[Senate Hearing 117-983]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 117-983
TO CONSIDER THE NOMINATION OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL LAURA J. RICHARDSON,
USA TO BE GENERAL AND COMMANDER, UNITED STATES SOUTHERN COMMAND
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HEARING
before the
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
AUGUST 3, 2021
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via: http://www.govinfo.gov
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
62-992 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
JACK REED, Rhode Island, Chairman
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma
KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii TOM COTTON, Arkansas
TIM KAINE, Virginia MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota
ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine JONI ERNST, Iowa
ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts THOM TILLIS, North Carolina
GARY C. PETERS, Michigan DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JOE MANCHIN III, West Virginia KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois RICK SCOTT, Florida
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
MARK KELLY, Arizona JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri
TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama
Elizabeth L. King, Staff Director
John D. Wason, Minority Staff
Director
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
_________
august 3, 2021
Page
To Consider the Nomination of Lieutenant General Laura J. 1
Richardson, USA to be General and Commander, United States
Southern Command.
Members Statements
Reed, Senator Jack............................................... 1
Inhofe, Senator James M.......................................... 3
Witness Statements
Richardson, Lieutenant General Laura J., USA to be General and 3
Commander, United States Southern Command.
Advance Policy Questions....................................... 33
Questions for the Record....................................... 49
Nomination Reference and Report................................ 57
Biographical Sketch............................................ 58
Committee on Armed Services Questionnaire...................... 60
Signature Page................................................. 63
(iii)
TO CONSIDER THE NOMINATION OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL LAURA J. RICHARDSON,
USA TO BE GENERAL AND COMMANDER, UNITED STATES SOUTHERN COMMAND
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TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2021
United States Senate,
Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:30 a.m. in room
SD-G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Jack Reed
(Chairman of the Committee) presiding.
Committee Members present: Senators Reed, Gillibrand,
Blumenthal, Kaine, King, Warren, Peters, Manchin, Rosen, Kelly,
Fischer, Rounds, Ernst, Tillis, Sullivan, Scott, Blackburn,
Hawley, and Tuberville.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JACK REED
Chairman Reed. Let me call the hearing to order.
Good morning. The committee meets to consider the
nomination of Lieutenant General Laura Richardson, to be
promoted to four-star general and to be the next commander of
the United States Southern Command.
If confirmed, you will be the second female, four-star
general officer currently serving in the United States military
and the second female officer to command a geographic combatant
command.
I am glad to preside for this well-deserved nomination and
I thank you, General, for your continued service and
willingness to lead in this important position.
I would like to welcome your husband, Lieutenant General
James Richardson, United States Army, and your daughter, Lauren
Richardson. We thank them for your continued support to our
Nation.
You have most recently served as the commander of the U.S.
Army North and senior commander of Fort Sam Houston and Camp
Bullis in Texas. That experience, along with your distinguished
career of service across multiple theaters, and commander at
all levels, will serve you well in this new role.
Security issues in the U.S. Southern Command, or SOUTHCOM,
are challenging and increasingly complex. SOUTHCOM has
traditionally focused on counter-drug and counter-transnational
criminal organization missions, while making the most of
limited resources; recently, however, the SOUTHCOM region has
experienced a rise in political instability, including the
presidential assassination in Haiti, political protest in Cuba,
and continuing economic and political degradation in Venezuela,
as the Maduro regime clings to power.
Further, the security situation in the northern triangle
countries, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, continues to
deteriorate, exacerbated by the corruption of these
governments, human rights violations, and criminal violence. It
is critical that the root causes of this instability be
addressed comprehensively. I would be interested in your views
and the role that SOUTHCOM might play in those efforts.
The political and economic instability in these SOUTHCOM
nations presents a situation that China, Russia, and other
near-peer rivals are now seeking to exploit to increase their
own strategic influence. In March, Admiral Faller, the current
SOUTHCOM commander, provided this committee a classified
briefing on the growing malign influence of China in the region
and the consequential threat this poses to the United States.
A critical task to the next SOUTHCOM commander will be to
focus on countering these efforts by near-peer rivals to coerce
our allies and partners. We need to find ways to complete and
compete successfully, short of armed conflict, including by
addressing sources of insecurity and other vulnerabilities that
near-peer rivals exploit to gain leverage or sow division.
It will also be important to strengthen the resilience of
the U.S. partner security forces, including by building defense
institutional capabilities for adherence to the rule of law and
respect for human rights.
General Richardson, I am interested in your assessment of
the spread for near-peer competition in the SOUTHCOM area and
how we might work strategically with partners in our
neighboring region to build resilience to China and Russia's
malign activities.
Finally, the DOD's response to COVID-19 must remain a
priority. As the current Army North commander, you led
NORTHCOM's Joint Force land component, which has provided
COVID-19 response support to civilian hospitals nationwide,
assisted FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] and HHS
[Department of Health and Human Services] with distribution,
and provided personnel for community property vaccination
centers in multiple states and U.S. territories.
General, on behalf of the committee, please thank the men
and women under your command who have participated in this
heroic response to the pandemic and thank you for your
extraordinary leadership.
I would ask that you share how you plan on leading the U.S.
COVID-19 response in the SOUTHCOM area based on the lessons
learned over the past year and a half.
General Richardson, if confirmed, you will lead SOUTHCOM in
an incredibly consequential time. We thank you, again, for your
continued willingness to serve.
Senator Inhofe has requested that I submit his statement
for the record and I will do so at this time.
[The statement of Senator James M. Inhofe follows:]
Prepared Statement by Senator James M. Inhofe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Lieutenant General Richardson, we thank you for your decades of
service, and for you and your family's continued willingness to serve
the country.
If confirmed, you'll be responsible for overseeing military
activities in a region of growing importance to the National Defense
Strategy.
China and Russia are expanding their access and influence in the
SOUTHCOM theater through arms deals, military deployments, and economic
and diplomatic coercion.
As Admiral Faller, the current SOUTHCOM Commander, told this
Committee earlier this year: ``Our strategic competition with China is
global, not just in the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea. China is
quickly growing its influence here, in our hemisphere.'' I agree with
him.
At the same time, much of the drugs poisoning American cities and
the migrants at our southern border are coming from the SOUTHCOM AOR
[area of responsibility].
We also see growing turbulence in the region in places like Haiti
and Cuba.
Despite these threats, SOUTHCOM has never had enough resources to
do its job. That's why I'm pleased that this committee adopted my
amendment to the NDAA that increases the defense budget topline and
addresses many of the unfunded requirements of our combatant
commanders, including SOUTHCOM.
General Richardson, your experience makes you well qualified to
lead SOUTHCOM as it confronts these challenges, and I look forward to
supporting your nomination.
Thank you again for your willingness to serve.
Chairman Reed. At this time, General Richardson, your
introductory statement, please.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL LAURA RICHARDSON, NOMINEE TO BE GENERAL AND
COMMANDER, UNITED STATES SOUTHERN COMMAND
Lieutenant General Richardson. Chairman Reed, Ranking
Member Inhofe, and distinguished members of the committee, I am
honored and humbled to appear before you today as the nominee
to lead United States SOUTHCOM.
I would like to thank President Biden, Secretary Austin,
and General Millie for their trust and confidence in nominating
me for this position. I would also like to recognize Admiral
Faller, the current U.S. SOUTHCOM commander and his wife,
Martha, for their loyal and dedicated service to our Nation.
If confirmed, I will build on their efforts and work
diligently together with our partners to ensure we fully
account for the defense challenges and opportunities in Central
and South America and the Caribbean.
I would like to thank my family for their love and support
throughout my military career. With me today is my husband Jim,
our daughter Lauren. Jim has been my strongest advocate for 33
years and we have proudly served side-by-side, tackling the
challenges of a dual-military family and I would not be the
officer that I am today without him.
Lauren, who I am so proud of, she deserves so much credit
for her support and sacrifices along the way. It is often the
service members who receive praise, but I believe our military
kids deserve more credit for their support and sacrifices, as
well.
I would like to thank my parents watching from Colorado.
They have truly been instrumental in establishing a family
virtue of service to our country. Thanks, Mom and Dad.
In this era of long-term strategic competition, the United
States must remain the partner of choice throughout the Western
Hemisphere. As this committee knows, the Southern Command
region is of strategic importance to U.S. vital interests, and
if confirmed, I will synchronize our approach to Security
Cooperation, working across all combatant commands to narrow
the gaps and seams our competitors are exploiting.
Today, many of our closest partners in the region are still
fighting bravely against COVID. We are all too familiar with
the devastation caused by this deadly pandemic, and I empathize
with those who have felt its horrific impacts. More than a
humanitarian crisis, this devastation is changing the
geopolitical landscape.
Authoritarian regimes and transnational criminal
organizations, enabled by China, and encouraged by Russia, are
attempting to consolidate power in the region and free
societies are being directly challenged. While our competitors
are extending hands of exploitation, attempting to profit from
our partners' vulnerable circumstances, if confirmed, I stand
ready to support the coordinated and prioritized whole-of-
government effort in support of partner nations on vaccine
distribution.
I will focus on rebuilding regional resilience by expanding
our Security Cooperation efforts and multilateral exercises,
increased International Military Education and Training
exchanges, and work with the Department of Defense (DOD) and
Congress on innovative methods to increase levels of
interoperability and global integration.
Through a comprehensive and multilateral approach, we can
strengthen regional resilience by denying freedom of movement
to transnational criminal organizations by reducing exposure to
the corrosive efforts of external state actors in our shared
hemisphere and, thereby, improving security of our southern
border.
We draw upon the strength in the Western Hemisphere from
partner nations who share our values of freedom, democracy,
respect for human rights, and the rule of law. We cannot,
however, take these relationships for granted or let our guard
down, as our competitors vie for influence. We must hasten it
pick up the pieces left by the pandemic and transform our
relationships to meet 21st century security challenges; put
simply, winning together with our allies and partners matters.
If confirmed, I look forward to continuing to serve the
American people by leading the great team at U.S. Southern
Command. Just as I have worked with numerous agencies within
our U.S. borders, I will work with our interagency partners
abroad.
Whether against COVID, transnational criminal
organizations, the predatory actions of China, the malign
influence of Russia, or natural disasters, there is nothing we
cannot overcome or achieve through an integrated response with
our interagency allies and partners.
Thank you, again, Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Inhofe, and
Members of the Committee for this opportunity. I look forward
to your questions.
Chairman Reed. Thank you very much, General Richardson. I
will begin the questioning.
Security and human rights in the Northern Triangle of
Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador have been deteriorating
for many, many years and I have worked closely with the Sisters
of Mercy, particularly with their mission in Honduras. They
have raised serious concerns about our security assistance to
the Northern Triangle countries, whose governments continue to
commit human rights abuses and undermine the international
efforts.
If confirmed, will you agree to review the security systems
approach in the SOUTHCOM area, particularly, the Northern
Triangle, to ensure that our assistance is bolstering their
commitment to human rights and to civil order and not disorder?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes, Senator, absolutely.
Human rights is a core principle of the U.S. military and I
will absolutely do that if confirmed as the SOUTHCOM commander.
Chairman Reed. Thank you very much.
I have jumped ahead in my questions without asking
significant questions we ask all nominees, so you will let me
step back and ask the questions I will do so. You can respond
in the affirmative or appropriately.
Have you adhered to applicable laws and regulations
governing conflict of interest?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes, Senator.
Chairman Reed. Have you assumed any duties or taken any
actions that would appear to presume the outcome of the
confirmation process?
Lieutenant General Richardson. No, Senator.
Chairman Reed. Exercising our legislative and oversight
responsibilities makes it important that this committee and
subcommittees and other appropriate committees of Congress
receive testimony, briefings, reports, records, and other
information from the Executive Branch on a timely basis.
Do you agree, if confirmed, to appear and testify before
this committee when requested?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed. Do you agree, when asked before this
committee, to give your personal views, even if your views
differ from the Administration?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed. Do you agree to provide records, documents,
electronic communications in a timely manner when requested by
this Committee----
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed.--and subcommittees or other appropriate
committees of Congress and to consult with the requestor
regarding the basis for any good faith delay or denial in
providing such records?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed. Will you ensure that your staff complies
with the deadlines established by this committee for the
production of reports, records, and other information,
including timely responding to hearing questions for the
record?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed. Will you cooperate and provide any witnesses
and briefers in response to congressional requests?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed. Will those witnesses be protected from
reprisal for their testimony or briefings?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
Chairman Reed. Thank you very much, General, and I
apologize for the going out of sequence, but let me continue my
questioning.
You have played a critical role in the border security
efforts by supporting DHS [Department of Homeland Security] and
getting back to the Northern Triangle, that seems to be the
root of many of the individuals seeking entrance into the
United States.
What lessons have you learned from your responsibilities
along the border that you will apply to the Northern Triangle
and other areas?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, Senator, having
performed this mission, I have been in command just over 2
years now and I am very proud of our soldiers who have served
in this mission in a title 10 status in support of Department
of Homeland Security and CBP [Customs and Border Protection].
Their primary mission has been detection and monitoring on the
Southwest Border in support of them and, certainly, again, I
visited the border, I visited the soldiers on the border
performing this mission and I am very proud of the role that
they have played in support of DHS and CBP.
Chairman Reed. This observation, has it given you any
insights to what you might try to accomplish in the Northern
Triangle in terms of stopping the flow at the source?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly. The
migration problem is a confluence of many different issues,
Senator, and that is violence, corruption, trafficking of arms,
personnel, as well as poverty. Certainly, with COVID and the
COVID impacts, as I said in my opening statement, changing the
geopolitical landscape, all factor in to having high migration
efforts.
Certainly, working with, I have a professional working
relationship under the Theater Security Cooperation. We do,
under United States NORTHCOM, running the Border Commanders
program with the Mexican Army, SEDENA, and certainly, when I
came into command, they were not along our, on the other side
of the border, and since then, they now patrol on the other
side of the border, acting as a deterrent, as well.
So, certainly working with our partner nations, working
with our partner militaries, and strengthening them, bolstering
them to be able to handle their own security problems is really
what can help curb the situation. We have to have a persistent
presence, though; it can't be, it has to be routine, it has to
be persistent, and it has to be sincere.
Chairman Reed. Thank you.
Just quickly, your general impressions of the malign
influence of Russia, China, and other countries in your AO?
Lieutenant General Richardson. So, certainly, China and
Russia, China is a reemerged, long-term, strategic competitor,
rapidly asserting itself. It is the only competitor that is
capable of using its instruments of power, economic, political,
technological, to challenge our rules-based international
order.
Certainly, the Secretary of Defense has identified China as
a pacing threat. They have been aggressively modernizing their
military at a serious and sustained rate. As I look at this
from the military lens, all to, for the PLA, or the People's
Liberation Army, to project and sustain military power.
Certainly, obviously with Russia, the malign influence of
Russia, they continue to undermine the United States globally.
They try to separate democracies and sow discord and certainly
in Latin America, tried to create a friction point and use that
as pressure upon the United States.
If confirmed as the SOUTHCOM commander, I will utilize
security, cooperation, and engagement to counter these and work
with our partner nations to counter this malign influence.
Chairman Reed. Thank you very much, General.
I think we are all very enthused about your nomination and
I wish you well. Thank you.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Chairman.
Chairman Reed. I will now recognize Senator Rounds.
Senator Rounds. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, Lieutenant General Richardson. First, let me
begin by saying thank you for your service to our country, as
well as your family's continued service to our country.
I would like to follow-up a little bit with your comments
just now with regard to the Chinese challenges that we have.
With regard to Chinese influence and Latin America, since the
end of World War II, the SOUTHCOM AOR has been a secondary
concern to military planners, but I wonder if it deserves more
focus.
According to a July report by CRS [Congressional Research
Service], total Chinese-Latin American trade increased from
less than $18 billion in 2002 to almost $316 billion in 2019.
The Chinese have a clear strategy of investing in minerals and
agricultural commodities throughout South America.
As we saw in Africa, economic engagement will precede
closer military engagement and, indeed, Admiral Faller told
this Committee earlier this year that China has increased its
port calls in the region by 70 percent over the last 5 years.
Reports from CSIS last year suggested that if war broke out
with China, the PRC may have enough sway already in some Latin
American capitals, Caracas, Quito, Havana, and La Paz, to use
ports, airfields, and other facilities in support of operations
against the United States.
Do you have a reason to believe this is an accurate
depiction of Chinese influence in Latin America and how can our
Armed Forces work to minimize this potential threat?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, thank you, Senator.
I share your concern and certainly with the expansion of
China across the Latin American region is concerning, and so
just with the Belt and Road Initiative, the BRI, 19 countries
have signed up for infrastructure loans, billions of dollars in
loans for infrastructure projects across the region, and so,
quite honestly, very concerning. I look at that all as, even
though those are Chinese State enterprise companies, still,
they can use those as dual-use facilities and utilize that as
global logistics and basing infrastructure as they expand to
project and sustain military power globally, and certainly
within the region. So, again, I share your concern.
The way that we counter that is through the Security
Cooperation engagement. We do have a lot of levers to utilize.
Admiral Faller and the great team at SOUTHCOM have been doing a
very good job of aggressively getting after those levers with
Security Cooperation, whether it is with the institutional
Capacity Building, multinational exercises, they picked back up
with three big exercises in the last 6 months. They have four
more on the horizon in the next 6 months. This trains thousands
of soldiers. It increases readiness, interoperability, domain
awareness, sharing of information, and so if confirmed,
Senator, I will certainly take on this role to do what the
SOUTHCOM team has done before and continue to have persistent
presence in the region.
Senator Rounds. Thank you for that answer.
Let me change topics a little bit. Reports out of Cuba
suggest the protests have been quelled for now, however, there
is no end in sight to Cuba's economic failure. Most citizens
lack access to basic necessities. Nor is there an end in sight
to Cuba's current COVID surge, which is getting worse by the
day and which will likely further erode public confidence in
Cuba's Communist government.
Assuming the unrest has merely hit a pause, is SOUTHCOM
well-positioned to act in support of our relevant government
agencies if waves of refugees head for U.S. shores, or if the
country devolves into a civil war? I guess I would pose the
same question in regards to Haiti, given the ongoing unrest
there following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
What are your thoughts?
Lieutenant General Richardson. So, Senator, certainly, this
is a very fluid and dynamic situation and it requires a whole-
of-government approach, absolutely, with diplomacy in the lead.
Certainly, if confirmed as the SOUTHCOM commander, I would be
ready to respond with whatever was asked of Southern Command to
be able to do in terms of either one of those situations.
Senator Rounds. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
My time is expiring.
Chairman Reed. Thank you very much, Senator Rounds.
Let me now recognize Senator Kaine, please.
Senator Kaine. Mr. Chair, thank you so much.
General Richardson, congratulations on your nomination. I
hope to work with you.
I guess all of our favorite AORs is NORTHCOM, but next to
NORTHCOM, SOUTHCOM is my favorite AOR. I was a missionary in
Honduras. I am the chairman of the Western Hemisphere
Subcommittee of Senate Foreign Relations. We have a huge Latino
population in Virginia who have family all over the Americas.
But I feel like our military operations, as well as
diplomatic and other operations, in the Americas are often
underresourced and our attention, often, is episodic; we pay
attention if there is a crisis and then we drift back to
focusing on an east-west axis of the world, rather than our
neighbors in the Americas.
Over the years, as I have been on this Committee and
Foreign Relations, I have often heard from Latin American heads
of state: We would much rather deal with the United States than
with China. We are worried about Chinese motivations. They put
us into debt traps that we don't like, but they are present and
they are putting resources on the table and you are not
present.
