Hegseth, Caine testify on Trump's funding request before Senate as Iran war reignites

[0:00] billion dollars more on gas since this war began that is over 550 dollars more per household [0:08] fertilizer costs skyrocketed in the middle of spring planting crushing farmers operating on [0:13] extremely thin margins and costing families more on just about everything they buy at the grocery [0:19] store the costs of this war have been astronomical and what it is what has it been for what has [0:27] actually been achieved we hear a different rationale for this war every few days it was about preempting [0:35] imminent threats which we now know did not exist it was about regime change then liberating the [0:42] iranian people it was about destroying iran's nuclear program and its navy and at one point it [0:48] was about taking out its ballistic missiles until that is until the president decided that actually [0:54] and i quote it's a little bit unfair for them not to have some trump has even suggested the war is [1:00] about taking iran's oil to quote make a fortune and now the united states primary strategic objective [1:08] seems to be to actually just reopen the strait of hormuz which of course was fully open toll-free [1:16] before this war began president trump has by any objective measure failed to achieve his goals our [1:23] country is no safer or better off than before the war in fact we are considerably less safe our [1:30] stockpiles have been depleted and it will take years of production to fully replenish them no matter [1:36] how much money is thrown at this problem our global force posture is much weaker and as assets have been [1:43] moved now to the middle east and we are now much further away from a long-term solution to halt iran's [1:49] nuclear program than we were before trump ripped up the deal that president obama negotiated which secured [1:56] actual measurable commitments and progress without ever starting a costly war in fact there are new [2:03] reports that iran may have moved nuclear assets into a mountain bunker which raises concerns about [2:10] whether iran might restart its program it used to be a pretty somber and serious thing a president [2:17] taking america to war and costing lives and taxpayer dollars but this president has been downright [2:25] flippant the people i represent worry trump's thinks this is all a game and has sent men and women into [2:31] harm's way without any sort of plan and now that he's driven that car into the ditch he wants taxpayers [2:38] to bail him out as the daughter of a world war ii veteran and a purple heart recipient the way this white [2:45] house has blissfully operated with no plan for success is disrespectful to our men and women in uniform [2:53] these are patriots they are highly trained and have sacrificed tremendously to keep us safe [3:00] they shouldn't be forced to put a show on for the president's birthday parade or do the job of border [3:05] patrol agents or risk their lives in a disastrous war that the president clearly failed to think through [3:12] and as a u.s senator this administration's refusal to explain what it is doing or how this war is [3:18] protecting americans its refusal to seek authorization from congress and its expectation that americans will [3:27] now just pay for it all without any explanation or transparency is disrespectful and it's insulting to [3:34] the people back home that all of us represent so here we are five months later the strait is closed the [3:41] ceasefire hasn't just disintegrated this this war is now spiraling out of control again the president [3:48] is threatening escalation and war crimes and suggesting this could be another forever war [3:54] he has told us over 40 times now that a deal is near and the war will be over soon but now he is asking [4:02] for 70 billion dollars more and for us to just trust him it'll work out fine look i've been very clear my [4:10] democratic colleagues and i will do absolutely everything to ensure that we do take care of [4:16] our service members and keep this country safe chairman kane i hope you know that every democrat [4:22] on this committee deeply respects the sacrifices that you and our service members and their families are [4:29] making everyone who signed up to serve our country deserves to be more than an afterthought in a war that [4:36] the president decided to launch despite all the blinking red warnings but my colleagues and i cannot [4:42] and will not support rubber stamping a request to bankroll this war and whatever other misadventures [4:49] trump wants to get us into next the american people want to see a quick and strategic end to this war [4:58] not 70 billion dollars of their tax dollars sent to keep it going and i want to make a few important points [5:06] first the president's request is not even a primarily a primarily a request to cover [5:11] the costs of the iran war this request is chock full of asks to fund unrelated [5:18] dod priorities which should be considered through our annual appropriations process [5:22] not in an emergency supplemental and that includes almost a billion dollars for southcom [5:29] nearly a billion dollars to keep deploying the national guard here in dc [5:33] and more than a billion dollars for the southern southern border secondly president trump is making [5:39] this request as the pentagon has a record-breaking one trillion dollar total budget for fy26 including [5:47] over 75 billion it is it has in unspent money from republicans big ugly bill understand you may have [5:56] mismanaged your budget secretary hagseth but you have to do your due diligence to fix the cash flow [6:03] problems you've caused before asking taxpayers for more third that the president is now asking for all of [6:11] us to approve tens of billions of dollars in new funding for the war while his administration still has [6:19] yet to share actual cost estimates essential information to justify this request and a plan [6:27] for where on earth this conflict goes next this administration is either hiding the truth from [6:32] congress and the american people or if you take at face value what they've said and in the few briefings [6:38] that we've had they have no idea what is going on and no plan to write the ship neither of which is acceptable [6:46] now trump is also asking congress for over 10 billion dollars to help struggling american farmers who [6:52] have been crushed first by the tariffs and then by this war which has shot fertilizer and diesel costs [6:58] through the roof i'm digging into that request but let me be clear as we're looking at what farmers might [7:04] need to weather trump's storm we must also help families put food on the table and to do that we should [7:11] delay and ultimately reverse republicans deep cuts to snap which have already kicked at least one million [7:18] kids off of food assistance finally trump has also requested and i had to read this one twice to believe [7:27] 1.3 billion dollars in new funding for the state department for global health and humanitarian needs [7:34] at the very same time his administration is withholding more than twice that amount in funding [7:40] that has already been signed into law and is available for the same purpose he's also asking [7:46] for authorities to make u.s taxpayer dollars subsidize the venezuelan oil industry and to finance the [7:53] establishment of private investment funds like the one he just handed over to one of his ballroom donors [7:59] unfortunately secretary rubio is not here with us today to explain those requests to talk about how this [8:05] war forced one of the largest evacuations of our diplomatic posts ever or to explain whether as a [8:12] national security advisor he still thinks this war is quote the right decision and whether he still [8:18] still quote believes in it strongly so this is really a request to make taxpayers pay for the president's [8:24] reckless decisions from the iran war to his trade wars to his global health cuts all while doing nothing to [8:30] help our families back home who are suffering because of those decisions and that that is what we [8:36] should be focused on helping people because as senator padilla and others on both sides of the aisle will [8:42] tell us shortly there are urgent domestic needs that we should be addressing instead of sending more money [8:49] for trump to drop bombs overseas priorities like disaster relief for our communities that have [8:54] been ravaged by the unthinkable or taking action to lower families costs you know what's the crisis right [9:01] the fact that there are families i hear from back home who are working full time and still being [9:07] forced to decide whether to skip meals so they finally can buy their kids a pair of shoes you know [9:12] what's the crisis the fact that hospitals are shutting down and kids are going hungry because of republicans [9:18] cuts instead of bankrolling the president's war or sending ice 70 billion dollars my colleagues on the [9:25] other side of the aisle could work with us to quadruple our investments to cure cancer or help families [9:31] afford child care or help them afford to cool their homes those are policy choices and republican [9:37] leadership has chosen to focus on funding war and ice endlessly without a single cent for our american [9:44] families so let me close with this this president says we can afford can't afford health care we [9:50] can't afford child care we can't afford housing but somehow we can always afford another war no price [9:57] tag on that families in washington state are skipping doctor's visits so they can afford groceries trump [10:03] wants to congress to cut him a blank check for a war that no one supports the american people [10:09] interest us to spend their taxpayer dollars strategically and thoughtfully this is a huge [10:15] responsibility so let me be clear i'm ready to work with my colleagues in a bipartisan way as always to [10:23] address the needs of our nation and the american people but i hope we can have real conversations about [10:29] why there seems to always be money for trump's wars but never money for the families back home who are [10:35] desperate for a little relief so i look forward to today's discussion thank you i will now introduce [10:43] our first panel of witnesses today we're going to be hearing first from our colleagues senator mike rounds [10:52] of south dakota senator ted budd of north carolina and senator alex padilla of california i welcome [11:02] all of you and senator rounds will begin with you first chair collins vice chair murray and members [11:11] of the committee thank you for the opportunity to highlight why food security and national security [11:17] go hand in hand i'd also like to thank the trump administration for recognizing that input pressures [11:23] have made it more difficult for american farmers to support their own operations in south dakota farming and [11:31] ranching is more than a job it's a way of life built on hard work stewardship and the [11:36] hope of leaving the land better for the next generation feeding and fueling the world has never been [11:42] easy producers continue showing up year after year despite drought floods disease pests volatile markets [11:50] and other challenges beyond their control this supplemental funding request comes at a critical time [11:57] farmers and ranchers are facing production costs that exceed market returns higher fertilizer diesel fuel [12:05] seed equipment and crop protection costs coupled with retaliatory trade practices and continued market [12:12] uncertainty have put enormous finance have put enormous financial pressure on producers specifically [12:20] the projected loss per acre across the country in 2026 for corn is 131 dollars for cotton 342 dollars [12:32] for wheat 114 dollars and for soybeans 80 dollars while we work to strengthen america's ability to produce [12:41] more of what we need here at home and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains congress should provide [12:48] stability so producers can remain in business and continue producing the best food and fuel in the world [12:57] today's threats extend well beyond weather and markets foreign adversaries cyber threats industry consolidation [13:05] arbitrary standards and unfair trade practices impact farmers ability to produce food fiber and fuel food [13:14] security energy security and national security are connected we also have an opportunity to strengthen both [13:22] agriculture and agriculture and energy security by permanently authorizing voluntary access to nationwide [13:30] year-round sales of e15 giving consumers the option to choose a higher ethanol blend would increase [13:38] domestic fuel production expand markets for corn growers reduce reliance on foreign energy sources [13:45] and provide families with lower cost options at the pump given the significant defense investments [13:51] included in this supplemental i also want to emphasize the importance of fully funding our national defense [13:58] we are living in one of the most complex and lethal threat environments since the second world war and the [14:04] brave men and women who volunteer to defend this country deserve the leadership training and equipment [14:12] along with resources necessary to maintain america's military advantage protecting america's food supply energy supply [14:21] and national defense are not separate priorities they reinforce one another this supplemental provides [14:29] needed assistance to help farm and ranch families endure today's economic challenges while congress and the [14:35] administration continue advancing long-term policies that strengthen american agriculture [14:43] i urge my colleagues to support this supplemental request to provide stability to our ag producers [14:50] at this time thank you madam chair thank you senator browns senator budd chair collins vice [15:01] chair murray members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to testify this afternoon to [15:06] provide a voice for the people in western north carolina more than 21 months ago hurricane helene [15:12] unleashed an unprecedented amount of rainfall on the blue ridge mountains causing severe flooding [15:18] and devastating landslides the storm left behind tens of billions in damage in december 2024 congress responded [15:27] by approving a disaster supplemental that provided billions of dollars to western north carolina recovery [15:34] additionally north carolina's state government stepped up by committing roughly 2.4 billion dollars [15:40] in state appropriations and redirecting more than 2 billion dollars from state agencies for reconstruction but [15:47] the blue ridge mountains challenging terrain has made it uniquely difficult for federal programs to operate [15:53] resulting in delays and inefficiencies and there's still work to be done too many projects in western [16:00] north carolina have stalled due to insufficient funding or because of financial shortfalls from expensive debris [16:07] removal and rebuilding efforts i greatly appreciate that president trump and secretary mullen have empowered fema [16:14] to more rapidly reimburse the state and local governments for public assistance projects however fema is [16:20] only one part of the equation the environmental protection agency department of housing and urban [16:26] development and other federal agencies play a key role in disaster recovery and much of the existing [16:32] disaster funding for those agencies has already largely been allocated when i visit western north carolina [16:39] i see the impacts the delays into recovery have recall have caused debris still clogs the waterways [16:46] facilities that provide drinking water and manage wastewater have yet to be rebuilt most concerning [16:52] some homeowners are paying mortgages on properties that are still unlivable or yet to be rebuilt towns [16:59] have been forced to embrace expensive short-term stopgap solutions just to carry out their most basic [17:05] functions for the residents in the small town of beach mountain there is no long-term water supply the [17:12] dam and water treatment plant were heavily damaged forcing the town out of compliance with state state [17:18] safety standards and as a result the state could be finding beach mountain 25 000 per day most repairs [17:27] are needed so that the water treatment plant can function long term if funded this process will take at [17:32] least a year and require significant diversion of utilities and or daily water trucks just so [17:38] hundreds of residents will have to have clean drinking water during construction three years is [17:44] too long to wait after a disaster and we can't delay any longer tourism the lifeblood of much of western [17:51] north carolina has begun to rebound but there's still far too many areas that are unable to accommodate [17:56] the travelers they once welcomed but i want to highlight a few examples of success stories to show how ample [18:03] funding for the last disaster supplemental paired with exceptional planning and project execution made [18:09] an immediate impact on our mountain communities last july portions of the blue ridge parkway reopened after [18:16] 57 landslides struck 200 miles of the parkway this memorial day weekend lake lore reopened the public [18:26] to the public after an incredible debris removal and refilling project and i want to be clear [18:32] that i fully support president trump's request to replenish our munitions stockpile and strengthen [18:37] our military and i'm also appreciative of his efforts to provide economic assistance to farmers [18:42] impacted by disasters and unfair trade practices however to address the long-term recovery needs of [18:48] western north carolina more federal funds are needed every time i'm in western north carolina people ask me [18:55] to make sure that they're not forgotten this is congress's chance to remind them that we're serious [19:01] about helping them get back on their feet i'm deeply grateful to the members of the committee for [19:06] holding this hearing and i look forward to continuing to work with you throughout this [19:09] whole process thank you thank you senator budd senator padilla thank you madam chair uh vice [19:19] chair murray members of the committee appreciate the opportunity to testify on behalf of the people of [19:24] california and especially the survivors of last year's devastating fires in los angeles county [19:31] and i want to acknowledge that some of them are here in the audience today uh advocating uh for [19:39] relief and i'm proud to work alongside them as many of you recall 18 months ago 60 000 acres across [19:46] southern california burn that's roughly three and a half times the size of manhattan over 16 000 homes [19:55] businesses schools and other structures were destroyed and most devastatingly 31 californians [20:03] lost their lives to respond more than 7 500 firefighters worked literally around the clock [20:10] for more than three weeks to extinguish the fires and those firefighters weren't just from california [20:16] many came from our neighboring states of oregon washington arizona some as far away as utah texas and [20:23] montana colleagues because as americans that's what we do we help each other we don't condition our [20:34] response based on who a community voted for in the last election when americans need help we help now [20:43] walking around the palisades and the altidena communities during the fires and after the fires [20:48] you couldn't help but be moved by the scale of the devastation the images of nothing standing but a [20:57] chimney amongst a pile of ash cars literally melted into the streets or the drivers where they had [21:03] been parked in the wake of disasters like this congress has historically come together on a [21:10] bipartisan basis to provide aid and long-term recovery funding to help communities recover and [21:17] rebuild regardless of whether the disaster was in a state represented by republicans or democrats [21:23] but instead of following that historical practice this administration has left california waiting [21:29] for more than a year and a half while asking congress to fund hundreds of billion dollars for other [21:35] purposes i want to be crystal clear no disaster impacted community regardless of where it is located [21:44] should ever be held hostage or treated as a bargaining chip for other political priorities [21:50] californians in altidena and the palisades have now waited more than 18 months yet long-term recovery [21:58] funding is still absent from even the administration's request instead it asks taxpayers to spend hundreds [22:05] of billions of dollars more on a war that congress has never authorized a war that's raising gas prices [22:12] worsening supply chains making our country less safe and for which 17 service members have already [22:21] paid the ultimate sacrifice with many more seriously injured now we know this committee can address [22:28] disaster relief without tying it to a laundry list of unrelated priorities because it's done so many [22:34] times before including as recently as december 2024 when the committee on a bipartisan basis passed more [22:42] than 100 billion dollars of relief there's no reason we can't do it again congress we must excuse me [22:49] colleagues we must reject the premise that it is okay to keep survivors waiting for help because the [22:55] president any president decides they need something else from congress to get it to that end i do want [23:03] to thank my colleagues senators tillis schiff and curtis for joining me in sending a bipartisan letter to [23:10] the committee just yesterday supporting long-term disaster recovery funding madam chair like to enter [23:16] this letter into the record at this time thank you senator padilla i'm sorry the letter to the record [23:27] without objection thank you it will and i'll be wrapping up soon here i uh also want to reiterate [23:33] what i said earlier we know the next disaster is coming anyone who stepped outside of washington [23:39] this last weekend or across at least a dozen states saw and breathed the very impacts of wildfires [23:47] and it may be canada now but it's going to be one of our states next as of last week the federal [23:52] government has already spent over 3.3 billion dollars in wildfire suppression this fiscal year [24:00] even though the peak of fire season is august and september that's still ahead of us that should [24:06] concern the committee we cannot allow wildfire suppression funding to run out before the end of [24:11] the fiscal year so in addition to the long-term disaster recovery funding i urge the committee to [24:16] examine the need for emergency suppression funds as well and i would note that the fire fix which [24:22] has provided a steady resource for fighting wildfires will expire in fiscal year 2027 congress [24:29] needs to extend and increase that funding to ensure firefighters have all the resources they need to [24:34] respond to the ever-growing threat of wildfires i'll close by reiterating what i said at the outset [24:42] disasters do not distinguish between red states and blue states and when it comes to disaster aid [24:49] neither should congress so thank you again for holding this hearing and allowing me to be a voice [24:53] for my constituents and for disaster survivors across the country i look forward to working [25:00] with this committee to ensure that everyone has the resources support that they need to recover and [25:06] rebuild regardless of which state they call home thank you very much i appreciate the testimony of the [25:14] the entire panel as