The meeting will come to order. We will have our Opening Statements. The Committee Meets today for the nomination of general john hyten to be vicechairman of the joint chiefs of staff. We thank him for being here today and we welcome your family who is here, and your friends. They can be introduced at the time you are recognized for your Opening Statement. And then we have the questions that you have to respond to first permit do have any governing conflicts of interest . No sir. The orgreave confirmed to appear or justify upon request before this committee . Yes sir. Do you agree to provide documents including copies of electronic forms of communication when requested by a committee or to consult with the Committee Regarding the basis of any good faith denial or delay in such documents . Yes sir. Do you agree when asked to give your personal views even if they differ from the rescission in power . I do, sir. Will you ensure that your staff complies with deadlines for requesting communication . Well, sir. Will you cooperate in bringing witnesses in response to congressional requests . Yes sir. Bewill those witnesses protected from reprisal for their testimony or briefings . Yes sir. Have you assumed any duties or undertaken any actions which would presume the outcome of this process . I have not come a sir. I haventt, sir sir. The route is more dangerous now than it has been in my lifetime. After years of sustained arms conflict and budget uncertainty, our military has fallen behind competitors in readiness and key capabilities. Without adequate sustained and predictable funding, all the work we do in this committee would be for nothing. That is why i think President Trump i think president congressional leaders for reaching a bipartisan budget to support our military and the veterans. While i wouldve liked to see more funding for defense, at the end of the day, this agreement provides minimal growth to give our military what it needs, than it will allow the department of defense to plan strategically in future. I need to tell you where i stand on allegations that have been levied against general bandiedhat have been about in the press with little regard to the truth. Overcommittee has studied 1000 pages of records and reviewed statements of more than 50 witnesses and members of the committee have devoted countless hours reviewing general hyten and thoroughfair process, with respect to the privacy of all involved. Each sender was able to ask questions, receive answers, and listen to testimony, conduct analyses and respect opinions. Todays hearing is the next logical step in this detailed that this committee uses to determine the suitability of the nominating candidates. Addressing these allegations is critical not just for you, general hyten, but for every nominee Going Forward. This Committee Takes allegations of Sexual Assault very seriously. It is unacceptable that this committee would not act on proven allegations, allegations about did not withstand the close scrutiny of the committees process. Leading you have been with discipline and a taboo the last two and a half years, you served honorably in the top leadership positions in the air force space command. I come and the willingness of you and your Outstanding Service to our military and to our country. As we form a view United States space force, we need your Strategic Insights and guidance to move the Key Initiative forward including how to improve space acquisitions. Saidsh Army Field Marshal if we lose the war in the air, we lose the war and we lose it quickly. And you say the same thing about space now. The areas i am talking about is the proliferation of mystic missiles and cruise missiles capability. Russia, china, iran, north korea use missiles in strategic engagement. We need to counter this growth. As the former secretary of defense mattis said, we need change on a significant scale to implement the National Defense strategy, and i couldnt agree more. Sen. Reed . Had thank you very much. , mr. Chairman. The purpose of this hearing is to focus on the duties of vicechairman chiefs of staff and closely scrutinize whether general hytens previous experience qualifies him for med over the past few weeks, the number of Media Outlets have reported allegations but you sexually assaulted a subordinate command. R these are serious allegations and therefore consistent with the committees longstanding practices, we have held five executive sessions related to your nomination, totaling over 15 hours of testimony and deliberation. During those sessions, members received sworn testimony and we were able to ask questions that members have been afforded the opportunity to request Additional Information from the department, which we have done. It enables the committee to utilize longstanding procedures that have served the senate while for decades. The sessions allowed each member to hear the viewpoint of our colleagues even if the perspective was different from our own and helped inform the committee. I appreciate the thoughtful consideration of every member doing this process. Chairman for ensuring that the committee has enough time to conduct a review matter. Nevertheless come out must recognize the public nature of these allegations. They will likely raise questions today. Last week, the Senate Confirmed general mark millie as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Authoritarian regimes seeks to challenge our country and our global interest. Theu National Defense new National Defense strategy will help us compete with a computer like china or russia. Iran and north korea remain a threat posed by violent and extreme organizations. You must recruit and retain highcaliber individuals while pursuing readiness. As