    [House Hearing, 115 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                            [H.A.S.C. No. 115-96]

                                   MEMBER DAY

                                   __________

                          COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES

                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                   __________

                                  HEARING HELD

                                 APRIL 11, 2018

    [GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                   __________

                        U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
    30-570                     WASHINGTON : 2019

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
                         One Hundred Fifteenth Congress

                 WILLIAM M. ``MAC'' THORNBERRY, Texas, Chairman

    WALTER B. JONES, North Carolina      ADAM SMITH, Washington
    JOE WILSON, South Carolina           ROBERT A. BRADY, Pennsylvania
    FRANK A. LoBIONDO, New Jersey        SUSAN A. DAVIS, California
    ROB BISHOP, Utah                     JAMES R. LANGEVIN, Rhode Island
    MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio              RICK LARSEN, Washington
    MIKE ROGERS, Alabama                 JIM COOPER, Tennessee
    BILL SHUSTER, Pennsylvania           MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO, Guam
    K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, Texas            JOE COURTNEY, Connecticut
    DOUG LAMBORN, Colorado               NIKI TSONGAS, Massachusetts
    ROBERT J. WITTMAN, Virginia          JOHN GARAMENDI, California
    DUNCAN HUNTER, California            JACKIE SPEIER, California
    MIKE COFFMAN, Colorado               MARC A. VEASEY, Texas
    VICKY HARTZLER, Missouri             TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
    AUSTIN SCOTT, Georgia                BETO O'ROURKE, Texas
    MO BROOKS, Alabama                   DONALD NORCROSS, New Jersey
    PAUL COOK, California                RUBEN GALLEGO, Arizona
    JIM BRIDENSTINE, Oklahoma            SETH MOULTON, Massachusetts
    BRAD R. WENSTRUP, Ohio               COLLEEN HANABUSA, Hawaii
    BRADLEY BYRNE, Alabama               CAROL SHEA-PORTER, New Hampshire
    SAM GRAVES, Missouri                 JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
    ELISE M. STEFANIK, New York          A. DONALD McEACHIN, Virginia
    MARTHA McSALLY, Arizona              SALUD O. CARBAJAL, California
    STEPHEN KNIGHT, California           ANTHONY G. BROWN, Maryland
    STEVE RUSSELL, Oklahoma              STEPHANIE N. MURPHY, Florida
    SCOTT DesJARLAIS, Tennessee          RO KHANNA, California
    RALPH LEE ABRAHAM, Louisiana         TOM O'HALLERAN, Arizona
    TRENT KELLY, Mississippi             THOMAS R. SUOZZI, New York
    MIKE GALLAGHER, Wisconsin            JIMMY PANETTA, California
    MATT GAETZ, Florida
    DON BACON, Nebraska
    JIM BANKS, Indiana
    LIZ CHENEY, Wyoming
    JODY B. HICE, Georgia

                          Jen Stewart, Staff Director
                    Ari Zimmerman, Professional Staff Member
                   Paul Arcangeli, Professional Staff Member
                              Justin Lynch, Clerk

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

                  STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

    Thornberry, Hon. William M. ``Mac,'' a Representative from Texas,
      Chairman, Committee on Armed Services..........................     1

                                   WITNESSES

    Chabot, Hon. Steve, a Representative from Ohio...................     1
    Donovan, Hon. Daniel M., Jr., a Representative from New York.....     6
    Johnson, Hon. Mike, a Representative from Louisiana..............     8
    Kihuen, Hon. Ruben J., a Representative from Nevada..............     5
    Rutherford, Hon. John H., a Representative from Florida..........    11
    Schneider, Hon. Bradley Scott, a Representative from Illinois....    13
    Velazquez, Hon. Nydia M., a Representative from New York.........     3

                                    APPENDIX

    Prepared Statements:

        Chabot, Hon. Steve...........................................    19
        Donovan, Hon. Daniel M., Jr..................................    34
        Johnson, Hon. Mike...........................................    36
        Kihuen, Hon. Ruben J.........................................    32
        Rutherford, Hon. John H......................................    40
        Schneider, Hon. Bradley Scott................................    43
        Velazquez, Hon. Nydia M......................................    26

    Documents Submitted for the Record:

        Blumenauer, Hon. Earl, a Representative from Oregon, joint
          with Hon. Adam Kinzinger, a Representative from Illinois...    51
        Bustos, Hon. Cheri, a Representative from Illinois...........    52
        Congressional Special Operations Forces Caucus Co-Chairs.....    54
          Hon. Kathy Castor, a Representative from Florida
          Hon. Walter B. Jones, a Representative from North Carolina
          Hon. Scott H. Peters, a Representative from California
          Hon. Timothy J. Walz, a Representative from Minnesota
        Crawford, Hon. Eric A. ``Rick,'' a Representative from
          Arkansas...................................................    56
        Kinzinger, Hon. Adam, a Representative from Illinois.........    58
        Kinzinger, Hon. Adam, joint with Hon. Earl Blumenauer........    51
        Lipinski, Hon. Daniel, a Representative from Illinois........    72
        Pearce, Hon. Stevan, a Representative from New Mexico........    75
        Walden, Hon. Greg, a Representative from Oregon..............    79
        Yarmuth, Hon. John A., a Representative from Kentucky........    80
        Young, Hon. Don, a Representative from Alaska................    82

    Witness Responses to Questions Asked During the Hearing:

        [There were no Questions submitted during the hearing.]

