

02:34:51.549 --> 02:34:53.438
what I can tell you is US Central

02:34:53.438 --> 02:34:56.389
Command is working hard to ensure that

02:34:56.389 --> 02:34:59.150
Iran cannot , uh , terrorize the

02:34:59.150 --> 02:35:01.372
southern flank down there , and they're

02:35:01.372 --> 02:35:03.549
doing so , uh , every single day and

02:35:03.549 --> 02:35:05.549
night , and you and the rest of the

02:35:05.549 --> 02:35:07.605
Senate would be proud of the actions

02:35:07.605 --> 02:35:09.771
and activities for the forces that are

02:35:09.771 --> 02:35:11.827
down there . The character of war is

02:35:11.827 --> 02:35:13.827
changing though , like I said in my

02:35:13.827 --> 02:35:15.882
opening statement . And so there's a

02:35:15.882 --> 02:35:17.938
variety of mixing munitions that are

02:35:17.938 --> 02:35:19.938
down there coming at the , uh , the

02:35:19.938 --> 02:35:22.049
commercial traffic , but I would like

02:35:22.049 --> 02:35:24.105
to be clear and unambiguous with you

02:35:24.105 --> 02:35:26.049
and the rest of the Senate and the

02:35:26.049 --> 02:35:28.216
Iranian forces . They have a choice to

02:35:28.216 --> 02:35:30.500
make and they should knock it off . Uh ,

02:35:30.610 --> 02:35:33.580
I have no doubt I would be incredibly

02:35:33.580 --> 02:35:35.580
proud of , uh , the actions of our

02:35:35.580 --> 02:35:38.250
service members in this conflict , and ,

02:35:38.259 --> 02:35:41.059
uh , I hope we can achieve that kind of

02:35:41.059 --> 02:35:43.540
strategic objection on the timeline

02:35:43.540 --> 02:35:47.419
that , that obviously , um , avoids the

02:35:47.419 --> 02:35:51.080
worst impacts of uh the limitations of ,

02:35:51.169 --> 02:35:53.336
of commercial oil supplies right now .

02:35:53.469 --> 02:35:55.413
Uh , Secretary Rawlins , I want to

02:35:55.413 --> 02:35:57.559
shift gears . Um , one of the things

02:35:57.559 --> 02:35:59.503
that you mentioned in your opening

02:35:59.503 --> 02:36:01.726
statement that we appear to agree on is

02:36:01.726 --> 02:36:03.639
that there is simply too much

02:36:03.639 --> 02:36:05.879
consolidation in a number of

02:36:05.879 --> 02:36:07.959
agricultural sectors . You mentioned

02:36:07.959 --> 02:36:10.299
fertilizer and seeds , but in

02:36:10.299 --> 02:36:12.299
particular I want to talk about the

02:36:12.299 --> 02:36:14.188
meatpacking industry because in a

02:36:14.188 --> 02:36:16.299
previous Trump administration bailout

02:36:16.299 --> 02:36:19.459
about $90 million went to the corrupt

02:36:19.599 --> 02:36:22.879
Brazilian meat packer JBS . I think

02:36:22.879 --> 02:36:25.040
that Congress really intended those

02:36:25.040 --> 02:36:28.040
funds to go to American ranchers , so I

02:36:28.040 --> 02:36:30.262
want to ask you , what are you going to

02:36:30.262 --> 02:36:32.480
do this time around to ensure that the

02:36:32.480 --> 02:36:34.440
proposed relief dollars that we're

02:36:34.440 --> 02:36:36.730
talking about today . Uh , that those

02:36:36.730 --> 02:36:38.969
funds go to American producers instead

02:36:38.969 --> 02:36:41.530
of to the very foreign corporations who

02:36:41.530 --> 02:36:43.929
have created the business model where

02:36:43.929 --> 02:36:46.209
ranchers bear the risk and meatpackers

02:36:46.209 --> 02:36:48.487
reap the profits . Well , that's right ,

02:36:48.487 --> 02:36:50.809
and we're obviously at a 75 year herd

02:36:50.809 --> 02:36:52.969
low . There are a lot of reasons for

02:36:52.969 --> 02:36:55.410
that , but working to solve for that .

02:36:55.730 --> 02:36:57.897
Number one , the Department of Justice

02:36:57.897 --> 02:36:59.397
is investigating right now

02:36:59.397 --> 02:37:01.619
significantly the four , but especially

02:37:01.619 --> 02:37:03.841
the two foreign owned . Number 2 , USDA

02:37:03.841 --> 02:37:06.500
is investing significant funds in

02:37:06.500 --> 02:37:08.780
deconsolidating packing and supporting ,

02:37:08.980 --> 02:37:10.869
uh , mid-size and smaller packers

02:37:10.869 --> 02:37:13.091
around the country . I know that wasn't

02:37:13.091 --> 02:37:15.202
your question , but just to , to , to

02:37:15.202 --> 02:37:17.424
answer the , uh , the bigger question ,

02:37:17.424 --> 02:37:17.179
which is a really important one . But

02:37:17.179 --> 02:37:19.719
from my perspective , what the Trump

02:37:19.719 --> 02:37:22.780
USDA 2.0 has been hyper focused .

02:37:22.875 --> 02:37:25.042
Focused on small and mid-sized farmers

02:37:25.042 --> 02:37:27.155
and ranchers , uh , we have worked

02:37:27.155 --> 02:37:29.322
really hard on the 40 billion that has

02:37:29.322 --> 02:37:31.544
already moved through to make sure that

02:37:31.544 --> 02:37:33.544
that goes to where it is intended ,

02:37:33.544 --> 02:37:35.488
which is not multinational foreign

02:37:35.488 --> 02:37:38.355
agricultural corporations . I , um , I

02:37:38.355 --> 02:37:40.411
very much support the efforts of the

02:37:40.411 --> 02:37:42.411
Department of Justice . I , I think

02:37:42.411 --> 02:37:44.244
there is a very important , um ,

02:37:44.244 --> 02:37:46.834
antitrust case to be made here , um .

02:37:47.490 --> 02:37:50.459
At the same time I've watched as your

02:37:50.459 --> 02:37:52.559
department has rescinded three

02:37:53.339 --> 02:37:55.506
important rules that were put in place

02:37:55.506 --> 02:37:57.561
to protect farmers and ranchers from

02:37:57.561 --> 02:37:59.506
unfair practices by the large meat

02:37:59.506 --> 02:38:01.980
packers . Those rules were supported by

02:38:01.980 --> 02:38:03.813
the American Farm Bureau and the

02:38:03.813 --> 02:38:06.580
National Farmers Union . Explain that

02:38:06.580 --> 02:38:09.339
discrepancy to me , which rules ? I'm

02:38:09.339 --> 02:38:11.506
not tracking the inclusive competition

02:38:11.506 --> 02:38:13.283
and market integrity rule , the

02:38:13.283 --> 02:38:15.006
transparency in poultry grower

02:38:15.379 --> 02:38:17.629
contracting . And tournaments rule and

02:38:17.629 --> 02:38:19.796
the poultry grower payment systems and

02:38:19.796 --> 02:38:22.018
capital improvement systems rules . The

02:38:22.018 --> 02:38:24.240
Packers and stockyards , I , I think is

02:38:24.240 --> 02:38:26.462
what you're talking about . So we are ,

02:38:26.462 --> 02:38:28.629
um , executing an additional review on

02:38:28.629 --> 02:38:30.740
that . I think that the point is very

02:38:30.740 --> 02:38:32.962
well made that sometimes that inures to

02:38:32.962 --> 02:38:34.962
the benefit . Benefit of the larger

02:38:34.962 --> 02:38:37.129
corporations as I have begun to make a

02:38:37.129 --> 02:38:40.514
larger case and a more um vigorous case

02:38:40.514 --> 02:38:42.681
in the importance of deconsolidation ,

02:38:42.681 --> 02:38:44.792
we'll be taking a second look at that

02:38:44.792 --> 02:38:47.014
and I would love your input and I would

02:38:47.014 --> 02:38:49.125
very much support the consolidation .

02:38:49.125 --> 02:38:52.419
Thank you . Senator Huston . Thank you

02:38:52.419 --> 02:38:54.586
Chair Collins . Uh , thank you all for

02:38:54.586 --> 02:38:56.586
being here today . Uh , in my brief

02:38:56.586 --> 02:38:59.129
time in the Senate , I've learned that ,

02:38:59.139 --> 02:39:01.860
uh , we're really good at embracing our

02:39:01.860 --> 02:39:04.240
oversight role , but oftentimes there

02:39:04.240 --> 02:39:06.650
are many people who don't wanna . Uh ,

02:39:06.769 --> 02:39:08.959
do their jobs in terms of funding the

02:39:08.959 --> 02:39:11.150
government on time and actually doing

02:39:11.450 --> 02:39:13.561
the work that we're supposed to do as

02:39:13.561 --> 02:39:16.459
appropriators . And um I'm not for

02:39:16.459 --> 02:39:18.669
blank checks . I believe everybody

02:39:18.669 --> 02:39:20.759
should be accountable . But I also

02:39:20.759 --> 02:39:22.926
believe we should do our job and now .

02:39:23.269 --> 02:39:25.959
We have a supplemental funding request

02:39:25.959 --> 02:39:27.959
that we're discussing today . We're

02:39:27.959 --> 02:39:30.126
waiting on getting an NDAA done . Uh ,

02:39:30.599 --> 02:39:34.419
despite the chair's best efforts to

02:39:34.599 --> 02:39:36.879
facilitate forward an appropriations

02:39:36.879 --> 02:39:39.101
process , there's a question of whether

02:39:39.101 --> 02:39:41.157
that will get done on time . Uh , in

02:39:41.157 --> 02:39:44.179
September , and , um , my question ,

02:39:44.349 --> 02:39:46.405
start with you , Secretary Hegseth ,

02:39:46.469 --> 02:39:48.525
just to talk a little bit about what

02:39:48.525 --> 02:39:50.747
the consequences of failure , what this

02:39:50.747 --> 02:39:52.747
really means to not do this on time

02:39:52.747 --> 02:39:54.629
because I've talked to defense

02:39:54.629 --> 02:39:56.796
contractors . I , I , uh , as a former

02:39:56.796 --> 02:39:59.000
executive , a member of an executive

02:39:59.000 --> 02:40:01.280
branch . I know that the legislative

02:40:01.280 --> 02:40:03.447
branch often thinks , well , no matter

02:40:03.447 --> 02:40:05.613
when we get this done , we just wave a

02:40:05.613 --> 02:40:07.669
magic wand , we pass the bill and it

02:40:07.669 --> 02:40:09.836
all magically happens , but that's not

02:40:09.836 --> 02:40:11.780
how it happens . It takes time for

02:40:11.780 --> 02:40:14.002
people to have businesses out there who

02:40:14.002 --> 02:40:16.169
you're going to rely on to build these

02:40:16.169 --> 02:40:18.058
weapons systems who don't know if

02:40:18.058 --> 02:40:20.002
they're gonna get paid . They they

02:40:20.002 --> 02:40:22.058
can't plan . They can't , they can't

02:40:22.058 --> 02:40:23.836
staff up , they can't order the

02:40:23.836 --> 02:40:23.669
equipment , they can't do any of these

02:40:23.669 --> 02:40:26.509
things unless they know that the money

02:40:26.509 --> 02:40:28.565
is actually coming . So what are the

02:40:28.565 --> 02:40:30.676
consequences of not just doing this ,

02:40:30.676 --> 02:40:33.009
but doing it on time in a timely manner ?

02:40:33.009 --> 02:40:34.898
Senator , thank you . I think the

02:40:34.898 --> 02:40:37.065
consequences of dysfunction in funding

02:40:37.065 --> 02:40:39.231
this department . Uh , put at risk a ,

02:40:39.349 --> 02:40:42.110
I , I , I , I think a first time in 25 ,

02:40:42.190 --> 02:40:44.429
30 year reform effort to change how we

02:40:44.429 --> 02:40:46.629
do business as a department . We're ,

02:40:46.700 --> 02:40:48.756
we're going to war with the Pentagon

02:40:48.756 --> 02:40:50.422
bureaucracy because the , the

02:40:50.422 --> 02:40:52.478
bureaucracy existed to defend just a

02:40:52.478 --> 02:40:54.422
few , few com uh , few systems and

02:40:54.422 --> 02:40:56.533
processes and companies . We need all

02:40:56.533 --> 02:40:58.589
of American industry coming into our

02:40:58.589 --> 02:41:00.867
department and if you talk to industry ,

02:41:00.867 --> 02:41:02.978
they've never seen anything like what

02:41:02.978 --> 02:41:05.200
our deputy secretary and our department

02:41:05.200 --> 02:41:04.790
are doing right now to run fast at

02:41:04.790 --> 02:41:07.950
speed , but it counts on . This body

02:41:08.250 --> 02:41:10.472
and others funding this department in a

02:41:10.472 --> 02:41:12.472
way that can fulfill the deals that

02:41:12.472 --> 02:41:14.583
we're cutting that saves the taxpayer

02:41:14.583 --> 02:41:16.639
tens of billions of dollars and gets

02:41:16.639 --> 02:41:18.806
weapons to warfighters years and years

02:41:18.806 --> 02:41:20.972
faster than we ever have in the past .

