[Senate Hearing 119-321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-321
TO CONSIDER THE NOMINATIONS OF: DR. TROY
E. MEINK TO BE SECRETARY OF THE AIR
FORCE; MR. MICHAEL P. DUFFEY TO BE UNDER
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR ACQUISITION
AND SUSTAINMENT; MR. EMIL G. MICHAEL
TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR
RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING; AND MR. KEITH
M. BASS TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
MARCH 27, 2025
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
63-037 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska JACK REED, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
JONI ERNST, Iowa RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota TIM KAINE, Virginia
RICK SCOTT, Florida ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine
TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Oklahoma GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
TED BUDD, North Carolina TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
JIM BANKS, INDIANA MARK KELLY, Arizona
TIM SHEEHY, MONTANA ELISSA SLOTKIN, MICHIGAN
John P. Keast, Staff Director
Elizabeth L. King, Minority Staff Director
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
_________________________________________________________________
march 27, 2025
Page
To Consider The Nominations of: Dr. Troy E. Meink to be Secretary 1
of the Air Force, Mr. Michael P. Duffey to be Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Mr. Emil G. Michael
to be Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,
and Mr. Keith M. Bass to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for
Health Affairs.
Members Statements
Fischer, Senator Deb............................................. 1
Wicker, Senator Roger F.......................................... 2
Reed, Senator Jack............................................... 3
Rounds, Senator Mike............................................. 5
Witness Statements
Fitzgerald, Hon. Scott, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin's 5th 5
Congressional District.
Dr. Troy E. Meink to be Secretary of the Air Force............... 6
Advance Policy Questions....................................... 46
Questions for the Record....................................... 81
Nomination Reference and Report................................ 107
Biographical Sketch............................................ 108
Committee on Armed Services Questionnaire...................... 110
Signature Page................................................. 135
Duffey, Mr. Michael P., to be Under Secretary of Defense for 9
Acquisition and Sustainment.
Advance Policy Questions....................................... 135
Questions for the Record....................................... 165
Nomination Reference and Report................................ 192
Biographical Sketch............................................ 193
Committee on Armed Services Questionnaire...................... 195
Signature Page................................................. 201
Michael, Mr. Emil G., to be Under Secretary of Defense for 11
Research and Engineering.
Advance Policy Questions....................................... 201
Questions for the Record....................................... 225
Nomination Reference and Report................................ 248
Biographical Sketch............................................ 249
Committee on Armed Services Questionnaire...................... 251
Signature Page................................................. 256
Bass, Mr. Keith M., to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for 14
Health Affairs.
Advance Policy Questions....................................... 256
Questions for the Record....................................... 268
Nomination Reference and Report................................ 282
Biographical Sketch............................................ 283
Committee on Armed Services Questionnaire...................... 285
Signature Page................................................. 290
(iii)
TO CONSIDER THE NOMINATIONS OF: DR. TROY E. MEINK TO BE SECRETARY OF
THE AIR FORCE, MR. MICHAEL P. DUFFEY TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
FOR ACQUISITION AND SUSTAINMENT, MR. EMIL G. MICHAEL TO BE UNDER
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING, AND MR. KEITH M.
BASS TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS
----------
THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2025
United States Senate,
Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:31 a.m. in room
SD-G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Roger Wicker
(Chairman of the Committee) presiding.
Committee Members Present: Senators Wicker, Fischer,
Cotton, Rounds, Ferns, Sullivan, Cramer, Scott, Tuberville,
Mullin, Budd, Schmitt, Banks, Sheehy, Reed, Shaheen,
Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Hirono, Kaine, King, Warren, Peters,
Duckworth, Rosen, Kelly, and Slotkin.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR DEB FISCHER
Senator Fischer. [Presiding.] I'll be chairing the hearing
until Chairman Wicker joins us. He's unavoidably detained right
now, and we're going to move ahead with the hearing.
The Senate Armed Services Committee meets today to consider
the nominations of Dr. Troy Meink to be Secretary of the Air
Force, Mr. Michael Duffey to be Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition and Sustainment, Mr. Emil Michael to be Under
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and Mr.
Keith Bass to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs. I want to begin by welcoming our witnesses and
thanking them for their willingness to serve our country at
this important time.
I'd also like to welcome your families and loved ones who
are joining you today. Dr. Meink is joined today by his wife,
Jean, son, Troy, daughter, Jenna, and stepbrother, Troy.
Welcome to each of you. Mr. Duffey is joined by his wife,
Morgan, daughter Reynolds, and son, Deans. Thank you for
joining us on this special day.
Mr. Michael is joined by his wife, Julie, daughter
Collette, son, Cairo, and his mother and father, and quite a
few other family and friends. Welcome to you-all. Mr. Bass is
joined by his two daughters, Kate and Erin, and his brother,
Kevin. We are glad that each of you can be here with us today.
Our distinguished Chairman, as I said, was unable to be
here at the start at the meeting, but at this time I ask
unanimous consent to place a copy of his opening statement into
the record. Without objection.
[The prepared statement of Chairman Roger F. Wicker
follows:]
Prepared Statement by Statement of Chairman Roger F. Wicker
I welcome all of our witnesses and their families, and I thank them
for being here this morning. Their presence is timely. We are at a
crossroads in American history. We face the most dangerous environment
since World War II, and I am grateful that these individuals have
stepped up to serve.
Dr. Troy Meink has been nominated to be the Secretary of the Air
Force. More than ever before, our success as a joint force rests upon
our airmen and guardians. We cannot deter or defeat the Chinese
Communist Party without space superiority and air dominance. I was very
glad to hear that the Administration is moving forward with the Next-
Generation Air Dominance program. With that announcement, President
Trump and Secretary Hegseth have taken the first step to maintain our
mastery of the skies.
Today, our Air Force is suffering through a death spiral. We have
billions of dollars of unpaid aircraft maintenance bills, a shrinking
combat fleet, and a munitions shortage we need to fix.
