WEBVTT

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um selection is recognized for five

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minutes . Thank you gentlemen for being

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here . Um , I know it's a long hearing .

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Um , I just , you know , I want to

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address this constant conversation

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we've been having about the top line

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because it feels like very 2000 and

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five to me all the hearings that we've

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had in front of in the last two years

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I've been here have talked about not

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just the amount of dollars were

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spending but how we're spending them .

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And I think we need to be

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intellectually honest as members of

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Congress that we are a part of the

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problem . We make you budget on one

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year cycles instead of the whole fit it .

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Every year you come to us with about $2

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billion worth of legacy programs you'd

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like to cut and we up here . Don't let

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you cut them . And then let's be frank

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if we're talking about budgets , the 10 ,

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nearly $10 billion that was taken out

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of D . O . D . And put towards the

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border wall should be factored in for

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anyone who is concerned about the top

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line . So uh that's what we have

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responsibility for . But I am worried

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because there is bipartisan agreement

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that china is gaining on us . Um I'm

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also worried that our big lumbering

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bureaucratic system is an inhibitor to

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us being competitive with china ,

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particularly on acquisition and getting

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the best american technology into the

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pentagon . Mr . Secretary Austin , can

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you talk about what we're going to do

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to acquire faster and better technology ?

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Well that's a that's a focus for us .

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Um You know , we uh we

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are far from being as agile as we need

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to be in order to uh capture

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or take advantage of the emerging

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technologies . Uh and so you've given

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us some authorities in the past that

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we've not fully uh used or employed and

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and and and we need to push to uh

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number one , take advantage of what

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you've already given us . But number to

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encourage are forced to be uh to be

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more agile . And we need to take

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advantage of emerging technologies that

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that may be available in smaller

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companies that have capability that

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they can't get across the valley of

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death to uh , you know , to provide

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uh capability at scale . So the deputy

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secretary and I are absolutely focused

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on this and she's launched some

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initiatives uh to be able to address

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this . Thank you . Your personal

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attention to that I think is going to

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be really important for the future .

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Fight switching gears to the

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authorization of military force last

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week in a bipartisan way , we called

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for the repeal here in the House of the

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2000 and two A U . M . F . Um , it's

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now being discussed and debated over in

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the Senate , but there seemed to be

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some confusion um here in the House and

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maybe in the Senate as well on whether

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the pentagon is currently relying on

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the 2000 and two A . U . M . F . For

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any operations ? Can you confirm where

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you stand on the 2000 and two A . U . M .

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F . Uh Well , just right now on the

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2000 and two a.m. F . Uh that is under

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you and it looks like it's going to go

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away . The 2001 1 is the one that gives

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us all the authorities . That's the one

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we need to hang on to . Is that the

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first one that gives us the authority

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to conduct operations ? So if we repeal

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the 2002 , will that affect current

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operations in any way ? My assessment ?

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My military assessment is uh no , it

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won't won't have any negative effect on

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current operations . Is the 2000 and

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one a.m. F . That's the critical on for

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us to continue operations . Thanks

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thanks for clarifying that . Um and you

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know , one of the things that myself

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and representative Gallagher are doing ,

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we run a bipartisan task force on

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supply chains and the Deputy secretary

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was really gracious with their time and

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came last week . Um I have become

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possessed with this issue because of

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covid and having to negotiate with

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chinese middlemen in the middle of the

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night for a 78 cent mask . And I stood

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yesterday in front of my second GM

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plant in my area that has to go to a

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temporary shutdown because we can't get

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a 14 cent microchip . Can you tell me

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just your commitment that you will take

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this issue seriously ? It was stunning

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for some of us the amount of

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vulnerabilities that we have , even at

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the pentagon for things like ammunition ,

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propellant and for pharmaceuticals on

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other countries , particularly sole

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source from other countries . Can you

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just commit that ? You'll help with

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some transparency on our supply chains ?

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You have our commitment , you heard me

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mentioned earlier $341 million

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investment to to help boost

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our support of american uh

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industry and uh some of that includes

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micro electronics and that sort of

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business . So uh but we are absolutely

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focused on this . We think that supply

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chain vulnerability is a is a national

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security issue and that was kind of

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laid bare for us to your point over the

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last year . Thank you . And I yield

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back MS spices recognized for five

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minutes . Thank you . Mr Chairman

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ranking member Rogers . Uh Secretary

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Austin , generally thank you for

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joining us today . I first want to

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maybe echo my colleague ,

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Representative Slotkin on Supply chain

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Task Force . I was honoured to be put

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on that as well . And it has

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illuminated a lot of the challenges

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that we see because of Covid or even

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just supply chain in general . So I

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appreciate your commitment to making

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sure that we continue to look at how we

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can shore up the supply chain

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challenges . Um I'd like to start by

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focusing on an issue that has been of

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concern in my state of Oklahoma and on

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military bases across the nation ,

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improving the quality of privatized

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base housing on military installations .

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Since being sworn into office , I've

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engaged military housing stakeholders

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in my district and across the state of

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Oklahoma , including at Tinker Air

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Force Base and Fort Sill . While I'm

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cautiously optimistic that things are

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moving in the right direction , there

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is still work to do Ensuring safe and

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high quality housing for our nation's

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service members is one of my priorities .

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Despite the recent reforms , evidence

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from earlier this year suggests

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military families are being charged

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thousands of dollars of out of pocket

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expenses by private military housing

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contractors for reasonable and needed

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88 upgrades to their on base housing

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units . In response , I've introduced

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legislation with representatives Sarah

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Jacobs to clarify the military families

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cannot be charged amounts in addition

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to rent for needed 88 upgrades .

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Secretary Austin , can you tell me what

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actions D . O . D . Is taking to ensure

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that service members do not face

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financial hardships and obtaining on

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base accommodations for a disabled

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member of their family . Thank you for

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your work that you're doing in this

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area . It is absolutely critical .

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There's nothing more important than ,

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you know , the welfare of our military

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families . Uh , and as we've seen in

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the past , this has not uh , this has

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not gone the way that it should have

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gone in terms of , uh , contracted

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housing , privatized housing . You've

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seen us increase the supervision in

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this area . And we're working with the

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services to really ensure that we have

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the requisite oversight uh , and

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emphasis the whole uh , contractors

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accountable for , you know , uh ,

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providing quality service to our , to

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our family members . And this will

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remain a priority for us going forward .

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It directly affects the morale

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of not only our family members but the

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services altogether . So you have my

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commitment that we will remain cited on

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this . Thank you . Secretary ,

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appreciate that . Um , it's clear to me

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that in my short time here in Congress

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that one of the biggest threats is the

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current space race threat . China has

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become incredibly competitive landing a

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river on mars putting up geosynchronous

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satellites . Do you believe this budget

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provides the dedicated resources in

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research technology exploration , that

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we need to ensure that we are not

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outpaced .

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Right again . $112 billion for R . D .

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T . And E . That's uh that's a pretty

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hefty investment . But I would go one

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step further and say that uh we've

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invested , we plan to invest 20.6

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billion or so dollars uh for for two

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resource our our efforts in space .

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Thank you . I yelled back

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brief announcement before I call him

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Cheryl . So votes are supposed to be

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called at 1 30 . It is my intent to

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keep going through them . Um If , well ,

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it's a little bit complicated , votes

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are like 25 minutes to a half hour .

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But if there are members who wish to

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ask questions , if you could go invoked

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like right at 1:30 and then come back

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so we can sort of cycle through that

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way . Um I don't want to waste waste

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any time um and take advantage of all

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the time that we have . Um you sort of

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process that . So if you're if you're

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coming up and you want to go vote and

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come back , I'll give you an

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opportunity to ask a question mr Rogers

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and I'll figure out our own deal one

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way or the other . Um Cheryl's

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recognized for five minutes . Thank you .

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Thank you so much . General Milley . I

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want to talk about the long range

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precision fires um as you know ,

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picatinny arsenal . My district's aqui

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center of innovation for this

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modernization priority . I know that

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General McConville is committed to the

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value that long range precision fires

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bring to force employment for the Joint

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Joint Force . So can you speak to the

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value of the multiple dilemmas that

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ground based precision fires can

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provide for deterrence and force

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employment ? Sure . The uh first of all

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all the services have capabilities and

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are developing capabilities for long

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range precision fires . And it's

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important when you're facing any

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adversary to present them with multiple

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dilemma simultaneously so that it's

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very difficult for them to solve land

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based long range position fires will

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give us a significant advantage

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relative to the facing threat of china

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uh So that they can be operated off of

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basically unsinkable aircraft carriers .

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So our allies and partners , if we work

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out through the diplomatic arrangements

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uh to have units stationed there with

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long range missile fire capabilities we

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can do significant damage . Were

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experiment damage against the uh

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People's Liberation Army Navy . So

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we're experimenting that with the Army

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force and Marine forces in the pacific

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right now in the south china seas for

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example through exercises and other

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things . In addition to that we're

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doing some long range precision fire

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developmental testing um that is being

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done at the various ranges and these

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are quite extended ranges that will

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cover the south china sea . So the

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conceptual idea would be that we could

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handle the chinese surface fleet with

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land based long range pacific fires in

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combination with air and naval fires .

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Thank you general appreciate that . Um

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Moving on and sort of talking again

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about the supply chain , we've all

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become critically concerned . Um you

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know , as we talk about single source

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materials as we talk about rare earth

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materials , I encourage you General

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Austin to continue to look into how

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that impacts some of our smaller

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defense manufacturers from entering

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into competition when they have to

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trace the supply chain . That is

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something they have a lot of trouble

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doing and haven't done well at . I also

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encourage a discussion about rare earth

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materials and if there are alternatives ,

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if you know the research and

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development , we might make into

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alternatives . That that's something

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that's been brought up . But I don't

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think we have a good understanding of

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how what we could do with respect to

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alternatives to rare earth materials ,

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especially single source rare earth

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materials from our adversaries . I'd

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also just like to bring up that in

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conversations with former senior

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defense officials , currently serving

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service members and leaders in defense

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innovation . I've heard time and again

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that the military just isn't innovating

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the way we need to . Um , so to to make

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better use of private sector innovation

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by a more nimble acquisition system and

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to improve access to talent through

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better stem recruiting and to ensure

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that the research and development

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within the D . O . D . Is better

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supported and risk taking too . As many

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of our military members say , fail fast

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and then learn . Um what is the best

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way forward to make these changes and

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how can Congress best support those

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changes ? Yeah . Well I

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think you have to establish programs

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that uh and mechanisms that encourage

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innovation and while you want to reward

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success and support a small

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companies and their efforts to get

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their products innovative products , uh

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you know , on board , you also , I want

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a condition of force to be able to

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accept a and an element or a measure of

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risk and we're not really good at that .