02:41:20.972 --> 02:41:20.969
So without the funding , we put at

02:41:20.969 --> 02:41:22.858
issue all those deals , all the .

02:41:22.858 --> 02:41:24.969
Reforms , all the ways in which we're

02:41:24.969 --> 02:41:27.136
changing our department to move at the

02:41:27.136 --> 02:41:29.191
speed of business . So it , it's not

02:41:29.191 --> 02:41:31.358
just dollars and cents , it's demand ,

02:41:31.358 --> 02:41:33.320
it's predictability , it's showing

02:41:33.320 --> 02:41:35.209
industry we will meet you at this

02:41:35.209 --> 02:41:37.209
moment and if we can't get past our

02:41:37.209 --> 02:41:39.431
dysfunction to fund the warfighter , we

02:41:39.431 --> 02:41:41.487
put a lot of that at issue . General

02:41:41.487 --> 02:41:43.709
Kane , uh , same , same question from a

02:41:43.709 --> 02:41:46.042
military point of view , not knowing if ,

02:41:46.042 --> 02:41:48.900
when the funding's going to come . And

02:41:48.900 --> 02:41:51.410
us not doing our job on time , what are

02:41:51.410 --> 02:41:54.049
the consequences to the warfighter ? So ,

02:41:54.059 --> 02:41:56.009
I'll just add to the secretary's

02:41:56.009 --> 02:41:58.089
comments , you know , it'll manifest

02:41:58.089 --> 02:42:00.120
itself in a range of ways , uh ,

02:42:00.330 --> 02:42:03.719
readiness , capability , munitions , uh ,

02:42:03.929 --> 02:42:07.629
training . Uh , cyber , uh , unmanned

02:42:07.629 --> 02:42:10.190
autonomy , um , I , I , this is why I'm

02:42:10.190 --> 02:42:12.339
really asking for the Congress's help

02:42:12.339 --> 02:42:15.309
here for us to look forward at the next

02:42:15.309 --> 02:42:18.230
couple ridge lines and to be thoughtful

02:42:18.230 --> 02:42:20.452
about the moves that we make here and I

02:42:20.452 --> 02:42:22.563
understand the environment that we're

02:42:22.563 --> 02:42:24.841
operating in right now . Um , but , um ,

02:42:24.841 --> 02:42:26.519
whatever structure , uh , the

02:42:26.519 --> 02:42:29.049
legislature and the , and the executive

02:42:29.049 --> 02:42:31.650
branch determine , we need predictable ,

02:42:32.009 --> 02:42:34.370
predictable capital my investor had on

02:42:34.370 --> 02:42:36.730
from my previous life , uh , so that we

02:42:36.730 --> 02:42:38.952
can go out and procure the capabilities

02:42:38.952 --> 02:42:41.230
that we need before we need them , and ,

02:42:41.290 --> 02:42:43.401
and , and those things are changing .

02:42:43.410 --> 02:42:46.000
Um , you know , the advancement of , of

02:42:46.000 --> 02:42:48.000
small drones and things like that ,

02:42:48.000 --> 02:42:50.111
we're going to have to make sure that

02:42:50.111 --> 02:42:52.333
we stay very close with the Congress so

02:42:52.333 --> 02:42:54.559
that as technology develops at a speed

02:42:54.559 --> 02:42:56.503
that we haven't seen before , that

02:42:56.503 --> 02:42:58.726
we're staying very close and partnering

02:42:58.726 --> 02:43:00.615
with the Congress to enable us to

02:43:00.615 --> 02:43:02.830
adaptively use that capital with the

02:43:02.830 --> 02:43:04.959
appropriators buy-in so that we're

02:43:04.959 --> 02:43:07.580
arming the force properly . Well , I

02:43:07.580 --> 02:43:09.580
can , I can tell you in interacting

02:43:09.580 --> 02:43:11.790
with the people who are . That that

02:43:11.790 --> 02:43:13.901
want to build these new generation of

02:43:13.901 --> 02:43:15.901
weapons systems because , because I

02:43:15.901 --> 02:43:17.734
think you would agree that we've

02:43:17.734 --> 02:43:19.679
learned a lot from Ukraine . We've

02:43:19.679 --> 02:43:21.846
learned a lot from this conflict about

02:43:21.846 --> 02:43:23.957
how we were underprepared , uh , from

02:43:23.957 --> 02:43:26.389
the standpoint and , and uh . Uh , from

02:43:26.389 --> 02:43:28.500
a defense standpoint and that we , we

02:43:28.500 --> 02:43:30.389
have to continue to modernize our

02:43:30.389 --> 02:43:32.556
system , the weapons systems . I think

02:43:32.556 --> 02:43:34.778
it's very important that we not only do

02:43:34.778 --> 02:43:36.611
our job , but we do it on time .

02:43:36.611 --> 02:43:39.320
Because It just you cannot run .

02:43:40.290 --> 02:43:43.370
A Department of Defense , uh , run

02:43:43.769 --> 02:43:45.713
businesses who are supplying these

02:43:45.713 --> 02:43:47.547
things without knowing if you're

02:43:47.547 --> 02:43:49.658
actually gonna get funded because the

02:43:49.658 --> 02:43:51.713
whole supply chain , the workforce ,

02:43:51.713 --> 02:43:53.825
everything gets held up when we don't

02:43:53.825 --> 02:43:56.047
get our jobs done on time . Yes sir , I

02:43:56.047 --> 02:43:55.690
used to , I used to work in the private

02:43:55.690 --> 02:43:57.301
sector for a company who was

02:43:57.301 --> 02:43:59.468
headquartered in Pickwell , Ohio , and

02:43:59.468 --> 02:44:02.049
those leaders told me your entire jobOB ,

02:44:02.169 --> 02:44:04.490
Dan Kane , is to deliver quality parts

02:44:04.490 --> 02:44:07.394
or in this case weapons on time . With

02:44:07.394 --> 02:44:09.450
shorter lead times and lower costs ,

02:44:09.634 --> 02:44:11.856
and part of why I'm so passionate about

02:44:11.856 --> 02:44:14.514
this is because I see how this capital ,

02:44:14.634 --> 02:44:16.745
if the Congress chooses to give it to

02:44:16.745 --> 02:44:18.815
us , will manifest itself in real

02:44:18.815 --> 02:44:20.884
combat capability , lethality , and

02:44:20.884 --> 02:44:23.825
survivability for our joint force .

02:44:24.445 --> 02:44:26.445
Thank you and thank you , Secretary

02:44:26.445 --> 02:44:28.501
Rollins , for coming to Ohio meeting

02:44:28.501 --> 02:44:30.723
with all of our ag leaders . Appreciate

02:44:30.723 --> 02:44:30.115
it . Thank you . Thank you , Madam

02:44:30.115 --> 02:44:32.393
Chair . Senator Gillibrand , thank you ,

02:44:32.424 --> 02:44:34.780
Madam Chairwoman . Secretary Hegseth ,

02:44:34.969 --> 02:44:38.259
um , you're requesting billions of

02:44:38.259 --> 02:44:40.370
dollars in supplemental funding for a

02:44:40.370 --> 02:44:42.559
war that you said would last for weeks

02:44:42.929 --> 02:44:45.040
and that the president has no plan or

02:44:45.040 --> 02:44:48.400
ability to end . At the same time ,

02:44:48.570 --> 02:44:51.370
this still unauthorized and extremely

02:44:51.370 --> 02:44:54.889
unpopular war has caused gas , diesel ,

02:44:55.089 --> 02:44:58.049
fertilizer , and other essentials that

02:44:58.049 --> 02:45:01.490
New Yorkers and our farmers need across

02:45:01.490 --> 02:45:03.730
the country and has become much more

02:45:03.730 --> 02:45:06.969
expensive . So how do I go back to New

02:45:06.969 --> 02:45:09.570
York and what would you say to them ?

02:45:11.089 --> 02:45:13.200
Who are seeing their healthcare bills

02:45:13.200 --> 02:45:16.379
rise because massive cuts to Medicaid ,

02:45:17.009 --> 02:45:18.953
they've seen their grocery and gas

02:45:18.953 --> 02:45:22.169
bills rise , and this unpopular and

02:45:22.169 --> 02:45:24.490
unauthorized war abroad is a higher

02:45:24.490 --> 02:45:27.610
priority to this administration than

02:45:27.610 --> 02:45:29.666
their ability to feed their families

02:45:29.809 --> 02:45:31.920
and provide healthcare to their loved

02:45:31.920 --> 02:45:35.540
ones who are sick . Well , Senator ,

02:45:35.589 --> 02:45:37.811
you're , you're talking about political

02:45:37.811 --> 02:45:39.978
trade-offs and our job is to , to , to

02:45:39.978 --> 02:45:42.145
deliver for the United States military

02:45:42.145 --> 02:45:41.110
and the president of the United States ,

02:45:41.150 --> 02:45:43.039
and we , we look at the cost of a

02:45:43.139 --> 02:45:45.139
nuclear Iran and we want to prevent

02:45:45.139 --> 02:45:47.306
that for future generations , and that

02:45:47.306 --> 02:45:49.472
requires funding and supplementals and

02:45:49.472 --> 02:45:51.250
this budget and next generation

02:45:51.250 --> 02:45:53.417
capabilities and that's why we're here

02:45:53.417 --> 02:45:55.639
today to request some of that to ensure

02:45:55.639 --> 02:45:55.230
we can ensure that Iran never gets a

02:45:55.230 --> 02:45:57.397
nuclear weapon . So you're essentially

02:45:57.397 --> 02:45:59.452
saying . You're asking for literally

02:45:59.452 --> 02:46:02.019
$1.5 trillion for a war that President

02:46:02.019 --> 02:46:03.963
Trump said he already won . You're

02:46:03.963 --> 02:46:07.059
asking for $1.5 trillion unlimited

02:46:07.059 --> 02:46:09.450
money for bombs , but insufficient

02:46:09.450 --> 02:46:11.940
money in the , for the American people ,

02:46:12.030 --> 02:46:14.030
for their healthcare , their food ,

02:46:14.030 --> 02:46:15.919
their housing , and our farmers .

02:46:17.049 --> 02:46:20.330
Secretary Rollins , who we have cut

02:46:20.330 --> 02:46:23.639
SNAP program , we are not funding the

02:46:23.639 --> 02:46:27.320
losses from . Uh , emergencies that

02:46:27.320 --> 02:46:29.042
have happened in blue states ,

02:46:29.080 --> 02:46:31.559
particularly when we had frost , false ,

02:46:32.120 --> 02:46:34.120
false . You're not funding it , but

02:46:34.120 --> 02:46:36.342
back to you , Secretary Hegseth , and I

02:46:36.342 --> 02:46:38.564
would like to respond to the fertilizer

02:46:38.564 --> 02:46:40.731
and gas a chance , Secretary Hegseth ,

02:46:40.731 --> 02:46:42.731
there's no reason you are , you are

02:46:42.731 --> 02:46:44.787
asking for unlimited money for bombs

02:46:44.787 --> 02:46:47.009
when people can't feed their families ,

02:46:47.009 --> 02:46:48.453
and I don't know how this

02:46:48.453 --> 02:46:50.620
administration intends to defend those

02:46:50.620 --> 02:46:52.842
decisions to the American people . Um ,

02:46:52.842 --> 02:46:54.842
not unlimited bombs , Senator . I'm

02:46:54.842 --> 02:46:57.064
asking for the right bombs at the right

02:46:57.064 --> 02:46:56.860
time to ensure we can deter our

02:46:56.860 --> 02:46:58.749
adversaries into the future , and

02:46:58.749 --> 02:47:00.860
that's how I , this is a generational

02:47:00.860 --> 02:47:02.916
investment , and it was the previous

02:47:02.916 --> 02:47:04.971
administration that didn't fund this

02:47:04.971 --> 02:47:07.193
department . The reason why they are so

02:47:07.193 --> 02:47:09.360
upset with you and this administration

02:47:09.360 --> 02:47:11.471
is because the words you have used in

02:47:11.471 --> 02:47:13.459
the past don't add up . About Iran

02:47:13.459 --> 02:47:15.709
specifically , you said that we had

02:47:15.709 --> 02:47:18.559
obliterated Iran's ability to create

02:47:18.559 --> 02:47:20.615
nuclear weapons . The president made

02:47:20.615 --> 02:47:22.837
the same claim . Yet eight months later

02:47:22.837 --> 02:47:25.030
in February of 2026 , the president

02:47:25.030 --> 02:47:27.086
launched an act of war claiming Iran

02:47:27.086 --> 02:47:29.455
was within 2 . Weeks of having a weapon .

02:47:29.764 --> 02:47:31.844
So when you say two very different

02:47:31.844 --> 02:47:34.066
things , the American people don't know

02:47:34.066 --> 02:47:36.066
who to believe or what to believe .