We created the Space Force just 5 years ago, and it has grown
rapidly. But we have numerous opportunities to accelerate our space
control efforts and support the joint force from orbit. Dr. Meink's
experience at the National Reconnaissance Office renders him uniquely
qualified to ensure the Space Force continues its growth.
Managing weapons programs is only one aspect of the job for which
Dr. Meink has been nominated. He will need to take care of our airmen
and guardians. All the aircraft and satellites in the world are
pointless unless we have the right support system for the people who
develop, maintain, and operate those weapons systems.
I look forward to hearing Dr. Meink's plan to maintain space
superiority and air dominance in the years to come.
Mr. Michael Duffey has been nominated to become the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. If confirmed, he will face
three major challenges.
First, he will encounter our current acquisition system, which is
slow, outdated, and ill-suited to meet the urgent demands of modern
warfare. In my Restoring Freedom's Forge plan, I outlined a game-
changing approach to overhaul this system. We must streamline
processes, embrace innovation, and deliver capabilities at the speed of
relevance. It will take bold leadership to shift the culture of the
acquisition workforce. We must encourage that workforce to leverage its
authorities effectively and break free from its risk-averse habits.
Second, the Department of Defense (DOD) does not possess the
capacity and capability to perform serious industrial base analysis at
scale. If confirmed, Mr. Duffey will need to expand and re-focus
existing organizations. They must improve our ability to answer
fundamental questions about industrial policy, re-industrialization,
and defense mobilization.
Third, Mr. Duffey would chair the Nuclear Weapons Council. His
leadership will be critical as we modernize and adapt our long-
neglected nuclear forces so they can meet the threat of the rapidly
growing Chinese, Russian, and North Korean arsenals.
I look forward to hearing Mr. Duffey's views on these three
challenges.
Mr. Emil Michael has been nominated to serve as the Under Secretary
of Defense for Research and Engineering. In other words, he would be
the Chief Technology Officer for the Department of Defense. If
confirmed, Mr. Michael must ensure that the bright minds within our
innovation ecosystem regain technological superiority against our
adversaries, starting with China. Mr. Michael has worked with Secretary
Gates on Iraq and Afghanistan and has been a part of a very small
company called Uber. I believe his diverse experience gives him a
unique appreciation for the challenges he will encounter if confirmed
to this role.
We must all ensure that the Department has an aggressive vision for
innovation. That vision must resonate throughout the services and
result in production at scale. I look forward to hearing from Mr.
Michael about his vision for research and development and innovation.
Mr. Keith Bass has been tapped to become the Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Health Affairs. This role oversees all Department of
Defense health policies and programs. If confirmed, Mr. Bass would
assume the role at a crucial time. The military health system faces
persistent challenges in its structure, staffing, and the delivery of
healthcare services. Mr. Bass has extensive leadership experience as
White House Medical Director, as the Director of Medical Services at
the CIA [Central Intelligence Agency], and as the Medical Center
Director at the West Texas Health Care System for the Department of
Veterans Affairs. He is well-equipped to address these challenges
within the military health system.
This system must provide routine, peacetime healthcare and
simultaneously maintain a state of preparedness for large-scale combat.
The Pentagon faces considerable challenges in recruiting and retaining
both civilian and military medical personnel. This staffing problem
directly affects the quality of care provided to servicemembers and
their families.
I am eager to learn how Mr. Bass intends to tackle these issues and
how he plans to equip the military health system so it can deliver top-
notch care in peace-time and in potential future conflict.
With that, I turn to my colleague, Ranking Member Reed.
Senator Fischer. With that, I turn to my colleague, Ranking
Member Reed, for his opening statement.
STATEMENT OF SENATOR JACK REED
Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Madam Chairman.
Gentlemen, congratulations on your nominations, and welcome
to today's hearings. I would like to recognize your family
members and guests, and I know they've been a source of great
support to you throughout your entire lives. I also like to
recognize Senator Rounds and Congressman Fitzgerald, who
shortly will be introducing Dr. Meink and Mr. Duffey.
Dr. Meink, you have been nominated to be Secretary of the
Air Force. You have served in the Air Force, both in uniform
and as a civilian, including senior roles at the National
Reconnaissance Office and as Under Secretary of the Air Force
for Space. If confirmed, you would lead the Department of the
Air Force during an important time.
After 2 decades of high operating tempo and continuous
overseas deployments, the readiness of the Air Force has been
strained. The Air Force is in the midst of modernizing several
critical capabilities, including the bomber force, the ground-
based intercontinental ballistic missile force, the Advanced
Battle Management System Program, and several other cutting-
edge efforts.
But modernization can only be successful if the Air Force
appropriately balance its legacy platforms against new
priorities, including uncrewed systems. Dr. Meink, I would ask
that you share with the Committee how you would plan to address
these various challenges.
Mr. Duffey, you have been nominated to be Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment or USD(A&S). Your
background includes time with the Office of the Under Secretary
of Defense for Research and Engineering, as well as the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB). The USD(A&S) has a wide range
of duties, including delivering timely, cost-effective
capabilities for the Armed Forces, supervising all elements of
the Defense Acquisition Enterprise and the Defense Industrial
Base, overseeing the modernization of our nuclear forces, and
serving as the principal advisor of the Secretary on
Acquisition, Sustainment and Core Logistics.
If confirmed, streamlining and expediting the acquisition
process must be one of your highest priorities. We need to
field equipment to our warfighter as quickly while also
ensuring acquisitions remain on budget and schedule. We must
also grow the Defense Industrial Base to increase our capacity
to produce defense equipment and enforce to more competition to
drive efficiency and reduce costs.
Although some progress is made in recent years, the Defense
Department's acquisition process still remains on the
Government Accountability Office's (GAO) high-risk list. Mr.
Duffey, I would like to know how you would plan to address
these challenges.