Recently, I returned from CODEL [Congressional Delegation]
to the Americas, four nations, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and
Colombia, with six senators, three Democrats, three
Republicans. I was very struck that we had a moment in time
where a window is really open for the United States. They are
thrilled about the U.S. delivery of vaccines, vaccine
diplomacy. You mentioned this in your opening statement. They
look at the U.S. gifts of vaccines, and President Biden is
making an announcement today, I think, about delivery of 100
million vaccines around the world. But they look at the United
States gift of vaccines and they say these are the highest-
quality vaccines in the world, and they compare it with the
China or Russia willing to sell them vaccines that they don't
think are so high quality and they are incredibly grateful.
You and I talked briefly, and, again, you referred to it in
your opening statement. I visited U.S. military operations in
Honduras, for example, that are doing remote medical clinics in
rural regions of Honduras that not only train us to quickly set
up mobile medical units, but also perform humanitarian work to
build goodwill.
Throughout the Americas, there is a need for help in
deploying vaccines into rural areas far away from central
cities. In Guatemala, we arrived in the CODEL the same day that
one and a half million American vaccines were delivered.
Senator Coons asked a really challenging question to President
Giammattei: How many of these vaccines will get more than 20
minutes from the International Airport? How many will get to
indigenous communities or places in Guatemala that don't have
good road network?
I see a massive opportunity for the U.S., as part of this
vaccine diplomacy, to regain lost ground in the Americas and
build goodwill, and I actually think the U.S. military has
expertise in this way. I see my Virginia Guard at everything
during COVID, from the testing clinics to the food distribution
to the vaccine clinics, and so I know it is an expertise.
Share a little bit about how, should you be confirmed, you
might want SOUTHCOM to be involved, as you say, in a whole-of-
government exercise to accelerate American vaccine diplomacy in
the Americas.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator, for the
opportunity to talk about that.
As NORTHCOM and Army North have been dealing with the
effects of COVID across our Nation with our military medical
providers and hospitals and then everything that we learned
with that, as well as across the United States with vaccine
centers, and so we have learned an awful lot. But this is
absolutely an area with COVID distribution and I know the
Administration has talked about giving out 500 million vaccine
doses across the globe over the next year.
Quite honestly, as we were looking to desperately create
the vaccine last December, for example, and getting that out
and getting shots in arms as quickly as possible, I know that
in SOUTHCOM and the capabilities that the military has with
distribution, logistics, lessons learned, being able to provide
PPE, and those sorts of things, and so I think this is a huge
opportunity for the United States, allies, and partners, with
vaccine distribution.
I think the other very important point is that with the
United States, there aren't strings attached. There is no fine
print, small print. We don't use this as leverage; whereas, the
Chinese and the Russians are using this as leverage to change,
you know, a country's mind: we will give you a vaccine if you
take on our 5G from Huawei, for example. We don't do that. We
don't have strings attached when we are talking about vaccine
diplomacy.
Senator Kaine. I think, General, that last fact is not lost
on these leaders and they are really seeing an America that
wants to help them out of this ``once in a century'' healthcare
crisis in a way that China and Russia are not. Let's take
advantage of the moment. SOUTHCOM has a big role to play in it.
I look forward to supporting your nomination.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Kaine.
Senator Ernst, please.
Senator Ernst. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you very much, General Richardson. I am so pleased to
see your nomination in front of this Committee.
I also want to thank your family, as well. General
Richardson, Lauren, thank you so much for the support of your
wife and your mother. We know how important our military
families are. So, thank you for being here today.
General Richardson, again, congratulations, and we know
that we do have a lot going on in this hemisphere, and focusing
on SOUTHCOM is extremely important, as Admiral Faller has told
us over and over again. We have many malign actors that are
engaging in our own neighborhood and we certainly need to make
sure that our interests and our country are protected.
We do see those new threats coming from Chinese and Russian
influence; in particular. We have many of these transnational
criminal organizations (TCOs) that are engaging and what we
have seen coming from those TCOs, about $90 billion of annual
revenue generated from those TCOs. Just last week, we saw the
Coast Guard cutter Harriet Lane interdicting $16 million worth
of illicit drugs, which were likely moving towards America in
the Caribbean Sea. So, we do have a lot of risk from these
TCOs.
Can you maybe talk a little bit about how they are working
with those malign actors like China and Russia and the
implications that has to the United States.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly. Thank you,
Senator.
With the TCOs, transnational criminal organizations
threaten partner nations' stability, as well as regional
security. Certainly, the violence that they create, quite
honestly, they feed off of each other, the TCOs or the external
state actors of China, Russia, and Lebanese Hezbollah.
Certainly, again, they are expanding, they are diversifying,
they are destabilizing in the region, they are a major security
threat in the AOR.
Drug trafficking is their number one funding source, and
so, certainly, what SOUTHCOM has as its, are the levers that it
utilizes for security cooperation and, again, that has to be a
persistent presence. Certainly, we would like our allies and
partners to join us in the region, too, so it is not just the
United States.
But, quite honestly, the multilateral exercises that I
spoke about before, really a ``low-cost, high return on
investment'' to train with our partner nations, increases the
readiness, the interoperability, the domain awareness, because
we have to be able to have the security advantage in all
domains, as well as the sharing of information and
intelligence.
Senator Ernst. Thank you.
Even to build further on that, one of my favorite topics
when we have commanders in front of us is our State partnership
programs through the National Guard.
I am very proud of our own partnership. Iowa is partnered
with Kosovo, and we have seen a great return on investment with
a tremendous country in Europe.
We see that, as well, in South America with many of our
state National Guards partnering with host nations. The best
bang for the buck, coming from those types of agreements.
You also mentioned allies and partners, other countries
that are engaging with us. I think it is important to remember
that we do have to continue to collaborate with others that
have our shared interests and values in the region.
Can you talk about some of the great partnerships we do
have with allies, as we are engaging against some of the malign
actors and TCOs that we see. Maybe some of the key partners we
would have.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly, in the current
position that I am in, in Army North and under U.S. NORTHCOM,
we have the theater security relationship with our ally Canada
and our partner, Mexico. Specifically, being able to work with
them, have them train at our training centers, for example, our
Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, which the
Canadians routinely train there, battalion level.
We are going to have a company, our partner nation, Mexico,
a company participate in the first-year ROTC [Reserve Officer
Training Corps] rotation next spring, and then by 2024, we hope
to have a battalion-level participation.
I think it just helps us. I look at it as an integrated
deterrence when we work with our allies and partners together.
Because we are much stronger and more powerful together to
counter the external influence.
Senator Ernst. Thank you very much, General Richardson.
My time has expired. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I look forward to supporting your nomination. Thank you.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Ernst.
Now, let me recognize, via Webex, Senator King.
Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
First, I want to congratulate General Richardson and her
husband. I think in your family there are more stars than the
Milky Way. I mean, this is extraordinary. I don't think we have
ever had this many, this high level in both sides of a family.
So, congratulations on your nomination.
I have been asking this same question for about 5 years. It
maybe is getting marginally better, but what really frustrates
me is that we know about 100 drug shipments from the Latin
American AOR and we have the capacity to interdict 25, maybe 30
percent of them. I hope that you will advocate for more
resources, whether it is naval training vessels, additional
Coast Guard, whatever it is. Given the tragedy that is going
on, we are losing tens of thousands of people every year. I
think 90,000 this year, including four or 500, I think over 500
in my state of Maine to overdoses. Please ramp-up the capacity
to interdict these shipments and also the ISR to know where
they are.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, thank you, Senator.
Certainly as Admiral Faller has said, is we can't interdict
our way out of this, and so not only will I, if confirmed, work
very aggressively on this way forward, through JIATF-South,
which is the Joint Interagency Task Force-South, under SOUTHCOM
that has the air and maritime mission for detective monitoring
for this, but also the whole-of-government approach. You have
the interagency that is integrated within JIATF-South, as well.
You have partner nations that are part of this team.
Partner nations participated in 60 percent of the
interdictions that occurred last year. I think that just
continuing to work on that, but, absolutely, I will advocate
for that, Senator.
Senator King. Well, we may not be able to interdict our way
out of it, but we can do a heck of a lot more interdiction than
we are doing, and that is just a lack of facilities, of ships.
So, I hope that you will be very aggressive with your
colleagues in the Navy and the Coast Guard, that we just need
more resources.
It is inexcusable that we know of 100 shipments and we only
interdict 30. I mean, that is, it is one thing if we don't know
about them, but if we know about them and can't stop them and
people are dying up here, that is not acceptable.
Let me change the subject for a moment. How do we bolster
the Northern Triangle countries economically, in terms of
internal security, in order to slow the flow of the migrants to
our border? How do we do that while dealing with what are
often, essentially, corrupt governments? How do we get around
the government?
It doesn't do any good to send millions or billions of
dollars to these countries if it gets siphoned off by regimes
that aren't serving the people, only themselves.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, Senator, certainly
through Institutional Capacity Building is extremely important
and working, not giving up with our partner nations and
continuing to try to work with them. As I said before, a core
principle in the U.S. military is human rights and the rule of
law, and we have to continue to have this within all of our
training, which it is, and continue to leverage that.
Not just Institutional Capacity Building, but the
militaries are very well respected in this region and, quite
honestly, a lot of the people look at the militaries as a way
to have a better life and a way to get out of the poverty and
the violence and things like that. Again, persistent engagement
with Security Cooperation, the exercises, the train and equip,
foreign military sales, foreign military financing. Senator
Ernst mentioned the National Guard State Partnership Program.
Nine members on this committee have state partnerships with the
countries in Latin America. So, there are a lot of levers that
we have to continually be persistent about utilizing in this
region.
Senator King. Well, I hope you will--we are asking you
questions as if you have been there 3 years, and I hope these
are things that will be on your mind.
We have to figure out how to support and encourage and
rebuild though countries without, sometimes, outside of the
corrupt local governments.
The other thing that I am interested in following as you
are on this job is the course of Chinese influence and whether
they can maintain their influence when the bills come due.
Because what they are really engaged in now is debt diplomacy
and I think some of those deals aren't going to look as good to
those countries as the Chinese are looking for repayment.
But in any case, I appreciate your testimony, General.
Congratulations. I, too, look forward to supporting your
nomination.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator King.
Let me recognize Senator Tuberville, please.
[Pause.]
Chairman Reed. No, sir, not yet.
Senator Tuberville. There. Maybe that will work.
General, thank you for being here today and your husband
and your daughter.
My two kids grew up with a coach as a dad, disciplinarian.
I can't imagine your daughter growing up with two generals.
That would be very interesting. I would love to be around the
breakfast table sometimes. I know she has got some stories.
I appreciate your training in Fort Rucker in Alabama, too,
your aviation training; that is awesome.
You know, your area of responsibility of Southern Command
sometimes gets overlooked, but it is getting more important
every day and we can just see the drugs in this country. Being
a coach, I have seen over the years, and of all the kids that
we are losing to drugs just in my career. I can imagine now
with what is coming across the border; that has got to be a
huge undertaking in the future because there is so much money
involved in it.
You know, I told Admiral Faller when he testified in March
that dealing with criminal organizations, Haiti, Cuba, China,
and Russia, coming our way, their presence every day, you have
got your hands full. I believe sooner or later the American
people are going to wake up to what is going on in our
Caribbean and our southern part of the country and I hope it
doesn't take for China to float an aircraft carrier between
Miami and the Bahamas for us to wake up, because it is coming.
I think in the next 3 years, you are going to see a lot of
changes and you are going to be right on top of it. So, I am
anxious to watch and see what you do and how you do it, because
we are all going to be counting on you.
If you ever need anything, you know, please let this
Committee know, because sometimes the Southern Command, along
with, you know, with all the drugs and so many different
factions that is challenging our country, you are going to need
more and more every day and that can't be overlooked.
What do you think is going to be your biggest obstacle, you
know, when you take this job, when you are confirmed, what do
you think your number one concern will be when you look at it?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, Senator, thank you for
the question.
I share your concern about the area of operations. It is a
huge area and quite a lot of ground to cover. Just to use a
sports analogy, you have got to have your jersey on, you have
got to have your number, and you have got to be on the field.
You can't just be on the field once every couple of months
engaging with countries; it has got to be consistent, it has to
be persistent, and constantly engaging with our partner
nations.
I think it also sends that the U.S. is committed to this
region and so a lot of levers are available, and so utilizing
those ``low-cost, high return on investment'' initiatives and
certainly working cross contraband command, as well, because I
think a lot of things that are happening in different AORs in
the Indo-Pacific and to the European Command, AFRICOM [United
States African Command], certainly. Everything is very globally
interconnected these days, and so working with my fellow
combatant commanders, and, obviously, with the commander of
U.S. NORTHCOM to help strengthen those relationships and our
commitment in the region.
Senator Tuberville. I don't think it is fair to ask you
this question today, but when you come back for another hearing
in the future, I want to know your thoughts about Guantanamo
Bay. I want to know what you think about it, what the future
for it is. I think that is a huge region for us down there.
I spent a lot of years in Miami. I have a lot of Cuban
friends and they are very passionate about their country in
Cuba. I think you are going to be right in the middle of that
because you see things are starting to happen down there.
My time is almost up. I take a little controversy over this
question, but I am going to ask you, our military needs to
grow. We are losing more and more in our military to be able to
get them into the military because of either education, drugs,
felonies. We don't have a lot to choose from. We have a lot of
bright young men and women in this country. What do you think
about drafting women in the future or having them at least sign
up for the Selective Service?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, for women,
and having been in the military, there are just huge
opportunities to serve in the military. I am very thankful that
I have been able to do that. I have been a helicopter pilot for
34 years. I have been able to build and train teams to fight
and win in combat and, quite honestly, it is just my honor to
be able to serve with America's sons and daughters in the U.S.
Military.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you very much. Thank you for your
service, and I look forward to working with you. Thank you.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Tuberville.
Let me recognize, via Webex, Senator Warren, please.
Senator Warren. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you for being here, General Richardson, and
congratulations on your nomination.
As you know, many Central and South Americans, particularly
from the Northern Triangle countries, have migrated north in
the last few years. Rampant corruption, criminal gangs, some of
the world's highest rates of gender-based violence in their
countries are among the reasons why so many of them are
embarked on such a long and dangerous journey.
As I have been saying for years now, dealing with these
factors is crucial for responding appropriately to migration.
Last week, the Biden administration published its strategy for
addressing the root causes of migration in Central America and
one of the pillars it identified was combatting organized
criminal organizations that have driven hundreds of thousands
of innocent people from their homes through the persistent use
of violence.
Admiral Faller also identified these criminal organizations
as a national security threat to the United States. As the
combatant command responsible for Central and South America,
can you describe the role SOUTHCOM should play in President
Biden's strategy to address the root causes of migration.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes, Senator. Thank you for
the question.
I share your concern in terms of, and I agree with Admiral
Faller in his assessment of transnational criminal
organizations in this region. They sow violence. There is
corruption; again, trafficking. When you are dealing with
nations with poverty, and then, of course, COVID has just
exacerbated all of that.
Quite honestly, with the whole-of-government approach, I
look at it from the military perspective, Senator. Obviously,
all the tools that I would have available, if confirmed as the
SOUTHCOM commander, to be able to be persistent and engaged
with our partner nations in order to stem the flow of migration
and all of the root causes that affect that.
I look forward, if confirmed, to be part of the whole-of-
government solution to that. But, again, I think that we have
good, strong partnerships and we have got to just, again, keep
our jersey on, be on the field, do that persistent engagement,
and work towards an integrated deterrence against these
external influences, while also bolstering our partner nations
to be able to take care of their security problems, as well.
Senator Warren. Well, you say, all the tools. You know, one
of the additional tools the Administration identified was
engagement with regional partners across and beyond Central and
South America. Last year Admiral Faller highlighted the
importance of these alliances and partnerships saying, and I
think I have a quote here, ``Strengthening partnerships is the
best way to counter threats, enhance our collective readiness,
and capability to meet global challenges.''
One tool that SOUTHCOM has available is the Humanitarian
Assistance Program. The program funds supplies and
infrastructure to help nations prepare and respond to a wide
range of emergencies like natural disasters or the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic.
General, if confirmed, can you tell me, what role do you
envision for this program in helping address the root causes of
migration, and how can Congress ensure that this program is as
impactful as possible?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, thank you for the
question, Senator.
Certainly, I have seen where Admiral Faller and the
SOUTHCOM team have utilized the Humanitarian Assistance aid in
order to counter some of the effects of COVID-19 and certainly
with donating field hospitals for those ventilators, PPE, and
lessons learned. I believe the numbers were somewhere over 400
projects, 54 million to the Latin American region that they
have done.
Certainly, if confirmed, Senator, I pledge that I will
absolutely continue with that aggressive use of Humanitarian
Assistance funding as a lever for Security Cooperation with our
partner nations.
Senator Warren. Thank you.
I think that having strong and stable partners throughout
Central and South America is in the United States' best
interests and the best way to strengthen these partnerships is
to de-emphasize military tools and refocus our efforts on human
rights, on any corruption, on humanitarian and development
assistance programs led by state and USAID [United States
Agency for International Development]. But I am very glad to
hear that SOUTHCOM is also committed to playing its part in
ending this violence.
Thank you very much. Thank you for being here.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back my time.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Warren.
Let me now recognize Senator Blackburn, please.
Senator Blackburn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And, General, congratulations. I look forward to working
with you and I appreciate your time for a phone call.
I know you have been asked about China and the malign
influences that are there. We are all concerned about that
issue, are fully aware. Let me just follow on with that.
In planning for a conflict with the PRC [People's Republic
of China], the United States should realistically work through
scenarios that go beyond those for INDOPACOM and should take
into account other areas in which the PLA forces are operating.
So, how will you approach that as you look at SOUTHCOM,
knowing that China is trying to plant their flag in so many
different countries?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, thank you, Senator.
I share your concern with that, and as we watch the Belt
and Road Initiative, the BRI, and 19 countries in Latin America
that have signed on to that with infrastructure projects. They
come with very sophisticated plans in order to capture the
interests of the countries, willing to loan billions of
dollars, as well.
Again, I look at that from the military lens of projecting
and sustaining military power for the PLA with this expansion.
So, not just in the Indo-Pacific region or Africa, but also in
the region. So, we have to aggressively continue to work with
our partner nations, show that the U.S., allies, and partners
are committed. Work with our interagency, whole-of-government
approach with the Department of State and USAID, and just
continue to be persistent.
Senator Blackburn. I appreciate that.
I am pleased to know that you are attentive and thoughtful
about how that would be approached.
We discussed ISR when we talked and my concern about the
lack of attention on ISR and the SOUTHCOM AOR and the
President's new ``over the horizon'' strategy that relies on
basing ISR support far away from the battlefield is something
that is of concern to me because it will put constraints on
DOD's ISR availability, and this compounds the challenges that
SOUTHCOM already has with its ISR allocation.
Are you prepared to operate with even ISR support than
SOUTHCOM has right now?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, certainly, that is
a concern, and as Admiral Faller has said, being able to
interdict is very important. Obviously, you can't interdict
what you can't see.
So, going forward, as I have seen with Southern Command has
done, being innovative with the tools that are available, 21st
century tradecraft of being able to use AI [artificial
intelligence], machine learning, to be able to datamine open-
source information, utilizing the interagency, as well as
partner nations, and their sharing of information and things
like that in the AOR.
But if confirmed, Senator, I will absolutely, aggressively
work towards that, and I will do an assessment immediately upon
taking command, if confirmed, and come back to the Secretary of
Defense with whatever is needed, in addition to that.
