Transcripts For CSPAN3 Secretaries 20240705 : vimarsana.com

Good morning. Good morning. This hearing of the Senate Appropriations committee will please come to order. We are here today to discuss the National Security components of the president supplemental funding request. Were glad to have secretary austin and secretary blinken with us to talk about the challenges were seeing around the world and the urgency of providing the necessary resources to meet these challenges, support our allies and make the word and our country safer. At our First Full Committee Hearing earlier this year on outcompeting china, both secretaries made a strong case for why passing our full year appropriations bill was robust investments in america and avoiding perpetual cuts was so crucial of keeping the United States on the world stage. As the two of you return to this committee, i think every member understands and takes many of the messages we brought to you in the last hearing. These are difficult times and American Leadership and support will be critical as we face the many threats and challenges we will discuss today. Thats why Congress Must come together in a bipartisan fashion to act decisively and purposefully. This is not a time to punt American Leadership or punt on funding agencies critical to these efforts and to American Families. If we let policies and Division Drive us away from this mission, i worry about where we will stand for years to come. So i hope this committee can continue to lead the way with thoughtful, swift, bipartisan action that keeps your message here today in mind. Thank you both for joining us again. We are at a precarious moment across the globe, ukraine is continuing its courageous resistance against putins bloody invasion. And israel is reeling from a horrific terrorist attack by hamas, a vicious attack that none of us will ever forget. Its often the innocent that suffer most in war. So of course there are also urgent humanitarian need including aid for the ukrainian people and the countries caring for those displayed by putins war and aid for civilians in gaza. It is also a humanitarian impairment that hamas release the hostages it took during its violent attack. And of course putins invasion has also severely disrupted Food Supply Chains around the world leaving a serious crisis of Global Hunger in its wake. In the indo pacific our friends and partners face growing threats and invasion particularly from the Chinese Government. In short, the world is on edge and how the u. S. Wields its leadership will be a critical factor to determine what happens next. Now is the time for serious, sober discussion. Not partisanship or political show. This hearing is a crucial opportunity for us to make sure were taking a full view of this moment. Meeting immediate requirements while planning for the long term and providing the resources necessary to make the world safer for america and its allies. If were going to get this right we have to understand how these conflicts are developing today and what our strategy is for the future. We have to appreciate the nuances that differentiate these challenges and the way theyre all connected. We have to look at this without losing sight of whats happening on the ground. Remembering that in every conflict there are civilians. Hostages torn from their families, people facing obstacles getting basic medical services and kids and families who desperately need food and water. And we have to be able to recognize the complexity of these issues while holding fast to the simple, actionable truth that can guide our work. For me that means america must stand strong by our allies. Dictators cannot be allowed to invade sovereign democracy. Terrorism cannot be tolerated. And we cannot ignore the humanity and the cries for help from civilians who are caught in the middle of conflict and cross fire who we must protect. Its a tall order, but the Biden Administrations National Security supplemental request offers us a useful blueprint. And vice chair collins and i are working right now to craft strong Bipartisan Legislation that meets the National Security priorities that the president laid out. That means a package that provides support to the ukrainians who is at the end of the butchery of putins invasion. One that makes it clear to other countries looking to copy putins actions that they will fail. That is crucial to ensure we have secure supply chains when it comes to our nations defense. And that after we send ukraine weapons we are replacing our stocks with modern American Made arms. Lets be clear, huge supermajorities in the house and senate favor more support for ukraine so getting this funding across the finish line should not be controversial. Meeting this moment also means a package that ensures we stand with israel as it works to protect its people in the wake of the horrific hamas attack. And deter additional terrorist threats. And one that helps us prevent further escalation of violence in the future. It means a package that strengthens our future as the Chinese Government works aggressively to expand its footprint. It also means a package that continues longstanding tradition of the u. S. Leading the global humanitarian response and delivering vital humanitarian aid to save lives in places that are being torn away by conflict. Whether theyre in ukraine, israel or gaza. We cannot lose sight of the need. Making sure people have food, water, and medical care isnt just the right and moral thing to do, it also promotes long term stability and security. Combating hopelessness that can spiral into new threats. Let me also say this as someone who voted against the iraq war. I have been heartened to see the president urge our allies in israel not to fall subject to so many of the same mistakes we saw following the 9 11 attacks. It is an Important Message for the president to deliver as a friend of israel to remain clear eyed. Every country has the responsibility to protect innocent lives especially in the time of conflict. I strongly support their robust efforts to ensure further access to humanitarian relief. Finally make no mistake, we need to address all of these priorities as part of one package. Because the reality is these issues are all connected and they are all urgent. The Chinese Government is watching how we respond to putins aggressions in ukraine. Putin is hoping the hamas attack will give him an opening and distract the world from aiding ukraine. And all of our adversaries are watching closely to seal if we to see if we have the vision to resolve together and respond forcefully to them. Our adversaries are cheering for dysfunction. So lets instead show them unity. Lets show them the strength of democracy by passing a robust, bipartisan National Security package. And before i turn it over to vice chair collins let me just say, while were focused on the global challenges at this hearing we should also address the needs here at home. The child care crisis, relief for our communities who have been struck by disaster. The fentanyl crisis. The need at our southern border and more. I know that its critical to many of us here and next week we will have an opportunity to discuss these issues with secretary maorquez at a hearing in front of this committee on november 7th. Bottom line, we face a number of urgent National Security issues and challenges here at home. President biden has submitted requests for much needed supplemental funding to address these priorities. I urge my colleagues on both sides to work with me on all of these urgent issues. If we can pass our domestic priorities right alongside our National Security priorities we absolutely should. After all we are the United States of america. We can stand with our allies around the world and tackle the challenges facing our families here at home at the same time. Now im glad were holding this hearing today to discuss the vital National Security quest the president has submitted to congress and im looking forward to a thoughtful discussion for what is needed to tackle terrorist threats and protect civilians. And about what is at stake for americas own security and future if we fail to stand with our friends across the globe and lead. Thank you and with that i will turn it other to vice chair collins. Thank you chair murray for holding this important hearing. Let me begin by expressing my appreciation to secretary blinken and secretary austin for joining us today. To discuss the president s National Security supplemental funding request. I had hoped that secretary maorquez also would be here but he is testifying this morning before another senate committee. I very, very much appreciate that the chair has scheduled an opportunity next week for secretary maorquez to come before us and discuss what is needed in the supplemental. To provide effective Border Security, to stem the floods of the illegal migrants, and fentanyl crossing into the United States through the end of fiscal year as of september 30th. There were a record 2. 5 million encounters at our southwest border. This real threat to our homeland must also be addressed. The collective threats of the United States faces from an aggressive iran and its proxies, an imperialist russia and a hedgemonic china requires our attention and cooperation allies. In ukraine, the determined patriots backed by the United States, the european union, japan, australia, and others continue to battle putins brutal and unprovoked invasion. In asian, chinas dangerous game of brinkmanship is rattling savers at taiwan. Some have argued for decoupling funding to address these threats and focusing only on the iranian backed terrorists whos massed occurred so many israelis on september 7th. We must recognize our National Security spwhraepbss are being aggressively challenge security interests are being aggressively challenged by these authorityive actors. Through the export of weapons and drones that terrorize ukrainian civilians. Just last week, russia hosted hamas and iranian leadership where hamas praised russias criticism of israeli to defend themselves following recent attacks. China declines to condemn russia or hamass attack. This both having despite despite both having committed war crimes targeting civilians and both having stolen children from their families. If we fail to thwart these efforts there will be dire consequences that will jeopardize our National Security. The measure, does it make america more secure or not . Let me offer a few reflections. When i was in israel with senator graham, senator carden and several other senators last week, we met with young ones whos families including very Young Children are being held hostage by hamas. During the october 7th terrorist attack, parents were murdered in front of their children. The actions of hamas are nothing less than evil. And we must stand by our friend israel, the only true democracy in the middle east. Like israel, ukraine was the victim of an unprovoked attack by a repeat violent offender. The United States all be it slower than many of us would have liked, stepped in with assistance for ukraine to help repel russians battlefield advances. Lets review what has happened since weve helped ukraine in this defense against russias second invasion. No u. S. Soldiers have lost their lives fighting in ukraine. Our adversary russia is weaker. Nato is stronger than ever. Finland has joined the alliance and i expect that sweden will do the same soon. Each of these outcomes is in americas interest. Finally, the supplement request will replenish or military weapons stockpiles and invest and strengthen the u. S. Defense Industrial Base in many states. The requested funding will refill the stockpiles and increase the productions capacity of key munitions in greatest demand. None of this funding goes over seas or to another country. It makes america stronger by modernizing our democracy right here in our country. And improving the readiness for the military to fight offer any adversary who may threaten the United States. We look forward to hearing your specific justification. Before we turn to your Opening Statements. Let me reiterate that chair murray and i want to enact all 128 appropriation bills including the state and defense appropriation. As bob gates once told me, the most important action the United States can take is to pass Appropriations Bills every year that comes from short term funding patches or sequestration. Secretary austin i hope you will comment on that in your opening remarks. Thank you maam chair. Before i introduce our witnesses and move to testimony. I want to take a moment to welcome someone else today. Our newest member of the committee. Senator sinema is someone who truly knows how to work with members on both sides of the aisle. Im sure she will be a great part of our committee. Welcome. We worked very closely on many bills and i know shes going to be a great addition to our committee. Thank you. Im very pleased to welcome secretary of state Anthony Blinken and secretary of state lloyd austin. We will now start with opening remarks and secretary blinken, i will begin with you. Thank you very much, chair murray, vice chair collins. Thank you for this opportunity to testify before you today. Stop supporting the genocide of the people of gaza. Ceasefire now. Save the children of gaza. Save the children of gaza. Ceasefire now. Where is your pride, america . I do recognize that people feel very passionately but i ask that we have order in our courtroom. Allow the American People here and at home to hear our secretary of state blinken. We made historic investments in the source of americas strength at home. Our democracy, our infrastructure, our economic and technological impededness. We invested in our military and we invested in our greatest Strategic Asset which is growing larger, stronger, more united and more capable than ever. Were standing up for our interest in values and not shrinking back. Not in the face of russias aggression against ukraine. Not in the face of in the indo pacific and around the world. If the witness wishes to stand and i ask that everybody, we will suspend until the room is cleared. Shame on you all. The world is calling for a ceasefire. The American People dont want to support this brutal war. Stop it will war. Stop this. Ceasefire now. Stop funding this brutal massacre that israel is doing on the people of gaza. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Thank you senator blinken. As i said were standing up for values not shrinking back. Not in the face of strategic competition and around the world not in the face of terrorism and its face sponsors. And america does not stand alone. We built extraordinary coalitions with trends who carry their share of the burden. Which im happy to come back to. Our adversaries and competitors alike continue to do whatever they can to disrupt us. Secretary austin and i think its important for us to be here together today. Because in this mission as in so much that we do, our defense, the diplomacy, the Development Must work hand in hand. I say no more murder. Ing the committee will suspend. I would ask that you respect our witnesses and our Committee Members and allow the American People to hear their testimony. We will pause until the room is cleared. 300 people in gaza, 3,500 kids dead. Come on, im an army colonel, a former diplomat, i served in that war in iraq you talked about. That was a horrible thing. Israels genocide in gaza is too. The president request has four key elements. First, it provides for our enduring support to israel and ukraine. Two democracies under brutal assaults by actors determined to wipe their nations off the map. It will ensure that israel can continue to send their people with intelligent support that the United States has surged since hamas slaughter. I know that several. The committee will suspend and i again ask that people represent those in the room and the hearing. The hearing will suspend until the disruption is removed. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. People are not animals. Thank you secretary blinken, if you can continue please. I know that several Committee Members who have traveled to israel in the last week, theyve heard directly from the israeli people what they need to defend their people and prevent another battle like this one. Including to help israel bolster their defense systems. Supplemental will also request authorities to draw down and enhances the security of our embassy. While israel has the right indeed it has the obligation to defend itself, the way it does so matters. In our discussions with the Israeli Government, the president and i are both the need for israel. Why are we. The committee will suspend. Let them be on the table. Why are they at the table . Ceasefire now, i beg you. Ceasefire now. Secretary blinken you may continue. Thank you, chair. The president and i both stressed in our conversations with the leaders in accordance with international law. For ukraine, Senate Appropriations<\/a> committee will please come to order. We are here today to discuss the National Security<\/a> components of the president supplemental funding request. Were glad to have secretary austin and secretary blinken with us to talk about the challenges were seeing around the world and the urgency of providing the necessary resources to meet these challenges, support our allies and make the word and our country safer. At our First Full Committee Hearing<\/a> earlier this year on outcompeting china, both secretaries made a strong case for why passing our full year appropriations bill was robust investments in america and avoiding perpetual cuts was so crucial of keeping the United States<\/a> on the world stage. As the two of you return to this committee, i think every member understands and takes many of the messages we brought to you in the last hearing. These are difficult times and American Leadership<\/a> and support will be critical as we face the many threats and challenges we will discuss today. Thats why Congress Must<\/a> come together in a bipartisan fashion to act decisively and purposefully. This is not a time to punt American Leadership<\/a> or punt on funding agencies critical to these efforts and to American Families<\/a>. If we let policies and Division Drive<\/a> us away from this mission, i worry about where we will stand for years to come. So i hope this committee can continue to lead the way with thoughtful, swift, bipartisan action that keeps your message here today in mind. Thank you both for joining us again. We are at a precarious moment across the globe, ukraine is continuing its courageous resistance against putins bloody invasion. And israel is reeling from a horrific terrorist attack by hamas, a vicious attack that none of us will ever forget. Its often the innocent that suffer most in war. So of course there are also urgent humanitarian need including aid for the ukrainian people and the countries caring for those displayed by putins war and aid for civilians in gaza. It is also a humanitarian impairment that hamas release the hostages it took during its violent attack. And of course putins invasion has also severely disrupted Food Supply Chains<\/a> around the world leaving a serious crisis of Global Hunger<\/a> in its wake. In the indo pacific our friends and partners face growing threats and invasion particularly from the Chinese Government<\/a>. In short, the world is on edge and how the u. S. Wields its leadership will be a critical factor to determine what happens next. Now is the time for serious, sober discussion. Not partisanship or political show. This hearing is a crucial opportunity for us to make sure were taking a full view of this moment. Meeting immediate requirements while planning for the long term and providing the resources necessary to make the world safer for america and its allies. If were going to get this right we have to understand how these conflicts are developing today and what our strategy is for the future. We have to appreciate the nuances that differentiate these challenges and the way theyre all connected. We have to look at this without losing sight of whats happening on the ground. Remembering that in every conflict