Nominations . So moved. Second . Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. The motion carries. The Committee Meets this morning to consider the nomination of general Joseph Dunford for reappointment as chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. General dunford, this Committee Thanks you for your decades of distinguished service to our nation. We are grateful to your wife ellen for the support she has always provided to you and to all who serve our nation in uniform. Id also like to welcome your son patrick. Patrick. Fortunately, you look like your mother, patrick, who is joining us this morning. Joe and kathleen send their support from afar even as i bet they are a little relieved they do not have to sit through your interrogation. In order to exercise its legislative and oversight responsibilities its important this committee and other appropriate committees of the congress are able to receive testimony, briefings and other communications of information. Have you adhered to applicable laws and r
With us mr. John roth performing the duties of the understand secretary of defense for comptroller and the joint staff director for forestructure, resources and assessment. The briefing will be 40 minutes in duration and on the record. Well start off with a few opening comments from both gentlemen, then well open the floor to questions. With that. Thank you eric. Good morning or good afternoon almost here. Good to see you all. I am not going to do a dramatic reading of the book. I promise you. Its there for reference in case i have to go to it. So, again, we will walk through our presentation of the budget here. Between the general and myself, well try to answer your questions as best we can. As you know, today the president , president trump, sent to congress his proposed fy 2018 budget request. What we will do here this afternoon is outline the request for the Defense Department. Go to the first slide, please. The message is really, on the first slide, is the intent is that fy 18 bud
With us mr. John roth performing the duties of the understand secretary of defense for comptroller and the joint staff director for forestructure, resources and assessment. The briefing will be 40 minutes in duration and on the record. Well start off with a few opening comments from both gentlemen, then well open the floor to questions. With that. Thank you eric. Good morning or good afternoon almost here. Good to see you all. I am not going to do a dramatic reading of the book. I promise you. Its there for reference in case i have to go to it. So, again, we will walk through our presentation of the budget here. Between the general and myself, well try to answer your questions as best we can. As you know, today the president , president trump, sent to congress his proposed fy 2018 budget request. What we will do here this afternoon is outline the request for the Defense Department. Go to the first slide, please. The message is really, on the first slide, is the intent is that fy 18 bud
Year 2018 budget requests. We welcome secretary mattis for the first time before our committee. We welcome chairman dunford ba back. The question today, as it is each year for this hearing is, how well the administrations proposal meets the security needs of the nation. Factoring both the external threats on the current state of our military. This committee has repeatedly heard testimony over the last two years that our country faces more serious complex pretty challenges now than we have ever faced before. The hearings and briefings we held on the current state of our military have been disturbing. The ministration budget request of 306 billion for base requirements a 6 above the 17 an active level and 3 above the last obama proposal. Its also 37 billion below what this committee assess last fall was needed and about 58 million below the fy 12 gates budget which was independently validated by the bipartisan National Defense panel. The issue is not about numbers. Its about what those n
That. I dont think donations are disqualifying at all but if you represented the Clinton Foundation or clinton herself, it would be a bit disturbing to me but i will take care of that. As to russia, do you have any doubt that the 17 Intelligence Agency report that was submitted last year or early this year, that russia interfered in our election is acted . Senator, this is an issue discussed in my confirmation rate and trouble of you attended that. At the point i access only to the public right. Public admission which classified information but what can you tell us down . I know access to classified information and i think that assessment made by the Intelligence Community is justified based upon investigation, the evidence they had. Jeff sessions will testify on capitol hill today. Hes expected to get questions from lawmakers about his contacts with russian officials during the 2016th election campaign. This will be the first time hes testified before Congress Since his confirmation h