Senator Blackburn. I appreciate that.
I would like to get your assessment. This could be a
question for the record or, Mr. Chairman, we may want to have
this as something right after you are confirmed. I think it is
important to have an assessment of the ISR availability and it
needs to be a ``compete and win'' strategy in the utilization
of ISR.
I am concerned that we are not setting you and our troops
up for success in the SOUTHCOM AOR. We know that China is very
aggressive in this area, so I am going to continue to work to
focus on these.
I am about out of time. I will send to you, for the record,
Senator Warren touched on the trafficking and border security,
and I do have some concerns about the drug trafficking, the
human trafficking. The efforts that we have going on dealing
with this illicit trafficking and the effectiveness. So, I will
come to you with that as a question for the record. Thank you.
I yield back.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, very much, Senator Blackburn.
Now let me recognize, via Webex, Senator Gillibrand,
please.
Senator Gillibrand. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
General, your predecessor, Admiral Faller testified to this
Committee that Russia has eagerly flooded online communities in
Latin America with disinformation, intended to undermine faith
in Democratic institutions and the United States.
Separately, China is investing heavily in their information
technology that can be easily manipulated by the Chinese
Government at their direction for espionage or cyber
intrusions.
Do you feel that SOUTHCOM is adequately equipped to do its
part to handle the separate, but overlapping risks posed by
these efforts?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I share your
concern with that, and if confirmed, I will, that will be one
of the first things that I assess when I get to U.S. Southern
Command. The disinformation and the information operations that
are occurring. I will definitely do an assessment and come back
to the Secretary of Defense with whatever resources might be
required to counter that.
Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
General, as you pointed out, while China's economic
coercion practices are only one element of its strategy to
exert influence in the region, it certainly is an important
one.
Is there a way for SOUTHCOM and other U.S. entities to
facilitate opportunities for economic engagement where we can
highlight the benefits of working with the United States, as
opposed to China?
The Bahamas come to mind, where China has filled a gap left
by previous administrations after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
Lieutenant General Richardson. So, certainly, Senator, with
the Security Cooperation levers that are afforded to U.S.
Southern Command to be able to counter that, the exercises, the
International Military Education and Training program, IMET, we
also have the National Guard State Partnership Program, and the
section 333, train and equip. Also, foreign military sales,
foreign military financing are also tools that are available to
utilize, as well.
Also in the region, Senator, Security Force Assistance
teams from the Army, which are also very effective on the
ground, I think, you know, that goes to that persistent
engagement with our partner nations to counter the external
influence.
Senator Gillibrand. As we have seen by recent events in
Haiti and Cuba, there are plenty of humanitarian and governance
concerns within the SOUTHCOM domain that are in close proximity
to the U.S. First, what role do you foresee SOUTHCOM playing in
providing humanitarian support to our neighbors, and, two, in
what ways can SOUTHCOM partner with other agencies to be
helpful to people suffering from instability, corruption, or
climate change?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I do agree that
this is requires a whole-of-government approach with diplomacy
in the lead, absolutely, and then, certainly, from the military
perspective, being able to provide that Humanitarian
Assistance, if required. I know that U.S. SOUTHCOM is always
ready to be able to do that and, if confirmed, I certainly will
be ready to do that, as well.
Senator Gillibrand. President Biden has made it clear that
the current situation in Haiti doesn't necessitate United
States Military assistance at this point.
Do you agree with that assessment, and if so, what signals
will you be looking for that might change your advice on this
matter?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I certainly support
the President and the Administration in terms of the diplomacy,
leading with diplomacy and the whole-of-government approach,
and being ready to, if required, provide Humanitarian
Assistance, or whatever assistance would be required. If
confirmed, Senator, I pledge that I will be ready to provide
that, provide, as a combatant commander, options for the
President and the Secretary of Defense.
Senator Gillibrand. Last, I saw in your written statement,
comments about your support for the IRC recommendations and
Secretary Austin's decision to remove sexual assault and
domestic violence prosecution from the chain of command.
As a convening authority yourself, your voice on this issue
is very important. I did have one question for you about our
policies. If you agree that sexual assault prosecution will be
improved by leaving it to trained military prosecutors, is
there a reason why you wouldn't also improve the prosecution of
other serious crimes?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, Senator, as a
commander, I am responsible for standards and discipline within
my command and within my organization. Certainly, as the
Secretary of Defense had said that he supports the change for
sexual assault and sexual harassment, I agree with that, as
well.
In terms of other crimes, I think that, in support of the
Secretary of Defense, I do think we need to review that and
study that. Because to me, it is very important that I be able
to have the ability for, and the responsibility to provide
standards and discipline within the organization. I think that
is very important. That is a commander's role, and so I do
believe that that requires further study.
Senator Gillibrand. Thank you.
Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you very much, Senator, Gillibrand.
Let me recognize Senator Hawley, please.
Senator Hawley. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
General, thank you for being here. Thank you for your
service to our country. Thank you for being willing to continue
that service.
Let me start, if I could, with the problem of drugs coming
across our southern border. I represent the state of Missouri.
We have been deeply harmed, my state has, by the amount, the
volume of drugs pouring across the southern border, and pouring
into, unfortunately, every part of my state's schools,
neighborhoods, small towns, big towns, everywhere.
If you are confirmed, how do you intend to work with
countries in the SOUTHCOM AOR to counter narcotics and to make
sure that that effort is strong?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator, and I
share your concern, as well.
We work very closely with partner nations and the
interagency to counter this. I think that it just stems and
creates violence, corruption, trafficking, poverty. It just, it
is a recipe of a lot of things coming together which are all
very negative and create insecurity and instability in the
region.
Senator Hawley. Do you have any thoughts about how you
might work with the countries in the AOR to bolster the
counter-narcotics effort to make it stronger than it currently
is?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, Senator,
through our Security Cooperation programs and being able to do
the subject-matter expert exchanges. In the section 333, the
train and equip, there is counter-narcotics training, military
intelligence-operations training, continuing to reinforce the
rule of law, human rights as we go forward with the training.
But it is persistent. We try to do that with allies and
partners, as well; not just the U.S. alone. So, to bolster
that, and to have an integrated deterrence in this region.
Senator Hawley. Very good.
Let me shift gears to talk about China. Earlier this year,
Admiral Faller shared with this Committee his going concern
about China's military presence in Latin America. I want to ask
you if you are worried that China might one day seek to
establish a regular or permanent military presence in our
hemisphere in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, I look at
their Belt and Road Initiative. Nineteen countries in Latin
America have signed onto that, as well as the 29 deepwater port
deals, newer or improved ports that they have invested billions
of dollars in, as well. I look at this as the PLA looking to
project and sustain military power eventually in the region,
and so I think that we have to be very concerned about that.
Senator Hawley. Would it be a violation of the Monroe
Doctrine if the PLA did, indeed, attempt to project and
sustain, as you say, a military presence in this hemisphere?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I think as Chinese State-
owned enterprises come in and look as if they are commercial
enterprises creating the infrastructure goes to that global
logistics and basing infrastructure, but also to dual-use
facilities. So, they might look like their civilian facilities,
where actually, they could be used by the PLA.
Senator Hawley. If you are confirmed, how would you seek to
counter China's efforts to expand its military and intelligence
efforts in what would be your AOR?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, the levers that
SOUTHCOM has to compete with China in this region is Security
Cooperation and engagement, and it is having your jersey on,
having your number, and on the field with our partners each and
every day. As I talked about before, having allies and partners
is also part of that, so it is not just the United States.
But these exercises that SOUTHCOM has done three in the
past 6 months has four more on the horizon in the next 6
months, trains thousands of soldiers in our partner militaries,
but also ally and partner nation militaries, as well.
Senator Hawley. If you are confirmed, General, would you
commit to informing us, informing Congress of any attempt by
China to deploy missiles to the SOUTHCOM AOR that could range
the U.S. Homeland or other American Forces in the Western
Hemisphere?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I would,
absolutely, if confirmed, as the SOUTHCOM commander, would make
sure that I inform the Secretary of Defense and the
Administration and Congress of that.
Senator Hawley. Very good.
Finally here in my last remaining seconds, still on the
subject of China, can you just give us a sense, if I could, of
the challenges that are posed. We talked about China trying to
project its military influence, but also its economic
influence. You mentioned the Belt and Road Initiative.
So, describe for us, the challenges that are posed by their
efforts, especially when it comes to port access,
telecommunications infrastructure, the Panama Canal, give us a
sense of the challenges there.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly. If I just take
the Panama Canal, the two ports on either end of the canal are
owned by Chinese state-owned enterprises, and so that is very
concerning. Again, I go back and I look at it through the
military lens of the PLA trying to project and sustain power
within the region and having the capability to do so under the
cover of global logistics and basing infrastructure that looks
benign because it looks commercial, but, again, could be used
for dual use.
Senator Hawley. Very good. Thank you very much, General.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Hawley.
Let me recognize Senator Blumenthal, please.
Senator Blumenthal. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
I was alarmed, as I know many at the Pentagon were, by
reports about Iranian----
Chairman Reed. Senator, is your mike on?
Senator Blumenthal. It is on. I will begin again.
I know many were alarmed by the reports of Iranian
missiles, Iranian vessels carrying arms, potentially including
missiles to Venezuela. It was speculated that those shipments
were designed to fulfill a deal that Iran and Venezuela made a
year ago and the types of weapons might include long-range
missiles.
Commercial satellite imagery of one of the ships showed
fast-attack boats loaded on the deck of those vessels.
Ultimately, as you know, the vessels were re-routed and didn't
transmit anything to Venezuela, but given the volatility of oil
prices and the current situation in Venezuela, how concerned
are you that the Iranians will, again, attempt, possibly, to
complete a shipment of arms to Venezuela?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I only heard part
of that last part of your question, and so I think that has to
do with the concern of Iran with Venezuela in the region and
those two ships that were headed for Venezuela but ended up not
arriving there?
Senator Blumenthal. Let me shift to a different microphone.
[Pause.]
Senator Blumenthal. How concerned are you that Iran may,
again, attempt, possibly, to ship missiles or other arms to
Venezuela?
Lieutenant General Richardson. So, very concerned.
Obviously, they are the largest state sponsor of terror. They
will continue their malign influence in the region.
Certainly, they exchange with Venezuela, petroleum for arms
to avoid sanctions, and so I expect this would probably
continue and, certainly, it is very concerning in the region.
Senator Blumenthal. What action would you suggest the
United States ought to take in response to another ship?
Lieutenant General Richardson. So, I look at this, Senator,
as a whole-of-government approach that has to lead from the
front. Obviously, in terms of, if confirmed as a SOUTHCOM
commander, I would work with the international agency, as well
as our partners, in the sharing of information and
intelligence. As long as we have the 5G clean path of entry and
exit of data, sharing of intel within this region to continue
to be able to see what is occurring.
Senator Blumenthal. In your posture statement, you stated
that China and Russia are using the COVID-19 pandemic to gain
greater influence in South America.
Can you give more specifics about how that is occurring.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes, Senator, thank you.
I think, quite honestly, they are using, there are strings
attached. There are, as I said in my opening statement, it is
the hand of exploitation; we will give you this vaccine, but
you need to pay for it and we will provide it.
So, it comes with strings attached. It comes with fine
print and/or to be used later as leverage to coerce the country
or partner nation into something else.
Senator Blumenthal. Is that happening with any specific
nations that you can cite?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I believe it is,
with vaccine, Brazil and I believe it is the Dominican Republic
that if China would provide some vaccine if they agreed to the
5G with Huawei.
Senator Blumenthal. Finally, and I apologize if this
question has been asked, are you familiar with the so-called
Havana Syndrome and do you think that the United States should
be taking additional efforts to counter it, to understand it,
to study it, and will you commit to undertaking it?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I share your
concern on the Havana Syndrome.
I have seen the news reports on the Havana Syndrome and the
effects that it has, and I am absolutely committed, if
confirmed, to being part of that whole-of-government approach,
as that is addressed.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal.
Senator Tillis, please?
Senator Tillis. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
General Richardson, thank you for being here and for your
years of service.
You know, I have been here for 6 and a half years and every
time I meet with a SOUTHCOM commander, resources always comes
up as one of the top issues or lack of resources, particularly
around manpower and ISR.
Do you, going into this role, do you share that concern
that we need to really focus on resourcing and your future area
of responsibility?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I have seen Admiral
Faller talk about the resourcing constraints and the issues
and, certainly, if confirmed, I am committed to certainly
having a full review of the resources that are allocated to
U.S. SOUTHCOM and coming back to the Secretary of Defense if I
need additional resources.
Senator Tillis. Well, I have heard a number of them express
their frustration that they may have situational awareness, but
they don't have operational capacity to interdict a number of
illicit, what they believe are ostensibly illicit actions in
the area of responsibility.
What is your view of the Coast Guard and how important they
are in partnering with you in your, in SOUTHCOM?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Hugely important, Senator,
and thank you for asking about the Coast Guard.
Certainly, through our Joint Interagency Task Force-South
that is underneath U.S. SOUTHCOM, commanded by a Coast Guard
officer, and I understand, also, on the SOUTHCOM staff, the
operations officer is from the Coast Guard. But, certainly with
the ships, the cutters that are provided by the Coast Guard,
their ability to conduct their law enforcement mission, as well
as what the U.S. Navy provides in terms of ships to U.S.
SOUTHCOM, as well, hugely important and helpful.
Senator Tillis. I know some of my colleagues have asked
questions about Russia, China, and Iran's activities in your
area of responsibility. Can you just briefly explain in
kitchen-table terms why the American people should be as
concerned as most of the Members of this Committee.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, the
SOUTHCOM AOR, the proximity to the United States, this is, as
Admiral Faller referred to it, our shared neighborhood, our
shared hemisphere, and so the proximity to the United States.
The economic ties that we have the region, as well, in terms of
just economy, trade, those sorts of things. Familial ties, just
off the charts in terms of the families that are interconnected
in this region. Certainly have China in our neighborhood is a
concern.
Senator Tillis. Between Russia, China, and Iran, what can
you tell us about disinformation, their open and sometimes
covert campaigns to misinform the folks that live in your
future area of responsibility. Is it rampant? It seems to be.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Absolutely. The pace at
which it is expanding is, and far-reaching is very much
concerning and so, that China, Russia uses to exploit, deny,
manipulate United States allies and partners in the region in
order to control the attitudes, perceptions, and the behaviors.
So, very concerning.
Russia Today, 2009 is when it entered in the region. It has
more than doubled now. It had seven million listeners. Now, it
is over 18 million. This is expanding at quite a large rate.
Senator Tillis. Last question is, you know, I have heard
other prior commanders in SOUTHCOM say that we really need to
focus on working with partner nations to, the best way to
secure our southern border is to work with Mexico and nations
on the southern border of Mexico.
Do you agree with that assessment, if we are going to make
headway on stemming the tide of what we are seeing for the
unprecedented border crossings right now?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes, Senator, I agree with
that. I think it is very important, our relationship with
Mexico and under U.S. NORTHCOM, I have the Theater Security
Cooperation responsibilities to partner with Mexico and the
Mexican Army, which we do, and operate the Border Commanders
program, as well, as Security Cooperation with SEDENA.
Senator Tillis. Thank you very much.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Tillis.
Let me recognize Senator Rosen, via Webex.
Senator Rosen. Well, thank you, Chairman Reed, and Ranking
Member Inhofe. I appreciate the hearing.
I want to thank General Richardson for speaking with me, I
guess it was last week, and, of course, for your service to our
country.
General Richardson, back in March, current SOUTHCOM
commander, Admiral Faller, well, he testified before this
Committee and when I asked him about Hezbollah's presence in
Latin America, he mentioned their growing presence in Venezuela
and their continued involvement in the tri-border region of
Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.
Since then, I have joined Senator Blackburn in introducing
the legislation that would shed light on Hezbollah's operations
in the region and provide authorities in Latin America, and
here in the United States, with the tools necessary to crack
down on the group's agenda.
So, General Richardson, if confirmed, what strategy would
you deploy to disrupt Hezbollah's agenda in Latin America,
including coordinating with our regional partners?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, Senator,
the Security Cooperation and engagement that we do, how we
engage to counter those external influences, especially with
the Lebanese Hezbollah and, quite honestly, the connection to
the Lebanese diaspora in this region is nine million people,
which equates to about 200 million in remittance per year, back
to Iran. So, I share your concern on this issue.
Certainly, the Security Cooperation, working aggressively
with our partner nation militaries and working with our allies
and partners to also participate with us in the region, I
think, is extremely important to create this integrated
deterrence across the region.
Senator Rosen. I appreciate that.
I wonder if you could just update for everyone what you
think are some of the most concerning threats that Hezbollah
poses to the United States interests in the Western Hemisphere.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, as they
exchange with Venezuela, exchange arms for petroleum, continue
to sow violence, corruption, and just create instability and
insecurity within the region, and we have just got to counter
this external malign influence that they continue to create
within the region.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, I appreciate that.
I would like to move on to talk a little bit about Chinese
and technology in South America, because it is no secret that
the Chinese have sponsored, they have State-sponsored companies
and those companies have ambitions of assisting countries in
South America and, of course, building their infrastructure,
building their communications networks. ZTE and others are
already helping Venezuela to build a system that monitors
people's behavior through a new identification card called a
fatherland card. Smart countries are considering these vendors
to close the technology gap. I am deeply concerned about what
this means to us.
So, General Richardson, if confirmed, how will you work
with our partners in Latin America to prevent the widespread
deployment of Chinese technology that, we think is going to
pose a threat right here to us in America?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator. Again, I
share your concern on this.
Certainly, with ``smart city, safe city'' technology, the
personnel surveillance technology that China employs, safe
city, smart city sound like a very nice term in order to have
this capability, but, in turn, turns out to be a personnel
surveillance technology.
Having voting records, as you mentioned, the fatherland
card that ZTE has produced, in Venezuela, it ties the voting
record to access to food and access to health aid and things
like that is extremely concerning. So, certainly, countering,
working with our partners, having that discussion and letting
them know, we already have some countries that have been told--
that don't like the fact that they signed up for this
originally and now see what it has brought to their country and
are interested in getting rid of it. So, quite honestly, I
think having that frank conversation about what this actually
means for them.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. I appreciate both your answers
because I do believe that Iranian-backed terrorists, other
terrorists coming to the Southern Hemisphere, our national
security with Chinese technology get proliferated throughout
the Southern Hemisphere, as well, has deep implications for our
national security.
I look forward to your confirmation and working with you on
preventing that.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Rosen.
Let me recognize Senator Sullivan, please.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
General, congratulations. Congrats to your family. I think
you have a very strong background. You have been a great
example in many ways. I look forward to being a strong
supporter of yours and your confirmation.
I want to kind of take the questioning in a different
direction. I had Secretary Austin in Alaska. I hosted him there
about 10 days ago. You know, the best part of those kinds of
trips when our military leaders, civilian, or uniformed come to
my state and get to meet the community is so supported. But
really, really, the best part was just meeting the troops and
the Army, airmen, others, so impressive, you know, black,
white, native, non-native.
You know, in the military, we don't talk about skin color;
we talk about, are you good or not good?
Damn it, these men and women are the best and their
families, too. I think they are the best and brightest, most
patriotic group of people we have in the country. It was great
to show them off to the Secretary of Defense.
Would you agree with me on that, given your experience and
their families, by the way.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Absolutely.
Senator Sullivan. Good. I do, too.