there are civilians. Hostages torn from their families, people facing obstacles getting basic medical services and kids and families who desperately need food and water. And we have to be able to recognize the complexity of these issues while holding fast to the simple, actionable truth that can guide our work. For me that means america must stand strong by our allies. Dictators cannot be allowed to invade sovereign democracy. Terrorism cannot be tolerated. And we cannot ignore the humanity and the cries for help from civilians who are caught in the middle of conflict and cross fire who we must protect. Its a tall order, but the Biden Administration<\/a>s National Security<\/a> supplemental request offers us a useful blueprint. And vice chair collins and i are working right now to craft strong Bipartisan Legislation<\/a> that meets the National Security<\/a> priorities that the president laid out. That means a package that provides support to the ukrainians who is at the end of the butchery of putins invasion. One that makes it clear to other countries looking to copy putins actions that they will fail. That is crucial to ensure we have secure supply chains when it comes to our nations defense. And that after we send ukraine weapons we are replacing our stocks with modern American Made<\/a> arms. Lets be clear, huge supermajorities in the house and senate favor more support for ukraine so getting this funding across the finish line should not be controversial. Meeting this moment also means a package that ensures we stand with israel as it works to protect its people in the wake of the horrific hamas attack. And deter additional terrorist threats. And one that helps us prevent further escalation of violence in the future. It means a package that strengthens our future as the Chinese Government<\/a> works aggressively to expand its footprint. It also means a package that continues longstanding tradition of the u. S. Leading the global humanitarian response and delivering vital humanitarian aid to save lives in places that are being torn away by conflict. Whether theyre in ukraine, israel or gaza. We cannot lose sight of the need. Making sure people have food, water, and medical care isnt just the right and moral thing to do, it also promotes long term stability and security. Combating hopelessness that can spiral into new threats. Let me also say this as someone who voted against the iraq war. I have been heartened to see the president urge our allies in israel not to fall subject to so many of the same mistakes we saw following the 9 11 attacks. It is an Important Message<\/a> for the president to deliver as a friend of israel to remain clear eyed. Every country has the responsibility to protect innocent lives especially in the time of conflict. I strongly support their robust efforts to ensure further access to humanitarian relief. Finally make no mistake, we need to address all of these priorities as part of one package. Because the reality is these issues are all connected and they are all urgent. The Chinese Government<\/a> is watching how we respond to putins aggressions in ukraine. Putin is hoping the hamas attack will give him an opening and distract the world from aiding ukraine. And all of our adversaries are watching closely to seal if we to see if we have the vision to resolve together and respond forcefully to them. Our adversaries are cheering for dysfunction. So lets instead show them unity. Lets show them the strength of democracy by passing a robust, bipartisan National Security<\/a> package. And before i turn it over to vice chair collins let me just say, while were focused on the global challenges at this hearing we should also address the needs here at home. The child care crisis, relief for our communities who have been struck by disaster. The fentanyl crisis. The need at our southern border and more. I know that its critical to many of us here and next week we will have an opportunity to discuss these issues with secretary maorquez at a hearing in front of this committee on november 7th. Bottom line, we face a number of urgent National Security<\/a> issues and challenges here at home. President biden has submitted requests for much needed supplemental funding to address these priorities. I urge my colleagues on both sides to work with me on all of these urgent issues. If we can pass our domestic priorities right alongside our National Security<\/a> priorities we absolutely should. After all we are the United States<\/a> of america. We can stand with our allies around the world and tackle the challenges facing our families here at home at the same time. Now im glad were holding this hearing today to discuss the vital National Security<\/a> quest the president has submitted to congress and im looking forward to a thoughtful discussion for what is needed to tackle terrorist threats and protect civilians. And about what is at stake for americas own security and future if we fail to stand with our friends across the globe and lead. Thank you and with that i will turn it other to vice chair collins. Thank you chair murray for holding this important hearing. Let me begin by expressing my appreciation to secretary blinken and secretary austin for joining us today. To discuss the president s National Security<\/a> supplemental funding request. I had hoped that secretary maorquez also would be here but he is testifying this morning before another senate committee. I very, very much appreciate that the chair has scheduled an opportunity next week for secretary maorquez to come before us and discuss what is needed in the supplemental. To provide effective Border Security<\/a>, to stem the floods of the illegal migrants, and fentanyl crossing into the United States<\/a> through the end of fiscal year as of september 30th. There were a record 2. 5 million encounters at our southwest border. This real threat to our homeland must also be addressed. The collective threats of the United States<\/a> faces from an aggressive iran and its proxies, an imperialist russia and a hedgemonic china requires our attention and cooperation allies. In ukraine, the determined patriots backed by the United States<\/a>, the european union, japan, australia, and others continue to battle putins brutal and unprovoked invasion. In asian, chinas dangerous game of brinkmanship is rattling savers at taiwan. Some have argued for decoupling funding to address these threats and focusing only on the iranian backed terrorists whos massed occurred so many israelis on september 7th. We must recognize our National Security<\/a> spwhraepbss are being aggressively challenge security interests are being aggressively challenged by these authorityive actors. Through the export of weapons and drones that terrorize ukrainian civilians. Just last week, russia hosted hamas and iranian leadership where hamas praised russias criticism of israeli to defend themselves following recent attacks. China declines to condemn russia or hamass attack. This both having despite despite both having committed war crimes targeting civilians and both having stolen children from their families. If we fail to thwart these efforts there will be dire consequences that will jeopardize our National Security<\/a>. The measure, does it make america more secure or not . Let me offer a few reflections. When i was in israel with senator graham, senator carden and several other senators last week, we met with young ones whos families including very Young Children<\/a> are being held hostage by hamas. During the october 7th terrorist attack, parents were murdered in front of their children. The actions of hamas are nothing less than evil. And we must stand by our friend israel, the only true democracy in the middle east. Like israel, ukraine was the victim of an unprovoked attack by a repeat violent offender. The United States<\/a> all be it slower than many of us would have liked, stepped in with assistance for ukraine to help repel russians battlefield advances. Lets review what has happened since weve helped ukraine in this defense against russias second invasion. No u. S. Soldiers have lost their lives fighting in ukraine. Our adversary russia is weaker. Nato is stronger than ever. Finland has joined the alliance and i expect that sweden will do the same soon. Each of these outcomes is in americas interest. Finally, the supplement request will replenish or military weapons stockpiles and invest and strengthen the u. S. Defense Industrial Base<\/a> in many states. The requested funding will refill the stockpiles and increase the productions capacity of key munitions in greatest demand. None of this funding goes over seas or to another country. It makes america stronger by modernizing our democracy right here in our country. And improving the readiness for the military to fight offer any adversary who may threaten the United States<\/a>. We look forward to hearing your specific justification. Before we turn to your Opening Statements<\/a>. Let me reiterate that chair murray and i want to enact all 128 appropriation bills including the state and defense appropriation. As bob gates once told me, the most important action the United States<\/a> can take is to pass Appropriations Bills<\/a> every year that comes from short term funding patches or sequestration. Secretary austin i hope you will comment on that in your opening remarks. Thank you maam chair. Before i introduce our witnesses and move to testimony. I want to take a moment to welcome someone else today. Our newest member of the committee. Senator sinema is someone who truly knows how to work with members on both sides of the aisle. Im sure she will be a great part of our committee. Welcome. We worked very closely on many bills and i know shes going to be a great addition to our committee. Thank you. Im very pleased to welcome secretary of state Anthony Blinken<\/a> and secretary of state lloyd austin. We will now start with opening remarks and secretary blinken, i will begin with you. Thank you very much, chair murray, vice chair collins. Thank you for this opportunity to testify before you today. Stop supporting the genocide of the people of gaza. Ceasefire now. Save the children of gaza. Save the children of gaza. Ceasefire now. Where is your pride, america . I do recognize that people feel very passionately but i ask that we have order in our courtroom. Allow the American People<\/a> here and at home to hear our secretary of state blinken. We made historic investments in the source of americas strength at home. Our democracy, our infrastructure, our economic and technological impededness. We invested in our military and we invested in our greatest Strategic Asset<\/a> which is growing larger, stronger, more united and more capable than ever. Were standing up for our interest in values and not shrinking back. Not in the face of russias aggression against ukraine. Not in the face of in the indo pacific and around the world. If the witness wishes to stand and i ask that everybody, we will suspend until the room is cleared. Shame on you all. The world is calling for a ceasefire. The American People<\/a> dont want to support this brutal war. Stop it will war. Stop this. Ceasefire now. Stop funding this brutal massacre that israel is doing on the people of gaza. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Thank you senator blinken. As i said were standing up for values not shrinking back. Not in the face of strategic competition and around the world not in the face of terrorism and its face sponsors. And america does not stand alone. We built extraordinary coalitions with trends who carry their share of the burden. Which im happy to come back to. Our adversaries and competitors alike continue to do whatever they can to disrupt us. Secretary austin and i think its important for us to be here together today. Because in this mission as in so much that we do, our defense, the diplomacy, the Development Must<\/a> work hand in hand. I say no more murder. Ing the committee will suspend. I would ask that you respect our witnesses and our Committee Members<\/a> and allow the American People<\/a> to hear their testimony. We will pause until the room is cleared. 300 people in gaza, 3,500 kids dead. Come on, im an army colonel, a former diplomat, i served in that war in iraq you talked about. That was a horrible thing. Israels genocide in gaza is too. The president request has four key elements. First, it provides for our enduring support to israel and ukraine. Two democracies under brutal assaults by actors determined to wipe their nations off the map. It will ensure that israel can continue to send their people with intelligent support that the United States<\/a> has surged since hamas slaughter. I know that several. The committee will suspend and i again ask that people represent those in the room and the hearing. The hearing will suspend until the disruption is removed. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. People are not animals. Thank you secretary blinken, if you can continue please. I know that several Committee Members<\/a> who have traveled to israel in the last week, theyve heard directly from the israeli people what they need to defend their people and prevent another battle like this one. Including to help israel bolster their defense systems. Supplemental will also request authorities to draw down and enhances the security of our embassy. While israel has the right indeed it has the obligation to defend itself, the way it does so matters. In our discussions with the Israeli Government<\/a>, the president and i are both the need for israel. Why are we. The committee will suspend. Let them be on the table. Why are they at the table . Ceasefire now, i beg you. Ceasefire now. Secretary blinken you may continue. Thank you, chair. The president and i both stressed in our conversations with the leaders in accordance with international law. For ukraine, President Biden<\/a> is requesting 16. 3 billion to supply ukraines defense without which russia will move quickly to try to seize and exploit any possible opening. And to ensure that ukraine can sustain the economic rate. It will also help to reimagine it investing in new business, infrastructure and supply chains connected to europe and throughout the world. Any corruption bodies, civil society, media, to be Strong Enough<\/a> to defer and defend against aggressors in their borders. Since russia lost its war, the robust fund secured by congress, its helped make sure that russias invasion is strategic. And the courageous fight to defend the nation. It has helped make sure that russiass invasion is strategic. Committee will suspend. From palestine to mexico, all the have got to go. From palestine to mexico, all the have got to go. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now ceasefire now ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. From palestine to mexico, all the walls have got to go. From palestine to mexico, all the walls have got to go. From palestine to mexico, all the walls have got to go. Ceasefire now, ceasefire now. Ceasefire, ceasefire. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now ceasefire now ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. From palestine to mexico,. Ceasefire now. Cease all genocide. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now ceasefire now ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Ceasefire now. Thank you, and before i turn back over to you secretary blinken. I really want to thank Capitol Police<\/a> for their very calm and professional manner, we all appreciate it. Since russia launched this role, the robust has enabled the people of ukraine to continue to protect their nation. And its rallied the world in defense of ukraine and of the principles at the heart of the american nation. Integrity and independence. Our partners are making significant. Turning our backs on their efforts would have lasting implications. Have clear links as both the chair and vice chair have noted. Since we cut off russias traditional means of supplying its military its turned more and more to iran for assistance. In return, moscow has supplied traditional means of supplying military has turned more and more to iran for assistance. In return moscow has supplied iran with increasingly advanced technology which poses a threat to israel. This will simply embolden both moscow and iran. Second, the funding will enable us to tackle grave humanitarian needs created by autocrats and terrorist as well as by conflict and natural disasters in ukraine, gaza, sudan, armenia, and other places around the world. Food, water, medicine and other essential assistance must be able to flow into gaza. Civilians must be able to stay out of harms way. This task is made even more difficult as hamas uses civilians as human shields. Humanitarian pauses must be considered. Worsening the humanitarian catastrophe, our belief that every civilian life is equally valuable and equally worthy of protection. Without swift and sustained humanitarian relief the conflict is much more likely to spread. Suffering will grow and hamas and it sponsors will benefit by fashioning themselves as the saviors of the very desperation they created. Humanitarian assistance is also vital to Israel Security<\/a> providing immediate aid and protection for civilians in this conflict is a necessary foundation. This funding is critical to out competing our strategic rivals. This will bolster deterrence. It will support our allies and partners in the indo pacific to address threats from an increasingly assertive erc and emerging challenges. It will hold the commitment to our allies including with our partnership with australia and the united kingdom. It will help with military and defense equipment that is made in america. The request also includes resources for the world bank and International Monetary<\/a> fund to provide alternatives to chinas course of financing partners in the developing world and will also help to ease the impact of russias war on food and in insecurity for the most vulnerable. These requested authorizations would generate almost 50 billion in Additional Development<\/a> funding capacity for the world bank and the imf. An enormous return on investment. That will demonstrate u. S. Leadership in meeting urgent global challenges. Finally, the supplemental will make critical investments to protect the security of americans here at home. That includes addressing the hemispheric challenge of irregular migration and ensuring our military continues to be ready and keep the best equipped fighting force in the world and remain the arsenal for democracy. More than 50 billion of the Security Systems<\/a> funding will replenish u. S. Military stocks, strengthen our defense and Industrial Base<\/a> and will be spent through american businesses. Each of these investments Work Together<\/a> to achieve our mission. A stronger, safer, Brighter Future<\/a> where americans can lead from a position of strength. Let us come together and demonstrate to one another and to the world that we can rise. I also hear very much the passions expressed in this room and outside this room. All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life. All of us know the suffering that is taking place as we speak. All of us are determined to see it and but all of us know the imperative of standing up with our allies and partners when their security, when their democracies are threatened. That is what is happening now. We stand resolutely with them even as we stand resolutely for the protection of innocent civilians. Before i close i would like to thank senators for their vote to send the nominee jacqueline to israel at this critical time. I encourage the same for the other 26 nominees waiting for their vote. Thank you very much. Thank you very much, secretary blinken. Secretary austin, if you could suspend until we have the room cleared. Thank you. Secretary austin, you may begin. Chair mary, pfister collins, 80s and gentlemen good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the urgent need for supplemental funding to strengthen our National Security<\/a>. On october 7, Hamas Terrorists<\/a> murdered more than 1400 israelis and at least 36 americans. They