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Uh And and I think in order to be agile

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we've got to become better . And so

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you'll see . Uh the deputy secretary

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began to uh employ a couple of

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initiatives that encourage that that

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innovation and that would help us

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begin to pull some things forward and

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support something's going forward that

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we haven't been able to do in the past .

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And again , we'll keep pushing on this

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and pulling on this until until we

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become more agile . I do think we need

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to do better and taken advantage of

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what you've already given us to help us

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with that agility .

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Thank you and I echo Miss Slatkin in

13:51.990 --> 13:54.210
our gratitude and having you involved

13:54.210 --> 13:56.266
in this process . I think it is very

13:56.266 --> 13:58.377
important . And then finally , before

13:58.377 --> 14:00.960
my time is up , I simply want to say to

14:00.960 --> 14:03.127
you , General Milley that I deeply and

14:03.127 --> 14:05.238
sincerely appreciate your comments to

14:05.238 --> 14:07.860
Miss Holahan . Thank you . You're back .

14:09.240 --> 14:11.462
Chair recognizes Representative Jackson

14:11.462 --> 14:14.850
for five minutes . Oh thank you , Mr

14:14.850 --> 14:16.850
Chairman and ranking member Roger's

14:16.850 --> 14:18.961
fault in hearing today . Also want to

14:18.961 --> 14:20.906
thank Secretary Austin and General

14:20.906 --> 14:20.740
Milley for being here today . Thank you

14:20.740 --> 14:22.962
both . Mr Secretary . The first time we

14:22.962 --> 14:25.330
met and the first event I ever attended

14:25.330 --> 14:27.441
in the House Armed Services Committee

14:27.441 --> 14:29.980
here was a discussion we held when when

14:29.980 --> 14:31.813
you came before the committee in

14:31.813 --> 14:33.924
january . Uh as you know , I voted in

14:33.924 --> 14:35.980
favour of the waiver required uh for

14:35.980 --> 14:38.202
your appointment and I did so because I

14:38.202 --> 14:40.424
thought we should take advantage of the

14:40.424 --> 14:42.647
opportunity to have somebody in there ,

14:42.647 --> 14:42.470
that that really understood the impact

14:42.470 --> 14:44.637
that policymakers have on the troops .

14:44.637 --> 14:46.637
So thank you . And it's good to see

14:46.637 --> 14:48.859
here again today , sir . Um Generally I

14:48.859 --> 14:51.026
really appreciated your leadership and

14:51.026 --> 14:52.970
the continuity that you're able to

14:52.970 --> 14:55.192
bring to the department during the most

14:55.192 --> 14:57.303
recent transition administrations . I

14:57.303 --> 14:57.160
know both of you very clearly

14:57.160 --> 14:59.271
understand the urgent threats that we

14:59.271 --> 15:01.382
face . Imagine you both must share my

15:01.382 --> 15:03.438
frustration with the budget cut that

15:03.438 --> 15:05.660
President are with the budget cut . The

15:05.660 --> 15:07.882
President biden has sent over . I agree

15:07.882 --> 15:10.049
that we need to be more efficient with

15:10.049 --> 15:09.630
how we spend our money if possible ,

15:09.640 --> 15:11.584
but now is not the time to cut our

15:11.584 --> 15:13.807
defense spending . Like President biden

15:13.807 --> 15:15.862
has proposed my first question . The

15:15.862 --> 15:18.084
national Defense strategy clearly calls

15:18.084 --> 15:20.029
for 3 to 5% real growth in defense

15:20.029 --> 15:22.251
spending each year . President biden as

15:22.251 --> 15:24.307
somewhat ignored the NDS and has put

15:24.307 --> 15:26.307
you both in a very tough spot in my

15:26.307 --> 15:28.418
mind by proposing that we cut defense

15:28.418 --> 15:30.418
spending this year with the request

15:30.418 --> 15:32.696
that does not keep pace with inflation .

15:32.696 --> 15:34.362
I've heard alternate proposal

15:34.362 --> 15:36.473
circulated around Congress That might

15:36.473 --> 15:38.584
come before this committee of the top

15:38.584 --> 15:40.751
line . 10% cut for defense spending if

15:40.751 --> 15:43.029
the 3 to 5% number is based on the NDS ,

15:43.029 --> 15:45.196
I'm not really sure where the proposed

15:45.196 --> 15:47.418
10% number comes from for both of you .

15:47.418 --> 15:49.696
If the 10% cut is just a random number .

15:49.696 --> 15:51.807
Should we really be comparing that as

15:51.807 --> 15:54.029
an alternative policy recommendation to

15:54.029 --> 15:56.029
what is called for in the NDS ? And

15:56.029 --> 15:58.196
would either of you consider A 10% cut

15:58.196 --> 16:00.418
to be a serious policy recommendation ?

16:00.418 --> 16:02.810
This might be a short answer when it

16:02.810 --> 16:05.700
comes to structuring the budget

16:05.710 --> 16:07.930
congressman . And and by the way ,

16:07.930 --> 16:11.540
thank you for your service . Um I think

16:11.550 --> 16:15.410
randomness is never a good idea . And

16:15.410 --> 16:17.521
so we we endeavour as you well know ,

16:17.521 --> 16:20.610
to link our resources to our strategy ,

16:20.610 --> 16:23.080
strategy to policy policy to the , to

16:23.080 --> 16:25.750
the will of the american people . This

16:25.750 --> 16:29.510
particular budget was based upon the

16:29.510 --> 16:33.210
interim strategic guidance given to us

16:33.210 --> 16:36.230
by by the president early on and my

16:36.230 --> 16:38.860
guidance to the force . And so those

16:38.860 --> 16:41.190
were the things that provided us . Uh

16:41.200 --> 16:43.400
you know , the really the structure to

16:43.400 --> 16:45.567
be able to to build the budget on . Uh

16:45.567 --> 16:47.733
But to answer your question , I do not

16:47.733 --> 16:50.090
think randomness is a good idea when it

16:50.090 --> 16:53.500
comes to budget and uh Echoes

16:53.510 --> 16:55.290
comments and I'm not aware of a

16:55.300 --> 16:58.070
proposal of a 10% cut per se . Uh

16:58.080 --> 17:00.302
that's not what this budget does . This

17:00.302 --> 17:02.302
budget essentially is flat . I mean

17:02.302 --> 17:01.570
depending on how you do the

17:01.570 --> 17:03.737
calculations , some will tell you it's

17:03.737 --> 17:05.848
11 billion more than 21 enacted . All

17:05.848 --> 17:07.959
this will tell you a few billion less

17:07.959 --> 17:09.903
if you measure it against constant

17:09.903 --> 17:09.560
dollars . And then of course you've got

17:09.560 --> 17:11.820
the factor of inflation . Uh the bottom

17:11.820 --> 17:14.250
line is it's all relative to a threat

17:14.260 --> 17:16.760
and I think this budget at $715 billion .

17:16.940 --> 17:19.620
It's a lot of taxpayer dollars And I

17:19.620 --> 17:21.787
think it adequately defends the United

17:21.787 --> 17:24.260
States for fiscal year 22 and I would

17:24.260 --> 17:26.710
urge a rapid passing of it and in a

17:26.710 --> 17:28.932
rapid enactment of it . Yes sir , thank

17:28.932 --> 17:31.043
you . Are brought up to 10% because I

17:31.043 --> 17:33.099
think that's being circulated around

17:33.099 --> 17:32.620
here and I assume that's going to come

17:32.620 --> 17:34.842
later on in the form of an amendment or

17:34.842 --> 17:37.009
something . Um thank you for that . Um

17:37.009 --> 17:39.009
I'm concerned that this is only the

17:39.009 --> 17:41.064
beginning of the defense budget cuts

17:41.064 --> 17:43.287
over the next few years for the reasons

17:43.287 --> 17:45.509
I just described , Given that President

17:45.509 --> 17:47.453
Biden relies on your expertise , I

17:47.453 --> 17:47.330
would urge you both to advise him on

17:47.340 --> 17:49.640
how disastrous that would be the 10%

17:49.640 --> 17:51.862
cut for our national security . If that

17:51.862 --> 17:53.973
comes up last week , we discussed how

17:53.973 --> 17:55.862
we can implement the goals of the

17:55.862 --> 17:57.862
national defense strategy despite a

17:57.862 --> 17:57.540
budget cut . Something that General

17:57.540 --> 17:59.762
Berger said before this committee stuck

17:59.762 --> 18:01.900
out to me , he said we have a perfect

18:01.900 --> 18:03.789
record of guessing where the next

18:03.789 --> 18:05.956
conflict is going to happen and we got

18:05.956 --> 18:08.122
it wrong every time we know there will

18:08.122 --> 18:10.400
be another threat . That's just a fact .

18:10.400 --> 18:12.511
So I don't see why President biden is

18:12.511 --> 18:14.567
forcing us into a budget cut when we

18:14.567 --> 18:16.733
are actually losing to china right now

18:16.733 --> 18:16.660
and have other rising threats around

18:16.660 --> 18:18.827
the globe around the globe . Secretary

18:18.827 --> 18:20.938
Austin assuming we're able to keep up

18:20.938 --> 18:22.993
with the counter uh , and the threat

18:22.993 --> 18:25.160
from china . Where do you see the next

18:25.160 --> 18:27.382
threat coming from ? Also ? How harmful

18:27.382 --> 18:29.382
are the proposed budget cuts as you

18:29.382 --> 18:31.271
prepare the military for whatever

18:31.271 --> 18:33.930
future conflict we might have . Yeah .

