I want to call this hearing to order. Good morning, i want to begin by welcoming our witnesses, secretary austin, general milley. We appreciate your willingness to be and found this committee this morning. General milley, this will be your last appearance before the subcommittee. I want to go off script here a little bit. Youre the ultimate professional. You are somebody that has been very good for me. I think i can say this for the whole committee. Youre a straight shooter, youve done a good job. I appreciate that and i just hope that the senate will be able to find some common sense to be able to confirm your successor so the department isnt forced to rely on the place holder for your position because its simply too important for that. This is an unprecedented indefinite hold on military promotions thats frozen over 60 nominations and can affect as many as 60 by the end of the year. I will tell you, the people on this committee know what the threats are in this world and we need to be able to assist the military and being successful, this is not assisting the military to be successful, it is plain dangerous. We are meeting today to discuss an 842 billion dollar budget request for next fiscal year, a few months ago we pass the budget for this fiscal year 116 billion dollars, this provided a 74 billion dollar increase over fy 22. I bring up fy 22 because there are some who advocate for keeping all Government Spending a fiscal year 22 levels. In light of chinas continued military aggression, it sounds irresponsible to me, but a majority in its other chamber proposes that. It is my hope that today you can detail for us what such a drastic funding reduction would mean to our National Defense. Of course, all bets are off if we dont reach a bipartisan agreement soon. We have to deal with the debt in a responsible and common sense why. Im hopeful bipartisan talks get going and earnest and the cooler heads will prevail before we come to a default. The challenges we face are numerous, we need to solve the data we need to agree on a top line for defense, we need to get qualified people into the jobs. The risk of a government default israel, the risk of a Government Shutdown israel, the risk of a long term crs real. None which are good, by the way. And while we are busy fighting amongst ourselves, the chinese continue their military buildup and aggressive behavior. The russians continue their war against ukraine, iran is continuing its influence in the middle east, and violent terrorist organizations plot to do us harm. We have got to get the budget done so the men and women in uniform, supported by the tireless civilians at the department of defense can go about their business of keeping us safe. I support the ongoing efforts of senators murray and collins, and who will work with anybody to get the job done. We will get to the specifics of your budget request shortly. My main question is, are our troops getting what they need when they need it . Are we keeping up with our military modernization. Is industry spending taxpayer dollars wisely and delivering as promised . Because the truth is, we cannot afford to waste time, we cannot afford to waste money. Once again, i want to thank the witnesses for their testimony today, before you make your opening remarks, i will turn it over to senator collins for her statement. Thank you very much, chairman for holding this hearing on the fiscal year 2024 budget request for the department of defense. General milley, let me echo the chairmans thanks and praise of ill as you approach your retirement, thank you for your more than 40 years of service to our country. I am, however, not as confident as the chairman that this is your last appearance before our subcommittee, dont take any hope in that statement. The administrations 2022 National Defense strategy rightly captures the importance of deterring china. I strongly support that objective and know that you both, the secretary and general milley, have worked hard to develop a strategy driven request within the top line that you were provided. I also agree with chairman milleys written testimony that completing Appropriations Bills on time is necessary condition to credibly deter china. I would, however, suggest that it is not a sufficient condition and that the president s budget isnt adequate to achieve this goal. No matter how talented, innovative, and hardworking our armed forces are, no matter how good their leadership, the military must also have a sufficient budget top line. I have serious doubts the administrations budget request provides all the Services Necessary to deter an aggressive china and to deal with other global threats. For example, the budget request would result in a smaller navy, a fleet of 291 ships. This is five ships if he were then todays fleet of 296 ships and further from the chief of Naval Operations requirement, which is informed by the and opaque on the scenarios. Moreover, china has the largest navy in the world and is growing to 400 ships in the next two years. The stories are very similar for the air force. In the absence of a higher defense budget, this committee will have to fill in the gaps to deter china and to maintain readiness. Let me highlight a few examples of what, from my perspective, is missing from the budget request. 3. 5 billion dollars in the end of paycom unfunded priorities, 266 million to fund and funded priorities to detect airborne targets, such as chinese spy balloons. Funding to replenish one billion dollars in president ial Drawdown Authority for thai one that congress authorized last year. The cause is to fully implement what the administrations own zero trust policy to protect against insiders cyber threats. The cost for the deployment of 1500 active duty troops sent to the southwest border just this week. Security assistance for ukraine beyond september. And 1. 