You know, there has been this narrative, to be honest, it
is post-January 6 issues in the media. Some political
commentators, unfortunately, maybe even some elected leaders,
that somehow the military is filled with extremists and
supremacists and, you know, pick up the Washington Post, they
love to kind of fan the flames of this. No data ever presented,
but it is always out there. It is the new narrative that our
men and women, in fact, we had an Under Secretary testify here
that one of his top priorities was to stamp out systemic racism
within the ranks.
When I asked him, have you ever served in the ranks?
No.
Do you have data to back up that claim? It is a pretty
broad and aggressive claim.
No, I have no data.
So, there is even one bologna estimate out there, 10
percent of the force, supposedly, by some, I don't know who
estimated it, but it was repeated in a hearing here that 10
percent of the force is extremists in the military,
supremacists. That is hundreds of thousands of troops.
Do you believe that it is 10 percent?
I don't. I don't think it is, but I want to know what you
think.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, Senator, I can talk
about Army North, which is what I am in command of and Fort Sam
Houston----
Senator Sullivan. But, I mean, you are a three-star
general, getting ready to be a four-star general.
In your experience, do you think it is even remotely--let
me give you an example? We had two combatant commanders here, I
put that number out. They said not only no but given the
vetting that goes on in their commands, they doubt there are
any extremists.
What is your view?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, Senator, just in terms
of my perspective, I never say never, but in terms of my
command at Fort Sam Houston in Texas and the command of Army
North, and, certainly, we have gone through the extremism
training, how to identify it, how to report it, and those sorts
of things, and we have not had any reports within my command,
which is what I can speak about.
Senator Sullivan. But in your Army experience, 10 percent,
do you think that is even remotely in the ballpark?
I don't.
It is really important to me and I think you can just say
it, say no, if you don't think so. Do you think tens of
thousands or hundreds of thousands of military members fall
into that category, in your experience?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my experience, no,
Senator.
Senator Sullivan. Yes, me, either.
Now, when those generals made that statement, evidently,
some political guy in the Pentagon came out the next couple of
days saying, oh, the generals are wrong. I think these generals
had over 80 years of experience, but somehow they are wrong.
Here is my question, and I think it should be an easy one.
Will you commit to me and this Committee to stand up for our
troops, you know them, you are part of them, when such
unsubstantiated claims come from political appointees, members
of Congress, the media?
I think it is really important to have our uniformed
military, even though, you know, let's face it, in today's
environment, it takes a little courage to say, no, that is not
what I know. That is not what I understand.
Can you commit to me as you become a four-star general and
combatant commander to stand up for our troops on what you
think is really the truth on this, because it is really
important, and the narrative out there really undermines morale
of the troops and the families.
These are the best men and women in the country and yet,
they are being besmirched with no data on somehow they are a
bunch of extremists. Will you commit to me and this committee,
when that comes up, and it will, that you will look whoever is
telling you that in the eyes and say, no, that is not true.
That is not my experience. Get some data and we can discuss it,
but it is a really important issue.
Can I get your commitment on that, General?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Absolutely, Senator, I give
you my commitment.
I will speak about what I know about and what I am in
command of, Senator.
Senator Sullivan. Good. I look forward to supporting your
confirmation and will be asking additional questions for the
record.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Sullivan.
Now, let me recognize Senator Manchin, via Webex.
Senator Manchin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Lieutenant General Richardson, for your service
to our country.
Can you hear me?
Chairman Reed. We can hear you now, Senator.
Senator Manchin. Okay. I am going to say it again.
Thank you, Lieutenant General Richardson, for your service
to our country.
My question is Russia has continued to destabilize
Venezuela in politics with its continued assistance to Maduro.
His leadership has effectively confirmed Venezuela's status as
an authoritarian nation.
My question is, how do you plan to increase our engagement
with partners in South America and Latin America to stop the
flow of narcotics out of Venezuela?
Lieutenant General Richardson. So, I share your concern,
Senator.
Certainly, Russia is Venezuela's number one military
partner, and Russia routinely conducts port calls with its
warships into Venezuela, as well as refueling of strategic
bombers, and Russia also sends military training support to
Venezuela, as well.
The Security Cooperation and engagement, Senator, is what
SOUTHCOM has to aggressively engage in this region. Certainly,
with partner nations around Venezuela that are affected by what
is going on. Certainly, the humanitarian crisis with what is
occurring there, five million displaced personnel, as well as
one and a half million that have gone into Colombia, alone.
Working with our partner nations, knowing that, making sure
that they know that the U.S. is committed with a whole-of-
government approach regarding all of the activity that is
occurring in this area of operations.
Senator Manchin. Thank you very much.
In an effort to bring greater stability to the Northern
Triangle nations of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, I was
pleased to see that the State Department restarts the Central
American Minors program to allow for the processing of refugees
within their own nations instead of participating in the
dangerous trek across Central America to the United States'
southern border to claim asylum.
Additionally, this program works with the United Nations to
settle eligible refugees in global nations, instead of creating
dangerous backlogs solely within the U.S. immigration system.
One issue I am worried about with this program is the matter of
security for these refugees in their home nations before being
sailed abroad.
So, can you commit to learning about the program and how
SOUTHCOM can work to support it?
I have always believed that we should have, for lack of a
better, like safe havens for these people as they are going
through the vetting process. We have been able to do it in
America with violence shelters, domestic violence shelters all
over our country, and I can't see why we can't find a better
solution of how we can protect people who are looking for
asylum to see if they qualify. So, any thoughts on that would
be appreciated.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I do commit to
learning more about that program, as you described it, sir.
Senator Manchin. How has aggressively pursuing the practice
of predatory lending and infrastructure projects in the
SOUTHCOM area of operations creating what we call debt traps,
with port projects in Panama, Ecuador, and Honduras, and
infrastructure projects in over two-thirds, 23 of the 31 of the
South American countries? If China gains control of major ports
and areas of commerce in SOUTHCOM, we risk economic loss,
intellectual property losses, and the ability to effectively
counter narcotics, including the Chinese-supplied Fentanyl.
Are you familiar with the latest attitudes from our allies
in South America towards these predatory lending behaviors?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I am aware of the
predatory lending behaviors of China and all of the countries--
the number of countries that have signed up for the Belt and
Road Initiative, all the infrastructure projects with billions
of dollars of loans, as well as a 5G and Huawei and
subsidiaries of Huawei, as well, for the IT infrastructure, and
I share your concern with that.
Certainly, if confirmed as the SOUTHCOM commander, I will
work aggressively with our partner nations to counter that
external influence.
Senator Manchin. I think what has to be done there, if they
had a better alternative, do you believe that they would turn
to the United States, I mean, rather work with the United
States, as opposed to China. If that is the case and you know
it to be so and true, are you going to prioritize in your
budgetary request for this type of assistance?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, if it--absolutely.
As I committed to you, I will look further into this program,
and if it, as you said, furthers along the cause and working
with our partner nations more closely to help them bolster
against the external influence.
Senator Manchin. You are going to have to be very
aggressive on that one. I appreciate it and will give you all
the support you need because I think it is very dangerous to
have our southern border being kind of overcompensated by a
foreign ally or a foreign adversary, such as China. and what
they are intent is. So, I look forward to working with you on
this.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Manchin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Manchin.
Now, let me recognize Senator Scott.
Senator Scott. Thank you, Chairman.
Thank you, General Richardson, for your service and
congratulations on your nomination. You will love living in
Florida. You will love the Miami community. It is a wonderful
group of people who work at SOUTHCOM.
What would happen in Latin America if the Cuban regime
failed and we actually had democracy and freedom in Cuba, what
would happen in Venezuela or the attacks we are seeing in
Colombia or Ortega's power in Nicaragua?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly, Senator, we have
a long history with Cuba and they undermine the United States
and are an authoritarian advisor, so to speak, with Venezuela
and Nicaragua, and certainly prop up the Maduro regime in
Venezuela, and certainly, if we had democracy in Cuba, I think
that would change things dramatically in the AOR.
Senator Scott. So, how important do you think it is to get
the internet back on in Cuba to help the Cuban population to be
able to talk to each other, to be able to confront what is
going on with the Castro regime right now?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, Senator, I
share your concern about them being able to communicate with
each other. If confirmed, I commit to you to working
aggressively, as part of the whole-of-government approach, as
we deal with the Cuba.
Senator Scott. So, is there anything that SOUTHCOM can do
on its own to try to get the internet back on in Cuba?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, if confirmed as the
SOUTHCOM commander, I would definitely look into that and find
out what we could do or be a part of that whole-of-government
approach in addressing that with Cuba.
Senator Scott. As commander of SOUTHCOM, would you use your
pulpit to talk about the atrocities that are going on, the
tortures of dissidents, the attack on peaceful protesters, and
all the other atrocities that go on with the Cuban Castro
regime?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly. The training that
we provide and the United States and the Security Cooperation
has, as its core principle, human rights, the rule of law, and
that is baked into all of the training, and we aggressively
work that with all of our partner nations and our militaries
that we conduct Security Cooperation with. So, we would
absolutely continue with that very aggressively.
Senator Scott. But do you have the ability to speak to the
American public about what is going on in Cuba as commander of
SOUTHCOM and would you do that?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Well, certainly, Senator,
probably in support of the Department of State, who has the
lead for the diplomacy and engagement with Cuba, and supporting
the Administration with what is occurring there, I would be in
support of that, if confirmed as the SOUTHCOM commander.
Senator Scott. Is there anything that you could do, that
SOUTHCOM has the ability to help get the internet back on? Is
there anything that they could provide? Are there other
resources?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In terms of engaging with
the Security Cooperation and engagement, Senator, I would have
to, if confirmed, I will work with the Department of State on
these options and provide you with that assessment.
Senator Scott. So, as commander of the SOUTHCOM, have you
already formulated your ideas of what you could do, whether it
is to eliminate the Castro regime, the Maduro regime, the
Ortega regime, or stop the attacks that are going on in
Colombia? Have you thought through what you would be doing
different than what Admiral Faller is doing?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly. As I have looked
at how Admiral Faller and the SOUTHCOM team have engaged in
this region, I think that they have aggressively worked all of
the levers and continue to improve upon what they are doing,
working with our partner nations and our partner militaries.
I think, also, the allies and partners, the more allies and
partners that are working alongside us to bolster that
integrated deterrence and helping to increase our partner
nations that are neighbors to Venezuela, as well as Nicaragua
and Cuba is extremely important.
Senator Scott. Admiral Faller has been vocal about the
malign Chinese influence in Latin America. Are you willing to
be as vocal as he is?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, if confirmed as the
SOUTHCOM commander, I think Admiral Faller has called it like
it is, and if confirmed, I would do the same.
Senator Scott. What use do you think Guantanamo Bay has,
besides holding terrorists?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I'm sorry, Senator. Could
you----
Senator Scott. What use does Guantanamo Bay have, besides
holding terrorists?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, that would be used
if we had to conduct a noncombatant evacuation, Humanitarian
Assistance, for example, if there was a natural disaster or
something like that, that would be used as a staging area,
there, at the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
Senator Scott. Thank you.
Thank you, Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Scott.
Let me recognize Senator Peters, via Webex.
Senator Peters. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, General. Congratulations on your nomination
to this very important position. We certainly appreciate your
willingness to serve, plus your years of service to date.
That is where I want to begin. First, I would like to
recognize and thank Army North for all of its efforts across
the country during the pandemic, but especially, your
administration of the community vaccination center at Ford
Field in Detroit. That was an incredible operation and that
really jump-started our ability to get folks vaccinated
throughout Michigan. So, thank you for your leadership and the
men and women who you work with to make that happen.
General, last week, we discussed that what may be probably
the most fundamental challenge that you will face, if
confirmed, as commander of SOUTHCOM, and that is how to apply
the military instrument of power to non-military problems that
exist throughout the region, from corruption to money-
laundering, climate change, and, certainly, the persistent
requirement for Humanitarian Assistance.
As you well know, Honduras, the Hondurans, the Salvadorans,
the Guatemalans all routinely identify government failures as
one of the most significant challenges that face their country.
So, my question for you is, how can you help build partner
capacity to bolster the capacities of these governments, not
just of their military or security services, but more broadly
to help stabilize this region, particularly, in Honduras, El
Salvador, and Guatemala?
As chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, we are
well aware that what happens in those countries has a direct
impact on our southern border.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes, thank you for the
question, Senator.
Certainly, with the integration, I think working with our
partner militaries, but also with the integration of Women,
Peace and Security is extremely important, as well as the NCO
development that we can continue to foster within these partner
nation militaries is a way to do that. Also, all domains, it is
critical that we have domain awareness in all our domains and
protect against cyber, cyberspace, and things like that, and I
look forward to working with General Nakasone from CYBERCOM and
General Dickinson from SPACECOM for furthering our efforts in
this region, which is so very important.
Senator Peters. Well, I appreciate that, General. I
appreciate your bringing up the cybersecurity aspects of it.
From your answer it is clear that you believe that cyber or
security assistance should definitely include cybersecurity. We
know that our neighbors are under constant attack by cyber
criminals, as well as state-sponsored actors, whether they be
Chinese, Russian, or from the Iranian Government. So, that has
to be a part of it.
Related to that is one aspect that I find very concerning
is the fact that we are seeing aggressive and sophisticated
disinformation campaigns being used around the world by our
adversaries and, particularly used during election times. If I
look at your region, there are nine ``head of state'' elections
in Latin America over the next 18 months, not to mention local,
constitutional, and legislative elections. Certainly, these,
the voters in these countries deserve to participate in a
democratic process, free from disinformation operations.
If Cyber Command possessed the capacity and the authority
to empower regional allies with information and training to
deal with this threat, how can Southern Command enable this
effort?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly, Senator, if
confirmed, I will work this very aggressively, especially with
all the elections in the Latin American region that are coming
up in the very near future. And so, would work to understand
exactly how we can utilize, to the best of our ability, what
CYBERCOM has to offer, as well as SPACECOM.
But, also, you know, in terms of military information
support to operations is extremely important regarding dynamic
force employment and using the ability of us to be able to get
forces into the region when we are doing multilateral training
exercises, how quickly we can get a force in and on the ground.
We need to be highlighting all the aspects of that in these
multinational training exercises with all the capabilities that
are brought to bear there. Working with our partner nation
militaries, I think, can also help with that strategic
narrative and drown out our competition.
Senator Peters. Great. Thank you, General.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Peters.
Let me recognize Senator Kelly, please.
Senator Kelly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
General Richardson, congratulations on your historic
nomination to command the United States Southern Command and
your promotion to general.
Earlier, Senator Rounds and Senator Hawley had questions
about bases and weapons systems, specifically, Senator Hawley,
about missiles in the SOUTHCOM region. You know, our
partnership with South American nations are critical to
ensuring safety and stability in the region and today we enjoy
a relatively peaceful Western Hemisphere, so I want to follow-
up a little bit on, and go a little more in detail on their
line of questioning.
I am very concerned by China's efforts to pursue arms deals
with countries right in our backyard. The potential of Chinese
fighter jets in South America is of great concern and we had a
good discussion on the subject last week, and I want to
continue that here.
Argentina used to fly the Mirage III. It is a fighter jet
built by the French. I have flown it a couple times, evaluated
it. I could see why in 2015 they decided to retire the Mirage
III. They have been trying to acquire a replacement, including
western airplanes, but run into roadblocks, because parts are
often made in the U.K. and a fallout of the Falklands War,
which started an ended while I was in high school, is still an
issue, that we are having, it is challenging to sell western
fighter jets to Argentina. Because of that, they are looked at
and pursued purchasing the JF-17 from the Chinese, which is of
great concern to me and others.
So, General, what do you think we can do with our
Argentinian partners here to assist them in meeting their
procurement needs with either our platforms or some of our
allies?
A good replacement option for the Mirage III could be the
F-16, but we have got this persistent issue surrounding parts
that are built in the U.K.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Senator, I share your
concern with Chinese military equipment being in this area of
operations, in the SOUTHCOM AOR. Certainly, our engagement with
the country of Argentina and being able to have the discussions
with them, open discussions and continue to work as part of the
whole-of-government approach with our foreign military sales,
our foreign military financial system, to be able to support
this and counter that external influence being in our shared
hemisphere and in our neighborhood.
Senator Kelly. General, do you think this is at the level
now of maybe this needs to be elevated to the State Department
to ensure that the JF-17 is not sold to Argentina?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Certainly. If confirmed,
Senator, I will work very closely with the State Department on
our foreign military sales and FMF programs and work with our
partner nation of Argentina to try and counter against that.
Senator Kelly. By the way, I haven't confirmed this, but
the JF-17 seems to have Martin-Baker ejection seats in it,
which is manufactured in the U.K., so it seems to be a similar
issue. But I hope we can overcome this. I mean, they are an
ally of ours. To have JF-17s in our hemisphere, I think is, you
know, just takes us down a road that we do not want to go down.
So, thank you, General.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the remainder of my time.
Chairman Reed. Thank you, Senator Kelly.
General Richardson, thank you and your family for your
extraordinary service to the Nation and the Army over many
years. We look forward to, I look forward to your nomination
and to your service. Once again, thank you.
With that, I will adjourn the hearing.
Lieutenant General Richardson. Thank you, Chairman.
[Whereupon, at 11:16 a.m., the Committee adjourned.]
------
[Prepared questions submitted to Lieutenant General Laura
J. Richardson, USA by Chairman Reed prior to the hearing with
answers supplied follow:]
duties and qualifications
Question. What is your understanding of the duties and functions of
the Commander, U. S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)?
Answer. Title 10 of the United States Code and the 2020 Unified
Command Plan (UCP) outlines U. S. SOUTHCOM's (SOUTHCOM) missions,
responsibilities, and geographic area of responsibility (AOR). SOUTHCOM
is a unified Combatant Command responsible for contingency planning,
operations, and security cooperation for Central and South America and
the Caribbean. In this capacity, the SOUTHCOM Commander is responsible
for detecting, deterring, and preventing threats and attacks against
the United States. Specific tasks include defending the Panama Canal
and Canal area, building and enhancing regional security partnerships,
and being the principal contact on military matters pertaining to the
AOR enabling interagency and DoD counterparts to advance U.S. influence
and interests in the region.
Question. What background and experience do you possess that you
believe qualify you to perform these duties?
Answer. I am humbled and honored to be nominated as Commander,
SOUTHCOM. If confirmed, I will use the combined experience of my 34
years in uniform. Commanding at multiple echelons provided me numerous
opportunities to work with interagency teammates and multinational
militaries, and to lead joint formations comprised of all services in
the Department of Defense. Most recently, as the Commander of U.S. Army
North, I served as NORTHCOM's Joint Force Land Component Command for
the Homeland. This included the command, control, and employment of the
Joint Force in support of the lead federal agencies in charge of COVID
operations, hurricane and wildfire responses, foreign disaster relief
in the Bahamas, earthquake response in Puerto Rico, and the Southwest
Border mission. Simultaneously, we executed security cooperation
programs and developed strong relationships with our Mexican Army and
Air Force partners, as well as our Canadian Army allies.