we consider the supplemental submitted by the administration your testimony is very helpful to us thank you [25:26] i will now ask that our second panel of witnesses come forward leave it to our military witness to be on time [26:41] while we are waiting for our second panel to be seated let me introduce them we are joined today [26:51] by the secretary of war pete hegseth the secretary of agriculture brooke rollins and the chairman of the joint [27:01] chiefs of staff general dan kane these administration officials represent the largest components of the [27:09] administration's request and we welcome them to the committee today secretary hegseth we will begin [27:18] with your testimony please proceed well chair collins vice chair murray members of the senate committee [27:26] on appropriations thank you for the opportunity to testify on president trump's supplemental funding [27:31] request for the department of war as you know we live in a dangerous world that requires bold [27:38] and swift action hence this supplemental request for fiscal year 2026 this request is an urgent [27:46] necessary injection of resources to address the immediate needs of our department the supplemental [27:52] funding request is not a substitute the witness will suspend until order is restored in the committee room [28:15] i know that individuals feel very passionately but we must have order in the hearing room so that we can [28:24] proceed we're now going to move forward to with our hearing and secretary higset please proceed thank you [28:33] the supplemental funding request is not a substitute for the president's full 1.5 trillion dollar base budget [28:40] request 1.5 trillion mr secretary please suspend until the order is restored in the hearing room we will [28:58] begin the timing clock since you've been interrupted twice please proceed 1.5 trillion is what the president [29:13] seeks and what we need to defend the country the members of this committee understand better than most that [29:20] long-term strategic dominance cannot be funded through one-off supplementals we will have order in the [29:37] hearing room mr secretary please proceed collectively the budget proposals submitted under president trump [29:50] follow a simple logic i would ask that the capitol police whose professionalism i admire remove those who are [30:06] seeking to disrupt the hearing please proceed president trump's following a simple logic the military [30:17] requires a generational investment to deliver on peace through strength we know the best way to create [30:24] peace is to prepare for war to deter it and that's exactly what the department of war is doing building [30:29] a force so capable that it would be absurd for anyone to challenge it as the direct result of neglected [30:37] priorities and and gross negligence that ignored threats left over from the previous administration [30:43] president trump inherited a set of global and domestic crises deferred maintenance almost across [30:49] the board instead of steering the ship through gathering storms former leaders let our military [30:55] languish through social experiments and globalist appeasement sheer weakness under president trump we have [31:03] built a different type of department the pentagon is no longer run by bureaucrats instead [31:08] it's led by combat tested veterans and world-class business leaders who are running the department [31:14] like a business and tech titans who are bringing lethal innovation to the battlefield we're also at a [31:22] different moment and we cannot afford inaction if we don't make critical investments right now in tech [31:28] in compute in ai in autonomy in space our adversaries who are already making these types of investments could [31:37] outpace us without these funds we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply [31:45] pay our service members rapidly replenish equipment and munitions and sustain vital operations without [31:52] disruption this supplemental request serves two purposes sustain our military readiness to meet this [31:59] year's new demands and accelerate critical capabilities to replace and augment those we have used [32:05] in contingencies but make no mistake this is not a one-for-one replacement we are upgrading and we are [32:12] modernizing across the force on the readiness front we requested 21 billion dollars this will fund military [32:20] pay replace much of equipment utilized during recent operations sustain forward deployed forces and grow [32:27] personnel and strength while stabilizing mission critical fueled shortfalls and supporting the national guard [32:34] on the capability side we requested 46 billion dollars these funds will expand production lines and accelerate [32:41] delivery of high demand munitions we're talking about solid rocket motors jdams hypersonics and counter drone [32:49] capabilities additionally we will use this investment to secure digital and space dominance including [32:56] resilient satellite networks department leadership recognizes that appropriating those funds [33:02] is just the first step once funds are appropriated or portioned excuse me to the department we need to [33:09] promptly execute on them and that's why we're requesting targeted legislative authorities [33:13] like transfer authority to prioritize our greatest needs and opportunities multi-year procurement for weapon [33:19] systems revolutionizing the speed and scale of munitions procurement and new start authorities rest assured [33:28] that every dollar appropriated to the department of war will be focused on building the lethality [33:33] of our joint force and reinforcing peace through strength as i have said before not fully funding this [33:42] department the department of war and we know what that means that that means 1.5 trillion given the [33:49] world that we live in and the disaster of what the bide administration budgets gave us not funding this [33:54] department at 1.5 trillion i believe is the greatest threat that our nation faces either we invest in our [34:02] warriors at this moment of step change on the battlefield and growing threats or this is all just talk i look [34:10] forward to working with this committee to secure those funds so that our war fighters can continue to [34:14] do their work every day to keep our great republic safe thank you very much thank you mr secretary general [34:23] kane chair collins vice chair murray distinguished members of this committee i'm honored today to appear [34:31] before you with secretary hegseth and secretary rollins to testify on the department of war's fiscal [34:37] 2026 supplemental funding request and i'll note i fondly remember my time at usda earlier in my career [34:45] where i had the chance to serve there i'm also joined today by my senior enlisted advisor seac dave isom [34:52] as always i'm deeply grateful for this committee's continued partnership and support for our common defense [34:59] i'd like to begin by expressing my deep console condolences and that of the joint chiefs of staff [35:06] and the seac for the fallen from this past weekend and their families today we remember first lieutenant [35:14] tyler feehan sergeant michael swinton and private isabel gonzalez and note that the names of our last [35:21] fallen will be released when we can i'm humbled daily by the profound commitment of the incredible 2.8 million [35:29] americans just like these names that i've just mentioned who make up our joint force and serve [35:35] our nation every day also on behalf of the joint force and the joint chiefs i want to express my sincere [35:44] and heartfelt condolences to the family of senator graham for their loss and all of you for the loss of [35:51] your colleague the joint force remains grateful for his 44 years of service both in and out of uniform [36:00] there is no doubt he made a difference to the safety and security of our nation on july 22nd 1940 [36:08] general george c marshall said and i quote for almost 20 years we had all of the time and almost none of [36:16] the money today we have all of the money and no time his words resonate power from powerfully with me [36:24] today as we find ourselves in a somewhat similar situation i've come to you today to request the [36:30] necessary funds while in the window of opportunity while time is still on our side the united states [36:39] of america faces a global list of military challenges in the middle east in europe in the pacific both [36:47] nuclear and non-nuclear challenges and the continued threat of terrorism we find ourselves living and [36:55] leading in complex and dynamic times our adversaries are aligning in their interests creating simultaneous [37:03] challenges across multiple domains they are sharing intelligence combat capabilities and technology [37:11] technology that is accelerating the speed of war isn't it it is an imperative that americas understand [37:20] that the character of war is changing advances in technology are fundamentally and irreversibly changing [37:28] the way we fight with which necessitates capital to properly arm america's military rapid advancements in [37:38] ai autonomous systems deliver critical technological advantages to our national defense and simultaneously [37:47] introduce unprecedented strategic vulnerabilities and uncertainty across the world to include right here at home [37:55] the low barrier to entry created by affordable ubiquitous unmanned systems means our adversaries rogue actors [38:03] state and non-state actors and violent extremists have access to disruptive and potentially lethal technologies at scale [38:13] we've seen this in ukraine and we must adopt elements of this fight for our future fights conflict is never [38:21] confined neatly to the land sea or air domains the modern battlefield stretches from the seabed [38:29] up to cislunar space and beyond cyberspace and in the information domain all at the same time our nation [38:38] must be prepared to fight and win across all of them all the time all at once in addition [38:46] the light speed at which information travels now has compressed our leaders decision space [38:52] taking what was once days or weeks in world war ii down to milliseconds your joint force must be ready [38:59] because the united states military is america's greatest insurance policy and i acknowledge [39:05] us all of us find it difficult at times to pay for insurance before we need it but we must have [39:12] insurance before the storm comes the armed forces of the united states of america serves as our nation's [39:19] ultimate safeguard and our insurance policy to preserve protect and defend our national interests security [39:27] and prosperity to uphold this responsibility we require predictable and consistent funding this will allow [39:35] us to partner effectively with our defense and national industrial bases building on acquisition reforms [39:41] that guarantee our war fighters receive capabilities at scale before they are required in conflict or combat [39:49] i'm struck by this season of american history we find ourselves in and i continue to ask myself if not now [39:56] then when and if not us in this room and the rest of the congress in the nation then who [40:02] i acknowledge the environment we all serve in but always remember that we are all americans with deep [40:09] and abiding love of our nation and our military service members and their families i've come today [40:15] to ask for your help and your support america's armed forces need 1.5 trillion dollars to meet the [40:21] military challenges of the future this supplemental is a part of that and to be allowed to use this capital to [40:28] pay for military personnel operations and maintenance expenses and accelerate investments on critical [40:35] technologies as the secretary just mentioned it is critical that we stay ahead of our adversaries and [40:40] we must have the funds before we're out of time in closing i ask all of us to remember our deployed [40:47] service members around the world right now especially our army teammates who remain deployed after losing [40:54] their friends and teammates this past weekend and i again ask all of us here in the senate and across [41:00] the american people to never forget our fallen and their families who continue to show us what courage [41:07] tenacity grit and commitment to the nation looks like thank you very much and i look forward to your [41:13] questions thank you general secretary rollins thank you so much uh chairwoman collins ranking member murray [41:24] and distinguished members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today [41:29] let me begin with the bottom line up front the united states department of agriculture is joining [41:35] today the united states department of war in a fight for america and for american flourishing after all [41:44] defending america's ability to feed and fuel and clothe herself is defending america full stop this can [41:53] be easily forgotten for centuries we built farms and ranches and transportation that fed not only america [42:00] but the world too for a long time that prosperity made america strong and made america safe but across the [42:09] past 100 years and especially across the last administration we took that source of strength and war and peace our [42:16] farms and our ranches and the communities that surrounded them and we hollowed them out we made [42:23] them weak and we put them on the precipice of decline and extinction we sent our food production overseas in [42:32] fact 2023 was for the first time a significant net importer of our food for america and in so doing [42:40] we replaced american production with massive amounts of imports we allowed and even encouraged the [42:48] consolidation of agriculture seed production processing fertilizer and beyond into massive [42:58] industries at scale today nearly 85 percent of our meat packing capacity is controlled by just four [43:05] companies including two that are foreign owned additionally our largest pork company in america is owned by a china [43:14] company or china four fertilizers in america now represents four fertilizer companies now represent 78 [43:22] of the production versus just a couple of decades ago that was in the dozens and two seed companies now produce [43:29] more than 50 percent of the seed for america these are national security implications when president trump [43:37] returned to office america's farm economy faced one of the most difficult economic environments in decades [43:43] between 2020 and 2025 the cost of seed rose 19 percent crop protection rose 30 percent fertilizer rose over 50 [43:53] percent fuel and oils rose nearly 33 percent electricity 36 percent and repair and maintenance 27 [44:01] percent as these costs climbed commodity prices plummeted farm income fell by more than 90 billion dollars from [44:10] 2023 to 2024 representing one of the largest single year declines in history at the same time producers saw not one [44:19] new trade deal across the world resulting in an unprecedented 50 billion dollar [44:26] agricultural trade deficit american farmers deserve better and our national security now demands it [44:34] as long as we are beholden to foreign and even hostile countries for our few food and our fuel [44:40] our freedom is in jeopardy since my first day at usda we have been committed to addressing this crisis head on [44:48] in addition to implementing the historic working families tax cuts thanks to [44:52] so many in this room who worked so hard moving 40 billion in disaster and economic assistance to [44:58] producers across the country securing 19 new trade deals and decreasing that 50 billion dollar [45:05] agricultural trade deficit in one year by 42 percent this year our corn exports are expected to be at a [45:13] record-breaking 35 percent ethanol up 11 percent dairy up 15 percent and tree nuts up 11 percent we are [45:22] making progress but we have a ways to go administrator zeldin has secured the strongest renewable fuel [45:28] standard volumes in history and the president continues to support year-round e15 for our domestic markets [45:35] we have led robust responses to animal health threats including hpai and the new world screw worm [45:42] and have reduced unnecessary regulatory burdens and partnered with producers to strengthen the [45:48] domestic demand for american agriculture these are lasting reforms and will change the trajectory of [45:54] american agriculture for the future the trade agreements will take time to fully execute and [46:01] generate even more exports the biofuel investments take time to increase the demand for american crops [46:07] although we're already seeing a 10 increase since just an announcement a month ago and of course [46:13] on-shoring facilities like fertilizer will continue to take some time to build out but we are confident [46:20] that the direction of american agriculture is changing for the better but many producers continue to face [46:26] economic pressure as we build that economic infrastructure out specialty crop growers across the northeast [46:33] the mid-atlanta the pacific northwest and florida suffered devastating freeze losses this past winter [46:40] producers across the plains continue recovering from catastrophic wildfire and events occurring while [46:47] many operations are still working to catch up financially that is why our proposed proposal includes 10 [46:54] billion in temporary economic assistance for 2026 row crop and specialty crop producers and also includes 1.1 [47:03] billion to help producers recover from catastrophic freeze losses suffered this past winter congress has [47:09] taken similar action over many decades and we're so grateful for that but including most recently 2023 and 2024 [47:17] with economic aid and disaster relief aid with the hurricane seasons i want to be 100 clear as i close for [47:24] the sake of american national security american existence and the american future we must in the long run [47:32] in this system that has grown up like a weed and strangled the american farmland and food production [47:39] farmers want to farm for their products not for a government check they want to be free from dependency [47:46] and free to innovate we know what happens when they are able to do that they build and feed the greatest [47:51] republic in the history of man but when they aren't well we know the danger that we are in today but that's why [47:58] this supplemental is so important it provides a bridge and extends a hand to americans who need it [48:04] it buys the nation the security that we need and it buys us time to deconstruct and then reconstruct [48:11] a new system putting our farmers and ranchers first and to restore the system that originally made america [48:19] great for our farmers the defense of american freedom continues they only ask to be free to fight thank you so [48:25] much thank you for your testimony we will now begin with questions for our witnesses as you can see we [48:35] have a very full attendance of committee members today so i would ask that all of our colleagues to please [48:43] keep track of the clock and stay within the allotted five minute question time with that let me begin [48:52] second secretary hexa general kane members on both sides of the aisle have questions about the [49:00] authorization strategy objectives and conduct of operations in the middle east regardless of our [49:08] differing views the fact remains that there are must pay bills and urgent requirements facing the department [49:18] that affect the ability of our military to deter and defend against potential aggression worldwide [49:28] portions of the supplemental requests go toward paying these bills and are necessary to restore readiness [49:38] repair or replace battle damage to aircraft ships or bases and address urgent munitions challenges [49:48] i understand and i'm told that some military services face near-term solvency challenges [49:58] what will be the impact on our troops if additional funding is not provided are there military exercises [50:09] for example that are at risk of cancellation what message would we be sending to the world secretary [50:18] hexa either you or senator or general k uh chairwoman i very much appreciate that question and it's uh [50:27] because it it's connected to the real world realities of this budget cycle uh there is training uh training [50:35] right now and training in the future that would have to be curtailed if we do not get our budget needs [50:38] met and met uh urgently and yes some of that has to do with the current budget cycle and how things how things [50:46] come together but we are a department that for four years met funding shortfalls under the previous [50:51] administration it was not a priority to fund the department of defense under under joe biden it also [50:56] took the munitions and a lot of the the there were five supplementals out of this committee that took [51:02] munitions one for one and sent them to ukraine and had tried to replace them with the same bureaucratic [51:07] process that was too slow and didn't replace them in real time and then there were threats that were ignored [51:12] around the world so you're looking at a lot of negligence and a lot of uh deferred maintenance [51:17] that this department is having to catch up on and so that's why i call this a generational investment [51:22] it truly is this is 1.5 trillion dollar budget with this supplemental being part of it is how we catch up [51:28] and get ahead and ensure in the process we're putting soldiers and sailors and airmen first marines [51:34] first guardians that their pay increases that the end strength increases that have gone up because [51:39] recruiting is at historic levels are fully funded so rather than trying to play catch up and make [51:44] sure we're not losing training we should be ahead of that curve and that's where we think 1.5 trillion [51:49] can get us thank you senator kane the senator calling center general kane i'm going to uh ask you to respond [51:58] for the record because in my remaining time i do want to ask secretary rollins a question uh secretary [52:07] rollins as we heard from the previous panel our country has many outstanding recovery needs from [52:14] disasters and other related weather related events over the past two years as this chart shows and this [52:25] is a chart from your department many have unmet weather related agricultural losses in maine many of [52:35] our producers are struggling admit a combination of market volatility and disaster conditions last year [52:43] which exclude included excessive rainfall in the spring followed by a severe drought they need relief [52:51] yet the administration's supplemental request does not include funding to address these recovery needs [52:59] it does have 1.1 billion to help florida agricultural producers rebound from a severe freeze this past winter [53:10] but nothing for prior disasters in other states can you explain usa usda's thinking behind focusing your [53:21] request just on the 2026 freeze rather than on the 2025 disaster declarations that you made yes senator thank [53:36] you for that question uh the obviously the the discussions that went on over at omb and with our teams [53:43] continue but what i will say is we are obviously 100 uh percent in support of any sort of disaster relief [53:50] program for our farmers whether it's hurricane uh tornado drought freeze etc so look forward to working [53:58] with you on that and specifically understanding the larger context here that uh there's a lot of farmers [54:04] a lot of producers who are really hurting not just in florida and not just from the freeze [54:08] so