American history tv weekend on cspan3. The admiral who heads the u. S. Southern command testified before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee recently about u. S. Military partnerships in latin america, drug interdiction, the humanitarian situation in venezuelan a a number of other issues. This is just over an hour. Okay. The welcome, everybody. The emerging threats and capabilities subcommittee meets today to receive testimony from admiral craig fouler, commander of u. S. Southern command or as we call is south com our focus on the evolving security situation in this theater as well as south coms efforts to implement the National Defense strategy. Welcome for the admiral. Thank you very much for being here, sir. I certainly appreciate it. Todays hearing is a continuation of subcommittee efforts to provide oversight over National Defense strategy implementation. This is an important component of our efforts to ensure our militarys appropriately resourced and equipped and postured to defend the nation against a growing array of threats. While much attention has been countering china and russia ina in their traditional spheres of influence in europe and across the indo pacific region, the subcommittee has been particularly focused on how those nations are increasingly challenging u. S. National security interests, not just within their own geographic boundaries, but elsewhere around the world. Last year, the subcommittee held a hearing with leading experts to discuss chinas expanding presence presence in africa, and interest of us and our partners. It was made clear during the hearing that china is undertaking a longterm approach to bolstering its Global Access and influence. Often times with a goal of undermining the United States of america. The situation in the western hemisphere is no different. Admiral faller you highlighted in testimony earlier this year that china has accelerated expansion of its belt and Road Initiative in the western hemisphere at a pace that may one day overshadow its expansion in Southeast Asia and africa. Chinas Strategic Engagement in the south, region, at the expense of u. S. Security interests and regional stability. Chinas efforts to oppressive government such as the maduro regime in venezuela, and to pump loans into local economies at unpayable interest rates, reveal chinas interest in spurning influence and consolidating power. As a result left latin america has become a passion for chinas ambitions, recognizing economic coercion to grow support for chinese and Foreign Policy objectives including and the exclusion of the u. S. And canada from regional discourse. Trade and economic ties between the United States and latin america are changing with china recently surpassing the United States as the main destination for exports from several latin american countries. China is also deepening military and technological ties in the region. For example, we have seen deep and space related cooperation in brazil, venezuela, and argentina. China has increased arms sales in a manner that violates u. S. And eu restrictions. And hinders our ability to integrate with our strategic learners. Meanwhile, russia is also working to expand its influence in the region. The putin regime seeks to railroad u. S. Influence in the south com area of responsibility and had double down on its efforts to prop a corrupt authoritarian regime in venezuela, cuba, and nicaragua through economic and military assistance. For many years, putin has viewed latin america as a natural link in the chain making up a multipolar world in recent visits by russian missiles any deployment of a longrange bomber to the region highlight russias efforts to strengthen its global reach in an age of Great Power Competition. In fact, just a couple of weeks ago the admiral, one of russias most advanced warships, was docked in havana harbor. Finally, drivers of migration including violence, corruption, and poverty place significant strain on regional governments and can engender regional instability. Impacting not only the southern border of the u. S. , providing additional flashpoints for china and russia to exploit at the expense of american soft power. All of this demonstrates clearly that the western hemisphere should be viewed as an important front in our efforts to compete with china and russia and implement the mds. I look for to your input and candid assessment of the evolving Security Dynamics in this region. Describe how the mds information is important and how you allocate south coms limited resources. As well as identifying any challenges that may impair your ability to accomplish your mission. And thank you again admiral for joining us today and i look forward to the discussion. I will now turn it over to senator peters, our Ranking Member for your Opening Statement. I thank you madam chair and thank you for holding this hearing at a very critical time. Events in latin america are often overshadowed by the crisis in the middle east and asia, but stability and south com ar is clearly critical to our National Security. I want to thank our witness, admiral faller for his service and for appearing here today to testify on the imitation of the National Defense strategy in the Southern Command area of responsibility. It is clear that russia and china have significantly increased their presence and influence in the south com ar. Chinese investment has reached unprecedented levels in beijing. And they have invested billions of dollars in latin america as a part of the belt and load initiative. China often engages in predatory lending practices that create debt traps for small countries and allow beijing to yield outsized influence in these countries. The projects are often economically unsustainable. And many countries throughout the world have found themselves billions of dollars in debt, with no way to repay beijing. Russias economic influence in latin america is much smaller than chinas but its intentions are much more pernicious. Russias Propaganda Machine has been active in latin america with efforts to raise doubts about the democratic process and so discord in the region. Russias statecontrolled spanishlanguage television stations and spreads misinformation throughout the region and seeks to undermine u. S. Influence in the region. Russia has also used Cyber Attacks to attack democratic institutions. The center for strategic and International Studies reported, for example, there have been 50,000 Cyber Attacks against colombias National Voter registry during the 2018 legislative elections. Weve also seen russia covertly deploy kremlin linked military groups to latin