Mr. Michael, you've been nominated to be Under Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering. Your background includes
roles at technology companies such as Uber, and 10 years under
the Defense Department and Defense Business Board. If
confirmed, you'll be responsible managing the Department's
investments in key modernization priorities such as artificial
intelligence (AI), quantum computing, hypersonics,
biotechnology, and microelectronics.
In order to maintain our technological lead over China and
Russia in these technological areas, you'll need to advocate
for investments in modernization program while the Department
works through many near-term development and readiness issues.
More broadly, you'll be charged with overcoming the Pentagon's
so-called ``Valley of Death'', ensuring that the Department is
able to turn research innovations into real operational
capabilities.
This will require strengthening connections between
research and engineering activities and the service acquisition
programs and defense prime contractors. It'll also include
investing in and protecting the people and infrastructure at
organizations like DARPA [Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency]. the Defense Labs and test ranges. Mr. Michael, I would
like to know your views on your role regarding these challenges
at this important moment.
Finally, Mr. Bass, you've been nominated to be the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, or ASD(HA).
You have extensive experience in the military healthcare
system, having served in the Navy for 20 years before
continuing to support the VA healthcare system as a civilian.
The ASD(HA) is the principal advisor of the Secretary of
Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and
Readiness for all of the Department's force, health, protection
policies, programs, and activities.
The ASD(HA) is also responsible for execution of the
Department's medical mission, including the readiness of
medical services during military operations, and for ensuring
the health of the members of the military services and their
families.
If confirmed, you'll need to address a number of pressing
challenges for the Department, including the modernization of
the military health system, and improving medical supports at
the combatant commanders. Mr. Bass, I hope you'll address these
challenges in your testimony.
These are momentous challenges that I've outlined that will
require all of your experience and skills, but I certainly want
to thank you for your willingness to serve, and I look forward
to your testimony.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Reed.
Senator Rounds, I understand that you will be introducing
Dr. Meink this morning, and I recognize you for your comments.
STATEMENT OF SENATOR MIKE ROUNDS
Senator Rounds. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you,
Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished colleagues of the Senate
Armed Services Committee.
It is my honor to introduce Dr. Troy Meink, nominee to be
the Secretary of the Air Force. It is a role which Dr. Meink is
imminently qualified for after a lifetime of public service in
the field of national security. He's joined by his wife, Jean,
son, Troy, daughter, Jenna, and stepbrother, Lieutenant Colonel
Troy Merkel.
Dr. Meink hails from Lemmon, South Dakota, which is as
close to North Dakota as you can get without stepping over the
line. He graduated from my Alma Mater, South Dakota State
University (SDSU). That's the Jack Rabbits, by the way. Dr.
Meink met his wife, Jean, at SDSU. They were college
sweethearts.
An Air Force ROTC [Reserve Officer Training Corps]
graduate, he served as a tanker navigator and instructor, and
then in a variety of roles working on a host of critical
defense and intelligence programs. He is at heart, a true
engineer. At SDSU, he designed, and built, and then flew his
own airplane, which still hangs on display in the South Dakota
Discovery Center in my hometown, the capital of South Dakota,
Pierre.
In his minimal spare time, Dr. Meink continues to give back
to his community. He has even led high school robotics teams--
by the way, the same ones that have gone on to defeat the
People's Republic of China (PRC) team in competitions. Now, if
he can defeat the PRC with a bunch of high school students,
imagine what he's going to be able to do with the world's
greatest air and space forces.
Dr. Meink's experience and professionalism are precisely
what we need in the Pentagon. His senior roles in the Air Force
and National Reconnaissance Office, including as Deputy Under
Secretary of the Air Force for Space, have prepared him for
this assignment.
I urge you to support this very highly qualified nominee to
be the next Secretary of the Air Force. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Rounds.
Next, we have a colleague from the House here,
Representative Fitzgerald who will be introducing Mr. Duffey.
Welcome, sir.
STATEMENT OF HON. SCOTT FITZGERALD, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM
WISCONSIN'S 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Mr. Fitzgerald. Thank you, Madam Chair, and Ranking Member
Reed, and Members of the Committee. I'm honored to introduce my
good friend, Michael Duffey, and support his nomination to be
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
I've known Mike and his wife, Morgan, for many years going
back to their time in Wisconsin, and Mike is a proud
Wisconsinite, and a graduate of Marquette High School, and the
University of Wisconsin.
He brings a depth of experience on national security
technology and the Federal budget that will make him a
tremendous asset as Under Secretary for Acquisition and
Sustainment. I'm confident his previous experience serving
under 2 Presidents in the White House, and 7 Secretaries of
Defense, over 14 years in the Pentagon, will allow him to carry
out the President's agenda.
Mike has been a strong advocate for the U.S. military, and
I know he will bring his tireless work ethic and integrity to
this important position. Thank you very much.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Representative Fitzgerald. You
are welcome to depart, or to stay for the hearing, as you see
fit. Thank you very much.
Dr. Meink, welcome, sir. You are recognized for your
opening statement.
STATEMENT DR. TROY E. MEINK TO BE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Dr. Meink. Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and
distinguished Members of the Committee, thank you for the
chance to appear before you today as a nominee for the
Secretary of the Department of the Air Force.
I'm honored and humbled to have this opportunity,
especially at such a pivotal time in our Nation. I'd like to
thank President Trump for having the faith and confidence in me
to submit me for my nomination to this position. I'm joined by
my today by my wife, Jean, who is a retired Air Force nurse,
and one of the best officers I've known. We met at South Dakota
State University in 1985 before class started, and it didn't
actually get off to a great start. I was already studying and
she thought I was a bit of a nerd. What she didn't know was I
was actually studying for my pilot, my private pilot's license.
My focus at that time was Air Force officer, pilot,
astronaut. It didn't exactly work out that way, but I've been
extremely fortunate to have her by my side since then, and to
serve my country in a variety of roles for 35 years. I'd also
like to acknowledge my son, Troy, and daughter, Jenna, have
both provided the greatest moments of my life.