18:33.940 --> 18:36.120
Thank you . Congressman again , China

18:36.120 --> 18:39.360
is the most challenging uh ,

18:39.940 --> 18:43.140
yeah , competitor that will face . And

18:43.140 --> 18:45.084
so we have to prepare for the most

18:45.084 --> 18:48.520
challenging um , competitor .

18:48.530 --> 18:52.130
Uh , as we do that , uh , would it also

18:52.130 --> 18:54.130
prepares us well for other things .

18:54.130 --> 18:57.230
We'll see threats from Russia , Iran

18:57.230 --> 18:59.452
north Korea and we'll continue to see a

18:59.452 --> 19:01.600
threat from transnational terrorism .

19:01.610 --> 19:04.170
Uh , and I agree with general burger

19:04.170 --> 19:06.281
that there's always something that we

19:06.281 --> 19:08.559
we weren't really cited on necessarily ,

19:08.640 --> 19:10.862
but we were prepared to address because

19:10.862 --> 19:12.918
we prepared for the most challenging

19:12.918 --> 19:14.973
threat . Thank you both . My time is

19:14.973 --> 19:16.973
that you're back . Chair recognizes

19:16.973 --> 19:19.084
represented golden for five minutes .

19:19.340 --> 19:21.229
Thank you . Secretary Austin . In

19:21.229 --> 19:23.284
recent testimony you provided before

19:23.284 --> 19:25.396
the Senate , both Senator Collins and

19:25.396 --> 19:27.396
Senator King asked if you've worked

19:27.396 --> 19:29.451
with them in Congress to restore the

19:29.451 --> 19:31.673
proposed cut to the DDG 51 flight three

19:31.673 --> 19:33.840
program . And in both cases , you said

19:33.840 --> 19:35.951
the plan was to resource that ship in

19:35.951 --> 19:38.580
2023 . General Milley . I believe you

19:38.580 --> 19:41.020
testified something similar earlier

19:41.020 --> 19:43.150
today . I'd like to understand that

19:43.150 --> 19:45.710
more clearly the most recent figures

19:45.710 --> 19:47.932
the Navy has provided . Congress was in

19:47.932 --> 19:50.154
December and anticipate the procurement

19:50.154 --> 19:52.210
of two flight three shifts in fiscal

19:52.210 --> 19:55.100
year 22 and two and fiscal year 23 for

19:55.100 --> 19:57.460
a total of four ships . In light of

19:57.460 --> 19:59.238
this . MR . Secretary , am I to

19:59.238 --> 20:01.293
understand that you're committing to

20:01.293 --> 20:03.404
procure three DDG flight three shifts

20:03.404 --> 20:07.340
in fiscal year 2023 ? Well ,

20:07.340 --> 20:10.130
certainly work out the balance of uh ,

20:10.140 --> 20:13.060
of our uh ,

20:13.640 --> 20:16.280
investments uh , in the next budget .

20:16.290 --> 20:19.140
And I don't wanna predict whether it's

20:19.140 --> 20:21.307
going to land . But yeah , we're gonna

20:21.307 --> 20:23.890
go after that . That DDG that uh , that

20:23.890 --> 20:26.330
we didn't resource in this budget uh ,

20:26.340 --> 20:28.770
in the next fiscal year . Thank you .

20:28.780 --> 20:30.891
You know , if you just look at all of

20:30.891 --> 20:32.960
last year , the Navy was saying that

20:32.960 --> 20:34.849
they needed the flight three from

20:34.849 --> 20:36.849
capabilities perspective , but also

20:36.849 --> 20:38.682
they were projecting two ships ,

20:38.682 --> 20:40.460
whether that was last winter in

20:40.460 --> 20:43.840
february again , uh putting out some

20:43.850 --> 20:45.680
figures in the fall and then in

20:45.680 --> 20:47.680
december , it was always two shifts

20:47.680 --> 20:50.070
each time . And then suddenly We

20:50.070 --> 20:52.070
received this budget requests to go

20:52.070 --> 20:54.126
down to one . But you know , if it's

20:54.126 --> 20:56.348
not a commitment to actually go back up

20:56.348 --> 20:58.910
to three , then I think , you know ,

20:58.910 --> 21:01.132
it's it's not re sourcing the ship that

21:01.132 --> 21:03.243
the two senators , Senators and I are

21:03.243 --> 21:05.299
asking about and it wouldn't in fact

21:05.299 --> 21:07.410
represent a broken contract . You did

21:07.410 --> 21:09.610
talk to Senator Collins about wanting

21:09.610 --> 21:11.721
to have the right mix of capabilities

21:11.721 --> 21:15.030
in place and I agree with what Senator

21:15.030 --> 21:17.197
Collins said about quantity having the

21:17.197 --> 21:19.252
quality of its own . But I'd like to

21:19.252 --> 21:21.363
focus on the capabilities piece . The

21:21.363 --> 21:23.530
Navy says that the flight three is key

21:23.530 --> 21:25.697
to see denial and C control missions .

21:25.697 --> 21:27.641
It's also expressed urgency to the

21:27.641 --> 21:29.863
committee about getting the AMG our Spy

21:29.863 --> 21:31.974
six radar and those capabilities that

21:31.974 --> 21:34.030
will be brought to the Navy into the

21:34.030 --> 21:35.752
fleet . The Navy is looking to

21:35.752 --> 21:37.970
decommission cruisers as well .

21:37.980 --> 21:40.190
Therefore , the Flight three is slated

21:40.190 --> 21:42.246
to house and perform the role of air

21:42.246 --> 21:44.468
defense for our carrier strike groups .

21:44.468 --> 21:46.412
But this was going to take several

21:46.412 --> 21:48.746
years to fully feel that new capability .

21:48.746 --> 21:50.690
Last week , the committee received

21:50.690 --> 21:52.801
testimony that the benefits of an AMG

21:52.801 --> 21:55.023
are undeniable and it was stressed that

21:55.023 --> 21:57.140
the Navy has to have that radar . Uh

21:57.140 --> 21:59.990
huh . I'm curious in light of the kind

21:59.990 --> 22:02.046
of change from two ships to ships to

22:02.046 --> 22:04.268
ships all through 2022 . Just one now .

22:04.268 --> 22:06.268
And given this testimony that we've

22:06.268 --> 22:08.101
received from the Navy about the

22:08.101 --> 22:10.690
importance of the capability . What's

22:10.690 --> 22:12.968
the driving force behind the reduction ?

22:13.540 --> 22:15.830
You have to make tough choices in any

22:15.830 --> 22:19.320
budget . And uh , again , in this

22:19.320 --> 22:22.170
budget , we're investing in a D . D . G .

22:22.940 --> 22:26.010
two submarines and a frigate , which I

22:26.010 --> 22:28.110
think is a pretty substantial

22:28.110 --> 22:30.970
investment . Again , you know , we said

22:30.980 --> 22:34.580
before that , You know , the 355 ship ,

22:34.590 --> 22:37.290
uh , Navy is a is a good goal to shoot

22:37.290 --> 22:39.401
at . You have to look at the progress

22:39.401 --> 22:41.623
over time . You also have to consider ,

22:41.623 --> 22:43.679
you know , the numbers of holes that

22:43.679 --> 22:45.846
we're putting in the water between now

22:45.846 --> 22:47.901
and the end of fiscal year 22 . Uh ,

22:47.901 --> 22:49.901
and when you do that , you'll get a

22:49.901 --> 22:52.234
better picture of the full capabilities .

22:52.234 --> 22:55.250
But we I I agree that it is important

22:55.250 --> 22:58.350
to make sure that that , you know , we

22:58.840 --> 23:01.410
we invest in that DDG going forward .

23:01.420 --> 23:03.642
But again , in any budget , you have to

23:03.642 --> 23:05.753
make some tough choices . And we also

23:05.753 --> 23:07.920
need to make sure we have the capacity

23:07.920 --> 23:11.770
uh , to uh , to build the ship that we

23:11.770 --> 23:14.780
invest in . So , could I just add that

23:14.780 --> 23:17.610
important , uh , in terms of capability ,

23:17.610 --> 23:19.666
the destroyers of the workers of the

23:19.666 --> 23:21.943
navy for sure on the surface lead . Uh ,

23:21.943 --> 23:23.999
but the most important investment in

23:23.999 --> 23:26.221
naval capabilities of submarines and so

23:26.221 --> 23:26.010
the priority went to the submarines .

23:26.020 --> 23:27.909
Certainly , it sounds like you're

23:27.909 --> 23:30.131
talking about trade offs , hard trade .

23:30.131 --> 23:32.298
So this is , this is a top line budget

23:32.298 --> 23:34.131
challenge discussion rather than

23:34.131 --> 23:33.900
delivering what the combatant

23:33.900 --> 23:35.956
commanders are saying that they need

23:35.956 --> 23:38.289
out in the fleet in the next five years .

23:38.289 --> 23:40.511
I know that they're excited to get that

23:40.511 --> 23:42.622
flight throughout their someone could

23:42.622 --> 23:42.130
argue that the , you know , the aid

23:42.130 --> 23:44.186
ships requested , maybe the three of

23:44.186 --> 23:46.370
them might not be as critical as the

23:46.370 --> 23:48.481
destroyer , but we don't have to talk

23:48.481 --> 23:50.703
about that right now . I would just say

23:50.703 --> 23:52.648
it is also concerning in some ways

23:52.648 --> 23:54.814
breaking a multi year procurement like

23:54.814 --> 23:56.703
this is unprecedented and it does

23:56.703 --> 23:58.814
undermine trust , you know , that the

23:58.814 --> 23:58.590
navy is going to be able to follow

23:58.590 --> 24:00.423
through on future commitments or

24:00.423 --> 24:03.260
contracts concerning to the industrial

24:03.260 --> 24:05.390
base and and that capability in in in

24:05.390 --> 24:07.640
my opinion , but I do see that the Navy

24:07.640 --> 24:10.200
is expressing interest in a future

24:10.200 --> 24:12.420
multi year procurement for Fy is 23

24:12.420 --> 24:14.642
through 2027 for the flight three . And

24:14.642 --> 24:16.753
uh , look forward to working with you

24:16.753 --> 24:18.864
that I know we're out of time . So if

24:18.864 --> 24:18.540
you have any comment , we'll take it

24:18.540 --> 24:20.818
for the record . Thank you , gentlemen .