took more than 200 hostages. It was the deadliest terror attack in israel history. It was cruel, hateful, and repugnant. As former head of central command, it reminded me powerfully of crimes committed by isis and iraq and syria. As President Biden<\/a> has said any democracy would respond decisively to such a vile terrorist assault. I traveled to israel just days after the attack to americas ironclad commitment to israels security. We fully understand that hamas does not represent the Palestinian People<\/a> and we mourn the loss of palestinian civilians. I have repeatedly made clear to israel leaders that protecting civilians in gaza is both a moral responsibility and strategic imperative. Democracies like ours are stronger and more secure when we uphold the law of war and protect civilians. Tensions remain exceptionally high. Let me outline the four key lines of effort. First, we will continue to protect American Forces<\/a> and citizens in the region. Our personnel have come under repeated attack in recent days by iranian backed militia groups. These attacks must stop. At the president s direction facilities in Eastern Syria<\/a> used by iran and its affiliates. If they continued to attack u. S. Forces we will not hesitate to take furthers necessary measures to protect their people. I have deployed a terminal High Altitude<\/a> defense battery as well as additional patriot batteries. Second, we are flowing assistance into the israel at the speed of war. We are providing key equipment. Including more interceptors for the lifesaving systems. This will help secure the release of every man, woman, and child seized by hamas including american citizens. As President Biden<\/a> told the families of the missing americans, we have no higher priority than the safe return of their loved ones. We offer best practices for integrating hostage recovery. Finally, we swiftly strengthen our force posture in the region to determine any state or nonstate actor from escalating this crisis beyond gaza. Two Carrier Strike<\/a> groups are in the region. Last week an additional squadron arrived in the region complementing other Fighter Squadron<\/a>s already there. All of this underscores the president s clear warning. No government or group that wishes is real harm shall try to widen this crisis. Even as we urge support into israel we urge support on ukraine. The Russian Military<\/a> has been badly weekend. They have taken more than half the territorys eve seized by russian invaders. This was made possible bipartisan leadership. In both israel and ukraine, democracies are fighting useless ruthless foes that are out to annihilate them. Todays battles against aggression and terrorism will to find mobile security for years to come. Only the firm American Leadership<\/a> can ensure that terrorists are not emboldened to commit more aggression and more atrocities. Our actions today will shape the world that our children and grandchildren and here it. Thats why we have submitted an urgent request to help fund americas National Security<\/a> needs and to stand by our partners and our industrial race. We request 10. 6 billion to help israel defend itself. The supplemental also request 4. 4 billion to help ukraine continue to defend itself against ongoing aggression. We also request 3. 3 billion to meet u. S. Military requirements in our Industrial Base<\/a> and to fulfill office requirements. This supplemental does not just help with todays urgent challenges. We can also invest in our Industrial Base<\/a>. When we send munitions from stock piles, the money to defend strengthens our readiness. That also holds true for funding for israel or ukraine to procure new equipment off the production line. Some 50 billion of the supplemental request would flow through our defense Industrial Base<\/a> creating american jobs and more than 30 states. These investments will also improve our production capacities far into the future. It will help ensure that we are ready to tackle security challenges worldwide. That means greater prosperity at home and greater security around the globe. Finally, let me thank all of you for your leadership. Your support ensures that we can defend america and stand by the allies and partners who magnify our strength. Im also committed to working with all of you to enact a full year appropriation bill to keep america secure. As President Biden<\/a> said leadership is what holds the world together. If we fail to lead the cost and threats of the United States<\/a> will only grow. Lets not give our friends, our rivals or our foes to any reason to doubt. I look forward to continuing to work with you to keep america secure, prosperous, and strong. Thank you. We will now begin a round of fiveminute questions. I ask colleagues to keep track and stay with them as five minutes. We have a lot of urgent challenges. Getting aid to israel, continuing support for ukraine and addressing urgent humanitarian need. Some of my colleagues are pushing to provide only the emergency military funding for israel and not the rest of the request in this security supplemental. I would like each of you to address this question. Why is it so important that we provide supplemental funding for ukraine, the indo pacific and humanitarian assistance in addition to military aid to israel. Thank you very much. I think it is very important to understand that the elements of this request Work Together<\/a> as a package. As you know the defense Industrial Base<\/a> operates in a complex way. It is an interdependent unit. Making these investments allows us to do what is needed to strengthen the defense Industrial Base<\/a> and sees the benefits and inefficiencies. We also know that russia and iran are working together to pose a growing threat to our own security to our allies and partners. They have been partners in this devastating war in syria and now we have a rain and proxies firing on see the real israel. Russia could stop this but instead to the contrary the government is hosting hamas for talks in moscow. We are seeing the profound connections here. What happens in ukraine, what happens in the middle east also matters for the pacific. Beyond europe we know that our allies as well as our adversaries and competitors are watching that conflict. They are watching our response. The Global Impact<\/a> of the unprovoked war against ukraine further stress the importance of ensuring that the indo pacific does not learn the wrong lessons from these conflicts. The funding request is vital to securing a free and open indo pacific in the face of mounting challenges. That includes things like freedom of navigation. In other words, to put it sustainably for adversaries be they states or nonstates, this is all one fight. We have to respond in a way that recognizes that. If we start to peel off pieces of this package, they will see that and they will understand that we are playing lacrimal while they cooperate increasingly and pose an ever greater threat to our security as well as our allies and partners. One final thing. I think when it comes to the humanitarian assistance, it is first and foremost vital because this is who we are. We know that when it comes down to it in each and every one of these conflicts people are suffering. Men, women, and children. Parents, mothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents. I think it is profoundly who we are to want to do everything we can to assist them and to try to lift some of the burden they are bearing from being caught in the midst of conflict. At the same time, it is vitally important as a strategic proposition that we provide the assistance that we can to help people in need. We have seen hamas and other groups play the siren song of nihilism to try to attract people to their perverted cause. We want to be sure we have a better response and a better answer across the board. That is part of the strategic proposition as well as one that is profoundly humanitarian. Secretary austin. Thank you. I think it is important to remind ourselves that what happens in ukraine and what happens in israel matters not just to ukraine and israel. It matters to us. It affects our National Security<\/a> as well. We also have to remind ourselves that these countries are in a fight. They are fighting every day. There are people dying every day. In ukraine, putin continues to attack civilians and commit war crimes that are despicable. These countries urgently need the resources to ensure that they can continue to defend their sovereign territory. In ukraine, putin has felt that he could wait us out. That is part of his strategy. He feels that the west will get tired of supporting ukraine and he will soon have his way. If that is the case, if we dont support ukraine then wins. Putin will not stop in ukraine. We all know that. I think it is important to do what is necessary to support ukraine and israel and to help them defend their sovereign territory. As secretary blinken said, this is also an investment in our defense Industrial Base<\/a>. It helps us replenish our stockpiles and gives us depth and agility and helps us to do what we have done over the years around the world. It is critical that we provide the support mount both cases. If the Committee Members<\/a> will indulge me i just want to ask, some of my colleagues can have raised concerns that that could end up in the wrong hands. Could you walk the committee through the reason why you requested it and how you are confident that the aid will not end up in the hands of terrorists . Thank you very much. Lets be clear that the needs for the most basic things. Food, water, medicine, feel, these are literally a matter of life and death. We know that they are running out. Hospitals do not have the fuel they need to operate. Men, women and children displaced. Well over 1 Million People<\/a> displaced in gaza. About half of them desperately need the most basic things in order to survive. From day one we have been working with the Israeli Government<\/a>, with egypt, with u. N. Agencies to try to be sure assistance can get into the people that need it and get it in a way that does not go to the people that dont need it. We have set up a system where assistance is coming through the gate between egypt and gaza. The assistance is checked by israel at a site that has been established to do that so that every truck that goes in is verified by israel as well as by the egyptian authorities. These are u. N. Trucks. They go in and connect to other trucks on the other side of the line. These trucks then go to distribution facilities that are run by u. N. Agencies. The supplies are then taken from those agencies to various points to hospitals, bakeries because bread is critical, and to other endpoints. Throughout this process we have an ability and others had ability to track where the assistance is going. We are able to do monitoring on the other end by contacting recipients to ensure it has gotten to where it is supposed to go and not been diverted. To date, we do not have reports either from the u. N. Are from israel that the assistance has been diverted from its intended recipients. It is something that we will track very closely. Can i promise you and this committee that there will be 100 delivery to the designated recipients, no. There will inevitably be some spillage. We have to anticipate that, but the overwhelming majority of assistance thus far is getting to people that need it and we need more. We have gotten up to over 50 trucks per day before the conflict in gaza and the aggression against israel. The u. N. And other agencies and organizations providing relief, we are sending between 500 and 800 trucks per day. That is the bare minimum but we have to do it and we believe we have mechanisms in place to ensure that the assistance gets to the people that need it. Thank you. Secretary blinken, let me follow up on chair murrays question. Does israel agree that there are sufficient safeguards to prevent humanitarian aid from being diverted to hamas rather than reaching the innocent civilians whom we all want to us assist. We have worked closely with israel as well as other actors. The assistance that is going in into gaza is first checked by the israelis as well as by the egyptians. As i mentioned, we have some methods to track it to get to where it is supposed to go. They said that the aid has been diverted with constant almost daily contact to be sure that the process is working and also to find ways to expand it. Hospitals need fuel to run and desalination plants. We are working to find a way forward that meets the needs but also with assurances. As you indicated in your opening remarks, iranian backed terrorists proxy groups in the region have launched numerous drone and rocket attacks against our forces, u. S. Forces in syria and iraq. According to reports there have been at least 20 such attacks and 19 u. S. Service members have been wounded. It is imperative that iran and its proxy groups understand that they cannot attack American Forces<\/a> with impunity. I know that last week President Biden<\/a> order two u. S. Strikes against facilities to threaten our troops. The New York Times<\/a> has reported over the weekend that iranian backed terrorists continue to attack u. S. Forces in the region even after these airstrikes. Since these u. S. Airstrikes apparently have not been sufficient to deter additional attacks on our troops by iranian backed proxies what else is the department doing to stop attacks against american troops . Thank you. First of all, let me emphasize the protection and safety of our troops and our civilians is of utmost important to me and utmost important as well. We have taken a number of steps to ensure that we increase our force protection posture. We have deployed a number of assets to the region as well. The president has been clear and i have been clear, vice chair, if this does not stop we will respond. We remain, we maintain the right to respond. We have the capability to do that and we will respond at the time and place of our choosing. Secretary blinken, israel has every right to defend its citizens from hamas, including seeking out the terrorists in gaza and destroying them while also trying to minimize civilian casualties. There is a critical distinction here. Hamas targeted civilians. They kidnapped innocent children as well as people as old as 85 years old. Israel is not doing that. As israel has begun to respond in gaza to the indiscriminate and barbaric targeting of innocent israeli citizens, some and we have heard it today, have called for a ceasefire. A ceasefire would be a strategic victory for hamas. It would simply allow hamas to bite its time and prepare for future attacks and pay no price for the greatest loss of jewish lives in a single day since the holocaust. Could you clarify the Administration Position<\/a> on a ceasefire. First of all, i fully agree with you that no country, no country could tolerate what israel suffered on october 7. It is extraordinary the extent to which that day has receded in memory. I was in israel short only after the attack. I have been going there professionally for 30 years and longer than that in my own life. I have never seen what we have all seen and what israel experienced on that day in terms of the impact it has on that society almost to a man woman and child. As we know it was not just the attack itself and the vulnerability it revealed. It was the nature of the attack with young people chased down and gunned down at a dance party. Children executed in front of their parents. Parents executed in front of their children. Families with a final embrace burned alive. People be headed. I could go on. You have heard from many eyewitnesses to these atrocities including, and if you will forgive me because again these stories received so quickly, a family at its brusque this table breakfast table. The profound irony of attacks on campuses. The people who must ardently believe and want a feature of peace between israelis and palestinians. A family of four. A young boy and girl six years old and eight years old and their parents around the breakfast table. The father his eyes gouged out in front of his kids. The mothers rest caught off the girls foot amputated. The boys fingers cut off before they were executed. Then the executioner sat down and had a meal. This is what society is dealing with. No nation could tolerate that. As President Biden<\/a> has repeatedly made clear israel has not only the right but the obligation to defend itself and take every possible step to make sure this does not happen again. We have been equally clear that it is vitally important. The imperative of doing Everything Possible<\/a> to protect civilians as well as to care for those who are endangered by the conflict is something that we feel strongly. Of course, you are right that this is a special burden on israel because hamas cynically and monstrously intentionally puts civilians in harms way by hiding behind them, using them as human shields, its weapons and command posts underneath hospitals and underneath schools and residential complexes. For each of us and particularly for democracies, we have to bear the burden of doing everything we possibly can to ensure that civilians are not harmed and to care for those that need help. When it comes to a ceasefire in this moment you are exactly right. That would simply consolidate what they have been able to do and allow it to remain where it is and potentially repeat what it did another day. That is not tolerable. No nation would tolerate that. We do believe that we have to consider things like humanitarian pauses to make sure assistance can get to those who need it and people can be protected and get out of harms way. We cannot have a situation where there is a reversion to the status quo where when this is over it goes back to hamas being responsible for the governance and socalled security of gaza because that is simply an invitation to repeat what happened. Again, no nation would tolerate that. Six weeks ago the senate on a bipartisan basis as gathered with president zelenskyy. Many things were said about the courage of the ukrainian people but i remember a statement made by president zelenskyy which i would like to ask you about. He was asked about the course the war and said the heroism of his people has been demonstrated over and over again. He said without the continued Financial Support<\/a> of the United States<\/a> and nato we will lose this war. He was unequivocal. He repeated it without the Financial Support<\/a> of United States<\/a> and nato we will lose this war was he exaggerating . He was not, senator. As you know we have provided a significant amount of assistance to ukraine. Some 50 other countries have come in and worked with us in a coalition to also provide assistance. They have provided some 35 dollars of their own. Our leadership in this effort really matters. We know why we are asking these questions can the speaker suggested he would fund support for israel but not fund support for ukraine. In the starkest terms, what would that mean if we were to setback and not fund support for the people of ukraine to repel putin . Senator, i think it would do terrible harm to our values and also to our core interest. Values because we are all united in wanting to respond to aggressors and bullies who tried to lord it over their neighbors. In the midst of doing that they inflict incredible suffering on people. Which impact would that have on nato . First, what we have seen is a remarkable coming together of our Nato Alliance<\/a> that has grown stronger and larger. And alliance that has also stepped up in a major way. Individual members in terms of burden sharing we often have concerns in different conflicts in the past. This is an instance where we have seen very significant burden sharing that would almost certainly go away. If you look at it, total assistance to ukraine going back to february 2022 the United States<\/a> have provided 75 billion and our allies have provided 90 billion. For military support we provided about 43 billion allies and partners a private supplied 33 billion. Plus another 18 20 billion in caring for the many refugees who went to europe and outside