As a General Officer in NATO's International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) Command, I was responsible for ISAF's strategic
communications, with the additional mission to train, advise, and
assist the President, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Interior
Spokesmen/Public Affairs Teams. Working with the militaries of more
than 40 nations on the ISAF Staff demonstrated to me the strategic
importance of NATO and the coalition of allies and partners. I have
also had the privilege to serve as the Army's Chief of Legislative
Liaison, and also the Army Senate Liaison Chief, which broadened my
understanding of the Legislative Branch, our government processes and
the vital constitutional role of Congress in defense and oversight. I
commanded Soldiers in combat during the initial assault and first year
in Iraq while assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, and conducted
stability operations for a geographic area working with Iraqi civilian
leaders to provide security and care for their citizens. As a young
officer, I served in the Executive Branch as an emergency action
officer for the Vice President and worked within our national security
enterprise at the strategic level which was foundational as I
progressed through my career. These experiences have prepared me for
the challenges and opportunities I will face as Commander SOUTHCOM, and
if confirmed, I will draw upon the lessons I have learned throughout my
career.
Question. Do you believe that there are any steps that you need to
take to enhance your expertise to perform the duties of the SOUTHCOM
Commander?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review all plans for which SOUTHCOM is
responsible. I will utilize the expertise of the SOUTHCOM staff to
understand the laws, treaties, and agreements applicable within the
SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR). I will also seek out the expert
perspectives within the U.S. Government, academia, and the private
sector. Traveling in the AOR and meeting directly with our U.S.
missions and the partner nations' leaders and security forces, will be
the best opportunity to learn about their culture, country, and
security challenges. Working with our Partner Nations is a privilege,
and I am extremely humbled to be afforded the opportunity to advance
our vital national interests in a region with whom we share such deep
cultural ties and geographical proximity.
relationships
Question. Section 162(b) of title 10, United States Code, provides
that the chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of
Defense and from the Secretary of Defense to the Combatant Commands.
Other sections of law and traditional practice, however, establish
important relationships outside the chain of command. Please describe
your understanding of the relationship of the Commander, U.S. Southern
Command, to the following:
The Secretary of Defense.
Answer. The Commander, U.S. Southern Command, reports directly to
the Secretary of Defense and is responsible to the President and the
Secretary of Defense for performing the military missions assigned to
the Command and for exercising command authority over the forces
assigned by the Secretary of Defense. The Commander is directly
responsible to the Secretary of Defense for the ability of the Command
to carry out its mission and looks to the Secretary to provide
sufficient authority and forces to carry out those missions.
Question. The Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Answer. The Deputy Secretary of Defense performs duties delegated
by the Secretary and performs the Secretary's duties in his absence.
The Commander, U.S. Southern Command must ensure that the Deputy
Secretary has the information necessary to perform those duties and
coordinates with the Deputy on delegated issues.
Question. The Under Secretaries of Defense.
Answer. While the Commander, U.S. Southern Command does not have a
direct command relationship with the Under Secretaries of Defense, it
is important that the Commander communicate regularly with the
appropriate Under Secretaries on strategic and regional security issues
to ensure alignment within the Department.
Question. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff.
Answer. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the
principle military advisor to the President, the National Security
Council, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Defense.
According to the 2021 Unified Command Plan, the CJCS serves as the
global integrator across combatant commands and the communication link
between the Secretary of Defense or the President to the Combatant
Commander. Facilitating the Chairman's role requires consistent
communication and information from the Commander, U.S. Southern Command
(SOUTHCOM) on events and activities in the AOR. The Vice Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff performs duties assigned by the CJCS and
performs the Chairman's duties in his absence. Accordingly, the
SOUTHCOM Commander communicates with the Vice Chairman to enable his
performance of these duties and responsibilities.
Question. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for International
Security Affairs.
Answer. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for International
Security Affairs is the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of
Defense for Policy and the Secretary of Defense on all matters of
international security strategy and DoD policy in Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, Russia, Eurasia, and, most importantly for the SOUTHCOM
Commander, the Western Hemisphere. This position also oversees security
cooperation programs and military education and training, which are
ultimately the primary engagement tools in the Western Hemisphere.
Although the SOUTHCOM Commander does not have a direct command
relationship with the Assistant Secretary, in my view, SOUTHCOM should
be in regular communication with this office to ensure alignment with
DoD security policy in the Western Hemisphere.
Question. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense
and Global Security.
Answer. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and
Global Security's responsibility in the areas of cyber, space,
countering weapons of mass destruction, and homeland defense, make it a
cross-cutting policy office. Given SOUTHCOM's mission to deter threats
in all domains, I believe that the Commander should coordinate with the
Assistant Secretary on all matters impacting the Homeland from Central
and South America and the Caribbean, even though there is no direct
command relationship with this office.
Question. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations
and Low-Intensity Conflict.
Answer. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations
and Low Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) is responsible for many of the
activities conducted every day within the U.S. Southern Command
(SOUTHCOM) AOR including counterterrorism, information operations,
counterdrug operations, detention operations, and humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief efforts. While the SOUTHCOM Commander
does not have a direct command relationship with the Assistant
Secretary, my view is that regular coordination with the Assistant
Secretary on issues of mutual concern and interest is important to
mission success in these important areas.
Question. The Service Secretaries and Service Chiefs.
Answer. The Service Secretaries and Service Chiefs are responsible
for organizing, training, and equipping their forces. They execute
administrative control and support of forces assigned to SOUTHCOM
through the Service Component Commands. The SOUTHCOM Commander
coordinates regularly with the Service Secretaries and Chiefs to ensure
the Services provide trained and ready forces to fulfill specific roles
and missions. In order to be operationally successful and permit the
Services to provide forces globally, the SOUTHCOM Commander clearly
communicates operational requirements, and works with the Services to
effectively and efficiently employ the assigned capabilities. The
Commander also must convey future capability requirements so that the
Services may program, design, and develop a lethal Joint Force.
Question. The other Combatant Commanders, particularly U.S.
Northern Command (NORTHCOM).
Answer. The Commander U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) must
frequently crosstalk and maintain open lines of communication with
other Combatant Commanders in order to synchronize efforts against
global threats. This means sharing information, intelligence, and
coordinating across all domains. The SOUTHCOM Commander must maintain a
close relationship with Commander of NORTHCOM regarding matters of
Homeland Defense and Hemispheric concerns in order to secure the
southern approaches to the homeland.
Question. U.S. Chiefs of Mission within the SOUTHCOM area of
responsibility (AOR).
Answer. All SOUTHCOM operations and initiatives in the AOR are
executed by, with, and through the embassies and Chiefs of Mission--the
U.S. leadership and expertise on the ground. While the Commander, U.S.
Southern Command does not have a formal relationship with the Chiefs of
Mission, they are in regular communication to ensure unity of effort in
each country, to include planning of security cooperation programs to
meet national security objectives. SOUTHCOM also benefits from having a
Civilian Deputy to the Commander, a senior State Department official,
to facilitate regular engagement with Chiefs of Mission and the
Department of State. On the ground, Senior Defense Officials are
integrated into the country team and provide daily coordination with
the embassies.
national defense strategy and global posture review
Question. The 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) prioritized the
long-term, strategic competition with revisionist powers China and
Russia as the primary challenge with which the United States must
contend, while also recognizing the need to deter and counter rogue
regimes like North Korea and Iran and move to a more resource-
sustainable approach to counterterrorism. Implementing the NDS will
require the Secretary of Defense and combatant commanders to carry out
missions efficiently and make hard choices--including in AORs such as
SOUTHCOM which prior commanders have identified as an ``economy of
force'' combatant command.
How would you define SOUTHCOM's essential missions in the AOR and
what steps would you take to accomplish them within an economy of force
approach?
Answer. I understand that SOUTHCOM deters aggression, defeats
threats, rapidly responds to crises, and builds regional capacity,
working with allies, partner nations, and U.S. government team members
to enhance security and defend the U.S. homeland and national
interests. This critical role in the hemisphere includes supporting USG
interagency-led efforts to counter Transnational Criminal Organizations
and counter narcotics operations, as well as building partner capacity
efforts, and when called upon, humanitarian efforts and disaster
relief. In my view, by working together with international allies,
partners in the region and U.S. government organizations active in the
theater, SOUTHCOM can achieve a great return on investment for the
United States.
Question. If confirmed, how do you plan to support the objectives
of the National Defense Strategy in the context of the SOUTHCOM AOR,
particularly with respect to long-term, strategic competition with
revisionist powers?
Answer. Prevailing in strategic competition with China, or any
other nation, is an enduring national security objective highlighted in
both the 2018 National Defense Strategy and the 2021 Interim National
Security Strategic Guidance. In the SOUTHCOM AOR, I assess that China,
Russia, as well as Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) will
seek to exploit vulnerabilities exacerbated by the global pandemic. If
confirmed, I intend to maximize engagements with our military partners
to strengthen regional resiliency, and expand the competitive space by
reinforcing the actions of our diplomatic corps and key Executive
Branch agencies including USAID and the Departments of State, Treasury,
and others as they employ all elements of national power in the
hemisphere. Additionally, the SOUTHCOM enterprise must deepen
interoperability with allies and partners and integrate combined and
joint solutions to global challenges. Together with our partners, I
assess that we will overcome the corrupt and corrosive influence of
China, the malign intentions of Russia, and stem the violent actions of
TCOs.
Question. Secretary of Defense Austin has announced that the
Department will conduct a Global Posture Review to assess requirements
for military capability.
If confirmed, what role would you expect to play in that review?
Answer. The Global Posture Review is a foundational process for
achieving our national security objectives. If confirmed, I will
provide my best military advice to the Secretary of Defense and the
Department of Defense policy leadership on the appropriate level of
presence and capability in the AOR.
Question. In your view, what, if any, changes should be considered
in reshaping the National Defense Strategy, taking into account recent
developments in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Answer. If confirmed, I will conduct a full review of the
priorities, challenges, and opportunities in the SOUTHCOM AOR. Much of
the 2018 National Defense Strategy is still applicable to today's
defense challenges in the strategic environment, such as our long-term
competition with China, and the importance of strengthening alliances
and attracting new partners.
major challenges, problems, priorities
Question. If confirmed as the Commander of SOUTHCOM, you will be
responsible for all military operations in that region. These include
operations supporting homeland defense and security; supporting law
enforcement activities to counter illicit trafficking efforts in source
and transit countries and to counter transnational criminal
organizations; responding to natural disasters and building foreign
capability for disaster response; conducting detainee operations at
Guantanamo Bay; and building the institutional capacity of foreign
security forces that promotes the development of democratic values
within the militaries of the region.
In your view, what are the major challenges and problems you would
confront if confirmed as the next Commander of SOUTHCOM?
Answer. I am concerned about the increasing Chinese and Russian
presence and influence in our hemisphere, particularly where these
nations are strengthening ties with governments that do not share our
democratic values (like Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua), or taking
advantage of our partners facing insecurity, instability, and long-term
impacts of COVID-19. I am also concerned about Transnational Criminal
Organizations. These organizations pose a direct threat to the United
States as they traffic in drugs, weapons, humans, and other illicit
goods. Their activities enable violence and corruption, and also drive
migration. Additionally, the SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility is
currently experiencing a humanitarian crisis as millions of Venezuelans
flee the tragic conditions in their homeland. Further, the region is
prone to natural disasters and SOUTHCOM must be ready to assist when
these strike. Finally, with instability in both Cuba and Haiti,
SOUTHCOM must be ready to respond in the event of a mass migration
event in the Caribbean. In addition to these challenges, if confirmed,
I would also be responsible for continuing the detainee operations
mission at Joint Task Force Guantanamo.
Question. If confirmed, what plans do you have for addressing these
challenges and problems?
Answer. If confirmed, I will maintain SOUTHCOM's primary mission of
securing the southern approaches and collaborating with other U.S.
Government agencies to advance security, economic prosperity, and
regional stability. I fully expect that SOUTHCOM will return to pre-
COVID levels of bilateral and multilateral training exercises to deepen
interoperability with key strategic partners. I will also ensure that
SOUTHCOM strengthens security cooperation and civil-military
coordination on shared challenges like disaster response, supporting
interagency-led efforts to countering criminal and terrorist networks,
and stemming the flow of illicit drugs and other goods. I will also
seek opportunities to expand human rights-related engagements in the
region, increase professional military exchanges through International
Military Education and Training (IMET) and other education and
training, and foster partner nation defense institution building. I
believe that SOUTHCOM is stronger and more effective against the
challenges in the region when our partners are better trained, ethical,
and effective members of the profession of arms, who understand their
role in a democratic society. If confirmed, I will also continue to
ensure the safe, legal, and humane care and treatment of detainees at
Joint Task Force Guantanamo for as long as this mission continues.
Question. If confirmed, what broad priorities would you establish
and how would you define success and failure in your core missions in
tangible terms?
Answer. If confirmed, I see SOUTHCOM's success being determined by
three mutually supporting priorities: (1) building regional resilience,
(2) increasing interoperability and integration, and (3) remaining the
partner of choice in the region. Building regional resilience will be
an important key to countering all threats, including the corrosive
influence of China, Russia, and Transnational Criminal Organizations.
In my view, greater regional security and stability will, in turn,
increase partner capacity to respond to crisis, provide humanitarian
assistance, and execute disaster response, making the SOUTHCOM Area of
Responsibility safer and stronger. Further, the United States can
increase interoperability and integration with our partners across all
domains by expanding participation in multilateral exercises,
increasing professional military education opportunities, and expanding
gender integration. These efforts will yield a high return on
investment and will allow us to maintain a competitive security
advantage. If confirmed, I will work to ensure the U.S. remains an
engaged and trusted partner in the region, demonstrating our commitment
through continued presence and serving as the example of a professional
military force. In my view, failure would be SOUTHCOM's inability to
(1) operate effectively below the level of conflict, (2) rapidly
respond to a crisis when called upon, or (3) deter threats to the
homeland emanating from this region. Undoubtedly, failure in our own
hemisphere would threaten U.S. national security interests.
Question. If confirmed, how would you work to ensure that
Department of Defense (DOD) efforts in your AOR complement the efforts
of civilian agencies?
Answer. I have learned that SOUTHCOM has multiple well-established
relationships with intergovernmental organizations including USAID, the
Departments of State, Homeland Security, Treasury, and other agencies.
I understand that the civilian deputy position at SOUTHCOM is held by
an ambassador who serves as a conduit with the Department of State,
embassies, and key leaders in the region. Additionally, liaisons from
many of these executive agencies are integrated into the SOUTHCOM staff
and operations. If confirmed, I would capitalize on these relationships
to expand our effectiveness in the region. SOUTHCOM serves as an
enabler for the U.S. government in this region and the U.S. cannot be
successful without a whole-of government approach in the SOUTHCOM Area
of Responsibility.
influence of countries outside the region in latin america
Question. In the last few years, China, Russia, and Iran have been
increasingly engaged in Latin America, particularly expanding their
relations with Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. They have sought to use
malign political and financial influence, corruption, and
disinformation to gain strategic advantage in Latin America.
What is your assessment of China, Russia, and Iran's presence and
objectives in the region?
Answer. In my assessment, China, Russia, and Iran all seek power
and influence in SOUTHCOM's Area of Responsibility. They are actively
courting strategically important Latin American and Caribbean partners
and support authoritarian, or anti-American regimes in various ways.
China is aggressively expanding its economic, political, and diplomatic
influence across the region through infrastructure investments, loans,
financing, and disingenuous vaccine diplomacy. Globally, China seeks
defense relationships and access to allow the People's Liberation Army
(PLA) to project and sustain military power on a global scale. As in
other theaters, Russia employs the full range of diplomatic,
intelligence, and informational tools to influence public attitudes and
decision makers in the region. Russia has made significant inroads into
the regional information domain, saturating the internet, social media,
and television outlets to sow doubts about U.S. intentions. Iran's
efforts in the region have primarily been aimed at circumventing
international sanctions.
Question. What is the extent of China, Russia, and Iran's military-
to-military engagement with Latin American countries?
Answer. In my view, China and Russia continue to compete directly
with the United States in arms sales and security cooperation in the
Western Hemisphere. China and Russia conduct military deployments to
the region ranging from the Chinese hospital ship PEACE ARK missions
and PLA naval exercises, to Russian strategic bomber flights and
partnered counter-narcotics operations in Central America. China offers
all-expenses-paid training at its military institutions in Beijing as
it seeks to deepen military relationships. Iran is a leading sponsor of
terrorism and its role in the region is concerning. In recent years,
Iran has curtailed its overt military engagements, but maintains its
ties, particularly with the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
Question. What is your assessment of the nature and extent to which
China, Russia, and Iran are engaged with transnational criminal
organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Answer. In my view, the potential for China, Russia or Iran to
collaborate with transnational criminal organizations (TCO) in Latin
America and the Caribbean is a concern. While it is publicly documented
that Chinese and Russian enterprises and criminal elements operate in
Latin America and the Caribbean, I am not aware of direct Chinese or
Russian government participation in these activities. I assess that
Iranian associates in Latin America are more likely to engage low-level
criminal elements than TCOs through commercial ventures, as Iran seeks
to acquire hard-currency (remittances, etc.) and circumvent economic
sanctions.
Question. To what extent have China, Russia, and Iran taken
advantage of the current pandemic crisis, and economic hardships
exacerbated by that crisis, to expand their influence in the Latin
American region?
Answer. I believe the devastation caused by COVID-19 in this region
is more than a humanitarian crisis; it is changing the geo-political
landscape. COVID-19 has brought on a new era of vaccine, mask, and
health diplomacy that China is leveraging to its advantage. In many
cases, these acts of good will are thinly veiled extortion, leaving
vulnerable nations beholden to Chinese coercion and economic leverage.
Additionally, Chinese and Russian information operations are aggressive
and full of disinformation hiding their minimal capacity to deliver on
assistance and investment. China, Russia, and Iran are using their
influence in the region to bolster authoritarian regimes, including the
Maduro regime in Venezuela, with disastrous consequences to the
populations there, furthering a humanitarian crisis and mass migration
throughout the region.
Question. In your view, what is the appropriate method to counter
any malign influence that countries from outside the region may attempt
to exert on Latin American and Caribbean nations?
Answer. In my view, with diplomacy as the lead element, all
elements of national power are necessary to counter malign influence
and compete with adversaries in long-term strategic competition. The
military activities of the United States in the region should be
integrated with diplomatic efforts through consistent security
cooperation and engagement with our partner militaries. This will
enable us to expand our competitive space and maintain our strength as
the most trusted and reliable partner in the region.
dod counter-narcotics and counter-illicit trafficking activities
Question. DOD serves as the single lead agency for the detection
and monitoring of aerial and maritime foreign shipments of drugs
flowing toward the United States. On an annual basis, DOD's counter-
narcotics (CN) program expends over $750 million to support the
Department's CN operations, including to build the capacity of U.S.
federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and certain foreign
governments, and provide intelligence support on CN-related matters and
a variety of other unique enabling capabilities. Much of this funding
is directed towards the SOUTHCOM AOR.
In your view, what is the appropriate role of DOD - and by
extension SOUTHCOM - in U.S. counterdrug and counter-illicit
trafficking efforts?
Answer. The Department of Defense (DOD) has a statutory mission to
detect and monitor the aerial and maritime transit of US-bound illegal
drugs. The intelligence and information gathered by these efforts are
then used by law enforcement agencies to disrupt or interdict those
drugs under the authorities those partner agencies bring to the fight.
In my view, DOD also enables partner nation counterdrug efforts by
sharing actionable information and intelligence, providing training and
equipment, and minor infrastructure support.
Question. How would you measure the effectiveness of U.S. and DOD
counter-narcotics and counter-illicit trafficking programs?