24:20.818 --> 24:23.096
Thank you . Before recognizing MR Carl ,

24:23.096 --> 24:25.040
votes have been called and again ,

24:25.040 --> 24:27.300
votes are going roughly a half hour .

24:27.310 --> 24:29.532
Um , so if someone wants to go over and

24:29.532 --> 24:31.754
vote now and come back , we're going to

24:31.754 --> 24:34.800
go till two here and we'll do that . So

24:34.810 --> 24:37.088
Mr Carl is recognized for five minutes .

24:37.088 --> 24:39.088
Thank you . Mr . Chairman ranking .

24:39.088 --> 24:41.460
Remember Rogers . Uh , gentlemen ,

24:41.460 --> 24:43.404
thank you all so much for coming ,

24:43.404 --> 24:45.460
spending time . Secretary Austin . I

24:45.460 --> 24:47.460
want to point out something that to

24:47.460 --> 24:49.627
Alabama colleagues here wearing orange

24:49.627 --> 24:51.571
and blue in support of your auburn

24:51.571 --> 24:53.738
tigers . And that's tough coming being

24:53.738 --> 24:55.960
big Alabama fan . I'm just going to let

24:55.960 --> 24:59.490
you know real quick Real quick . The

24:59.500 --> 25:01.690
physical year 22 shipbuilding budget

25:01.700 --> 25:04.050
has been a hot topic today , obviously ,

25:04.060 --> 25:05.838
and here in recent hearings and

25:05.838 --> 25:08.060
committees that we've been , we've held

25:08.060 --> 25:11.100
here . The report the navy submitted to

25:11.100 --> 25:13.540
Congress last week on a long range

25:13.550 --> 25:16.080
shipbuilding highlights the importance

25:16.090 --> 25:18.710
of steady acquisitions profiles to

25:18.710 --> 25:22.150
maintain our industrial base . However ,

25:22.160 --> 25:25.510
just a few pages later in the report ,

25:25.520 --> 25:29.270
it , uh , the report has 3 98 to 23

25:29.540 --> 25:33.000
2512 ships in the Navy long range

25:33.000 --> 25:36.260
plan . And the difference is 114 ships .

25:36.740 --> 25:40.180
Do you do you ? I think there might be

25:40.180 --> 25:42.730
a little question there . How we won or

25:42.730 --> 25:45.130
lost 114 ships . That's not my question

25:45.130 --> 25:47.940
there . But but secretary also the

25:47.940 --> 25:50.790
shipyard That I've spent the last 10

25:50.790 --> 25:54.150
years recruiting young people to work

25:54.150 --> 25:56.520
in is being threatened to be shut down

25:56.520 --> 25:59.620
now because of this budget . So , we

25:59.620 --> 26:01.620
with that said , uh , the shipyards

26:01.620 --> 26:04.340
will be facing layoffs workforce in the

26:04.340 --> 26:06.890
coming year because of this uh , fy

26:06.890 --> 26:10.620
2020 22 budget . It's uncertainty . Why

26:10.620 --> 26:13.350
did this administration Not follow the

26:13.350 --> 26:15.270
law and submit a true 30 years

26:15.270 --> 26:16.460
shipbuilding plan ?

26:19.840 --> 26:22.470
Again , the shipbuilding plan uh will

26:22.470 --> 26:26.300
come with the Fy 23 submission , but

26:26.300 --> 26:28.860
that's on the horizon there . So , um ,

26:29.940 --> 26:32.270
we presented a one year budget this

26:32.270 --> 26:35.730
year and the next year will present the

26:35.740 --> 26:37.907
budget for the fight up or the outlook

26:37.907 --> 26:39.962
for the fight up . Okay . And if you

26:39.962 --> 26:41.962
recall congressman , there was a uh

26:41.962 --> 26:43.462
submission by the previous

26:43.462 --> 26:45.351
administration very late . Uh The

26:45.351 --> 26:47.407
current administration hasn't had an

26:47.407 --> 26:49.518
opportunity to fully review that . Uh

26:49.518 --> 26:51.684
that's in the works . So there will be

26:51.684 --> 26:53.518
a 30 year shipbuilding plan here

26:53.518 --> 26:55.629
shortly shift gears . Hero , Quick KC

26:55.629 --> 26:58.910
46 Air Force is accepted delivery of

26:58.910 --> 27:01.610
the KC 46 aircraft that is not fully

27:01.610 --> 27:04.510
operational and still has uh still

27:04.510 --> 27:07.350
haven't quite having some difficulties

27:07.350 --> 27:10.190
even being used 1st . The first

27:10.190 --> 27:12.357
operation is not the first operational

27:12.357 --> 27:15.730
one is not expected to 20 24

27:15.950 --> 27:18.880
7 years after the original date . Do

27:18.880 --> 27:21.250
you think any of this makes sense ? The

27:21.250 --> 27:23.417
taxpayers are paying for aircraft that

27:23.417 --> 27:25.583
are not that are not fully operational

27:25.583 --> 27:27.806
and the first is currently projected to

27:27.806 --> 27:30.060
be fully operational seven years after

27:30.060 --> 27:32.670
the contract to date . So secretary

27:32.670 --> 27:36.100
also along With all the issues that KC

27:36.100 --> 27:39.140
46 a is facing now , it cannot even

27:39.150 --> 27:42.970
uh even correctly whole fuel . Is it

27:42.970 --> 27:46.480
time to recommit and look

27:46.480 --> 27:49.560
at um contracting these aircraft out to

27:49.560 --> 27:53.510
other companies ? Well , I'll we'll

27:53.510 --> 27:57.220
work with the Air Force to uh to ensure

27:57.220 --> 28:00.500
that we're providing uh the right

28:00.500 --> 28:03.160
amount of oversight and and drill down

28:03.160 --> 28:06.960
into choices going forward . Uh and an

28:06.960 --> 28:10.270
assessment suggesting that uh that we

28:10.740 --> 28:12.796
that we moved to an alternative plan

28:12.796 --> 28:14.962
has not yet been presented to me . But

28:14.962 --> 28:17.184
this is something that we we absolutely

28:17.184 --> 28:19.184
have to remain focused on . We have

28:19.184 --> 28:21.407
Airbus planes that are flying in europe

28:21.407 --> 28:23.629
that were refueling behind . So we know

28:23.629 --> 28:25.462
we can we've we've got we've got

28:25.462 --> 28:27.518
capabilities of other aircraft other

28:27.518 --> 28:29.351
than just what's being built and

28:29.351 --> 28:31.462
delivered . General one quick one for

28:31.462 --> 28:33.407
you sir . Every time they say that

28:33.407 --> 28:37.120
china or Russia is a better uh military

28:37.120 --> 28:39.176
force . I see you go up a little bit

28:39.176 --> 28:41.287
and I love it . Thank you . Thank you

28:41.287 --> 28:43.342
for your service , your patriotism .

28:43.342 --> 28:45.470
Thank you . And and and just to be

28:45.470 --> 28:47.414
clear and I reiterate it . Neither

28:47.414 --> 28:50.050
china nor Russia Militarily or any

28:50.050 --> 28:52.217
other country on the face of the Earth

28:52.217 --> 28:54.161
is a better military in the United

28:54.161 --> 28:56.328
States military on the KC- 46 I had an

28:56.328 --> 28:58.383
opportunity to go out and see them .

28:58.383 --> 28:58.260
There's some glitches in the software .

28:58.270 --> 29:00.381
They are operational and we're flying

29:00.381 --> 29:02.214
them we're flying them and doing

29:02.214 --> 29:03.937
banking operations in training

29:03.937 --> 29:05.992
exercises around the world . When we

29:05.992 --> 29:07.937
say we're not we're not using them

29:07.937 --> 29:10.103
operationally in combat zones . That's

29:10.103 --> 29:10.070
where we're not using them . But they

29:10.070 --> 29:12.237
are being used in training . There are

29:12.237 --> 29:14.348
some software things yet to be worked

29:14.348 --> 29:16.514
out and I have confidence in the KC 46

29:16.514 --> 29:18.570
as a program . Thank you sir . Thank

29:18.570 --> 29:20.792
you . Now you have my time back . Thank

29:20.792 --> 29:22.903
you . Mr Loria is recognized for five

29:22.903 --> 29:25.126
minutes . Well , uh thank you . And and

29:25.126 --> 29:27.430
General Milley over the last year I've

29:27.440 --> 29:29.496
been reviewing the Goldwater Nichols

29:29.496 --> 29:31.662
Act um to look at things both positive

29:31.662 --> 29:33.218
and negative on the current

29:33.218 --> 29:35.384
organization within our service . Um ,

29:35.384 --> 29:38.360
A couple of questions I had um uh 10 U .

29:38.360 --> 29:41.740
S . Code 1 63 states that the president

29:41.740 --> 29:43.907
may direct that communications between

29:43.907 --> 29:46.018
the President or secretary of defense

29:46.018 --> 29:48.129
and the commanders of the unified and

29:48.129 --> 29:49.907
specified combatant commands be

29:49.907 --> 29:52.129
transmitted through the Chairman of the

29:52.129 --> 29:54.351
Joint Chiefs of Staff has the President

29:54.351 --> 29:54.140
or Secretary of Defense given direction

29:54.140 --> 29:56.307
to you that communications through the

29:56.307 --> 29:58.473
combatant commanders should go through

29:58.473 --> 30:01.350
you . It's a uh routine , the word is

30:01.350 --> 30:03.517
routine communications and it's in the

30:03.517 --> 30:05.683
U . C . P . And yes it is currently in

30:05.683 --> 30:08.430
effect . Um So routine communications ,

30:08.430 --> 30:10.319
normal communication the chain of

30:10.319 --> 30:12.652
command though is clear and unambiguous .