it's important that we work together to solve for that thank you senator murray thank you chair [54:15] collins secretary higgs seth um your department received 150 billion dollars last year in the [54:22] republicans big beautiful bill it also received a record 839 billion for fiscal year 2026 more money [54:31] than you asked for last year combined that is a trillion dollar budget for the year and as i already [54:37] mentioned your department has yet to spend half of the reconciliation funds and despite that you are here [54:43] today asking for tens of billions of dollars more for things that you've already asked for in your fy 27 [54:49] request or that have nothing to do with iran this administration has tried to sell this as an emergency [54:56] request but it may be better understood as an attempt to skirt the normal appropriations process here are [55:03] just a few of the things requested in this iran supplemental 800 million for the national guard to patrol dc [55:11] even longer over 1 billion for the army to patrol the southern border which is dhs's job 900 million to [55:19] support the administration's illegal boat strikes in the caribbean over 18 billion for munitions which [55:25] you've already requested in your fy 27 budget request and 1.7 billion to pay for your decision to recruit [55:33] more people than the services need which was not contemplated by the fy 26 funding bill congress recently [55:40] passed now you've already submitted a reprogramming request on this that our subcommittee is [55:46] considering now which really underscores the point i made in my opening remarks that the problem is not [55:51] a lack of money but poor planning so i'll be blunt the the truth is your request does not make a lot of sense [55:58] so let me ask you a simple question why exactly are billions of dollars more for the national guard and [56:04] this administration's illegal strikes in the caribbean urgently needed for the iran war well senator i [56:13] wouldn't uh of course agree with your characterization but why this kind of spending is needed is because [56:17] of the gross negligence and neglect of the biden administration inside our department ran it like [56:22] a bureaucracy uh abandoned uh our our strength posture around the world so we're having to reestablish [56:28] deterrence uh just took you mentioned the end strength numbers and i will acknowledge that uh we are ahead of [56:34] schedule on end strength in recruiting eight thousand in the navy six that six thousand in the army [56:39] four thousand in the air force because under president trump there's been record and historic [56:44] over 30-year recruiting records inside our department since he won the election because the american [56:49] people didn't want to sign up for what joe biden was providing our military let me and they want [56:53] to sign up for what president trump is doing in his leadership and so those are good problems to have [56:57] that we need to fund and a reflection of of momentum and this budget will allow us to continue the kind of [57:02] momentum that's my point is that a lot of this request does not feel like an emergency and let me move [57:08] on secretary haig said like most americans i've had a lot of trouble following this administration's [57:14] contradictory statements about the war on april 8th you said and i quote their missile program is [57:20] functionally destroyed launchers production facilities and existing stockpiles depleted and decimated and [57:27] almost completely ineffective mr secretary iran has been firing at u.s military bases in the region [57:35] and ships for the last week how is it possible if their capabilities were quote functionally destroyed [57:41] three months earlier as she claimed for them to be doing this now senator iran is at the weakest point [57:48] militarily it has ever been in uh in the past decade certainly maybe in 47 years as they've gathered [57:54] effectively a terror army and that terror army was built to try to create conventional capabilities [57:59] to defend against a pursuit of nuclear weapons which meant thousands of ballistics missiles many [58:05] of which we have destroyed others of which they have put inside facilities and hidden in underground [58:09] facilities that's what terror regimes would do so i acknowledge they still have capabilities no doubt [58:14] uh but the amount of the amount of damage that we've done to them over the course of uh of the [58:19] these series of operations has put them in the worst place they've ever okay well let me move on on may [58:24] 5th you claimed that iran doesn't control the strait and you said that there was a quote powerful red white [58:30] and blue dome over the strait if that was true how did iran shrink ship traffic in the strait to trick [58:37] to a trickle again last week we pushed almost i believe between 400 and 500 million bearers of oil under [58:44] the nose of iran over the course of project freedom which went underground which i uh acknowledged after we did so [58:49] covertly because it was more effective to do so quietly than to do so publicly so we've been [58:54] uh in control of moving traffic through there for quite some time but will they retain the [58:58] ability to recklessly shoot at commercial shipping and that's what happened we had a ceasefire [59:02] and then they shot at commercial shipping well you also said that's what changed same uh press [59:07] conference and i'm going to quote you um you urged iran to quote let innocent ships pass freely [59:13] these international waters belong to all nations not to iran to tax toll or control last [59:19] week president trump said the u.s would charge a 20 percent toll to each ship to pass through [59:24] the state so based on your opposition to tolls did you talk to the president out of that idea or did [59:31] someone else um iran's not charging tolls and they're shooting at ships right now but trump said that [59:39] he wanted to charge a 20 percent toll we we have a blockade right now of all iranian ships and iranian [59:45] ports and uh it's it's effective my time is out senator murkowski thank you madam chairman and thank [59:54] you all for for being here um uh challenging challenging times i think we all recognize that [1:00:00] secretary hegseth i want to ask um just specific to iran authorization um the administration has made the [1:00:08] the the case that the action in iran falls under the president's article 2 authorities and we we can [1:00:16] have uh disagreement reasonable people can disagree about the boundaries of the presidential war powers [1:00:21] um and have for a long period of time but i look at the war powers resolution and it's it's it's not [1:00:27] ambiguous it requires the president to terminate hostilities within 60 days absent congressional [1:00:34] authorization so hostilities began february 28th um uh may 1st um congress was informed that hostilities [1:00:43] had ended but yet despite the fact that that hostilities had ended we were still seeing sailors [1:00:51] being fired upon um uh still activity then in june mou is signed to preserve the ceasefire while [1:00:59] negotiations continued that mou has now collapsed and we are seeing the resumed attacks in in the [1:01:07] streets of humus on july 10 the administration sends congress a new war powers notification effectively [1:01:14] starting restarting excuse me the 60-day clock again so i'm concerned about this sequence because [1:01:22] you have a situation where uh the claim essentially allows the president to extinguish the war powers clock [1:01:29] just at the moment that it becomes legally inconvenient through declaration of temporary [1:01:35] ceasefire then it's reset avoiding the congressional authorization that the constitution requires and [1:01:41] the war powers intense so we had an opportunity in previous uh probations hearing for me to ask if you [1:01:48] felt the administration had all the authority that it needed um you indicated at that time that no uh it [1:01:56] additional authority was not needed are you are you still is the administration still taking that [1:02:02] position about needing no authorization from congress at this time senator i know there's a long um [1:02:11] long-standing legal legal debate on this particular topic but we certainly as a department take the [1:02:15] share the position of the white house that we have all the authorities necessary at this moment so so let me [1:02:20] just kind of do a follow on um uh in the clinton administration this is 1999 there was a an operation [1:02:27] that was launched operation allied force nato airstrikes against yugoslavia there was not a prior [1:02:35] congressional authorization that was sought uh president clinton clinton notified congress under the war [1:02:41] powers resolution um and then uh sent uh subsequent to that sent congress an emergency [1:02:49] supplemental funding request it was about six billion dollars to cover the cost of kosovo operations [1:02:56] congress then passed a supplemental package that re that covered the uh president's request plus [1:03:04] additional military funding but congress never passed a standalone authorization for use of military force [1:03:11] in in kosovo when the war powers clock was set to run out then in in may of 1999 the the clinton [1:03:19] justice uh department's office of legal counsel issued an opinion holding that the supplemental [1:03:26] appropriation itself passed without any authorizing language satisfied the war powers resolution requirement [1:03:34] so is the department looking to that or intending to rely on that same reasoning that funding alone [1:03:43] can substitute for explicit congressional authorization senator i i would uh i would have to defer to [1:03:50] our to our legal department and we'll get back to you with our views on that but as of right now [1:03:55] we think standalone article 2 authorities exist for us to conduct this operation on behalf of the defense [1:04:00] of the american people that the president has those authorities and seeking this funding is important [1:04:04] in pursuit of that and our 1.5 trillion dollar budget but i wouldn't connect the two without consulting with our [1:04:09] legal folks first in my remaining time let me turn to you uh secretary rawlins um i appreciate that you [1:04:17] have acknowledged that fishermen are farmers of the sea um i don't know whether you are aware whether [1:04:24] any fishermen will be eligible for any of the supplemental funding they too have say faced many of the same [1:04:30] challenges that our farmers have with high fuel costs uh the impact from tariffs disasters um that we have [1:04:37] seen uh in the 15 seconds remaining any help for our fishermen well i remember having the conversation [1:04:43] with you when we were going through the process and my commitment to you and to senator collins and [1:04:48] some of our others on the across the aisle was that it's time for usda to recognize our fishermen as [1:04:54] part of our farmers of the sea that's never happened before we now have an office at usda focused on [1:05:00] fishermen and so i think as you all move forward with the supplemental the conversation obviously up to you [1:05:05] all what that looks like but very supportive of treating our our fishermen similarly to the rest of [1:05:10] our farmers thank you thank you madam chair thank you senator durbin thanks madam chair mr secretary i'd [1:05:20] like to ask you to help me reconcile some numbers it's my understanding that this whole supplemental funding [1:05:26] request is 87.6 billion dollars and most of the funding 67 billion is for the department of defense [1:05:34] yet we are told the department of defense still has 75 billion in obligated funding from last year's [1:05:41] reconciliation package is that true roughly correct numbers yes so you left some change on the dresser [1:05:49] before you uh prepared to come for this hearing what's going to happen to that 75 billion well that 75 is [1:05:57] there's plans and designs on that part of the rebuild of our military which had to be undertaken and so [1:06:02] that's one big beautiful bill gave us specific avenues but i'd have to get you the exact numbers [1:06:06] of what that is left to be allocated with the war in iran no this is this is rebuilding our military [1:06:12] from what was not funded in the past under the bite administration so that's these are this is from 20 [1:06:16] 26 one big beautiful bill which which helped move the president's priorities like golden dome for america [1:06:22] move away from all the woke priorities of of what the bite administration was pursuing give us a chance to [1:06:26] start cutting these deals on munitions all the things that we he the president wanted us to focus [1:06:31] on ship building hypersonics i mean the bide administration ignored hypersonics they just [1:06:35] decided to pretend like that technology didn't exist and we shouldn't invest in it there are things i [1:06:40] i don't know what lloyd austin did for four years i really don't i'm sure there's no amount of neglect [1:06:45] amount of stale thinking and bureaucracy proceed if it was staggering when we took over so one big [1:06:51] beautiful bill gave us let me interrupt your speech for a minute mr secretary it's my turn to ask [1:06:55] questions i've been listening patiently while you made your presentation you estimated at one point [1:07:01] the cost of the war in iran was 29 billion dollars but then added a caveat that there was a replacement [1:07:09] of munitions for example do you have a new estimate about what the war has cost us so far in this the [1:07:15] fifth month of the first year of this war in iran uh senator the estimate we have as of today is 37.5 [1:07:22] billion and it's a current activity which we've been told about the exchange of fire back and forth [1:07:29] in iran an indication that that number is going to go up in the months ahead some of that number [1:07:35] captures additional o m mill pay and other that would be anticipated through the fiscal year so [1:07:39] some of that anticipates what costs would be going out in the future as well so the new number you've [1:07:43] given me is what 37.5 billion and that represents the cost of the war through what period of time [1:07:51] through now for certain aspects of it uh but also mill pay o m other anticipated costs through [1:07:59] september 30th senator general kane let me ask you a question i joined a group of senators [1:08:05] somewhere here senator rounds senator coons senator shaheen and met with president selensky in turkia [1:08:13] during the nato summit he was very explicit in terms of what he needed to win he feels the momentum [1:08:22] in ukraine is moving to his side that he is putting a foot forward instead of back is that your feeling [1:08:31] sir i think uh the the pressure that ukraine is putting on russia is substantive at this point [1:08:38] do you acknowledge his request that we help them with air defenses as a high priority sure i know he's [1:08:44] made the request whether or not that moves forward is always a debate at our civilian leadership but i'm [1:08:50] aware of that request are you aware of the fact that we appropriated and the president signed into [1:08:55] law 400 billion dollars of supplemental funding for ukraine including money for air defenses i am [1:09:02] sir are you also aware the administration has informed us that that money will not be available [1:09:08] in many aspects until the next president is in office sure i'm not aware of that my understanding [1:09:14] uh my understanding was that that capital had been allocated but i'll have to defer to my civilian [1:09:20] leadership i'm sorry to tell you the pay plan tells us to be prepared to spend that money in fiscal [1:09:25] year 29 the new president whoever it may be will make that decision if you're talking about air defenses [1:09:32] and the momentum on side of zelensky what impact will it have if we cannot fund this for three years [1:09:39] sure i i want to highlight that the incredible work that the ukraine industrial base is doing is they [1:09:46] scale their own capabilities it ranges from their surface to air capabilities to their air-to-air [1:09:52] capabilities i'll note that recently we had the first air-to-air kill where a ukrainian f-16 shot [1:09:58] down a russian fighter so i think their ability to scale their layered defense has come along [1:10:04] a long way over the past couple years with the help and assistance of many general thank you for your [1:10:12] service to the country and i'm sorry for our losses i believe 17 servicemen have given their lives [1:10:17] in iran so far and hundreds hundreds have been injured we should acknowledge that fact and let me [1:10:23] also say we're in a moment in history where we can win the war in ukraine that victory would be [1:10:29] critically important for those people who have fought for more than four years against the odds and [1:10:33] proven they can put putin back on his heels but instead of finding the money that they need now [1:10:39] for air defenses we're putting more money into this exchange with iran a war of choice which we [1:10:44] never should have entered thank you general senator moran chairman collins thank you very much uh [1:10:52] let me first begin uh with just a statement to you uh secretary rollins thank you for your [1:10:57] leadership uh thank you for your attention to disaster assistance hugely significant and important [1:11:03] in uh in many states represented here but across the country and uh it is as challenging [1:11:10] circumstances as i've seen farmers in uh in my time and represent representing them in the united [1:11:16] states congress uh and i appreciate my colleague senator rounds for making that case today i appreciate [1:11:23] the efforts by senator bozeman at the chairman of the ag committee and senator rounds and and uh his [1:11:28] vice chairman shaheen for their efforts here on this committee for that effort secretary hagseth let me ask [1:11:34] you uh about your recent visit to the 101st airborne division you saw the mv 75 cheyenne you saw it [1:11:43] firsthand and heard from soldiers as i understand it about the next generation capabilities how they [1:11:48] will transform the way we fight uh the cheyenne has broken through and it appears to me in the acquisition [1:11:56] bureaucracy uh to deliver a capability for our war fighting much faster than it otherwise would have [1:12:03] happened as you look across acquisition i mean we're here talking about appropriations but the ultimate [1:12:09] success we'll have in defending our country is putting that money to work as quickly as possible [1:12:15] so as you look at acquisition uh what would you tell me we learned from the cheyenne is it a model how [1:12:22] the department can uh it intends to feel the next generation of capacity uh going forward what does [1:12:29] the program need uh from this committee uh to meet both the schedule and the necessity of [1:12:35] its capabilities senator i appreciate the question i think it's in part one of the untold [1:12:41] stories of our department is is how we try to revolutionize the speed and scale of new acquisitions [1:12:47] and procurement some of it through munitions and ensuring that companies pay for building their [1:12:51] own factories and their own assembly lines so that we're saving billions and billions as taxpayers [1:12:56] while companies invest and when you invest in something with your own money you want to see it succeed [1:13:00] ahead of schedule and on time also opening the aperture so it's not just the prime contractors [1:13:04] that are competing but new entrants who make uh high cost and low cost capabilities i think in [1:13:10] particular on the cheyenne and and and you know the black hawk and the replacement the gap that some have [1:13:16] have identified could exist based on the hesitation on speed and replacement is is exists because of an [1:13:23] austerity mindset again that goes back to the biden administration of divest to invest and so you end up [1:13:29] divesting in certain systems like the black hawk before the next one is online creating gaps for [1:13:34] actual operators and what we're funding in this supplemental and across this budget is the ability [1:13:39] to do both make sure the systems we rely on the battlefield right now are delivered and that newer [1:13:44] entrants that we're going to need for long-range fight to deliver uh it to be more survivable in [1:13:51] contested environments which you're talking about when i had a chance to see it that the soldiers were [1:13:54] proud to be in it because they felt like it would give them greater advantage in the future we need [1:13:59] to accelerate the timelines of those and deliver them even more quickly uh and when you allow new [1:14:04] entrants with all the right incentives those things happen and it's happening in that will that take [1:14:08] place and i think you may have just said this but will that will take place uh uh in this circumstance [1:14:14] of the cheyenne i believe in in this administration because of the policies of this administration [1:14:19] it is likely to do so just like the b-21 just like the f-47 just like so many other of our exquisite [1:14:25] munitions that otherwise would have taken years and years to even get into development we're moving [1:14:30] those things left by in some cases years so that we get them in the hands of war fighters who would [1:14:34] need them right now and not held up in bureaucracy in this town thank you sir uh let me turn to you [1:14:40] general kane the department is requesting significant supplemental to address the ongoing [1:14:45] uh operational demands our adversaries are watching how we resource this moment uh beijing [1:14:54] moscow tehran uh are all increasingly coordinating their activities and intelligence uh in your [1:15:04] judgment do you believe our adversaries view this moment as an opportunity to exploit u.s commitments [1:15:09] elsewhere and how does this supplemental ensure our deterrence posture and our commitments to allies [1:15:15] remain credible in every theater all at once well sir thanks for the question in in my job it's to [1:15:23] look across the globe and look at the range of trade-offs out there we are the strongest military [1:15:29] in the world our adversaries still fear america's ability to project power at the time and place of [1:15:36] our choosing uh there is no doubt that they are aligning as i've said before um and i think this [1:15:43] supplemental and whatever funding structure uh the congress working with the executive branch decides [1:15:49] to structure and give us the capital we'll use that capital to ensure that we sustain that sir you're [1:15:53] assuring us that this uh supplemental and further efforts uh will reduce the risk to our nation and its [1:16:00] national securities uh that's right i i view this and i've spoken to some of you uh on the phone uh leading [1:16:06] up to this i view this as future investments to buy down risk similar to what i said marshall thought [1:16:12] through in those heady days in 1940 where the need to invest capital early to deliver scale uh is uh [1:16:21] is an opportunity that i hope i hope we don't miss senator general thank you thank you chairwoman [1:16:27] senator reed thank you madam chairman uh secretary roland i just want to re-enter a point that uh [1:16:34] senator padilla made uh we have 10 billion dollars in this request for midwestern farmers who are suffering [1:16:42] because of the uh interruption of fuel and fertilizers because of the