We have enjoyed many activities. My favorite, perhaps not
their favorite was coaching them and their teammates in
competitive robotics. I've also had my stepbrother here, Army
Lieutenant Colonel Troy Merkel, who also served multiple tours
in the Middle East. Finally, I'd like to thank my father, my
mother, my sister, and other members of my family who could not
be here today.
I'd like to briefly talk about the reasons I'm honored and
excited about the opportunity to continue my service as a
Secretary of the Department of the Air Force. At my 35 years of
service, the first were spent as an Air Force navigator,
serving a significant portion of that time overseas.
My first deployment came as I was pulled off of strategic
nuclear alert and sent to support conventional operations in
the first Gulf War, where I flew over 100 missions. This rapid
shift in mission, the readiness, training, and flexibility
required left a lasting impression on me. I believe the
flexibility is even more critical today.
Following my Active Duty time, I transitioned to the Air
Force Reserves, spending 4 more years supporting the National
Air Intelligence Center and the Ballistic and Missile Defense
Organization. I also became an Air Force civil servant focusing
on building and operating some of the most advanced weapons
systems for the Department of Defense and the intelligence
community (IC).
It included multiple positions as a researcher, program
manager, the Director of Communications Programs and Policy at
the Pentagon, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for
Space, the Assistant Director of National Intelligence for
Systems and Resources Analysis, and currently, as a Principal
Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office.
A big part of these jobs was understanding the threat that
I was building systems to have to support against this quickly
evolving threat, and these threats have shaped my perspective.
I believe the challenges we faced are threefold.
First, near peer competitors, such as China, are evolving
faster than we are in some cases, which will eventually result
in the U.S. losing our technological advantage. Second, some
competitors such as Russia, are fielding highly escalatory
asymmetric capabilities. Third, our Homeland is increasingly
put on the defensive from threats such as cyberattack, unmanned
aerial systems, and illegal activities at the border, including
illicit drug trafficking.
If confirmed, my priority will be to organize training,
equip the Department of the Air Force, the head lethality
needed to deter all potential aggressors, and if necessary,
when in conflict.
First, the Department is building and operating some of the
most complex systems ever fielded, both air and space. We need
the right number of guardians, but we also need the needed
skills, training, support, and focus to deliver and operate
those systems.
Second, we need to innovate faster. I spent the last decade
increasing competition and expanding the industry base, which
has significantly accelerated delivery of capability and at a
lower cost. I intend to bring that same drive for innovation to
the Department.
Finally, we need to streamline the acquisition and budget
process with appropriate fiscal controls. I've helped lead my
current organization to 16 clean financial audits, which I
believe is a record in the National Security Enterprise.
Throughout my career, I've demonstrated my commitment to
the protection and defense of our Nation. If confirmed, I
intend to bring what I've learned to this position and to the
Department to deliver on the President's goal of achieving
peace through strength.
Should I be fortunate enough to get this job, I look
forward to working with this committee, this Congress, to
ensure the airmen and guardians are equipped to secure the
Nation. Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Troy Meink follows:]
Prepared Statement by Dr. Troy Meink
Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished Members of
this Committee: thank you for the chance to appear before you today as
the nominee to be the Secretary of the Department of the Air Force. I
am honored and humbled to have this opportunity, especially at such a
pivotal time for our Nation. I'd like to thank President Trump for
having the faith and confidence in me to submit my nomination for this
position.
I am joined today by my wife, Jean, who is a retired Air Force
Nurse, and one of the best officers I have ever known. Jean and I met
at South Dakota State University in 1985, 3 days before class started,
and it did not get off to a great start. I was already studying and she
thought I was a bit of a nerd. What she didn't know, was that I was
studying for my pilot's license . . . not college. My focus was on
becoming an Air Force Officer, pilot, and astronaut. It didn't exactly
work out that way, but I have been extremely fortunate to have her by
my side, and serve my country in a variety of roles for the past 35
years.
I'd also like to acknowledge my son, Troy, and daughter, Jenna, who
have both provided the greatest moments of my life. We have enjoyed
many activities, but my favorite--perhaps not theirs--was coaching them
and their teammates in competitive robotics.
I also have my stepbrother here, Army Lieutenant Colonel Troy
Merkel, who has also served multiple tours in the Middle East. Finally,
I want to thank my father, my mother, and the rest of my family that
could not be here today.
I'd like to briefly talk about the reasons I'm honored--and
excited--about the opportunity to continue my service as the Secretary
of the Department of the Air Force. Of my over 35 years of service, the
first were spent as an Air Force Navigator, serving a significant
portion of that time overseas. My first deployment came as I was pulled
off Strategic Nuclear Alert and sent to support conventional operations
in the first Gulf War where I flew over 100 missions. This rapid shift
in mission, and the readiness, training and flexibility required, left
a lasting impression on me. I believe that flexibility is even more
critical today.
Following my Active Duty time, I transitioned to the Air Force
Reserves spending four more years supporting the National Air
Intelligence Center and the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. I
also became an Air Force civil servant, focused on building and
operating advanced weapon systems for the Department of Defense and the
Intelligence Community. This included multiple positions as a
researcher and program manager, the Director of Communication Programs
and Policy in the Pentagon, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for
Space, the Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Systems and
Resource Analysis and currently as the Principal Deputy Director of the
National Reconnaissance Office.
A big part of these jobs was understanding the rapidly evolving
threat to the U.S . . . and these threats have shaped my perspective. I
believe the challenges we face are three-fold:
First, near-peer competitors are evolving faster than we
are, which will eventually result in the U.S. losing our technological
advantage;
Second, some competitors are fielding highly escalatory
asymmetric capabilities;
And third, our homeland is increasingly put on the
defensive from threats such as cyber-attacks, Unmanned Aerial Systems,
and illegal activities at our borders including illicit drug
trafficking.
If confirmed, my priority will be to organize, train, and equip the
Department of the Air Force to have the lethality needed to deter all
potential aggressors, and if necessary, win decisively in conflict.
