Good morning, everyone, and welcome to brookings. Im mike ohanlon, here to welcome you about a discussion with possible wartime scenarios with russia and or china. This panel has a lot of expertise on these subjects. Im going to briefly introduce folks in a minute and hand the baton, so to speak, over to my good friend and colleague jung pak, who will be our moderator. Shell pose questions to the panelists. Were talk amongst ourselves for the first half of this 90minute event then go to you. The panelists have all been kind enough, as well as jung as moderator, to allow me to use my new book the senkaku paradox as the spring board for this discussion, but only the spring board, and the conversation will range much more widely. But let me just say a brief word of introduction to the subject before introducing them. Just so you know, at least where our starting point is in this project and this conversation today. I think back to something that my good friend Lieutenant General John Whis
Tomorrow. His cancer prognosis remains excellent. We will update as more information comes available regarding his status and we will wish him a speedy recovery. Symmetry austin were no longer travel to brussels this week as originally scheduled, wednesdays Ukraine Defense Contact Group will continue, albeit virtually. Secretary austen intends to participate in the virtual meeting, he will remain flexible depending on his health care status. Dr. Wunder will be in brussels this week is prepared to represent the secretary as required and the chairman of the joint chief of staff will also be participating in the meeting virtually from washington, d. C. Ministers of defense will convene virtually to discuss the ongoing crisis in ukraine and the continued support from the International Community to provide the ukrainian people was a means necessary to defend their sovereign territory. U. S. Permanent representative julie smith will represent secretary austin at the nato defense ministerial
All anaheim shall be equally allocated between the parties and in event shall debate continue beyond 11 50 a. M. Each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip shall be limited to five minutes. The chair recognizes the gentleman from massachusetts, mr. Mcgovern, for five minutes. Mr. Speaker, yesterday President Trump released the most reckless and heartless budget i have ever seen in my life. It slshes virtually every worthwhile program, programs that help the middle class, soonors, and veterans. But what i find particularly offensive and troubling, is his budget is a radical assault on People Living in poverty or on the edge. It cuts medicaid, housing assistance, Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. The trump budget also decimates the supplemental nutrition assistance program, known as snap, our nations first line of defense against hunger. It cuts the program by 193 billion over 10 years, thats a 25 reduction. President trump makes these ruthles
Pure navy bill, it will devastate some part of the navy either our shipbuilding or readiness or something, because the high cost of these and because we dont recapitalize them very often. If you look back in history there is precedent for either making this a National Program because it is the most survivable leg of our deterrence or building another ship to accommodate it. The freedom in the early 60s to late 60s and the maritime maybe in 72 it was increased pretty dramatically to build these submarines. To show you in 76 to 80, the navy ship fund doubled. Our fleet still climbed by 40 because it simply wasnt enough to do both. Admiral green . Senator, first of all i think its a great start. I think we need to pursue clarity of the intent of the congress. What i mean by that is the legal ramifications for sources of the fundings we could put in there. Is it just other Navy Shipbuilding accounts . Is it just other navy appropriations, or do we mean the whole department of defense could
Those are not easy things. The last thing, theres four parts to the department of defense. There are the four services, the three departments. Army, navy, air force. But theres also the department of defense. Can i take a shot at that, sir . Whoever. Im going to defend my two Service Chiefs here. Their staffs have not grown. Were not growing. The staffs are staying steady. Were doing a 20 reduction in headquarters staff. But, again its what we call the fourth estate. The department of defense agencies. So thats where the growth is coming. Its not in the department. Thank you. Let me go back to my questions. Admiral, we sort of decided on this rebalance to asia before the latest provocations from russia. If sequestration returns in october, what sort of gaps will this create towards rebalance strategy. One of the Top Priorities we have is presence. You wont see a Budget Reduction in our forward presence. Japan, singapore and guam will continue to increase. We are increasing the forces i