president trump's war [1:16:49] unauthorized war uh yet uh many states blue states particularly have submitted requests where island [1:16:57] has one february we had the worst snowstorm in our uh recent history uh and we've been denied by the [1:17:05] president in fact if you look at the numbers 20 percent of blue states seem to get approved and about 80 [1:17:12] percent of red states i'm making a point not asking a question this is unfair thank you uh secretary [1:17:20] hexa uh on february 28th when you initiated this war without authorization from congress the straits [1:17:27] of hormuz was open and providing vital fuel supplies for the whole world now they're closed effectively [1:17:35] impacting globally the price of oil and the economies of the whole world but the department of defense has [1:17:42] been planning for potential operations against iran for many many years and one of their obvious [1:17:49] assumptions was that the strait of hormuz could be closed uh were you unaware of that uh senator you're [1:18:01] correct uh nobody plans more and looks at more contingencies than our department and so of course [1:18:06] undertaking a historic effort like this of this scope and scale of course the strait of hormuz was front [1:18:10] and center in every single aspect of that hence why one of our key objectives to begin with was to [1:18:16] sink the entirety of iran's navy which its conventional navy was sunk now you can't get [1:18:21] rid of every single fast boat and every single machine gun and a fast boat or every single uh coastal [1:18:26] cruise missile so we acknowledge that if the state decided to become a terror state shooting at [1:18:31] commercial shipping that would be an ongoing and contested part of the battle uh to include their [1:18:35] willingness to mine international water so one side uh weaponized the strait and we've been fighting [1:18:41] completely aware that the strait of hormuz could be closed and obviously sinking their ships [1:18:46] has not affected their ability to effectively close the straits did did you we had u.s boats that [1:18:52] surrendered to iranian ships under the biden administration uh so their navy was effective [1:18:57] in we're talking about the war you started not a situation in which oil was flowing freely there was no [1:19:05] conflict we weren't losing uh personnel as a result of iranian actions so uh your fallback to the biden [1:19:13] administration is just a very very uh obvious uh excuse for what i think is probably as you described [1:19:22] so often gross negligence you did not fully inform the president that you would be in a situation where [1:19:29] the stratum rules could be effectively closed oil prices could surge and effectively the iranians [1:19:37] could maintain their ability to strike back as they are right now they just killed some of our [1:19:42] service men's last weekend um this battlefield and all the dynamics of it of which the chairman [1:19:48] and i are responsible for ensuring the president understands every branch and sequel of what could [1:19:52] happen and we did so the fact that those contingencies all were part of the possibility and we understood that [1:19:58] is all the more reason why president trump deserves the kind of praise he should get for undertaking this [1:20:03] effort having the courage to ensure that crazy islamists can't have a nuclear weapon to hold us [1:20:09] at issue and he's been willing to stay committed to that regardless of the challenge excuse me so he [1:20:13] should be praised he should be praised for souring war without authority creating a situation in which the [1:20:20] world economy is suffering tremendously we have to have extra money for our farmers and we have no [1:20:28] outcome uh at least no really realistic outcome in sight yet let me switch to general kane general kane [1:20:35] these airstrikes have not yet deterred and defeated the uh iranians do you think airstrikes alone will [1:20:42] do that sir i think academically as you look across the totality of history air power scout limits and we [1:20:50] always have to be mindful of those i think where america's area of exclusivity is is when we bring the [1:20:57] totality of the diplomatic informational economic and pair that with the military and there's a lot [1:21:04] of that work going on well the military the next step would be escalation by ground combat do you [1:21:10] anticipate that escal escalation sir i i think it'd be unhelpful for me to opine on hypotheticals what i can [1:21:17] tell you is we always develop an unbelievable amount of options and the associated risks and then my main [1:21:23] job is to always ensure that leaders understand those options and the risks now if you employ ground [1:21:30] troops to seize objectives which principle i would assume be the first stage are you prepared for an [1:21:36] extended guerrilla war which would likely happen in that area sir with all due respect i think it'd be [1:21:42] unhelpful for me to opine on hypothetical situations on whatever decisions the president may or may not [1:21:49] take in the future have you advised the president that a ground combat would be very expensive in the [1:21:56] lives of armed soldiers sailors marines airmen and also could probably lead to an extended [1:22:05] unconventional war in that area i don't see the iranians sort of throwing the hands of saying and you [1:22:11] know welcome to iran uh senator i always advise the president on a range of military options and [1:22:20] all of the risks that are contained within that but i have to keep my military advice to the president [1:22:26] private sir but well thank you thank you senator hoven thank you madam chair secretary rollins uh i [1:22:34] want to thank president trump i want to thank you for including farm bridge assistance in this supplemental [1:22:40] request i know i've worked very hard to get included i know you have worked very hard to get included and [1:22:46] i want to thank you and your whole department for your work on it and for this vital support of our [1:22:52] farmers and ranchers what i want to ask you about though is actually crop insurance the number one risk [1:22:56] management tool that our farmers have is crop insurance and the uh buy up option is critically [1:23:04] important it covers 67 million acres 67 million acres of farmland in this country it uh it was decommissioned [1:23:16] and we need to get reinstated again you and i both worked very hard on this please update me on where [1:23:22] we are in terms of getting that buy up option for crop insurance reinstated we are 100 supportive of that [1:23:30] and are moving forward to execute that buy up option uh thank you for your leadership on that senator [1:23:35] thank thank you for your support also secretary uh assistant secretary fortis for his uh support um [1:23:42] it it's very impactful very important and will make a big difference for our farmers right now so thank [1:23:47] you for that secretary heggseth uh are russia and china uh helping iran and if so how well senator as [1:24:01] the chairman alluded to there's definitely adversary alignment uh attempts to do so uh and there are [1:24:08] many ways that we deter that some of which are and and the depth and extent of it ought to remain [1:24:15] classified and it should but there are ways in which both of those countries are limiting at different [1:24:21] levels uh enabling some of the things iran is doing yes general kane would you like to add sir i'd rather [1:24:30] um not opine on the specifics because that would divulge what we know and i never want the adversary [1:24:39] to know what i know i just want to know it and hopefully we'll get a chance to do that yes sir yes [1:24:45] sir happy happy to do that in the skiff sir this so this relates both uh to the funding but also again to [1:24:52] how we achieve our objectives uh with iran uh starting with you secretary can we get to the [1:24:59] point and we're seeing continued i think improvement and progress on this but essentially where we can [1:25:06] work and hopefully our allies will they need to step in there with us but where we get to the point [1:25:11] where we can uh operate in the strait of hormuz but keep iran blockaded we're continuing to get better [1:25:19] at that but that's how we keep they'll never do anything that they say they're going to do they've [1:25:23] proven that over and over we have to keep the pressure on but if we can do that effectively we [1:25:27] keep the pressure on and achieve our objectives tell us where we are in getting that accomplished [1:25:34] senator i think that's a really good point that's effectively what we did to create the pressure that [1:25:38] led uh to the circumstances of the mou which was a we're running that running a route where ships and [1:25:44] we did it covertly uh in cooperation with gulf countries and others who were willing to take take some [1:25:49] of the risk with our protection and then maintain the blockade so effectively oil is coming in and out [1:25:54] oil prices are coming down but our blockade is staying and the pressure is mounting on iran that's [1:25:58] something we have done and can continue to do we moved into an mou where iran said we won't shoot at [1:26:03] shipping and then they turned the irgc turned around and decided to start shooting at commercial [1:26:07] shipping again at which point the president i mean as he should cannot tolerate that and so we respond [1:26:13] as he said 10 times you shoot at ships we're going to shoot at you overwhelmingly which we have [1:26:17] been doing now uh for i believe it's a 10th consecutive uh evening so consequences come with [1:26:23] the willingness to shoot at commercial shipping our blockade has been reimposed and is effectively [1:26:29] impenetrable we we uh we mount we got seized a ship inside the arabian gulf as well so there's a lot of [1:26:35] different angles to it a lot of levers we can pull and ultimately a lot of the strikes that admiral [1:26:42] cooper and centcom have been undertaking are taking iran's ability to see and sense away in the strait of [1:26:47] hormuz which has uh tactical benefits for us and that's what this funding is about this funding is [1:26:52] about making sure that we and our allies can operate in the strait of hormuz which helps bring down energy [1:26:58] prices for every single american consumer and that we force iran to meet our objectives isn't that what [1:27:04] this package is all about this this is a peace through strength package right that's what 1.5 trillion [1:27:12] has always been about a generational investment at a as the chairman alluded to a step change moment we need [1:27:18] to be able to do it at speed at scale with autonomy with ai with height with exquisite high cost and [1:27:23] low cost to be ahead and get stay ahead so that you're not just able to do what we need to do in [1:27:29] the strait of hormuz but deter adversaries like russia and china from getting involved in future [1:27:34] contingencies and just general kane for any follow-up that you would like on that issue sorry i wouldn't [1:27:39] have anything to add okay again thank you and thank you to all of our men and women in uniform we appreciate [1:27:45] them so much senator shaheen thank you madam chair secretary hegseth since you last testified [1:27:54] before this committee we finally received the spin plan for the 400 million fy26 appropriation for [1:28:01] ukraine security assistance this funding was passed back in january and now there are only three months [1:28:08] left in this fiscal year and while i appreciate that we now see what most of the funding is intended for [1:28:17] i just heard from the ceo of one of the manufacturers of the defense articles that are contained [1:28:23] in the spin plan that they not only haven't received funding but they haven't even seen a contract so [1:28:30] when are we going to see a contract for those defense articles that are contained in the spin plan for [1:28:35] iraq i'm sorry for ukraine for ukraine uh senator i'll have to get back to you on the specifics of the [1:28:43] timeline of that i'll talk to our policy shop as well as the ucom commander determine where that's [1:28:46] at well you've told this committee that you've barely spent half of the 150 billion in reconciliation [1:28:53] funding and if you still have 75 billion available why are you asking the american people to absorb the [1:29:00] cost of a war they don't support instead of asking for transfer authority for unspent reconciliation [1:29:06] funding especially if you can't even get 400 million dollars in ukraine funding out the door [1:29:14] as i mentioned earlier senator that money from the one big beautiful bill is otherwise allocated to the [1:29:18] rebuilding of our military with priorities of the president like golden dome for america and [1:29:22] hypersonics and other munitions investments that we made up front as we tried to adjust the biden budget [1:29:27] budget into an america first budget and so reallocating that away from those priorities is robin [1:29:32] peter to pay paul those are allocated to rebuild but my point is ultimately we're committed if you [1:29:37] can't spend it on a timeline that makes sense why do you need to come back and ask for more money [1:29:44] wouldn't it be better to spend money that you already have and one of the things i noted was [1:29:50] or at least i think that this supplemental doesn't include funding to repair damage to our bases or to [1:29:56] our military infrastructure in the region and i have not heard that we've gotten the full extent of [1:30:03] any of those damage estimates so should we expect another request to address that military construction [1:30:11] costs and at what point do you stop asking americans to foot the bill for a war they don't support on top [1:30:17] of an inflated budget request and billions in reconciliation funds that you still haven't spent [1:30:24] well senator i obviously don't agree with your characterization of that i appreciate that but you [1:30:30] didn't ask but i want you to answer my question i know you don't agree with my characterization i [1:30:35] don't agree with yours either well i one of the reasons i do i care i take issue with that [1:30:41] characterization is something that senator durbin said when he talked about ukraine and he talked [1:30:45] about winning and i appreciate as much as anybody winning a war but i sit in front of a committee that [1:30:50] wants to talk about winning a war that's been going on for four years and talks about strategic defeat of [1:30:54] a conflict that's been going on for four months months to prevent iran from getting a nuclear bomb [1:30:59] i want i i would hope for some perspective in this town of the historic nature of what president trump [1:31:04] is undertaking do you want radical islamists i don't want to i don't want to hear you because [1:31:08] i have limited time i don't understand you can't answer my question then i will move on to my next [1:31:13] question secretary rollins the timber industry has also been hard hit as you know by trade wars by drought [1:31:22] by wildfires by other natural disasters that are increasingly common in new hampshire which is the [1:31:30] second most heavily forested state in the nation the one of the things that we really need as you know [1:31:36] because we've had this conversation is a research program and forest service staffing on the ground [1:31:43] in a variety of ways but particularly at bartlett experimental forest these small investments in [1:31:50] research and staffing and sound management help make the forest economies healthier and more [1:31:56] competitive i very much appreciate your having staff visit bartlett last week with my staff and [1:32:03] with staff from the governor's office but can you commit to restoring staffing at bartlett and to [1:32:09] keeping the facilities there open now that you've seen the critical nature of that research [1:32:16] why don't i follow up with you i have not gotten a report from their visit so i would like to do [1:32:23] that first but obviously you and i have been in a continuing conversation about that the good news [1:32:28] there's no doubt our timber industry is in distress and has been for a long time the fact that we import 90 [1:32:33] percent or something from other countries of our lumber needs is crazy we're changing that but the good [1:32:39] news we had more board feet sold last year than any time in 30 years this year we're going to exceed that [1:32:45] target again so we're making the right moves on this but there's no doubt that research is important [1:32:50] to that as we've discussed and i'll follow up with our team and then we'll we'll reconnect thank you i [1:32:56] appreciate that as you pointed out research is critical to ensuring that the timber economy continues [1:33:01] to be successful thank you madam chair senator kennedy thank you madam chair thank you all for being here [1:33:13] today uh general uh general in in the war between russia and ukraine who do we want to win uh sir i want [1:33:26] i want ukraine to win is russia america's friend i'm sorry sorry i couldn't quite hear your question [1:33:34] russia america's friend uh i i think that depends on your definition of friend i think it's a complicated [1:33:42] relationship but no i don't think they're our friends thank you if we could cut off russia's cash flow [1:34:01] which suspend which depends substantially on its sale of oil would that help ukraine win [1:34:08] for i think militarily anytime you can restrict uh resources and cash flows against uh an [1:34:16] adversary that's a good much respect for you yes sir but i have so little time yes sir i'll try to [1:34:23] be briefer give me succinct answers yes sir it would it would assist a but help would yes sir yes sir [1:34:30] um if we could stop people entities and countries from buying russia's oil that would help cut off [1:34:43] its cash flow wouldn't it yes sir we have a bill to do that as i'm sure you're aware we have the votes [1:34:56] today to pass it overwhelmingly i have also have enormous respect and admiration for our majority [1:35:09] leader senator foone but i hope everybody on this panel will today contact senator foone and ask him [1:35:22] to bring that bill to the floor we should vote on it at a minimum of next week some of my colleagues [1:35:36] general want america to just stop in iran in the blockade bring all of our our our warriors home [1:35:50] what would be the consequences of that in your estimation sure i think uh termination criteria [1:36:00] is always a political decision however i assess that uh iran will continue to be a challenge [1:36:07] moving forward so we have to uh be thoughtful will they put tolls on the straight i don't know [1:36:13] sir that's a decision that's a hypothetical and will depend on what happens not hypothetical [1:36:18] we've got a blockade to stop them we do sir that's putting economic pressure i'm not asking you for [1:36:25] i'm not trying to get you in trouble i know your advice to the president is uh it is is private but [1:36:33] this is serious as four heart attacks and a stroke now what happens if we come home and end the blockade [1:36:45] to the world sir iran uh has the potential to continue to be a threat and we're we will need [1:36:54] to prepare military will they toll the straight i sure that's a hypothetical question and i don't know [1:37:00] the answer to that oh it's not hypothetical you come up we come home it's not going to be hypothetical [1:37:06] you know that general and i do too and and i i appreciate your discretion but we're down to it [1:37:14] we need some hard answers and some straight talk what will happen pete senator i would i would agree [1:37:24] with the chairman but the likely outcome is they would try to impose their will on the on the waterways [1:37:28] in ways that uh that would they told would not like call it a toll call it a fee call it an exchange [1:37:33] call it control they would do something that they would try to hold it at issue yes would they would [1:37:38] they try to uh to to redevent to be uh commence development again of a nuclear warhead um part of the [1:37:47] reason president trump had to have the courage to do what he did after midnight hammer is that they [1:37:50] didn't give up their ambitions even though their nuclear sites had been obliterated so this is a [1:37:55] regime hell-bent on nuclear ambitions and president we need straight answers we need straight answers [1:38:04] do we have the ability to destroy whatever is underneath pickaxe mountain a lot of senator a lot [1:38:15] of our capabilities are classified but if anybody in the world can reach anything on this on god's given [1:38:20] god's green earth it's the united states military the most powerful military in the world it's [1:38:23] all about options and trade-offs all right i'm going to take a little extra time because others [1:38:27] got it madam chair i won't abuse it secretary uh are shrimpers farmers absolutely yes they're [1:38:36] are farmers of the sea oyster harvesters farmers yes in this usda yes having to compete with other [1:38:43] countries who grow oysters and shrimp in a ditch and shoot them full of politics 100 yes and if you [1:38:53] eat too much of that foreign those foreign shrimp and oysters you'll grow an extra ear won't you [1:39:00] i'm not sure about that but i know it is not good and i also know we import 90 percent of our shrimp [1:39:05] the shrimp and the oysters from abroad well it goes much larger than that why are we importing so much [1:39:11] from abroad which goes to the president's trade agenda i'm in big trouble yes you are guys look we need [1:39:18] straight answers now we're down to it senator merkley oh thank you madam chair and secretary [1:39:29] rollins i appreciate your partnership on addressing several issues in oregon and i sent you information [1:39:34] about a couple others and you responded appreciated we'll follow up on the research service we'll follow [1:39:39] up on the concern about in kind contributions uh uh serving as a as as a match but i particularly [1:39:47] uh need your help on the fire funding and i know you've indicated how and how important that is [1:39:56] where we stand now is that uh the senate seems hamstrung that they're seeking to have omb give them a [1:40:05] number on that uh various sources say the number is probably about five billion i don't really care [1:40:12] if it's 4.5 or 5 or 5.5 the point is that folks here senators are asking for a number from omb in order [1:40:20] to go forward and when we're looking at the fires right now on my home state's the epicenter of the [1:40:25] highest risk in the in the in the country so can we get your help to get that number and move this process [1:40:31] yes absolutely it is a paramount importance especially in the middle of fire season [1:40:35] right now thank you thank you so much thank you and chairman uh kane uh the um i think there was a [1:40:43] uh a sense that the the president expressed at the start of the war uh that the u.s military power was [1:40:51] overwhelming and would likely produce unconditional surrender quickly by by iran uh and that obviously [1:41:00] hasn't happened was it your opinion as as well did you feel like the the our military [1:41:06] force could produce an unconditional surrender and quick order sir i won't uh i with due respect i [1:41:14] won't share my private advice to the president what i will assure you and the american people is i always [1:41:19] speak truth to power and offer an accurate assessment of what my assessment is