Transcripts For CSPAN3 Secretary Tillerson Pushes Back Again

CSPAN3 Secretary Tillerson Pushes Back Against Charge Of Recless And Radical... June 23, 2017

He talked about foreign aide and stratsagies dealing with russia, north korea, and cuba. Held before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, this is two hours. The subcommittee hearing will come to order. Our hearing today is on the president s fiscal 2018 funding request and budget for the department of state. Id like to welcome our witness, secretary of state tillerson. After Opening Statements from myself and Ranking Member, well hear from the secretary and accept your written testimony and anything youd like to tell us personally. So this is going to be a little bit longer than normal. This is a very important issue for the country, a passion of mine. And serk secretary tillerson, i like the way you represent our country. I think you have a style thats pretty good for the world as it is today. Youre a man of few words, but i think when you talk people listen. Your view of north korea is just beginning to penetrate. Just met with the chinese. I think theyre getting your message. So in terms of your style and your attitude toward the job, i very much appreciate it. As to the budget, were here today because the budget balances in ten years. We need to increase defense spending. But once you do that, then if youre not going to deal with intitles, then you have to go to nondefense discretionary funding to find the off sets. And this account gets pretty much devastated. Im not blaming you. Im not blaming anybody. I just want the country to know i think this budget request is in many ways radical and reckless when it comes to selfpower. And i look forward to working with you, mr. Secretary, to find a better budget but also to find a better state department. You just got there, been there for a few months. A year from now, i think youll have a better idea of how the state department can be reformed. Lets give it a good once over, see what works, what doesnt, how many people we actually need. All of that is long over due. I welcome that kind of analysis. But basically today is a number thats driven by increase defense spending, and this account gets pretty hard. I dont think as a result of the juteny of how the state Department Works as much as budget pressure given from increased military spending. So the first chart i have is to my right. If you dont fund the state department fully, then i need to buy more ammunition. General mattis, and i think we have other generals cutting the International Affairs budget. Well place our interest, values, and lives of our men and women in uniform at risk. Heres the point. I believe after 42 trips to iraq and afghanistan, were never going to win this war by killing terrorists alone. There has has to be a soft power connection, the terrorists offer a glorious depth, and we must offer a hopeful life. And we must be had included to form a better life for those that are having to choose between terrorism and modern thoughts. So i believe as the generals do if you dont believe me, listen generals that the state Department War on terror is just as important to me as any war on power we have. So how much do we spend on soft power . We spend 1. 4 . So a lot of people think foreign aide is about 25 of what we spend, but compared to hard power, we spend a very small amount on soft power. And that 1. 4 includes things beyond just traditional soft power. So i want the country to know if you eliminated the state department, you would not even begin to move the debt needle. The question is it if you cripple the state department, its not to me about debt but American Values being impeded. So look at gdp on defense and nondefense. So what you see is that the gdp owned hard powers about 3 of gdp on soft powers. So rounding areaa. And this chart shows you were going downward dramatically on soft power and upward on hard power. So comparison of dod state Department Work force. How many people do we have in the hard power world and soft power world . Okay, you see over here the numbers of state usid, which is very small percentage. And we have well over a Million People in uniform. So if you believe soft power is important are and the generals tell me you do, look at the balance. So heres what i would suggest. We do need more hard power because sequesttration has hurt hard power. But youre going to have a hard time telling me soft power can withstand a 25 cut. International affairs historically, look here. Look at the big drop in 2018. Plus up in 2017, the worlds gone to hell in a hand card. Now, our response to increase hard power, which i agree with. But a 29 reduction in hard power in 2018 doesnt make a lot of sense to me. Just look at that drop and say given the role as we know it and according to the generals, not lindsey graham, is this wise . I really dont think so. Indices security funding, we all remember bengazi. Look at this reduction in securities. Given the threats i see, now is not the time to decrease Embassy Security funding unless youre going to close embassies, and im not sure now is the time to be closing a lot of embassies. Cuts to hiv aides one last thing. Heres what the bengazi cut told us. The mission of the state department to the world is smaller or larger . Then it comes to the need, not just the initial number. As a republicanb im proud of president 43 bush who came up with a program called pether supported by almost democrat. President obama continued this. And as you can see in the return on the dollar for the pepvar program has been absolutely astounding. Millions of Young Africans are alive today because of the pepvar program. Mothers to child aids transmission went down by 40 . Were beginning to turn the corner. Were not there yet, but there are five countries that are going to be selfsufficient. And this budget cuts beby a billion dollars when were inside the 10yard line. I could give numbers what it means to the program, but hundreds of,000s of people will not be treated by this budget cut. I think its just penny wise and foolish. There are currently 65. 