6 billion dollars in underbudgeted fuel costs according to the Government Accountability office analysis. That figure is 20 more than the budget request. I recognized that fuel cost assumptions are driven by the white house. But last Years Experience is instructive. If congress had funded the department at the level that was requested last year by the administration, our troops housing, food, health care, fuel, and readiness would be facing an eight billion dollar inflation will. That whole does not exist today because congress insisted upon a higher and more realistic funding. One final point on ukraine about which i shared the chairmans commitment, it is critical that the administration provide ukraine with what it needs in time to defend and take back its sovereign territory. We expect the administration not to wait until the 11th hour if the ukrainians need more before the end of the fiscal year. There are many issues for us to discuss today, again, i think all three of our witnesses for their Extraordinary Service and i look forward to discussing these issues with them. Thank, you senator collins, for your statement. Secretary austin, you have the floor. Thank, you sir, chairman tester, vice chair collins, distinguished members of the committee, im glad to be here with you to testify and support the president s budget request for fiscal year 2024. Im joined, as always, by general milley, and i remain grateful for his leadership. Im also glad to be joined by the departments controller and cfo, mike mccord. This is a strategy driven budget, one driven by the seriousness of our strategic competition with the peoples republic of china. 842 billion dollars, it is a 3. 2 increase over fiscal year 23 enacted. And its 13. 4 higher than fiscal year 22. And this budget will help us continue to implement our National Defense strategy and the president S National Security strategy. Now, i have three key priorities at the pentagon, to defend our nation, to take care of our outstanding people, and to succeed 13 work. The prc is our challenge, and were driving hard to meet it. Our budget bills on our previous investments were investing in a more resilient force posture in and the pacific and increasing the scale and scope of our exercises with our partners. This budget includes a 40 increase over last years request for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and its an alltime high of 9. 1 billion dollars. That will fund a stronger better defenses for hawaii in guam, and deeper cooperation with our allies and partners. I look forward to being back next week before the committee to go into more depth on how are working with our inter Agency Partners to continue to outpace the prc. Now, this budget also makes its largest ever investments in both r d and procurement requesting more than 61 billion dollars to sustain air dominance. That includes funding for fighters and extraordinary b 21 Strategic Bomber that i helped unveil last december. Also seeking more than 48 billion dollars for sea power. This includes new construction of mine battle forced ships. Were boosting capacity at the shipyards to build the ships that our strategy demands. Were investing a total of 1. 2 billion dollars in the submarine Industrial Base. And were buying two virginia class attack submarines and one columbia class Ballistic Missile submarine. On land, were investing in air and Missile Defense. And in defenses to counter unmanned aerial views. Were also requesting 11 billion dollars to deliver the right mix of longrange firearms, including Major Investments in hypersonics. Well also continue to modernize all three legs were Nuclear Triad and bolster in strategic deterrence. We put for the largest space budget in pentagon history. We requested 33. 3 billion dollars to improve our capabilities and our resilience and space. Let me, again, thank congress for providing the department with multi year procurement authorities on appropriations for critical munitions. In this budget, were requesting more multi year procurement authorities, and were asking for more than 30 billion dollars to further invest in the Industrial Base and to buy the maximum number of munitions that american industry can produce. This budget also moves us away from age and capabilities that arent relevant for future conflicts. We can focus on the advances that our war fighters will made. Our National Defense strategy calls out putin, putins highly aggressive russia as an acute threat. Under president bidens leadership, the United States has rallied the world to help ukraine fight russia and their indefensible invasion. We enforce natos defense and deterrence on us eastern flank. Our allies and partners have provided crucial security assistance, coordinated through the Ukraine DefenseContact Group that i lead. We dont have meanwhile, they remain vigilant against other threats, including north korea and iran. We will take all necessary measures to defend our troops and our interests overseas, seen from her airstrikes in march linked to irans Islamic Revolutionary guards group. Were also investing in counterterrorism capabilities. Now, i know that you have been following the reports of unauthorized disclosure of sensitive and classified u. S. Material. I take this issue very seriously. Ive ordered a comprehensive review of the security programs, policies, and procedures, for safeguarding classified information. Ive also discussed this issue with our allies and partners around the