vicechairman, you will be working closely with general movie to address each of these issues, and hope you will share your views with this committee. Inaddition, you will serve the interagency process that requires working closely with policymakers within the department, and at the National Security council on critical National Security issues. The committee looks forward to hearing from you on the effectiveness of our current interagency process. Vicechairman of the Oversight Council, a critical upset in our best critical asset in our process. He plays a central role in ensuring the safety of our nuclear arsenal. And finally, given your recent services, commander, if confirmed, i would expect you to play a role in how the Department Response to our nuclear adversaries in space. We look forward to hearing about it, general hyten, and how you would prioritize these duties if confirmed as chairman. Chairman thank you, senator reid and thank you, dr. Wilson for being here. Your service to your country has been exemplary and we hope you enjoy your next chapter. You are looking now for an introduction. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I am here to introduce the nominee to be next vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. I graduated from the air force academy in the third class to include women and served for 30 years as a junior officer. As former member of the committee on women and services in the 1990. And from a member of the House Services committee i know well that, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault happened in the military. It must be confronted investigated, and punished. Well i have now left the defense department, i was secretary of the air force, and directed the investigation of allegations made against general hyten by a former subordinate. That investigation was overseen by the air force Inspector General and was peerreviewed. The task was to conduct an exhaustive investigation and to find the truth. My time as secretary of the air force, i have come before you with Great Success stories, and have been here when the air force missed the mark. Andve taken responsibility told it to you when i got it wrong. ,his investigation was thorough the allegations were taken seriously and it was handled appropriately. A team of 53 investigators interviewed 63 people in three countries and 14 states. They reviewed over 196,000 emails and 4000 pages of documents. They reviewed 152 travel records and portions of phone records dating back to 2015. They interviewed members of the general staff and Strategic Command as well as members of his staff when he was at space command. General hyten is one of the most closely guarded officers in the military because he commands the Nuclear Deterrent. For the Inspector General also interviewed his personal security team. The result is a final report of over 1400 pages. The military does not automatically says and the peoples clearances or remove them from command when there is an allegation of april piety. If the initial facts gathered justify it, we can, and i have done so in other cases. S Committee Also is hand has handled this matter with respect for the accuser and for general hyten with discretion and sensitivity. After all of this, i believe the senate will come to the same conclusion i did, general hyten was falsely accused, and this matter should be set aside, as you consider his nomination. Nomination. I accept that it is entirely possible that his accuser is a wounded soldier who believes what shes saying is true. The possibility makes this a situation very sad. With these facts maintaining the credibility. And deeply rooted justice. I hope you will agree with me general john hyten is worth all of the time that you have taken to consider this nomination. He is the right leader to be the next vicechairman of the joint chiefs of staff. John has the credibility and experience of a Combatant Commander yet begins his career and acquisition. The experience setting the requirements for complex Weapons Systems this is a process he will lead us to vicechairman. As the commander, he has diverted the development of the requirements for the Nuclear Command and control and has been a driving force behind the need to modernize the Nuclear Deterrent. Hes an exceptionally good complement to the skills as the chairman. More than his expertise, john hyten has a wellearned reputation for speaking truth to power. He gives frank military advice felt much as sugarcoating. I know that from personal experience. Like it or not, he will tell you what he thinks and what you need to know, not what you want here. He is passionate about the security of the country, and i encourage you to support his confirmation. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you for the excellent introduction. With that, we will recognize you for an Opening Statement. Chairman, Ranking Member, distinguished Committee Members, is a privilege to be good for bu today as the nominee to become the 11th of vicechairman of the joint chiefs of staff. I want to recognize that the jury will send as you did for the long devoted service to index everything she has come all this way to speak on her behalf. I think her for that introduction. To begin, i would like to introduce my wife to the committee so thank you for that opportunity. We met when i was stationed in los angeles, and we have been married now for almost 32 years. We met by longterm aspirations did not include a lifetime of service to the United States air force. Over and over again, opportunities to continue to come alon on to do what i love d she would always encourage me. Today shes an advocate in the committee and works to empower and care for the military families. Shes