america. Repeating the pattern of using these forces to advance their strategic influences abroad without having to admit they have deployed any military personnel to a specific country. Rushs intervention in venezuela has propped up the disastrous maduro regime and allowed the power to the current president. This fits the pattern of currently aggressive seeking russians to use all the tools in the playbook to undermine the appeal of the democratic process and keep russias regime in power. And while the russian and chinese influence in america i think its also important to spend a moment on the most pressing threat to democracy in the western hemisphere and that is corruption. Corruption is the root cause of mass migration, instability, and impunity in Central America and the trafficking of illicit narcotics into our country. Unless our strategy focuses on solving the root causes, no amount of Security Assistance dollars to latin American Partners will be effective. That is why i am quite concerned that the Trump Administration has recently decided to cut off all nondefense u. S. Id and state assistance to guatemala, honduras, and el salvador while allowing defense assistance to these countries to continue. The stated rationale is to punish these countries for the migrant crisis is ill considered. And totally counterproductive to reducing forced migration numbers. Alternately, it undermines our National Security in the region. Unless we support Civil Societies in these countries and help improve the economic conditions, we will level never get a handle on the illicit drugs that flow through these tribal countries and into the United States. One final note, and i think it is critical for us to discuss is that corruption in central and south america not only destabilizes the region, but also provides china and russia with a foothold into these countries as well. Corrupt governments are more likely to take loans from china that allow them to skim billions off the top and leave their treasuries empty. Russia is able to sell arms to corrupt governments that oppress their civilian populations and violate their human rights. The more we focus on combating corruption, the more successful we will be in implementing the National Defense strategy in the region. And i think for a thank the chair again for holding this hearing and i look forward to the discussion. Thank you Ranking Member peters. Admiral faller we will start with your Opening Statement and then move into questioning. Thank you. Chairman, thank you member peters, centers. Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today and for the steadfast support you provide the men and women of the sub seller commanded day in and day out. I like to introduce my eyes and ears here with me today. He is also on the lever from the great state of iowa. As i mentioned in my statement, my written statement i have been in command of south com for seven months. In that time i have traveled extensively throughout south america and the caribbean to get a firsthand view of the opportunities and challenges that you both eliminated. These opportunities and challenges directly impact the security of this hemisphere. Our neighborhood. Criminal organizations, narco trafficking, illegal immigration, violent premise and corruption, all enabled by week elements our principal among those challenges. Most disturbing insight, the aha for me has been the degree the external state actors china, russia and iran have expanded their access and influence right here in our neighborhood or as a general miller put it, inside our interior lines. And the Defense Strategy makes clear, Great Power Competition has reemerged as the number one security challenge facing our nation. China, russia and others want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian models. They are blurring the lines of what constitutes a military threat through economic coercion, systematic stealing of technology, influence campaigns, and malicious cyber activity. They are contesting our military advantage in all legitimate traditional domains we fight around the globe. Land, air, sea, space, cyber and information. Plus one more very important domain values like democracy, sovereignty, and the role of rights. Cognition is happening globally and right here in our neighborhood, the western hemisphere. We see this most acutely in venezuela. Where the security crisis created by maduro is compounded every single security crisis we face in this hemisphere. Russia, in their own words is protecting their loyal friend, to quote, by propping up the corrupt, element intimate maduro regime with technical and military support. For china, as venezuela longest single state creditors saddled the venezuelan people with more than 60 billion in debt and, is exporting Surveillance Technology used to monitor and oppress the venezuelan people. They have started direct flights and reinvigorated diplomatic ties. Along with cuba, these actors engage in activities that are profoundly unhealthy to democracy and regional stability and counter to u. S. Interests. How do we counter the threats and see the opportunities in this hemisphere . How do we counter the threats posted by actors across the region . The best way to outcompete is by focusing our strengths, the strong enduring ties would have with our neighbors and from a defense perspective the strong relations are grounded in sheer professionalism. We work with each other from a foundation of mutual respect, human rights and shared interest in Regional Cooperation and interoperability. Reinforce and build on this to train, educate, intelligence and information sharing and exercises. Security cooperation is our best tool to continue building the strong partnerships and turn the challenges our hemisphere into opportunities working together, training and exercising shoulder to shoulder with American Military professionals is our Competitive Edge and no one can match our system. We also need the right, focused, and consistent military did present day in and day out to go with this education. We cannot achieve positive results and influence outcomes without being on the playing field. I will point to two examples with a positive impact of our president presents, this happening as we speak. Our f16 Fighter Aircraft from the succulent International Guard are trained with a very capable Colombian Air force. This mission takes place in conjunction with the hundredth anniversary of columbias air force and built interoperability and readiness for the United States and for our very capable colombian partners while also demonstrating that our shared resolve