    Questions Submitted by Members Post Hearing:

        [There were no Questions submitted post hearing.]

    .
                                   MEMBER DAY

                                  ----------

                              House of Representatives,
                                   Committee on Armed Services,
                             Washington, DC, Wednesday, April 11, 2018.
        The committee met, pursuant to call, at 1:33 p.m., in Room
    2118, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. William M. ``Mac''
    Thornberry (chairman of the committee) presiding.

      OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. WILLIAM M. ``MAC'' THORNBERRY, A
        REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS, CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON ARMED
                                SERVICES

        The Chairman. The committee will come to order. The
    committee is pleased to receive testimony today from our
    colleagues on what their priorities are for this year's
    National Defense Authorization Bill. And so I would like to ask
    unanimous consent that all Members' written statements will be
    made part of the record. Now, I would note we have received I
    think approximately 14 written statements as well as our
    colleagues who are here in person.
        So let me welcome everyone. I would yield to the ranking
    member for any comments he would like to make.
        Mr. Smith. No, don't have any comments. I look forward to
    the rest of the testimony. Thank you.
        The Chairman. Again, thank you all for being here. We will
    start with--and I don't know if you all are doing this together
    or separately, chairman of the Small Business Committee and Ms.
    Velazquez, the ranking member, we appreciate the working
    relationship over a number of years that we have had to try to
    expand the defense industrial base especially for small and
    mid-sized companies.
        Thank you both for being here.
        Chairman Chabot, the floor is yours.

       STATEMENT OF HON. STEVE CHABOT, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OHIO

        Mr. Chabot. Thank you very much, Chairman Thornberry and
    Ranking Member Smith. And I--as you indicated, we have always
    had a very good working relationship, Ranking Member Velazquez
    and myself, and we hope to continue to do that. We work
    together in a very bipartisan way on the committee, all of the
    members really do.
        I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you on the
    National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] for Fiscal Year 2019.
    Let me begin by thanking the committee for its longstanding
    collaboration with the Small Business Committee. It has been my
    privilege to serve on the Small Business Committee for over 20
    years now and through those years, I know that the Armed
    Services Committee and our committee have really worked very
    well together, so thank you for that relationship.
        Your commitment to small businesses is evidenced through
    the numerous small-business provisions being enacted into law
    each year. I am here today to support the inclusion of 13
    small-business bills in this year's NDAA; each of them is
    important in ensuring a robust defense industrial base and I
    will focus on a few highlights in my limited time.
        First, I would like to highlight an important
    recommendation made by the Section 809 Panel in its Volume 1
    report. Recognizing the agility and innovativeness small
    businesses bring to the table, the panel advocated for
    increased use of research and development programs specifically
    calling for the greater utilization of the Small Business
    Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technology
    Transfer [STTR] programs across the Department of Defense.
        In a similar vein, H.R. 2763 makes a number of important
    changes to the SBIR and STTR programs, these are the ones that
    I just referred to, including improving agency accountability,
    instituting reporting deadlines, and requiring the Small
    Business Administration to provide future Congresses with a
    greater understanding of the program's strength and weaknesses.
        Additionally, the legislation ensures taxpayers reap the
    benefits of the SBIR and STTR programs by tying them to long-
    term projects at the Defense Department. I want to, again,
    emphasize that improving the SBIR and STTR programs through
    this legislation closely follows the recommendations made by
    the Section 809 Panel, and I urge you to consider this
    important legislation for the fiscal year 2019 NDAA.
        In addition, the Section 809 Panel made a number of
    recommendations regarding small-business contracting. Given
    that the Federal Government spends over a half trillion dollars
    each year through contracts, the Federal procurement market is
    extremely important for small businesses. Unfortunately, as the
    panel indicated, the number of small-business contract actions
    dropped nearly 70 percent from fiscal year 2011 to 2016 while
    the value of the Department of Defense [DOD] small-business
    contracts rose approximately 290 percent.
        The decline in the number of small-business contract
    actions indicates DOD's small-business contracting is
    unfortunately not promoting competition and fostering
    robustness in the defense market enough.
        These startling statistics indicate an immediate need to
    reverse this decline, so I would urge you to consider H.R.
    5337, 4754, and 5144, all of which would facilitate small-
    business participation in the Federal contracting area.
    Furthermore, I would urge this committee to consider H.R. 4668
    and 3170. These commonsense cybersecurity bills are vital to
    protecting our national security. Small businesses are
    increasingly targeted by cyber criminals due to their lack of
    resources and technical knowledge to prevent cyberattacks, and
    may not be able to afford hiring specialized employees or
    cybersecurity experts.
        Thus, it is important for the Federal Government and
    private sector to work together to combat cyber threats by
    making information technology education accessible for small
    businesses. H.R. 4668 and 3170 would do just that.
        Additionally, I would like to ask the committee to consider
    H.R. 2333, 2364, and 2056, all of which assist small businesses
    with much-needed capital. Despite an economy that is starting
    to show signs of improvement, small business continue to face
    obstacles when it comes to accessing capital.
        To address these challenges, the Committee on Small
    Business worked in a bipartisan manner on these measures to
    assist small businesses as they seek capital to grow and
    expand. Our Nation demands a vital small-business industrial
    base. It is fundamental to the health of our Nation as a whole
    and I am grateful to the Armed Services Committee for working
    with the Small Business Committee, and I look forward to
    working with you to ensure that small businesses continue to
    provide the Department of Defense and the Federal Government
    with competitive solutions to support critical programs.
        And I would be happy to answer any questions, and again,
    thank you for allowing us to testify.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Chabot can be found in the
    Appendix on page 19.]
        The Chairman. Thank you. Do any members have questions of
    Chairman Chabot? Great.
        Ms. Velazquez.