of ukraine. I think the message it would send first of all to each and every one of these countries is that if the United States<\/a> is abandoning ship we may as well also. Second, our alliance is founded on the proposition that we are all in this together. They would see this as a retreat from our own responsibilities. Finally, you heard the secretary of defense say this. There is no doubt in my mind that if is left to continue to act with impunity, not only would he not stop with ukraine and potentially go to a nato country next, it would send a message to wouldbe aggressors everywhere in the world that if he can get away with it so will be and we are likely to have a world full of conflict and that is not good for the United States<\/a>. We are much better sustaining our effort than having to pay a much higher price later. Mr. Secretary, it cant be a coincidence that putin would invite the head of the Hamas Terrorist Organization<\/a> to moscow just days after the terror attack and terrible massacre which you described in some detail. Do you believe there is an allied effort between this cause and the cause of the Hamas Terrorists<\/a>. Putin is trying to take advantage of the attack. It will divert our focus away from ukraine. It will result in pulling back resources and support. At the same time it is aligned with exact elements that are trying to wreak havoc in israel. We see these as being very much joined which is one of the reasons. Secretary, thank you very much for helping us. There will be no ceasefire until hamas ceases to be a threat. Do you agree with that . No ceasefire until hamas ceases to be a threat. That makes perfect sense to me. Do you believe it is the goal of hamas to destroy israel and not have a two state solution . You dont have to take my word for it. I do. They have said so. All right. We are finding somebody that is not trying to help the palestinians. Would it be fair to say that it is a modernday version of religious nazis . Is that okay for me to call them religious nazis . I agree with secretary blinken. There is a direct parallel to isis. That is right. They are all bad. We all agree with that. Do you agree without irans help hamas could not do this. In short, yes. Some estimates are that 93 of all of their money comes from iran. Is that correct . I do not know the exact percentage. But i would say a large portion. So what i have seen from the administration is 90 . So hamas, isis, nazis, whatever you want to call them. If i were jewish i would want to stop them. They are being supported by iran. They are there to protect against the rise of isis. That is right. They are just hanging out with no other place to go. They are there because it is in our National Security<\/a> interest that they not come back. Do you agree with that . That is correct. Okay. Is it a red line for iran to orchestrate an attack on our forces that kills an american . In syria or iraq . Is that a redline . Can we tell the iranians today in case they are watching, if an american is killed by her proxies in syria and iraq we are coming for you. Can you say that . I think iran should be held accountable for the activities of these people. Does that mean that we would consider going to the source of the problem . The great satan is iran, not israel or the United States<\/a>. Can we say publicly to the families who have servicemembers in iraq and syria that they will hit iran if they tried to kill an american through their proxies. Can we say that . We have said and what we will continue to say is that we will hold. I wish you would be more clear because i will tell you this. If one of these soldiers is killed, i am going to say it. I hope other people will join me. If there is an attack by hezbollah in the north, general austin, that would put the state of israel at threat would that be an escalation of the war . Yes it would be an escalation and israel would be forced to fight on two fronts. They have precision guided rockets and missiles pointed at israel. Is that correct . That is correct. Of this it also correct that iran is the biggest factor for hezbollah. Can we say that the ayatollah, if you escalate the second fret and activate hezbollah against the state of israel we will come after you. Can we say that . Is that a redline. Whether or not because of a decision on part of hezbollah that is a residential decision. I am running out of time. I will say if it happens, finally. Do you agree that one of the main reasons this attack occurred is that iran wants to stop the reconciliation between saudi arabia and israel . Yes. Those that are opposed to hamas, hezbollah, and iran. I want to end with this. Will do everything i can as a republican to help the Biden Administration<\/a> with the understanding we will help the Palestinian People<\/a> post hamas. That is the only way this and so i congratulate you and urge you to continue to drive toward peace between saudi arabia and israel. Do not let iran win by getting us off track. I admire you very much but we need to be clear, Crystal Clear<\/a> as to what happens if iran kills an american soldier. I hope that you will let them know what the redlines are. Senator reid. Thank you. The first point i would like to raise is with respect to my colleagues and their proposal of Republican Leadership<\/a> that not only do they not fund ukraine, which i think your testimony indicates is a vital period of, they also want to offset the funding by taking money from the irs. Obviously, i do not think they read the wall street journal because just a few days ago the wall street journal reported that in 2021 the americans failed to play pay 688 million in taxes. If we do not invest in the irs we are giving out billions of dollars. That has to be recognized as we go forward and negotiate with the house. Let me turn now to the issue again. We were talking about sending resources to ukraine. You are now the civilian secretary of defense but you were a distinguished army officer. If we do not send them resources, does that increase the probability that someday we will have to send Young Americans<\/a> in . Absolutely. I think as we said earlier if is successful he will not stop at ukraine. If you are a baltic state, there is no question in my mind that sooner or later he will challenge nato and we will find ourselves in a shooting match. In one sense this comes down to a choice between lending them the tools to do the job or seeing americans facing combat. I agree. Thank you. Secretary austin, you pointed out with respect to the efforts in gaza get that humanitarian assistance is not just a good thing to do for the israeli forces. Is that correct . That is absolutely correct. It would seem to me that they could and should move into position in areas they control for hospitals, shelter and food and make it available to the Palestinian People<\/a> and do all they can to assist those people to reach those areas. Is that appropriate . Absolutely. Just so you know, i talked to my counterpart the minister of defense nearly every day. Every day that i talked to him i remind him of the necessity of getting humanitarian assistance into gaza. We had such a conversation yesterday. This is really important for a number of reasons, but i am delighted to see that it has increased. To the secretarys point we need to increase it much much more. I think not only do we need to increase it but also in terms of the strategy, they have to make it clear that their photo is hamas not the Palestinian People<\/a>. They will go out of their way to try to protect the Palestinian People<\/a>. I think that is essential. It is not just humanitarian. It is practical and strategic. We tried to make this point also, secretary. We suggested that to the crown prince of saudi arabia that he can put these officers into humanitarian relief. I urge you and your colleagues to try to get all of the nations in that area to provide the resources. But the money for aid to Palestinian People<\/a> should come from the international committee. I very much agree with that. The United States<\/a> as it stands is by far the leading donor to the palestinians. We have provided 1. 6 billion in assistance through various agencies to the palestinians through this administration. We would like to see other partners and allies step up and do the same thing. That is something we have been very clear about in our own conversations. I applaud the members of this committee and those that have been to the region recently pushing that as well. Just a point. My time has expired. We have a necessity to get Many American<\/a> citizens out of gaza. Can you assure us that you are doing all you can to achieve that objective . We are. We are working on this every day. We have about 400 american citizens and their family members so it is roughly 1000 people who want to get out. I am focused on this intensely. We are working with various parties to try to facilitate their departure from gaza. The impediment is simple. It is hamas. We have not found a way to get them out through whatever place by whatever means. We are working with intermediaries and we are working that for them. There are also roughly another 5000 seeking to get out. This is something that we are intensely focused on. Weve been in close communication as best we can with americans that are stuck in gaza. Weve had about 5500 communications we have initiated to be in touch with them and try to guide them as best we can and work through their ability to leave. Thank you very much. Upon congressional receipt of the request for this emergency supplemental, my first request was of our own Committee Leadership<\/a> that we have this hearing. I think both of you for honoring that request. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to deal with the money that will be spent. I want this committee, as we should do to treat it in a significant and serious matter. I would certainly indicate the changes in input from this committee and from congress are required. One to make the package better and two to make it more amenable to passage by both the house and senate. I was originally and continue to be disappointed that the secretary is not with us but i am pleased to know that that is occurring next week. I want the administration to know that there are many of us that believe our borders are National Security<\/a> issue as well and age should be included but i also want you to know that we need the administration to work with us on policy changes. The laws and policies at the border, Financial Support<\/a> for changes at the border are insufficient. We need a different approach toward the push and pull of those people around the world that are entering into the United States<\/a>. I see a package that we signed into law but i want to be sure that many know that we are serious about these issues of National Security<\/a> of our own borders. I want to ask a couple of questions and i will submit more in writing. I would like an assurance and maybe this comes from you, secretary austin, of a commitment. I want to make certain that as we assist ukraine we are assisting ukraine in a way that allows them to succeed. I dont want this to be just a stalemate. I do not want ukraine to have the dollars necessary not to lose, i want ukraine with our help and others to have the opportunity with their capabilities and their own personnel to win. What would be your response, secretary austin . My responses that that is exactly what we are doing. If you go back to the beginning of this effort here, many of us were saying that ukraine would not survive the onslaught for more than two days. So here we are a year later. Not only have they defeated russia in a number of battles, but they have regained 50 of the territory russia occupied. Putin is a strategic failure. He has not conquered anything that he was planning to. I think based upon where they started and where we are now and what they continue to do i would say that ukrainians have made remarkable progress. Our goal is to make sure they can continue to do that. I am talking to my counterpart every week to ascertain what his requirements are and we are moving with urgency to make sure we can fulfill those requirements. Tell me, if you would, how does a failure to fund ukraine embolden china, iran, hamas, russia . We have had circumstances in our history in which we sent a message to the world that we are not a faithful ally. To our enemies and adversaries that we are not a threat. With the failure to fund ukraine in the circumstance meet that criteria in which we fail to demonstrate our capabilities, willingness, and what would be the consequences of that message being sent . As you know there are those that say we should be focused on someplace else besides ukraine. Doesnt the failure to focus on ukraine create huge and significant problems elsewhere in the world with our adversaries and diminish the support of our allies. I think it sends a horrible message to our adversaries. I think our adversaries would like to build a narrative that we are not a trustworthy ally or partner. We see some of that beginning to play out in the media space right now. They are seeking to take advantage of every opportunity. They would like to prove that the United States<\/a> is Something Else<\/a> other than it is. We are the worlds most reliable allied partner. I think it is necessary to demonstrate that we will stick by our partners. Is it more than coincidence that we have so many challenges occurring at the same time . I think a number of things have come together to cause what we are seeing happen. Certainly a failure on our part to follow through in support of our allies and partners, it exacerbates some of the things we are seeing. Chairman and Ranking Member<\/a> i want to thank you for being here today. I appreciate the work you do and i appreciate the dicus difficulty in the work you do. I want to touch quickly on why we are here and that is the supplemental to help israel and ukraine with humanitarian aid and infrastructure money. I want to start by saying the attack on october 7 by hamas on israel was horrific. It is critical that we provide our ally with the necessary tools to defeat hamas. I want to thank you for working in that way because we cannot allow terror to win. That is why it is critical that this committee shows leadership so congress can deliver a package that supports israel encounters Vladimir Putin<\/a>. America is the greatest country that has ever existed and we need to support israel and be sure we are standing up to russia and i think we can walk and chew gum at the same time. I want to be very clear today as chairman of the defense subcommittee that sets the Defense Department<\/a> budget i will be working with republicans and democratic colleagues to work to deliver a package that will replenish weapon stock and support democratic allies and send a clear message to the enemies of freedom and democracy that they will not prevail. My question is this. This is for you, secretary austin. Can you talk about the supplemental request for ukraine. How much of that is staying here to resupply our Industrial Base<\/a> in this country that is being spent in this country for our security to replenish that Industrial Base<\/a> . For ukraine . Yes. We are asking for 44. 4 billion in support of ukraine. 18 billion of that goes, it enables us to replenish our stocks. We would purchase american weapons and he munitions from American Companies<\/a> to do that. 12 billion of that amount goes to support the Ukraine Security<\/a> assistance initiative. This is new weapons and munitions from American Companies<\/a>. 5 billion of that supports our troops are currently deployed overseas. We searched a number of brigades to europe as this began and we have to sustain that. 2. 7 billion of that goes to expansion of facilities to increase capacity and accelerate production of critical munitions. Finally, 1 billion for the acquisition of critical defense articles which includes munitions as well. This money is going right back into the coffers of america. It will create jobs and sustain jobs and it will provide opportunities for americans. I think you know that the first four supplementals we asked you for and we received bipartisan support on, over 27 billion of that money that we received was invested in over 30 states. I think it is real money going in the pockets of americans. This supplemental will make the United States<\/a> stronger. Is that correct . That is correct. We have heard a lot about whether ukraine needs the money or not. I heard a talk this weekend that there is not that urgency like there is in israel. I think there is urgency on both. If we do not pass supplemental including ukraine, how long do they have before putin becomes successful . It is hard to put an exact timeline on how long it would take, senator, but i can guarantee that without our support, putin will be successful. The ukrainians have done the amazing work with our help in terms of the things we have provided them, if we pull out the rug now putin will only get stronger and will be successful in doing what he wants to do and requiring acquiring his neighbors sovereign territory. I just want to respond and ask people to do the right thing and get this out. Thank you. We need to support israel. Theres no question about that. They are fighting for their very existence. We see that and clearly we need to help them. Beyond that, i believe we also need to support ukraine. When we look at history we understand very clearly that tyrants like putin do not stop. They have to be stopped. We have to do those things but but we also need to secure the homeland, that means securing our border, about 30s 36 million package relative to the border and immigration. These encounters, people trying to cross illegally at the southern border. That is a record, 2 1 2 million. 