Answer. Traditionally, I understand that the amount of drugs
disrupted or interdicted has been the most widely-used metric for
counterdrug programs. In my view, this may not be the most effective
measurement of success because it only measures the impact to the final
product of large transnational criminal organizations and does not
measure the impact to the organizations themselves. The efforts to
prevent hundreds of tons of drugs from entering the U.S. and harming
our citizens should continue but, in my view, stopping the drug
shipments is only part of the solution. Ultimate success in this
mission will depend on continued partnerships to enable the dismantling
of the transnational criminal organizations responsible for the
trafficking of drugs and other illegal commodities. If confirmed, I
commit to fostering these continued partnerships, and I also believe
that SOUTHCOM should consider the effectiveness of U.S security
cooperation programs that build partner capacity to participate in this
transregional mission.
Question. In your view, what should be the role of the United
States in countering the flow of narcotics to other nations in Latin
America?
Answer. DOD's statutory mission is to detect and monitor the flow
of illicit drugs heading to the United States. However, as those
illicit drugs make their way to the U.S., they leave in its wake
corruption and violence that destabilize our hemisphere and drive
migration toward our border. I believe this poses a national security
threat, as well as a regional threat and that we should work with our
partner nations through security cooperation programs to build their
capacity to face this challenge with us.
Question. The production and trafficking of particular drugs in the
SOUTHCOM AOR - such as cocaine and, to a lesser extent, heroin and
synthetic opioids - threatens the health and safety of U.S. citizens,
Latin Americans, and regional stability.
What is your understanding of the principal illegal drugs produced
and trafficked in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Answer. The Center for Disease Control has released data showing
that over 93,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States
in 2020--an increase of almost 30 percent from the previous year. This
reflects an increase in deaths from opioids, as well as cocaine.
Cocaine is almost exclusively produced in this Hemisphere, with all the
world's source countries in South America. There is also a small amount
of heroin produced in SOUTHCOM's AOR. My understanding of these
substances is that they--and the criminal networks that create and move
them--represent an enduring threat to our citizens and to our partner
nations.
Question. What is your assessment of the threat posed by the
trafficking of heroin into the United States from Mexico, Central and
South America?
Answer. Heroin is a highly addictive and dangerous drug. The rising
death toll in the United States is destroying families and fracturing
communities. Although the majority of heroin entering the United States
originates in Mexico, I understand that China has been trafficking
precursor chemicals for synthetic opioids through the SOUTHCOM AOR. It
is well known that illicit drugs and precursors are the primary source
of funding for Transnational Criminal Organizations in the region,
which threaten stability and security in the southern approaches to the
United States.
Question. What is your assessment of the threat posed by the flow
of fentanyl and chemical precursors from China and elsewhere in Asia
into Mexico and Central America, and from there into the United States?
Answer. I understand that China is the principal source of
precursor chemicals used in the production of fentanyl and other
synthetic opioids that are killing thousands of Americans every year.
The data shows that in 2020, the number of deaths in the U.S. from
opioids alone was nearly 70,000. Fentanyl is also being mixed into more
commonly used drugs like cocaine, making them exponentially more lethal
to users. Accordingly, the threat posed by the flow of precursor
chemicals through the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility to the United
States is very high.
Question. In your view, what more can DOD do to combat this effort,
including in cooperation with U.S. Northern Command and with
interagency and law enforcement partners?
Answer. Intelligence drives operations, and effective sharing of
intelligence across the interagency is vital. SOUTHCOM's coordination
with NORTHCOM in this effort is robust and regular. The Joint
Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) joint operating area overlaps
the NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM areas of responsibility, which enables the
Task Force to act as a natural synchronizer of efforts. JIATF-S also
integrates personnel from the law enforcement and intelligence
communities, as well as from our partner nations, to integrate efforts
across stakeholders. I believe that more can always be done against
transnational criminal organizations, but targeting how they do
business--including financial flows, logistics and communications will
yield more impactful results. If confirmed, I will also look to enable
interagency and partner nation efforts to combat the flow of narcotics
through the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility into the United States, and
increase security cooperation efforts to improve regional
interoperability to combat narcotics trafficking.
building partner capacity
Question. In the past few years, Congress has provided DOD a number
of authorities to build the capacity of partner nations' security
forces and institutions.
In your view, what should be our strategic objectives in building
the capacities of partner nations in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Answer. In my view, building partner capacity in the SOUTHCOM Area
of Responsibility is a strategic imperative and a long-term approach to
regional and global security challenges. By increasing interoperability
with partners and integrating whole-of-government efforts, SOUTHCOM can
improve domain awareness, enable regional solutions, and expedite
threat interdictions. I assess that strengthening defense institutions
achieves regional resiliency against the corrosive effects of China,
Russia, and Transnational Criminal Organizations.
Question. What would be your priorities, if confirmed, for building
partner capacity, including institutional capacity, and other security
cooperation efforts in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Answer. I believe the United States must be present and engaged in
our shared neighborhood. We cannot expect to remain relevant in our
hemisphere if we are not engaged with our regional partners. Partner
nations in the SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility share common objectives,
face common threats and frequently have the same desired outcomes. If
confirmed, a priority for me would be a focused regional approach to
security cooperation that would enable us to identify and respond to
shared threats, narrow and constrict capability gaps in the region, and
create synergies in the delivery and development of capabilities. If
confirmed, I will continue developing partner institutional capacity to
reflect responsible, effective, and sustainable defense institutions.
Question. In your view, what is the appropriate balance between
efforts to build partnership capacity at the tactical and operational
level and at the institutional and ministerial-level?
Answer. In my view, establishing and building partner nation
capacity at the tactical and operational levels works for near-term
operations, however, over time there is an invariable erosion of those
capabilities without a sustainable institutional infrastructure.
Building capacity at the institutional and ministerial levels is
foundational to the long-term success of building partner capacity.
This is a whole-of-government approach through various efforts, to
include engagement with Ministry of Defense Advisors, to ensure
SOUTHCOM incorporates institutional capability building in security
cooperation efforts.
Question. In your view, how should our security cooperation be
modified, conditioned, or restricted with countries in which there is
significant corruption at the institutional and ministerial level?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the existing authorities
periodically to ensure the adequacy of these authorities to enable
SOUTHCOM's responsiveness to emergent requirements, and I will
recommend any necessary changes to the Secretary of Defense and
Congress.
Question. In your view, how should SOUTHCOM approach building
partner capacity with host nation militaries that have been tasked to
take on the role of police and internal security forces?
Answer. In my view, SOUTHCOM must continue to cooperate and
synchronize efforts and resource expenditures with other U.S.
Government institutions that are the lead federal agencies for
providing security and policing support to regional partner nations. At
the same time, it is important to recognize the times when defense
support to civil authorities is necessary and legitimate in cases where
the threat exceeds the ability of a nation's public security forces to
secure its citizens. In these cases, working closely with the
Department of State and Department of Justice, if confirmed, I will
emphasize the importance of respect for human rights with my
counterparts, and will ensure that human rights training is
incorporated into SOUTHCOM's security cooperation program.
transnational criminal organizations
Question. Transnational criminal organizations are engaged in a
diversity of illicit activities, including money laundering, human
trafficking illicit financial flows, illegal trade in natural resources
and wildlife, and trade in illegal drugs, precursors and weapons. These
activities reach not only the entirety of the Western Hemisphere, but
increasingly throughout the world.
In your assessment, how has the threat to the United States from
transnational criminal organizations, evolved?
Answer. It is my understanding that Transnational Criminal
Organizations (TCOs) traffic in arms, humans, and drugs, engage in
illegal mining, corrupt money laundering, and perpetrate illegal
unregulated and unreported fishing--estimated at billions of dollars a
year. These organizations capitalize on the instability that drives
illegal migration, fuels violence, and causes great security concerns
throughout the region. TCOs are dynamic and were able to continue and,
in some cases, increase their trafficking activities despite the global
pandemic, ultimately undermining security and prosperity for our
partners in the region.
Question. In your view, what kind of additional support, if any,
should DOD--and SOUTHCOM in particular--provide to U.S. law enforcement
to counter and degrade these transnational criminal organizations?
Answer. Transnational criminal organizations are a national threat
that directly impacts the security of our citizens. In my view, DOD
should continue to conduct detection and monitoring of the transit of
illegal drugs, support interdiction operations, and build the capacity
of partner nation defense and security forces through training,
equipping, and infrastructure support. If confirmed, I will work
tirelessly within DOD and across the U.S. Government to enable those
operations that combat transnational threats.
Question. What additional resources, if any, do you believe
SOUTHCOM requires to more effectively carry out its mission in
countering transnational criminal organizations?
Answer. It is my understanding that SOUTHCOM receives less than one
percent of the Department's intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance allocation each year. Intelligence is critical to
success in this region. A small investment in this region provides an
enhanced return on the investment toward stability and our national
security. It is also critical that SOUTHCOM remains present and
engaged. It is my understanding that for the first time SOUTHCOM is
employing Security Force Assistance Teams to provide training and
expert exchanges to the Colombian, Honduran, and Panamanian forces. I
believe that efforts like these make a measurable impact for a
relatively small investment, and pays significant dividends when it
comes to building trust and interoperability in the region.
northern triangle
Question. In April, the Biden Administration announced a $4 billion
plan to address the causes of migration in the Northern Triangle
countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. These causes include
corruption, anti-democratic governance, criminal violence,
environmental devastation from two hurricanes and the coronavirus
pandemic.
What is your understanding of the objectives and priorities of the
Administration's plan for the Northern Triangle countries?
Answer. I understand the Administration's plan in the Northern
Triangle is a long-term effort designed to address the root causes of
some of the most significant challenges causing irregular migration,
corruption, and the looming humanitarian crisis in the area. It is my
understanding that President Biden has pledged $4 billion in additional
assistance to the region to focus on these root causes.
Question. What is your understanding of how SOUTHCOM's activities
will implement or complement the plan for the region?
Answer. As I understand them currently, SOUTHCOM's ongoing
activities and operations complement whole-of-government efforts in the
region. Security cooperation and humanitarian assistance activities in
the Northern Triangle help achieve improvements in regional security
and health environments, help reduce irregular migration, and mitigate
drivers of instability. SOUTHCOM's human rights initiative improves
host nation security forces' respect for fundamental human rights. It
also promotes better governance, respect for the rule of law, and
increased transparency and anti-corruption goals with military
leadership. All of these efforts strengthen partner capacity, degrade
the transnational criminal organization threat networks, and advance
and support U.S. national interests in the region.
Question. In your view, what is the impact of corruption among
government and military leaders in the Northern Triangle countries on
the stability and security of the region?
Answer. Corruption at any level weakens public institutions which
negatively affects stability and security. DOD and SOUTHCOM serve as an
example for other governments and military leaders to follow, not only
for honesty and integrity, but also respect for human rights and
adherence to the rule of law.
Question. What do you believe is the appropriate role, if any, of
SOUTHCOM in supporting civilian-led stabilization assistance activities
in the region?
Answer. It is my understanding that SOUTHCOM has a lot to offer in
support of civil activities in the Northern Triangle. Many of
SOUTHCOM's activities are in support of a civilian lead federal agency,
and I am familiar with this concept from my time as the Commander of
U.S. Army North. I believe SOUTHCOM will continue to contribute to
solutions by supporting our partners, building regional resiliency, and
increasing interoperability.
mexico and cooperation with u.s. northern command (northcom)
Question. Much of the illegal narcotics supply flowing into Mexico
comes from the SOUTHCOM AOR. While Mexico is in the NORTHCOM AOR, the
rest of Latin America is in the SOUTHCOM AOR.
In your view, how should SOUTHCOM and NORTHCOM work together to
ensure a fully coordinated effort with respect to illegal narcotics
flowing into Mexico and other security challenges?
Answer. In my view, SOUTHCOM has been effective against illegal
narcotics entering the U.S. through air and maritime avenues of the
Caribbean and Pacific. However, I assess that a missing element is the
land domain. Working with NORTHCOM in support of the US law enforcement
agencies to synchronize and integrate the joint, interagency, and
multinational efforts in this hemisphere will begin to close this gap.
Working in concert with partner nation LEAs and militaries will require
the continuous coordination and integration that should exist in the
interagency and between the Combatant Commands.
colombia
Question. U.S. assistance and security cooperation programs
operating through Plan Colombia contributed to enabling the Colombian
government to engage in an intensive peace and reconciliation process
with members of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) and
other paramilitary forces. Now implementation of the peace accord
appears at risk as violence escalates.
What is your assessment of the current security situation in
Colombia?
Answer. I assess that, although Colombia and the FARC reached a
formal peace agreement in 2016, Colombia continues to face security
challenges from Transnational Criminal Organizations, FARC dissidents,
and the designated terrorist organization ELN. The current crisis in
Venezuela has allowed these actors freedom of movement and resulted in
over one million refugees straining Colombia's government services. If
confirmed, I will work with our willing and able Colombian partners to
support security and humanitarian efforts that will enable them to
defeat COVID, provide security for their people, effectively fight
transnational criminal organizations, and withstand the pressures of
mass migration.
Question. How should U.S. security cooperation programs and
activities be adjusted in response to the situation on the ground in
Colombia?
Answer. Like all U.S. security cooperation programs, consistent
engagement and support is important to the success of our security
efforts and our strong partnerships; Colombia is no exception. If
confirmed, I will make a full assessment of the situation on the ground
in Colombia. Colombia is one of our strongest partners in the region,
and in my view we should continue our support.
Question. How would you approach the issue of respect for human
rights in the Colombian military?
Answer. It is my understanding that promoting respect for human
rights has been a top priority for SOUTHCOM for over two decades.
SOUTHCOM integrates human rights across its operations and activities,
including in its engagement and assistance programs with its partners.
If confirmed, I will continue SOUTHCOM's emphasis on human rights in
all forms of security assistance.
Question. Colombia has demonstrated a willingness to become more
involved internationally, to include increased engagements with
regional partners. Colombia has also deployed forces as part of
overseas peacekeeping missions.
How should SOUTHCOM assist Colombia in its efforts to assume a
greater role as a security provider, both regionally and
internationally?
Answer. I believe persistent support of Colombia is critical to its
continued efforts to provide both regional and international security.
Colombia has become a key exporter of security to the region, and the
Colombian military now trains--through the U.S. Colombia Action Plan
and other programs--our partner militaries throughout the region.
Additionally, Colombia's status as NATO's only Global Partner in Latin
America demonstrates its commitment to the shared values of the
alliance, as well as its political and security leadership role in the
region. The United States' encouragement and support of such leadership
provides a valuable contribution to Colombia's efforts--and those of
the United States--to provide both regional and international security.
venezuela
Question. Venezuela continues to suffer a deep political and
economic crisis under President Maduro's authoritarian regime. As a
result, Venezuela's dysfunction threatens stability throughout the
region.
What is your assessment of the impact of Venezuela's deteriorating
political and economic situation on regional security in the SOUTHCOM
AOR?
Answer. In my view, the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela is broadly
impacting the security and stability of the region. Driven by food
insecurity and repression, millions of Venezuelans have sought refuge
in neighboring countries, straining limited healthcare, security and
economic resources.
Question. What is your understanding of U.S. policy towards
Venezuela and DOD's role in carrying out that policy?
Answer. The United States recognizes Juan Guaido as the interim
President of Venezuela. The U.S. also supports the Venezuelan people
and their right to basic civil liberties. DOD's role would be limited
in support of a broader U.S. diplomatic effort for a peaceful
transition to democracy.
Question. What is your view of President Maduro's intentions in the
region?
Answer. I believe the Maduro regime looks to consolidate authority
and subvert regional democracies. The regime also seeks to undermine
the United States and like-minded partners in the region through
extensive disinformation and misinformation campaigns.
Question. How would you assess Venezuelan relations with China,
Cuba, Iran, and Russia vis-`-vis the national interests of the United
States?
Answer. In my view, Venezuela offers a permissive environment for
countries that seek to undermine the United States. The Maduro regime
relies on China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran to help control its narrative
and its population, provide security assistance, and evade sanctions.
China offers Venezuela economic and political support. The Russian
military supports the Venezuelan military with training and
intelligence support. Cuba helps Maduro stay in power by advising on
tactics to control its population. Iran and Venezuela support each
other in evading sanctions.
Question. What is your understanding of the extent to which
Venezuelan government or military forces are involved in the drug
trade?
Answer. It is my understanding that senior members of the
Venezuelan government have been sanctioned by the Department of
Treasury for their involvement in illicit activity, to include the drug
trade.
cuba
Question. What is your assessment of Cuba's impact on regional
security in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Answer. In my assessment, Cuba has had a significant impact on
security in the region. For decades, the authoritarian dictatorship in
Cuba has worked to destabilize the region, undermine U.S. authority,
and support other like-minded regimes in the SOUTHCOM AOR, to include
the Maduro regime in Venezuela. I understand that Cuba supports these
other authoritarian governments with intelligence and security support,
and provides as the leaders of these governments with advice on how to
maintain power over their populations.
Question. What is your understanding of U.S. policy towards Cuba
and DOD's role in carrying out that policy?
Answer. The White House has recently stated that its U.S. policy
toward Cuba is under review. I understand that U.S law prohibits
security assistance to Cuba and current policy prevents military-to-
military engagement, including security cooperation activities. While
the U.S. Coast Guard does maintain minimal communication with its Cuban
counterparts on issues like trafficking and migration, I am aware that
the Department of Defense's only contact with the Cuban military is
between the Commander of the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay and the
local Cuban military commander. However, I understand that this
engagement is limited to local matters.
detainee matters
Question. What role do you expect to play, if confirmed, in regard
to the operation, management, and oversight of the detention facility
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the policies applicable to the facility's
detainee population?
Answer. If confirmed, I expect that my role as the SOUTHCOM
Commander will be to oversee the safe, humane, and legal detention
operations, to include detainee healthcare delivery at Joint Task Force
Guantanamo.
Question. Do you support the standards for detainee treatment
specified in the revised Army Field Manual on Interrogations, FM 2-
22.3, issued in September 2006, and in DOD Directive 2310.01E, The
Department of Defense Detainee Program, dated August 19, 2014, and
required by section 1045 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114-92)?
Answer. Yes.
Question. In your view, how will President Biden's ordered
withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan affect the Department's
detention of unlawful enemy combatants at Guantanamo?
Answer. The decision to withdraw U.S. Forces from Afghanistan is a
national strategic-level decision, as is the policy related to the
detention of unlawful enemy combatants. Joint Task Force Guantanamo
executes detention operations in accordance with the law and the policy
of the President and the Secretary of Defense. If confirmed, Joint Task
Force Guantanamo will continue to do so with my oversight and
supervision.
Question. In your view, how has the establishment of a Chief
Medical Officer to oversee the provision of medical care to individuals
detained at Guantanamo affected the standard of medical care provided
to such detainees?
Answer. I understand that there is a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in
place on the island who has an oversight role of the medical care being
provided to the individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay. The CMO
position is managed by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs and the staff at Guantanamo Bay work closely with the CMO on
these medical issues. In my view, this type of conduit is essential to
ensure smooth medical policy implementation.
Question. It is the committee's understanding that as many as 9 of
the 40 detainees still at GTMO have been designated for transfer.
What role would you expect to play, if confirmed, in the Periodic
Review Board process applicable to detainees at Guantanamo?
Answer. As I understand, the Commander of SOUTHCOM does not have a
direct role in the Periodic Review Board, but SOUTHCOM currently
supports the Periodic Review Board process with medical summaries and
intelligence reports. If confirmed, I intend to ensure this support
continues, providing oversight and supervision of the support.
Question. What role would you expect to play, if confirmed, in the
detainee transfer process?