in the face of regional and global challenges nearby, the United States naval ship, comfort, is in lima, peru to help our neighbors impacted by the manmade crisis in venezuela. Comfort shows the very best of United States of america. And the strong partnerships we have in the world. It is a part of our enduring promise to our neighbors to be a steadfast, reliable, and trusted partner. We appreciate the continued support of congress, this committee in helping us fulfill that promise, the south com team on military and civilian members and our families appreciate the support of congress and will continue to honor the trust you place in us and our fellow citizens have placed in us. I look for to your questions, thank you. Thank you very much admiral. What we will do, i will go ahead and start with just a couple of questions and we will go back and forth and in order of arrival and with that, we will go ahead and get started. Feel free to take as much time as necessary admiral to discuss the challenges and opportunities that you have in south com. Just to start, the National Defense strategy clearly identifies Great Power Competition between the United States and, of course china and russia as the most pressing threat to National Security. Given their expanding presence in your ao. The ndf has particular relevance to your area of responsibility. If you could explain what is the role of a u. S. Military as we are competing with china and russia in the western hemisphere, what more can we be doing . Our focus is to build strong partnerships with very capable, 27 of 31 nations are democracies. We focus on partnerships. And, that is the best way to outcompete china. Our partners want to work with us, they wanted the advantage of United States education, training, exercises and military equipment, it is the best in the world. So it is up to us to deliver that in a way that is relative and also provides a return on investment for american taxpayers to that is our focus. Columbia and brazil are two very good examples where we spent a lot of time, we have traveled to columbia on multiple occasions, we have been to brazil. Their chiefs have been to see us. It begins with intelligence sharing and education frankly. At a persontoperson level. We enhance each others situational awareness, strengthen our understanding of the opportunities and challenges. And work on education, both in their schools and ours. Ive had the opportunity to go down and speak at their institutions. So, that is the foundation. That counters are russia and china best because frankly they cannot compete with our system. They are trying to, or in the area, everywhere i go, the chief defense says the chinese have come, they have offered us free education, unlimited travel, opportunity to go to their schools. They have taken and replicated our model. They set up spanish training in beijing. And, the message i get from our capable partners is we do not want to train with them we want to continue. The best way is to be consistent and offer the level of service and demanded that the partners can meet. We have to operate at their speed and also ensure there is something that we give back. When you meet a new chief of defense, for example the new chief of defense in el salvador and the minister of defense in el salvador, both graduates of u. S. Schools, in fact, the chief defense i think has been to five u. S. Schools and and mr. Defense graduated from the college in newport. They are committed to working with us, not with others and that is the way we move forward in a really meaningful way. Thank you very much. Just to go a little bit further with that. I do firmly believe in those mill to mill opportunities either through training exercises or through educational opportunities. Now, we have spoken, maybe you can expand a little bit on the lack of opportunity may be that weve been able to extend to other military members attending our military schools. If you could talk a little bit about what some of those challenges are, it would be good to hear about that. The opportunity to expand our offerings of education in our military schools and training in our schools, there is a difference, but both to go after Technical Schools and some of the professional military, it is the single best investment we can make long term to our partnerships. Graduates of our School System go back with an understanding of u. S. Doctrine, u. S. Tactics and techniques and, really become lifelong friends the chief of defense in argentina, for example is an undergrad of the army were college and very proud of it and was just admitted into the Army War College hall of fame. That fact is known by the Political Leadership in argentina and it is valued. I find him to be one of my best strategic partners. Our levels of funding that have been provided and principal source of funding comes from the International Military training. I met the state department funded. It is basically been flatlined for as long back as i can do the math. So, then the dollars getting us less school seats over time because the schools cost more, we are able to contribute within the rules, i have abdicated former defense secretaries have as well, we would be well served to look at an increase in the overall accounts for the entire department of defense somewhere just north of 100 million. And for south com at about 11 million. I think i can absorb 18 million a modest increase, when you look at the kinds of monies we are spending in other areas, this is a low amount of money for a high dividend and high payoff so i would advocate that scenario. We could expand. Im glad we are not like these others, and i will not dignify by naming names, the countries they go in and offer no Strings Attached training. Im glad that we have vetting and emphasize human rights. It is the right thing to do, it should be a high bar to go to our schools, we should get a return on investment from it so i think we do the right things with the way we screen and invest and looked at the Long Term Return on investment for both forces. That scenario i think we do well to expand center. Very good. The dollars well spent. Thank you admiral. Thank you again for being here. We appreciate it. I think it is clear from the discussion we had earlier in my office as well as in your testimony that you have provided here at the opening, it is that you agree that corruption, lack of economic opportunity, violence, and really the failure of democratic governance in the northern triangle is a significant cause for some of the mass migration we are seeing out of these countries, as well as the drug trade through these