General to hear about the proposal for the department of defense. I will start with some good news or start by thanking the witnesses for being here and further service to the country. Both served their country in various capacities for a long time, not an easy thing to do. I appreciate that and look forward to continuing to work with you. Unlike last year, we have a budget agreement, and last year we spend a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to run while anything in the government but certainly the department of defense without Appropriations Bills in a timely manner. Last year we were off by 3. 5 months, Something Like that thats better than drifting into the next year. We did get appropriation bills done by december of last year which gives some predictability to the department i think that is enormously important. This year we hope to come a little closer to october 1 certainly on the authorizing bill that also the appropriation bill but most importantly, we have a budg
I will start with some good news well, first of all, i will start with thinking our witnesses for being here and thanking them for their service to our country. Further service to the country. Both served their country in various capacities for a long time, not an easy thing to do. I appreciate that and look forward to continuing to work with you. Unlike last year, we have a budget agreement, and last year we spend a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to run while anything in the government but certainly the department of defense without Appropriations Bills in a timely manner. Last year we were off by 3. 5 months, Something Like that thats better than drifting into the next year. We did get appropriation bills done by december of last year which gives some predictability to the department i think that is enormously important. This year we hope to come a little closer to october 1 certainly on the authorizing bill that also the appropriation bill but most importantly, we hav
Cochair of our Organization Former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. [applause] and you will be hearing from secretary rice in about half an hour she will be one of our conversationalists our good friend could not be here to the former secretary of defense bill and janet cohen. Welcome. [applause] and those that are involved in every effort across partisan lines and that is former National Security advisor. And rahm emanuel we have worked together i think all of us agree the relationship with china will be the greatest challenge we face as a country in the next several decades. And in that relationship to establish full diplomatic relations, ed jimmy carter and Deng Xiaoping but most of that time to the democratic administrations, we all felt that we were seeking cooperation with china that was the basic strategy in recent years there is no question that both countries have swung from cooperation to a strategy of competition and that gets to the heart of our Vital National interest
Cochair of our organization, Condoleezza Rice. [applause]er you will be hearing from secretary rice in half an hour she is one of the conversationalists. The other chair could not be here but he is very much a part of this effort perk i want to pay tribute to former secretary of defense mr. Bill and janet cohen. Welcome secretary. [applause] and i also want to paid tribute who embodies bipartisanship every effort across partisan lines is a National Security advisor as well. My close friend as one of the people doing the interviews the subject is china. All of us agree our relationship is the greatest challenge that we face as a country in the next several decades. It is an important moment in that relationship jimmy carter and deng xiaoping. For most of that time republican and democratic administrations. We all felt that we felt we wereth seeking cooperation with chinese and they felt the same way. In recent years there is no question that both countries have swung from cooperation to
Thanking them for their service to our country. Both have served our country in various capacities for a long time. Not an easy thing to do. I respect and appreciate that work. I look forward to continuing to work with you. The good news i want to start with is unlike last year we have a budget agreement. And last year we spent a lot of time talking about how difficult it is to run anything in the government but certainly the department of defense without Appropriations Bills in a timely manner. Now, last year we were off by i dont know 3. 5 months, Something Like that, but thats better than drifting into the next year. We did get Appropriations Bills and an authorizing bill done by december of last year which gives some predictability to the department. I think thats important. This year we hope to come a little bit closer to october 1st. Certainly on the authorizing bill, but also in the appropriations bill. Most importantly, we have a budget number. And hopefully we can get that pre