169 individuals trying to cross her on the terrorist watch list. Border security is National Security<\/a>, and im trying to understand how 14 billion can provide other services to additional people coming in here. My question to you is how is it that you are going to assure us coming up with a dad. Youre going to secure the southern border, when it comes to National Security<\/a>, they want to see how that will happen. They will be assured of that, how will they assure us this will actually happen . Its not 14 billion for more people to come here illegally. Thank you, senator. First, i think it is important to put this in very brief perspective which is that we are facing a migration challenge around the world. Historical proportions, we have more people on the move, displaced around the world than ever before, since we have in keeping the numbers, more than 100 billion people in our hemisphere, it is somewhere between 20 and 25 Million People<\/a>, we have a crisis at a time, it might be cuba, it a might be haiti, now we have cuba, haiti, venezuela, honduras, el salvador, guatemala, ecuador, colombia, and so on down the list. Nicaragua, then people coming to our hemisphere trying to get into the states. My piece of this, our piece of this is the work that we are doing with entries throughout our hemisphere to step up and share response ability for this problem, among many other things making sure that they themselves have asylum that works for people. With all due respect secretary, we understand that. How will you ensure is you will stop the flow of illegal crossings at our southern border . Will you give us that assurance and quantify it . We are working im talking about the problem, will you give us assurance and quantify it . I would certainly defer to my colleagues at dhs, and others who are working on the board itself, the piece im focusing on is working with we should enforce my time is limited, should we enforce a third safe country and remain in mexico protocols . We should work with other countries and enforce every reasonable measure to make sure the migratory flow, and will remain. Secretary austin, we have more than 25 attacks in the middle east on our troops, just since october 7th, why are we not striking back more forcefully . A resounding message to stop those strikes on our bases in our troops. The protection and safety of our troops is very important to me and our president. We maintain the right to spend it at our choosing. We are serious about that. You strike back sufficiently, forcefully to stop these attacks. We will do whats necessary to protect our troops, we determined this kind of behavior. One followup behavior, a strategy with ukraine that brings this world to a successful war to a successful conclusion. What is that strategy . We want to make sure that ukraine at the end of the day is a democratic, independent, sovereign country that can defend its territory and deter aggression. We also want to make sure that we keep nato together, the team has done an incredible job making sure that we bring our allies involved. In terms of specific goals and objections, i would defer to the ukrainian leadership to define that, again, our goal is to make sure that we have support ukraine to do what it needs to do to defend itself. We need to know we have a strategy as part of this funding i think it is very important in terms of support for funding for ukraine. Thank you to you both. Senator . Thank you, madam chair and vice chair for this hearing. Thank you to secretary blinken and austin for being here at this critical time throughout the world. Senator graham, senator moran, to some extent both made the case for hamas, for iran funding hamas, and their malign activities across the middle east. Can you also talk about why funding ukraine eight is important to degrade their activities as well . So, secretary austin orb lincoln. Antony blinken. We see iran supply munitions and drones to russia, they use those capabilities to attack ukrainian infrastructure, attack civilians in towns, villages across iran. I think making sure that we are dialing back to the capability. They are connected, i think they will have an impact on what iran is doing for russia so far. I will only add is it it is a two way street. Its the assistance iran is providing to russia for ukraine to further its aggression, its also increasingly technology that russia is providing to trent boult to make its own inventory more sophisticated that could and almost certainly could be used against israel or against us, our forces, our personnel either directly or via iranian proxies in the region. This relationship, this two way relationship is one of increasing concern to us in one we have to be at against resolutely in both theaters. They are closely linked. I agree, i think it is very important for us to remind people that the grading ran the grading iran does not mean supporting israel, it means ukraine as well. Last week, i shared a hearing of the european subcommittee on black sea security. One thing we learned from this war in ukraine is how important the black sea region is to so much of the world. They literally feed the world. With the Food Security<\/a> in russias war against ukraine. Why thats very important, and will happen. There so many desperate nations in peoples need. One of the many terrible consequences in russias aggression against ukraine. On people around the world. One of the breadbasket of the world, its export overeat. This is essential for people to africa. In terms of the supply of food. The export of foods, and Food Products<\/a> from ukraine, particularly particularly to the black sea, a devastating impact on Food Security<\/a>, for people around the world. We shouldve never blocked ports, an arrangement was made, they led the United Nations<\/a> in turkey to get an arrangement by which these products could be escorted. While the russians were expecting it to go forward, some 40 million metric tons. The equivalent of 18 billion loaves of bread. Thats what is at stake, that is what has been stopped by russia refusing to allow that initiative to go forward. These products out of ukraine. You are so right to focus on it, the last thing i will say is as a result of a lot of the work thats been done. The refined black sea strategy. This will be an important subject at the subject. We are almost at the time but i do want to ask you about. They will take some funding off of that. Can you point out why that is not correct . The third not evolved in the involved in how situations are individually distributive. Individual agencies, some critical agencies involved in providing assistance like the international organization. For migration. We have great confidence in the ability of these agencies to do critical work that they need to do. To make sure the assistance gets to folks who need it, not to folks who dont need it. Thank you. Senator bozeman . Thank you, madam chair and thank you for being here. I like to talk about what is the underpinning of our defensive security. The procurement ability, it is not glamorous but it really is so very important. I have learned a lot about it through working with senator murray on military construction efforts. Arkansas is a major player in this, they are working really hard. The people of arkansas, the people of camden have stepped up. Secretary austin, two years ago, the fiscal year 23 dod budget hearing. I ask you about possible ways we could strengthen our Industrial Base<\/a> to ensure we meet the current day demands and replenish our stockpiles. Since then from your perspective, how does industry respond . How is it performing, are we making the right adjustments and doing so fast enough . Thanks, senator. I will begin by saying i am committed to making continuing to do the right things to make sure that our we are working with the industry to expand capacity where appropriate. We engaged in an industry early on, as this conflict in ukraine started. For the most part, in all cases, leaders of industry who worked very very they were helpful and willing to increase production, increase capacity, and so, we have some good examples of that great work. In terms of whether or not it is fast enough, if you are me, it can never be fast enough, if you are ukrainian, you can never get it there fast enough but there are some limitations in terms of how quickly they can do certain things. They will continue to be workforce challenges, when you expand capacity, there is this i mean, theres this issue of the time that it takes to build a capacity and then make sure the lines are running smoothly. One thing i know a lot of cases, 2 m needs is double and triple shifts. So that they can in some cases crank out munitions and weapons on a much greater speed. We have enjoyed throughout, we are in contact with leadership. It would be daily, my acquisition of sustainment, engaging on a daily basis and i meet with them frequently so. They are doing the right things, being very helpful, it can never move fast enough. So, with all the Global Demand<\/a> now, then possibilities of looking into the future with such an uncertain world. We have this Global Demand<\/a> for short range rocket motors, ask three missiles. Javelins, stingers, one for the five military artillery rounds. You feel the request replenishes current stock in an appropriate level while some simultaneously filling current day demands, do they meet a high request if needed . I do, i think what we have in this request is the right amount, i would say we are going after capability as fast as industry can do so. We have asked you for 3 billion to order this request to invest in helping to expand the capacity within the industry. It is something we continue to work on. In regards to the israel portion, israel. Im hearing from industry they are currently lacking the investment to celebrate rocket motor production for the intercepting missile to meet the new increased demand. The request includes language allowing appropriated dollars to support and can structure to celebrate infrastructure, should we have infrastructure language to help meet the interceptor missile demands . Senator, as a general rule, we will do everything we can to meet the demands that we see in both ukraine and israel, as you know, this is the munition that you are addressing is a coproduced munition. The American Company<\/a> that produces the munition is a company that i once worked for, i will have to take the question for the record. I do not have time to address the question but as Ranking Member<\/a> on agriculture, im concerned about russia using food as a weapon. Thats for what its worth. We share that concern. Senator . Thank you, madam chair and welcome to both of you, secretary blinken in your testimony, humanitarian catastrophe, and how the humanitarian challenges are relevant to the deeply held principles at every life, being equally worthy of protection than a failure on humanitarian relief could make conflict more likely to spread, i was heartened to hear that israel has agreed to facilitate getting 100 trucks a day of aid in, but seeing your u. N. And humanitarian agencies, senior personnel have said the crossing is not equipped for that type of logistical operation. The place where the 500 trucks before came was primarily through Kareem Shalom<\/a> which is also on the border with egypt, it set up to facilitate large trucks getting through, every pushing to solve the logistic problem so that we can actually get, its one fifth of what was supplying before. Are we pushing to have those logistical problems quickly. We fully agree. Even 100 trucks. We want to get there as quickly as possible. Given the horrific disruptions we are seeing. Trucks above 100 going in. To take and distribute that. Are we pushing just looking for yes or no, to use the additional logistical capacity. Right now, our focus is on maxon mating maximizing what we do in rafah. Thank you, im concerned about the testimony of other experts that will be very hard. The potential for disease are huge because of the contaminated water possible on october 19th, if israel and russia are headlong into gaza and do so without expressing commitment to have a two state solution. For american interest, he notes that the impacts include fanning the flames of the arrest west bank, a war with lebanon. Eliminating possibility of any coalition governing gaza after all of this passes including whether this palestinian, arab, nato so forth. The probability of normalization. This is a set of american interests, do you support the two state solution to address the prosperity and thriving. The palestinians that were locked in to a hostility that will haunt us for forever. Its been the policy of this administration from day one. We will try to put in place the conditions to get to a two state solution. Thats the only way to truly in the democratic state. Hes working to expand the normalization. The facts on the ground or making them more and more difficult. In order for that to be a possibility, i want to close with a question related to the americans out of the families, they are there, i have an oregon family that relates to me, how they three times got a text message email saying drop everything, go to the rafah crossing, nothing happened. As the gates are open. On massachusetts and midway notice. Why cant they at the same time we get those families, those American Families<\/a> will wind up at the gate. Why cant we get them out there. I want to get the fellow citizens out, and we find a way to do that. Its been hamas, i regret very much that we thought. Its one of the reasons we were in contact with suggesting that they get in the place to do that only to find the necessary procedures that have to be put in place to make that work. We are working on it with egypt, for israel. So because hamas controls what goes on inside of gaza. Its going to be difficult to get that done. Thats in a very important hearing, i want to thank you for the hearing, i remain in adamant reporter. Behind russian aggression, you made that point very clear. We emphasize how intertwined ukraine and israel are important to National Security<\/a>. In your own statement, secretary blinken. You mentioned one little throwaway line when you say that includes addressing the hemispheric challenges of irregular migration. I assume youre talking about our southern border here. Thats been reiterated, 269,000 plus on the terror watch list. Americans are right to be extremely concerned about what is happening and how it is intertwined with everything that is happening globally. We cannot lose sight of what we see, im sure that, secretary blinken when you see the news of the antisomatic rallies that are occurring in our own country, and across the globe is something i never thought we would see in our lifetime. It is earth shattering, you make a better case on why our own Homeland Security<\/a> here including our southern border, figuring into the equations that you brought us here today to talk about. Thank you, senator i appreciate as well your reference to the unimaginable instances of antisemitism we see as well, by the way expressions on islamophobia and other bigotry that unfortunately horrifically surfaces, particularly in times like these. With regard to migration, as i mentioned earlier, we have a genuinely historic challenge, we have a historic challenge in our own hemisphere with nearly 25 Million People<\/a> on the move. But we are working to do from the perspective of the state department. They share responsibility in dealing with this migration. With all due respect, not working. Including comprehensive reform. I know we are are concerned about this, the seeds of moments of terrorism could grow. We are watching ukraine, watching israel. You would not take your eye off the ball. Much like my senator from arkansas, we manufacture a lot of musicians. This supplemental does help build that Industrial Base<\/a> social production. Would you say that we have learned a lot of munition requirements. Issues that have been focused on. We had not really realized where we were until we had to replenish. Thanks, senator. We want to be clear about the fact that we have maintained. You protect the interest and defend your country. We wouldve brought out some of our stock to provide capability to others. We continue to maintain agility in depth. Responding to crisis like we see. We will never mortgage that every week, as we receive a request for assistance. Whats required for our defense, we make the right calls. In ukraines case, there are some 50 countries as you know that are working with us to provide Security Assistance<\/a>. Israel, their requirement, their fights a different fight and the requirements are a bit different in we are able to meet both requirements and so, again, doing all these things that you mentioned in terms of replenishing the stocks giving that replenishment Going Forward<\/a>. Senator koontz . Thank you, vice chair collins, i will thank you for our absence, thank you for your timely and critical leadership and having this hinge point in our role in the world in human history. It is critical we provide the full supplemental request, we have to you staying u. S. Global leadership. To stand up to tyrus and terrace, while meeting humanitarian needs to help stabilize critically impacted communities. The conflicts in israel and ukraine are regional, as the world questions whether United States<\/a> is a reliable, trustworthy alley. These have consequences, we have to fund sustained presence in these fights. We have to see the Global Impact<\/a> of a conflict like ukraine that is having on global Food Security<\/a>. We have to recognize we cannot just respond to russian aggression, while russian proxies are spreading instability around the world in places like africa, and addressing just the humanitarian needs in the middle east by cutting responses into this hemisphere is not in our interest, we have to address these challenges comprehensively. Secretary blinken, if i could briefly, i want to ask you humanitarian relief has been bipartisan, there are some questioning whether we are spending too much, whether we are preventing diversion to terrorists, we address that previously. I have been reassured to hear directly from israeli representatives, they value humanitarian relief, youre only asking for us to sustain our current year funding Going Forward<\/a>, and it will provide humanitarian relief across dozens of countries around the world that are facing threats of instability. Could you speak to the church to Strategic Value<\/a> . Thank you very much, i appreciate the fact you underscored what we are looking at is to sustain what we have already been doing. Also, making the point that yes, this would be vital for ukraine, it would be vital for people in gaza, also this would cover situations that we have to address in sudan, afghanistan. One is, i always lead with this because this is really who we are. Its imperative that america continues to be seen, standing with those who desperately need assistance at the most critical time, this goes to an impulse that most americans feel. To help, but also a critical strategic proposition. Hamas it is imperative must be defeated. Theres military defeat, is also ideological. He cant kill the idea no matter how perverted and distorted is. Our ability, our willingness. The acute challenges they face in their lives. A genuine vision by how life can be better, it is a vital strategic infrastructure. We are providing is and if it an amount of support ukraine, although they are permitted dramatically more, we are sustaining ukraines ability to have a robust economy and government. How do we sustain that into independence, lawn but it support, i would be it is essential to ukraine success. Russia is doing two things. Trying to get ukraine on the battlefield. Thanks to so much support from congress over the last year and a half, getting back 80 of the territory. The south, rush is also going. What it sees as the soft underbelly of ukraine, its electric grids, its ability to produce and export food, it is basic infrastructure. They sapped the will and defeat ukraine. For its own people, they can have its economy, and grow its economy to where its an arriving tax base, defense and deterrence, that is absolutely essential to making sure that succeeds in this war affect. If we only send weapons to ukraine. They will lose to putins aggression on the list, i absolutely agree. Closing, quick point, there is 2 billion for request and support for the Treasury Department<\/a> to work with the imf and world bank. It would unlock 50 billion in support. Critical allies like egypt and other countries around the region that are facing instability, because of the war in ukraine. Thank you for the chance to be with you. Senator kennedy . Segra terri austin. Is it not true that the word is on fire and ukraine. There is swirling in the end does pacific. Of course of these places in the indopacific, you see china is extra increasingly aggressive. You disagree with my statement . I would describe it a bit differently. I would describe your premise. We only have a limited time. They work between he starts those fires, encourage those fires, create those embers. You see them growing closer together. We do see immanence of china. Is it not true that china russia, and i ron, they would like to see russia dominate central and eastern europe. I think china would like to see the United States<\/a> be unsuccessful, they would like to see russia continue to challenge us to focus on that area so we have next time and energy and resources to focus. The situation i just described, i appreciate you parsing your words, the situation that i just described would not disappoint china russia, or iran. They would like to see the are ron dominate the middle east. I certainly believe are ron iran would like to see that pick with that break chinas heart. Is it not true that china, iran, and russia would like to see china dominate the indo pacific and be free to make moves in sub Sahara Africa<\/a> in south america. That certainly chinas goal, to be the dominant player in the indo pacific pork that is not safe for democracy. The control by autocrats, eventually if i ron dominated activities if they do not stop them, strike that, do you believe weakness invites the wolves. If you do not meet these challenges now. Do you think it would be more expensive in terms of american blood and treasure. I got one more question, mr. Secretary, im looking at your president