countries. Is that an accurate statement . Sir, the connection between weak governance, corruption, transactional criminal organizations, and that even the opportunity for china and russia, as you articulated is significant and i consider that the number one Security Threat that we face here in this hemisphere. That same corruption reads criminal activity, could breed a terror activity, and certainly breeds the kind of dirty deals to other external state actors come in and thrive on. So, in order to deal with that breakdown of the governance it probably makes sense to have a whole government approach in dealing with it. And that means not just the military operations that you are engaged in, but also ngo activities that are working on Civil Society instructors. I know you had experience of working with some of the ngos, particularly in the northern triangle. Are they helpful . Would you think thats a part of the approach that we need to take in order to stabilize those countries . Strong institutions, the Strong Defense institutions in these countries contribute to the whole government solution. That is where we have a program we have a programs called defensive institution programming through our center here in washington, d. C. As that plays into a whole Government Strategy across what we call the dime diplomacy information, military and economics, that is the best solution longterm. When we play into that with the private sector and ngos that is the best way to get the most lasting, resilient, longterm results. So you are saying the state partner programs in those countries are critically important for us and our work to stabilize those areas, and hopefully prevent mass migration and some of the Drug Trafficking that comes out of these countries . The integration of all elements is key. I have a deputy, a civilian deputy who is a full ambassador from the state department, she has former usaid experience. And we have a Senior Executive from usaid that sets to my immediate left at every meeting as one of my most senior reps. We can figure out how to best integrate it. So the trumpet ministration recently cut off all nondefense aid to the countries in the northern triangle. As i know you are aware of. Guatemala, honduras, and el salvador. Did the immigration consult you as to whether or not that would make sense . The pressure that is being applied to these governments, i would offer is good and the decision to cut off was a policy decision and i am not normally a part of policy decisions. But i advocated and articulated to the defense leadership the important contributions that the professional militaries from honduras, guatemala, and el salvador have made in the fertility narcotics area where the special forces are getting after it in a way that is paying dividends for u. S. Security and that is why we were able to continue our milton mills engagement center. The lot bars assistance to Security Forces with committed gross human rights violations, as you are aware. Would it make sense to add corruption to the list that will cut off Security Assistance, particularly corruption that enables drug and Human Trafficking . Senator, i dont know that i wouldve thought through enough. I think laidlaw is extremely effective. It is demanding. Rightly so. And it produces units that we can trust and that we can look at and know we are doing the right thing with respect with respect to human rights. In the Financial Times interview from june 26, 2019. President putin said there are no Russian Troops in venezuela and characterized the personnel there as just specialized instructors to train local forces. Yet, multiple press outlets have reported that per military forces deployed to venezuela to provide security for president of maduro. These are the same forces that i know you are very aware that conducted missions on behalf on the criminals behalf in other areas across africa. How would you characterize the actions of the kremlin and kremlin linked to forces in venezuela . Is it just regular training as he alleges or is it more nefarious . We have consistently seen the way russia manipulates the media around the world. At one point it was february 4 my full set Arms Services committee and a week before the hearing i was here doing pre office calls and i came out of senator rubios office to the news that russian state tv was reporting my presence on the columbiavenezuela border and put a picture of someone who wasnt me and b roll footage of tanks and planes poised to conduct an invasion. I think that states russias approach overall to accuracy. There are Russian Troops, there are Russian Defense contractors their presence are in the hydrants in venezuela. They are supporting the maduro regime. They are keeping russian gear operable. They are conducting a full range of activities you would expect a foreign power to do to prop up their puppet regime. Thank you admiral. Senator josh hawley . Thank you for being here and for your leadership is it fair to say that one key russian and chinese objective is to reduce the United States influence and access . Sir, i think it is. I would differentiate slightly. I think for russia, it would characterize as almost wounded the bear wanting power. They are making the u. S. Look bad at whatever turn they can do and do anything that would blunt a u. S. Advantage, even if it is for the International Good of the people as it is in venezuela. For china they have a legitimate economic interest around the world and i know we are working hard as a nation to figure out how those legitimate International Interests can actually be played using the rule of law. So, they have an economic interest primarily. But make no question that my research, my studies, the 56 ports they are working on, the extensive i. T. Infrastructure, the work they are doing in cyber. The space access they are working on. All of these i would be characterized i think by russia or, excuse me, Chinese State officials. They have hard aims. And, as i said earlier in testimony, they are setting the stage for future access and influence that would have clearly military dimension. Just on this last point, with airports, there cyber end of element, you see that as a part of a larger Strategic Plan on chinas part to ramp up their influence in the region and to diminish ours if that is fair to say . China has global aims at that extend beyond economic. And i think that we have got to continue to outcompete china globally. Including in this neighborhood, this hemisphere. Thank you for the answer. It was a sense of what you think in your judgment what that looks like. And what do we need to be