30:12.652 --> 30:14.874
The chain of command is the President ,

30:14.874 --> 30:14.470
the Secretary , Defense and the

30:14.470 --> 30:16.359
Combatant commanders and then the

30:16.359 --> 30:18.470
President the Secretary , Defense and

30:18.470 --> 30:20.248
the service secretaries for the

30:20.248 --> 30:22.248
departments . I am an advisor and I

30:22.248 --> 30:23.748
advise on the advantages ,

30:23.748 --> 30:25.859
disadvantages and puts and takes cost

30:25.859 --> 30:27.914
and risk and benefits etcetera . But

30:27.914 --> 30:29.803
the chain of command is clear but

30:29.803 --> 30:31.859
routine communication typically goes

30:31.859 --> 30:34.081
through me in order for me to do my job

30:34.081 --> 30:36.450
as an adviser . Okay well thank you .

30:36.460 --> 30:38.860
Um And another portion 10 U . S . Code

30:38.940 --> 30:41.860
16 says that subject to the authority

30:41.860 --> 30:43.971
direction control of the Secretary of

30:43.971 --> 30:45.971
Defense , the chairman of the Joint

30:45.971 --> 30:48.193
Chiefs of Staff serves as the spokesman

30:48.193 --> 30:50.193
for the commanders of the combatant

30:50.193 --> 30:52.249
commands . Especially on operational

30:52.249 --> 30:54.416
requirements of their commands . Um Do

30:54.416 --> 30:56.360
you serve as the spokesman for the

30:56.360 --> 30:56.010
combatant commanders on the operational

30:56.010 --> 30:58.340
requirements for their commands ? I do .

30:58.350 --> 31:01.730
And I um uh when I say I the Joint

31:01.730 --> 31:03.619
Staff who helps me for I was just

31:03.619 --> 31:06.220
looking , I'm sorry . Yes . No answers .

31:06.220 --> 31:08.276
Yes . Okay , well thank you . And so

31:08.276 --> 31:10.387
you recently said that there is a low

31:10.387 --> 31:12.553
probability that China would take over

31:12.553 --> 31:14.609
Taiwan militarily in the near term .

31:14.609 --> 31:16.831
And this seems to be in direct conflict

31:16.831 --> 31:18.831
to the statements made earlier this

31:18.831 --> 31:18.250
year by Admiral Davidson , Admiral

31:18.260 --> 31:20.371
Aquilino last week by the CNN and the

31:20.371 --> 31:22.371
commandant of the Marine Corps that

31:22.371 --> 31:24.260
they believe that china could act

31:24.260 --> 31:26.371
militarily against Taiwan in the next

31:26.371 --> 31:28.649
six years if their window is six years .

31:28.649 --> 31:30.704
But you disagree with that . What is

31:30.704 --> 31:32.910
your window ? I didn't say I disagreed

31:32.920 --> 31:35.198
with them . Their assessment six years .

31:35.198 --> 31:37.420
Their assessments based off a speech by

31:37.420 --> 31:39.364
President XI , that challenged the

31:39.364 --> 31:41.531
People's Liberation Army to accelerate

31:41.531 --> 31:43.642
the modernization programs for the to

31:43.642 --> 31:45.698
develop capabilities to seize Taiwan

31:45.698 --> 31:47.809
and move it from 2035 to 2027 and six

31:47.809 --> 31:50.031
years . It's a capability . It's not an

31:50.031 --> 31:49.800
intent to attack or sees . My

31:49.800 --> 31:52.133
assessment is an operational assessment .

31:52.133 --> 31:54.189
Do they have the intent to attack or

31:54.189 --> 31:56.244
sees in the near term to find is the

31:56.244 --> 31:56.000
next year or two ? My assessment is

31:56.000 --> 31:58.333
based on what I've seen right now is no ,

31:58.333 --> 32:00.167
that can always change intent to

32:00.167 --> 32:02.389
something that can change quickly . But

32:02.389 --> 32:04.611
um , you know , from the statements and

32:04.611 --> 32:06.444
how many members of Congress has

32:06.444 --> 32:06.420
interpret that over this series of

32:06.420 --> 32:08.531
hearings . You know , we heard animal

32:08.531 --> 32:10.587
Davidson Aquilina clearly state that

32:10.587 --> 32:12.531
they thought there was an intent ,

32:12.531 --> 32:14.420
you're saying there's a cable . I

32:14.420 --> 32:16.587
looked at the difference , I looked at

32:16.587 --> 32:18.642
their testimony , the words and very

32:18.642 --> 32:20.753
explicitly and I can go back and look

32:20.753 --> 32:22.809
at it again . If if Admiral Aquilino

32:23.140 --> 32:26.160
and Admiral Davidson said that china

32:26.160 --> 32:28.860
had an intent has made a decision and

32:28.860 --> 32:31.190
they intend to invade and seize Taiwan ,

32:31.200 --> 32:33.311
then I do disagree with that . I have

32:33.311 --> 32:35.478
seen no evidence of that actual intent

32:35.478 --> 32:37.589
or decision making . What I'm talking

32:37.589 --> 32:39.811
about is capability . Uh What they were

32:39.811 --> 32:41.867
talking about is capability . Uh And

32:41.867 --> 32:44.320
the chinese leadership , President XI

32:44.330 --> 32:46.330
challenged them to accelerate their

32:46.330 --> 32:48.570
capability development , which is two

32:48.570 --> 32:50.626
different things . I understand that

32:50.626 --> 32:52.848
you're making a nuance there . I'll say

32:52.848 --> 32:54.848
that members of the House , I think

32:54.848 --> 32:56.737
interpreted the Admiral's earlier

32:56.737 --> 32:58.903
testimony differently , but just , You

32:58.903 --> 33:01.014
know , kind of taking that capability

33:01.014 --> 33:03.237
is capability as well . So whether they

33:03.237 --> 33:02.950
have intent right now or they may in

33:02.950 --> 33:05.117
the future between now and 2027 , when

33:05.117 --> 33:06.783
you think they will have that

33:06.783 --> 33:09.061
capability just looking at this budget ,

33:09.061 --> 33:11.040
which really is a divest to invest

33:11.050 --> 33:13.520
strategy . And I would say that , you

33:13.520 --> 33:17.340
know , with the uh without the

33:17.340 --> 33:19.284
sense of urgency , that that could

33:19.284 --> 33:21.618
happen in the next six years , you know ,

33:21.618 --> 33:23.784
it's not really palpable to think that

33:23.784 --> 33:26.062
we could divest invest uh for instance ,

33:26.062 --> 33:28.062
decommissioned more ships before we

33:28.062 --> 33:30.118
have the replacement , thus reducing

33:30.118 --> 33:32.284
the fleet size , retiring bombers at a

33:32.284 --> 33:34.396
faster rate than more replacing their

33:34.396 --> 33:36.562
inventory . And the Air Force has just

33:36.562 --> 33:36.110
said recently in a hearing that the

33:36.110 --> 33:38.940
bare minimum of maintaining 45 . Um and

33:38.940 --> 33:41.290
last week we had several hearings um

33:41.290 --> 33:43.560
that expressed us about the Navy's

33:43.570 --> 33:46.640
budget , it's divest invest strategy mr

33:46.640 --> 33:48.584
Gallagher , you know , referred to

33:48.584 --> 33:50.640
Daniel Davidson's comments as the um

33:50.640 --> 33:53.540
Davidson window . So , you know , I

33:53.540 --> 33:55.707
just wanted to and we have very little

33:55.707 --> 33:57.818
time left . Um get after the question

33:57.818 --> 33:59.929
of between the combatant commanders ,

33:59.929 --> 34:02.096
um and yourself acting as a role as an

34:02.096 --> 34:04.373
adviser to the president , um you know ,

34:04.373 --> 34:06.429
who should we be listening to ? Um I

34:06.429 --> 34:08.484
feel like the combatant commanders ,

34:08.484 --> 34:10.540
their message is very different than

34:10.540 --> 34:12.762
what we're getting in a message in this

34:12.762 --> 34:12.040
budget because the budget does not

34:12.040 --> 34:14.151
convey a sense of urgency when we see

34:14.151 --> 34:16.340
it as a shrinking fleet rather than a

34:16.340 --> 34:18.562
growing fleet to china , the to counter

34:18.562 --> 34:20.673
the threats that we see from china in

34:20.673 --> 34:22.729
the pacific . And I have very little

34:22.729 --> 34:24.951
time left . One second left . I'll give

34:24.951 --> 34:27.173
you an answer on the record . Thank you

34:27.173 --> 34:29.396
for the record . Misogyny is recognized

34:29.396 --> 34:31.673
for five minutes . Thank you very much .

34:31.673 --> 34:33.562
Mr Chairman and thank you General

34:33.562 --> 34:33.270
Million Secretary Oscar for being here .

34:33.280 --> 34:35.590
Uh Secretary Austin , I wanted to ask

34:35.590 --> 34:38.540
you about G . B . S . D . Uh we've had

34:38.540 --> 34:40.596
consistent testimony as I'm sure you

34:40.596 --> 34:42.762
know , in front of this committee this

34:42.762 --> 34:44.984
year and in prior years , At the extent

34:44.984 --> 34:47.040
to which GBSD will save the taxpayer

34:47.040 --> 34:49.040
money moving forward with it as $38

34:49.040 --> 34:51.151
billion dollars and cost savings over

34:51.151 --> 34:53.318
life extension of the minuteman . Um ,

34:53.318 --> 34:56.740
and obviously it also has significantly

34:56.750 --> 34:58.528
increased capabilities over the

34:58.528 --> 35:00.639
minuteman . Uh , I've listened to you

35:00.639 --> 35:02.639
today . It sounds like there may be

35:02.639 --> 35:04.806
some question about whether or not you

35:04.806 --> 35:07.028
agree with those assessments or whether

35:07.028 --> 35:09.139
or not a change will be made . As you

35:09.139 --> 35:11.306
look at the posture of you could could

35:11.306 --> 35:13.417
you elaborate what factors might lead

35:13.417 --> 35:15.639
you down the path of not going with the

35:15.640 --> 35:17.862
the less expensive , more effective and

35:17.862 --> 35:21.150
capable G BSD system ? If I conveyed

35:21.150 --> 35:23.050
that I already made some sort of

35:23.050 --> 35:25.217
decision , uh , congresswoman , That's

35:25.217 --> 35:27.328
absolutely not the case . I think the

35:27.328 --> 35:29.328
right thing to do if we're going to

35:29.328 --> 35:31.328
conduct a nuclear posture review of

35:31.328 --> 35:33.530
which we are going to do that is to

35:33.530 --> 35:36.280
make sure that we have the right pieces

35:36.280 --> 35:39.150
in place , the right balance and uh and

35:39.160 --> 35:40.993
to make sure that we continue to

35:40.993 --> 35:43.280
evaluate the G . B . S . D . In the

35:43.280 --> 35:45.558
context of that nuclear posture review .