    STATEMENT OF HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEW
                                  YORK

        Ms. Velazquez. Thank you. Chairman Thornberry, Ranking
    Member Smith, and members of this committee, I am honored to
    advance bipartisan legislation that will benefit small
    businesses alongside my colleague, Chairman Chabot. I would
    like to echo his remarks regarding our bipartisan working
    relationship. I strongly believe that when it comes to small-
    business issues, there is no Republican or Democratic approach
    and we have guided the committee in that spirit.
        We are all aware of the devastation last year's hurricanes
    caused to Puerto Rico. But one thing is clear, if we are to
    restore the quality of life in Puerto Rico, small businesses
    will be central to that equation. I am very proud of Puerto
    Rico not only because it is where I was born, but because of
    the resilience of its people.
        Unfortunately, even today, more than 6 months after Maria,
    an estimated 20 percent of the island's small businesses remain
    closed and others face continued hardships with power and basic
    living needs. That is why I appreciate Chairman Chabot bringing
    H.R. 5178, the Puerto Rico Small Business Contracting
    Assistance Act, before the Small Business Committee.
        This bill was approved with bipartisan support in March.
    The Federal Government's procurement of goods and services can
    be one of our most powerful tools for stimulating economic
    activity. Unfortunately, to date Puerto Rico has been largely
    left out of the Federal marketplace. Of the small number of
    Federal contracts performed in Puerto Rico a substantial
    percentage of those contracts are performed by firms outside of
    Puerto Rico.
        In fact, the total awards to Puerto Rico's small businesses
    declined from about $426 million in fiscal year 2014 to about
    $342 million in fiscal year 2015. My bill aims to increase
    contracting by offering incentives such as granting agencies
    like DOD the ability to double the value of contract awards to
    Puerto Rican small-business concerns when counting the small-
    business prime contracting goal.
        It also provides training opportunities for firms wishing
    to participate in the Federal marketplace through the Mentor-
    Protege Program. We must remember that as citizens of the
    United States, Puerto Ricans have fought, shed blood, and given
    their lives in nearly every major American war. We owe it to
    them to help rebuild, and this bill will advance that goal.
        We started working on this legislation a year ago, long
    before Maria. After the hurricane, we need this bill and its
    assistance for Puerto Rico even more today.
        Beyond Puerto Rico, the legislation before us today will
    help American small businesses more broadly. The SBA [Small
    Business Administration] administers a portfolio of
    entrepreneurial development programs including Small Business
    Development Centers, Women Business Centers, and the Service
    Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE. I think we can all agree
    that these programs offer our Nation's job creators vital tools
    to grow and create jobs.
        H.R. 1774, the Developing the Next Generation of Small
    Businesses Act of 2017, streamlines this program and makes them
    more effective, helping more firms access the assistance they
    need. Access to affordable capital is a longstanding challenge
    our committee has prioritized. H.R. 2364 will help boost the
    small-business investment company program success by modifying
    how much private capital banks and savings associations can
    invest in these companies.
        And H.R. 2056 increases the intermediary loan limit in the
    micro-loan program by $1 million, allowing successful lenders
    to serve more borrowers in high-demand locations. Additional
    areas where small firms add to our economy are innovation and
    infrastructure. Innovative firms drive America's competitive
    edge in the global marketplace, yet the USPTO [United States
    Patent and Trademark Office] reported that just 15 percent of
    small businesses know they need to file for IP [intellectual
    property] protection abroad.
        H.R. 2655 addresses this by creating a partnership between
    the two agencies best suited to help them, the SBA and the
    USPTO. And as we contemplate our country's infrastructure, we
    must protect the small businesses at the heart of building our
    roads and bridges. Performance bonds protect taxpayers from
    loss if a contractor on a Federal project defaults. H.R. 4486
    amends the Miller Act to provide payment protection to small
    business that perform work on Federal construction projects. It
    does so by exempting certain construction contracts that must
    be bonded under the Miller Act from periodic inflation.
        In sum, Mr. Chairman, I believe we have a strong package of
    bills before you. I want to thank you, the committee, again for
    allowing me to testify. And I urge the inclusion of all these
    bills, including those highlighted by Chairman Chabot, to
    bolster the presence and economic health of our country's small
    businesses. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Ms. Velazquez can be found in
    the Appendix on page 26.]
        The Chairman. Are there any questions for Ms. Velazquez?
    Great.
        Thank you both.
        Ms. Velazquez. Thank you.
        The Chairman. We look forward to working together again.
        Ms. Velazquez. Thank you.
        The Chairman. Mr. Kihuen, welcome. The floor is yours.
        Is the microphone on or? There we go.