doing to meet and turn back their strategic games here . There are a lot of scary challenges around the world as have been outlined. North korea, iran, russia, china, south china sea. We have to make sure we look at those globally. And we are at the department. We have to make sure that they are resourced globally and resourced to a sufficient level so that china doesnt come in and fill the vacuum and we are not there. At a point, you cannot do that via schoolhouse and carlisle pennsylvania and newport, montgomery, alabama. Anyone of our excellent work colleges in the western hemisphere. At that point, weve got to be in the region, be present. Amazing u. S. Navy ships, coast guard cutters, marine, special purpose forces, small numbers. We have, in some cases adequate numbers now, but if we took reductions, we might have to for the global fight would have a disproportionate impact i think in the long term ability to work with our partners. Are the capability gaps that you are concerned about that we should be doing something about . . Im concerned, it is an excellent platform the navy is bringing online, it had some growing pains, im confident we will come out of this. The Sergeant Major and i spent several hours on a total combat ship in mayport, florida. It is a capability that we need, we dont have it, we are deploying one in october. In fact, the u. S. Wont get a name. We look forward to that as we dont have a navy combatant now. So that is the capability. Intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance efforts are a challenge worldwide. We need those for monitoring the situation in venezuela. Also for the global counter narcotics fight that is our number one asset to detect that flow, so we are short asset thank you for that. That is very helpful. Let me ask you about our mill to mill context, which you artie discussed. They seem to be, in the region, relatively narrow focused at the small unit level. Im just wondering do you feel that our training events would have our partners nations, focused at the right level. And are they having the effect you think they should be . We do focus at the basic blocking tackling. But we also have some high end with a very capable partners. We just completed train 18 which is the longestserving merits house exercise at that the u. S. Has. Our chilean partners lead that and hosted and commanded that exercise. 12 nations and that exercise from around the globe. Observers from the uk and others and shipped from ecuador. Very capable, high and exercise. At the same time we had our forces commander. 19 special Operation Forces quads working together as a team and unit competition. Also in chile, simultaneously operating. We do have high end exercises. I think there is more we could do to increase the level and complexity of those and bring more partners and. That is one of the things we are focused on if there is Additional Resources for exercises. Can i ask one more question adjust on train 18. Can you tell us, 1700 personnel participated, 12 nations, can you describe the degree of trust among the member nations, the participating nations, alignment of priorities, things you feel came out of this that you would report on it . I attended the Opening Ceremony and had a chance to sit into the precell brief of the hangar of a chilean frigate and went down the line. Met the lieutenant leading the diving salvage. And the aggressor force. The one who is leading the opposition force. The commander of the chilean sub who was going to go out and try to sink the highend american destroyer that Michael Murphy named after one of our medal of honor winners and, you saw a band of brothers standing there on the flight deck and it would make anyone of us proud. That is exercise money, training dollars, that is well spent. That exercise covered everything from eight hdr two response to a terrorist activity and it was intense. Thank you. Senator jeanne shaheen. Thank you madam chair and thank you admiral faller for being here today. You mentioned the shortfall in the global counter narcotics efforts. And as im sure you are aware, the Opioid Crisis in the u. S. Was responsible for more than 47,000 deaths in 2017. And, much of that, those substances come in through mexico heroine grown in south american countries, particularly colombias traffic to the u. S. By air and sea. And, it has a real impact on the entire country, as we know. In New Hampshire we have the second highest related Overdose Deaths in the nation. Can you talk a little bit about what you are doing to coordinate with safer governments in the u. S. On this effort . The drug crisis is an interNational Security crisis. It isnt that easy to get drugs in and the other illicit commodities that can come along the same networks. It is a significant focus of ours. As i mentioned in a previous question, there are insufficient resources that we are working as hard as we can with the coast guard, a mere agency. They are working hard. They have dedicated twice the number of cutters to the effort of what they commit and their annual global plan. And our navy stepped up to commit more. Joint Interagency Task force in key west, as you know, is the premier center with 1. 15 of the budget gets about 90 of the drugs heading into the country. Cocaine, which is principally coming from columbia. So, we are working, as hard as we can with across the u. S. An agency, possibly in the joint Agency Task Force itself and the committees here in washington, d. C. To look up ways to be more effective and to put more resources and intelligence and thought into the interdiction problem. Its also a supply problem and a demand problem. And, in that regard, i would have to say that columbia has stepped up in a significant way. And while the statistics that you cite do not reflect that because of the time lag, what has been published and made public for 2018 since the president has taken over is a significant increase in medication. A significant increase in colombian partner interdiction. A significant increase in the colombian forces, contact with the narcotraffickers and the terrorist groups that deal in this. So, working with our partners both in the u. S. An agency and our other host nation projects. 