02:47:36.066 --> 02:47:38.233
They just know they can't afford their

02:47:38.233 --> 02:47:40.288
healthcare , they can't afford their

02:47:40.288 --> 02:47:42.455
food , they can't afford housing , and

02:47:42.455 --> 02:47:42.285
our farmers are continuing to suffer .

02:47:42.644 --> 02:47:45.660
So . Which is true . Was it obliterated

02:47:45.660 --> 02:47:48.299
or wasn't it ? What's the status ? The

02:47:48.299 --> 02:47:50.440
nuclear sites under Midnight Hammer

02:47:50.440 --> 02:47:52.218
were obliterated , but Iranians

02:47:52.218 --> 02:47:54.107
foolishly continued to attempt to

02:47:54.107 --> 02:47:56.273
pursue nuclear capabilities , which is

02:47:56.273 --> 02:47:57.996
why we destroyed their defense

02:47:57.996 --> 02:47:59.940
industrial base and so many of the

02:47:59.940 --> 02:48:02.162
other capabilities to ensure they can't

02:48:02.162 --> 02:48:04.107
get to a nuclear weapon . So we're

02:48:04.107 --> 02:48:06.384
staying laser focused on the objective ,

02:48:06.384 --> 02:48:05.860
and you're trying to make campaign

02:48:05.860 --> 02:48:07.804
commercials , and that's fine . So

02:48:07.804 --> 02:48:10.044
listen to this . You also say . That

02:48:10.044 --> 02:48:14.004
you made the missile program destroyed

02:48:14.004 --> 02:48:16.115
and made combat ineffective , quote ,

02:48:16.245 --> 02:48:18.125
Iran's entire ballistic missile

02:48:18.125 --> 02:48:20.125
production capacity , every company

02:48:20.125 --> 02:48:22.181
that builds every component of those

02:48:22.181 --> 02:48:24.403
missiles has been functionally defeated

02:48:24.403 --> 02:48:26.458
and destroyed , and that the missile

02:48:26.458 --> 02:48:28.403
program , existing stockpiles were

02:48:28.403 --> 02:48:30.181
depleted and decimated , almost

02:48:30.181 --> 02:48:30.004
completely ineffective . So why are

02:48:30.004 --> 02:48:32.344
there missiles left to hit Jordan and

02:48:32.405 --> 02:48:35.125
and result in the loss of life of our

02:48:35.125 --> 02:48:37.629
brave men and women ? As we stated from

02:48:37.629 --> 02:48:39.629
the beginning , the Iranian defense

02:48:39.629 --> 02:48:41.740
industrial base is effectively gone .

02:48:41.740 --> 02:48:43.962
But they do have underground facilities

02:48:43.962 --> 02:48:46.129
facilities because they're the world's

02:48:46.129 --> 02:48:48.185
leading state sponsor of terrorism ,

02:48:48.185 --> 02:48:50.240
and they've spent 47 years trying to

02:48:50.240 --> 02:48:49.929
hide their missiles under mountains

02:48:49.929 --> 02:48:52.151
just like their just like their nuclear

02:48:52.151 --> 02:48:54.373
capabilities because they would like to

02:48:54.373 --> 02:48:56.207
get a nuclear weapon to wield it

02:48:56.207 --> 02:48:58.040
against us of the war to believe

02:48:58.040 --> 02:49:00.096
because it's either over or it's not

02:49:00.096 --> 02:49:02.262
over . It's within 2 weeks or it's not

02:49:02.262 --> 02:49:04.262
2 weeks . We have no missiles or we

02:49:04.262 --> 02:49:06.429
have missiles , and that consternation

02:49:06.429 --> 02:49:08.151
is why so many New Yorkers are

02:49:08.151 --> 02:49:10.151
perplexed , stressed out , and find

02:49:10.151 --> 02:49:11.873
this war to be in . Incredibly

02:49:11.873 --> 02:49:14.096
unpopular because they don't understand

02:49:14.096 --> 02:49:16.429
the choices that the president's making .

02:49:16.429 --> 02:49:16.095
They don't agree with those choices .

02:49:16.356 --> 02:49:19.435
Secretary Rollins , so you have cut

02:49:19.435 --> 02:49:22.305
over 160,000 New Yorkers have been

02:49:22.305 --> 02:49:24.249
kicked off SNAP . What do you have

02:49:24.249 --> 02:49:26.138
against hardworking New Yorkers ,

02:49:26.265 --> 02:49:28.321
children who need SNAP , and seniors

02:49:28.321 --> 02:49:30.432
who need SNAP ? Well , first of all ,

02:49:30.432 --> 02:49:32.765
diesel is down under Biden versus today ,

02:49:32.765 --> 02:49:36.505
581 versus 480 . Gas is down from Biden

02:49:36.505 --> 02:49:39.906
today from 484 to 386 today . Fertile .

02:49:40.022 --> 02:49:43.341
Fertilizer is down 56% from Biden highs .

02:49:43.681 --> 02:49:45.737
So this narrative that when you were

02:49:45.737 --> 02:49:47.848
took office , all of those prices are

02:49:47.848 --> 02:49:49.959
higher than when you took office . So

02:49:49.959 --> 02:49:52.181
you're not , that is not true . That is

02:49:52.181 --> 02:49:54.237
not true , Senator . And let me tell

02:49:54.237 --> 02:49:56.459
you what New York is stressed out about

02:49:56.459 --> 02:49:56.022
is the fact that your state is taking

02:49:56.022 --> 02:49:58.641
prime farmland and turning it into

02:49:58.641 --> 02:50:01.001
solar farms . That is absolutely

02:50:01.001 --> 02:50:04.041
inexcusable for you to stay . I have

02:50:04.041 --> 02:50:06.319
visited the New York farmers two times ,

02:50:06.601 --> 02:50:09.122
2 times in upstate New York 6 .

02:50:10.660 --> 02:50:14.080
Senator Bozeman . Uh , thank you ,

02:50:14.160 --> 02:50:16.104
Madam Chair , very much and , uh ,

02:50:16.104 --> 02:50:18.400
thank all of you for your service to

02:50:18.400 --> 02:50:20.780
our country and our national security .

02:50:21.540 --> 02:50:23.860
And I think it's easy for the public to

02:50:23.860 --> 02:50:27.780
understand how you uh uh . Mr .

02:50:27.860 --> 02:50:30.379
Hegseth , or , you know , your

02:50:30.379 --> 02:50:32.679
contribution in the position you're in

02:50:32.690 --> 02:50:34.801
in general , kind the position you're

02:50:34.801 --> 02:50:37.040
in , but , uh , some don't understand ,

02:50:37.580 --> 02:50:39.900
uh , the position that , uh , our

02:50:39.900 --> 02:50:42.620
Secretary of Agriculture's in . I gave

02:50:42.620 --> 02:50:44.676
a presentation a couple of years ago

02:50:44.676 --> 02:50:47.280
when Senator Rubio , then Senator Rubio

02:50:47.280 --> 02:50:49.391
was over here in the middle of it . I

02:50:49.391 --> 02:50:51.336
was talking about agriculture . He

02:50:51.336 --> 02:50:53.391
punched me . He said , John , always

02:50:53.391 --> 02:50:55.613
tell him that food security is national

02:50:55.613 --> 02:50:57.724
security . Now Senator Cotton , who's

02:50:57.724 --> 02:51:00.002
head of the Intelligence Committee now ,

02:51:00.002 --> 02:51:02.058
has taken his place . He's doing the

02:51:02.058 --> 02:51:04.280
same thing . So again , uh , what we're

02:51:04.280 --> 02:51:06.224
talking about today is very , very

02:51:06.224 --> 02:51:09.059
important to our country , um . Right

02:51:09.059 --> 02:51:12.540
now we're in a generational crisis . Uh ,

02:51:12.860 --> 02:51:15.580
our banks , our economists tell us that

02:51:15.580 --> 02:51:17.302
if we don't start doing things

02:51:17.302 --> 02:51:19.740
differently , and the good news is , is

02:51:19.740 --> 02:51:21.962
that the administration is doing things

02:51:21.962 --> 02:51:23.907
differently . Uh , is doing things

02:51:23.907 --> 02:51:25.796
differently . We're going to lose

02:51:25.796 --> 02:51:28.030
20-25% of our farmers in the next 2 or

02:51:28.030 --> 02:51:31.519
3 years . Uh , I visit almost daily

02:51:31.519 --> 02:51:33.910
with farmers about the difficult farm

02:51:33.910 --> 02:51:36.940
economy , uh , wildfires , flooding ,

02:51:37.240 --> 02:51:39.573
all the things we've talked about today .

02:51:40.080 --> 02:51:42.099
My only concern is , is that the

02:51:42.280 --> 02:51:45.019
supplemental is very much appreciated .

02:51:45.280 --> 02:51:47.559
Uh , after hearing the testimony today

02:51:47.559 --> 02:51:49.919
and the concerns , uh , we might need

02:51:49.919 --> 02:51:52.240
to , to look at bumping that up a

02:51:52.240 --> 02:51:54.573
little bit . But again , that's , we'll ,

02:51:54.679 --> 02:51:58.469
we'll discuss that later , uh . The ,

02:51:58.530 --> 02:52:00.197
the supplemental though , the

02:52:00.197 --> 02:52:02.849
supplemental assistance is important in

02:52:02.849 --> 02:52:04.905
keeping our farmers going , but it's

02:52:04.905 --> 02:52:06.650
not the answer . Will you just

02:52:06.650 --> 02:52:08.872
reiterate again what we're trying to do

02:52:08.872 --> 02:52:11.919
we're trying to give farmers a a a bump ,

02:52:11.929 --> 02:52:15.580
an edge to keep going until the

02:52:15.580 --> 02:52:17.636
programs that we're putting in place

02:52:17.636 --> 02:52:20.139
now kick in . You mentioned fertilizer ,

02:52:20.200 --> 02:52:22.839
you mentioned E15 , you mentioned value

02:52:22.839 --> 02:52:24.879
adding our products , uh , both

02:52:24.879 --> 02:52:26.935
overseas , finding new markets . Can

02:52:26.935 --> 02:52:29.101
you talk a little bit about that , the

02:52:29.101 --> 02:52:31.435
importance of not only the supplemental ,

02:52:31.435 --> 02:52:33.490
but again , uh , what we're doing in

02:52:33.490 --> 02:52:35.657
conjunction with that so we won't have

02:52:35.657 --> 02:52:37.712
supplementals in the future . That's

02:52:37.712 --> 02:52:39.935
exactly right . The effort to bring the

02:52:39.935 --> 02:52:41.879
cost of inputs down is real , uh ,

02:52:41.879 --> 02:52:44.740
fertilizer , seed , labor . Um ,

02:52:45.349 --> 02:52:47.799
interest rates , etc . #1 . And if we

02:52:47.799 --> 02:52:49.966
can just get inputs back down to where

02:52:49.966 --> 02:52:52.132
they were when Trump won , we're gonna

02:52:52.132 --> 02:52:54.219
have a remarkable recovery in farm

02:52:54.219 --> 02:52:56.386
country . But then you add that to the

02:52:56.386 --> 02:52:59.440
19 new trade deals , more coming online

02:52:59.440 --> 02:53:02.660
every day , the record breaking exports ,

02:53:02.679 --> 02:53:04.790
uh , that we're going to see in a lot

02:53:04.790 --> 02:53:06.846
of our row crops , but also in dairy

02:53:06.846 --> 02:53:09.068
and tree nuts and others , that's gonna

02:53:09.068 --> 02:53:11.123
be a game changer . Then you look at

02:53:11.123 --> 02:53:13.290
expanding the domestic market . As you

02:53:13.290 --> 02:53:15.457
talk about whether E15 , obviously all

02:53:15.457 --> 02:53:17.512
of the biofuels , we've already seen

02:53:17.512 --> 02:53:19.623
corn and wheat hit record highs or of

02:53:19.623 --> 02:53:21.735
the highest number for the year after

02:53:21.735 --> 02:53:23.623
announcing the new renewable fuel

02:53:23.623 --> 02:53:25.846
standards . So we're seeing some pretty

02:53:25.846 --> 02:53:27.679
incredible movement in the right

02:53:27.679 --> 02:53:29.846
direction . Then you marry that to all

02:53:29.846 --> 02:53:29.679
of your work under the Working Families

02:53:29.679 --> 02:53:31.919
Tax Cut Act , the new reference prices

02:53:31.919 --> 02:53:33.863
that under the last administration

02:53:33.863 --> 02:53:36.030
couldn't get a farm bill . You all did

02:53:36.030 --> 02:53:38.086
that with the president's leadership

02:53:38.086 --> 02:53:40.086
the first . We're going to increase

02:53:40.086 --> 02:53:42.252
reference prices in more than a decade

02:53:42.252 --> 02:53:44.475
combined with a $250 billion investment

02:53:44.475 --> 02:53:46.639
in rural America , the largest

02:53:46.639 --> 02:53:49.160
investment in rural America in American

02:53:49.160 --> 02:53:51.799
history . This Congress did that with

02:53:51.799 --> 02:53:53.910
the White House's leadership . All of

02:53:53.910 --> 02:53:55.966
that together is going to change the

02:53:55.966 --> 02:53:58.839
trajectory for the long term of farming

02:53:58.839 --> 02:54:01.110
and ranching in America . But to get to

02:54:01.110 --> 02:54:02.666
that point , that's why the

02:54:02.666 --> 02:54:04.388
supplemental is so very , very

02:54:04.388 --> 02:54:06.679
important . Uh , Madam Secretary , I

02:54:06.679 --> 02:54:08.901
have a , a letter from Farm Bureau that

02:54:08.901 --> 02:54:11.123
I want to put into the record that just

02:54:11.123 --> 02:54:13.179
outlines , uh , requesting relief to

02:54:13.179 --> 02:54:15.457
sustain America's farmers and ranchers .