world. Ive been struck by their solidarity and their commitment to reject efforts to divide us. We will not let anything fracture our unity. Our joint force stands ready to me any challenge. You can see this from, you can see the forces readiness after russias unprovoked invasion of ukraine where we swiftly deployed elements of the Third Infantry Division to poland to show up natos eastern flank. We monitor at the unit level and maintain Response Forces at our highest dates of readiness while the rest of the forest, by design, is preparing for future contingencies. So, this budget will help us maintain with 146 billion dollars in funding for operations, training, and maintenance. This budget also invests in improving our resilience in the face of Climate Change and other 24 century threats. We are going to remain the Strongest Military in the world. As we mark the 50th anniversary of our volunteer force, im enormously proud of the brave men and women who choose to wear the cloth of our nation. We owe it to them and to their families to take the best possible care of our people. Over the past two years, weve made moves easier, weve cut we made childcare more affordable. This budget funds other key steps to increase the quality of life of our teammates, including the Largest Military and civilian pay raises in decades. Also pushing hard to eliminate suicide in our ranks, including immediate steps to hire more Mental Health professionals and improve access to Mental Health care. Meanwhile, were working towards a military that through Sexual Assault. We worked with congress to improve the response to Sexual Assault and related crimes of the uniform code of military justice. Those reforms will be fully implemented by the end of this year. As the department, also investing in a specialized workforce to combat Sexual Assault, harassment, suicide, and more. Now, the departments third priority is succeeding through teamwork. Our unrivaled network of allies and partners magnifies our power and expands our security. In recent months, our friends in the indopacific have taken major steps forward. The philippines has agreed to nearly double the sites we can cooperate together. Japan is committed to double its defense spending and for the historic partnership, will work with our australian british allies to build Game Changing defense advantages that will deter aggression and boost our defense a district capacity. In some, this is the budget that will meet this moment. I respectfully ask for your support. The single most effective way that this committee can support the department under outstanding troopss with an on time full year appropriation. So, i look forward to working with all of you so that we can continue to defend our democracy and support the forces of freedom in this hour of challenge. Thank, you mister chairman. Thank, you secretary austin. General milley, you have the floor. Chairman tester and vice chair collins, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. Ive been privileged to defend this country for 43 years and uniform, next month, ill start my 44th year. Hopefully, senator collins, this is my last posture hearing. I think congress for your support to our military for the last four decades, not just for this budget, but for four consecutive decades, youve given great support to our military. I think you offer that. We could not be the military we are today without the support of the American People in the American Peoples representatives. So, what i ask for you today is that, once again, you approve a non time budget. Im honored to represent the joint force and their families alongside the leadership of secretary austin and secretary mccord, both have, ive been working with him both for many years, their leadership has been superlative. Our joint force today is the most lethal and Capable Military in the world because of your support. The militarys purpose is simple, its to defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. There is no other purpose for military. Fundamental to this is deterrence, more specifically to deter great power war. To do this, our number one priority is writing this now and readiness in the future. There is no other number one priority. The joint force will accomplish this at the fy 24 budget request of 142 billion dollars. Right now, the International System is under increasing stress. Both china and russia have the means to threaten our interests and our way of life. But war with china or russia is neither imminent nor inevitable. The prc remains our number one long term geostrategic security challenge and its been pointed out and our National Defense strategy as the facing challenge. The prc has publicly stated that it intends to be the regional hegemon in asia within the next ten years and to exceed the United States overall military capability by mid century. Chinese actions are moving on a path to a potential confrontation with its neighbors or the United States. Again, war with china is neither inevitable or imminent. Additionally, russia is an acute threat and remains very dangerous, especially under current conditions. Over a year ago, russia undertook a war against ukraine, threatening peace on the european continent and global stability for the First Time Since the end of world war ii. We are supporting ukraine to protect its sovereignty and supporting nato with the force presence and every single nation on natos eastern flank. Iran threatens to push the middle east and again, the instability by supporting terrorists and proxy forces. They continue to improve their capability to produce a Nuclear Weapon. 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