4 Million People displaced worldwide. Thats the highest in maurn history. Now, what role does the state department play in this . 20 Million People are currently at risk of famine. So you have famine and you have man made wars and disasters. Look at what were doing with assistance. Were cutting itats a time when Disaster Needs assistance needs are at an alltime high. Intertralgs Disaster Assistance and food aide by 3. 4 billion, 77 below the 2017 numbers. The terrorists love this. The terrorists hate the idea that an american shows up with some food and an education. From a terrorist point of view, this is really a recruiting tool. From an American Point of view, weve got to fix this problem. Because if we cut back, other people will follow. And youve got to pay now or pay later. Youve got to deal with these people now or end up killing them later with the young people become terrorists. So got a real problem with that one. Georgia, not my neighbor georgia, the country. For a record, i like the people in georgia. Georgia is fighting in afghanistan without any caveats. Theyre one of the few countries that go to afghanistan foopartner with our soldiers and do whatever weve asked them to do. Theyve died in fairly large numbers. They have absolutely no restrictions on their force. They help us in afghanistan when we cant afford to lose. Their neighbors are pretty tough hombres, their russians. What signal are we sending to georgia when we cut their assistance 66 at a time when russia is on the prowl and we need more help in afghanistan, not less. This just really is the wrong message to our friends and certainly the wrong message to russia. I am at a loss at why we would cut aid to georgia given what russia is doing in the region now. And im at loss why we would want to send a signal to a people that are sending their troops in without any conditions. Small place. Its within 20 miles of sealanes that carry over two thirds of the worlds Oil Shipments and half of the container cargo. Chinas a big player there. We just ened a 26year conflict. Its in our interest to have a line that close to the world shipping lanes. China is a competitor. And unfortunately were reducing our assistance to sri lanka as china going all in. This is a question to you, mr. Secretary. I think you ran some of the best businesses in the world, youre a smart guy but heres whats on your plate that i can think of. Isis, youre going to beat them militarily but if you dont have a plan after, war going to lose again. How do you hold it . So defeating isis permanently has to have a hold and build strategy thats for usaid and all your smart people come into play. Gutter, got 10,000 airman and soldiers there. For god sakes, we cant let this get out of hand, so youre going to be pretty busy with gutter. Russia, dont have time to talk about whats on your plate with russia. Its a lot. Youll be at the table trying to find a way to put syria back in action to make sure the wart doesnt start again and lebanon and jordan dont fall because of endless war. Part of those resources will be you and your talented people who will go in there and help the Syrian People deal with the devastation. North korea. I like whats youre doing in north korea. I dont think were out of the woods yet, so youre going to be a busy guy. 65 Million People displaced on your watch. By the way, the war in afghanistan, we need more soliers, and i think the president s going to give the generals what they want. But we also need to make sure the solars sacrifice is not forsaken because she better have a plan to rebuild those areas we lost from the taliban once we take them back or were going to lose them again. So thats where your people come in. If you had nothing else to do but that, that would be a full job. Good luck. The ukraine, does seem to be getter better to me. China, i really like what youre doing with china and north korea. President trumps not going to allow them to get a missile dinner at homeland. But chinas tough. 20 Million People impacted by famine. And they tell were going to start the Peace Process all over again. Youre the man. Youre going to do all that and cut the budget by 29 . Thank you for coming. Well, i was going to be tough. But what ill start off by saying is like he said, i agree with senator graham. Weve worked together on this subcommittee for a long time, part of the time hes been chairman, spart of the time hes been chairman. But usually the bills been brought out of here. Weve gotten virtually a unanimous vote that republicans and democrats usually cared about. Let me just read a few passages from a may 25th, guest column from the new york times. Colon powal who served as cheefl of staff under president gorge h. W. Bush and secretary of state under president george w. Bush. He wrote leading the world in advance in a cause of peace, responding when disease and disaster strike, lifting millions out of poverty, and yearning for freedom. This calling is under threat. Administrationss proposal to slash approximately 30 from the state department and foreign assistance budget signals an american retreat, making us far less safe. Proposal to bring resources for our civilian resources for a third at what we spend at the right of Ronald Reagans peace through the years. It would be international irresponsible to stress our friends and inkushlg our enemies undermining our own economic and National Security interest. The idea of putting America First requires withdrawal from the world is simply wrongheaded. He goes onto speak of his own experience. And many thought the it end of the cold war is a retrieval. It isnt. Do we really want to slash the state department at such a perilous moment . No. We were saying talking about make america great, but were stepping aside. Were letting other countries come in, fill vacuum, and making the other states