    STATEMENT OF HON. RUBEN J. KIHUEN, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEVADA

        Mr. Kihuen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you Ranking
    Member Smith and my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee.
    I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to come
    before the committee to discuss the vital role the military
    installations in Nevada's Fourth Congressional District play in
    protecting our national security.
        Members of the committee, I want to begin with Nellis Air
    Force Base in the Las Vegas Valley. It's in the adjacent Nevada
    test site and training range. Nellis is known as the home of
    the Thunderbirds, which showcases the remarkable skills of our
    Nation's most highly trained military pilots, and whose pilots
    consider themselves America's ambassadors in blue.
        If I may have a moment, Mr. Chairman, of personal
    privilege, I would like to recognize Major Stephen ``Cajun''
    Del Bagno, a Thunderbird pilot who was killed last week on
    April 4th, 2018, during a training exercise. My thoughts go out
    to his family and his loved ones.
        Nellis' mission goes far beyond the Thunderbirds and it is
    also the home of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, the largest
    and most demanding advanced air combat training mission in the
    world. Aircraft from Nellis operate in the Nevada Test and
    Training Range where more than 75 percent of all the live
    munitions used by the Air Force for training are dropped.
    Nellis employs 11,000 military and 3,700 civilians, making it
    one of the largest employers in the State of Nevada. In total,
    the Nellis complex has an economic impact of over $5.5 billion
    annually.
        Nellis Air Force Base is also home to Red Flag, the
    premiere military training exercise in the world. Red Flag was
    created to provide the U.S. and our allies combat training in a
    realistic but safe environment. Red Flag brings together units
    with diverse missions ranging from air interdiction, combat
    search and rescue, close air support, dynamic targeting, and
    defensive counterair, and it pits them against other units who
    are specially trained to replicate the tactics and techniques
    of potential adversaries. In fact during the Red Flag
    operations, the forces amassed at Nellis Air Force Base combine
    to constitute the fourth largest air force in the world.
        Nevada's Fourth Congressional District is also home to
    Creech Air Force Base, which is most famous as the command and
    control facility for remotely piloted aircraft systems flying
    missions across the globe. From its base in Nevada's Fourth
    District, airmen at Creech fly 70 to 75 percent of the unmanned
    aircraft combat operations around the world, 24 hours a day, 7
    days a week.
        And finally, I would like to recognize the importance of
    the Hawthorne Army Depot in Hawthorne, Nevada. If you visit the
    depot, which I recently did, you will see thousands of
    munitions storage structures dotting the Nevada desert. These
    facilities are used to ship thousands of tons of munitions per
    year to the warfighter, and receive thousands of tons of
    ammunitions per year for disposal. In addition, Hawthorne is
    home to the detachment of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.
        The Fourth Congressional District in Nevada plays an
    essential role in protecting our national security and
    supporting our military. That is why, Mr. Chairman, I am asking
    that you continue to authorize the operations that occur at
    Nellis, Creech, the Nevada Test and Training Range, as well as
    the Hawthorne Army Depot as part of the NDAA so that Nevada can
    continue to lead the way in conducting vital missions all
    around the globe.
        I want to thank you for your time and for letting me
    testify in front of your committee. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and
    Ranking Member.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Kihuen can be found in the
    Appendix on page 32.]
        The Chairman. Thank you. No doubt, very--a number of very
    important facilities, but also we share your grief at the loss
    over this past week. We have been losing too many pilots and
    certainly one of the Thunderbirds is one of our best. So thank
    you.
        Mr. Kihuen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        The Chairman. And thanks for being here. If there are no
    other questions of Mr. Kihuen, I might just say I think we are
    going to have to come back after the vote for the second panel
    for--for Mr. Schneider and Mr. Johnson and Mr. Rutherford. So
    just heads up, I think we will hopefully have a chance to hear
    from Mr. Donovan and then we will come back immediately after
    votes for our second panel.
        Mr. Donovan, welcome, the floor is yours.