40 of our introductions are by these partner nations that we train and work with, columbia and i mentioned already be capable forces of el salvador. Have to add in panama and costa rica have stepped up. But more can be done. When we are certainly dedicated, there is still too many drugs and getting through and into this country. Thank you very much. I want to switch subjects now. I am looking at contract award document from the Defense Logistics Agency for february of 2018. One of the projects described here is for a contingency mass migration complex at the naval station Guantanamo Bay. It is 2423,164,000 price contract for construction of that mass migration complex. It includes site shaping for tensor, concrete pads for headquarters, goes on to talk about mass notification system various Infrastructure Requirements are you aware of this contract and have you been a part of any discussions about what that mass migration complex is going to be used for . Is it going to be used for movement of migrants for our southern border to Guantanamo Bay . Senator one of our missions is to be able to handle any kind of mass migration events. We have experienced that in the past with migrants from cuba and haiti. Part of the naval station, there is a field, part of the naval station in Guantanamo Bay that does unapproved fields, like a beast subject to any kind of weather conditions, mother. To get that to a standard so if we had a mass migration, as i mentioned from cuba or haiti, we can keep the migrants in the mud, and have power and water for sanitation and ready to go. We dont have current facilities for the numbers we would have in that kind of migration. I have been down to look at the progress. I was there at the start of the work, the work is ongoing. We also run an annual training bureau. We send our Army Soldiers there to walk through the command and control and see the education required. Very much involved in the details. That is for a projected future mass migration events. There has been no discussion or no order given to me to prepare that site for any kind of a southwest border flow. Are you aware of any discussions that have been held, that you may not have been given a direct order but you have been a part of or do you know of any discussions that have been held to move southern border migrants there . No, nobody is at a discussion with me to that effect. Thank you, thank you. Senator mazie hirono. Thank you madam chair. I would like to follow up on the questions that you just asked. He referred to a 23 million . Almost 24. 24 Million Contract to house mass migration. So, what is that money for . Is it, i dont understand. Isnt it going to go to put the buildings up in the area you are talking about in Guantanamo Bay . Senator we currently have a migration operation for cuban migrants. And there are a small flow of migrants that come from cuba. This money is for mass migration. Nothing about cuba or haiti. The current facilities are inadequate to hold any more than a few hundred. So, the worst case plans, based on historical analysis or some kind of a future event could be a weatherrelated event. It would call for a larger infrastructure footprint that can go into the tens of thousands, that is what it is based on, its based on a sewage, water, power, concrete pads, sanitation buildings. It is a very spartan camp. Are you saying this money is not for the purposes of moving some of the migrants from the northern triangle countries to Guantanamo Bay . That is correct senator. So, in any report that it says there is the potential for housing these people at Guantanamo Bay would be mistaken . I have seen the same news reports senator but the program money on the project we are overseeing and the mission we have, it is for mass migration, not southwest border. You havent done any order, there is no direct order or discussion about sending people from the northern triangle to Guantanamo Bay . What if such an event occurs or such a discussion occurs, would you let this committee know . Senator, i assure you i would if there was a discussion or an order that i had with respect. Of course, general, with the thousands and thousands of people coming from the northern triangle, our facilities are bursting at the seams, and there is no question that there is acknowledgment that some of our defense assets might be put to use to house these people. So, i think it is a matter of great concern for us. So, page 1 of your testimony you talk about the impact of competition with china and russia who are capitalizing on this so, china is in the indo pacific, they are turning to other countries. They spread a wide map. With your relationships with partner nations. Your challengers are really trying to insert themselves into having influence with partner countries in that area. Is it making it harder for you to retain these important relationships with our partner country . Our partners still want and to the u. S. As a partner of choice. And our schools, education, everything is preferred. I think the challenge comes in if we dont have the speed, the quantity, or, for some reason we are not there to be able to provide the partnership. From that respect, the nation, i will give you an example senator. I am sitting with having my third cup of tea with one of the leaders from capable caribbean partner nation and, i dont start out asking about china, i start out asking about the things that are mutual threats, how they perceive them. I have a lot to learn in my tour. But we get to china, whether they were get up, ill bring it up. I will be blunt and ask what is china providing for you in this particular chief of defense. They gifted me 23 million last year. Well, what did you do with it . Just 23 million, here is the cash. I looked at my Security Cooperation card and i think my total sum of resistance assistance was 1. 5 which i thought was pretty adequate. We are not going to compete in volume, we have to compete in quality. And speed of relevance. Sometimes it may be fast, sometimes slow based on upon what the parties. Partner needs. That does make it challenging. The 23 million, the chief of defense said i did not buy any i. T. With that. But, there are so many only so many uniforms you can buy for 23 million, i get it. It is hard to turn down cash. That is the challenge we are competing with. Some of the partners are turning it down. They ask for how long can they turn that down . Basically it is free money. So, china and russia, they also involved in the northern triangle countries . It is different per country. I tried to always break them apart and go country by country. Previous leadership in el salvador had a different view about china and change directions. I think the new leadership is much more prou. S. And really wanting to partner i mentioned the chief of defense and minister of defense and that is including both russia and china and, i see the same in honduras and guatemala. From policy perspective they stuck by taiwan and the u. S. , guatemala and honduras have. Russia and china