35:45.558 --> 35:48.130
But again , my intent was not to convey

35:48.140 --> 35:51.390
a preference or or a decision . You

35:51.390 --> 35:54.110
know , that's not where I am . Well ,

35:54.110 --> 35:56.110
thank you . I appreciate that . And

35:56.110 --> 35:58.221
again , just looking at the cost that

35:58.221 --> 36:00.443
we've seen the consistent testimony and

36:00.443 --> 36:02.499
the effectiveness . It would be some

36:02.499 --> 36:04.499
concern , obviously , if if we move

36:04.499 --> 36:06.610
towards trying to do a life extension

36:06.610 --> 36:08.721
at this point . Um Generally I wanted

36:08.721 --> 36:10.832
to ask you about Afghanistan . Uh you

36:10.832 --> 36:13.054
know , it does seem that we've now seen

36:13.054 --> 36:15.150
the taliban taking 50 to 60 more

36:15.150 --> 36:17.372
districts . I know the government moves

36:17.372 --> 36:19.428
its district centers at some point ,

36:19.428 --> 36:21.594
but it does seem that were withdrawing

36:21.594 --> 36:23.483
from the battlefield is our enemy

36:23.483 --> 36:25.817
advances . So could you talk about both ?

36:25.817 --> 36:28.039
What what the actual specifics are ? We

36:28.039 --> 36:30.206
haven't really heard anything in terms

36:30.206 --> 36:32.039
of over the horizon basing . And

36:32.039 --> 36:31.530
whether or not you think this is good

36:31.530 --> 36:33.363
policy to withdraws our enemy is

36:33.363 --> 36:36.530
advancing . Um Congresswoman that uh in

36:36.530 --> 36:38.586
terms of the district centers in the

36:38.586 --> 36:40.752
provinces and it was mentioned earlier

36:40.752 --> 36:42.974
this 419 district centres 81 of them or

36:42.974 --> 36:45.030
so are in the hands of the taliban .

36:45.030 --> 36:47.197
About 50 were done previously in about

36:47.197 --> 36:49.530
30 or 40 in the last x amount of months .

36:49.530 --> 36:51.641
Um In addition to that , no provinces

36:51.641 --> 36:53.474
have fallen to the Taliban . Yet

36:53.474 --> 36:55.697
There's a 300,000 plus a minus security

36:55.697 --> 36:57.752
force consisting of the army and the

36:57.752 --> 37:00.330
police forces uh for the Afghans . Uh

37:00.340 --> 37:02.562
we have not done train advise assist in

37:02.562 --> 37:04.730
quite some time down at the tactical

37:04.730 --> 37:06.897
level . Uh so they have been out there

37:06.900 --> 37:09.300
uh shouldering the burden of that fight

37:09.310 --> 37:12.330
for well over a year . Uh and and in

37:12.330 --> 37:14.660
terms of what we are doing , what we

37:14.660 --> 37:16.882
are doing is a deliberate , responsible

37:16.882 --> 37:19.160
drawdown retrograde to bring out U . S .

37:19.160 --> 37:21.216
Military forces . And we're going to

37:21.216 --> 37:23.382
keep a small number of forces there to

37:23.382 --> 37:25.438
maintain the embassy open and and to

37:25.438 --> 37:25.390
keep kick billy's there and keep the

37:25.390 --> 37:27.612
money going for the N . S . F . And the

37:27.612 --> 37:29.834
government . Um Now what happens in the

37:29.834 --> 37:31.779
future ? There's a wide variety of

37:31.779 --> 37:34.030
possibilities . Uh worst case civil war

37:34.030 --> 37:36.141
breakdown , fracturing the government

37:36.141 --> 37:38.197
fracturing of the army . That's very

37:38.197 --> 37:40.308
possible and that would be a very bad

37:40.308 --> 37:42.530
outcome . Uh There's also a possibility

37:42.530 --> 37:44.697
not high on the probability list , but

37:44.697 --> 37:46.697
a negotiated settlement between the

37:46.697 --> 37:48.697
government and the Taliban . That's

37:48.697 --> 37:50.863
possible . And then the alternative is

37:50.863 --> 37:50.740
an outright takeover of the taliban ,

37:50.740 --> 37:52.910
which I also think that is unlikely ,

37:52.910 --> 37:55.260
but possible . Uh so there's a variety

37:55.260 --> 37:57.960
of outcomes here that could happen . We

37:57.960 --> 37:59.904
are executing the orders that were

37:59.904 --> 38:02.071
given in a very professional way , and

38:02.071 --> 38:04.860
thus far , uh things are relatively

38:04.860 --> 38:07.710
stable on our end . Thank you . General

38:07.710 --> 38:09.710
kelly , I think it's obviously just

38:09.710 --> 38:11.766
significant concern , as we do watch

38:11.766 --> 38:13.877
the Taliban advance and we know we've

38:13.877 --> 38:16.043
got a counterterrorism mission we have

38:16.043 --> 38:17.988
to conduct , and we don't have any

38:17.988 --> 38:20.099
basing agreement secured for for over

38:20.099 --> 38:22.321
the horizon . Um but but I want to just

38:22.321 --> 38:24.670
end with the continuation of this topic

38:24.670 --> 38:26.837
that's been discussed . A couple of my

38:26.837 --> 38:29.059
colleagues suggested that uh that there

38:29.059 --> 38:31.059
were service members who were being

38:31.220 --> 38:34.190
somehow uh persecuted because of their

38:34.200 --> 38:36.367
political beliefs or their ideological

38:36.367 --> 38:38.780
beliefs . And I want to , first of all

38:38.780 --> 38:41.002
thank you for noting that the attack on

38:41.002 --> 38:42.891
the capital on January six was an

38:42.891 --> 38:45.002
attack on the constitution . Uh we do

38:45.002 --> 38:47.113
need to understand what happened . It

38:47.113 --> 38:49.336
was an attack provoked by the commander

38:49.336 --> 38:51.391
in chief . He could have immediately

38:51.391 --> 38:53.558
intervened to stop it and he didn't uh

38:53.558 --> 38:55.669
I think it's very important for us to

38:55.669 --> 38:57.891
recognize and understand who was in the

38:57.891 --> 39:00.058
capital that day and why . And we have

39:00.058 --> 39:02.169
to protect the First Amendment rights

39:02.169 --> 39:04.336
of our service people , no doubt . But

39:04.336 --> 39:06.502
it's also critically important that we

39:06.502 --> 39:08.780
remind everybody uh that the U . C . M .

39:08.780 --> 39:10.669
J . Makes it a crime to engage in

39:10.669 --> 39:12.558
sedition or mutiny or to seek the

39:12.558 --> 39:14.724
violent overthrow of the United States

39:14.724 --> 39:16.836
government . So I would urge , as you

39:16.836 --> 39:19.058
are focused on getting to the bottom of

39:19.058 --> 39:21.224
what happened . We need to do the same

39:21.224 --> 39:23.336
here . But we really need to focus on

39:23.336 --> 39:25.558
on that piece of this uh as well . With

39:25.558 --> 39:28.740
that , I yield back . Thank you

39:28.750 --> 39:30.940
recognize Representative Jacobs .

39:32.720 --> 39:35.900
Well , thank you so much for joining us .

39:35.910 --> 39:38.240
I wanted to follow on a question from

39:38.250 --> 39:40.417
my colleague MS . Cheney about the G .

39:40.417 --> 39:42.417
B . S . D . I know you said a final

39:42.417 --> 39:44.306
decision will only come after the

39:44.306 --> 39:46.250
nuclear posture review . Um but it

39:46.250 --> 39:48.028
seems from the budget that this

39:48.028 --> 39:50.250
decision has already been made with the

39:50.250 --> 39:52.139
claim that The price to build and

39:52.139 --> 39:54.361
operate the new GBSD would be less than

39:54.361 --> 39:56.194
the cost to maintain the current

39:56.194 --> 39:58.361
minimum to minimum three . So it seems

39:58.361 --> 40:00.472
this conclusion is based by comparing

40:00.472 --> 40:02.528
the total life cycle cost of the two

40:02.528 --> 40:04.472
options through 2075 at a deployed

40:04.472 --> 40:07.390
level of 400 ICBM . S . Is that true ?

40:07.390 --> 40:10.170
If so , where did those numbers ? 420

40:10.170 --> 40:12.570
75 come as the baseline requirement .

40:12.580 --> 40:14.780
Who made that decision ? And is that

40:14.780 --> 40:16.836
still going to be revisited down the

40:16.836 --> 40:20.430
road as you said ? Well ,

40:20.440 --> 40:23.580
certainly as I indicated a couple of

40:23.580 --> 40:25.747
minutes ago , you know , I've not made

40:25.747 --> 40:29.530
any decisions on uh , on on this . Uh ,

40:30.110 --> 40:32.830
I think it deserves uh , you know , the

40:32.830 --> 40:35.190
right amount of effort and attention

40:35.200 --> 40:37.550
and we'll make the best choices . But

40:37.560 --> 40:40.840
these choices need to be informed by

40:40.840 --> 40:42.951
the by the posture review and to make

40:42.951 --> 40:45.007
sure we have the right right balance

40:45.007 --> 40:47.940
here . Uh , well thank you . Um , you

40:47.940 --> 40:50.140
know , I think it's important that we

40:50.150 --> 40:53.330
uh we do the at the

40:53.710 --> 40:56.060
process necessary and not invest in a

40:56.060 --> 40:59.010
very expensive nuclear platform . As

40:59.020 --> 41:00.964
for instance , our president is an

41:00.964 --> 41:02.964
active negotiations to decrease our

41:02.964 --> 41:04.964
reliance on nuclear weapons . Um my

41:04.964 --> 41:07.080
next question uh is , you know , I

41:07.080 --> 41:09.820
represent SAN Diego and almost all of

41:09.820 --> 41:11.764
the people in uniform I speak to ,

41:11.764 --> 41:13.931
they're struggling to find childcare .

