Let me take just a moment to talk about what we are attempting to do here in the senate. Exaggeration and hyperbole is the order of the day. Say always reluctant to this truly could be one of the most important things we as members of this committee do. What the world is experiencing today, what the United States is facing today, is one of the most significant challenges that a lot of us will face in our lifetime. The bad news, the really bad possibleit is entirely that it will happen again, and i say this because the experts virus thatt this made the leap from one species can very easily happen again. There are 2000 of these viruses out there. Dohave no idea what they can if they get into a human being. Us they haves tell identified within their ranks about 2000 different viruses. Having said that, we need to want toward, and i stress what i am trying to do with this and what all of us are trying to do, look forward. There are a lot of hearings going on. Theres a lot of hyperbole goin
The Committee Meets today to receive testimony from the department of defense fiscal year 2021 budget request. Welcome our witnesses and thank them for their service in both dr. Mark esper and general mark we have a pair of marks in this morning. This committees top priority is ensuring the effectiveness of the National Defense strategy. Thats our vote that we had heard, adhere for a long period of time now. About three years. Unfortunately, the last administration we ask our military to do more with less and that got us into trouble between 2012 and 2017 we lost 150 billion to sequestration. Our Defense Budget in the readiness of our forces were devastated. I think we all understand that. As a result, when President Trump came to office, he inherited American Military and crisis, thankfully he delivered on his promise to begin rebuilding the u. S. Armed forces. He negotiated the highest level of defense spending ever, a down payment toward getting our military back to where it needs t
The Committee Meets a diversity of testimony in the department of defense here, 2021. The budget request, we welcome our witnesses and thank you for their service in both doctor mark esper, and general mark. We have a pair of marks, this morning. This Committee Top priority is ensuring the effectiveness towards the National Defense strategy which is both what we have been adhering to for the long period of time now, but three years. Unfortunately in the last administration we asked irma terry to do more with less. That got us into trouble between 2012, 2017, we lost 150 billion to seek frustration. Our Defense Budget in the readiness of our forces were devastating. I think we all understand, that as a result, when President Trump came to office, he inherited American Military in crisis, thankfully, he delivered on his promise to begin rebuilding the u. S. Armed forces. Last, year President Trump and negotiated the highest level of defense spending ever. A down payment towards getting o
We have a change in schedule. As we explained in the hearing memo, we were planning to do Opening Statements from 9 30 to 10 00 and testimony and questions from 10 00 to 1 00. This morning we were informed that President Trump and Vice President pence have called our witnesses to about emergency meeting at the white house. We dont know the details just that it is extremely urgent. Now the witnesses have to leave at 11 45. In light of the sudden change we will significantly reduce Opening Statements. We will do 10 minutes so we can get right to questions. Witnesses, please keep your oral statements as brief as possible. At 11 45 we will recess the hearing and work with the agencies to determine when the witnesses can return. With that i recognize myself for a few remarks. I want to thank everyone for being at this hearing. Our thoughts go out to everyone and our colleagues representative meadows and representative gosar who cannot participate here today. Were now in the middle of a Glob
And joint chiefs of staff chair general mark milley were on capitol hill to testify on the president s 2021 budget request for the pentagon. They were also asked about military modernization efforts and defense funds being diverted from border wall construction being diverted for border wall construction. [indiscernible conversations] [indiscernible conversations] the Committee Meets today to receive testimony for the 2021 budget request. We welcome our witnesses and thank them for their service. After mark esper and general mark milley. Top priority is ensuring the effectiveness and implementation of the National Defense strategy. Unfortunately under the last administration, we asked our military to do more with less, and that got us into trouble and 2017. 12 we lost 150 billion to sequestration. Our forces were devastated. I think we all understand that. As a result, when President Trump came to office, he a country in crisis. Rican military and crisis, thankfully he delivered on his