02:54:16.000 --> 02:54:19.580
Um , Uh , Secretary

02:54:19.580 --> 02:54:22.669
Hegseth . General Kane ,

02:54:23.049 --> 02:54:26.290
uh . One of the things that we're

02:54:26.290 --> 02:54:29.650
concerned about is that uh in the

02:54:29.650 --> 02:54:32.549
military construction aspect of things

02:54:32.549 --> 02:54:35.009
we're really not asking for that and uh .

02:54:35.750 --> 02:54:38.530
In the supplemental , I , I know that .

02:54:39.400 --> 02:54:41.929
Uh , the success of Operation Epic Fury ,

02:54:42.049 --> 02:54:44.370
uh , particularly for our missile

02:54:44.370 --> 02:54:46.592
interceptors and short-range aircraft ,

02:54:47.250 --> 02:54:49.410
uh , really , uh , basing was a large

02:54:49.410 --> 02:54:52.089
part of that . Can you tell us how we

02:54:52.089 --> 02:54:56.089
can help you again try and uh plus

02:54:56.089 --> 02:54:59.599
up our military construction , uh . In

02:54:59.599 --> 02:55:01.766
some way so that we're not going to be

02:55:01.766 --> 02:55:03.766
faced with this in the future , you

02:55:03.766 --> 02:55:05.932
know , trying to double up , Senator ,

02:55:05.932 --> 02:55:07.821
I think by . Congress finding the

02:55:07.821 --> 02:55:11.099
ability to meet up to close to uh the

02:55:11.099 --> 02:55:13.155
totality of 1.5 trillion means we're

02:55:13.155 --> 02:55:15.321
not making the kind of trade-offs this

02:55:15.321 --> 02:55:17.432
department has made now for decades .

02:55:17.432 --> 02:55:19.099
Those are the types of things

02:55:19.099 --> 02:55:21.155
construction , maintenance that fall

02:55:21.155 --> 02:55:23.210
off when trade-offs occur and so you

02:55:23.210 --> 02:55:25.210
dig the hole even deeper . And what

02:55:25.210 --> 02:55:27.432
this budget does , it first of all , it

02:55:27.432 --> 02:55:27.209
fully funds the Ule list , which is the

02:55:27.209 --> 02:55:29.431
unfunded priority list of Paycom . Uh ,

02:55:29.490 --> 02:55:31.657
a priority theater and then it gets at

02:55:31.657 --> 02:55:33.768
every single substandard barrack that

02:55:33.768 --> 02:55:35.990
we have across the department . Uh , so

02:55:35.990 --> 02:55:37.934
we're , we're funding the military

02:55:37.934 --> 02:55:40.101
construction in a way that we've never

02:55:40.101 --> 02:55:39.750
done before , to get out of the hole

02:55:40.040 --> 02:55:42.318
that we've had for a while . Very good .

02:55:42.318 --> 02:55:45.089
Thank you , Madam Chair . Thank you

02:55:45.089 --> 02:55:48.330
Senator Bozeman to the very patient

02:55:48.589 --> 02:55:51.339
Senator Baldwin . Thank you , uh ,

02:55:51.469 --> 02:55:54.349
Madam Chair and Madam Vice Chair , um ,

02:55:54.459 --> 02:55:57.349
and thank you for appearing before our

02:55:57.349 --> 02:55:59.429
committee today , um .

02:56:01.219 --> 02:56:04.459
To many I represent and to me this

02:56:04.459 --> 02:56:08.110
supplemental request . is

02:56:08.110 --> 02:56:10.209
another example of this

02:56:10.209 --> 02:56:12.431
administration's misplaced priorities .

02:56:13.360 --> 02:56:16.709
Instead of spending tens of billions of

02:56:16.709 --> 02:56:19.780
dollars more for this president's war

02:56:19.919 --> 02:56:23.809
of choice in Iran , That both houses

02:56:23.809 --> 02:56:26.160
of Congress , I may add , have voted to

02:56:26.160 --> 02:56:29.940
end absent explicit authorization by

02:56:29.940 --> 02:56:33.030
Congress . We should be focusing on the

02:56:33.030 --> 02:56:36.559
needs of American families . We could

02:56:36.559 --> 02:56:38.559
invest this money to accelerate new

02:56:38.559 --> 02:56:40.709
cures and treatments for cancer and

02:56:40.709 --> 02:56:43.080
Alzheimer's . We could use it to help

02:56:43.080 --> 02:56:46.200
more families with rising home energy

02:56:46.200 --> 02:56:48.719
costs . We could use this funding to

02:56:48.719 --> 02:56:50.860
help more families afford quality

02:56:51.160 --> 02:56:53.271
childcare . We could use this funding

02:56:53.271 --> 02:56:56.559
to help more kids get free school lunch .

02:56:57.349 --> 02:56:59.405
We could use this funding to restore

02:56:59.405 --> 02:57:01.460
healthcare for working families . We

02:57:01.460 --> 02:57:03.571
could use this funding to support our

02:57:03.571 --> 02:57:06.519
public schools and special education .

02:57:07.980 --> 02:57:11.490
This is a war of choice , and every

02:57:11.490 --> 02:57:15.419
$1 spent on this war is a dollar not

02:57:15.419 --> 02:57:18.599
spent helping families afford housing ,

02:57:19.129 --> 02:57:22.099
healthcare , groceries , childcare at

02:57:22.099 --> 02:57:25.150
home . Investing in the opportunities

02:57:25.150 --> 02:57:26.750
for the American people .

02:57:29.040 --> 02:57:30.889
First , I want to express my

02:57:30.889 --> 02:57:34.280
condolences and my respect . For the

02:57:34.280 --> 02:57:36.639
17 American service members killed in

02:57:36.639 --> 02:57:40.120
this war since February , including 3

02:57:40.120 --> 02:57:42.740
over the past few days .

02:57:43.910 --> 02:57:46.077
Their lives are the price this country

02:57:46.077 --> 02:57:50.059
has paid for this war . The deadliest

02:57:50.059 --> 02:57:53.910
day . For US forces was on

02:57:53.910 --> 02:57:57.870
March 1st . When an Iranian drone

02:57:57.870 --> 02:58:00.509
struck an army facility at Port Shuiba ,

02:58:01.099 --> 02:58:04.509
Kuwait , killing 6 soldiers and

02:58:04.509 --> 02:58:06.629
injuring more than 30 others ,

02:58:06.870 --> 02:58:09.070
including soldiers from Wisconsin .

02:58:10.870 --> 02:58:13.259
Soldiers from the unit stationed at

02:58:13.259 --> 02:58:15.459
Port Shuba told reporters that the

02:58:15.459 --> 02:58:19.000
facility did not have adequate

02:58:19.370 --> 02:58:23.349
air defense capabilities . These

02:58:23.349 --> 02:58:25.349
soldiers and their families believe

02:58:25.349 --> 02:58:27.516
they were sent into harm's way without

02:58:27.516 --> 02:58:30.230
the defenses they needed , Secretary

02:58:30.230 --> 02:58:33.320
Hegseth . What would you say to those

02:58:33.320 --> 02:58:36.709
soldiers and their families ? First of

02:58:36.709 --> 02:58:38.870
all , that we , uh , honor and

02:58:38.870 --> 02:58:40.814
recognize their sacrifice and what

02:58:40.814 --> 02:58:43.037
they've given . I've been in touch with

02:58:43.037 --> 02:58:45.037
at least one of those families on a

02:58:45.037 --> 02:58:47.092
regular basis and I understand the ,

02:58:47.092 --> 02:58:46.870
the pain of losing a loved one is

02:58:46.870 --> 02:58:49.092
unfathomable , and which is why we , we

02:58:49.092 --> 02:58:51.230
greeted them at Dover and we'll greet

02:58:51.230 --> 02:58:53.750
those again , uh , tomorrow . I would

02:58:53.750 --> 02:58:55.972
say in , in talking to Admiral Cooper ,

02:58:55.972 --> 02:58:57.972
the CENTCOM commander before all of

02:58:57.972 --> 02:58:59.806
this was undertaken . Maximizing

02:58:59.806 --> 02:59:02.028
defensive capabilities mostly by moving

02:59:02.028 --> 02:59:04.194
as many people as possible off the X ,

02:59:04.194 --> 02:59:06.139
which we did in historic fashion ,

02:59:06.139 --> 02:59:08.028
moving almost 90% of Americans in

02:59:08.028 --> 02:59:10.139
theaters off of where they could be a

02:59:10.139 --> 02:59:12.194
target . First of all , bunkers that

02:59:12.194 --> 02:59:14.139
they would move into early warning

02:59:14.169 --> 02:59:16.002
ultimately I will quote from the

02:59:16.002 --> 02:59:18.325
Washington . Post article of July 12th ,

02:59:18.644 --> 02:59:21.344
Shuba , this is a quote , Shuba did not

02:59:21.344 --> 02:59:23.605
have any of the systems that would take

02:59:23.605 --> 02:59:25.549
down the one-way attacks . She had

02:59:25.549 --> 02:59:28.525
drones , and initial security

02:59:28.525 --> 02:59:31.565
assessments found that the base was not

02:59:31.764 --> 02:59:33.708
adequately protected , end quote .

02:59:34.959 --> 02:59:37.519
Soldiers at Port Shuba have also been

02:59:37.519 --> 02:59:39.463
quoted in news reports saying that

02:59:40.200 --> 02:59:42.759
requests for additional medical and

02:59:42.759 --> 02:59:46.200
drone defense systems were denied prior

02:59:46.200 --> 02:59:48.349
to the conflict with Iran beginning .

02:59:48.759 --> 02:59:50.592
Why were those requests denied ,

02:59:50.679 --> 02:59:52.735
Secretary Hegseth ? Um , I would , I

02:59:52.735 --> 02:59:54.901
would confer with Admiral Cooper , but

02:59:54.901 --> 02:59:57.068
there were , it's not a single drone .

02:59:57.068 --> 02:59:59.235
Or defense request denied at any level

02:59:59.235 --> 03:00:01.346
that I'm aware of . We did everything

03:00:01.346 --> 03:00:04.025
we could to move heaven and earth in

03:00:04.025 --> 03:00:06.025
every single location to an article

03:00:06.025 --> 03:00:08.136
from July 12th . Washington Post also

03:00:08.136 --> 03:00:10.358
quoted a soldier saying that the unit's

03:00:10.358 --> 03:00:12.358
request for an Eagles drone defense

03:00:12.358 --> 03:00:15.915
system was denied because of lack of

03:00:15.915 --> 03:00:18.995
assets . That's an end quote , um .

03:00:19.820 --> 03:00:22.290
US Army Central has conducted an

03:00:22.290 --> 03:00:24.549
investigation into that attack . Do you

03:00:24.549 --> 03:00:26.549
commit to releasing the findings of

03:00:26.549 --> 03:00:28.882
that investigation publicly ? Yes or no ?

03:00:29.360 --> 03:00:31.582
Um , we'll get you the status of that .

03:00:31.582 --> 03:00:33.804
I would argue if it was a , if it was a

03:00:33.804 --> 03:00:35.971
resource constraint , that's precisely

03:00:35.971 --> 03:00:38.138
why we're having this hearing today to

03:00:38.138 --> 03:00:40.304
speed up systems to the battlefield to

03:00:40.304 --> 03:00:42.638
warfighters as fast as humanly possible .

03:00:42.638 --> 03:00:42.280
It's been too slow in the past . It

03:00:42.280 --> 03:00:44.447
needs to be faster . The reforms we're

03:00:44.447 --> 03:00:46.280
undertaking will do that of that

03:00:46.349 --> 03:00:48.516
investigation publicly , yes or no . I

03:00:48.516 --> 03:00:50.682
will , I will work with Admiral Cooper

03:00:50.682 --> 03:00:52.738
to make sure it's handled properly .