First, the department is building and operating some of
the most complex systems ever fielded in both air and space. We need
not only the right number of airmen and guardians, but also the right
skills, training, support and focus.
Second, we need to innovate faster. I've spent the last
decade increasing competition and expanding the industrial base, which
has significantly accelerated delivery of capability and at a lower
cost. I intend to bring that same drive for innovation to the
Department.
Finally, we need to streamline the acquisition and
budgeting processes . . . with appropriate fiscal controls. I've helped
lead my current organization to 16 consecutive, clean financial
statement audits.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated my commitment to the
protection and defense of our Nation. If confirmed, I intend to bring
what I have learned to this position and to the Department to deliver
on the President's goal of achieving peace through strength. Should I
be fortunate enough to get this job, I look forward to working with
this Committee and Congress to ensure our airmen and guardians are
equipped to secure the Nation.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Dr. Meink.
Mr. Duffey, welcome. You're recognized for your opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF MR. MICHAEL P. DUFFEY, TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE FOR ACQUISITION AND SUSTAINMENT
Mr. Duffey. Thank you, Madam Chair Fischer, Ranking Member
Reed, and distinguished Members of the Committee. Good morning.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today, and
for your consideration of my nomination to serve as the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment.
I want to thank Representative Fitzgerald for his generous
introduction, and thanking President Trump, Vice President
Vance, and Secretary Hegseth for honoring me with this
nomination. I'm grateful for and humbled by the trust they have
placed in me to lead the Department's efforts to rebuild our
military and revitalize our Defense Industrial Base.
I pledge to them and to this Committee that, if confirmed,
I will work tirelessly to provide much needed military
capabilities to our warfighters today, and arm tomorrow's
forces with the capabilities they need to prevail in future
conflict.
I also want to thank my wife, Morgan, our children,
Reynolds and Deans, and my father and mother, Joseph and
Patricia for supporting my nomination and my service to the
Nation. The love and support you provide me every day inspire
me to serve my country to make it better and stronger for you
and future generations.
President Trump received a mandate from the American people
to make America strong again. Secretary Hegseth has affirmed
that his three priorities to achieve this mandate are to
restore the warrior ethos to the Pentagon, rebuild our
military, and reestablish deterrence.
If confirmed, I would assume responsibility to implement
President Trump's mandate and Secretary Hegseth priorities by
providing the military with the capabilities and force
structure necessary to deter our adversaries, and if necessary,
prevail in conflict.
America's ability to protect our interests requires a
military force structure with the capability and capacity to
deter, and if necessary, to defeat our adversaries. This will
require the Department to modernize how it manages the
integration of requirements, budgeting, and acquisition
processes, aligning incentives to deliver results.
We must deepen our understanding of the strength and
vulnerabilities within our Defense Industrial Base, and seek to
revitalize through reindustrialization, increased investment,
flexible contracting, enhanced workforce recruitment and
training, and increased competition.
As our Nation knows from our historic victory in World War
II, future conflicts will be won on the factory floor as much
as the field of battle. Our ability to deliver the most
cutting-edge weapons and replenish equipment and systems lost
or expended in battled with speed and proficiency is
increasingly a differentiating factor on the battlefield.
Therefore, we must outpace our adversaries and our ability
to supply our military with decisive advantage while
maintaining a focus on building an industrial based capacity to
replenish those forces as needed. An American Defense
Industrial Base that is sufficiently agile and responsive to
the emergent needs will act as a powerful deterrent to our
adversaries who may be counting on winning a war of attrition
in a protracted future conflict.
I thank this Committee, and in particular, Chairman Wicker,
for your leadership in advancing acquisition reform initiatives
for the Department of Defense through the proposed FoRGED Act.
If confirmed, I look forward to partnering with the Committee
Members and staff to improve how the Pentagon acquires weapons
with a focus on four primary goals.
First, to dramatically accelerate delivery of lethality to
our warfighters. Second, driving a laser focus on increasing
the speed, performance, and affordability of our acquisition
system. Third, strengthening the Defense Industrial Base by
reducing barriers to entry, increasing competition, and
incentivizing increased investment from new entrants, non-
traditionals and traditional vendors alike, and finally,
incorporating 21st century business systems and management
practices to better manage and acquire cutting edge military
capabilities.
If confirmed, I will be accountable to President Trump,
Secretary Hegseth, this Committee, the Congress, and the
American taxpayers to diligently and urgently invest and
resource our military arsenal.
Thank you for your time today and for your consideration of
my nomination. I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Michael P. Duffey follows:]
Prepared Statement by Michael P. Duffey
Good morning, Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and
distinguished Members of the Committee. Thank you for the opportunity
to appear before you today and for your consideration of my nomination
to serve as the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment.
I would like to start by thanking President Trump, Vice President
Vance, and Secretary Hegseth for honoring me with this nomination. I am
grateful for and humbled by the trust they have placed in me to lead
the Department's efforts to rebuild our military and revitalize our
defense industrial base. I pledge to them and to this Committee that,
if confirmed, I will work tirelessly to provide much needed military
capabilities to our warfighters today, and arm tomorrow's forces with
the capabilities they will need to prevail in future conflict.
I also want to thank my wife, Morgan, our children, Reynolds and
Deems, and my father and mother, Joseph and Patricia, for supporting my
nomination and my service to the Nation. The love and support you
provide me every day inspire me to serve my country to make it better
and stronger for you and future generations.
President Trump received a mandate from the American people to make
America strong again. Secretary Hegseth has affirmed that his three
priorities to achieve this mandate are to restore the warrior ethos to
the Pentagon, rebuild our military, and reestablish deterrence. If
confirmed, I would assume responsibility to implement President Trump's
mandate and Secretary Hegseth's priorities by providing the military
with the capabilities and force structure necessary to deter our
adversaries and, if necessary, prevail in all conflict.