Answer. Based on my current understanding, SOUTHCOM provides
medical and intelligence reports to the interagency team responsible
for making recommendations to the Secretary of Defense in the detainee
transfer process. Additionally, SOUTHCOM works across multiple commands
to execute detainee transfers if and when they are directed. If
confirmed, I expect to provide this same level of support to the
detainee transfer process and will provide oversight and supervision of
this support.
military commissions
Question. In your view, do military commissions constituted
pursuant to the Military Commissions Act of 2009 provide an effective
forum for addressing the crimes committed by detainees at Guantanamo
Bay?
Answer. I believe this is a policy question that is best answered
by the Department of Defense and the Administration. If confirmed, I
will be committed to overseeing the safe, humane, and legal detention
operations, to include detainee healthcare delivery at Joint Task Force
Guantanamo as long as SOUTHCOM is directed to do so.
Question. What role would you expect to play, if confirmed, in the
preparation for and conduct of trials by Military Commission of
detainees at Guantanamo?
Answer. I understand that SOUTHCOM and Joint Task Force Guantanamo
are responsible for providing security and limited logistical support
to the Office of Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay. If confirmed,
I expect SOUTHCOM to provide the same support.
southcom force requirements
Question. SOUTHCOM does not have assigned forces and, as a result,
is required to compete for forces within the global request for forces
process.
Given the Department's shift to long-term strategic competition
with near-peer rivals will you be able to ensure, if confirmed, that
you are able to secure the necessary personnel to carry out SOUTHCOM's
partnering and engagement missions within the AOR?
Answer. I believe the Southern Command Area of Responsibility is of
tremendous strategic importance. This region contains the southern
approaches to the homeland, and our competitors are expanding their
presence and influence at a rapid rate. From my perspective,
communication is key to ensuring that a Combatant Command has the
forces necessary to execute its mission. If confirmed, I will advocate
for the missions that will yield the greatest improvement to security
and stability in the region, and for the resources (including
personnel) to succeed in those missions. Further, I will ensure that
SOUTHCOM uses all forces and resources to their fullest effect.
Question. If not, how would you assess the risk to U.S. strategic
interests in the region?
Answer. If confirmed, managing risk is a key component of command,
and risk management informs decisions at every echelon. Strategic risk
to our interests in the region will be a foundational element in my
best military advice to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
Secretary of Defense.
western hemisphere institute for security cooperation
Question. The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation
(WHINSEC), which replaced the School of the Americas in 2001, has the
mission of contributing to theater cooperation activities through the
education and training of students in the Western Hemisphere from
Canada to Chile.
What is the relationship between SOUTHCOM and WHINSEC?
Answer. In my view, professional military education and training is
one of the most important tools our Nation has, not just for building
the technical capacity of partner nation militaries, but for building
strong relationships with the future leaders of those militaries.
WHINSEC provides education and training grounded in democratic values,
including respect for human rights and the rule of law. WHINSEC focuses
on partner nations from the Western Hemisphere, and its courses
directly support the security cooperation plans of both NORTHCOM and
SOUTHCOM. I understand that the SOUTHCOM Commander has a permanent
position on the WHINSEC Board of Visitors, participating in curriculum
selection and periodic reviews to ensure the institute is appropriately
supporting the security cooperation goals of the Command.
Question. In your view, does WHINSEC promote the national security
interests of the United States in the Western Hemisphere?
Answer. Based on WHINSEC's charter and the transparency with which
it conducts its instruction, I believe that WHINSEC promotes U.S.
national security interests in the Western Hemisphere. It does so,
first, by working closely with both NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM to maintain
alignment with their theater security cooperation plans. Additionally,
WHINSEC increases interoperability of regional partners to advance
regional security. Finally, it instills respect for human rights, the
rule of law, due process, civilian control of the military, and the
role of the military in a democratic society.
Question. In your view, what more - if anything - does WHINSEC need
to do to emphasize human rights in its curriculum and contribute to
institutional capacity building in the region?
Answer. I am aware that WHINSEC has a Human Rights Center that
provides human rights training to all its students and helps develop
human rights capabilities in partner nation militaries and Ministries
of Defense. If confirmed, I will actively participate in the WHINSEC
Board of Visitors, including studying more closely the current
curriculum and making any recommendations that I believe would
strengthen its education and training program.
Question. Will you attend the regularly scheduled WHINSEC Board of
Visitors meetings?
Answer. Yes.
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
Question. What should be the role for the U.S. military in
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the SOUTHCOM AOR?
Answer. As specified in the Unified Command Plan, Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief is one of SOUTHCOM's primary missions.
The SOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility experiences a broad range of
natural disasters every year, to include hurricanes, earthquakes, and
volcano eruptions. The DOD has unique capabilities to save lives
immediately following these disasters. Beyond immediate life-saving,
the military is in support of the lead federal agency in a disaster
response, and can deliver unique military capabilities (like air lift)
that are critical in these operations.
Question. What role should SOUTHCOM play in building the
capabilities of foreign military and security forces to conduct
humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction?
Answer. I understand that many of the nations in the SOUTHCOM Area
of Responsibility are very willing partners who, with just a little
support, can step up to respond to either their own or a regional
humanitarian crisis. SOUTHCOM provides training on response and risk
reduction through the exercise program, subject matter expert
exchanges, and key leader engagements. In my view, SOUTHCOM's regular
engagements with partners are critical to building their capabilities,
as well as strengthening our partnerships and interoperability, which
are key to success in any disaster or other humanitarian response.
Question. Are the resources and authorities necessary to fulfill
this role currently available to the SOUTHCOM Commander? If not, what
additional resources or authorities are necessary, in your view?
Answer. I am aware of the recent humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief operations SOUTHCOM has conducted in response to
Hurricanes Eta and Iota. If confirmed, I will fully assess the
resources and authorities available to the command in greater detail,
and I will make any recommendations on additional requirements or
authorities to the Secretary of Defense.
sexual assault prevention and response
Question. The Department of Defense has developed comprehensive
policies and procedures to improve the prevention of and response to
incidents of sexual assaults, including providing appropriate resources
and care for victims of sexual assault.
What is your view of the steps taken to prevent and respond to
sexual assaults in SOUTHCOM, including assaults by and against U.S.
civilian and contractor personnel?
Answer. I have not conducted a full assessment of SOUTHCOM's
procedures at this time, but if confirmed, I will undertake a thorough
review of SOUTHCOM's sexual assault prevention and response efforts. I
will also ensure that review covers not only service members, but also
assaults by and against U.S. civilian and contractor personnel.
Question. What is your view of the adequacy of SOUTHCOM policies
and procedures to protect victims of sexual assault from retaliation
for reporting the assault?
Answer. There is no place in the Armed Forces for retaliation
against individuals who report sexual assault and retaliation is an
offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Such retaliation
not only has the potential to cause serious harm to the lives and
careers of victims, but it also undermines readiness and weakens our
culture of dignity and respect. At this point, I do not have a view of
the adequacy of SOUTHCOM's policies and procedures to protect from
retaliation those who report sexual assault, but if confirmed, I will
conduct a thorough review of those policies to ensure that SOUTHCOM has
effective measures in place.
Question. What is your view of the adequacy of the training and
resources in place in SOUTHCOM to investigate and respond to
allegations of sexual assault?
Answer. Effective investigation of sexual assault allegations is
the cornerstone of accountability for perpetrators. Response to those
offenses, including care and ongoing support, is the cornerstone of
healing for victims. If confirmed, I will immediately review and
evaluate the adequacy of training and resources in place at SOUTHCOM to
investigate and respond to allegations of sexual assault.
Question. What is your view of the willingness and ability of
military leaders to hold service members accountable for sexual
misconduct?
Answer. In my experience, military leaders are both willing and
able to hold service members appropriately accountable for sexual
misconduct. As a current General Court-Martial Convening Authority, I
have been diligent in carrying out my responsibilities under the law,
holding service members appropriately accountable for sexual
misconduct, with the advice of my legal advisor, based on the facts of
the individual case, and the applicable law, policy, and regulation. I
have also personally observed the same diligence among other commanders
at all levels in the chain of command. In my exercise of this
authority, I feel neither outside pressure nor undue or unlawful
influence.
Question. What is your understanding of the adequacy of the
resources and programs in SOUTHCOM to provide victims of sexual assault
the medical, psychological, and legal help they need?
Answer. I have not yet had the opportunity to fully assess the
adequacy of SOUTHCOM's resources and programs, particularly those
related to sexual assault. If confirmed, however, I will carefully
assess the adequacy of the resources and programs in SOUTHCOM to
provide victims of sexual assault the medical, psychological, and legal
help they need.
Question. What is your view about the role of the chain of command
in providing necessary support to the victims of sexual assault?
Answer. I absolutely agree with the Independent Review Commission
on Sexual Assault in the Military on the role of the chain of command
in supporting victims of sexual assault. Specifically, as the report
stated, ``In the military, no one is more consequential to the
wellbeing and recovery of survivors of sexual assault and sexual
harassment than their commanders. Commanders who grasp the seriousness
of these crimes and are equipped to respond can make a measurable
difference in survivors' lives.''
My charter for the Joint Base San Antonio - Fort Sam Houston Sexual
Assault Review Board, which I chair, includes three separate and
mutually supporting purposes: (1) ensure victim safety; (2) facilitate
victim access to restorative services; and (3) direct response system
coordination and appropriate accountability. To effect these ends, I
continuously emphasize commander involvement and accountability in
providing ongoing support to sexual assault victims in their
formations. If confirmed, I will continue to hold commanders and
leaders appropriately accountable for the support they provide sexual
assault victims in their formations.
Question. What is your view about the role of the chain of command
in changing the military culture in which these sexual assaults have
occurred?
Answer. Under DoD policy (DoD Directive 6495.01), sexual assault
awareness and prevention programs are commanders' programs, required to
be established by, and supported by, all commanders. Accordingly, the
chain of command's role in the changing of the military culture in
which sexual assaults have occurred is absolutely fundamental. This is
a leadership issue and requires engaged leadership. Longstanding
Department research finds that there is a strong correlation between
unit sexual harassment rates and unit sexual assault rates. It is
incumbent upon commanders and leaders at all levels to discourage
harmful behaviors and ensure workplaces that value dignity, respect,
and inclusion. This means every level of leadership is responsible for
ensuring good order and discipline and holding perpetrators
appropriately accountable for their actions. Commanders must also
ensure that service members under their command have a clear
understanding of what is expected of them and the consequences for
misconduct.
Question. What is your assessment of the potential impact, if any,
of proposals to remove disposition authority from military commanders
over felony-level violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice,
including sexual assault?
Answer. Ensuring that sexual assault perpetrators are held
appropriately accountable is essential in combatting the scourge of
sexual assault. The Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in
the Military recommended that an independent prosecution authority,
rather than military commanders, should decide whether to pursue
criminal charges in sexual assault and related cases. Secretary Austin
has endorsed this recommendation and has committed to working with
Congress to effect the legislative change necessary to implement it. I
fully support the Secretary's position and his efforts. However, I
cannot speculate on how such a system might be constructed or the
potential effects. If confirmed, I will provide my best insight as a
commander to the Secretary regarding changes to the UCMJ.
Question. Do you consider the current sexual assault policies and
procedures, particularly those on restricted reporting, to be
effective?
Answer. In my experience, I have found current sexual assault
policies and procedures, including those on restricted reporting, to be
effective. I am aware, however, of instances where restricted reports
became unrestricted--inadvertently, but against the victims' wishes--
causing additional and unnecessary trauma to the victims who expected
their reports to remain confidential. I would support strengthening the
restricted reporting process and giving victims more agency over their
reporting process.
Question. If confirmed, what actions will you take to reassess
current policies, procedures, and programs and to ensure senior level
direction and oversight of efforts to prevent and respond to sexual
assaults in SOUTHCOM?
Answer. If confirmed, I will undertake a thorough review to, first,
ensure we are in full compliance with the Secretary of Defense's
directives to combatant commanders concerning sexual assault prevention
and response and, second, to determine the effectiveness of current
policies, procedures, and programs. This review will be
interdisciplinary, consisting of both trained SHARP personnel and other
appropriate members of my staff, and it will identify and develop
measures of performance and measures of effectiveness, with the
ultimate goals of reducing the percentage of personnel sexually
assaulted each year and increasing the percentage of sexual assault
victims who file unrestricted reports. Recognizing that, if confirmed,
I will be responsible for direction and oversight of these policies,
procedures, and programs, I will rely on this review to determine the
areas that require immediate focus, and identify the best way to ensure
ongoing senior-level direction and oversight.
Question. What methods for monitoring overall trends and gauging
the sufficiency of component commanders' efforts in preventing and
responding to incidents of sexual assault do you consider appropriate
and intend to implement as SOUTHCOM Commander?
Answer. In my experience, receiving periodic briefings on key
measures of performance and effectiveness, and receiving subordinate
commander feedback on trends and the effectiveness of key measures, are
two important ways to monitor commanders' efforts. If confirmed, I will
assess the methods currently in place for monitoring overall trends and
gauging the sufficiency of component commanders' efforts in preventing
and responding to incidents of sexual assault.
relations with congress
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to sustain a
productive and mutually beneficial relationship between SOUTHCOM and
Congress, and in particular the congressional defense committees?
Answer. Ensuring a productive and mutually beneficial relationship
between SOUTHCOM and Congress will be a priority for me if I am
confirmed. As a former Chief of Legislative Liaison for the Army, I
have been fortunate to work directly with Congress in my career, and I
have seen firsthand the value of an open and collaborative relationship
between Congress and the Department of Defense. I understand that
SOUTHCOM has developed strong relationships with Congress, and in
particular, with the defense oversight committees. I understand that
strong Congressional support has been key to ensuring that SOUTHCOM has
the resources and authorities necessary to carry out its
responsibilities in the region. If confirmed, I intend to empower my
team to continue the collaborative activities that have led to such a
productive and mutually beneficial relationship, and I will lead by
example through regular personal engagement and communication with
Congress.
congressional oversight
Question. In order to exercise its legislative and oversight
responsibilities, it is important that this Committee and other
appropriate committees of Congress are able to receive testimony,
briefings, reports, records (including documents and electronic
communications) and other information from the Department.
Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, and on request,
to appear and testify before this committee, its subcommittees, and
other appropriate committees of Congress? Please answer with a simple
yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
provide this committee, its subcommittees, other appropriate committees
of Congress, and their respective staffs such witnesses and briefers,
briefings, reports, records (including documents and electronic
communications), and other information as may be requested of you, and
to do so in a timely manner? Please answer with a simple yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
consult with this committee, its subcommittees, other appropriate
committees of Congress, and their respective staffs, regarding your
basis for any delay or denial in providing testimony, briefings,
reports, records--including documents and electronic communications,
and other information requested of you? Please answer with a simple yes
or no.
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
keep this committee, its subcommittees, other appropriate committees of
Congress, and their respective staffs apprised of new information that
materially impacts the accuracy of testimony, briefings, reports,
records--including documents and electronic communications, and other
information you or your organization previously provided? Please answer
with a simple yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, and on
request, to provide this committee and its subcommittees with records
and other information within their oversight jurisdiction, even absent
a formal Committee request? Please answer with a simple yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
respond timely to letters to, and/or inquiries and other requests of
you or your organization from individual Senators who are members of
this committee? Please answer with a simple yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to
ensure that you and other members of your organization protect from
retaliation any military member, federal employee, or contractor
employee who testifies before, or communicates with this committee, its
subcommittees, and any other appropriate committee of Congress? Please
answer with a simple yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
______
[Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
questions related to sexual misconduct
1. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, as part of my
responsibility as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and
to ensure the fitness of nominees for appointment to senior positions
within the Department of Defense I will be asking the same two
questions that I ask nominees to all of the committees on which I
serve. Since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted
requests for sexual favors, or committed any verbal or physical
harassment or assault of a sexual nature?
Lieutenant General Richardson. No.
2. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, have you ever
faced discipline, or entered into a settlement related to this kind of
conduct?
Lieutenant General Richardson. No.
malign influence in the u.s. southern command region from china and
russia
3. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, over the last
decade, both China and Russia have significantly increased their
presence and influence in Latin and South America via a combined
economic and military strategy to bolster authoritarian regimes,
undermine our traditional allies, and gain a foothold in the region.
How do you view the threat posed by China and Russia in the region?
Lieutenant General Richardson. China and Russia, both strategic
competitors, seek to undermine the United States and gain power and
influence in Latin America and the Caribbean. They actively court
strategically important U.S. partners in this region, while supporting
authoritarian regimes like those in Cuba and Venezuela. China actively
works to gain global influence including in the SOUTHCOM AOR. China
aggressively expands its dominating economic presence in the hemisphere
through its Belt and Road Initiative and by using predatory and corrupt
economic practices and disingenuous vaccine diplomacy. China also gifts
equipment, supplies, and training to militaries in the region to gain
leverage over decision makers. Russia employs a full range of
diplomatic, intelligence, and informational tools to influence public
attitudes and decision makers in the region. Russia employs active
disinformation tactics across social and broadcast media to sow doubts
about U.S. intentions and undercut our efforts to build strong
partnerships.
4. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, what steps do you
plan to take, if confirmed, to combat China and Russia's growing
influence?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my view, I believe that the best
way to counter China and Russia's nefarious activities is to strengthen
our partnerships throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. If
confirmed, I will carry on SOUTHCOM's robust efforts to build partner
nation capacity, interoperability, and resilience to external threats
and influence. This includes critical programs like exercises,
professional military education and International Military Education
and Training (IMET), subject matter expert exchanges, and Section 333
training and equipment.
global force posture review
5. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, the new
Administration is currently conducting a global military force posture
review aimed at tying our national strategy focused on great power
competition to defense policy and military basing decisions. If
confirmed, what advice do you plan to provide Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Austin and the Department related to the U.S. Southern Command
(SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR)?
Lieutenant General Richardson. If confirmed, I will conduct a
thorough review of the SOUTHCOM mission requirements and the resourcing
levels available to the command to meet those mission requirements.
Once complete, I will provide my best military advice to the Secretary
of Defense on what I view as the appropriate level of presence and
capability in the SOUTHCOM AOR. As part of my assessment, I would
consider the full spectrum of presence, which includes not only access
and basing, but also levels of rotational forces that conduct training,
exercises, and security cooperation activities.
counter-drug operations
6. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, the Department of
Defense (DOD) serves as the single lead agency for the detection and
monitoring of aerial and maritime foreign shipments of drugs flowing
into the United States. If confirmed, what steps will you take to more
efficiently and effectively interdict the flow of drugs coming into the
country from the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility?
Lieutenant General Richardson. The detection and monitoring of drug
trafficking in SOUTHCOM's AOR is coordinated primarily out of Joint
Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S), a multiagency, multinational
``team of teams'' effort that provides the intelligence backbone for
effective interdiction. ISR is central to this detection and monitoring
effort, which in turn drives drug seizures. One step would be to work
diligently to gain additional ISR for this mission set and this region,
which receives approximately 1 percent of DOD ISR. While intelligence
is critical to success, consistent presence is needed in order to deter
and interdict. If confirmed, I would advocate for adequate sourcing of
U.S. air and maritime platforms to help bolster our presence and
ability to respond to identified threats. Due to SOUTHCOM's sustained
and effective partnerships and security cooperation relationships with
partner nations, over half of interdictions were actively assisted or
executed by partner nations. This is a valuable force multiplier,
widening coverage and expanding the number of capable assets and
personnel dedicated to stopping these deadly substances. If confirmed,
I would continue these partnerships to further grow our interdiction
capabilities in the region.
7. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, in an answer to
advance policy questions on this subject, you stated that ``stopping
the drug shipments is only part of the solution . . . ultimate success
in this mission will depend on continued partnerships to enable the
dismantling of the transnational criminal organizations responsible for
the trafficking of drugs.'' How would you go about achieving this
objective with partners in the region?
Lieutenant General Richardson. ADM Faller has mentioned that we
cannot interdict our way out of this problem, and I agree that stopping
drugs alone does not strike at the centers of gravity of the
Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) nor is it enough to lead to
their dismantling. In order to achieve this, SOUTHCOM is employing 21st
century tools such as artificial intelligence and machine learning that
can be used to analyze and strike at critical nodes of these TCOs. In
my view, these networks are by definition transnational, and
partnerships with other affected countries--in information sharing,
security cooperation, and other efforts--are vital to sustained
success.
mass migration from the northern triangle countries of guatemala,
honduras, and el salvador
8. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, the Biden
administration recently unveiled a strategy to address the root causes
of mass migration from the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala,
Honduras, and El Salvador--including $4 billion in aid over 4 years to
address this difficult issue. How do you envision SOUTHCOM contributing
to this whole of government approach?
Lieutenant General Richardson. SOUTHCOM's ongoing activities and
operations complement the whole of government efforts in Guatemala,
Honduras, and El Salvador. Security cooperation and humanitarian
assistance activities in the Northern Triangle aim to improve regional
security and stability to minimize root causes that drive illegal
migration from these countries, such as violence from transnational
criminal organizations. In my view, SOUTHCOM also strives to build
institutional capacity and improve the professionalism of the security
forces in the region by promoting respect for human rights and the rule
of law, increased transparency and anti-corruption efforts, and
integration of gender perspectives. These efforts advance and support
U.S. national interests in the region.
9. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, how can SOUTHCOM
better coordinate with interagency partners to counter transnational
criminal organizations?
Lieutenant General Richardson. It is my understanding that SOUTHCOM
has many longstanding relationships with interagency, as well as
international partners in their collective efforts to counter
transnational criminal organizations. This mission requires integrated
deterrence of intelligence, law enforcement, military, and
international partners and Allies. In my view, as a government we must
identify and eliminate seams and barriers to sharing information at the
speed of relevance in order to compete with an enemy that is well
funded and has no concern for laws and international order.
assassination of haiti's president
10. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, last month,
Haiti's President, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated--while the
investigation is still ongoing, several of the dozens arrested so far
are former Columbian military members now working for private security
firms--seven of whom received U.S. military training in the past. While
military training with partner nations in the region is vitally
important, what steps will you take if confirmed to ensure appropriate
oversight mechanisms are in place for these important programs?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Military training and education are
vital to building our partners' capabilities and professionalism. There
are many oversight mechanisms in place to guard against these types of
incidents and to ensure that students of U.S. training are vetted
individuals. All international military students attending courses at
U.S. DoD schools or participating in training or education events
provided by DoD units must undergo vetting under Leahy law. All
education courses and training must include human rights blocks of
instruction as part of their curriculum. To guarantee transparency, all
military training must be reported annually to Congress in the Foreign
Military Training Report (FMTR) and all training records are maintained
electronically and physically. In response to the tragic events in
Pensacola, DoD has also instituted a new vetting requirement for
international students and their adult family members that reviews
biographic information and biometric data before they report to any
school in the U.S. If confirmed, SOUTHCOM will be uncompromising in
adhering to all of these processes.
11. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, the security
situation in Haiti has been fragile for years, even before the
President's assassination--how can SOUTHCOM support the State
Department and other interagency partners to aid the Haitian people and
the interim government?
Lieutenant General Richardson. It is my understanding that the
Department of Defense is in support of the Department of State
regarding the situation in Haiti, and SOUTHCOM stands ready to respond
to requests for assistance with capabilities including humanitarian aid
and logistics support.
protests in cuba
12. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, since July 11th,
the Cuban people have held a series of protests against the Cuban
Government and the ruling Communist Party over food and medicine
shortages and the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. How
do you view this issue?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my assessment, Cuba's
authoritarian regime remains unable to provide for the basic needs of
its people, to include essential food and medicine. The COVID pandemic
has clearly exacerbated the regime's previous failings. Social media
helped enable these protests and led to their large size. In response,
the authoritarian government cut off access to the internet, denying
the protestors freedom to communicate. If confirmed, I will ensure
SOUTHCOM is in support of a whole of government approach to address the
current challenges in Cuba.
13. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, what steps can
DOD take alongside the Departments of State and Treasury to support the
Cuban people's right to engage in peaceful protests?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I understand that security
assistance to Cuba, and military-to-military engagement, including
security cooperation activities is prohibited. If confirmed, I will
ensure that SOUTHCOM is postured to support a whole of government
approach.
increasing the number of women and minorities in the senior ranks of
the military
14. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, if confirmed,
you would only be the second woman ever to lead a military combatant
command, a truly historic achievement. One of the areas I'm
particularly interested in is making sure the Active Duty Force is
providing a level playing field to ensure women and minorities have the
same opportunities to assume senior leadership positions. How do you
view this issue?
Lieutenant General Richardson. It is well documented that diverse
organizations perform the best when solving complex and complicated
problems. While not perfect, the military continues to make progress in
diversity, equity, and inclusion. In my view, I agree that it is
critical that the military provide equal access to opportunities to
ensure that all service members are competing as effectively as
possible.
15. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, what steps do
you think DOD can take to increase gender and racial diversity in the
senior military ranks?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my assessment, there are two
broad areas where the Department of Defense can assess and address in
order to increase diversity in the senior military ranks. The first is
in the consistent mentorship and talent management of our subordinates.
The military requires engaged leadership that seeks diversity on our
teams and mentors diverse groups of officers and enlisted in the Joint
Force. The second area is more structural in nature, but would ensure
that there are opportunities available for a 21st century workforce
that includes a growing number of dual military, dual income, and
single parent households. We should also evaluate and adapt the
qualifications and requirements for positions and opportunities that
are seen as developmental and prerequisite for senior leader service.
demand for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets in the
region following the u.s. pullout from afghanistan
16. Senator Hirono. Lieutenant General Richardson, as the United
States completes its troop pullout in Afghanistan, senior
administration officials have indicated the United States will need to
rely on more over the horizon intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance (ISR) and kinetic assets to support any future
operations in that country. How do you assess this additional demand
for over the horizon ISR assets in Afghanistan affecting the
availability of ISR assets in the SOUTHCOM AOR, especially given the
difficulty in recent years SOUTHCOM has had in meeting the ISR demand
signal?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Intelligence is critical to success
in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility. It is my understanding that
SOUTHCOM currently receives less than one percent of the Department's
ISR allocation. If confirmed, I will continue to advocate to the
Secretary of Defense for the resources required to accomplish
SOUTHCOM's mission--including ISR assets.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Michael Rounds
chinese influence in latin america
17. Senator Rounds. Lieutenant General Richardson, I recognize that
we were a little short on time during the hearing on Tuesday, so I want
to provide you with the chance to fill in more of the details on my
previous question pertaining to Chinese influence in Latin America.
During the hearing, you suggested that you share my concern about
China's growing influence in Latin America. You also mentioned some of
our security cooperation initiatives to combat Chinese influence, but I
would appreciate more detail on how these initiatives help limit
Chinese influence. Most importantly, what are additional resources this
committee can help provide SOUTHCOM to better address the threat of
Chinese influence in Latin America?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my view, effectively competing
against Chinese influence in the SOUTHCOM region involves real,
continuous presence and strong, collaborative relationships. Security
cooperation and Institutional Capacity Building initiatives including
multilateral exercises, Section 333 Training and Equipment programs,
and IMET--International Military Education and Training- strengthen our
partnerships, build trust, and teach rule of law and human rights. If
confirmed, I will assess SOUTHCOM's programs and provide the Secretary
of Defense and this committee a request for the resources required to
address Chinese attempts to increase influence in the region.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Dan Sullivan
chinese presence in the western hemisphere
18. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, earlier this
year Admiral Craig Faller testified before this committee at the
SOUTHCOM posture hearing. In his statement for the record, Admiral
Faller stated, ``[t]his Hemisphere in which we live is under assault.''
He went on to further say, ``[w]e are losing our positional advantage
in this Hemisphere and immediate action is needed to reverse this
trend.'' Of course, he was referring to the Chinese Communist Party's
(CCP) malign influence and activities which he characterized as, `` . .
. weakening democratic institutions and leveraging the future of this
Hemisphere.'' First, how would you characterize China's strategic
objectives in the SOUTHCOM AOR over the 5, 10, and 20 year-time
horizon?
Lieutenant General Richardson. China has made it clear in other
regions of the world that economic overtures are merely a precursor to
political and diplomatic influence that threaten sovereignty. Currently
in the SOUTHCOM AOR, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively
seeking to improve its overseas operation and support capabilities by
building `far seas forces' and developing overseas logistical
facilities. China's influence can be seen in projects throughout Latin
America and the Caribbean with ports, illegal economic activity, and
disingenuous vaccine diplomacy.. Their robust Belt and Road Initiative
is the long-term pathway that would involve Chinese control of
logistics and trade routes, rare earth minerals, ports, and financial
sectors across all domains spanning continents and oceans.
19. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, second, why
should the American people care what the CCP is doing in the Western
Hemisphere?
Lieutenant General Richardson. A permanent Chinese presence in the
Western Hemisphere adversely impacts democratic countries within the
region and ultimately causes regional instability. China's efforts to
establish access through infrastructure projects increases global
logistics and basing infrastructure for potential military power
projection and sustainment within proximity to the United States.
Additionally, China's presence near strategic locations within the
hemisphere, such as the Panama Canal, potentially threatens United
States' national interests.
20. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, third, if
confirmed, will you commit to taking on China's malign activities in
the Western Hemisphere with--as Admiral Faller described--``an
incredible sense of urgency''?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
one belt, one road initiative
21. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, China has
committed a significant amount of resources to establish its presence
and influence throughout the SOUTHCOM AOR, primarily through the One
Belt, One Road Initiative. In fact, over 60 percent of the countries in
Central and South America have joined the Initiative and over 80
percent host Chinese infrastructure projects. In your personal opinion,
how effective is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in gaining and
maintaining influence for China?
Lieutenant General Richardson. As we have seen in other parts of
the world, China has been very effective at making strategic
investments that can be leveraged to gain and maintain global
influence. Nineteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have
signed onto BRI, and China is funding infrastructure projects
throughout the hemisphere. China's pragmatic attitude towards advancing
outward investment under the banner of BRI is attractive to even those
Latin American countries who are not formal signatories. Earlier this
year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Colombian President Ivan Duque
discussed BRI and deepening cooperation in areas such as energy,
infrastructure, and telecommunications, despite Colombia expressing no
interest in becoming a formal BRI signatory.
22. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, what are your
biggest concerns regarding the BRI's proliferation?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I am greatly concerned about the
possibility of Chinese-funded shipping, logistics, and telecom
infrastructure having dual (military-civilian) use potential in the
SOUTHCOM AOR. China's push to export its technologies to dozens of BRI
countries also poses security challenges and concerns for our partners
and could impact our ability to share information on mutual threats.
23. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, Admiral Faller
has previously noted that ``nine nations in the Western Hemisphere (out
of 15 worldwide) still recognize Taiwan--a fact that has not gone
unnoticed by Beijing, which is engaging in persistent (and successful)
dollar diplomacy to lower that number to zero.'' How do programs--like
the Belt and Road Initiative--contribute to this desired end state for
China?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Switching recognition largely stems
from China's increased economic clout in Latin America. When a country
grants diplomatic recognition to Taiwan, it cannot also maintain
relations with China--the world's second largest economy. China's
spending in Latin America has increased significantly in the past
decade under the Belt Road Initiative. China is the AOR's second
largest trading partner not far behind the U.S. In 2019, Chinese
companies invested $12.8 billion in Latin America, up 16.5 percent from
2018, concentrating on regional infrastructure such as ports, roads,
dams and railways. Countries recognizing Taiwan were not part of this
Chinese economic activity. In the past four years, the Dominican
Republic, El Salvador and Panama have each switched their recognition
from Taiwan to China. China is also using the pandemic to pressure
countries to switch recognition in exchange for desperately needed
COVID vaccines.
24. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, if confirmed,
how will you go about--alongside your interagency counterparts--
reversing the negative trends, to include the shrinking recognition of
Taiwan, realized by the CCP's malign influence?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my view, the U.S. must work
across the interagency and with international partners and allies to
ensure that our partner nations in the region have options other than
turning to the Chinese for these disadvantaged loans and deals. We must
also share information quickly and broadly with partners on Chinese
tactics and trends so that they make informed decisions on
partnerships. We must shine a light on these predatory practices so
that partners can protect themselves from these corrosive deals. For
example, PRC-backed projects have caused extensive environmental damage
and have failed to deliver on contractual agreements. The PRC conducts
outreach to partners at the sub-national/local level, allowing them to
create long term partnerships and cultivate influence with rising
regional leaders. Expanding and increasing our regional engagement
across the diplomatic, economic, and military domains can demonstrate
the enduring value of the U.S. partnership.
china and transnational criminal organizations
25. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, what roles is
China playing in the production and shipment of precursor chemicals
that are used by transnational criminal organizations to produce
devastating drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine in the SOUTHCOM
AOR?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I understand that China is the
principal source of the precursor chemicals that are used in the
production of fentanyl, methamphetamines, and other illicit synthetic
drugs. In 2020, the number of deaths in the U.S. from opioids alone was
nearly 70,000. I also am aware that Fentanyl is being mixed into more
commonly used drugs, like cocaine, making them exponentially more
lethal to users. Chinese synthetic drug networks have a transnational
reach and establish relationships with clients abroad, including in
Mexico and in other locations in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.
In my assessment, these activities pose a sustained threat to the
United States.
information operations
26. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, how are the
Chinese using information operations, to include disinformation, in the
SOUTHCOM AOR?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Malign actors continue to evolve
their methods of disinformation with the intent of undermining the U.S.
in the eyes of our allies and partners in the SOUTHCOM area of
responsibility. Beijing's aggressive propaganda and disinformation
campaigns promote the PRC and discredit the U.S. and Western nations.
This disinformation grossly distorts U.S. activities, intentions, and
values. Chinese state media publishes Spanish language media,
disseminating Beijing's messaging and propaganda directly to Latina
America audiences, but China primarily relies on building influence
among regional media sources, coopting local journalists to publish
pro-Chinese and often anti-United States media.
27. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, how would you
compare United States and Chinese information operations in the
SOUTHCOM AOR and who do you assess to be more effective?
Lieutenant General Richardson. The United States utilizes the
information space to communicate the benefits of democracy, the respect
for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law. Conversely, the
People's Republic of China uses this space to advance their interests
through disinformation and misinformation against anything that
prevents their ability to expand their influence.
28. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, how can
SOUTHCOM more effectively operate in the information domain?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Efforts to counter information
operations and malign cyber activity must be executed quickly and must
be adaptable and relevant. That means our operations in the information
domain must be robust, forward-leaning and completely coordinated, not
only with the State Department and other interagency partners, but with
our partners and allies as well. New technologies including machine
learning, artificial intelligence, and scraping can help identify and
address current threats, but we still have a long way to go in
countering such threats as our competitors will no doubt continue to
evolve their methods of disinformation. If confirmed, I will assess
SOUTHCOM's operations in the information domain and provide feedback to
the Secretary of Defense as part of my integrated strategic approach.
29. Senator Sullivan. Lieutenant General Richardson, what are the
most pressing gaps in regards to policy, authority, or capabilities
that need to be addressed?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my view, malign actors are
actively competing in the information domain to undermine the United
States and the democratic values we stand for. If confirmed, I will
conduct a thorough review of the capabilities, resources, and
authorities available to SOUTHCOM to be able to compete and win in the
information space.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Marsha Blackburn
u.s. southern command intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance
shortfalls
30. Senator Blackburn. Lieutenant General Richardson, if nominated,
do I have your commitment to work collaboratively with the committee in
quantifying SOUTHCOM's ISR deficiencies--in terms of the number of
lines, mix of assets, and supporting infrastructure required to address
named areas of interest currently left uncovered?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Yes.
31. Senator Blackburn. Lieutenant General Richardson, in the
absence of reliable ISR, what alternative means can the United States
leverage to understand the enemy and friendly situation in SOUTHCOM?
Lieutenant General Richardson. In my view, we must leverage 21st
century tools to gain better insights into the complex threats and
challenges in the SOUTHCOM AOR. Advances in artificial intelligence and
machine learning make it possible to data mine open source information
at a fraction of the time and manpower that was once required. These
innovative approaches are especially important when traditional ISR
assets are limited.
illicit trafficking and border security
32. Senator Blackburn. Lieutenant General Richardson, is the
current approach to combating illicit trafficking, which is largely
focused on interdicting drugs while in transit, the right approach?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I agree with ADM Faller when he said
that we will not be able to fully combat illicit drug trafficking
through interdiction alone. Illicit trafficking has many components
which need to be addressed through a whole-of-government approach, as
well as thorough engagement with our partners in the Western
Hemisphere. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the
interagency and with our partner nations to address these challenges.
33. Senator Blackburn. Lieutenant General Richardson, is SOUTHCOM
currently postured to counter illicit trafficking threats at their
origin or through attacking their networks and finances?
Lieutenant General Richardson. Drug trafficking in the region is
the largest funding source for Transnational Criminal Organizations
(TCOs). Aggressively working with the interagency, as well as our
partners in the region, to interdict the flow of illicit narcotics is
one of the major efforts to attack the financial resources of the TCO
networks and address the root causes of violence, corruption, and
instability in the region. It is my understanding that SOUTHCOM is
postured to counter illicit trafficking. Although their ability to do
this is greatly enhanced by the efforts of our interagency
counterparts, as well as those of our key partner nations (who
accounted for 60 percent of interdictions last year). If confirmed, I
will assess SOUTHCOM's ability to counter these threats, and request
any additional resources if needed.
34. Senator Blackburn. Lieutenant General Richardson, what role is
China playing in the production and shipment of precursor chemicals
that are used by Transnational Criminal Organizations to produce
devastating drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine in the AOR?
Lieutenant General Richardson. I understand that China is the
principal source of the precursor chemicals that are used in the
production of fentanyl, methamphetamines, and other illicit synthetic
drugs. In 2020, the number of deaths in the U.S. from opioids alone was
nearly 70,000. I also am aware that Fentanyl is being mixed into more
commonly used drugs, like cocaine, making them exponentially more
lethal to users. Chinese synthetic drug networks have a transnational
reach and establish relationships with clients abroad, including in
Mexico and in other locations in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.
In my assessment, these activities pose a sustained threat to the
United States.
______
[The nomination reference of Lieutenant General Laura J.
Richardson, USA follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The biographical sketch of Lieutenant General Laura J.
Richardson, USA, which was transmitted to the Committee at the
time the nomination was referred, follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The Committee on Armed Services requires certain senior
military officers nominated by the President to positions
requiring the advice and consent of the Senate to complete a
form that details the biographical, financial, and other
information of the nominee. The form executed by Lieutenant
General Laura J. Richardson, USA in connection with her
nomination follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The nominee responded to Parts B-F of the Committee
questionnaire. The text of the questionnaire is set forth in
the Appendix to this volume. The nominee's answers to Parts B-F
are contained in the Committee's executive files.]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
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[The nomination of Lieutenant General Laura J. Richardson,
USA was reported to the Senate by Chairman Reed on August 10,
2021, with the recommendation that the nomination be confirmed.
The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on August 11, 2021.]
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