03:00:52.738 --> 03:00:54.571
Yes , Senator . Thank you . Uh ,

03:00:54.571 --> 03:00:56.650
Secretary Hegseth , I traveled to

03:00:56.650 --> 03:00:58.761
Walter Reed Military Hospital and met

03:00:58.761 --> 03:01:02.049
with soldiers who were injured in that

03:01:02.049 --> 03:01:05.580
attack . What they told me confirmed

03:01:05.580 --> 03:01:07.900
what other soldiers have said publicly

03:01:07.900 --> 03:01:10.419
that most of these soldiers injured in

03:01:10.419 --> 03:01:12.419
the attack did not receive proper

03:01:12.419 --> 03:01:15.540
medical care in Kuwait , in Germany ,

03:01:15.740 --> 03:01:17.796
or during their initial days back in

03:01:17.796 --> 03:01:20.320
the US . The US military has been

03:01:20.320 --> 03:01:23.280
fighting wars in the Middle East for 25

03:01:23.280 --> 03:01:26.639
years . Why was proper medical care not

03:01:26.639 --> 03:01:29.040
immediately available to these injured

03:01:29.040 --> 03:01:31.200
soldiers , and why were they not

03:01:31.200 --> 03:01:33.440
immediately screened for traumatic

03:01:33.440 --> 03:01:37.269
brain injuries ? I , I'm not

03:01:37.269 --> 03:01:39.436
taking issue with the characterization

03:01:39.436 --> 03:01:41.491
of individual soldiers , but I would

03:01:41.491 --> 03:01:43.491
argue that every effort was made to

03:01:43.491 --> 03:01:45.491
provide every level of medical care

03:01:45.491 --> 03:01:47.325
possible , understanding how CEO

03:01:47.325 --> 03:01:49.213
operates . The senator's time has

03:01:49.213 --> 03:01:51.870
expired , and there is a vote on

03:01:51.870 --> 03:01:53.814
Senator Capito . Thank you , Madam

03:01:53.814 --> 03:01:55.981
Chair . Thank you all for being here .

03:01:55.981 --> 03:01:58.037
Thank you for your service . I wanna

03:01:58.037 --> 03:02:00.203
begin because the last time that I saw

03:02:00.203 --> 03:02:02.314
you , Secretary Head Seth and General

03:02:02.314 --> 03:02:04.259
Kaine was at the Pentagon when you

03:02:04.259 --> 03:02:06.426
honored , uh , Andrew Wolf , who was ,

03:02:06.426 --> 03:02:09.400
uh , attacked in here in DC in November ,

03:02:09.849 --> 03:02:12.016
and then the honor that you have given

03:02:12.016 --> 03:02:14.127
to Sarah Beckstrom and her family who

03:02:14.127 --> 03:02:17.009
lost her life that day as well . Uh , I

03:02:17.009 --> 03:02:19.120
think that I know that you've been in

03:02:19.120 --> 03:02:21.342
constant contact with , uh , Andrew and

03:02:21.342 --> 03:02:23.565
his family , and you also know that the

03:02:23.565 --> 03:02:25.910
great faith that they have , uh . And ,

03:02:25.990 --> 03:02:27.990
and the Lord above is what's really

03:02:27.990 --> 03:02:30.046
brought them to the point where they

03:02:30.046 --> 03:02:32.268
are now . So let's keep them all in his

03:02:32.268 --> 03:02:34.212
prayer . I'm interested in Senator

03:02:34.212 --> 03:02:36.379
Baldwin's question because I do have a

03:02:36.379 --> 03:02:36.190
soldier from West Virginia who is

03:02:36.190 --> 03:02:38.530
making a very similar complaint . So

03:02:38.629 --> 03:02:40.796
whatever follow up we can do , I would

03:02:40.796 --> 03:02:42.740
like to do that . I'd also like to

03:02:42.740 --> 03:02:44.907
recognize the three most recent , uh ,

03:02:44.907 --> 03:02:46.796
uh , service members that we lost

03:02:46.796 --> 03:02:48.907
because we talk about them as service

03:02:48.907 --> 03:02:48.860
members and soldiers , but we haven't ,

03:02:48.950 --> 03:02:51.061
I haven't heard them say their name ,

03:02:51.061 --> 03:02:52.950
and they're so young , uh , First

03:02:52.950 --> 03:02:55.117
Lieutenant Tyler James Freehand . Uh ,

03:02:55.117 --> 03:02:57.283
Private Isabella Gonzalez and Sergeant

03:02:57.283 --> 03:02:59.589
Michael , uh , Swinton , uh , you will

03:02:59.589 --> 03:03:02.519
be , uh , I guess , uh , greeting their

03:03:02.519 --> 03:03:04.870
families and , uh , unfortunately their

03:03:04.870 --> 03:03:07.480
caskets as they come forward tomorrow .

03:03:07.950 --> 03:03:11.349
Um , so my question is , we've heard a

03:03:11.349 --> 03:03:14.650
lot about . Why we shouldn't be

03:03:14.950 --> 03:03:17.540
uh voting for this supplemental or

03:03:17.540 --> 03:03:19.629
questions as to is that really

03:03:19.629 --> 03:03:21.950
necessary or what I guess my question

03:03:21.950 --> 03:03:24.429
General Kane is what's the consequence

03:03:24.429 --> 03:03:26.580
of not passing this supplemental ?

03:03:26.669 --> 03:03:29.599
Where do you see that hitting us most

03:03:29.599 --> 03:03:33.259
deeply ? Yes ma'am , um , it , uh , it

03:03:33.259 --> 03:03:35.315
will manifest itself in a , in a few

03:03:35.315 --> 03:03:37.059
different places . Uh , most

03:03:37.059 --> 03:03:39.379
significantly , it'll be in military

03:03:39.379 --> 03:03:41.268
personnel related matters . We'll

03:03:41.268 --> 03:03:43.259
figure out how to pay soldiers and

03:03:43.259 --> 03:03:45.315
sailors , but that , that would be a

03:03:45.315 --> 03:03:47.315
strain . Operations and maintenance

03:03:47.315 --> 03:03:49.860
costs , and then the ability for the

03:03:49.860 --> 03:03:52.099
department to take some of this capital

03:03:52.099 --> 03:03:54.379
and wisely invest it in future combat

03:03:54.379 --> 03:03:57.459
capability and things like AI , UAS ,

03:03:57.660 --> 03:03:59.882
counter UAS , hypersonics , and space .

03:04:00.500 --> 03:04:02.722
So not only would it hit us today , but

03:04:02.722 --> 03:04:05.000
it could hit us tomorrow as well . Yes ,

03:04:05.000 --> 03:04:08.700
ma'am , I've actually view this as

03:04:08.700 --> 03:04:10.589
forward looking as we look at the

03:04:10.589 --> 03:04:12.644
future picture and the various risks

03:04:12.644 --> 03:04:15.200
that we're facing . The supplemental

03:04:15.200 --> 03:04:18.400
and the budget , frankly , help to

03:04:18.400 --> 03:04:20.567
ensure that we are properly arming the

03:04:20.567 --> 03:04:22.789
joint force for the myriad of potential

03:04:22.789 --> 03:04:24.678
contingencies that we face in the

03:04:24.678 --> 03:04:26.980
future . Thank you . So , as , as we

03:04:26.980 --> 03:04:29.019
look at one of the , I think , best

03:04:29.019 --> 03:04:30.908
successes under your , your all's

03:04:30.908 --> 03:04:33.075
leadership , uh , at the Department of

03:04:33.075 --> 03:04:35.500
War has been the , uh , the fulfillment

03:04:35.500 --> 03:04:37.500
of the recruit recruitment in every

03:04:37.500 --> 03:04:40.339
branch . Uh , I remember last year , I

03:04:40.339 --> 03:04:42.561
think , or maybe the year before , only

03:04:42.561 --> 03:04:44.728
the Marines could brag that they had ,

03:04:44.728 --> 03:04:46.950
had , uh , made their records , and now

03:04:46.950 --> 03:04:49.117
I think that , uh , many , many , uh ,

03:04:49.117 --> 03:04:51.228
the , the other branches are , you're

03:04:51.228 --> 03:04:50.940
far exceeding , uh , what has

03:04:50.940 --> 03:04:53.620
previously done . So that tells me that .

03:04:54.860 --> 03:04:56.916
American young men and women want to

03:04:56.916 --> 03:04:59.027
serve their country . They want to be

03:04:59.027 --> 03:05:01.304
safe . They want to do the right thing .

03:05:01.379 --> 03:05:05.059
So how does not funding them and if

03:05:05.059 --> 03:05:07.115
they think that , uh , if they think

03:05:07.115 --> 03:05:09.059
that their , their salaries may be

03:05:09.059 --> 03:05:11.226
short or we're gonna have a continuing

03:05:11.226 --> 03:05:13.448
resolution or we're gonna shut down the

03:05:13.448 --> 03:05:15.503
government , how can this chill what

03:05:15.503 --> 03:05:15.339
has been one of the greatest successes ,

03:05:15.379 --> 03:05:17.546
I think , in terms of not just today's

03:05:17.546 --> 03:05:19.768
force , but the force of the future and

03:05:19.768 --> 03:05:21.990
Mr . Secretary , I'll , I'll ask you to

03:05:21.990 --> 03:05:24.212
answer that question . Well , in a , in

03:05:24.212 --> 03:05:26.323
a , in a brass tack sense , uh , this

03:05:26.323 --> 03:05:28.379
$1.5 trillion budget in its totality

03:05:28.379 --> 03:05:30.740
sees a 7% pay raise for junior enlisted ,

03:05:31.059 --> 03:05:33.900
uh , 6% for your NCOs and , and junior

03:05:33.900 --> 03:05:36.320
officers , and 5% for senior officers .

03:05:36.410 --> 03:05:38.521
So it's significant reflection of the

03:05:38.521 --> 03:05:40.466
value we place on top of the other

03:05:40.466 --> 03:05:42.410
increases that , that Congress has

03:05:42.410 --> 03:05:44.632
provided them . If we were to have to ,

03:05:44.632 --> 03:05:46.910
and we're gonna do right by the troops ,

03:05:46.910 --> 03:05:46.480
we're gonna make sure they get paid ,

03:05:46.620 --> 03:05:48.787
but it's gonna put strains on training

03:05:48.787 --> 03:05:51.009
and readiness and all the other aspects

03:05:51.009 --> 03:05:53.120
of O&M . Uh , over time , which makes

03:05:53.120 --> 03:05:55.176
its way down to the unit level . I ,

03:05:55.176 --> 03:05:57.176
you know , when you're saying we're

03:05:57.176 --> 03:05:59.287
focused on training and readiness and

03:05:59.287 --> 03:06:01.453
lethality , but we have to cut back on

03:06:01.453 --> 03:06:03.676
training because Congress can't get the

03:06:03.676 --> 03:06:03.429
money we need to the department ,

03:06:03.790 --> 03:06:05.790
that's discouraging at every single

03:06:05.790 --> 03:06:07.900
level . And when young men , men and

03:06:07.900 --> 03:06:10.011
women join this War Department , uh ,

03:06:10.011 --> 03:06:12.067
we want them moving immediately into

03:06:12.067 --> 03:06:14.233
the training pipeline at the highest .

03:06:14.233 --> 03:06:16.344
Possible level with the best possible

03:06:16.344 --> 03:06:18.400
equipment and they've seen that thus

03:06:18.400 --> 03:06:20.122
far and that's led to historic

03:06:20.122 --> 03:06:22.344
recruiting , uh , momentum . We need to

03:06:22.344 --> 03:06:24.567
keep that momentum . Yeah , and I would

03:06:24.567 --> 03:06:24.269
say that it could have the reverse

03:06:24.269 --> 03:06:26.589
effect if , if , if , if this is

03:06:26.589 --> 03:06:29.339
troubled waters here , uh , and lack of

03:06:29.339 --> 03:06:31.395
confidence which we see on the other

03:06:31.395 --> 03:06:33.283
side of the aisle there and , and

03:06:33.283 --> 03:06:35.228
questions that I think , um . Uh ,

03:06:35.259 --> 03:06:37.370
wouldn't be asked if it were not of a

03:06:37.370 --> 03:06:39.426
political nature . We're gonna chill

03:06:39.426 --> 03:06:41.592
our recruiting efforts here , uh , for

03:06:41.592 --> 03:06:43.703
our young people as they look forward

03:06:43.703 --> 03:06:45.648
to serving their country and , and

03:06:45.648 --> 03:06:47.870
becoming that patriot they want to be .

03:06:47.870 --> 03:06:47.330
You're right , or return to the valley

03:06:47.330 --> 03:06:49.386
under the Biden administration where

03:06:49.386 --> 03:06:51.552
not only did they not meet the goals ,

03:06:51.552 --> 03:06:51.459
but they had to lower the goals and

03:06:51.459 --> 03:06:53.515
then didn't meet the lowered goals .

03:06:53.515 --> 03:06:55.681
And then now we're , we don't have the

03:06:55.681 --> 03:06:57.737
readiness we need as a force . Thank

03:06:57.737 --> 03:06:57.459
you very much . Thank you all very much .

03:06:57.559 --> 03:06:59.726
Thank you , Secretary of Agriculture .