of both our readiness [1:41:26] the plans and activities that might be undertaken the associated risks and the secondary and tertiary [1:41:33] considerations that go with those opinions or options uh thank you so you feel like the various risks that [1:41:40] the iran would close this could possibly close the strait even despite the destruction of their navy [1:41:45] that the possibility of assassinating their political leaders and their military leaders could produce [1:41:50] a strengthened hard line and weakened reformers that uh iran would have the ability to sustain its [1:41:57] ability to attack sites throughout the middle east that the initial requirements of the war could surely [1:42:04] deplete our basically high-end standoff munitions that uh this could affect our our relations with our [1:42:13] allies all those worth factors well considered in this decision to go to war sir as i said i won't opine [1:42:21] on or share my private advice to the i'm not asking about your vice president i'm asking you did you [1:42:26] understand these issues or have these become revelations as the wars unfolded sir my job is to [1:42:31] understand all of the considerations that go into the carefully considered use of military power let me [1:42:37] ask you this then yes sir i understand why you don't want to respond but these are these are all massive [1:42:44] risks that seem to be poorly weighed in the in the beginning of this uh misadventure uh currently there are [1:42:51] reports that we have hit the bonji desalination plant that provides water to about 20 villages [1:42:57] or about 10 000 people and we also damage the desalination plant at kesham island uh were these [1:43:03] deliberate targets by the united states sir i'm not aware of those as being particular targets nor am [1:43:10] i aware of those reports and i'll have to go back and get back to you on that if you could i'd appreciate [1:43:15] that you are aware that infrastructure that civilians rely on to survive is not generally considered [1:43:20] legitimate military targets sir as you know we have a robust process which considers a target that [1:43:27] goes through a system that looks at a variety of considerations to include what you're alluding to [1:43:32] around both purely civilian or dual use targets i have trust and confidence in centcom uh that they're [1:43:39] looking at the range of those things on it it sounds like you are assuring us that we will the united [1:43:44] states not target even in retaliatory sense of infrastructure that is generally considered to be [1:43:53] primarily for civilian survival sir as i mentioned we have a robust process and uh you know we have [1:44:01] the most professional military force just be nice to have you say yes because this is international law [1:44:06] yes you understand the international law i do sir i've got a lot of lawyers that help me understand thank [1:44:11] thank you yes sir uh you'll will you get back to us on that question of whether we targeted the [1:44:16] desalination plants and of course if so why um my time's up but i do want to express uh encouragement [1:44:27] to look at what the negotiators have put forward or advisors as to whether a 10-day break could [1:44:35] facilitate returning to dialogue that might find a path forward senator heights smith thank you [1:44:44] madam chairman and i want to thank all three of you for being here today i am going to direct my first [1:44:50] question to secretary rollins and again i want to commend you publicly for the outstanding job you're [1:44:57] doing at usda you know this is my world as former ag commissioner i hear from a lot of producers in [1:45:05] mississippi and they are so pleased with your performance and that is just truly genuine right there [1:45:12] but i'm pleased to see the administration's supplemental request as for ag producers because [1:45:18] before i comment on that i just want the entire committee and administration to take note of the [1:45:24] tremendous timber losses as well in places like mississippi due to winter storms and the tornadoes [1:45:30] we've had there it is significant and i certainly look forward to working with you [1:45:35] uh with the uh concerns of the timber sector regarding this supplemental you know our row crop producers [1:45:44] as you've mentioned in your opening remarks uh they are truly in a serious situation i've talked to [1:45:52] multi-generation farmers back home who are the best of the best that did not even plant this year because [1:45:59] they could not make the numbers work and producers in mississippi and nationwide you know we continue [1:46:07] to face these economic conditions they're not going away anytime immediately or soon but we've seen the [1:46:14] commodity prices drop and the input costs just go through the roof if we want the next generation to stay [1:46:22] on the land congress we're going to have to take this opportunity to provide this critical market [1:46:29] assistance for our farmers and enact policies that build structural demands for commodities [1:46:37] like the buy american cotton act that uh year-round e15 all of which would make the paths better more favorable [1:46:48] for these producers going forward but i appreciate the administration's effort to this date [1:46:54] including the farmer bridge assistance program that was so valuable implementation of the updated farm safety net [1:47:01] with working families tax cut act and now the supplemental request before congress but will you speak to why it's [1:47:09] critical for congress to act swiftly to pass this supplemental and the need for us to pass legislation [1:47:17] that drives the demand for farmers products yes thank you senator for your kind words a couple of really [1:47:24] important points number one as we work to open the markets around the world and we're seeing as i mentioned in [1:47:29] my opening remarks uh just extraordinary numbers that 50 billion dollar agricultural deficit we inherited a [1:47:35] year and a half ago is now down into the 20 ish billion we expect it to go down significantly this year [1:47:41] again the highest price we've seen in over a year and corn is today and soybeans is today etc your point [1:47:48] senator about opening up the domestic markets is really important whether that's e15 renewable fuel standards [1:47:54] obviously the rvo's came out which is a reason for the drive up uh and some of our road crop [1:47:58] prices in the last month which is really important but also as i mentioned bringing the cost of inputs [1:48:03] down we are expanding fertilizer the largest ammonia plant we're going to break ground in louisiana in [1:48:09] two weeks reshoring bringing back to america real fertilizer production and then also the long term we got [1:48:15] to figure out how we are we are doing these supplementals and these bridge payments which we have to do [1:48:21] for these farmers to survive but what we're seeing is just survival and we're seeing a lot of the input [1:48:27] companies equipment seed fertilizer make record profit so we've got to be able to dig into that as [1:48:33] well but as of today ensuring that we can keep these farmers farming while we're opening the markets [1:48:38] while we're bringing down the cost of inputs is paramount for a secure america and that's why this is so [1:48:44] important today thank you very very much for that and secretary headseth thank you for being here [1:48:50] and the amazing job that you're doing i have the utmost respect for you your team and what you're [1:48:56] accomplishing but i as well am committed to ensuring that our war fighters have all the tools necessary [1:49:03] to accomplish the mission in iran and whatever else that they need to defend our nation's interest the [1:49:10] supplemental request is in line with that goal and i'd like to shift my conversation right now quickly to [1:49:16] shipbuilding which is extremely important to the state of mississippi and our country's ability to [1:49:23] protect itself the president's fy 2027 budget requests funding for one ddg 51 while navy leaders [1:49:33] have said their goal remains to build two destroyers a year and at the same time the department is [1:49:39] exploring options for using allied shipyards and overseas fabrication and future naval construction [1:49:45] which raises questions about the long-term role of the american naval industrial base or shifting work away [1:49:51] from domestic shipbuilders shipyards like engels in mississippi which i would love to invite you down [1:49:58] to there it is amazing and the thousands of suppliers and small businesses they support they need the [1:50:05] confidence that the work will be there so they can invest in new facilities hire and train skilled workers [1:50:11] and expand capacity that we will need in the future will you help or talk to us about the department's [1:50:17] short and long-term shipbuilding plan and how it gives industry the confidence to invest um you just [1:50:24] you just made the case for this generational investment because of the under investment senator in shipbuilding [1:50:30] in the previous administration just static flat bureaucratic slow uh we're having to revitalize that [1:50:36] industry and one ddg is a reflection of a backlog in capability so as we ramp on more capacity those numbers [1:50:43] of ddgs the workhorse of our navy will go up as we grow that force the center's time has expired [1:50:50] senator coons thank you chairman collins ranking member murray um thank you secretary hegseth secretary [1:50:56] rollins general kane for your service i want to start with the things i know we agree on we agree [1:51:03] that we should honor our fallen that we should stop and remember them and console and comfort their families [1:51:09] that we should be mindful of the hundreds of americans who've been wounded and injured in this [1:51:15] war in iran general kane your observations about how our adversaries are aligning more and more closely [1:51:21] technology is accelerating and cheap and lethal and easily accessible drones pose greater and greater [1:51:27] risks to our troops our homeland and our security and secretary hegseth that we need to protect our troops [1:51:33] wherever our president directs them that we need to protect our partners and allies and that the [1:51:39] dangerous radical iranian regime should never possess a nuclear weapon i think we agree on all [1:51:43] of these core basic points where i think we may disagree is on this supplemental and on the [1:51:50] strategic choices made to achieve some of these core goals we're 143 days into a war with iran a war [1:51:57] of choice that we started with israel but did not include consult or incorporate our core allies our nato [1:52:04] allies our regional allies the american people and congress and the reason to consult and include [1:52:11] our allies and congress and the american people is so that when the costs and the length of a war extend [1:52:18] beyond what we'd initially imagined the american people and their representatives in congress understand [1:52:23] that sacrifice and can continue to support it i think your first strategic mistake was to not consult [1:52:29] the american people in congress and make a clear case for the reasons behind this war there have been [1:52:35] many lots offered and i think our military has executed on the core missions attack ballistic missile [1:52:42] sites sink the blue water navy attack their proxies constrain their capacity but i frankly think [1:52:50] it was entirely foreseeable that iran would close the strait of hormuz would use cheap lethal widely available [1:52:57] shahed drones that they've led the world in manufacturing to attack our bases our troops [1:53:02] our partners and allies and impose real costs higher costs in fertilizer in fuel higher costs for the [1:53:08] world and tragically increasingly higher human costs for us and for our troops so two questions two general [1:53:16] lines of questioning if i could mr secretary your question says without these supplemental funds we will [1:53:22] face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to pay our service members and sustain [1:53:27] global operations without disruption you've been asked repeatedly there's 75 billion dollars [1:53:33] appropriated but unobligated can we really not avoid critical short-term shortfalls what does that [1:53:40] mean about the budget management within the department in terms of unexpected and unbudgeted wars [1:53:48] first operation southern spear and then operation epic fury i would just note uh i was sort of updated [1:53:57] 95 percent of that one big beautiful bill funding will be allocated by the end of september in [1:54:02] in accordance with congressional intent so these are things we are we we said we would spend and we [1:54:07] told you we would spend the moment we plan to spend them on those things by the end of september so [1:54:11] this is a new request based on new realities of of of a world we face stepping up to meet that moment [1:54:18] uh and ultimately secretary but that that's news to me um that that 75 billion will be out the door [1:54:25] appropriated sorry allocated and spent by september and i was simply questioning how we have um ships [1:54:33] running out of fuel in the open seas and planes being grounded and i didn't say ships were running [1:54:38] out of fuel in open seas or planes were grounded i'm saying we have to make trade-offs maintenance accounts [1:54:42] everything our troops need on the battlefield they're they're getting in spades and beyond uh it's ultimately [1:54:47] looking into the future can we invest above and beyond that the types of munitions fast enough [1:54:53] as we upgrade and modernize our our force that's what's at issue here in this 1.5 trillion this [1:54:58] supplemental and any other additional funding that comes two quite different things a 1.5 trillion dollar [1:55:03] a base budget request and a now 76 billion a dollar supplemental and i was simply going to point to [1:55:11] a department of homeland security is sitting on nearly 100 billion uh in unobligated funds [1:55:17] you haven't requested reimbursement for the millions of frankly billions of dollars the department has [1:55:22] spent on law enforcement second we um requested reimbursement and are getting a substantial [1:55:28] reimbursement from dhs that's good news and that's news to me um and and frankly as we reflect on [1:55:35] the service and sacrifice of those who put their lives on the line of this war one of the things i've [1:55:40] raised over and over and over is the ways in which this administration has dragged its feet [1:55:46] on partnering with ukraine in order to deploy the best-in-class sensors detectors and counter-drone [1:55:52] systems to protect everything from dover air force base to our bases in the region to our troops to our [1:56:00] partners i want to see you focus on accelerating the defense of our troops and our nation focus on [1:56:07] accelerating the defense of our troops and this region and a strategy that has a real chance at [1:56:13] succeeding at the goals that we agree on because the strategy followed i think has no credible [1:56:19] likelihood of success senator brett thank you madam chair appreciate all of you being here today [1:56:28] um so since the beginning of the um putin's aggression into ukraine this body has passed five supplemental [1:56:39] bills funding different portions of that war you mentioned in your opening mr secretary about not [1:56:48] getting those munitions munitions that had come through this body quick enough to ukraine and also [1:56:55] being able to replenish those here at home can you talk a little bit more about that because i remember [1:57:02] the previous administration dragging its feet after this body gave them directive as to what to do so can [1:57:09] you shed a little bit more light as to what you were talking about in your opening well thank you [1:57:13] for that question i sometimes we forget recent history which which under the biden administration [1:57:18] there were five supplemental requests for ukraine uh which almost every member of this body voted for [1:57:23] to to send rapidly in a bipartisan fashion for something that this committee and the administration [1:57:29] deemed to be urgent uh we president trump may take a different view but that was the view of the [1:57:34] biden administration and real quick wouldn't you say it would be urgent to make sure that our men and women [1:57:37] in uniform right now have everything that they need i would argue providing for american men and women [1:57:42] as opposed to ukrainian men and women is a higher priority for the united states senate so five [1:57:49] supplementals that went to ukraine as good as that cause may be why is that righteous to do but funding [1:57:55] troops in harm's way right now uh given the threat and what they're undertaking this is a partisan exercise [1:58:02] and it's hypocrisy and i appreciate you pointing it out real quick um uh madam secretary question for [1:58:09] you when the russia ukraine war started we saw obviously cost go up around the world in particular [1:58:16] in that region we know that supplying of fertilizer you know was tremendous we also know ukraine was top [1:58:23] five when it came to wheat and corn and other things that we utilize um you know across across the globe [1:58:30] um it's my it's my recollection that uh fertilizer went up about 55 percent obviously if we were able [1:58:37] to create stability there in the region and have peace it would it would follow that then prices would [1:58:44] likely go down over time within the agriculture world as well is that is that fair yes that's correct [1:58:51] okay and when we're looking at the ukraine and russia war and um trying to end putin's aggression trying [1:58:59] to bring peace general kane if we were to cut off the funding that russia was getting would it follow [1:59:11] that that would be a driver that could possibly lead putin to the table sarah yes and their economy [1:59:20] is struggling now thank you and we also know i saw reports this weekend that it is said that possibly [1:59:26] russia and china which i know you can't comment on right now but are actually helping iran whether [1:59:34] it is targeting our troops funding and other mechanisms so i think that we could all agree [1:59:39] that ending that would be helpful i want to just uh echo senator kennedy's comments that i think the [1:59:45] sooner we can get this bill on the floor and passed um it would be be huge with regards to russian [1:59:52] sanctions um also want to just talk briefly about the dysfunction of this body so my question is for [1:59:58] you mr secretary and you general kane i would have to think that our adversaries and i believe that we [2:00:04] need to fully fund our military making sure that our war fighter is the best ready trained and equipped [2:00:11] across the planet i think we have an obligation and a duty to not only meet the needs of the moment [2:00:16] but to also look at what's to come and be preparing for that you talked about an insurance policy you [2:00:20] talk about what we need to do then now is the time to do those things but i would have to think that [2:00:25] the dysfunction of this body whether it's the full shutdown a partial shutdown a partial shutdown not [2:00:32] being able to pass ndaa not being able to pass fisa i would have to think that our adversaries [2:00:38] look at that and it gives them a little bit more uh credence as to what they're doing abroad can either [2:00:45] one of you comment on that thank you senator that's why i've said and i will continue to say that the [2:00:50] inability to properly fund this department the department of war is probably the single greatest [2:00:55] threat our nation faces whether or not we will make a generational investment in not just winning [2:01:00] the wars currently but deterring the wars of the future given the step change in technology of this [2:01:05] moment and the underfunding of the previous administration you meant you didn't mention [2:01:08] continued resolutions which is a whole nother way our department has has foolishly budgeted so i [2:01:14] appreciate you highlighting that it's very true yeah and and general kane question for you [2:01:17] obviously a shutdown is just is is a terrible thing for the department of war and the men and [2:01:23] women that you oversee but i would assume that a cr is not much better can you comment on the effects [2:01:29] of that ma'am the department's done a lot of work to bind together founders funders and fighters as we [2:01:38] look to the challenges that we face in the future and a cr would hurt badly the effort to properly arm the [2:01:44] joint force i hope we can work together to do the right thing thanks the people are depending on it [2:01:49] senator shots thank you chair thank you secretaries and uh general for being here i want to start [2:01:57] by paying my respects to first lieutenant tyler feehan of eva beach hawaii who was among those killed in [2:02:04] jordan this weekend while serving our country his courage selfless dedication and unwavering commitment [2:02:10] to duty reflect the very best of our armed forces we extend our deepest condolences to his family [2:02:17] his loved ones his fellow service members and remain forever grateful for his sacrifice secretary [2:02:28] about 190 000 people in the state of hawaii believe it or not voted for donald john trump and [2:02:34] i know a lot of them and i represent all of them and one of the reasons that they were enthusiastic [2:02:41] about donald trump and you mr secretary was they they thought that we were going to have a new [2:02:49] foreign policy and that i think i'm paraphrasing but i think you characterized yourself as a reformed [2:02:56] neocon or some such thing and people were pretty thrilled about the idea that we were going to [2:03:01] that america first in their mind meant that we were going to not do this kind of adventurism [2:03:09] and so i i don't want you to answer me i want you to answer them and i want to walk through the sort [2:03:15] of stated objectives of this war at the outset regime change we now have a younger and more radical [2:03:25] regime depleting eliminating their conventional missile capability it's true that we've depleted [2:03:34] their conventional missile capability it's also true that anything the department of war sets out to [2:03:40] do it usually succeeds at so the question is not do we kick ass it's when do we decide to use kinetic [2:03:48] engagement to extend our power across the globe and it's clear that iran still retains enough [2:03:57] conventional missile capability to attack our bases and our interests in the region now it's true that [2:04:05] the blue water navy is destroyed it's also true and you know this that the irgc has something that you [2:04:10] may not call a navy but it's got capabilities to to touch us with drones and missiles and lay mines [2:04:20] in the strait of hormuz preventing their nuclear capability it's also true that if you bomb the [2:04:26] crap out of a place they're going to have less capabilities by the end of it but it's also true [2:04:31] that we have not eliminated their nuclear capability and whatever duration we've set them back [2:04:37] actually pales in comparison to the and i'll say it the obama nuclear deal which we did without having [2:04:45] to put our people in harm's way and then the last objective which has become a new objective [2:04:52] is open up the strait of hormuz but the straight of hormuz was open before this war started and