an amazing woman. The best person i know. Shes ready to fight for the country alongside with me when our time. Together we also have the joy of raising two incredible children, katie and chris, both successful in their own right each with putting this here. Here with us chris couldnt make it all the way from colorado on such short notice. Sitting next to them as my is my brother scott representing my mom, dad, sister in alabama and ive been lucky to have him by my side every step of the way. This last christmas, i was asked to talk with my family whether i would consider serving in another position if it were offered. I wasnt sure what i would say this was a family decision. Thats when katie made it quite simple asking me if you love this country and use of the people you work with, and you still feel you can make a difference, then why stop, period. Simple. Thats why im here. I still love what i do and if as confirmed i look forward to continuing my advocacy for the soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and the department of defense when the nation provides them the right tools theyve proven time and time again they are our greatest advantage over any other adversary. As i sit here today, as it has been discussed and aware of the allegations made against me and one of the most Serious Problems we have come a Sexual Assault. Its been a painful time for me and my family if i want to state to you and the American People that these allegations are false. There was a very extensive and thorough investigation that was described which revealed the truth, nothing happened, ever. Im also thankful to the committee for all the time you took individually and together in the executive session to study the facts. I think the integrity of the investigation and the nomination process are critical not only for everybody involved that the nations citizens as well. So i stand by the truth, and i think the committee for its unwavering commitment and support the National Defense ass one of the men and women who serve. If confirmed, i look forward to working across the department of defense with our friends and allies and agents of congress to address the ever widening spectrum confronting the nation. Do we have not yet seen our advantage here facing challenges particularly in areas like space and cyberspace in the position we must address resurgent peers who have longterm strategies to supplant the global influence of the United States and allies. We cannot lose focus on this asymmetric challenge after challenge they represent. In order to address the challenges that mus it must cone to field the best in the force we must be prepared to meet the threats directly head on in order to deter and dissuade them if necessary, fight and win the nations conflicts. To do this, we must maintain our lethal force and we cannot break the bank doing it. If confirmed by connect to you i will work to find Effective Solutions to the challenges leveraging the best of the American Ingenuity and knowhow. Ranking member read the members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. For your confidence in me i also wish the chairman and vice chairman godspeed in their pending retirements. They will be missed and if confirmed i will work hard everyday to carry oeveryday to d maintain the highest standards of the joint staff. Thank you and i will look forward to your questions. We are going to begin with a fiveminute questions and i want to do something about it differently. In my cas case there is one amos has spent more time than anyone else looking into allegations against you, general hyten, and im going to use a small part of my time and then yield the rest of my time to that individual im sure that you have read this over many times and this is something that we have used in the blueprint for the actions. And i would like to get from you, number one, your coming to you agree with me in terms of the significance of the document and secondly, wouldnt you agree that you would use this also as the basis of the blueprint from the activities . Strategy is an important document. And i think that they did a great job working for exactly what the challenges are. The reemergence of russia and china we have to be prepared for that. It goes through all the things coming emerging technologies and the challenges we have. Its a very good document and i think you used the word blueprint. Its something we need to continue to follow. For all of whom are experts in the field in the second, i dont really need an answer for this but i do need to make sure that we get an answer for the record and that is its a little different but we are doing now. We have china and russia and a situation where they have some things better than us. We have a gap that is out there. A credibility gap against the two countries. And for the record. I do deny all these allegations and did so unde have done so un. Is that correct . There is regardless the outcome of the proceedings the issues that are surrounding you now that were not surrounding your months ago. And if you are confirmed and assume the responsibilities of the vice chairman, how will you deal with these issues correctly or incorrectly they will be there. Senator, i thought about that a lot. I thought about that a lot with my family. My wife and i talked about that the last couple of months. She says this is the ice age of america. The truth is to matter and we believe that the truth will come out and the truth will tell the story and will be able to then continue to serve and do the things we need to continue to defend the country. So, senator, its been a difficult time but we fundamentally told the truth. One of the aspects of this case has been problems within your he