03:06:59.726 --> 03:07:01.781
I'll get to you another time . Thank

03:07:01.781 --> 03:07:04.589
you , Senator Murphy . Uh , thank you

03:07:04.589 --> 03:07:06.645
all for being here today . Secretary

03:07:06.645 --> 03:07:09.049
Hegseth , um , the American people

03:07:09.269 --> 03:07:11.325
either didn't want this war from the

03:07:11.325 --> 03:07:13.491
start or were deeply skeptical of this

03:07:13.491 --> 03:07:15.658
war , um , because they have seen this

03:07:15.658 --> 03:07:17.825
country make the same mistake over and

03:07:17.825 --> 03:07:20.047
over again in wars in the Middle East ,

03:07:20.047 --> 03:07:21.700
and that is to create either

03:07:21.700 --> 03:07:24.620
unrealistic or open-ended objectives .

03:07:24.950 --> 03:07:27.117
Um , you said in March that the United

03:07:27.117 --> 03:07:29.509
States was quote on plan to defeat .

03:07:30.160 --> 03:07:32.759
Destroy and disable all of Iran's

03:07:32.759 --> 03:07:34.870
meaningful military capabilities at a

03:07:34.870 --> 03:07:36.815
pace that would , that we have the

03:07:36.815 --> 03:07:39.148
world has never seen before . Obviously ,

03:07:39.148 --> 03:07:41.280
as we've discussed here today , that

03:07:41.280 --> 03:07:44.240
objective has not been achieved and is

03:07:44.240 --> 03:07:47.879
not going to be achieved . Iran is

03:07:48.080 --> 03:07:50.080
adept , more adept than even at the

03:07:50.080 --> 03:07:52.320
start of the war at hiding their

03:07:52.320 --> 03:07:55.280
capabilities or repairing after damage

03:07:55.280 --> 03:07:58.099
we have done . There's an open report

03:07:58.099 --> 03:08:00.719
that when it comes to their missile

03:08:00.719 --> 03:08:03.160
sites along the Strait of Hormuz , 30

03:08:03.160 --> 03:08:05.919
of 33 are still operational . I

03:08:05.919 --> 03:08:08.141
wouldn't believe all the open reports ,

03:08:08.141 --> 03:08:10.252
Senator , but I've also heard you say

03:08:10.252 --> 03:08:13.049
in this hearing that the objectives now

03:08:13.049 --> 03:08:15.209
seem to be more limited . Than they

03:08:15.209 --> 03:08:17.889
were at the outset of the war , that

03:08:17.889 --> 03:08:20.080
this is about reopening the strait and

03:08:20.080 --> 03:08:22.302
this is about dismantling their nuclear

03:08:22.320 --> 03:08:24.209
capability and the president , of

03:08:24.209 --> 03:08:26.098
course , has said himself that he

03:08:26.098 --> 03:08:28.410
thinks Iran has a right to a missile

03:08:28.410 --> 03:08:31.370
program . Um , so my question is pretty

03:08:31.370 --> 03:08:35.129
simple . Is it correct that it is no

03:08:35.129 --> 03:08:38.370
longer a war objective to destroy all

03:08:38.370 --> 03:08:40.537
of their military capacities ? This is

03:08:40.537 --> 03:08:42.703
what the president has said . Have our

03:08:42.703 --> 03:08:45.459
goals been simplified to reopening the

03:08:45.459 --> 03:08:47.469
strait and to getting into a

03:08:47.469 --> 03:08:49.525
negotiation over a nuclear program ?

03:08:49.589 --> 03:08:51.311
Now , I don't think you have a

03:08:51.311 --> 03:08:53.367
realistic plan to do either of those

03:08:53.367 --> 03:08:55.589
things , but I think it's important for

03:08:55.589 --> 03:08:57.811
us to know what we're funding . Are the

03:08:57.811 --> 03:09:00.033
objectives much more limited today than

03:09:00.033 --> 03:08:59.950
they were when you made that statement

03:08:59.950 --> 03:09:02.070
in March ? So I , I think the

03:09:02.070 --> 03:09:04.070
objectives have been consistent and

03:09:04.070 --> 03:09:06.126
clear from the beginning . And I , I

03:09:06.126 --> 03:09:08.292
would compare it , I would contrast it

03:09:08.292 --> 03:09:10.403
to North Korea , where a conventional

03:09:10.403 --> 03:09:12.348
buildup was used to hide a nuclear

03:09:12.348 --> 03:09:14.570
capability that eventually evolved to a

03:09:14.570 --> 03:09:14.190
point where it couldn't be contested .

03:09:14.490 --> 03:09:16.519
And what Iran continued to do even

03:09:16.519 --> 03:09:18.686
after Midnight Hammer was try to build

03:09:18.686 --> 03:09:20.741
that conventional capability to dare

03:09:20.741 --> 03:09:22.630
anyone to stop them from pursuing

03:09:22.630 --> 03:09:24.575
nuclear weapons . So getting after

03:09:24.575 --> 03:09:24.370
their conventional capabilities ,

03:09:24.570 --> 03:09:26.737
missile launchers , defense industrial

03:09:26.737 --> 03:09:28.626
base , their navy was all part of

03:09:28.626 --> 03:09:30.848
ensuring they can't blackmail us into .

03:09:30.940 --> 03:09:33.459
Pursuing a nuclear capability , laser

03:09:33.459 --> 03:09:35.348
focused on Iran will never have a

03:09:35.348 --> 03:09:37.570
nuclear capability . That's the promise

03:09:37.570 --> 03:09:39.792
the president has made and that he will

03:09:39.792 --> 03:09:39.379
keep . I think I think it's important .

03:09:39.519 --> 03:09:42.500
It is still a war objective either

03:09:42.500 --> 03:09:44.929
through military action or through a

03:09:44.929 --> 03:09:48.929
diplomatic agreement to . Destroy and

03:09:48.929 --> 03:09:51.650
disable all of Iran's meaningful

03:09:51.650 --> 03:09:53.761
military capacities , including their

03:09:53.761 --> 03:09:55.928
missile program . As far as all , when

03:09:55.928 --> 03:09:57.983
we talked about that from the podium

03:09:57.983 --> 03:09:59.983
for at the outset of this , we were

03:09:59.983 --> 03:10:02.150
talking about their defense industrial

03:10:02.150 --> 03:10:04.261
base , and if you look at the metrics

03:10:04.261 --> 03:10:06.317
of their ability to make more . That

03:10:06.317 --> 03:10:08.372
it's been overwhelmingly destroyed .

03:10:08.372 --> 03:10:10.483
Not everything , but overwhelmingly .

03:10:10.483 --> 03:10:12.206
Now , do they have missiles in

03:10:12.206 --> 03:10:14.039
underground bunk bunkers because

03:10:14.039 --> 03:10:14.009
they're a terror state ? Sure they do ,

03:10:14.080 --> 03:10:16.136
and we've acknowledged that from the

03:10:16.136 --> 03:10:18.302
beginning , but their capacity is less

03:10:18.302 --> 03:10:20.136
today than it's ever been . They

03:10:20.136 --> 03:10:21.913
obviously , they obviously have

03:10:21.913 --> 03:10:23.913
significant capacity to effectively

03:10:23.913 --> 03:10:25.969
disrupt the entirety of the . Middle

03:10:25.969 --> 03:10:28.024
East and oil flows out of the Middle

03:10:28.024 --> 03:10:27.945
East and that's not going to change .

03:10:28.184 --> 03:10:30.406
Um , let me ask you one more question .

03:10:30.406 --> 03:10:32.351
This is a request for supplemental

03:10:32.351 --> 03:10:34.295
funding because you don't have the

03:10:34.295 --> 03:10:36.462
funding in your base budget to do what

03:10:36.462 --> 03:10:38.628
you need to do , which makes questions

03:10:38.628 --> 03:10:40.851
about the base budget , uh , relevant .

03:10:40.851 --> 03:10:40.455
Um , there's been a lot of attention ,

03:10:40.504 --> 03:10:42.615
Mr . Secretary , on the modernization

03:10:42.615 --> 03:10:44.782
of a luxury jet that was gifted to the

03:10:44.782 --> 03:10:47.060
president . By the government of Qatar ,

03:10:47.060 --> 03:10:49.171
reports suggest that maybe as much as

03:10:49.171 --> 03:10:51.226
$1 billion in your base funding , an

03:10:51.226 --> 03:10:53.226
extraordinary amount of money , has

03:10:53.226 --> 03:10:55.171
been used for an upgrade , and the

03:10:55.171 --> 03:10:57.337
plane is back in the shop for a second

03:10:57.337 --> 03:10:59.504
upgrade . As far as I can tell , never

03:10:59.504 --> 03:11:01.615
before has an administration not made

03:11:01.615 --> 03:11:03.504
public the amount of money for an

03:11:03.504 --> 03:11:05.726
upgrade or a construction contract on a

03:11:05.726 --> 03:11:07.782
presidential airplane . Obviously we

03:11:07.782 --> 03:11:09.726
don't need or want to disclose the

03:11:09.726 --> 03:11:11.726
details of that upgrade , but never

03:11:11.726 --> 03:11:13.893
before have you withheld from Congress

03:11:13.893 --> 03:11:15.837
and the public the total amount of

03:11:15.837 --> 03:11:17.893
money . I think there are two really

03:11:17.893 --> 03:11:20.004
important questions here . One , will

03:11:20.004 --> 03:11:22.004
you make public the amount of money

03:11:22.004 --> 03:11:24.115
that you are spending to upgrade this

03:11:24.115 --> 03:11:26.370
plane ? And 2 , can you commit to this

03:11:26.370 --> 03:11:28.426
Congress and this committee that the

03:11:28.426 --> 03:11:30.370
president isn't going to take this

03:11:30.370 --> 03:11:32.799
plane with him when he leaves office ?

03:11:32.849 --> 03:11:34.905
The only thing more insulting to the

03:11:34.905 --> 03:11:36.960
taxpayers of spending money on a jet

03:11:36.960 --> 03:11:38.793
they don't need would be for the

03:11:38.793 --> 03:11:41.016
president to take it with him , to take

03:11:41.016 --> 03:11:43.330
it out of our military inventory when

03:11:43.330 --> 03:11:46.799
he leaves office . So the Air Force has

03:11:46.799 --> 03:11:48.879
done an incredible job , uh , making

03:11:48.879 --> 03:11:51.799
that a capable jet that ultimately , uh ,

03:11:51.889 --> 03:11:53.945
but its capabilities are and , and ,

03:11:53.945 --> 03:11:56.167
and investment are , are classified and

03:11:56.167 --> 03:11:58.278
shouldn't be talked about in a public

03:11:58.278 --> 03:12:00.500
setting considering the security of the

03:12:00.500 --> 03:11:59.879
president , will you disclose the

03:11:59.879 --> 03:12:02.490
amount of money publicly . Uh , I would ,

03:12:02.570 --> 03:12:04.737
I would imagine as part of the regular

03:12:04.737 --> 03:12:06.959
budget process that's something that we

03:12:06.959 --> 03:12:08.903
would look at . And , and will you

03:12:08.903 --> 03:12:11.237
commit that the president will not take ,

03:12:11.237 --> 03:12:10.889
you have to look at the classification

03:12:10.889 --> 03:12:12.945
level of certain things that are not

03:12:12.945 --> 03:12:14.778
devolved for reasons of national

03:12:14.778 --> 03:12:16.778
security . Will you commit that the

03:12:16.778 --> 03:12:18.889
president will not take this jet with

03:12:18.889 --> 03:12:20.945
him out of federal inventory when he

03:12:20.945 --> 03:12:22.945
leaves office ? It's , that's not a

03:12:22.945 --> 03:12:22.889
decision for necessarily me to make .

03:12:22.950 --> 03:12:25.061
And ultimately we're grateful to have

03:12:25.061 --> 03:12:27.117
it in the fleet for the Air Force to

03:12:27.117 --> 03:12:26.330
protect the president of the United

03:12:26.330 --> 03:12:28.790
States . That's a deeply unsatisfactory

03:12:28.790 --> 03:12:30.568
answer to the American public .

03:12:34.509 --> 03:12:37.839
Senator Peters . Thank you Mr .

03:12:37.959 --> 03:12:40.181
Chairman . Uh , folks , uh , welcome to

03:12:40.181 --> 03:12:42.440
the hearing today . I apologize . Is

03:12:42.440 --> 03:12:45.790
Senator Ossoff still here ? I'm sorry ,

03:12:45.879 --> 03:12:48.929
I didn't . I went out of order .