    STATEMENT OF HON. DANIEL M. DONOVAN, JR., A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
                                NEW YORK

        Mr. Donovan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Ranking
    Member Smith and members of the Armed Services Committee. Thank
    you for the opportunity to testify today.
        Mr. Chairman, I am requesting an amendment to the National
    Defense Authorization Act to require the Pentagon to propose a
    legal definition of cyber warfare. No matter how much
    technology has changed from the days of ancient Greece and
    Roman--Greek and Roman warfare until now, we have thought of
    war as involving weapons and the use of physical force. In
    modern times we have a large body of both United States and
    international law that defines and governs war. But for the
    past several decades we have faced a threat that does not have
    a legal definition: cyber warfare.
        Cyber war does not fit within the traditional confines of
    how we conceive warfare. While we have a Cyber Command that is
    tasked with protecting U.S. cyberspace, we do not have a legal
    definition detailing under what circumstances a cyberattack is
    considered an act of war. That is why I am requesting an
    amendment that will require the Pentagon to form a working
    group to propose a legal definition, report back to Congress,
    and make the findings known to the public.
        We currently do not know when a cyberattack is an act of
    war. If North Korea were to bomb a hospital, that would
    undoubtedly be considered an act of war under both U.S. and
    international legal standards, but if North Korea were to
    launch a cyberattack on a hospital and were able to shut down
    the hospital or alter patient records, there is nothing that
    defines this as an act of war.
        Cyber hacking is rampant. The White House just released a
    report that cyber crime cost the United States economy an
    estimated $57 billion to $106 billion in 2016 alone. If an
    enemy causes between $57 billion and $106 billion worth of
    damage from bombing U.S. soil, rest assured we would be at war
    right now.
        North Korea is one of the biggest perpetrators of cyber
    hacking. China, Iran, and Russia are also well known for
    engaging in this practice. Critical infrastructure, sensitive
    technology secrets, and Americans' private information are all
    at risk. Cyberattacks continue to develop, but they are not a
    new emerging technology. For the sake of our national security,
    we are long past due a legal definition that will allow us to
    confront the enemy. By not legally defining cyber warfare, we
    let our enemies know that this is an issue we are not ready to
    take seriously. It is time to change that.
        By creating a definition of when cyberattacks are an act of
    war, we will create a strong deterrent and stop other nation-
    states from engaging in this practice against the United
    States. My amendment will start the process of the United
    States creating a legal framework for when a cyberattack is an
    act of war. I sincerely and respectfully request that the
    committee consider my amendment.
        Mr. Chairman, I also testify before you today seeking
    equity for the constituents I represent on Staten Island. As
    you may know the Post-9/11 GI Bill grants housing allowances
    and assistance to veterans attending college through the
    military's basic allowance for housing [BAH] program. This
    assistance is based on the rental and utility cost of the
    military housing area in which the veterans live.
        Currently, New York City is separated into two zones, one
    for Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, and the other
    for Staten Island. Although the census status shows that Staten
    Island's median gross rent is within $50 of Brooklyn's and $100
    higher than the Bronx, the formula still grants Bronx students
    up to $1,335 more than Staten Island students. It is alarming
    that these hardworking military families in my hometown have
    nearly identical cost of living expenses, yet they do not
    receive the same allowances as BAH recipients who attend
    schools in the other 4 boroughs.
        The result is that Staten Island's three institutions of
    higher learning cannot recruit veteran students to their
    campuses because of the thousands upon thousands of dollars in
    reduced assistance it would mean for that student. I firmly
    believe that the most equitable and commonsense solution is to
    have only one military housing area for all of New York City.
    My amendment would require DOD to merge Staten Island's
    military housing area with the rest of New York City to create
    one military housing area for all of New York City.
        I again thank you very much for this opportunity to testify
    and I sincerely and respectfully request that the committee
    consider my amendment.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Donovan can be found in the
    Appendix on page 34.]
        The Chairman. I appreciate it. I had no idea about the
    division in New York and so I don't know if that is appropriate
    statutory or regulatory, but we will work with you to pursue
    some sort of answer to that.
        And on your cyber deal, as you may know, we had a hearing
    earlier today on cybersecurity where this exact issue was
    discussed, so it is very timely that you would bring that today
    and I appreciate you being here. We will take a careful look at
    it.
        Mr. Donovan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
        The Chairman. Because there are votes, we are going to--the
    committee will stand in recess until just after votes and then
    we will conduct our second panel.
        [Recess.]
        The Chairman. The committee will resume. We appreciate our
    colleagues coming back from votes. Again, all your written
    statements have, without objection, been made part of our
    record, but we appreciate hearing from each of you on your
    priorities and what you think are good for the country.
        So we will start with Mr. Johnson. The gentleman is
    recognized.