America's ability to protect our interests requires a military
force structure with the capability and capacity to deter and, if
necessary, defeat our adversaries in all future conflict. This will
require the Department to modernize how it manages the integration of
requirements, budgeting, and acquisition processes, aligning incentives
to deliver results. We must deepen our understanding of the strengths
and vulnerabilities within our defense industrial base, and seek to
revitalize through reindustrialization, increased investment, flexible
contracting, enhanced workforce recruitment and training, and increased
competition.
As our Nation knows from our historic victory in World War II,
future conflicts will be won on the factory floor as much as on the
field of battle. Our ability to deliver the most cutting-edge weapons
and replenish equipment and systems lost or expended in battle with
speed and proficiency is increasingly a differentiating factor on the
battlefield. Therefore, we must outpace our adversaries in our ability
to supply our military with decisive advantage, while maintaining a
focus on building an industrial base capacity to replenish those forces
as needed. An American defense industrial base that is sufficiently
agile and responsive to emergent needs will act as a powerful deterrent
to our adversaries who may be counting on winning a war of attrition in
a protracted future conflict.
I thank this Committee, and particularly Chairman Wicker, for your
leadership in advancing acquisition reform initiatives for the
Department of Defense through the proposed FoRGED Act. If confirmed, I
look forward to partnering with the Committee Members and staff to
improve how the Pentagon acquires America's weapons, with a focus on
four primary goals:
1. Dramatically accelerating delivery of lethality to our
warfighters;
2. Driving a laser focus on increasing the speed, performance, and
affordability in our acquisition system;
3. Strengthening the defense industrial base by reducing barriers
to entry, increasing competition, and incentivizing increased
investment from new entrants, non-traditionals, and traditional
vendors; and
4. Incorporating 21st century business systems to manage and
acquire cutting edge military capabilities.
If confirmed, I will be accountable to President Trump, Secretary
Hegseth, this Committee, the Congress, and the American taxpayers to
diligently and urgently invest and resource our military arsenal.
Thank you for your time today and for your consideration of my
nomination. I look forward to your questions.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Duffey.
Mr. Michael, welcome. You are recognized for your opening
statement, please.
STATEMENT OF MR. EMIL G. MICHAEL, TO BE UNDER SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING
Mr. Michael. Thank you. Senator Fischer, Ranking Member
Reed, and the distinguished Members of the Committee, it is the
honor of a lifetime to be here today, seeking your advice and
consent for me to be the nominee for the Under Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering. I'm grateful to President
Trump for entrusting me with his important nomination, and hope
to make him, Secretary Hegseth, and the country, proud of the
work I do, if confirmed by the Senate.
Nowhere, but in the United States of America, could a
first-generation immigrant, whose small Christian family left
an increasingly hostile country to religious minorities, like
myself, and my family from Egypt, be sitting in front of you
today, seeking to join and leading the defense of our Nation.
It's an even a greater gift than my 85-year-old father and 77-
year-old mother are able to witness this moment after a
lifetime of hard work, struggle, and devotion to the goal that
my sister and I have a chance at a better life than they did.
I want to thank my friends and family who've come from all
over the country; my sister, my in-laws, my business partners,
my friends for grade school from who have been with me for 40
years, and helped make me the man I am today. Most importantly,
my wife Julie, and our son, Cairo, who's 1 years old--and not
sure how long he is going to make it through this hearing, and
my daughter, Colette, who's 5 years old. They're really my
American Dream, and they support me in everything that makes me
who I am.
Part of that American Dream was getting a world-class
education from the public school system in New Rochelle, New
York, which wants me into some of the best higher education
systems in the world. With much risk for my ability to cover my
student loans after those expensive colleges, I became an
entrepreneur, where I helped build and grow four companies
while coaching dozens of other entrepreneurs to build on new
ideas, often against entrenched interests, big companies, and
things that were very difficult for them to dream.
The most important company I was part of was Uber. Today,
Uber's a verb, it's a noun, and it's an indispensable lifeline
for hundreds of millions of people. By embracing technological
innovation at speed, Uber reduced drunk driving deaths by half,
paid its drivers over $200 billion, doing the most flexible
work they could possibly find, and allowed people of every
background to get around safely. We did this by proving to
consumers and drivers that there was something better than the
unreliable and expensive service that the taxi cartels had
profited off for decades.
Just before building Uber, I had the privilege of working
as a special assistant for Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates.
From him, I learned how to make things happen fast in the
Pentagon, notably the MRAP [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected]
Program and the Joint IED [Improvised Explosive Devices] defeat
programs.
I also learned how to reform the Pentagon as a lead on the
Tail-To-Tooth budget initiative, which changed what was an
unsustainable trajectory of tail growth at the time, at the
expense of our warfighters. After that, I served on the Defense
Business Board and brought better ideas for technology
practices to the Defense Department.
All of this experience has culminated my desire to serve as
the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,
which is the Department's Chief Technology Officer. If
confirmed, I bring my decades of experience in the technology
industry and management of large complex global organizations
to ensure that the United States has the most technologically
sophisticated defense systems in history.
The central element necessary for all this is innovation at
speed. Innovation means increasing the Department's willingness
to take risk while having the discipline to stop the projects
that are failing. Innovation means focusing our investments in
science and technology on only those things that are aligned on
our Peace through Strength mission. This must all be done at a
pace that is dramatically different than the Defense Department
has done in modern times.
Time must be a factor in all of our decisions as we
confront an increasingly sophisticated adversary in China,
which not only has lower labor costs, but is notorious for
intellectual property theft making. Its research and
development costs even faster and less expensive than we could
have imagined only a decade ago.
If confirmed our work to recast the relationship between
DOD and the emerging defense tech sector. The DOD needs to for
foster more robust and competitive Defense Industrial Base by
providing more realistic requirements, inviting smaller and
innovative companies with less burdensome processes, becoming
more agile on how and when we grant contracts.