03:12:49.080 --> 03:12:51.780
Senator Ossoff . I'll yield my time to

03:12:51.780 --> 03:12:54.230
Senator . Thank you . Uh , thank you ,

03:12:54.320 --> 03:12:56.589
Madam Chair , and , uh . Thank you all

03:12:56.589 --> 03:12:58.950
for your testimony and uh General Kane ,

03:12:59.000 --> 03:13:00.944
let me just begin by expressing on

03:13:00.944 --> 03:13:03.469
behalf of all Georgians our immense

03:13:03.469 --> 03:13:05.830
gratitude and admiration for the

03:13:05.830 --> 03:13:08.790
service members , uh , who are making

03:13:08.790 --> 03:13:11.110
tremendous sacrifices and conducting

03:13:11.110 --> 03:13:12.777
themselves with extraordinary

03:13:12.777 --> 03:13:14.777
selflessness and professionalism on

03:13:14.777 --> 03:13:16.943
behalf of the United States , uh , and

03:13:16.943 --> 03:13:19.110
our state's unified condolences and

03:13:19.110 --> 03:13:21.349
grief for the families of the 4 killed

03:13:21.349 --> 03:13:23.349
in action . Uh , and our hope for a

03:13:23.349 --> 03:13:25.571
swift recovery for the , the nearly 100

03:13:25.571 --> 03:13:27.682
wounded over the last two weeks , and

03:13:27.682 --> 03:13:29.738
thank you to you for your service to

03:13:29.738 --> 03:13:33.219
the nation . Um , Mr . Hegseth . You're

03:13:33.219 --> 03:13:36.820
requesting roughly $68 billion for the

03:13:36.820 --> 03:13:38.931
department through the supplemental ,

03:13:38.931 --> 03:13:41.429
correct ? 67 , yes .

03:13:42.769 --> 03:13:44.879
And yesterday your department stated

03:13:44.879 --> 03:13:47.809
publicly , quote , US forces struck

03:13:47.809 --> 03:13:49.950
Iranian military command centers ,

03:13:50.450 --> 03:13:52.530
maritime capabilities , missile and

03:13:52.530 --> 03:13:55.129
drone launch sites , and air defense

03:13:55.129 --> 03:13:57.570
systems to degrade Iran's ability to

03:13:57.570 --> 03:13:59.792
continue attacking commercial vessels .

03:13:59.849 --> 03:14:02.009
That was a press release from your

03:14:02.009 --> 03:14:04.231
department . Is that a broadly accurate

03:14:04.231 --> 03:14:06.509
characterization of ongoing operations ?

03:14:06.509 --> 03:14:09.320
That sounds broadly accurate , yes . On

03:14:09.320 --> 03:14:11.559
day 14 of this conflict , Mr .

03:14:11.679 --> 03:14:13.919
Secretary , day 14 , nearly 5 months

03:14:13.919 --> 03:14:16.580
ago , you stated that Iran's military

03:14:16.719 --> 03:14:19.870
had been destroyed and made combat

03:14:19.870 --> 03:14:22.120
ineffective . That was on day 14 of the

03:14:22.120 --> 03:14:24.287
war . Was that an accurate statement ?

03:14:25.070 --> 03:14:27.403
Um , they didn't have a navy any longer .

03:14:27.403 --> 03:14:29.292
It's completely sunk . Uh , their

03:14:29.292 --> 03:14:31.403
missiles were buried underneath a lot

03:14:31.403 --> 03:14:33.514
of their underground facilities , and

03:14:33.514 --> 03:14:33.299
their defense industrial base has been

03:14:34.000 --> 03:14:36.222
almost completely destroyed . So as far

03:14:36.222 --> 03:14:38.167
as a military assessment of Iran's

03:14:38.167 --> 03:14:40.389
capabilities , it doesn't , didn't mean

03:14:40.389 --> 03:14:42.278
by any stretch of the imagination

03:14:42.278 --> 03:14:44.444
absolute zero , but their , the lowest

03:14:44.444 --> 03:14:46.667
level you stated that on day 14 of this

03:14:46.667 --> 03:14:48.444
conflict in the 2nd week of the

03:14:48.444 --> 03:14:50.333
conflict , you stated that Iran's

03:14:50.333 --> 03:14:53.629
military had been destroyed . And quote

03:14:53.629 --> 03:14:56.099
made combat ineffective . Was that an

03:14:56.099 --> 03:14:59.110
accurate statement ? Yes or no ? Iran's

03:14:59.110 --> 03:15:01.277
ability to challenge the United States

03:15:01.277 --> 03:15:03.443
of America at the level at which we're

03:15:03.443 --> 03:15:05.499
capable of , that's not what I asked

03:15:05.499 --> 03:15:05.269
you , Mr . Secretary . You said on day

03:15:05.269 --> 03:15:07.380
14 Iran's military had been destroyed

03:15:09.030 --> 03:15:12.870
and made combat ineffective . Yes or no ?

03:15:13.150 --> 03:15:16.190
Was that an accurate statement ? What

03:15:16.190 --> 03:15:18.301
the American military has done to the

03:15:18.301 --> 03:15:20.523
Iranian military is a historic military

03:15:20.523 --> 03:15:22.690
you answer the question ineffective in

03:15:22.690 --> 03:15:24.910
that context . 3 weeks later , you

03:15:24.910 --> 03:15:27.809
declared victory . That was now nearly

03:15:27.809 --> 03:15:31.660
4 months ago . Three weeks after

03:15:31.660 --> 03:15:33.827
you'd already said Iran's military was

03:15:33.827 --> 03:15:36.419
destroyed and combat ineffective , you

03:15:36.419 --> 03:15:38.586
said , quote , Operation Epic Fury was

03:15:38.586 --> 03:15:40.697
a historic and overwhelming victory .

03:15:40.900 --> 03:15:42.789
You said Iran's military had been

03:15:42.789 --> 03:15:45.820
rendered combat ineffective for years

03:15:45.820 --> 03:15:49.009
to come . And you stated we had

03:15:49.009 --> 03:15:51.176
achieved every single objective . Were

03:15:51.176 --> 03:15:53.809
those accurate statements ? It

03:15:53.809 --> 03:15:55.976
certainly was on behalf of the men and

03:15:55.976 --> 03:15:58.142
women in uniform , a historic military

03:15:58.142 --> 03:16:00.365
victory over Iran . Had Iran's military

03:16:00.365 --> 03:16:02.420
been rendered combat ineffective for

03:16:02.420 --> 03:16:04.476
years to come , that was a statement

03:16:04.476 --> 03:16:06.587
that you made 4 months ago . They had

03:16:06.587 --> 03:16:08.753
160 naval vessels . You need to answer

03:16:08.753 --> 03:16:10.920
questions , Mr . Secretary . Their air

03:16:10.920 --> 03:16:12.976
force , you said 4 months ago combat

03:16:12.976 --> 03:16:12.690
ineffective , and they don't have a

03:16:12.690 --> 03:16:14.801
defense industrial base . Excuse me .

03:16:14.801 --> 03:16:16.634
So describe to me a country that

03:16:16.634 --> 03:16:18.857
doesn't have an air force , a navy , or

03:16:18.857 --> 03:16:21.023
a defense industrial base , and I will

03:16:21.023 --> 03:16:20.019
describe to you a company that a

03:16:20.019 --> 03:16:22.241
country that does not have an effective

03:16:22.241 --> 03:16:24.575
military . It can lobs . Mr . Secretary ,

03:16:24.575 --> 03:16:27.219
you stated 4 months ago that Iran's

03:16:27.219 --> 03:16:29.740
military had been rendered combat

03:16:29.740 --> 03:16:33.179
ineffective for years to come . Has

03:16:33.179 --> 03:16:35.339
Iran's military been for the last 4

03:16:35.339 --> 03:16:37.679
months combat ineffective ? It's been

03:16:37.679 --> 03:16:39.623
set back not just years but likely

03:16:39.623 --> 03:16:41.568
decades . You stated we had at the

03:16:41.568 --> 03:16:43.457
level it stated before , not even

03:16:43.457 --> 03:16:45.457
stated doesn't mean it doesn't have

03:16:45.457 --> 03:16:47.457
capabilities , Mr . Secretary , you

03:16:47.457 --> 03:16:49.620
stated we had achieved every single

03:16:49.620 --> 03:16:51.453
objective . Was that an accurate

03:16:51.453 --> 03:16:53.342
statement 4 months ago ? The main

03:16:53.342 --> 03:16:55.398
objective of this was to ensure that

03:16:55.398 --> 03:16:57.342
Iran never gets a nuclear weapon .

03:16:57.342 --> 03:16:59.342
Their main sites were obliterated .

03:16:59.342 --> 03:16:59.200
We're watching over them and we're

03:16:59.200 --> 03:17:01.422
holding that issue . If they don't give

03:17:01.422 --> 03:17:03.478
them up at the table , there's other

03:17:03.478 --> 03:17:03.450
ways we can take them early in the

03:17:03.450 --> 03:17:05.339
conflict . Iran will never have a

03:17:05.339 --> 03:17:07.450
nuclear weapon . Secretary . Early in

03:17:07.450 --> 03:17:09.617
the conflict , day 3 , you said one of

03:17:09.617 --> 03:17:11.672
those core objectives was to destroy

03:17:11.672 --> 03:17:13.839
the missile threat and as you restated

03:17:13.839 --> 03:17:16.129
on day 5 , to obliterate Iran's

03:17:16.129 --> 03:17:17.962
missiles and drones . Those were

03:17:17.962 --> 03:17:19.907
clearly and repeatedly stated core

03:17:19.907 --> 03:17:22.070
objectives of the campaign . Which 4

03:17:22.070 --> 03:17:24.389
months ago you declared had been

03:17:24.389 --> 03:17:26.278
completed victoriously with every

03:17:26.278 --> 03:17:28.790
single objective achieved . Were those

03:17:28.790 --> 03:17:31.190
objectives achieved 4 months ago ? No

03:17:31.190 --> 03:17:33.079
one ever stated that every single

03:17:33.079 --> 03:17:35.246
missile was gone . Ultimately , combat

03:17:35.246 --> 03:17:37.357
ineffective means they're not able to

03:17:37.357 --> 03:17:39.579
dig them out of their UGFs and shoot at

03:17:39.579 --> 03:17:39.339
the missile . It doesn't mean they

03:17:39.339 --> 03:17:41.561
don't have underground facilities where

03:17:41.561 --> 03:17:43.672
they put missiles in them and hold on

03:17:43.672 --> 03:17:45.561
to them because they're the , the

03:17:45.561 --> 03:17:44.990
world's largest state sponsor of

03:17:44.990 --> 03:17:47.101
terrorism . So we never expected they

03:17:47.101 --> 03:17:49.101
would . Stop having capabilities to

03:17:49.101 --> 03:17:50.934
shoot . The question is at scale

03:17:50.934 --> 03:17:52.934
against an opponent like the United

03:17:52.934 --> 03:17:55.046
States of America , which went toe to

03:17:55.046 --> 03:17:57.157
toe with them and Iran couldn't . You

03:17:57.157 --> 03:17:59.323
stated on March 8th , day 9 of the war

03:17:59.323 --> 03:18:01.101
on 60 Minutes , you assured the

03:18:01.101 --> 03:18:03.268
American people of Iranian surrender .

03:18:03.268 --> 03:18:03.254
Does that remain your prediction ?