proposed supplemental. If you get the federal communications division. We have companies to replace insecure equipment, what does that have to do with the world challenges we are facing right now. Do you support the supplemental budget request. I appreciate your candid answers, why did the department of defense oppose my bill calling for a special Inspector General<\/a> in ukraine so that we could follow every penny of american taxpayer money, given the fact Inspector General<\/a> of the department of defense has never been able to audit his own part. The Inspector General<\/a> of dod has been involved in this effort from the very beginning. I believe you, he opposed my bill. Its the only federal agency that has never in the history of ever been audited. But your Inspector General<\/a> insisted that he be in charge, do you not see the irony with respect to ukraine . Senator, im confident that our Inspector General<\/a> will do a great job in making sure that we remain on track with responsibilities in ukraine. In europe. Thank you, madam chair. Senator . Thank you, chair, and vice chair, thank you for being here. I dont think there is anyone on this today is that would disagree that we are in a fight against global fascism. What happened in israel is israels 9 11. It causes anguish, it causes outrage and hopefully we can achieve some collective moral clarity about moving forward, segra terri austin, i want to ask you about the post 9 11 period of the United States<\/a>, it seems to me that collective anguish and outrage, in moral clarity converted itself into some bad Strategic Decisions<\/a> that we are still dealing with in the region. My question for you is the kind of strategic advice are you giving to your israeli counterparts about avoiding the mistakes that we made in the past. Thanks, senator, great question. I have had those conversations with my counterpart. My advice to them, to him was to be thoughtful about actions and objections, and what they were trying to accomplish. Really think that through, if you dont, then the consequences can be long lasting. We share that with them on a number of occasions and hopefully that will that has made a difference. Do you think israel has completed its strategic deliberations about what comes next . I do not know for sure, senator, if they have. I am not privy to their internal cabinet. I certainly would say for the very beginning, i have encouraged them to think about what this looks like at the end of the day. Where this transition is. Really to begin to think through many things that secretary blinken mentioned earlier. Thats really important. If you dont do things to address the underlying causes of instability, then you create a bigger problem where you have a lasting problem that you know, will just go on forever and ever. Secretary blinken . Lets do a thought experiment. Hamas at some point in the future is disabled, i think eliminating is a rhetorical flourish that puts us in the position where we will never stop fighting against some offshoot, some first cousin of hamas, someplace on the planet, lets stipulate the objective is to disable them to the point where they cannot pose a threat. Who runs gaza . I think we have two shoals, if you will. We do not have a version of that status quo with hamas running gaza. Israel is not something that would be supported. There was a variety of possible permutations. Other countries. At some point, what makes the most sense were to be effective and revitalize Palestinian Authority<\/a> to have governance and ultimately secure responsibility for gaza. Whether you can get there in one step is a big question, that we have to look at, if we cant, then there are other temporary arrangements that may involve a number of other countries in the region, it may involve International Agents<\/a> is, it may involve people that will provide for both security and governments. Ultimately, beyond that is what we come back to, what this administration believes which is the imperative of getting 22 states for two people. Thats where you finally get. You get the security that a jewish state of israel will have, you also get the state the palestinians. We heard bouncing around the halls of the capital, when we ask about the anne state, what i have heard is we did not ask what the anne state was in world war ii, we just went ahead and fought the bad guys and let a sorted out later, im not sure that is satisfactory in the sense, thats what the end state is, ought to be wrestled with at least simultaneously in the situation. What are we even fighting towards if we dont know what the Political Center<\/a> is. This is ongoing deliberation within the government and partners within the reason. No one knows what happening now in gaza, where this lands, where this goes, in a way that fundamentally and materially changes two things, changes the security for israel, changes we have been living under or before october 7. In so many ways, destroying their lives. Spending them instead on building totals and tunnels and rocket so it would attack israel. The circumstance for palestinians get to the state of their own. Senator smith . Thank you, madam chairman, we know how critical his hearing has been. I certainly appreciate your contribution. They have a long and well documented history, a bingo funder being a funder of hamas, funds, arms, missile, drones. Hamas wouldve carried out its brutal attack on israel. Without irans knowledge, secretary austin in the immediate aftermath of hamass attack, the administration claimed he did not have evidence that iran was involved. Is this still this administrations position. It is, from the standpoint of we do not see direct involvement in planning and execute. The decision to execute this on the part of iran, having said that at a point you made earlier, senator that they happen did, resourced, trained hamas operatives means that in the plan and the decision to be conducting this attack but we do not see evidence pick you believe the other puppetmaster . I believe they certainly control a number of entities throughout the region. Has below, thats what they do. They export mischief and use other peoples resources to carry that out. Resources to ca iran continues to illegally sell within 150 million in petroleum and Petroleum Products<\/a> each day. Primarily to china, it uses these funds to control hamas, they have other bad actors while pressing the iranian people what more does this Administration Plan<\/a> to do to do curtail the sales . I will direct that to you, secretary can pick first, it is important to note that over the course of this administration, we have sanctioned there are four iranian individuals or entities, for things like supporting hamas. That continues to this very moment, we are very aggressively engaged in cracking down on financing in support for her must, wherever its coming from including notably iran. We have also taken action against the socalled ghost shipping. We cut off the proceeds from that and going against different entities that are engaged in the kind of trafficking. We have a very vigorous effort underway to make sure that whatever we can, we are cutting off iran from getting illegal proceeds that go to finance terror or finance its own activities. Continuing with this, following the hamas attack, the administration stated that it throws the 6 billion in funds that were cleared for release to iran in order to secure the release of americans held hostage by iran, is this freeze permanent and what mechanism is United States<\/a> using to freeze these funds . Lets be very clear about this because it is important, im afraid some people have been misinformed, others may be misinforming about the 6 billion, these are funds that accrued from the sale of orion oil over many years to an account in south korea that was established by the Previous Administration<\/a>. The proceeds were to be used under our laws and under sanctions for humanitarian purposes. Those have never been prohibited by our sanction, against iran and indeed the Previous Administration<\/a> set up a mechanism to enable any oil proceeds that iran was getting to the channel to accounts where they could be controlled and only used for humanitarian purposes, the money and that south korean account that occurred from the sale of these proceeds for technical reasons related to korean banks would be unable to be used even though it lawfully could be, it was moved to an account in qatar where they could be used for humanitarian purposes just as the Previous Administration<\/a> establish another account in another country for these very purposes. The money never goes and never will to iran, only used for authorized transactions overseen by our Treasury Department<\/a> and only for things like food, medicine, and other authorized humanitarian purposes. Today, not a single dollar has been spent from that account. There are currently no plans to spend a single dollar, that money never touches iran directly. Senator baldwin . Thank you, madam chair. Thank you, secretary blinken and secretary austin for your service always, but especially at this moment. You have both commented through your Opening Statements<\/a> and through questions about the interconnectedness of elements of the supplemental package. Supports for israel in its fight against hamas, support for ukraine in its efforts to repels invasion. Support for humanitarian aid for displaced at civilians for those caught in the crossfire. A focus on our manufacturing sector. You have both answered questions about the urgency of congressional action, another action the House Republicans<\/a> drop funding for ukraine from the current continuing resolution that is keeping government running in the United States<\/a>. Good against this backdrop, i was taken back to see calls in the house for dismantling this package and taking it at perhaps only one or two elements of the package. So, in terms of urgency, president zelensky told us when we met with them back in september, without our help, putin will prevail. Again, that was followed by a pause in assistance, i just wanted to ask you, secretary austin to tell this panel in no Uncertain Terms<\/a> how urgent it is for us to pass this package in its entirety with respect to keeping ukraine in this fight . Thanks, senator. I think it is absolutely urgent as you may have heard me say at the very top, they are in a fight, this is not a notional thing, they are fighting to protect their sovereign territory, they are fighting for their existence. Our health has enabled them to do what they have done today and they have made incredible progress, they have impressed the world with their bravery, professionalism, determination and so, their goal is to take back as much of their sovereign territory as possible. I think you know, we need to provide them the ability to continue to do that and we need to do that urgently. Thank you, secretary blinken. I participated in the same briefing that senator merkley referenced earlier with the u. N. Relief and works agency, getting an update on the humanitarian situation in gaza for those displaced and literally in the crossfire. Among the things we were hearing, or just an assessment of whats happening in the hospital, the lack of medical supplies, anesthesia, things like that and the dwindling if any remains or food stocks you talked about our efforts to support increasing the number of supply trucks that are able to get in. Again, your own reflections that prior to october 7th, and the terrorist attack on israel, there were 52 800 trucks going in a day and now we are at 50 to 60, how will this humanitarian aid package assist in our leadership and increasing that, thank you very much, senator. From our perspective, it is beyond urgent precisely for the reasons that you say. We are trying to ramp up 100 trucks and my hope is that will happen this week, and as you pointed out, as i pointed out earlier that is still less than what was happening the door the seventh, as i mentioned on the gaza side. Even with we could get five or 600 trucks, we have an absorbent capacity challenge in terms of the ability of folks on the ground in gaza to receive assistance, to distribute it and use it effectively, that also needs to be wrapped up in the middle of a conflict, we are working on both ends to make that possible. Mr. Secretary, i have been informed you need to leave at 1230, we have several senators who have not had the opportunity to speak. I want to make sure we keep everybodys time to five minutes so they have that opportunity. It is very urgent. Thank you. Senator haggerty . Thank you, madam chair. I would like to start with secretary blinken, i sent a letter to both yourself and our administrator powell asking for specific details on the funding that has gone into gaza. The recipients and sub are you in a position to give me answers to that . Yes, we have the letter, we are working on it, you asked important and very detailed questions, we need time to make sure we are giving you the most robust and accurate answers possible. In short, we will get that back to you. Can you tell me the amount of funding overall under your watch like on into thats gone into gaza . 1 billion in assistance to palestinians through the u. N. Relief agency. Is a significant amount of money, i look forward to going to the detailed response you provided. I appreciate your commitment to do so in a timely fashion. I would like to tell you i am asking this. I want to make certain that you can guarantee that not one dime of u. S. Taxpayer funding is going to gaza going to benefit hamas and their terrorist activities. Has that happened . The question i would like to ask is can you guarantee is that no taxpayer money, no u. S. Taxpayer money went to fund the attack that hamas delivered in israel on october ously the sev section Inspection System<\/a> for the assistance that goes into any international organization. Can you guarantee that you as taxpayer dollars did not go to hamas to fund this attack on october the seventh . So everything we are doing in terms of making sure that the assistance is used for purposes for which it is designated and not for other persons as purposes. Can i share my concern to be more specific. In may of 2021, i traveled to israel after the 11day war and i met with president netanyahu and they briefed me and my team on the fact that every humanitarian aid dollar, every four and a dollar that goes into gaza is controlled by hamas. They either directed, texted or averted they even take pipes into the water system for civilians and turn those into rockets aimed at israel. We have seen hamas on videos demonstrating this. I want to come back and ask you, can you guarantee that you as taxpayer dollars are not used october 7th . What i guarantee is that we take every possible precaution to ensure that these resources are not diverted. Second let me commit it in other ways. Because your own internal collector on state department has made an internal assessment on this. , i would like to submit for the record, a set of internal state Department Emails<\/a> from 2021 that were obtained. Secretary blinken, i would like to specifically read from part of that. The assessment of your own state department in 2021 is that, quote, due to hamas overall strength and level of control over gaza, there is a high risk that hamas could intentionally drive indirect unintentional benefit from u. S. Assistance to gaza. Secretary blinken, do you agree with this assessment . I do. And here is the challenge we face under. We have, in gaza, some are over 2 Million People<\/a>, the overwhelming majority of which virtually everyone, not a member of hamas and indeed, increasingly i am talking about hamas over the funds and not the citizenship. With respect to their control over the funds, can you guarantee the u. S. Is not funding both sides of this war, mr. Terry terry secretary. Have the ability to operate directly with the agencies it works with and that we have robust controls in place to ensure that the money let me come back to you. Israel has said that hamas is diverting foreign aid. Hamas has even demonstrated that with her on videos. Your department has warned about the high risk. And i have yet to see and i hope to where the actual funds flow is coming to hamas from our government to gaza and i am deeply concerned and we need to be convinced that we are not funding both sides and that the u. S. Taxpayers are not put into the position of funding a vicious cycle and i think your Department Needs<\/a> to confirm that with this committee. We need that level of detail so that as we appropriate and asked request for funding, we can assess ourselves. We will get you the information as robustly as we can to your letter and i also want to make sure we are doing everything we possibly can for the 1 million children in gaza who desperately need food. We dont want to see the u. S. Taxpayers funding both sides of this war. I know you will respond to that but we want to make sure we get all of the senators that are here. Senator murphy. We know you have been working around the clock to protect our friends in israel and ukraine. Thank you for your work and that you for being here. At the outset, you described really horrific detail, of what happened on october the seventh and i think it is important that we be absolutely clear, the nature of this brutal terrorist attack and i share with you the real worries that in this country and around the world, the memory of october the seventh just a few weeks in our Rearview Mirror<\/a> has disappeared. It is incredibly important for us to remind the world about however nations changed after september 11th and how israel has changed, as well, by this, and how we have an obligation to stand up before them. The lessons that we have learned in our Counterterrorism Operations<\/a>, i note a story from this weekend into the washington most entitled u. S. Insurgents israel against gaza Ground Invasion<\/a> pushes Surgical Campaign<\/a> and i dont want to ask you about the Confidential Communications<\/a> you had with your israeli counterparts but one of the lessons that we have learned in our Counterterrorism Operations<\/a> is that not done well, you can end up creating more terrorists than you killed. In particular, when youre careless about civilian casualties, though civilian casualties become terrorist fuel. They become both recruiting material for terrorist groups so there is a moral imperative to reduce civilian casualties but also a strategic imperative. So i want to ask you whether you have a worry that the nature of these Israeli Ground<\/a> operations and a number of civilians that have been killed and will be killed could end up strengthening hamas or other affiliated antiterrorist groups in the long run . I agree with everything that you said, senator. And that is a key lesson that we learned in our, in the fights that we have fought over the last 20 years or so. The things that you do on the battlefield, if you are not thoughtful about them, they could create a resistance to europe and that lasts for generations and so there is an operational and strategic imperative to make sure that we are doing the right things as we outline our objectives and prescribed our techniques about how we are going to go about this. So we have had those conversations were exactly the right reasons that you mentioned. Secretary, interning to ukraine, i think the reason why many of us are so worried about splitting ukraine aid and his real age is because there is an urgency. A real urgency in ukraine, right now. And we know that this place has trouble doing one difficult thing, nevermind splitting it into two or three. I know that we are careful about talking about the urgency because we dont want to cause panic or damage morale in ukraine but i do that we have to be honest with the American People<\/a> and with the senate about the consequences of not wanting ukraine. Admiral rombauer of the netherlands who you know well said that the bottom of the barrel is now visible. So i just want to ask you a pointed question about ammunition. We are really getting to a point, very soon, where there are not bullets in the guns and we need to be serious with our colleagues about the consequences for the rankand file soldiers in ukraine if we dont get this assistance soon. The need is dire, isnt it . It absolutely is, senator. And again, these funds, artillery conditions, small munitions, you name it, and they desperately need a constant supply of Warfighting Capability<\/a> in order to be successful. You know, we would like to see them continue their operations through the winter. I think that is an imperative. They cant do that if we have caused them to pause because there is a positive the Security Assistance<\/a> that we provide. 