    STATEMENT OF HON. MIKE JOHNSON, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM LOUISIANA

        Mr. Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Thornberry,
    Ranking Member Smith, and members of the committee, I sincerely
    appreciate you giving us the opportunity to return and provide
    input during the committee's Member Day hearing for the fiscal
    year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.
        I have the distinct honor of representing a congressional
    district that's home to two vital military installations for
    our Nation and national security interest around the world:
    that is Fort Polk and Barksdale Air Force Base, and even our
    smaller National Guard facilities such as Camp Minden.
        As I am sure you know, Fort Polk is home to the Army Joint
    Readiness Training Center and Barksdale is home to the Air
    Force Global Strike Command. And as is evident with the recent
    provocations of Syria and North Korea and Iran and Russia and
    others, we live in a highly uncertain and incredibly complex
    time which further highlights the importance of these two bases
    and our military readiness to be fully prepared to combat any
    threat from overseas.
        In keeping with today's time constraints, I just wanted to
    focus primarily on two areas that I think are essential in
    needing attention by the committee and our Congress. One is
    modernizing our U.S. nuclear enterprise, and two is ensuring
    U.S. Army capabilities are fully equipped for necessary
    training exercises.
        As I begin, I wanted to--like to respectfully thank this
    committee for working closely with me last year while crafting
    the 2018 NDAA to begin the process of reengineering and
    modernizing the B-52 bombers at Barksdale Air Force Base. This
    much-needed makeover will extend the life of the B-52s into the
    2050s, which is amazing to even think about, and improve range
    and fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs.
        And I would also like to relay my thanks for the continued
    support of Fort Polk from this committee in recognizing their
    vital importance to accomplishing its missions and military
    readiness.
        First, the nuclear enterprise. Today, I just briefly wanted
    to speak to the nuclear weapons as they continue to play an
    integral role in the strategies of Russia and North Korea,
    Pakistan, India, and China. In fact, according to many reports,
    as you all know and as evidenced from recent aggressive
    actions, these countries are increasing their reliance on and
    modernizing their capabilities whether it be on land, air or
    sea-based nuclear forces.
        If this Congress is going to be serious about rebuilding
    our nuclear infrastructure, it must continue to express support
    for the long-term commitment of Barksdale Air Force Base and
    for the majority of the nuclear triad. I applaud the decision
    by the U.S. Air Force to include the new gate at I-20 and
    Interstate 220 interchanges into Barksdale Air Force Base on
    its unfunded priority list. This project has to be completed in
    sequence to pave the way for construction of the weapon storage
    area which is currently scheduled to begin construction in
    fiscal year 2020.
        The new weapon storage area is absolutely vital to our
    nuclear enterprise as it will support the overall activities of
    Global Strike Command overseas and its necessary involvement in
    a wide array of strategic deterrence. As members of this
    committee, you are well aware of how critical the Bomber
    Command, Eighth Air Force in charge of our aging fleet and
    missile command, and the 20th Air Force in charge of the U.S.
    intercontinental ballistic missiles, are to deterrence and
    global strategy.
        Second is ground capabilities, and in any event that
    maintaining a capable and robust nuclear option does not
    suffice as a deterrent from war, it is imperative that we have
    a capable and ready ground force. And as this committee and the
    Congress have presented a path forward to rebuilding our force
    structure, the need for modernizing our ground capabilities is
    certainly prevalent to ensure full mission readiness.
        As a proud member who represents one of the two training
    centers, the unit training centers in the United States, Fort
    Polk Army Base and the Joint Readiness Training Center in our
    district are crucial to highlight how the Army has continued to
    solidify its footprint with the state-of-the-art Joint
    Readiness Training Center, the JRTC.
        As Fort Polk's JRTC provides invaluable training for advise
    and assist roles, and provides soldiers with the training and
    flexibility necessary to carry out the demands placed on them
    to achieve victory, it also partners with our close allies in
    collaborative joint exercises to prepare for the unique
    situations and challenges a unit may face while deployed.
        As we work to regrow our ground forces, and since Fort Polk
    remains a vital security asset, we should invest in the JRTC
    infrastructure to replace the existing Joint Operation Center,
    the JOC. As the current JOC was constructed in 1976, just 4
    years after my birth, it is in need of serious modernization
    and as it is unable to offer sensitive training scenarios above
    the secret level due to its outdated infrastructure.
        Authorizing a new JOC at Fort Polk would allow the JRTC to
    replicate scenarios that are sensitive in nature but offer
    invaluable training to fully prepare for any challenges ahead
    as it is the only combat training center in the Nation that
    also trains and deploys combat units.
        And preparing to close here, I just want to say the defense
    communities that surround both Barksdale Air Force Base and
    Fort Polk and JRTC have a long proven track record of fully
    supporting these two vital military installations and they
    stand ready to modernize our Armed Forces to meet our Nation's
    mission capabilities and necessary resources. Congressman
    Abraham has visited these bases with me and he has done it
    himself many times and he can attest to the same.
        And just recently at Fort Polk, the Army completed its
    largest land purchase of over 47,000 acres in an effort to
    provide even more robust training facilities and capabilities
    for the brigade combat team rotations. And that action was
    fully supported by the local community, enthusiastically so.
        And furthermore the State of Louisiana and our local
    community are finalizing an investment of $90 million to
    construct that I-20 interchange into the Barksdale Air Force
    Base, and that will open up the access to the installation's
    eastern reservation and relieving traffic congestion, paving
    the way for that weapon storage facility. Just last week, I was
    in Baton Rouge visiting my old colleagues at the Louisiana
    legislature and went to the hearing of the joint budget
    committee, and I just wanted to thank all my colleagues for
    their unanimous support for this vital project.
        And finally, I just want to thank this committee again for
    considering all these important priorities for our
    congressional district as you do all of these around the
    country, and I look forward to doing anything I can to support
    the committee's work to provide our military with the essential
    resources it needs. It is a top priority for all of us and it
    should be.
        Mr. Chairman, I appreciate your leadership and truly the
    time that you all take to consider all these things, the
    opportunity to show my continued support for our men and women
    in uniform. And I yield back, thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Johnson can be found in the
    Appendix on page 36.]
        The Chairman. Thank you. Any questions for the gentleman
    from Louisiana? The only complaint I have, Mr. Johnson, is
    being reminded about how young you are. That was kind of a low
    blow, but other than that, I appreciate it. Thank you for being
    here today.
        Mr. Johnson. Yes, sir.
        The Chairman. Mr. Rutherford, the floor is yours.

      STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN H. RUTHERFORD, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
                                FLORIDA

        Mr. Rutherford. Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member
    Smith and distinguished members of the committee, I want to
    thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of my
    priorities which are important to northeast Florida and our
    country in the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization
    Act.
        As some of you know, Florida's Fourth Congressional
    District encompasses most of Jacksonville and St. Augustine,
    and includes Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station
    Mayport, Marine Corps Blount Island Command, the Florida
    National Guard installations, and many industry partners, and I
    am proud to represent these men and women who contribute
    substantially to our national security.
        First, I want to thank the committee for its continued
    support of many programs that are key to the missions and
    growth at northeast Florida's installations. This includes the
    MQ-4C Triton, the P-8A Poseidon, the littoral combat ships, and
    various shipbuilding and repair accounts also among others. And
    I urge the committee to continue supporting these important
    programs.
        However, today I would like to spend time focusing on four
    areas of importance in this year's legislation: the E-2D
    Advanced Hawkeye procurement, the Air Force's light aircraft
    attack aircraft, the littoral combat ship [LCS], and the Law
    Enforcement Information Exchange program.
        First, the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the Navy's only
    carrier-based early warning and battle management command and
    control system. This aircraft is a key enabler of the carrier
    strike group [CSG] and provides theater air and missile
    defense, synthesizes information from multiple onboard and
    offboard sensors, makes complex tactical decisions, and
    disseminates actionable information to joint forces in a
    distributed open architecture environment. The U.S. Navy's
    unfunded priorities list this year includes $340 million for
    two additional E-2D aircraft in fiscal year 2019, for a total
    of six aircraft. The additional aircraft will allow for a more
    efficient production schedule and enable early transition of E-
    2Cs over to the E-2Ds at the carrier airborne early warning
    [AEW] weapons school.
        Of operational importance, it will provide CSGs with the E-
    2D's advanced capabilities to face rapidly evolving threats,
    ensuring that the most capable AEW aircraft is available for
    the defense and protection of U.S. and coalition forces. I want
    to urge the committee to support this request of six aircraft
    in fiscal year 2019 along with supporting the necessary RDT&E
    [research, development, test, and evaluation].
        Second, senior Air Force leadership has stated the need to
    procure a fleet of off-the-shelf light attack aircraft,
    commonly referred to as the OA-X program. And last year's NDAA
    supported this concept of rapid procurement, as greater use of
    this type of aircraft would provide close air support [CAS] in
    a cost-effective way for the Air Force.
        Using aircraft like the A-29 Super Tucano is a cheaper
    solution than having a more advanced aircraft like the F-35
    carrying out CAS and other missions. This saves money and
    extends the life of the more expensive aircraft. The Air Force
    has conducted an experiment leading to the procurement decision
    this year, and should that decision be made, Congress needs to
    be prepared to meet that request. And I urge the committee to
    provide advanced procurement funding for the purchase of long-
    lead items so that this first delivery of the aircraft would be
    no later than 2020. And I believe the full utilization of
    investment in this program has the potential to reshape how our
    airmen carry out their mission.
        Third, one program I know this committee is intimately
    familiar with is littoral combat ship, which the Freedom-class
    ships are homeported at Naval Station Mayport. And I applaud
    the committee's continued support of this program and for its
    commitment to rebuilding our Navy's fleet.
        Of importance to Mayport, the President's budget request
    supported the necessary LCS MILCON [military construction] at
    Mayport for its training and support facilities. I urge the
    committee to support this request, as the current alternative
    is actually to send these crews out to San Diego to be trained
    which is neither good--which is neither a good use of taxpayer
    money nor is it good for the crews. I also strongly support
    three more LCS in 2019 and a quick transition to the new
    frigate, as I know many on the committee do as well.
        Last, as a former sheriff, I understand the tools that can
    help our law enforcement and intelligence agencies carry out
    their respective missions. The Naval Criminal [Investigative]
    Service successfully used a capability called the Law
    Enforcement Information Exchange commonly referred to as LInX
    to address the data collection, analysis, and integration
    challenges that confront the defense intelligence and law
    enforcement agencies at all levels of government.
        I have seen firsthand the importance of this capability in
    dealing with high-value, disparate data in numerous law
    enforcement and intelligence agencies, and so I would like to
    submit report language for the request that LInX actually be
    made a congressional interest item to ensure it receives
    adequate and stable funding.
        Again, I thank all of you, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member
    Smith, for the ability to be here to speak today. I also thank
    you on behalf of a grateful Nation for all the hard work that
    you all do in ensuring that our Nation remains the strongest
    and safest in the world. And I am always available for further
    discussion on these or any other programs of interest. And I
    yield back, Mr. Chairman.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Rutherford can be found in
    the Appendix on page 40.]
        The Chairman. Okay. Any questions to Mr. Rutherford? Thank
    you, sir, I appreciate you being here. We will certainly take a
    look at the report language you requested. One of our
    challenges this year is we have a specified top line, and so
    adding in one area means we have got to take away from another
    and I think that is going to be a challenge for all our members
    this year.
        But we will--I am--I know all of the other three programs
    you specifically mentioned will be a very top item for
    discussion, so thank you.
        Mr. Rutherford. Thank you.
        The Chairman. I appreciate you being here.
        Mr. Schneider, thank you for being here.