03:18:05.120 --> 03:18:07.360
Ultimately , Iran will never have a

03:18:07.360 --> 03:18:09.471
nuclear weapon to threaten the United

03:18:09.471 --> 03:18:11.582
States of America . That has been the

03:18:11.582 --> 03:18:13.693
objective and it remains so . So just

03:18:13.693 --> 03:18:15.916
to review , you will not answer whether

03:18:15.916 --> 03:18:18.082
your statement made on the 14th day of

03:18:18.082 --> 03:18:20.410
the war that Iran's military had been

03:18:20.410 --> 03:18:22.709
destroyed and made combat ineffective

03:18:22.709 --> 03:18:24.740
was a truthful statement to the

03:18:24.740 --> 03:18:26.962
American people as you sit here and ask

03:18:26.962 --> 03:18:28.851
for tens of billions more for the

03:18:28.851 --> 03:18:31.018
senator's time has been a historic and

03:18:31.018 --> 03:18:33.240
effective military campaign against the

03:18:33.240 --> 03:18:35.184
largest state sponsor of terrorism

03:18:35.184 --> 03:18:37.184
won't answer the question . Senator

03:18:37.184 --> 03:18:41.099
Peters is recognized . Thank you ,

03:18:41.139 --> 03:18:43.361
uh , Madam Chair , and , uh , thank you

03:18:43.361 --> 03:18:45.528
to our witnesses , uh , here today . I

03:18:45.528 --> 03:18:47.472
wanna , uh , begin by first , uh ,

03:18:47.472 --> 03:18:49.472
echoing , uh , my colleagues , uh ,

03:18:49.472 --> 03:18:51.528
comments that we've heard throughout

03:18:51.528 --> 03:18:53.417
the hearing here and join them in

03:18:53.417 --> 03:18:55.472
mourning the loss , uh , of American

03:18:55.472 --> 03:18:57.750
service members , uh , who were killed ,

03:18:57.750 --> 03:19:00.083
uh , in action these last few days . Uh ,

03:19:00.083 --> 03:18:59.990
my thoughts are with their families ,

03:19:00.150 --> 03:19:03.209
uh , with a service member who remains ,

03:19:03.230 --> 03:19:05.119
uh , missing , and with all those

03:19:05.119 --> 03:19:07.397
injured , uh , during the strikes , uh ,

03:19:07.397 --> 03:19:09.563
and I will continue to , uh , pray for

03:19:09.563 --> 03:19:11.786
their families . Secretary Hegev , um ,

03:19:12.040 --> 03:19:14.207
over the course of the war with Iran ,

03:19:14.240 --> 03:19:16.839
I have , uh , repeatedly expressed

03:19:16.839 --> 03:19:19.061
concerns regarding the administration's

03:19:19.061 --> 03:19:21.679
lack of a winning strategy and repeated

03:19:21.679 --> 03:19:24.080
contradictions about , uh , the state

03:19:24.080 --> 03:19:26.320
of the war . Uh , it frankly doesn't

03:19:26.320 --> 03:19:28.919
help that you , uh , and your president

03:19:28.919 --> 03:19:31.200
continues to mislead the American

03:19:31.200 --> 03:19:33.209
people . You and the president have

03:19:33.209 --> 03:19:35.431
repeatedly said that the war , as we've

03:19:35.431 --> 03:19:37.431
heard over and over again , uh , is

03:19:37.431 --> 03:19:39.929
almost over or already won . In fact ,

03:19:39.969 --> 03:19:42.530
the president alone has said the war is

03:19:42.530 --> 03:19:46.129
almost over more than 30 times . On

03:19:46.129 --> 03:19:48.490
March 1st , the president said , we'll

03:19:48.490 --> 03:19:50.768
be done in 4 or 5 weeks . On March 9th ,

03:19:50.768 --> 03:19:52.934
he said the war was very complete . On

03:19:52.934 --> 03:19:54.823
April 8th , he declared total and

03:19:54.823 --> 03:19:58.209
complete victory , 100% , no question

03:19:58.209 --> 03:20:00.431
about it . On the same day you declared

03:20:00.431 --> 03:20:02.542
Operation EpicFury was a historic and

03:20:02.542 --> 03:20:04.876
overwhelming victory on the battlefield ,

03:20:04.876 --> 03:20:07.730
a capital V military victory by any

03:20:07.730 --> 03:20:10.980
measure . And yet today , July 20th ,

03:20:11.620 --> 03:20:14.519
we have soldiers . Whose remains are

03:20:14.519 --> 03:20:16.660
sadly going to be returned to their

03:20:17.280 --> 03:20:19.750
deeply grieving families tomorrow .

03:20:20.490 --> 03:20:23.530
Clearly , the war is not over yet .

03:20:24.230 --> 03:20:26.452
After months of conflict , our strategy

03:20:26.452 --> 03:20:29.400
to win remains unclear . I have long

03:20:29.400 --> 03:20:31.122
said the United States has the

03:20:31.122 --> 03:20:33.178
strongest military in history in the

03:20:33.178 --> 03:20:35.233
world , and I have no doubt that our

03:20:35.233 --> 03:20:37.344
brave service members can execute any

03:20:37.344 --> 03:20:40.400
mission and prevail in any battle . But

03:20:40.400 --> 03:20:42.344
without a clear winning strategy ,

03:20:42.679 --> 03:20:44.568
we're at risk of being in another

03:20:44.568 --> 03:20:46.568
forever war that'll put our service

03:20:46.568 --> 03:20:48.568
members in continued harm's way and

03:20:48.568 --> 03:20:50.799
continue to cost taxpayers billions of

03:20:50.799 --> 03:20:54.219
dollars . Secretary Hag said , despite

03:20:54.219 --> 03:20:56.860
your failure to win this war , uh , you

03:20:56.860 --> 03:20:59.099
are back now before Congress asking for

03:20:59.099 --> 03:21:01.620
almost $70 billion in additional

03:21:01.620 --> 03:21:03.676
funding . You're asking the American

03:21:03.676 --> 03:21:05.787
people for a blank check because once

03:21:05.787 --> 03:21:07.620
again the Trump administration's

03:21:07.620 --> 03:21:09.842
efforts have been an utter and complete

03:21:10.259 --> 03:21:12.959
failure to win this war to this point .

03:21:13.459 --> 03:21:15.570
So my question for you , sir , is how

03:21:15.570 --> 03:21:17.740
is your strategy different than what

03:21:17.740 --> 03:21:20.209
we've seen in the past ? So far we have

03:21:20.209 --> 03:21:21.987
not seen a strategy that's been

03:21:21.987 --> 03:21:23.931
successful . You mentioned nuclear

03:21:23.931 --> 03:21:26.265
material is the primary goal of the war .

03:21:26.265 --> 03:21:28.487
It still exists . We haven't dealt with

03:21:28.487 --> 03:21:30.487
that issue yet . You talk about the

03:21:30.487 --> 03:21:32.598
destruction of missiles , and yet the

03:21:32.598 --> 03:21:34.820
missiles that we saw hit recent targets

03:21:34.820 --> 03:21:37.042
are actually somehow more lethal , more

03:21:37.042 --> 03:21:39.265
deadly , more maneuverable than what we

03:21:39.265 --> 03:21:41.209
have seen in the past . So they're

03:21:41.209 --> 03:21:43.320
obviously improving their munitions .

03:21:43.339 --> 03:21:46.900
The Strait of Hormuz is still closed ,

03:21:47.299 --> 03:21:49.466
reminding everybody it was open before

03:21:49.466 --> 03:21:51.740
the war . Prices were lower for

03:21:51.740 --> 03:21:54.000
everybody until the war , and it still

03:21:54.009 --> 03:21:56.280
remains closed . And of course , uh ,

03:21:56.339 --> 03:21:58.780
tragically , people , service members ,

03:21:58.820 --> 03:22:00.764
our warfighters who we care deeply

03:22:00.764 --> 03:22:03.629
about are still dying . So what's

03:22:03.629 --> 03:22:07.400
different ? Mr . Hexa , Secretary Hexa ,

03:22:07.589 --> 03:22:09.700
I think your characterization of this

03:22:09.700 --> 03:22:11.589
incredible effort as a failure is

03:22:11.589 --> 03:22:13.145
reckless . And I think it's

03:22:13.145 --> 03:22:15.256
irresponsible , and I think it smears

03:22:15.256 --> 03:22:17.311
the sacrifice of the troops that are

03:22:17.311 --> 03:22:17.009
out there making on behalf of the

03:22:17.009 --> 03:22:19.009
American people to ensure that Iran

03:22:19.009 --> 03:22:21.176
never gets a nuclear weapon . Shame on

03:22:21.176 --> 03:22:23.398
you and others who call this a quagmire

03:22:23.398 --> 03:22:25.453
and a failure , and then you want to

03:22:25.453 --> 03:22:25.139
turn around and say you support the

03:22:25.139 --> 03:22:27.472
warfighter . Either you do or you don't .

03:22:27.472 --> 03:22:29.639
Is the nuclear there . I can get you a

03:22:29.639 --> 03:22:31.583
ticket out to CEO and talk to what

03:22:31.583 --> 03:22:33.361
those Americans are doing , how

03:22:33.361 --> 03:22:33.259
committed they are to this effort , and

03:22:33.259 --> 03:22:35.481
how they want to ensure that Iran never

03:22:35.481 --> 03:22:37.703
threatens their families with a nuclear

03:22:37.703 --> 03:22:39.926
weapon . It's , it is that . That's the

03:22:39.926 --> 03:22:42.092
kind of intensity that our warfighters

03:22:42.092 --> 03:22:44.259
have about making sure that Iran isn't

03:22:44.259 --> 03:22:43.865
capable of doing that . Heg , did you ,

03:22:43.915 --> 03:22:45.971
if you listened to my comments , you

03:22:45.971 --> 03:22:48.137
told , you would have heard me say how

03:22:48.137 --> 03:22:50.248
amazing our warfighters are . I heard

03:22:50.248 --> 03:22:52.359
failure . The word , I heard . I will

03:22:52.359 --> 03:22:54.359
tell you how I use the word failure

03:22:54.359 --> 03:22:56.582
because I use the word failure to their

03:22:56.582 --> 03:22:58.804
leaders . You , sir , are the failure ,

03:22:58.804 --> 03:23:00.915
not the men and women who are on that

03:23:00.915 --> 03:23:03.082
front line , not the men and women who

03:23:03.082 --> 03:23:05.248
hold up their honor with distinction .

03:23:05.299 --> 03:23:07.243
But if there's a lack of a winning

03:23:07.243 --> 03:23:09.188
strategy , they're in harm's way .

03:23:09.188 --> 03:23:11.243
Their leaders have failed them . And

03:23:11.243 --> 03:23:13.132
that's what's happening . We have

03:23:13.132 --> 03:23:15.299
political leadership . You , you don't

03:23:15.299 --> 03:23:15.179
have a strategy . You don't have a

03:23:15.179 --> 03:23:17.769
long-term plan to actually win this war .

03:23:18.099 --> 03:23:20.099
Win the war . The men and women are

03:23:20.099 --> 03:23:22.155
going to be able to do it , but they

03:23:22.155 --> 03:23:24.377
need to have leadership . When will you

03:23:24.377 --> 03:23:26.543
show leadership ? When will you show ?

03:23:26.543 --> 03:23:26.139
Why don't you show some leadership and

03:23:26.139 --> 03:23:28.306
stand up for your fellow Democrats who

03:23:28.306 --> 03:23:30.417
won't fund the troops , who stand and

03:23:30.417 --> 03:23:32.583
play partisan politics while you don't

03:23:32.583 --> 03:23:32.179
give us the money ? You want to stand

03:23:32.179 --> 03:23:34.401
up here and talk about the troops , you

03:23:34.401 --> 03:23:36.512
won't show any political courage . To

03:23:36.512 --> 03:23:38.568
actually fund our department because

03:23:38.568 --> 03:23:40.790
you have Trump derangement syndrome and

03:23:40.790 --> 03:23:42.679
can't actually commit to anything

03:23:42.679 --> 03:23:42.530
meaningful . So I put this on you ,

03:23:42.650 --> 03:23:44.706
Senator . Secretary Hagsa , you have

03:23:44.706 --> 03:23:46.817
trillions , you have over $1 trillion

03:23:46.817 --> 03:23:49.400
you're asking for $1.5 trillion . It's

03:23:49.400 --> 03:23:51.650
not a question of money . It's a

03:23:51.650 --> 03:23:53.290
question of leadership and

03:23:53.290 --> 03:23:55.512
understanding what it takes to actually

03:23:55.512 --> 03:23:57.929
win political cowardice of Democrats

03:23:57.929 --> 03:24:01.849
who won't fund the troops . Senator's

03:24:01.849 --> 03:24:05.589
time has expired . This will

03:24:05.589 --> 03:24:09.110
conclude our hearing . I want to

03:24:09.110 --> 03:24:12.110
thank our witnesses for being present

03:24:12.429 --> 03:24:14.879
and the committee for what has

03:24:14.879 --> 03:24:18.150
certainly been a vigorous discussion .

03:24:18.629 --> 03:24:21.730
For any senators who wish to submit

03:24:22.190 --> 03:24:25.049
additional questions for the record ,

03:24:25.629 --> 03:24:29.150
those questions will be due in 7 days

03:24:29.150 --> 03:24:32.490
on Tuesday , July 28th by

03:24:32.509 --> 03:24:33.759
5 p.m.

03:24:37.459 --> 03:24:39.650
I'm going to ask the rank , the vice

03:24:39.650 --> 03:24:41.969
chair if she has any final comments . I

03:24:41.969 --> 03:24:44.080
do very quickly and thank you , Chair

03:24:44.080 --> 03:24:46.247
Collins . This was really an important

03:24:46.247 --> 03:24:48.191
discussion about the state of this

03:24:48.191 --> 03:24:50.247
tragic and disastrous war and how we

03:24:50.247 --> 03:24:52.136
should be spending Americans' tax

03:24:52.136 --> 03:24:54.136
dollars on families instead of this

03:24:54.136 --> 03:24:55.691
president's war of choice .

03:24:55.691 --> 03:24:57.802
Unfortunately , this hearing has done

03:24:57.802 --> 03:24:59.802
exceptionally little to justify the

03:24:59.802 --> 03:25:01.691
president's request or to instill

03:25:01.691 --> 03:25:03.913
confidence that this administration has

03:25:03.913 --> 03:25:06.129
an exit plan or a strategy to end the

03:25:06.129 --> 03:25:08.905
war . This war has cost us a lot . The

03:25:08.905 --> 03:25:11.127
last thing we should be doing is rubber

03:25:11.127 --> 03:25:13.394
stamping another $70 billion to help

03:25:13.394 --> 03:25:15.616
Trump keep it going . Thank you , Madam

03:25:15.616 --> 03:25:17.783
Chair . Well , Vice Chair Murray , I'm

03:25:17.783 --> 03:25:19.974
compelled to respond to your comments

03:25:20.355 --> 03:25:23.674
by pointing out that it is the duty of

03:25:23.674 --> 03:25:26.995
this committee to have a hearing when

03:25:26.995 --> 03:25:29.834
we have this kind of

03:25:29.834 --> 03:25:33.035
supplemental request . So I think that

03:25:33.035 --> 03:25:35.815
your comments was not appropriate .

03:25:36.940 --> 03:25:39.290
This hearing is now adjourned .