so you [2:04:59] tell my constituents why this war is going so well uh i think you did accurately portray me as a [2:05:10] reformed neocon and members of our generation in iraq and afghanistan watched administrations on both [2:05:15] sides try to project some remaking of a society in the image of america that spent thousands of lives [2:05:21] i mean in iraq um you know 15 i don't know the exact number but tens of thousands between iraq and [2:05:27] afghanistan men and women lost president trump said we're not fighting stupid wars like that again [2:05:32] and he hasn't that's why we haven't been trying to remake iranian society but simply in a realist [2:05:37] america first way ensure they never have a path to a nuclear bomb full stop and he has said as a [2:05:43] candidate and he said for as a private citizen iran can never have a nuclear weapon because radical [2:05:48] islamists with nuclear weapon will wield it over our head in perpetuity so president trump ran on [2:05:53] fighting wars differently and we're doing so overwhelmingly and he was very clear as a [2:05:58] candidate that iran can never have a nuclear capability so i think he's directly on par [2:06:05] i think we're i think we're understanding the limits of air power here because we're basically [2:06:13] at a stalemate you someone says the strait of hormuz is closed and we say well we're we've got a naval [2:06:18] blockade and we're just going to see who blinks first and the truth is in order to sort of change the [2:06:26] balance here change the equation here some kind of escalation would have to be considered and if [2:06:32] you're taking that off the table then we are in a holding pattern and i go back to the original five [2:06:38] objectives and none of them have been met some of them have changed but none of them have been met [2:06:45] and with gas at now 402 with the brent crude hit 90 today up from 72 weeks ago gas up about a buck [2:06:52] nationwide about a buck 50 in the state of hawaii people want to know why are we even doing this [2:06:59] senator fischer thank you madam chair secretary higgs i appreciated your perspective on the focus on the [2:07:13] four-year war in comparison to a four-month war with a nuclear adversary and i thought it was very well [2:07:23] said thank you uh if we if we want to support ukraine going forward i think the best way to do that [2:07:33] is to dramatically increase munition production and we need more interceptors we have to be able to move [2:07:43] forward so so do our allies and our friends and let me emphasize that this supplemental does that this [2:07:53] is what we're talking about here today it's one of the things that we're talking about as a member of [2:07:59] the armed services committee one of my priorities for over five years now has been on munition [2:08:06] production uh general kane what happens if congress doesn't fund this 21 billion dollar request [2:08:14] for additional munitions well ma'am there's there's been a lot of work done by the department to partner [2:08:20] with the private sector i'll acknowledge some of the efforts that the private sector is doing to [2:08:25] utilize their own capital to facilitize factories if we don't um as a team figure out how to properly fund [2:08:35] the department then you know we're not going to get the munitions and there's going to be a lack of [2:08:40] shared risk between the federal government and the private sector and i think we're at a point in time [2:08:45] in our history where we need to partner we need to find an ability to share risk we need to be better [2:08:51] sellers and buyers on both sides in order to make sure that the young all volunteer force has the [2:08:56] weapons that they need before uh they are asked to go do something what you're saying is we need to be [2:09:03] prepared as a country yes ma'am and i i i hope as i said in my opening statement that we will find a way [2:09:10] uh to make sure that we seize this moment and as time in history uh to ensure that we've got the [2:09:17] right mix of munitions high low scale autonomous what's what's your plan b if the supplemental doesn't [2:09:24] pass what's plan b ma'am we we will always figure things out we will always have contingencies we will [2:09:31] always uh determine a way to create multiple simultaneous dilemmas for adversaries around the world [2:09:38] in order to create time for us to do the work that the congress and the department needs to do [2:09:43] together as you've heard me say a number of times in our posture hearings on armed services and also in [2:09:49] classified briefings we don't have a lot of time do we sir no ma'am that's why i said if not now then [2:09:57] when and if not us then who and i truly believe we're at one of those moments in history where we [2:10:03] have a choice to make just given what i see on the next couple ridge lines um and i i encourage us to [2:10:11] move forward thank you mr secretary how would this request scale munitions production and be able to [2:10:18] accelerate our delivery times in the past previous administrations would sort of send the same amount [2:10:24] of dollars into trying to encourage companies to build another factory and added additional shift [2:10:30] what this munition request does is fulfills deals that our department have cut with these companies [2:10:35] first multi-year procurement where these these companies that make sm3s or patriots or fads or [2:10:41] tomahawks you priority for uh our ndaa a couple years absolutely and you have provided that authority [2:10:48] multi-year procurement and now those companies are spending four billion dollars five billion dollars [2:10:53] three billion dollars on building their own new factories that then produce 2x 3x or 4x the amount [2:11:00] of munitions than they did in the past and they paid for it so actually in this budget which is 21 [2:11:05] million billion as you mentioned it saves 18 billion over the phi dip on munitions because we're buying [2:11:11] munitions at today's cost and not at five or seven years from now when we will also get them i hate to [2:11:17] interrupt but we're running out of time we also have the the request includes uh 4.1 billion for our [2:11:24] space-based capabilities and that includes the amti and our space data uh network capabilities and [2:11:32] these really underpin the long-range kill chains and allow our war fighters to detect and also then to [2:11:40] attract to track the airborne threats so mr secretary what's the risk to the joint force if we delay these [2:11:47] programs until fy 28 or beyond um senator not being able to see not being able to sense before an [2:11:55] adversary is able to engage one of our capabilities and which means falling behind the domain of space [2:12:00] which means falling behind at every other domain great thank you and general kane do you have anything [2:12:05] to add on that about why congress can't wait i think you make such an excellent uh case on that no ma'am [2:12:14] i'll stick with the words that i that i offered secretary rollins thank you for your folks on [2:12:20] year-round sale of v15 for taking care of uh the horrible disasters we've had in nebraska we appreciate [2:12:27] you coming out and um i have a couple things more of course that i want to bring to your attention but [2:12:33] thank you very much thank you madam chair senator van holland thank you madam chair secretary rollins the [2:12:41] beltsville agricultural research center in maryland is one of the crown jewels of agriculture [2:12:48] research in the united states and my question is simple can we find some time to get together in [2:12:53] the coming weeks to discuss the situation there absolutely yes thank you madam secretary let me let [2:13:00] me turn to the the iran war we recently lost three american heroes that brings the death toll for [2:13:09] american soldiers to 18 one is still missing hundreds have been injured that's on top of the [2:13:16] civilian death toll throughout the region that now stands at several thousand including the over 150 [2:13:24] people killed in the bombing of an elementary school in minab in iran meanwhile the strait of [2:13:30] hormuz is closed gas prices today in the united states again spiked above four dollars a gallon and that [2:13:37] will also continue to push up costs for groceries and other things that that families buy secretary [2:13:45] hexeth you said in your opening statement the best way to ensure peace is to prepare for war and i agree [2:13:51] with you about deterrence i would also submit that the best way to ensure peace is not to start wars [2:13:58] because wars are a lot easier to start than they are to end general kane i heard your testimony saying [2:14:05] iran will continue to be a challenge and i think it's pretty clear that that is in fact the case and [2:14:15] general in order for you to develop a military strategy to accomplish a particular objective you [2:14:24] obviously need to know what those objectives are right yes sir it all it all starts with um uh what [2:14:34] what is the political objective and from that we derive military objectives that support uh whatever that [2:14:40] ends and as you say that is a political objective yes sir so mr secretary you've talked a lot about [2:14:48] winning talked about winning in your testimony today you've talked about winning throughout the iran war [2:14:55] and we all like winning but i think the american people to deserve a definition of what it means to win [2:15:04] in iran because this war has dragged out for a lot longer than certainly the president united states [2:15:13] indicated indeed the president said on march 24th and i'm quoting we've won this war this war has been [2:15:23] won do you know what the president meant by that back in march well senator i would just note that [2:15:30] militarily i mean iran has been completely overmatched and and and crushed from the beginning [2:15:35] militarily their capabilities are nowhere near ours i would take issue with with your characterization [2:15:40] that we didn't start that we started this war iran started this war 47 years ago and they've killed [2:15:46] the secretary thousands of americans including our brothers on the battlefield in iraq with all with [2:15:49] iran has been targeting us for a long time secretary secretary we didn't start me let me just ask you [2:15:56] this since you said that what the president meant by his statement on march 24th i think that we had sort [2:16:04] of defeated iran militarily but that is not the entire objective of this war i don't think [2:16:11] there was ever a question about whether the united states with its superior military could destroy [2:16:19] a lot of iranian assets military assets or other assets that was never a question but when most people [2:16:28] think of winning the war they think that that means the war is going to come to an end because [2:16:33] we've won and the president said back in march that we'd won so i guess my question to you is how [2:16:41] are we going to define winning i hear back in march you said about the iranians and i quote [2:16:49] whether they will have a ceremony in tehran square and surrender that's up to them so my question [2:16:57] to secretary reopening the strait of hormuz is necessary in order for us to win right that's just a [2:17:04] simple yes or no question you asked me what the overarching objective is and i would say ensuring iran [2:17:09] never has a nuclear weapon that's been clear from the president from day one that's why midnight [2:17:14] hammer was undertaken to obliterate their nuclear sites that's why we're watching their nuclear sites [2:17:18] that's why that was a part of negotiations ensuring that the next generation of americans don't have to [2:17:22] deal with an iran that wields a nuclear weapon since that's what you're leading with mr secretary let [2:17:27] me just say this you said after midnight hammer and i'm quoting our bombing campaign obliterated iran's [2:17:36] ability to create nuclear weapons unquote clearly that is not the case based on your testimony today [2:17:43] it's also a fact that the dni tulsi gabbard testified in front of the intelligence committee [2:17:49] that it was our assessment that iran did not intend to restart its nuclear program the president united [2:17:55] states just about a week ago said iran has committed not to develop a nuclear weapon which of course is a [2:18:01] commitment they've made for many years we need to enforce that that's what we are doing under the jcpoa [2:18:06] thank you madam chairman senator browns thank you thank you madam chair i had the opportunity to [2:18:17] serve as governor of south dakota for eight years during that time we deployed over 5 000 young men and [2:18:27] women into harm's way national guard members from south dakota i attended their departure ceremonies [2:18:37] um i attended their welcome home ceremonies and i attended 31 funerals one of the main reasons that i decided to [2:18:53] come to washington was because i never wanted to see young men and women going into harm's way again [2:19:02] if they didn't have the best leadership the best training and the best equipment possible now this body the senate with regard to the iranian war to date this body has chosen [2:19:22] not to impose war power limitations on the president nor have we pushed for the withdrawal of forces [2:19:30] from the theater i think the decision to take out iran's nuclear program and their missile production [2:19:38] capacity was the right one and it should have been done a long time ago but when the president did that [2:19:48] we also assumed that there would be risk involved and when you put young men and women in harm's way [2:19:55] you want to do everything you can to make sure that you get in you get the job done and you get out [2:20:01] i think that's what we talk about now today it has been since february that we now have the iranians [2:20:10] that are shooting back we haven't finished the job i think the question that the american people have [2:20:17] is when the difficult decision comes because i don't think diplomacy is necessarily working and i think [2:20:24] most people would say we've got more issues in front of us before this is complete for general kane [2:20:33] when the time comes and the president is asking for the decisions about the options available to him [2:20:40] to appropriately end this war favorable to the united states and to take care of this problem permanently [2:20:50] are you prepared to provide him with the appropriate options that he is going to have to make a decision [2:20:56] to choose from sir i always provide the president with appropriate options and risks that he can [2:21:04] choose from and those options that he will have to choose from will cost money and that's our role here [2:21:12] because if we don't do it right young men and women die yes question to you sir is this you've offered [2:21:21] a supplemental request and i recognize that it's part of a 1.5 trillion overall but is this enough [2:21:27] money to get the job done or is this going to just get us far enough until we've got to come back in [2:21:33] here and in the meantime we may very well not have these young men and women out of harm's way yet [2:21:39] that's my question sure i want to first uh start with recognizing your 31 fallen from home and mourn their [2:21:46] their losses we carefully consider the use of military force every single day and the most [2:21:53] important thing that i do is make sure that the president and the other leaders understand the [2:21:57] risks and carefully consider the dover test the place you've been many times and that is are we [2:22:03] willing to go to dover as we will tomorrow to bring back the fallen i can't answer the question on [2:22:09] what it will cost because the enemy has a vote what i'll commit to you as this plays out we'll make [2:22:15] sure that the congress is informed but because i'm not quite sure how this is going to play out [2:22:20] yet it would be unwise for me to comment on what a future cost may or may not be depending on what [2:22:26] they choose in general you will provide a plan to congress at whatever the appropriate classification [2:22:33] level is on what resources are required to execute what the president's intent will be to successfully [2:22:41] end this conflict sure i will i will always make sure that as we have to that we're moving data [2:22:48] as appropriate to congress yes sir let me come back in just in terms of follow-up on this a little bit [2:22:56] someone criticized operation epic fury for expending many of our munitions stockpiles [2:23:02] were our munitions the inventories of those munitions and the capacity of our munitions industrial base [2:23:09] sufficient for great power competition with near peer adversaries like china prior to operation epic [2:23:17] fury secretary hegseth senator as i laid out because the previous administration short funding [2:23:24] shortfalls munitions transferred to ukraine and not replaced and then ignoring threats it built a lot of [2:23:30] risk that required that requires this kind of investment so you'd look at the 67 billion alongside the [2:23:36] remainder for 1.5 that's the kind of generational investment that not just matches peer adversaries [2:23:42] near but far surpasses them which i think is your expectation having been to those ceremonies which is [2:23:47] mine having been to them and going to them is that we give everything possible to the warfighter that they [2:23:52] they deserve senator heimrich thank you madam chair thank you madam chair uh general kane um our military is [2:24:02] the best the best in the world and so i don't think any of us should be surprised uh with the technical [2:24:08] execution of its attacks on the iranian regime's forces they've been flawless um i what i don't want [2:24:16] us to confuse is flawless technical execution with long-term strategic success and i think one objective [2:24:26] that is relatively modest because it puts us back to where we were when we started this but none that [2:24:31] nonetheless is incredibly important as a critical objective is that i want to see the strait open [2:24:38] again and i want to see it open where shippers can transit that strait without being extorted by iran [2:24:46] and i would love to see that before our commercial and other oil reserves are exhausted because of the [2:24:54] impacts that that will then have on the pocketbooks of american families is that a reasonable objective [2:25:01] and is one is it one that you share sir i'll defer on the military objectives to the political leaders [2:25:09] who set them um what i can tell you is u.s central command is working hard to ensure that iran cannot [2:25:17] uh terrorize the southern flank down there and they're doing so uh every single day and night and [2:25:23] you and the rest of the senate would be proud of the actions and activities for the forces that are down [2:25:29] there the character of war is changing though like i said my opening statement and so there's a variety [2:25:35] of mixing munitions that are down there coming at the uh the commercial traffic but i would like to be [2:25:41] clear and unambiguous with you and the rest of the senate and the iranian uh forces they have a choice [2:25:47] to make and they should knock it off uh i have no doubt i would be incredibly proud of uh the actions of [2:25:55] our service members in this conflict and uh i hope we can achieve that kind of strategic objection on [2:26:02] the timeline that that obviously um avoids the worst impacts of uh the limitations of of commercial [2:26:11] oil supplies right now uh secretary rollins i want to shift gears um one of the things that you [2:26:17] mentioned in your opening statement that we appear to agree on is that there is simply too much [2:26:23] consolidation in a number of agricultural sectors you mentioned fertilizer and seeds but in particular [2:26:30] i want to talk about the meatpacking industry because in a previous trump administration bailout [2:26:35] about 90 million dollars went to the corrupt brazilian meatpacker jbs i think that congress really [2:26:43] intended those funds to go to american ranchers so i want to ask you what are you going to do this time [2:26:50] around to ensure that the proposed relief dollars that we're talking about today that those funds go [2:26:56] to american producers instead of to the very foreign corporations who have created the business model [2:27:03] where ranchers bear the risk and meatpackers reap the profits well that's right and we're obviously at [2:27:09] a 75 year herd low uh there are a lot of reasons for that but um working to solve for that number one the [2:27:16] department of justice is investigating right now significantly the four but especially the two [2:27:21] foreign owned number two usda is investing significant funds in deconsolidating packing and supporting [2:27:28] uh mid-size and smaller packers around the country i know that wasn't your question but just [2:27:32] to to answer the uh the bigger question which is a really important one but from my perspective what the [2:27:39] trump usda 2.0 has been hyper focused on small and mid-sized farmers and ranchers uh we have worked [2:27:46] really hard on the 40 billion that has already moved through to make sure that that goes to where [2:27:51] it is intended which is not multinational foreign agricultural corporations i um i very much support [2:27:58] the efforts of the department of justice i i think there is a very important um antitrust case to be made [2:28:05] here um at the same time i've watched as your department has rescinded three important rules that were [2:28:14] put in place to protect farmers and ranchers from unfair practices by the large meatpackers [2:28:19] those rules were supported by the american farm bureau and the national farmers union [2:28:25] explain that discrepancy to me which rules i'm not tracking inclusive competition and market [2:28:31] integrity rule the transparency and poultry grower contracting and tournaments rule and the poultry [2:28:37] grower payment systems and capital improvement systems rules the packers and stockyards i think [2:28:43] is what you're talking about so we are um executing an additional review on that i think that the point is [2:28:49] very well made that sometimes that inures to the benefit of the larger corporations as i have begun to make a [2:28:55] larger case and a more um vigorous case in the importance of deconsolidation we'll be taking a [2:29:03] second look at that and i would love your input and i would very much support the consolidation thank you [2:29:08] senator houston thank you chair collins uh thank you all for being here today in my brief time in the [2:29:16] senate i've learned that uh we're really good at embracing our oversight role but oftentimes there are [2:29:24] many people who don't want to uh do their jobs in terms of funding the government on time and actually [2:29:30] doing the work that we're supposed to do as appropriators and i'm not for blank checks believe [2:29:38] everybody should be accountable but i also believe we should do our job and now we have a a supplemental [2:29:44] funding request that we're discussing today we're waiting on getting an nda done uh i despite the [2:29:51] chair's best best efforts to facilitate forward and appropriations process there's a question of [2:29:57] whether that will get done on time uh in september and um my question start with you secretary heggseth [2:30:06] just to talk a little bit about what the consequences of failure what this really means [2:30:10] to not do this on time because i've talked to defense contractors i i as a former executive if member [2:30:18] of an executive branch i know that the legislative branch often thinks well no matter when we get [2:30:23] this done we just wave a magic wand we pass the bill and it all magically happens but that's not [2:30:29] how it happens it takes time for people to you businesses out there who are going to rely on to [2:30:34] build these weapons systems who don't know if they're going to get paid that they can't plan [2:30:39] they can't they can't staff up they can't order the equipment they can't do any of these things [2:30:44] unless they know that the money is actually coming so what are the consequences of not just doing [2:30:49] this but doing it on time in a timely manner senator thank you i think the consequences of dysfunction [2:30:55] in funding this department uh put at risk a i i think a first time in 25 30 year reform effort to [2:31:03] change how we do business as a department we're going to war with the pentagon bureaucracy because [2:31:08] the bureaucracy existed to defend just a few few com a few systems and processes and companies we need [2:31:15] all of american industry coming into our department and if you talk to industry they've never seen [2:31:20] anything like what our deputy secretary and our department are doing right now to run fast at speed [2:31:25] but it counts on this body and others funding this department in a way that can fulfill the deals [2:31:30] that we're cutting that saves the taxpayer tens of billions of dollars and gets weapons to war [2:31:36] fighters years and years faster than we ever have in the past so without the funding we put at issue [2:31:40] all those deals all the reforms all the ways in which we're changing our department to move at the [2:31:45] speed of business so it's not just dollars and cents it's demand it's predictability it's showing [2:31:52] industry we will meet you at this moment and if we can't get past our dysfunction to fund the war [2:31:57] fighter we put a lot of that at issue general kane same same question from a military point of view [2:32:04] not knowing if when the funding is going to come and us not doing our job on time what are the [2:32:11] consequences to the war fighter sir i'll just add to the secretary's comments you know it'll manifest [2:32:17] itself in a range of ways uh readiness capability munitions uh training uh cyber uh unmanned autonomy um i [2:32:29] this is why i'm really asking for the congress's help here for us to look forward at the next couple [2:32:35] ridge lines and to be thoughtful about the moves that we make here and i understand the environment that [2:32:41] we're operating in right now um but um whatever structure uh the legislature and the and the executive [2:32:48] branch determine we need predictable predictable capital my investor had on from my previous life [2:32:55] uh so that we can go out and procure the capabilities that we need before we need them [2:33:00] and and and those things are changing um you know the advancement of of small drones and things like [2:33:07] that we're going to have to make sure that we stay very close with the congress so that as technology [2:33:12] develops at a speed that we haven't seen before that we're staying very close and partnering with [2:33:18] the congress to enable us to adaptively use that capital with the appropriators buy-in so that we're [2:33:24] arming the force properly well i can i can tell you in interacting with the people who are the want to [2:33:31] build these new generation of weapon systems because because i think you would agree that we've learned [2:33:36] a lot from ukraine we've learned a lot from this conflict about how we were underprepared uh from the [2:33:43] standpoint and and uh uh from a defense standpoint and that we we have to continue to modernize our [2:33:49] system and the weapon systems i think it's very important that we not only do our job but we do it [2:33:54] on time because you cannot run a department of defense uh run businesses who are supplying these [2:34:05] things without knowing if you're actually going to get funded because the whole supply chain the [2:34:09] workforce everything gets held up when we don't get our jobs done on time yes sir i used to i used to [2:34:14] work in the private sector for a company who's headquartered in piqua ohio and those leaders [2:34:19] told me your entire job dan kane is to deliver quality parts or in this case weapons on time [2:34:26] with shorter lead times and lower costs and part of why i'm so passionate about this is because i see [2:34:32] how this capital if the congress chooses to give it to us will manifest itself in real combat capability [2:34:39] lethality and survivability for our joint force thank you and thank you secretary rollins for [2:34:46] coming to a high on me with all of our ag leaders it was great thank you thank you madam chair senator [2:34:50] jillapran thank you madam chairwoman secretary hexath um you're requesting billions of dollars in [2:34:58] supplemental funding for a war that you said would last for weeks and that the president has no plan or [2:35:04] ability to end at the same time this still unauthorized and extremely unpopular war has caused gas diesel [2:35:14] fertilizer and other essentials that new yorkers and our farmers need across the country and has become [2:35:22] much more expensive so how do i go back to new york and what would you say to them who are seeing their [2:35:31] health care bills rise because massive cuts to medicaid they've seen their grocery and gas bills [2:35:39] rise and this unpopular and unauthorized war abroad is a higher priority to this administration than [2:35:47] their ability to feed their families and provide health care to their loved ones who are sick well [2:35:54] senator you're talking about political trade-offs and our job is to to deliver for the united states [2:35:59] military and the president united states and we we look at the cost of a nuclear iran and we want to [2:36:04] prevent that for future generations and that requires funding and supplementals and this budget [2:36:09] and next generation capabilities and that's why we're here today to request some of that to ensure [2:36:13] we can ensure that iran never gets a nuclear so you're essentially saying you're asking for [2:36:18] literally 1.5 trillion dollars for a war that president trump said he already won you're asking for [2:36:24] 1.5 trillion dollars unlimited money for bombs but insufficient money in the american for the american [2:36:31] people for their health care their food their housing and our farmers secretary rollins who [2:36:39] we have cut snap program we are not funding the losses from uh emergencies that have happened in blue [2:36:48] states particularly that's not true that's not true false you're not funding it but back to you [2:36:53] secretary hegseth and i would like to respond to the fertilizer and have your chance secretary hegseth there's [2:36:59] no reason you are you are asking for unlimited money for bombs when people can't feed their [2:37:05] families and i don't know how this administration intends to defend those decisions to the american [2:37:10] people um not unlimited bombs senator i'm asking for the right bombs at the right time to ensure we [2:37:16] can deter our adversaries into the future and that's why this is a generational investment and it was the [2:37:20] previous administration the reason why people are so upset the reason why they are so upset with you [2:37:26] and this administration is because the words you have used in the past don't add up about iran [2:37:33] specifically you said that we had obliterated quote-unquote iran's ability to create nuclear weapons [2:37:39] the president made the same claim yet eight months later in february of 2026 the president launched an [2:37:45] active war claiming iran was within two weeks of having a weapon so when you say two very different [2:37:51] things the american people don't know who to believe or what to believe they just know they can't afford [2:37:56] their health care they can't afford their food they can't afford housing and our farmers are continuing [2:38:01] to suffer so which is true was it obliterated or wasn't it what's the status the nuclear sites under [2:38:09] midnight hammer were obliterated but iranians foolishly continued to attempt to pursue nuclear [2:38:14] capabilities which is why we destroyed their defense industrial base and so many of the other [2:38:19] capabilities to ensure they can't get to a nuclear weapon see we're staying laser focused on the [2:38:24] objective and you're trying to make campaign commercials no and that's fine so listen to this [2:38:28] you also say that you made the um missile program quote destroyed and made combat ineffective [2:38:35] quote iran's entire ballistic missile production capacity every company that builds every component [2:38:40] of those missiles has been functionally defeated and destroyed and that the missile [2:38:44] program existing stockpiles were depleted and decimated almost completely ineffective so why are [2:38:49] there missiles left to hit jordan and and result in the loss of life of our brave men and women [2:38:56] as we stated from the beginning the iranian defense industrial base is effectively gone [2:39:01] but they do have underground facilities facilities because they're the world's leading state sponsor [2:39:05] of terrorism and they've spent 47 years trying to hide their missiles under mountains just like [2:39:10] their thank you thank you just like their nuclear capabilities because they would like to get a [2:39:13] nuclear weapon to wield it against us of the war to believe because it's even over or it's not over [2:39:18] it's within two weeks or it's not two weeks we have no missiles or we have missiles and that consternation [2:39:25] is why so many new yorkers are perplexed stressed out and find this war to be incredibly unpopular [2:39:31] because they don't understand the choices that the president's making they don't agree with those [2:39:35] choices secretary rollins so you have cut over 160 000 new yorkers have been kicked off snap what do [2:39:43] you have against hard-working new yorkers children who need snap and seniors who need snap well first [2:39:48] of all diesel is down under biden versus today 581 versus 480 gas is down from biden today from 484 [2:39:57] to 386 today fertilizer is down 56 from biden highs prices are higher than when you took office [2:40:06] well all of those prices are higher than when you took office so you are not that is not true [2:40:10] that is not true senator and let me tell you what new york is stressed out about is the fact that your [2:40:15] state is taking prime farmland and turning it into a solar farms that is absolutely inexcusable [2:40:21] the new york farmers you will see i have visited the new york farms two times two times upstate new [2:40:27] york has expired senator bozeman uh thank you madam chair very much and uh thank all of you all for [2:40:37] your service to our country and our national security and i think it's easy for the public to understand [2:40:44] how you uh uh mr hagseth are you know your contribution in the position you're in in general [2:40:52] kane the position you're in but uh some don't understand uh the position that uh our secretary [2:41:00] of agriculture is in i gave a presentation a couple years ago when senator rubio then senator rubio was [2:41:07] over here in the middle of it i was talking about agriculture you punched me and said john [2:41:11] always tell them food security is national security now senator cotton who's head of the intelligence [2:41:17] committee now has taken his place he's doing the same thing so again uh what we're talking about [2:41:23] today is very very important to our country um right now we're in a generational crisis [2:41:31] uh our banks our economists tell us that if we don't start doing things differently and the good news [2:41:38] is the administration is doing thing differently uh is doing things differently we're going to lose [2:41:45] 20 25 percent of our farmers in the next two or three years uh i visit almost daily with farmers about [2:41:52] the difficult farm economy uh wildfires flooding all the things we've talked about today my only concern [2:42:00] is is that the supplemental is very much appreciated uh after hearing the testimony today and the concerns [2:42:08] we might need to to look at bumping that up a little bit but again that's we'll we'll discuss that later [2:42:15] uh the the supplemental though the supplemental assistance is important in keeping our farmers [2:42:23] going but it's not the answer will you just reiterate again what we're trying to do we're trying to [2:42:29] give farmers a a bump an edge to keep going until the programs that we're putting in place now kick in you [2:42:38] mentioned fertilizer you mentioned e15 you mentioned value adding our products both overseas finding new [2:42:45] markets can you talk a little bit about that the importance of not only the supplemental but again [2:42:51] what we're doing in conjunction with that so we won't have supplementals in the future that's exactly [2:42:57] right the effort to bring the cost of inputs down is real fertilizer seed labor [2:43:04] interest rates etc number one and if we can just get inputs back down to where they were in trump one [2:43:10] we're going to have a remarkable recovery in farm company country but then you add that to the 19 new [2:43:16] trade deals more coming online every day the record-breaking exports that we're going to see [2:43:23] in a lot of our row crops but also in dairy and tree nuts and others that's going to be a game changer [2:43:28] then you look at expanding the domestic market as you talk about whether e15 obviously all of the biofuels [2:43:34] we've already seen corn and wheat hit record highs or of the highest number for the year after [2:43:40] announcing the new renewable fuel standards so we're seeing some pretty incredible movement in [2:43:45] the right direction then you marry that to all of your work under the working families tax cut act [2:43:50] the new reference prices that under the last administration couldn't get a farm bill [2:43:54] you all did that with the president's leadership the first time we're going to increase reference prices [2:43:59] in more than a decade combined with a 250 billion investment in rural america the largest investment [2:44:06] in rural america in american history this congress did that with the white house's leadership all of [2:44:13] that together is going to change the trajectory for the long term of farming and ranching in america but [2:44:20] to get to that point that's why the supplemental is so very very important uh madam secretary i have a [2:44:26] letter from farm bureau that i want to put into the record that just outlines uh requesting relief [2:44:32] to sustain america's farmers and ranchers uh uh secretary hegseth uh general kane uh one of the things [2:44:45] that we're concerned about is that uh in the military construction aspect of things we're really not asking [2:44:53] for that in uh in the supplemental i i know that uh the success of operation epic fury uh particularly [2:45:03] for our missile interceptors and short-range aircraft uh really uh basing was a large part of that [2:45:10] can you tell us how we can help you again try and uh plus up our military construction uh in some way [2:45:19] so that we're not going to be faced with this in the future you know trying to double up senator i think by [2:45:26] congress finding the ability to meet uh up to close to our uh the totality of 1.5 trillion means we're [2:45:32] not making the kind of trade-offs this department has made now for decades those are the types of [2:45:36] things construction maintenance that fall off when trade-offs occur and so you dig the hole even [2:45:42] deeper and what this budget does it first of all it fully funds the upper list which is the unfunded [2:45:47] priority list of paycom uh a priority theater and then it gets at every single substandard barrack that [2:45:52] we have across the department uh so we're funding the military construction in a way that we've never [2:45:57] done before to get out of the hole that we've had for a while very good thank you madam chair thank you [2:46:04] senator bozeman to the very patient senator baldwin thank you uh madam chair and madam vice chair [2:46:13] um and thank you for appearing before our committee today um to many i represent and to me this supplemental [2:46:25] request is another example of this administration's misplaced priorities instead of spending tens of [2:46:35] billion dollars more for this president's war of choice in iran that both houses of congress i may [2:46:43] add have voted to end absent explicit authorization by congress we should be focusing on the needs of [2:46:53] american families we could invest this money to accelerate new cures and treatments for cancer and [2:47:00] alzheimer's we could use it to help more families with rising home energy costs we could use [2:47:07] this funding to help more families afford quality child care we could use this funding to help more kids [2:47:13] get free school lunch we could use this funding to restore health care for working families we could [2:47:20] use this funding to support our public schools and special education this is a war of choice and every [2:47:31] dollar spent on this war is a dollar not spent helping families afford housing health care groceries child [2:47:41] care at home investing in the opportunities for the american people first i want to express my condolences and [2:47:51] my respect for the 17 american service members killed in this war since february including three over the past [2:48:01] few days their lives are the price this country has paid for this war [2:48:07] the deadliest day for u.s forces was on march 1st when an iranian drone struck an army facility at port shweiba [2:48:20] kuwait killing six soldiers and injuring more than 30 others including soldiers from wisconsin [2:48:30] soldiers from the unit stationed at port shweiba told reporters that the facility [2:48:36] did not have adequate air defense capabilities these soldiers and their families believe they [2:48:44] were sent into harm's way without the defenses they needed secretary hegseth what would you say [2:48:52] to those soldiers and their families first of all that we uh honor and recognize their sacrifice and [2:48:59] what they've given i've been in touch with at least one of those families on a regular basis and understand [2:49:04] the the pain of losing a loved one is unfathomable and which is why we we greeted them at dover and [2:49:09] we'll greet those again uh tomorrow i would say in in talking to admiral cooper the centcom commander [2:49:15] before all of this was undertaken maximizing defensive capabilities mostly by moving as many people as [2:49:21] possible off the x which we did in historic fashion moving almost 90 percent of americans in theaters [2:49:27] off of where they could be a target first of all bunkers that they would move into early morning [2:49:31] port shweiba and i will quote from the washington post article of july 12th shweiba this is a quote [2:49:39] shweiba did not have any of the systems that would take down the one-way attack she had drones and [2:49:46] initial security assessments found that the base was not adequately protected end quote soldiers at port [2:49:55] shweiba have also been quoted in news reports saying that requests for additional medical and drone [2:50:02] defense systems were denied prior to the conflict with iran beginning why were those requests [2:50:09] denied secretary heads up um i would i would confer with admiral cooper but there were it's not a single [2:50:15] drone or defense request denied at any level that i'm aware of we did everything we could to move [2:50:20] heaven again in every single location an article from july 12 washington post also quoted a soldier saying [2:50:27] that the unit's request for an eagle's drone defense system was denied because of lack of assets that's [2:50:36] an end quote um u.s army central has conducted an investigation into that attack do you commit [2:50:44] to releasing the findings of that investigation publicly yes or no um we'll get you the status of [2:50:50] that i would argue if it was if it was a resource resource constraint that's precisely why we're having [2:50:55] this hearing today to speed up systems to the battlefield to war fighters as fast as humanly [2:50:59] possible it's been too slow in the past it needs to be faster the forms were undertaking the findings of [2:51:04] that investigation publicly yes or no i will i will work with admiral cooper to make sure it's handled [2:51:09] properly yes senator thank you uh secretary hagseth i traveled to washington walter reed military hospital [2:51:17] and met with soldiers who were injured in that attack what they told me confirmed what other soldiers [2:51:25] have said publicly that most of these soldiers injured in the attack did not receive proper medical [2:51:32] care in kuwait in germany or during their initial days back in the u.s the u.s military has been [2:51:39] fighting wars in the middle east for 25 years why was proper medical care not immediately available [2:51:47] to these injured soldiers and why were they not immediately screened for traumatic brain injuries [2:51:53] i'm not taking issue with the characterization of individual soldiers but i would argue that [2:52:00] every effort was made to provide every level of medical care possible understanding how centcom [2:52:05] operates the senator's time has expired and there is a vote on senator capito thank you madam chair thank [2:52:13] you all for being here thank you for service i want to begin because the last time that i saw you [2:52:18] secretary head seth and general kane was at the pentagon when you honored uh andrew wolf who was uh attacked [2:52:26] in here in dc in november and then the honor that you have given to sarah beckstrom and her family who [2:52:33] lost her life that day as well uh i think that i know that you've been in constant contact with uh andrew and [2:52:40] his family and you also know that the great faith that they have uh in in the lord above is what's really [2:52:46] brought them to the point where they are now so let's keep them all in his prayer i'm interested [2:52:51] in senator baldwin's question because i do have a soldier from west virginia who is making a very [2:52:56] similar complaint so whatever follow-up we can do i would like to do that i'd also like to recognize the [2:53:02] three most recent uh service member that we lost because we talk about them as service members and [2:53:07] soldiers but we haven't i haven't heard them say their name and they're so young uh first lieutenant [2:53:11] tyler james freehand uh private isabella gonzalez and sergeant michael uh swinton uh you will be uh [2:53:20] i guess uh greeting their families and uh unfortunately their caskets as they come forward tomorrow [2:53:27] so my question is we've heard a lot about why we shouldn't be uh voting for this supplemental or [2:53:36] questions as to is that really necessary or what i guess my question general kane is what's the [2:53:43] consequence of not passing this supplemental where do you see that hitting us most deeply yes ma'am um [2:53:51] it uh it will manifest itself in a few different places uh most significantly it'll be in military [2:53:58] personnel related