30 seconds, secretary blinken , fuel into gaza, do we have a process to deliver fuel into gaza that assures that it doesnt get diverted to hamas . We are working urgently on that. I will say two things very quickly about it. First, hamas has its own supply, stockpile of fuel. If it carry with about the people of gaza, it would make sure to use that fuel to have the hospitals be able to operate and have the incubators stay turned on except that of course it doesnt. And we have an obligation to do everything we can if hamas is not going to do it to look out for people in gaza so we are working on a mechanism that can get fuel to where it is needed, particularly, hospitals. Secretary, i will have to interrupt you because you have informed us they need to leave and i want to make sure as many senators as possible have time. I would like to start by telling you and the vice chair how much we appreciate you holding this hearing. It is critically important that we have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers for the American People<\/a> and do our job. Youre allowing us to be here will certainly make Great Strides<\/a> towards doing that. Thank you for being here before this committee. Before we started not talking about some of the topics we are here to talk about, today, i want to make sure to make a point about our border. The National Defense<\/a> strategy of our nation promises that you will defend our homeland. In order to do that, we must secure our border and we are talking about the number of people here and the number of countries. I would like to add the cumber number of countries. People from salmon, yemen, lebanon. We know the trouble that lebanon has had so many of these nations. These are the people that we have encountered at the border, 1. 7 million into this nation where we dont know who they are, where they are going or what their intentions are. Antisemitic behavior rise not only across the ocean but here in this nation. We must do every single thing that we can to keep our homeland safe and that starts with securing our border. When we look at what is happening in israel and the atrocities, i want to thank both of you for going and putting boots on the ground immediately, telling our friends in greatest ally in the middle east, israel, that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them particularly in the face of these barbaric atrocities that occurred on october the seventh. Secretary blinken, thank you for what you said, talking about what actually happened. I hope every media outlet is what you testified to earlier and that is that we have seen men with their eyeballs gouged out, children watch their parents be executed, families at their breakfast table be tortured and murdered. This must stop and in order for people to be able to protect their children at night and people across this globe, we must eradicate hamas. And in doing so, we have got to take the threat of iran seriously and what they have been doing across the globe, who they have been training. You said earlier that you agreed with senator graham that the normalization efforts with saudi and israel, that that was one of the links in the chain that led us to where we are, today. My question to you is, do you agree that the strategy of what i would call appeasement from this administration that occurred starting with the Obama Administration<\/a> now here easing off sanctions and even offering to enter back into talk about the case of poa that that type of behavior also contributed to where we are, today . Thank you. It wont surprise you that i agree with that statement even though i agreed with everything you said right up to that statement and i point out two things very quickly. One, we have been engaged in going and i ran for its support in a whole variety of ways for militias that cavities throughout the reason including stabilization that is involved sanctioning more than 400 iranian individuals. Not to cut you off but in order to actually get this, we have to go back to a strategy of maximum pressure. I hope that you will work with your other countries in g7 to actually do that. Can you confirm . Im not going to get into hypotheticals. I will say it was a big mistake to walk away from the jc oa because it took one problem off the table. Since we moved out, iran has turned that back on so that adds to the threat that iran poses. One problem was a positive. We have one more minute. When we are looking at what is happening across the middle east particularly with attacks on our troops, do you believe that iran understands . We more recently heard this administration that there is a redline. Do you believe iran understands what that redline is . Senator britt, we have been clear that the protection of our troops is important and we will do what is necessary to protect them. And this activity has to change. If it doesnt change, we will respond and we will respond at a time of our chosen. Do they understand the redline . We have been cleared about what i have just said. Senator mansion . Thank you both. It has been very enlightening and very interesting hearing your approach on this. First of all, we know that ukraine cannot succeed without u. S. Support. Can israel succeed without you support . Yes or no, very quickly on that. That is correct. If the young states do not intend to support ukraine, they will not succeed. Can israel . That is right. Can israel make it without our support . No. I think we have to continue to support them. I am just asking you questions that people are asking me. Ukraine was not advanced and we had to bring them up to speed. We are committed there. I would simply say that on the one hand, israel prides itself in being able to defend itself by itself but a critical function of its ability to do that is the support that we provide including through the understanding that was associated by the Obama Administration<\/a> to give support. You are saying it would be hard to take on all of the front without our support. Next, the munitions, is the United States<\/a> running a risk maybe not having enough to defend ourselves if we are pulled into any of these battles . They call it what we are basically producing. Are we producing enough here with the trusted allies and our self, producing enough ammunition to defend our own homeland and help our allies, too . The first order of business is to make sure we have the capability required to defend our nation and protect our interests. And above and beyond that, do you think we are producing enough . We are ramping up. If it was, if we had to only resource ourselves, yes. But we are at a point in time where we are resourcing allies and partners like ukraine and it is going to require more. People are asking me, we are running ourselves critically low on what we need basically inventory or are we basically overproducing or can we produce enough . Are we supplying enough . That was the backfill. The other thing that has been asked of me, our commitment to win. Our track record hasnt been too good with vietnam, afghanistan, ukraine. Are we committed to staying with this to win . I believe ukraine is the most. I just think it is the purpose and the most honorable position we have taken in my lifetime saying we were committed to playing the role the United States<\/a> plays as defender of freedom and liberties. When you have a country willing to risk their own life and put the wrong people on the line, that is the least we can do to support them so i am all in on that. We are committed to staying all the way through and next of all, israel has got to take out hamas. Israel has got to be supported to do that and are we committed to making sure that happens . In the final question, people passed me say other people in the Palestinian People<\/a> in gaza, are they committed to the cause that hamas has caused basically . And that is why they are not leaving when we basically have been warned that you should leave . They are being held hostage by hamas . Can we not get a to them making sure it is being used for the purpose of survivability and can we not get them out of there . What is holding that out back . We are committed to making sure that ukraine has what it needs to defend its sovereign territory. That is why we are here. No problem, is there a way to do that . I know you have been over there quite a bit the overwhelming majority of palestinians are not part of hamas, do not support hamas and are subjected to its rule but these are impoverished people who have no opportunity so no ability. Very hard for them to move out of the way even though we are working on that to try to get them out of harms way. Very little ability to provide for themselves which is why we are trying to get assistance in but ultimately, we dont want to see them displaced. We do want to see different governance. For humanitarian aid, we know we cannot do the eight in there now. We can and we are. We are making sure that the assistance is going to the people who need it and deserve it. I apologize to everyone. I said he has to leave. I respect that. Secretary austin has said we have not had a chance to ask anything. Rubio, van hollen and michalski. If you will indulge me, i would like to ask each of those to ask quickly their question for senator does secretary begin to respond to as secretary austin will be here and stay here to answer in those. We will call it back on you. I have one final comment. This is a bipartisan so when you hear all of it does my republican colleagues saying how important it is to secure the borders, i am more concerned about my own borders for my people in West Virginia<\/a> and i want to make sure that you understand we will do everything humanly possible to support securing the borders of the United States<\/a> of america. I will call on senator rubio, van hollen and perkowski to simply ask a question. If you can respond to those together, i will ask secretary austin a question. That they only have one question, i was going to ask you about this and it is unrelated. He recently did a deal with the maduro regime in venezuela and with lifted sanctions of free and Fair Elections<\/a> which they were supposed to comply with. They violated that. They canceled the election and continued to ban the winner. They walked out the election of broken the deal. Are we going to reimpose sanctions . Thank you, madam chair. Mr. Secretary, in the aftermath of the horror visited upon israel by hamas and the ongoing war in gaza, much of the world has turned its eye away from what is happening on the west bank. And what we are seeing and our own folks on the ground have been reporting this on a daily basis is that with support of extremists in the netanyahu government, extremists and violence against palestinians have been skyrocketing as more palestinians are pushed off of their land. As you know, all of this does is strengthen hamas, undermine the pra and open another front in this war. Another president has raised the issue with netanyahu that according to the report i get and i know both of you secretaries get these, we have seen no improvement so my question is pretty simple. What is your plan beyond urging that something be done when our please continue to be ignored . No question. Senator perkowski . Given the overlay, the interconnected race between what is happening in ukraine with prudence war, what we are seeing truly explode now in israel by hamas with the support of iran given what we have all been discussing here with regards to the attention in china, taiwan. We are not talking about north korea today but we should always be thinking about north koreas intentions. This is a simple question that i was going to ask both of you. Isnt the situation globally . And what is at play in now it all intersects . Are we at a time and place where from a National Security<\/a> respect, we are as formable as we have been as a nation in your estimation . And i very much appreciate the combination. I want to try to quickly answer this. Initially, the questions that were raised before i leave. The question about venezuela, as you know, following the agreement reached with the regime on a way forward toward elections, we want to support that and part of supporting that was to encourage that to move forward including by lifting some sanctions with the ability of course to snap them back or to put some licenses in place that can be revoked very quickly. If the regime has in fact violated the agreement that are reached, then of course, we will take the necessary action. We have been very clear about that. They are not getting a free pass for actions they take that are in contradiction to commitments they made to move toward a free election which is a shared objective we have with the platform so we are checking that very carefully and i am happy to come back to you further as this was long. Senator van hollen in regard to the west bank, we very much of the concerns that you have expressed. The Palestinian Authority<\/a> is doing everything it can to keep stability in the west bank. It is vastly under resourced. This is another aspect of the problems and we are just really to provide authority with resources that it needs that are being held back. Tax revenues and other fees that it collects and normally gives to the authorities so it can do its business to release those and at the same time, the president has been very clear, very direct and very explicit about our concerns about extreme violence and the impact that is having on the west Bank Including<\/a> adding fuel to the fire. We have seen that people have been forcibly displaced from their communities as well as killed. So this is something that we are in direct communication and conversation with the Israeli Government<\/a> at the very highest levels is something we are tracking very carefully. If i could add . I mentioned earlier that i talked to my counterpart nearly every day and this is something i bring up every time i talk to him. As you mentioned, senator, i am watching these reports and some of the things that we are seeing are fairly disturbing and that it will work against them Going Forward<\/a> if they dont make a decision to control this. Thank you. Senator, i think i would say that we see the challenges that we have been discussing today and you also mentioned north korea, another challenge that we take with dead seriousness. That is on one side of the equation of the other side is this there has never been a time where we have Greater Unity<\/a> , purpose, Greater Unity<\/a> of action, greater convergence with our partners in europe, our partners in asia and indeed other parts of the world than we have now in facing exactly those problems. We built a coalition of more than 50 countries to help deal with the aggression that Vladimir Putin<\/a> is committing in ukraine, and extraordinary coalition that is supporting ukraine in so many different ways as well as dealing with broader problems that russia poses and at the same time, we have built much greater convergence than i have ever seen with china and we see that with asia and our relationships with everyone from korea to japan to the philippines to vietnam to india, countries wide and far as well as europe. So i am very comforted by the fact that because we revitalize, we energize and we reengage. Our partnership is our greatest strength and build new ones and brought them together in ways. We have tremendously affected groupings of countries that are prepared to deal with these jobs. Thank you and thank you. I understand your meeting with the speaker and i appreciate you answering those questions. I will go back to the senators we have not had a chance, now. Senator austin, thank you for your willingness to stay and answer the final questions. Senator rubio . Thank you, i wanted to ask you and i will be very quick and respect for all of the peoples time. These attacks, we continue to call them proxies, they are basically agents. They would not be occurring without the iranian not just permitting them but frankly facilitating them. And the iranians would not facilitate or permit the because in fact there was a tax for some period of time. They would not facilitate them or permit them unless they calculated that these attacks do not cross the threshold in their mind that would trigger a response, a price they dont want to pay and a response they dont want to see. At this moment, i do not believe we can argue that we have a deterrence in place of these attacks. And this is more of a comment than a question. They are obviously free to comment. I think we are very interesting in hearing what your response would be. I dont want a broader world none of us have talked about it. I am not one of those people talking about airstrikes and starting a war with iran. But if we do not have a credible, not just a deterrence but a credible deterrence with iran, these attacks are going to escalate. They are going to come faster and spread beyond syria and iraq and they will involve weaponry of increasing sophistication. That is my biggest fear, that we will find ourselves if we do not soon establish a credible deterrence, they will begin to cross lines that will require, not just a defensive posture but imposing a cost on them. One of the biggest obviously i share all of the comments made about the horrifying incident involving hamas and everything they have done in the past and moving forward, the need to stand with our allies but i think this is the one that really, this is the one that has the threat to quickly spiral out of control. These groups escalating these attacks to include more places at a faster clip with more sophistication if we do not establish the credible deterrent quickly i agree with you that if they are not convinced that we will do what is necessary to protect our troops, they will continue on as they are but i have been clear and the president has been clear that that is something we wont tolerate and we will do what is necessary to protect our troops. He saw me move another Carrier Battle Group<\/a> and it is heading to the gulf region. That gives us more capability, or strike capability. We have additional aircraft. We have the punch that is necessary to protect our interest and we are going to do what is necessary to do that. I have no question that we have the assets to impose a cost on iran that they do not want to pay. I hope we dont have to do it. I guess the fundamental, do they believe we will actually do it . I understand the complexity where something can trigger and this thing moves in a direction that can spiral out of control. What i have concerns about is their perception of what we are willing to do. This may not match up with what we are actually willing to do and at this moment, we do not have a credible deterrent and i just, i sense from your answer that you share that concern. Sometimes even though we say things, they may not believe us even though we have the capability to do it so it is one of those situations where we dont want there to be a shooting war and things to escalate but i think one of the guarantees is a credible deterrent, a complex and serious matter and one that i hope, it sounds like you share my concerns about it. Primarily because iranian perceptions of our willingness, not our capability but our willingness to take a turn in action. Senator ben holland . Thank you for your service and i agree that we have to provide the people of ukraine with military assistance, that they need to defend themselves against Vladimir Putin<\/a>s aggression and President Biden<\/a> is right to stand with israel in its hour