The private sector, too, should bear some more
responsibility for the risk of their own failure. A healthy
ecosystem will provide for weapons that are better, cheaper,
and faster. We've never been at a more critical time for a
shift in how we work to catch up where we're behind and
increase the gap where we're ahead.
We're living in a much different world than when I was at
the Pentagon last in 2011. Every enterprise, public or private,
must now be in the technology innovation business. There is no
other choice but to do so at full speed. The United States has
the technical talent, the money, and the will to ensure war
fighting supremacy in every scenario that this new world
demands.
I fully believe in President Trump's vision for a golden
dome for America. Thank you for your consideration for my
nomination. I look forward to hearing your questions about how
I can best serve our country, Secretary Hegseth, and President
Trump in achieving this mission. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Emil G. Michael follows:]
Prepared Statement by Mr. Emil Michael
Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished Members of
the Committee. It is the honor of a lifetime to be here today seeking
your advice and consent as President Trump's nominee for the Under
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
Nowhere but in the United States of America could a first-
generation immigrant from Egypt, whose small Christian family left an
increasingly oppressive Muslim regime in search of a better life, be
sitting in front of you today seeking to join in leading the defense of
our Nation and our way of life.
It is an even greater gift from God that my 85-year-old father and
77-year-old mother are able to witness this moment after a lifetime of
hard work, struggle, and devotion to the goal that my sister and I have
a chance at a better life than they ever had themselves in Egypt.
Most importantly, my wife Julie and our two beautiful children,
Collette and Cairo (5 and 1 years old), make me beam with pride as they
are a daily reminder of my American Dream.
Part of that American Dream was getting a world-class education
from the public school system in the New Rochelle, NY which launched me
into some of the best higher education that one could hope for. Much to
the chagrin of my parents and with much risk on my ability to cover my
student loans, I became an entrepreneur where I helped build and grow
four companies while coaching dozens of other entrepreneurs to build,
build, build on their ideas.
The most important company I was a part of was Uber. Today, Uber is
a verb, a noun, and an indispensable lifeline for hundreds of millions
of people. Uber has reduced drunk driving by almost half, paid its
drivers over 200 billion dollars doing the most flexible work around
and allowed people of color to get rides wherever they need to go. By
embracing technological innovation at speed, Uber broke the old taxi
cartels that underpaid drivers and denied people the dignity of
reliable transportation.
Just before building Uber, I was a White House Fellow working as a
Special Assistant for Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. I learned from
the best on how to make things happen fast in the Pentagon, notably
with the MRAP and Joint IED Defeat programs. I also learned how to
reform the Pentagon as a lead on Secretary Gates's ``tail-to-tooth''
budget-cutting package, which changed what was an unsustainable
trajectory of ``tail'' growth at the time.
After that, I served on the Defense Business Board from 2014 to
2017 and tried to bring ideas for better business and technology
practices to the Defense Department.
All of this experience has culminated in my desire to serve as the
Department's Chief Technology Officer. If confirmed, I would bring my
decades of technology leadership, and management of large and complex
organizations to ensure that the United States has the most
technologically sophisticated and affordable arsenal of defense systems
in the history of the world. In short, technological superiority
ensures peace.
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering plays a
key role in revitalizing the defense industrial base, creating
competition, and building a modern and lethal arsenal. As the
Department's CTO, the USD(R&E) also helps to secure supply chains,
prevent intellectual property theft and cyber-intrusions, and develop
President Trump's Golden Dome air and missile defense system to protect
our Homeland.
The central element in all of this is technological innovation at
speed. Innovation does not stop at the invention of new weapons and
defenses but continues to be core to innovating solutions to a broken
procurement system and unmanageable internal management systems that
drain our dollars. It also means being willing to take bets on things
that don't work but having the discipline to stop them with haste.
Finally, innovation means focusing our investment in science and
technology to those things that are aligned and only aligned with our
Peace through Strength mission. But this all must be done at a pace
that is dramatically faster than the Department has done in modern
times. Time must be a factor in all of our decisions at DOD, not only
because time is money, but time is lives with an increasingly
sophisticated adversary in China that has lower labor costs and is
notorious for its theft of intellectual property that makes its
research and development even faster and less expensive.
If confirmed, I would also work to recast the relationship between
the DOD and the private sector. It must become one in which the DOD
does not require something to be built that will necessarily be 10
years late and 5x over-budget because it is laden with desires from all
corners, but also it must become one in which the private sector bears
some of the risk of their own failures and delays. We need to
revitalize our defense industrial base and create competition, which is
the lifeblood of a healthy Democracy and a healthy arsenal that is both
modernized and lethal.
We are living in a much different world than when I was last in the
Pentagon in 2011. Every enterprise, private or public, must now be in
the technology innovation business. There is no other choice but to do
so at full speed.
My mission, if confirmed, will be to catch-up and surpass in the
areas where we might be behind and to leap forward in new areas that
provide the United States with defensive and warfighting supremacy in
every scenario that the new world demands.
I look forward to your questions about how I can best serve the
country, the Department of Defense, the Secretary, and the President in
this mission.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Michael.
Mr. Bass, welcome. You are now recognized for your opening
statement.
STATEMENT OF MR. KEITH M. BASS, TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Chairman Fischer, Ranking Member Reed,
and distinguished Members of the Committee. Thank you for the
opportunity to be here today. I'm deeply honored and humbled to
be nominated for the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense
for Health Affairs.
I'm grateful for the trust placed in me by President Trump
and Secretary Hegseth. I want to thank the Members of this
Committee. I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet
with many of you, to discuss ways to strengthen and enhance the
military health system. If confirmed, I look forward to
continuing these conversations and strengthening our
partnership to advance the mission of military medicine.
Before I begin, I would like to introduce and express my
gratitude to my family, both those here with me today and those
watching from afar. I'm joined by my twin brother, Kevin,
retired Colonel United States Army, and my two daughters, Kate
and Erin. Their unwavering support has been instrumental in my
journey, and I'm especially grateful for their encouragement. I
also want to recognize my wife, Martha, and my parents, who
cannot be here, but are watching virtually.