41:13.931 --> 41:16.042
I'm happy to see that the President's

41:16.042 --> 41:17.987
budget increases base pay , but it

41:17.987 --> 41:20.209
seems like there's just so much more we

41:20.209 --> 41:21.987
need to do . And I was a little

41:21.987 --> 41:24.209
surprised that in this budget request ,

41:24.209 --> 41:26.330
it only requests funding of a single

41:26.340 --> 41:28.118
construction of a new childcare

41:28.118 --> 41:30.540
development center , 1 200 space center

41:30.550 --> 41:33.100
at Sheppard Air Force Base in texas . I

41:33.100 --> 41:35.350
know you said to my colleague earlier

41:35.350 --> 41:37.572
that you were working on investments in

41:37.572 --> 41:39.572
home care support and others . So I

41:39.572 --> 41:41.794
just wanted to know , what more are you

41:41.794 --> 41:44.017
planning on doing to address child care

41:44.017 --> 41:47.110
beyond this single uh one space that is

41:47.110 --> 41:50.700
being uh constructed ? Well , thanks

41:50.700 --> 41:52.478
for the question . And for your

41:52.478 --> 41:54.644
continued focus on what I believe is a

41:54.644 --> 41:57.420
very important issue . Um , we'll

41:57.420 --> 42:00.140
continue to work with the services , uh ,

42:00.150 --> 42:02.206
as they work with their installation

42:02.206 --> 42:04.428
commanders and they identify what their

42:04.428 --> 42:06.760
needs are , and make sure that those

42:06.760 --> 42:08.538
needs are reflected in military

42:08.538 --> 42:10.740
construction plans going forward . But

42:10.740 --> 42:12.790
I I personally believe that , and I

42:12.790 --> 42:15.300
know all the secretaries and chiefs

42:15.300 --> 42:17.510
believe that this is a this is an

42:17.510 --> 42:19.510
important issue in one . We need to

42:19.510 --> 42:21.690
continue to invest in . So more , more

42:21.690 --> 42:23.912
work needs to be done to the point that

42:23.912 --> 42:26.079
you're making . Uh , thank you . Yes ,

42:26.079 --> 42:28.079
I really want to emphasize that . I

42:28.079 --> 42:29.968
think what's in the budget is not

42:29.968 --> 42:32.134
sufficient . And I can tell you for my

42:32.134 --> 42:34.190
constituents in SAn Diego , uh , you

42:34.190 --> 42:36.079
know of our subsidized child care

42:36.079 --> 42:38.246
waiting lists , spots , more than half

42:38.246 --> 42:40.412
of them are military families . And so

42:40.412 --> 42:42.412
it's a really critical need . And I

42:42.412 --> 42:44.357
hope that you would uh continue to

42:44.357 --> 42:46.301
emphasize it and I appreciate your

42:46.301 --> 42:48.468
comments there . Um If Miss escobar is

42:48.468 --> 42:50.634
here , I'm happy to give the remainder

42:50.634 --> 42:51.912
of my time uh to her .

42:55.400 --> 42:58.930
Mhm . Mhm . All right . Well then

42:58.940 --> 43:00.720
uh MR carroll , you'll beck .

43:04.000 --> 43:06.430
Chair recognizes Representative McClain .

43:06.900 --> 43:09.710
Mhm . Thank you . Mr Chairman Mr

43:09.710 --> 43:11.710
Secretary , I want to thank you for

43:11.710 --> 43:13.432
being here um in front of this

43:13.432 --> 43:15.599
committee today and it's a pleasure to

43:15.599 --> 43:17.821
meet you in person . Um I want to speak

43:17.821 --> 43:19.988
today of what in regards to what a lot

43:19.988 --> 43:22.099
of my college colleagues have already

43:22.099 --> 43:24.860
spoken on , which is china and I think

43:24.860 --> 43:27.350
we all agree is china seems to be our

43:27.350 --> 43:30.970
most challenging um uh

43:30.980 --> 43:33.760
adversary or national threat . We're

43:33.760 --> 43:35.871
fortunate enough to have thousands of

43:35.871 --> 43:38.093
businesses across our country that have

43:38.093 --> 43:40.230
contracts with your department . My

43:40.230 --> 43:42.341
question is , do you believe it would

43:42.341 --> 43:44.563
be in the best interest of our national

43:44.563 --> 43:46.619
security to ensure that the CCP does

43:46.619 --> 43:48.397
not have access to our military

43:48.397 --> 43:50.520
military intellectual property ?

43:52.400 --> 43:54.770
I absolutely believe that . And I think

43:54.770 --> 43:58.350
we need , it's uh important to me to

43:58.350 --> 44:00.730
make sure that number one , the D O D

44:00.730 --> 44:03.420
networks are properly um

44:03.890 --> 44:07.420
protected , but we need to advocate are

44:07.890 --> 44:10.180
ensure that all those people , all

44:10.180 --> 44:12.350
those companies that are supporting us

44:12.350 --> 44:14.610
and supply chains are doing the right

44:14.620 --> 44:17.430
things to meet the standards to reduce

44:17.430 --> 44:19.430
vulnerabilities in the supply chain

44:19.430 --> 44:21.860
extremely critical . Um Finally , do

44:21.860 --> 44:23.916
you fear that when the United States

44:23.916 --> 44:26.082
conducts a foreign military sales to a

44:26.082 --> 44:28.830
nation that also has accepted belt and

44:28.830 --> 44:31.110
road and road funding that our military

44:31.110 --> 44:33.277
equipment might fall into the hands of

44:33.277 --> 44:36.210
the CCP ? If not , can you explain ,

44:36.220 --> 44:39.020
how do we ensure that this doesn't

44:39.020 --> 44:42.450
happen ? And and what do we do to make

44:42.450 --> 44:46.390
this better and to protect America and

44:46.390 --> 44:48.557
to protect our intellectual property ?

44:48.690 --> 44:52.440
What action steps can we take ? Well

44:52.450 --> 44:55.760
before we enter into the agreement

44:55.760 --> 44:57.980
there , we certainly do assessments to

44:57.980 --> 45:00.420
make sure that uh people that were

45:00.420 --> 45:03.490
selling the gear to do have the uh the

45:03.500 --> 45:06.160
capability to protect our property ,

45:06.160 --> 45:08.350
our intellectual property and and they

45:08.350 --> 45:11.100
agreed to do what's necessary to do

45:11.100 --> 45:13.650
that . So to make sure I understand I

45:13.660 --> 45:15.660
didn't mean to interrupt is when we

45:15.660 --> 45:19.020
engage in a sail , we put

45:19.020 --> 45:22.840
mechanisms in place to make sure that

45:22.850 --> 45:25.720
our intellectual property is protected

45:26.490 --> 45:29.770
and secure to the best of our abilities .

45:29.770 --> 45:32.950
Yes , we we we we take appropriate uh

45:32.960 --> 45:35.182
and responsible actions . And of course

45:35.182 --> 45:37.349
the State Department is involved in in

45:37.349 --> 45:40.010
uh deciding whether or not these cells

45:40.010 --> 45:42.100
will be will be Consummated . I mean

45:42.100 --> 45:45.220
they get approved that what do you

45:45.220 --> 45:48.880
think we can , what measures if any can

45:48.880 --> 45:51.110
we take to make sure that we ensure

45:51.110 --> 45:55.030
this process is even uh safer

45:55.030 --> 45:57.380
to a greater to a greater ability . I

45:57.380 --> 45:59.460
mean , you hear at least I hear the

45:59.460 --> 46:01.571
american public here is on a constant

46:01.571 --> 46:03.860
basis . China is stealing our

46:03.860 --> 46:06.090
intellectual property and it's coming

46:06.090 --> 46:09.370
from a lot of our business

46:09.370 --> 46:13.190
dealings . You know ,

46:13.190 --> 46:15.850
I think we can we need to continue to

46:15.850 --> 46:18.017
engage our partners and allies and and

46:18.017 --> 46:20.183
and emphasize the importance of this .

46:20.183 --> 46:23.580
We need to make sure that that as we as

46:23.580 --> 46:27.570
we convey equipment that

46:27.570 --> 46:30.770
we are confident that the people that

46:30.770 --> 46:33.810
were conveying it to can can protect

46:33.810 --> 46:36.390
the intellectual property . Thank you

46:36.390 --> 46:39.670
sir , I yield back . Thank you . We are

46:39.670 --> 46:41.448
at that magic hour . I know the

46:41.448 --> 46:43.281
secretary has a hard stop at two

46:43.281 --> 46:46.300
o'clock so Mr cahill . I'm sorry , I

46:46.310 --> 46:48.588
never I never pronounce that correctly .

46:48.588 --> 46:50.754
I'll learn by the end of the session ,

46:50.754 --> 46:52.921
I promise . But you are recognized for

46:52.921 --> 46:52.900
five minutes and that he will be the

46:52.900 --> 46:54.956
last question that we have before we

46:54.956 --> 46:57.070
close it too . Mahalo Mr Chair and a

46:57.070 --> 46:59.292
law Secretary Austin . General Milley ,

46:59.292 --> 47:01.570
Mr McCord . Thank you for your service .

47:01.570 --> 47:03.792
All of your testimony today . I want to

47:03.792 --> 47:05.681
focus my questions on the pacific

47:05.681 --> 47:07.403
deterrence initiative . Uh the

47:07.403 --> 47:08.959
importance of those U . S .

47:08.959 --> 47:10.848
Relationships with our allies and

47:10.848 --> 47:13.014
partisan in the pacific region and the

47:13.014 --> 47:15.348
changing nature of the future conflicts .

47:15.348 --> 47:17.403
Secretary Austin , I applaud you for

47:17.403 --> 47:19.570
showcasing America's commitment to the

47:19.570 --> 47:21.626
end of pacific region by making your

47:21.626 --> 47:23.792
first overseas visit with your trip to

47:23.792 --> 47:26.014
Japan and South Korea and India . And a

47:26.014 --> 47:28.070
brief stop in the Hawaiian islands .