are in there and are trying to make inroads and they will take every opportunity to move and if we are not. It sounds as though with that kind of competition in your presence, whatever we can do to show up our relationships, it is a constant thing for you. Keep doing it, thank you madam chair. Okay. We are going to go ahead and do a second round of questioning. I think our members have additional questions they would love to hear your thoughts on. We talked a little bit about argentina. I was during your office call. And, some of the deep space tracking facilities. Those that are there. If you could, an unclassified setting could you elaborate on the purpose of that facility any threats that are posing to our military and to other assets that we have here . Working in space, around the globe, and across all elements of space. I think our focus on space is exactly right. We are looking for aspects as the access point. They found him in south america. In argentina is primarily one. That is to the extent that china is doing and the degree of military activity at that site is extremely concerning to the security of the United States. Can you expand on what is the impact to the United States . China has the ability to have a more global view of all space activities and can run the gamut of offense and defense. Beyond that, we would have to go to a different setting. Absolutely, thank you i appreciate that. Outside of china and russia we have spent a lot of time talking about them but the ron and even ronnie and iran and iranian proxies do have a longer history in south america and in the western hemisphere. There was the 1990 bali bombing of a Jewish Center in argentina andy presence of affiliated fundraising activity across the region. And, how would you characterize their presence in this hemisphere and what are their primary objectives . Iran continues to be the number one state sponsor of terror around the world. Their long era of malfeasance is everywhere. We have seen that recently on their tax on tankards. They have attributable at least two attributable attacks here in this hemisphere, right here in washington, d. C. Where they attempted to kill the saudi ambassador with, really with him blocks of where we are sitting. And statesponsored terror attack in argentina. There are active connections between Iranian Regime and fundraising activities throughout the region. We watched these closely. There is also iranian sponsorship of Islamic Centers with dubious purposes throughout the hemisphere to have considerable ties to known terror activities and iran. And, we keep our eye on this and work closely with our capable partners, such as brazil and argentina to share information about these threats. In your estimation then, these elements that exist in this hemisphere, are they capable of hindering u. S. Objectives . We have seen what they are doing day in and day out. The arabian gulf. Yemen, saudi arabia, what they have done here in the past. So, i dont put much stock in their good intentions going forward. I think we have got our eye on this one. As best as we can with the resources that we have a. Thank you amaral. I will yield back my time. Senator gary peters . Thank you madam chair. Pick up on the question that you you are asking about the space domain but the other domain and how we need to be focused on cyber, in particular chinese activities around the world in that area. Could you explain what the chinese may or may not be doing in latin america to expand their Cyber Capabilities . Start with the crisis in venezuela. So the maduro made crisis which now pushed out over 4 million migrants, unfortunately it is affecting their region. It is being aided and abetted by russia, cuba and to a lesser extent, a significant one, china. I mentioned in my Opening Statement, china is also, this is as well involved in enabling cyber for the maduro regime. We look probably beyond that. The attractiveness of i. T. Infrastructure and the smart city concept where i. T. Infrastructure can provide surveillance opportunities for Security Forces is being actively pursued by a number of important partners in the region. We have been very actively involved with our interagency partners to explain the risks and, i. E. Security force level, the partners, they get it and they have been able, in some cases, to articulate that to their leadership to slow or stop some projects. But, they turned to us and say what is our alternative . They mention about the money, as the senator mentioned at some point, you do need resources. They say they will all need i. T. Infrastructure, what is the alternative that we can provide . On a mill to mill level we are working on important Security Cooperation packages with cyber com. Some of our first ever Security Cooperation packages with partners that have asked almost everywhere we go, the partners want to do more in this area. We have made to visit to do some assessments and with the support of congress we will come forward with some 333 packages that will do training, education, and Cyber Infrastructure in a mill to mill realm. The first whenever we are pushing with a couple of very capable partners. That has got to be our response and that is another reason why when we talk more broadly about being there and being consistent, that is one of the areas we will look moving forward and that will help both of us on cyber defense. But china is there any big way. China is, the use cyber not just to deal with Security Issues and surveillance issues to prevent a crime but also to keep track of their population, and some would argue to manipulate the population. Kept the more compliant with the regime. Do you believe latin american governments are also moving in that direction with the assistance of the chinese. s or when i talk to our partners about u. S. Versus china. I am not here to bash china or even ask you to make a choice, im here to talk about what is important to you and to us. I think i know where you come from you honor and respect democracy. Rule of law, human rights and sovereignty. I look at those four representative variables. I look at the competition that you might do business with. These other external state actors. I know where we stand, we are not Perfect People that we work really hard to be good in this country, particularly in our military. We know the stakes but they are usually stakes of honest mistakes. I know that we stand on those four variables, i also know where the competition stands on those four variables. When you buy into a product are you prepared to buy in to what might come with what kind of rule of law, what kind of respect