      STATEMENT OF HON. BRADLEY SCOTT SCHNEIDER, A REPRESENTATIVE
                             FROM ILLINOIS

        Mr. Schneider. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman Thornberry,
    Ranking Member Smith, for this opportunity to share with the
    House Armed Services Committee some key priorities for
    Illinois' 10th Congressional District. I appreciate you making
    the time today.
        My district is the proud home of many military families,
    Active Duty, reservists, and veterans. As well, Naval Station
    Great Lakes, North Chicago, through which every single new Navy
    recruit passes, is in my district and is central to our local
    community. We appreciate your work on the National Defense
    Authorization Act, which is important both for our national
    security and our local communities.
        I first respectfully request that you again include
    language addressing the opioid crisis. Our men and women in
    uniform are not immune from the opioid epidemic ravaging the
    country. In fact, the National Institute of Health reports
    rates of prescription opioid misuse are higher among service
    members than among civilians due to the use of these drugs to
    treat the symptoms of PTS [post-traumatic stress] and chronic
    pain.
        Last year, an amendment I offered to set continuing
    education requirements for Department of Defense doctors who
    prescribe opioids was included in the House-passed version of
    the NDAA. Unfortunately it was not included in the final bill.
    Including this provision would ensure our military doctors are
    up to date on the latest best practices in preventing
    overprescribing and treating misuse.
        Second, I urge the committee to continue to support a
    critical joint counter-tunnel defense program undertaken with
    our ally Israel. These sophisticated subterranean tunnels are a
    major strategic threat for Israel and are used by terrorist
    networks to stockpile weapons and launch deadly attacks.
    Sustained joint cooperation to counter those tunnels both helps
    protect Israel and yields technological benefits for American
    efforts to secure our own borders and in the fight against
    global terrorism. I urge the committee to again authorize this
    program which is appropriated for $47.5 million in the recently
    passed fiscal year 2018 omnibus.
        Finally, I urge the committee to address the issue of
    delayed promotions for men and women serving in the United
    States National Guard. This issue was brought to my attention
    by a constituent who waited nearly a year for Federal
    recognition of his promotion. A recent poll of members by the
    National Guard Association of the United States found nearly
    half of respondents said it took more than 195 days to receive
    a promotion, which is longer than the timeline set out by the
    National Guard.
        I ask this committee to urge the National Guard to address
    this issue to ensure promotions are granted in a more timely
    and efficient manner while still maintaining necessary
    oversight. Thank you for your time and consideration on these
    matters and I appreciate all the work you do to serve our men
    and women in uniform and to protect our Nation. Thank you.
        [The prepared statement of Mr. Schneider can be found in
    the Appendix on page 43.]
        The Chairman. Great. Any questions for Mr. Schneider?
        Thank you, sir. I appreciate it, three very important
    issues that we will take a careful look at. So, thank you for
    being here.
        As far as I know, there are no other witnesses. So the
    hearing stands adjourned.
        [Whereupon, at 2:40 p.m., the committee was adjourned.]

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