relevant. Id like to think our values are the relevant ones, not other countries. I want to know why you disagree. Obviously you do disagree but secretary powal, why you believe ambitions cutting million ofs dollars for programs and our best interest, i would ask consent of the chairman, put the powal article in the record. No objection. Secretary powell also said that many had assumed the cold wars end would allow us to retreat from the world but cuts came back to haunt us. As tensions rose in the middle east, africa, the korean peninsula, and elsewhere. It also rierss resource affective in power to dip mats and aide wukers. But i think general powell has said and much have said, much of the world has looked to the United States for leadership. Were walking away with that leadership. We go around talking about look at the huge amount of money we spend on foreign aide. Per capita bases, a lot of countries spend more. Why would we give up that influence . Would that make us safer . Why would we want to let one of their totalitarian regimes expand their influence rather than our influence . Does that make us safer . Does it make us safer if we allow academics to expand around the world . Does it make us safer to the refugee crisis happening . Does it make us safer if we pretend we can go fortress of america, and not in love with it in saudi arabia, sent so many people to fly airplanes into the twin towers. Weve faced a terrible we face a terrible terrorist attack, one of the worst ervin this country by an american in the city. But saudsys coming in here, saudi citizens, we cant be fortres america. We face problems at home. Of course i use Oklahoma City as an example. I we face problems from abroad. Those who came from saudi arabia and destroyed the twin towers. So i dont need to give you a speech, but i want you to know that i agree with the chairman, and we have very strong views on this. Ms. Secretary, the floor is yours. Thank you for coming. Thank you, chairman graham, Ranking Member lahue. As we all know americas Global Competitive advantages and standing as a leader are under constant challenge. The dedicated men and women of the state department and uuusai that mission is unchanged. However the state department and usaid like many institutions here and around the world have not invaefbled to the responsiveness as clickly securities threats are change said and are changing. We were challenging to response to it in a post 9 11 world that characterize themselves by historic threats. The 21st century has already provided many evolving challenges to National Security and economic prosperity. We must develop spjss to protect and advance the interest of the American People. With such a broad threat facing the United States the budget kbs of 35. 6 billion aligns with the administrations objective of making security our top priority. It first responsibility of government is its oof its citizens. The state departments primary focus will be to protect our citizens at home and abroad. Our mission is at all times guided by our longstanding values of freedom, democracy, individual liberty, and human dignity. Conviction of our countrys founders is inenduring but all men are endowed by their creator by certain ailiable rights. As a nation we hold true the aspiration that one dale our child will the more we will have opportunities to shape the human rights conditions in those nations. History has shown that the United States leaves a footprint of freedom wherever it goes. Ensuring the security and prosperity of the American People and advancing our values has necessitied different decisions in the year of our budget. The 2018 budget request includes financial standing from many programs under the office of usaid and the state department. But we have made choices to redu reduce funding of other initiatives. But we will continue to be the leader in internalks government, Global Health, democracy and human answers. I can convinced we can maximize the effectiveness of these programs and continue to offer americas helping hand to the world. This budget request also reflects a commitment to ensure every tax dollar thats spent is aligned with the usaid request and objectives. The request focuses on missions which deliver the greatest value and opportunity of ques for the American People. The state department and usaid budget increased over 60 from fiscal year 2007, reaching an alltime high of 55. 6 billion in fiscal year 2017. Recognizing that this rate of increase in funding is not sustainable, the fiscal year 2018 budget request seeks to align the Core Missions of the state department with historic funding levels. We believe this budget also represents the interest of the American People including responsibility of the money. Over 35,000 surveys were completed. And we also held inperson listening sessions with approximately 300 individuals to obtain their perspective on what we do and how we do it. I met with dozens of team members who spoke canned dudley about their experiences. From this feedback, were able to get a clear overall view of our organization. We have no perceived outcomes and the fwelz and direct of the the state department are not coken exercises. The principles and subsequent evaluation of our organization are the same as those which i stated in my confirmation hearing for foreign policies. We will see the world, what it is, follow the facts where they lead us and hold ourselves and others accountable. We are still analyzing the feedback we received. And we expect to release the findings of the survey soon. From all of this one thing is certain. I am listening to what my people tell me are the challenges facing them and how we can produce a more efficient state department and circumstancesaus. Through my career i have never believed or ever experienced that the level of funding important to a goal is the factor to achieve it. Our people will determine our ability to be ef

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