47:28.070 --> 47:30.126
I'm sorry , I missed you . But as we

47:30.126 --> 47:32.348
are now discussing therefore 22 defense

47:32.348 --> 47:34.014
budget which I appreciate the

47:34.014 --> 47:36.126
president's budget and the investment

47:36.126 --> 47:38.014
in the pd . I also think as china

47:38.014 --> 47:40.237
becomes more aggressive in the region ,

47:40.237 --> 47:42.181
the United States needs to be more

47:42.181 --> 47:44.070
aggressive regarding our critical

47:44.070 --> 47:46.014
investments in the P . D . I . And

47:46.014 --> 47:48.126
there are things that are not in that

47:48.126 --> 47:50.292
budget in the unfunded , like the Guam

47:50.292 --> 47:52.292
defense system , the homeland radar

47:52.292 --> 47:54.300
Havarti attack more in palau that I

47:54.300 --> 47:56.590
think we need to take a look at and so

47:56.590 --> 47:58.930
that we can fully fund that P . I . And

47:58.940 --> 48:01.760
and and fully meet the objectives that

48:01.760 --> 48:03.816
we discussed today , which is one of

48:03.816 --> 48:05.927
those national instruments of power ,

48:05.927 --> 48:07.982
which is our military deterrence and

48:07.982 --> 48:10.149
the strength of that deterrence in the

48:10.149 --> 48:12.371
indo pacific region . So as a member of

48:12.371 --> 48:14.538
the pacific Islands Caucus , I want to

48:14.538 --> 48:16.649
continue to call attention to oceanic

48:16.649 --> 48:18.760
in the pacific Islands region , China

48:18.760 --> 48:20.982
regularly provides military training in

48:20.982 --> 48:23.149
the pacific islands region . They have

48:23.149 --> 48:25.316
been broadening their reach throughout

48:25.316 --> 48:27.482
the pacific um They actively cultivate

48:27.482 --> 48:29.704
those relationships with senior defense

48:29.704 --> 48:31.871
officials . Um You know , we know what

48:31.871 --> 48:33.871
their investments that they've been

48:33.871 --> 48:36.093
doing in Guam for a number of or excuse

48:36.093 --> 48:38.093
me in Western Samoa for a number of

48:38.093 --> 48:40.204
decades . And as those defense region

48:40.204 --> 48:42.093
officials from china um go to the

48:42.093 --> 48:44.316
different pacific island regions , they

48:44.316 --> 48:46.316
get full military honors such as in

48:46.316 --> 48:48.204
Papua new guinea . Um Under their

48:48.204 --> 48:50.427
Defence force Chief of Defence visit in

48:50.427 --> 48:52.649
2016 . Under President G . SR . P . L .

48:52.649 --> 48:54.538
A . Officials have held bilateral

48:54.538 --> 48:56.593
meetings with their counterparts and

48:56.593 --> 48:58.704
Papua New guinea and Tonga and Fiji .

48:58.704 --> 48:58.320
And so my first question to you sir ,

48:58.320 --> 49:00.670
is given the increasing military to

49:00.670 --> 49:02.670
military engagements in the pacific

49:02.670 --> 49:04.892
islands region , especially Papua , New

49:04.892 --> 49:07.114
guinea , Fiji and Tonga . Many of those

49:07.114 --> 49:09.281
small islands listed on the unfunded .

49:09.281 --> 49:12.160
Um um Section 12 51 will the D . O . D .

49:12.160 --> 49:14.760
Plan similar high level engagements to

49:14.760 --> 49:17.290
strengthen those relationship with with

49:17.290 --> 49:19.457
our counterparts in those small island

49:19.457 --> 49:21.490
nations in Oceania . To deter china

49:21.670 --> 49:23.781
from extending their reach throughout

49:23.781 --> 49:25.614
the Western pacific and into the

49:25.614 --> 49:28.600
eastern pacific . As you pointed out ,

49:28.610 --> 49:30.890
congressman . Uh The end of pacific is

49:30.890 --> 49:34.190
important to us and my very first trip

49:34.570 --> 49:37.270
was out to the region and I would just

49:37.270 --> 49:40.380
say that china is engaging a number of

49:40.390 --> 49:43.080
different uh countries and

49:43.090 --> 49:46.510
uh with economic

49:46.520 --> 49:49.890
uh carrots . Yeah .

49:50.370 --> 49:53.250
Um Well we have something that china

49:53.250 --> 49:55.306
doesn't have , we have allies and we

49:55.306 --> 49:57.472
have partners . Uh and if you consider

49:57.472 --> 49:59.770
the Australia's of Japan's uh you know

49:59.770 --> 50:02.920
the koreas of the world uh you know

50:02.930 --> 50:05.900
there is tremendous tremendous capacity

50:05.910 --> 50:08.850
in our allies and partners . Uh I think

50:08.850 --> 50:11.790
the pacific islands are absolutely

50:11.790 --> 50:14.660
important and you'll see us continue to

50:14.670 --> 50:17.880
uh engage various countries in the

50:17.880 --> 50:20.047
region there and and to make sure that

50:20.260 --> 50:22.220
where we can we're increasing our

50:22.220 --> 50:26.070
capacity uh and access accessibility

50:26.080 --> 50:28.640
uh and and strengthening the

50:28.650 --> 50:32.640
relationships . But uh but we far and

50:32.640 --> 50:35.530
away exceed any capability that china

50:35.530 --> 50:38.290
would have in terms of uh partner or

50:38.290 --> 50:40.457
allied capability . And we're going to

50:40.457 --> 50:42.568
continue to strengthen what we have .

50:42.568 --> 50:44.290
What are your thoughts then on

50:44.290 --> 50:46.401
expanding those relationships that we

50:46.401 --> 50:48.568
currently have or previously had ? For

50:48.568 --> 50:50.790
an example , in the Philippines . Um we

50:50.790 --> 50:53.012
had robust basis at clark , of course ,

50:53.012 --> 50:54.734
we have a presence in Subic in

50:54.734 --> 50:57.012
Singapore . We have chinese , you know ,

50:57.012 --> 50:59.179
we have , you know Powell and um in in

50:59.179 --> 51:01.234
Thailand , what are your thoughts on

51:01.234 --> 51:03.012
expanding those relationships ?

51:03.012 --> 51:04.901
Specifically the Philippines ? Uh

51:04.901 --> 51:07.068
absolutely the right thing to do . And

51:07.068 --> 51:08.846
uh you know , I talked with the

51:08.846 --> 51:10.512
Minister of Defense uh in the

51:10.512 --> 51:12.650
Philippines a couple of times , uh we

51:12.660 --> 51:15.140
certainly we would look to expand our

51:15.140 --> 51:17.210
footprint uh and strengthen our

51:17.210 --> 51:19.266
relationship as we go forward . I'll

51:19.266 --> 51:21.488
continue to work on that personally . I

51:21.488 --> 51:23.543
think it's really really important .

51:23.543 --> 51:25.488
Okay thank you Mr Chair and I will

51:25.488 --> 51:27.488
yield back to minimum time mahalo .

51:27.488 --> 51:29.543
Well thank you very much . I want to

51:29.543 --> 51:31.766
thank both of you , all three of you Mr

51:31.766 --> 51:33.877
cord lasted . Not good question . I'm

51:33.877 --> 51:36.043
sure you are profoundly disappointed .

51:36.043 --> 51:38.270
Um But I do want to thank the secretary

51:38.460 --> 51:40.349
and the chairman and I think it's

51:40.349 --> 51:42.349
really important as we've had these

51:42.349 --> 51:44.571
discussions . You know , we we focussed

51:44.571 --> 51:46.571
on some areas of disagreement , but

51:46.571 --> 51:48.793
there is overwhelming agreement on this

51:48.793 --> 51:51.016
committee in a bipartisan way about the

51:51.016 --> 51:50.820
priorities and needs within our

51:50.820 --> 51:52.931
Department of Defense and how to meet

51:52.931 --> 51:55.042
those . And I hope we'll stay focused

51:55.042 --> 51:56.820
on those um and not not get too

51:56.820 --> 51:58.653
obsessed with the areas where we

51:58.653 --> 52:00.820
disagree because there's a lot of good

52:00.820 --> 52:02.987
in what you're doing at the pentagon .

52:02.987 --> 52:05.153
A lot of work to be done , obviously .

52:05.153 --> 52:04.410
And I think this committee and this

52:04.410 --> 52:06.640
Congress will contribute to that with

52:06.640 --> 52:08.862
useful and productive and helpful ideas

52:08.862 --> 52:10.862
over the course of the next several

52:10.862 --> 52:10.700
months as we work through the defense

52:10.700 --> 52:13.650
bill uh in the appropriations bill . Um

52:13.660 --> 52:15.370
but I , you know , I want to

52:15.380 --> 52:17.850
congratulate Secretary Austin's 1st 1st

52:17.850 --> 52:20.017
appearance before this committee , but

52:20.017 --> 52:22.017
first appearance , I believe as the

52:22.017 --> 52:23.906
secretary , um , and we very much

52:23.906 --> 52:26.072
appreciate your leadership and I think

52:26.072 --> 52:28.294
you are absolutely the right person for

52:28.294 --> 52:27.780
the job at this moment . Glad you're

52:27.780 --> 52:29.891
there . Look forward to continuing to

52:29.891 --> 52:32.113
work with you . Um , Mr Rogers , do you

52:32.113 --> 52:34.447
have anything for the good of the order ?

52:34.447 --> 52:36.780
Just to say , I envy Mr McCord . I mean ,

52:36.780 --> 52:38.947
this is this is my kind of hearing for

52:38.947 --> 52:41.002
you , buddy , and I have the highest

52:41.002 --> 52:42.836
respect for the secretary of the

52:42.836 --> 52:45.002
general and thank you for your service

52:45.002 --> 52:47.169
and being here . And uh , and I concur

52:47.169 --> 52:49.280
with the chairman's observation about

52:49.280 --> 52:51.447
this committee's focus on what we need

52:51.447 --> 52:53.280
and uh , we will continue in our

52:53.280 --> 52:55.447
bipartisan fashion . So thank you very

52:55.447 --> 52:55.150
much . Now , you're back . Thank you

52:55.150 --> 52:57.060
with that . We're adjourned . Yeah .