of need. All of us have been repulsed by the horror and brutality of hamas terrorist attacks that have left over 1400 innocent israelis murdered including women and children, including those massacred. When scaled to the size of the us population, that is comparable to over 40,000 americans killed, a horror that will never be erased. All of us agree that israel not only has the right but the duty to defend itself and eliminate the threat from hamas. Hamas Must Immediately<\/a> release all of the hostages and as israel conducts its operations, many of us believe it should prioritize returning the hostages safely home. Also, as President Biden<\/a> has said, it must conduct its operations in accordance with the laws of war not only because taking all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties and human suffering is morally and legally required that it is also in the best strategic interest of the United States<\/a> of israel to do so. Something un secretary but could have affirmed, today. The president has been clear about the need to distinguish the need to establish hamas and the overwhelming causes civilians that have nothing to do with hamas. But Netanyahus Coalition<\/a> has indicated that all palestinians in gaza are responsible for the harbor visited upon israel as you know, a full siege on the people of gaza cutting off water, food, medicine secretary blinken described the humanitarian situation but today, we have only seen a trickle of the needed humanitarian aid crossing the border. I saw the readout from your conversation, today, with the administer where you indicated and i quote, the humanitarian law requires that there be unfettered humanitarian assistance. So mr. Secretary, we got a trickle going. You would agree that in the interest of humanitarian law and helping innocent people in gaza, we have to do a lot better. A simple question. I agree, senator. As i said earlier, it is a moral and operational and strategic imperative that if you fail to do that, i think we are going to create a problem, that will create a bigger problem. The siege is being accompanied by a ferocious bombing campaign. In just the first six days of the war in israel dropping 6000 bombs in the densely populated gaza strip. Israel has stopped reporting the number of bombs being dropped but the intense pace has continued. Last night, my wife and i learned that someone we know will lost two family members and four of their children killed in bombing in gaza. So they are not yet included in the most recent death toll reported by the United Nations<\/a> yesterday which says the number of debt has risen to over 8300 people, 70 of them are women and children. Including 3457 children. These are un figures. According to un figures, that is about six times more children killed in three weeks in gaza and the number of children killed in ukraine during the entire war and if you scale the depth of those palestinian children to the United States<\/a> population, it is comparable to over 230,000 American Children<\/a> killed. The executive director of unicef said at the current rate, or the 400 and children more than 420 children are being killed in gaza every day, a number which she says should shake us to our core. I agree. I know that people on opposing sides provide Different Reasons<\/a> for why the death toll is ojai and you were right about the despicable practices of operating among civilians but regardless of the explanation, we must not look away from these terrible facts. You and the president have repeatedly said that israel must comply with the rules of war but as we consider additional American Military<\/a> assistance to israels fight in gaza, dont we have an obligation to not only state that expectation but you are sure our support is used in a manner that complies with the laws of war and u. S. Law . That is my question. We will continue to emphasize to our allies the necessity to account for the civilians that are in the battle space. They are a part of the battle space and they must account for them. They must do the right thing in terms of taking that into consideration as they do their targeting. My respect my question is little bit different. I apologize but secretary austin has just a few minutes left. Stock additional assistance, dont we now have an obligation not just to state an expectation for that to be the case . Thank you. Senator fisher . Thank you, madam chairman. While i appreciate secretary austin and secretary blinken testifying, today, i will echo my calling sentiment and saying i am disappointed and secretary mayorkas is not here. I am very pleased to hear that he will be here next week because there is a National Security<\/a> crisis at our southern border and this Administration Must<\/a> make serious policy changes to address the crisis. I look forward to hearing from secretary mayorkas on how the administration tends to address that crisis. 24 days ago, israel suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. Israel has the right and the responsibility to respond to these barbaric attacks. We can best help them by giving them the time and resources they need to eliminate hamas. The atrocities committed by hamas demand nothing less. The administrations request included over 14 billion for israel including 5. 2 billion to replenish their iron dome and systems and accelerate development of the iron beam system and 3. 5 billion in Foreign Military<\/a> financing. I strongly support the full inclusion of this request and the supplemental funding bill that this committee will draft. The administration has also requested significant funding for ukraine. I would note that while many of our allies and partners are capable of providing generous humanitarian and economic assistance packages, only the United States<\/a> can provide ukraine with legal legal aid at the scale that it needs. That is where we should focus our efforts as a country. But we can only continue to provide lethal aid if we expand our munitions capacity. And we do that here at home. And that is a point that is being lost by many. The significant portion of the funding request is to replenish and build out u. S. Capacity. The United States<\/a> faces threats from around the world, from russia, china, iran. Earlier this month, the bipartisan bicameral aggression commission on this strategic posture of the United States<\/a> released its final report on americas strategic posture. The report unanimously endorsed by the commissioners found that we will soon face a security situation that, quote, the United States<\/a> did not anticipate and for which it is not repaired,. I am working with my colleagues to turn many of the commissions recommendations into law but fundamentally, we simply do not have the workforce, supply chain or infrastructure necessary to meet the coming threats. Building out this capacity, it is going to take time and resources that we can start now by making targeted investments in our munitions base. The administrations supplemental request includes over 18 million to replenish our own weapons stockpiles. And over 4. 6 billion to expand Production Capacity<\/a> for those critical munitions. This is a step in the right direction and i will support its inclusion in the supplemental funding bill. Secretary austin, what would be the impact of not including replenishment funding in the appropriations package for this supplemental . Thank you, senator. We would lose the ability to do the kinds of things that we have done with ukraine and israel and support our allies in a time of need. What does it do to our own National Security<\/a> . It certainly, as i said earlier, we will maintain the ability to defend this country to protect our interests but this additional capability gives us the ability to address an emerging crisis and so, i think without that, we would be challenged to do the kinds of things we do here. I know it is important that we continue to do that for our allies and partners. It helps our own stockpile requirements and that includes expanding the production lines for longrange precision guided munitions, as well. Is that correct . Which we need for the pacific, right . Thats right. And some of these munitions are long lead time in terms of what it takes to produce them. So we are looking at ways to shorten some of those timelines, to increase capacity, to automate production lines, to address some of the issues that you raised earlier. As chairman of the Homeland Security<\/a> Government Affairs<\/a> committee, i know how important it is for us to secure our northern and southern border and provide Law Enforcement<\/a> with resources that they are going to need to complete that munition and that is why i am very pleased to see substantial funding in the supplemental to support Border Operations<\/a> as well as security for our country but also, we cannot stop there. We also must work with International Partners<\/a> to understand some of the root causes of the increased migration that we are seeing show up at our border and commit adequate truces to address those challenges. I know secretary blinken had another engagement that he had to leave but i have a number of questions for him that i will be submitted to the record for how we work internationally to deal with Border Security<\/a> here in our country. Secretary austin, thank you for staying for additional time. You have been very generous. The question with the recent escalation of violence and attacks that are aimed at u. S. Personnel in the middle east now , i remain concerned about the air forces decision to divest the aid aircraft. Notably, the dod recently deployed and tends to further deter iran in their proxies that may seek to attack u. S. Forces in the process and destabilize the region anymore. My home state of michigan is the home of the seventh Fighter Squadron<\/a> unit certainly capable of dividing air support to our troops and allies should they be caught called upon. My question to you secretary, clearly the department of defense is recognizing the need for this aircraft, the very unique capabilities in our deploying those fighters right now in support of operations related to this contingency. My question for you is, is this current conflict caught in the Department Reconsider<\/a> a10 divestment or at a minimum, perhaps delaying some of those divestitures given the fact that there is a mission, today and will very likely continue at least in the foreseeable future . Thanks, senator. I have personally benefited from the capability of the a10 so i have Great Respect<\/a> for the platform and the a10 will be with us for the near term but i have asked you for 61. 1 billion in my fy 24 budget to invest in airpower so that we can remain the dominant force and so, we are going to have to transition over time to address the new challenges that we will face with your competition and we are making an effort to do that and we will have to make some choices down the road but we are going to have to continue to make that transition but they will be with us for the near term. As you talk about the future , certainly we have to be focused and warfare is changing dramatically but i believe that the very close working relationship and Security Cooperation<\/a> that we have with israel is incredibly important to that task. The u. S. And israel have some of the worlds most Innovative Technologies<\/a> as you are well aware of and now more than ever, we need to continue to develop those. This congress i introduced with bipartisan support from senator fisher, the u. S. s use of warfare act which authorized 50 million for research and Development Fund<\/a> to increase collaboration in areas of artificial intelligence, drone and cyber security, directed energy and autonation. That is 50 million authorization given the current conflict, given the rapidly changing nature of warfare. How important is it that we make those investments and should we be prepared to make even more investments and have an even more close cooperative agreement with israel and the idea . Thanks, senator, thank you for your work. I certainly wont comment on legislation. What i will say is that we are great partners. We have done a number of things together. Israel as you pointed out is a source of innovation. And our Work Together<\/a>, i think, will continue to create advantages for us in the future battle space so we look forward to that. Madam chairman, i think this is probably the most important and most significant hearing that we have had in the congress this year. This is not only about the United States<\/a> and our National Security<\/a>, it is about Food Security<\/a> as we heard earlier. We havent really talked about Energy Security<\/a> but there is a dynamic there, as well. This is significant that this committee is weighing in to evaluate the supplemental request. My hope is that we are able to take the contours of this which is absolutely the imperative and support for ukraine, absolutely the imperative and support for israel and also recognizing that we need, we must be more when we when it comes to our own border in this country and also that we havent talked much about here today and that is the indo pacific piece. There is a small increment here or a small or insignificant and relative terms to the other areas but recognizing that we will be doing some adjustment within those contours, those four pillars and how they intersect. And how they allow this proposal to move forward. I think is so very important. I was reading something this morning. It was a statement that said something to the effect that in the United States<\/a>, relieved to the power of our example but we also need the example of our power and that example is manifested through our defense appropriations. And so as we are talking about the need for replacement of our own stocks and what they can do to help ukraine, what we must do then to help israel. Mr. Secretary, can you speak to the indopacific piece . There are two billion included for state for Foreign Military<\/a> financing. In your view, why is it imperative that we also included in this package and increment for the indopacific . Thanks, senator as you know from our strategy, our national strategy, china is our facing challenge and as we look at chinas behavior in the indo pacific, we are increasingly concerned so we must have the ability to continue to be able to deter china and to promote a free and open indopacific. As a we are going to continue that work. In this request, we have asked you for 3. 3 billion to invest in our summery Industrial Base<\/a>. That will help us with our effort with a generational capability that i think will do great things and enable us to promote security and stability in the indopacific. We have also asked for 3 billion or so to build more capacity in our Industrial Base<\/a> so that we can produce greater quantities of emissions munitions. I think that will apply to the indopacific as well. The impact, the application of longterm cr. I know we are talking about an emergency supplemental but our reality is in 18 short days, we will once again be on wherever budget is now. Mr. Secretary, if we were good to go to a longterm cr given the state of the role now and the role we play in it, what would that mean . It would make things much more difficult for us, senator. You cannot buy back time. This takes away the time, the time we have to conduct or affect new starts, the time we have to go after specific process does and you just cannot buy that back our budget is directly linked to our strategy. So if we dont have the full budget, we are not able to execute the strategy to agree to the degree that we planned so i think this is critical. I think this is really important that we get an ontime appropriation. Senator sinema. I think the leadership. I have worked with each of them. What we have shown is that how a possible it is and i could not be more excited about the networks recent committee for our future, security, defense. And there can be no better time than now to show our community and Congress Americas<\/a> adversaries are watching how we act and how we react. We must have legislation for israel against Vladimir Putin<\/a> and cartels are using those borders to smuggle drugs into our state. To support israel in their time of need. I encourage my colleagues to join me in the work that is necessary. Secretary alston, the request includes additional appropriations for iron dome. And we have been talking about revitalizing the Industrial Base<\/a> for years. Can you speak to the impact of this funding and the context of supporting multiple complex . Thank you, senator. That 200 million that you are speaking up is focused on pda, our pda efforts. All of the things we are going to replenish our stocks and able for ukraine to purchase new equipment from the United States<\/a>, all of those things also contribute but we specifically asked for 3 billion in this request to focus on the Industrial Base<\/a>. And again, that 200 million is the component and not the total amount. The expansion of facilities for the purpose of increasing production of critical conditions, how quickly will these reach capacity . It will vary. In some cases, industry can move fairly quickly. In other cases, for more sophisticated items like javelins and stingers and those kinds of things, it will take a bit longer. But we are working with industry each and every day to do everything we can to send the right signals so that they can invest in the right things and be able to expand where required. We have been supplying to push back on russian aggression for almost 2 years, now. There are numerous reports that the manufacturing is not keeping pace with demand and that we are depleting our own stockpile at a very significant rate. We will send that to israel which i am in support of it as we look to support israel, in addition to ukraine against the aggression that all three phase, are you worried this could put too much stress on our inventory and could targeting software that improves the accuracy help and is that investment reflected in the supplemental supplemental package . We have the most lethal weapons in the world and in terms of our targeting, we are always looking for ways to do things better and more efficiently but the specifics of those things, i will leave to my great airman who are again the best in the world. In terms of depletion of our stocks, again, as i said a number of times here today, we will make sure that we maintain what is necessary to defend this country and protect our interests and i will change the direction of travel. Thank you. I want to thank all of our colleagues for a very thoughtful discussion. Take you for sharing your time and knowledge with us. If there is one take away from this conversation today, it should be that these global challenges that we face, the war in ukraine, terrorism in israel, the mediterranean needs and the conflict and posturing of the Chinese Government<\/a> in the indopacific region, these challenges may be distinct but they are all connected and they all are urgent. We have to respond to all of them. In a comprehensive way that sends an unmistakable message to the world that American Leadership<\/a> is still strong and our resolve has not wavered. So i am going to make sure we take what we have learned, today, into account as we continue working together to craft a comprehensive, Security Package<\/a> that meets this Pivotal Moment<\/a> and lives up to our promises to stand by our allies, stand for democracy and stand up for civilians. I hope all of our callings will continue to work with me mastercards to make sure we avoid insufficient measures and get all of our allies the robust support that they need. And of course, i do believe we need to continue to work to address our domestic high 40s like childcare crisis situation at the border and more. That will end our hearing, today. For any senators who ask additional questions for the record, they will be due in seven days on tuesday november the seventh at 5 00 pm. The hearing record will remain open for them who do wish to submit additional material for the record. 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