for human rights. I dont see currently an indication that people are buying into that in a way that is corrupting them or causing them to stray from their committed to us but it concerns me when you look long term, when you leverage yourself and you look down the list of human democracy and rule of law. Thank you admiral. Senator jeanne shaheen. As im sure youre aware, 2017 present trump signed into the peace and security act which mandates that we prioritize the inclusion of women and conflict negotiations and security structures and in peace negotiations. Can you talk about how south com is implementing that law and how you see it helping you to accomplish your mission . Master chief stacy is my gender advisor, sort of the alter ego to the command Sergeant Major. She was at our full senate hearing, she is out on a field trip working on this. When we look at professionalism, what it takes to be a professional force, i think that is principally why people want to partner with us, we are professional, professional forces are legitimate, they respect human rights, rule of law. They also respect talent and allowing equal opportunity to come in and compete, irrespective of who you are, what you do, whether you are female or male. That is what our approach is and how we talk about it. My commanders conferences that i have, with a big one coming up in august in brazil for all the south american countries, thatll be a focus point of the discussion with our counterparts. And, how they work that and how we work with them and we have actually had request from some of our partners to say how did you, the United States to work through the integration, putting women on the team, on combat ships at sea . That is one of the projects were taking on with one of our partner nations right now. They are receptive to it. We appreciate because it became a came with resources to sponsor training. We also hosted the force first course where we are training the trainers. I kicked the course office so it was the afternoon my first day in command actually and we are looking how to move this forward and practical ways that deliver combat capability and i actually think it does, i know it does. Well, i think it is also important to point out that there is a growing body of evidence that shows what a difference it makes to have women at the table. And also in conflict resolution and peace negotiations where we know if women are a part of those negotiations, they are more than 30 likely to last for longer than 15 years. So, i think for all kinds of reasons, including the ones that you cite, it is very important to see this law implemented. Thank you very much, thank you madam chair. Senator mazie hirono. Thank you. The Interagency Task force helps to detect, monitor 6 of a known drug movement. You mentioned it in your response to one of, 40 of interjections are by partner countries. Thats 40 of a 6 . When President Trump declared a National Emergency they announced 2. 5 billion from the department of defenses drug interdiction program. That is what we are talking about. So, adjust Drug Trafficking and if these funds are diverted to the, how would this impact your ability to complete your drug interdiction efforts . Senator, as you mentioned, currently led by a coast guard. They are doing a great job with about 1. 5 and the counter narcotics funds for the entire u. S. Government to get about 80 90 . So it is not enough as you cite 6 . Border security is done, it is not something i am involved in. So, however that money is pulled, we received the money we needed. We do need more assets, that does cost money, but, the principal problem that we face is not the shortage of the Counter Narcotics Team money. We appreciate congress in supporting that. Clarify for me the 2. 5 billion euros listed that if it goes away . If we lost the money from our counter cuts, we would miss it. It was, a long answer we would not have a cut and counter narcotics funding. It may happen. The way things are going. So, considering since the president is talking about diversity, diverting the money for a law. It will not help the drug addiction or interdiction efforts because most of the drugs come through a regular port, a point of entry. You noted in your testimony on page two, that this area is the source of illicit drugs and Illegal Migrants to the United States. You know further on your working with your partners to address shared challenges, including governors corruption, illicit drugs. And, you say that you are looking forward to discussing the nature of this activity and how you are working with the partners to address these issues. Can you give me an example of how you are working with address these issues. Can you give us an example of how youre working with your partners to go after all of these, the corruption and the litany . Its a team effort, we are in constant communication and how we view and track visa challenges. At the heart these are Intelligence Driven challenges. So what are the drivers of migration, what are the key criminal organizations that are involved . So sharing intelligence, and taking that intelligence and building it into packages that we have passed into law enforcement. Most of these challenges involve action by other government entities. Working closely with Homeland Security to pass information when we know about migrant caravans, or illicit drugs. To make an impact you have to have a longterm commitment to address these issues. It doesnt help when you have 450 million that is taken away. It does not help. I think you have to acknowledge that. Thank you. Madam chair. I appreciate the subcommittee precipitation. Admiral craig faller thank you for being here to represent. We appreciate your service to our nation. We appreciate the input that you have provided. With that at this hearing is closed. For more information on members of congress, ordered the congressional directory on cspan. Org. Tonight on cspan 3. Foreign policy. Will hear about u. S. And japanese relations, the containment theory, and the vietnam war. And a behind the scenes look at the cuban resolution. That starts at 8 pm eastern. President Donald Trumps sat down with cspan talk about his toughest days in the presidency, his use of twitter and the 2020 president ial race. You can watch the interview on the cspan at 10 am eastern on saturday. It is also Available Online at cspan. Org. After that the first of the two democratic debates hosted by cnn. Thats a saturday morning at 10 30 am eastern. Sunday at 10 30 am eastern. The second cnn debate. The u. S. Global leadership coalition. Among speakers mark greene and a ivanka trump