matters we'll figure out how to pay soldiers and sailors but that that would be a [2:54:04] strain operations and maintenance costs and then the ability for the department to take some of this [2:54:10] capital and wisely invest it in future combat capability and things like ai uas counter uas [2:54:17] hypersonics and space so not only would it hit us today but it could hit us tomorrow as well yes ma'am [2:54:24] i i actually view this um uh as as forward looking as we look at the future picture and the various risks [2:54:31] that we're facing the supplemental war and and the budget uh frankly uh help to ensure that we are [2:54:38] properly arming the joint force for the myriad of potential contingencies that we face in the future [2:54:44] thank you so as as we look at one of the i think best successes under your your all's leadership uh at [2:54:51] the department of war has been the uh the fulfillment of the recruit recruitment in every branch uh i [2:54:58] remember last year i think or maybe the year before only the marines could brag that they had [2:55:02] had uh made their records and now i think that uh many many uh the other branches are you're far [2:55:08] exceeding uh what has previously done so that tells me that american young men and women want to serve [2:55:16] their country they want to be safe they want to do the right thing so how does not funding them and if [2:55:24] they think that uh if they think that their their salaries may be short or we're going to have a [2:55:28] continuing resolution or we're going to shut down the government how can this chill what has been one [2:55:33] of the greatest successes i think in terms of not just today's force but the force of the future and [2:55:38] mr secretary i'll i'd ask you to answer that question well you know in a brass tax sense uh this 1.5 [2:55:44] trillion dollar budget in its totality sees a seven percent pay raise for junior enlisted uh six percent for [2:55:51] your ncos and junior officers and five percent for senior officers so it's significant reflection [2:55:57] of the value we place on top of the other increases that that congress has provided them if we were to [2:56:02] have to and we're going to do right by the troops we're going to make sure they get paid but it's going [2:56:06] to put strains on training and readiness and all the other aspects of o m uh over time which makes its [2:56:12] way down to the unit level i you know when you're saying we're focused on training and readiness and [2:56:17] lethality but we have to cut back on training because congress can't get the money we need to [2:56:22] the department that's discouraging at every single level and when young men men and women join this [2:56:27] war department uh we want them moving immediately into the training pipeline at the highest possible [2:56:32] level with the best possible equipment and they've seen that thus far and that's led to historic [2:56:37] recruiting uh momentum we need to keep that momentum yeah and i would say that it could have the reverse [2:56:43] effect if if if this is troubled waters here uh and lack of confidence which we see on the other [2:56:50] side of the aisle there and and questions that i think um uh wouldn't be asked if it were not of a [2:56:56] political nature we're going to chill our recruiting efforts here uh for our young people as they look [2:57:01] forward to serving their country and and becoming that patriot they want to be you're right or return [2:57:06] to the valley under the bite administration where not only did they not meet the goals but they had [2:57:09] to lower the goals and then didn't meet the lowered goals and then now we're we don't have the readiness [2:57:14] we need as a force thank you very much thank you all very much thank you secretary agricultures [2:57:18] i'll get to you another time thank you senator murphy uh thank you all for being here today [2:57:25] secretary hegseth um the american people either didn't want this war from the start or were deeply [2:57:31] skeptical of this war because they have seen this country make the same mistake over and over again in [2:57:37] wars in the middle east and that is to create either unrealistic or open-ended objectives um you [2:57:44] said in march that the united states was quote on plan to defeat destroy and disable all of iran's [2:57:52] meaningful military capabilities at a pace that would that we have the world has never seen before [2:57:57] obviously as we've discussed here today that objective has not been achieved and is not going to [2:58:04] be achieved um iran is adept more depth than even at the start of the war at hiding their capabilities [2:58:12] or repairing after damage we have done there's an open report that when it comes to their missile sites [2:58:20] along the strait of formuz 30 of 33 are still operational i wouldn't believe all the open reports [2:58:26] senator but i've also heard you say in this hearing that the objectives now seem to be more limited [2:58:34] than they were at the outset of the war that this is about reopening the strait and this is about [2:58:40] dismantling their nuclear capability and the president of course has said himself that he thinks [2:58:45] iran has a right to a missile program um so my question is pretty simple is it correct that it is no [2:58:54] longer a war objective to destroy all of their military capacities this is what the president has said [2:59:01] have our goals been simplified to reopening the strait and to getting into a negotiation over a [2:59:08] nuclear program now i don't think you have a realistic plan to do either of those things [2:59:12] but i think it's important for us to know what we're funding are the objectives much more limited [2:59:17] today than they were when you made that statement in march so i think the objectives have been [2:59:22] consistent and clear from the beginning and i i would compare i would contrast it to north korea [2:59:27] where a conventional buildup was used to hide a nuclear capability that eventually evolved to a [2:59:31] point where it couldn't be contested and what iran continued to do even after midnight hammer was [2:59:36] trying to build that conventional capability to dare anyone to stop them from pursuing nuclear weapons so [2:59:41] getting after their conventional capabilities missile launchers defense industrial base their navy [2:59:46] was all part of it ensuring they can't blackmail us into into pursuing a nuclear capability laser [2:59:52] focused on iran will never have a nuclear capability that's the promise the president has made and [2:59:57] that he will keep i think i think it supports it is still a war objective either through military action [3:00:03] or through a diplomatic agreement to destroy and disable all of iran's meaningful military capacities [3:00:12] including their missile program as far as all when we talked about that from the podium for at the [3:00:17] outset of this we were talking about their defense industrial base and if you look at the metrics of [3:00:21] their ability to make more uh that it's been overwhelmingly uh destroyed not everything but [3:00:27] overwhelmingly now do they have missiles in in underground bunkers bunkers because they're a terror [3:00:32] state sure they do and we've acknowledged that from the beginning but their capacity is less today [3:00:36] than it's ever been they obviously they obviously have significant capacity to effectively disrupt [3:00:43] the entirety of the middle east and oil flows out of the middle east and that's not going to change [3:00:47] um let me ask you one more question this is a request for supplemental funding [3:00:50] because you don't have the funding in your base budget to do what you need to do which makes [3:00:55] questions about the base budget relevant there's been a lot of attention mr secretary on the [3:01:01] modernization of a luxury jet that was gifted to the president by the government of cutter reports [3:01:06] suggest that maybe as much as one billion dollars in your base funding an extraordinary amount of [3:01:10] money has been used for an upgrade and the plane is back in the shop for a second upgrade [3:01:16] as far as i can tell never before has an administration not made public the amount of [3:01:20] money for an upgrade or a construction contract on a presidential airplane obviously we don't [3:01:25] need or want disclose the details of that upgrade but never before have you withheld from [3:01:31] congress and the public the total amount of money i think there are two really important questions [3:01:36] here one will you make public the amount of money that you are spending to upgrade this plane [3:01:43] and two can you commit to this congress and this committee that the president isn't going to take [3:01:49] this plane with him when he leaves office the only thing more insulting to the taxpayers of spending [3:01:55] money on a jet they don't need would be for the president to take it with him to take it out of our [3:02:00] military inventory when he leaves office see the air force has done an incredible job uh making that a [3:02:08] capable jet that ultimately uh but its capabilities are and and and investment are are classified and [3:02:15] shouldn't be talked about considering securing the president will you disclose the amount of money [3:02:20] publicly uh i would i would imagine and as part of the regular budget process that's something that [3:02:25] we would look at and and will you commit that the president will not you have to look at the [3:02:29] classification level of certain things that are not devolved for reasons of natural security will you [3:02:34] commit that the president will not take this jet with him out of federal inventory when he leaves office [3:02:39] it's that's not a decision for necessarily me to make and ultimately we're grateful to have it in [3:02:43] the fleet for the air force to protect the president united states that's senator peters answer to the [3:02:48] american public senator peters thank you mr chairman uh folks uh welcome to the hearing today i apologize [3:03:01] is senator ossoff still here oh i'm sorry i didn't i went out of order senator ossoff i'll yield my time [3:03:11] to senator thank you thank you madam chair and uh thank you all for your testimony and uh general [3:03:18] kane let me just begin by expressing on behalf of all georgians our immense gratitude and admiration [3:03:24] for the service members uh who are making tremendous sacrifices and conducting themselves [3:03:30] with extraordinary selflessness and professionalism on behalf of the united states [3:03:35] and our state's unified condolences and grief for the families of the four killed in action [3:03:41] and our hope for a swift recovery for the the nearly 100 wounded over the last two weeks and thank [3:03:46] you to you for your service to the nation um mr hegseth you're requesting roughly 68 billion dollars [3:03:55] for the department through the supplemental correct 67 yes and yesterday your department stated publicly [3:04:04] quote u.s forces struck iranian military command centers maritime capabilities missile and drone launch [3:04:12] sites and air defense systems to degrade iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels that was a [3:04:20] press release from your department is that a broadly accurate characterization of ongoing operations [3:04:25] that sounds broadly accurate yes on day 14 of this conflict mr secretary day 14 nearly five months [3:04:33] ago you stated that iran's military had been quote destroyed and quote made combat ineffective that [3:04:40] was on day 14 of the war was that an accurate statement um they didn't have a navy any longer it's [3:04:46] completely sunk their missiles were buried underneath a lot of their underground facilities and their defense [3:04:51] industrial base has been almost completely destroyed so as far as a military assessment of iran's [3:04:57] capabilities it doesn't didn't mean by any stretch of the imagination absolute zero but there [3:05:01] mr secretary the lowest level you stated very long on day 14 of this conflict in the second week of the [3:05:07] conflict you stated that iran's military had been quote destroyed and quote made combat ineffective [3:05:14] was that an accurate statement yes or no iran's ability to challenge the united states of america at the [3:05:20] level of which we're capable of that's not what i asked you mr secretary you said on day 14 iran's [3:05:25] military had been quote destroyed and quote made combat ineffective yes or no was that an accurate [3:05:33] statement what the american military has you answer the question the iranian military is a historic [3:05:39] military will you answer the question in effect in that context three weeks later you declared victory [3:05:46] that was now nearly four months ago three weeks after you'd already said iran's military was [3:05:53] destroyed and combat ineffective you said quote operation epic fury was a historic and overwhelming [3:05:59] victory you said iran's military had been rendered quote combat ineffective for years to come and you [3:06:06] stated we had quote achieved every single objective were those accurate statements uh it certainly was on [3:06:13] behalf of the men and women in uniform a historic military victory over iran had iran's military [3:06:19] been rendered quote combat ineffective for years to come that was a statement that you made four [3:06:23] months ago they had 160 naval vessels you need to answer the questions mr secretary their air force [3:06:29] you said four months ago combat ineffective you said they don't have a defense industrial base [3:06:33] excuse me describe to me a country that doesn't have an air force a navy or a defense industrial base [3:06:37] and i will describe to you a company that the country that does not have an effective [3:06:40] military it can lob missiles mr secretary you stated four months ago that iran's military had [3:06:47] been rendered quote combat ineffective for years to come has iran's military been for the last four [3:06:54] months combat ineffective it's been set back not just years but likely decades you stated we had [3:07:00] quote that the level it did before not stated we doesn't mean it doesn't have capabilities mr secretary [3:07:05] you stated we had quote achieved every single objective was that an accurate statement four [3:07:11] months ago the main objective of this was to ensure that iran never gets a nuclear weapon their main [3:07:16] sites were obliterated we're watching over them and we're holding that issue if they don't give [3:07:20] them up at the table there's other ways we can take early in the car ron will never have a nuclear [3:07:24] secretary early in the conflict day three you said one of those core objectives was to quote [3:07:29] destroy the missile threat and as you restated on day five to quote obliterate iran's missiles and [3:07:36] drones those were clearly and repeatedly stated core objectives of the campaign which four months ago [3:07:42] you declared had been completed victoriously with every single objective achieved were those objectives [3:07:48] achieved four months ago no one ever stated that every single missile was gone ultimately combat [3:07:54] ineffective means they're not able to dig them out of their ugf's and she had the missile [3:07:57] threat it doesn't mean they don't have underground facilities where they put missiles in them and [3:08:01] hold on to them because they're the the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism so we never [3:08:05] expected they would stop having capabilities to shoot the question is at scale against opponent like [3:08:10] the united states of america which went toe-to-toe with them in iran couldn't you stated on march 8th day [3:08:16] nine of the war on 60 minutes you assured the american people of iranians surrender does that remain [3:08:22] your prediction ultimately iran will never have a nuclear weapon to threaten the united states of america that has [3:08:29] been the objective and it remains so so just to review you will not answer whether your statement [3:08:35] made on the 14th day of the war that iran's military had been quote destroyed and made combat [3:08:41] ineffective was a truthful statement to the american people as you sit here and ask for tens of billions [3:08:46] more senators time has a historic and effective military campaign against the largest state sponsor of [3:08:52] terrorism won't answer the question senator peters senator is recognized thank you uh and uh thank [3:09:02] you to our witnesses here today i want to uh begin by first uh echoing my colleagues uh comments that [3:09:08] we've heard throughout the hearing here and join them in mourning the loss of american service members [3:09:14] who were killed in action these last few days my thoughts are with their families with a service member who [3:09:21] remains missing and with all those injured during the strikes and i will continue to pray for their [3:09:28] families secretary hegsaf over the course of the war with iran i have repeatedly expressed concerns [3:09:36] regarding the administration's lack of a winning strategy and repeated contradictions about the state [3:09:43] of the war it frankly doesn't help that you and your president continues to mislead of the american [3:09:50] people you and the president have repeatedly said that the war as we've heard over and over again [3:09:55] is almost over or already won in fact the president alone has said the war is almost over more than [3:10:03] 30 times on march 1st the president said uh we'll be done in four or five weeks on march 9th he said the [3:10:10] war was very complete on april 8th he declared total and complete victory 100 no question about it on the [3:10:18] same day you declared operation epic fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield [3:10:23] a capital v military victory by any measure and yet today july 21st we have soldiers whose remains [3:10:33] are sadly going to be returned to their deeply grieving families tomorrow clearly the war is not over yet [3:10:43] after months of conflict our strategy to win remains unclear i have long said the united states has the [3:10:50] strongest military in history in the world and i have no doubt that our brave service members can [3:10:55] execute any mission and prevail in any battle but without a clear winning strategy we're at risk of [3:11:02] being in another forever war that will put our service members in continued harm's way and continue to [3:11:08] cost taxpayers billions of dollars secretary hegs said despite our your failure to win this war [3:11:16] you are back now before congress asking for almost 70 billion dollars in additional funding you're [3:11:22] asking the american people for a blank check because once again the trump administration's efforts have [3:11:27] been an utter and complete failure to win this war to this point so my question for you sir is how is [3:11:35] your strategy different than what we've seen in the past so far we have not seen a strategy that's been [3:11:40] successful you mentioned nuclear material is the primary goal of the war it still exists we haven't [3:11:46] dealt with that issue yet you talk about the destruction of missiles and yet the missiles that we saw hit [3:11:51] recent targets are actually somehow more lethal more deadly more maneuverable than what we have seen in [3:11:58] the past so they're obviously improving their immune munitions the strait of hormuz is still closed [3:12:06] reminding everybody it was open before the war prices were lower for everybody until the war and it still [3:12:13] remains closed and of course tragically people service members our war fighters who we care deeply [3:12:19] about are still dying so what's different mr hegs of secretary i think your characterization of this [3:12:28] incredible effort as a failure is reckless and i think it's irresponsible and i think it smears the [3:12:33] sacrifice of the troops that are out there making on behalf of the american people to ensure that iran never [3:12:38] gets a nuclear weapon shame on you and others who call this a quagmire and a failure and then you want to [3:12:43] turn around and say you support the war fighter either you do or you don't is the nuclear material [3:12:47] still there i can get you a ticket out to centcom and talk to what those americans are doing how [3:12:51] committed they are to this effort and how they want to ensure that iran never threatens their families [3:12:55] with a nuclear weapon it's it is that that's the kind of intensity that our war fighters have about [3:13:00] making sure that iran isn't capable of very much did you if you listen to my comments you told [3:13:04] you would have heard me say how amazing our war fighters are i heard failure the word heard i [3:13:09] i will tell you how i use the word failure because i use the word failure to their leaders [3:13:15] you sir are the failure not the men and women who are on that front line not the the men and women [3:13:20] who hold up their honor with the distinction but if there's a lack of a winning strategy they're in [3:13:27] harm's way their leaders have failed them and that's what's happening we have political leadership you [3:13:32] you don't have a strategy you don't have a long-term plan to actually win this war win the war the men [3:13:38] and women are going to be able to do it but they need to have leadership of course we have leadership [3:13:43] when will you show why don't you show some leadership and stand up for your fellow democrats [3:13:46] who won't fund the troops who stand and play partisan politics while you don't give us the money [3:13:51] you want to stand up here and talk about the troops you won't show any political courage to [3:13:55] actually fund our department because you have trump trump derangement syndrome and can't actually commit [3:13:59] to anything meaningful so i put this on you senator secretary hags of you have trillions you have over a [3:14:05] trillion dollars you're asking for one and a half trillion dollars it's not a question of money [3:14:10] it's a question of leadership and understanding what it takes to actually win political cowardice of [3:14:16] democrats who won't fund the troops senator's time has expired this will conclude our hearing i want to [3:14:28] thank our witnesses for being present and the committee for what has certainly been a vigorous [3:14:36] discussion for any senators who wish to submit additional questions for the record those questions [3:14:45] will be due in seven days on tuesday july 28th by 5 p.m i'm going to ask the rink the vice chair if she [3:14:59] has any final comments i do very quickly and thank you chair collins this was really an important [3:15:04] discussion about the state of this tragic and disastrous war and how we should be spending [3:15:10] americans tax dollars on families instead of this president's war of choice unfortunately this hearing [3:15:16] has done exceptionally little to justify the president's request or to instill confidence [3:15:21] that this administration has an exit plan or a strategy to end the war this war has cost us a lot [3:15:28] the last thing we should be doing is rubber stamping another 70 billion dollars to help trump keep it going [3:15:33] thank you well vice chair murray i'm compelled to respond to your comments by pointing out that it is [3:15:41] the duty of this committee to have a hearing when we have this kind of supplemental request so i think [3:15:51] that your comments was not appropriate this hearing is now adjourned thank you