I've had the honor and privilege of retiring from the
United States Navy after 20 years of Active Duty service.
Throughout my enlisted and officer career, I've served aboard
ships in the military, medical treatment facilities (MTFs),
both domestic and overseas at the Navy Bureau of Medicine and
Surgery, Central Intelligence Agency, and the White House.
After retiring from the military, I transitioned into
civilian leadership roles, serving as a senior vice-president
for a virtual health technology company, and currently, as a
medical center director at the VA Healthcare Center.
Throughout my career, I've supported humanitarian missions,
disaster response efforts, theater, medical operations, and
casualty evacuations. I've had the privilege and honor of
serving alongside dedicated military and civilian professionals
who devote their lives to sustaining the readiness of our
forces. I cannot be more proud to call them colleagues and
friends.
The military health system is a global leader in delivering
world-class care, unmatched in excellence, and second to none.
I'm excited about the future of military medicine and the
opportunity to drive innovation and improve patient outcomes.
By continuing to focus on modernization, technology, research,
care delivery, we can strengthen our operational readiness and
set new standards in casualty care.
We must also acknowledge the complex and evolving
challenges facing our healthcare. Ensuring the readiness of our
forces, recruiting and retaining medical personnel, and
adapting to rapid technological advancements are all pressing
issues that require strategic action. If confirmed, my highest
priority will be ensuring the medical readiness of our forces,
stabilizing the military health system to provide advanced care
possible, both on and off the battlefield.
A strong military health system is the cornerstone of our
national defense strategy, and maintaining a medically ready
force requires integrated, innovative, and adaptive healthcare
system. If confirmed, I will work closely with Congress,
military leaders, healthcare professionals, and our community
partners to ensure force readiness. Together we can build a
healthcare system that not only meets today's needs, but also
anticipates and adapts to the challenges of tomorrow.
I look forward to talking with you today, and welcome any
questions you might have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Keith M. Bass follows:]
Prepared Statement by Mr. Keith M. Bass
Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Reed, and distinguished Members of
the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to be here with you today.
I am deeply honored and humbled to be nominated for the position of
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs. I am grateful for
the trust placed in me by President Trump and Secretary Hegseth.
I want to thank the Members of this Committee. I have greatly
appreciated the opportunity to meet with many of you to discuss ways to
strengthen and enhance the Military Health System. If confirmed, I look
forward to continuing these conversations and strengthening our
partnership to advance the mission of military medicine.
Before I begin, I would like to introduce and express my gratitude
to my family, both those here with me today and those watching from
afar. I am joined by my twin brother Kevin (Retired, COL, USA) and my
two daughters, Kate and Erin. Their unwavering support has been
instrumental in my journey, and I am especially grateful for their
encouragement. I want to also recognize my wife, Martha and my parents,
who could not be here today, but are watching virtually.
I had the honor and privilege of retiring from the United States
Navy after 20 years of Active Duty service. Throughout my enlisted and
officer career, I served aboard ships, in Military Medical Treatment
Facilities both domestically and overseas, at the Navy Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the White
House. After retiring from the military, I transitioned into civilian
healthcare leadership roles, serving as Senior Vice President for a
virtual health technology company and, currently, as a medical center
director with the Veterans Health Administration.
Throughout my career, I have supported humanitarian missions,
disaster response efforts, theater medical operations, and casualty
evacuations. I have had the privilege of serving alongside dedicated
military and civilian professionals who devote their lives to
sustaining the readiness of our forces. I could not be more proud to
call them colleagues and friends.
The Military Health System is a global leader in delivering world-
class care, unmatched in excellence and second to none. I am excited
about the future of military medicine and the opportunity to drive
innovation and improve patient outcomes. By continuing to focus on
modernization, technology, research, and care delivery, we can
strengthen operational readiness and set new standards in casualty
care.
However, we must also acknowledge the complex and evolving
challenges facing military healthcare. Ensuring the readiness of our
forces, recruiting and retaining medical personnel, and adapting to
rapid technological advancements are all pressing issues that require
strategic action.
If confirmed, my highest priority will be ensuring the medical
readiness of our forces and stabilizing the Military Health System to
provide the most advanced care possible, both on and off the
battlefield. A strong Military Health System is a cornerstone of our
national defense strategy, and maintaining a medically ready force
requires an integrated, innovative, and adaptable healthcare system.
If confirmed, I will work closely with Congress, military leaders,
healthcare professionals, and our community partners to ensure force
readiness. Together, we can build a healthcare system that not only
meets today's needs but also anticipates and adapts to the challenges
of tomorrow.
I look forward to talking with you today and welcome any questions
you may have.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Bass.
I will now ask all of you a series of standard questions
this committee poses to all civilian nominees. Have you adhered
to applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of
interest?
[Witnesses answer in the affirmative.]
Senator Fischer. Thank you. Have you assumed any duties or
taken any actions that would appear to presume the outcome of
the confirmation process?
[Witnesses answer in the negative.]
Senator Fischer. Exercising our legislative and oversight
responsibilities makes it important that this Committee, its
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?
[Witnesses answer in the affirmative.]
Senator Fischer. Do you agree to provide records,
documents, and electronic communications in a timely manner
when requested by this Committee, its subcommittees, or other
appropriate committees of Congress, and to consult with the
request order regarding the basis for any good faith, delay, or
denial in providing such records?
[Witnesses answer in the affirmative.]
Senator Fischer. Will you ensure that your staff complies
with deadlines established by this Committee for the production
of records, reports, and other information, including timely
responding to hearing questions for the record?
[Witnesses answer in the affirmative.]
Senator Fischer. Will you cooperate in providing witnesses
and briefers in response to congressional requests?
[Witnesses answer in the affirmative.]
Senator Fischer. Will those witnesses and briefers be
protected from reprisal for their testimony or briefings?
[Witnesses answer in the affirmative.]
Senator Fischer. Thank you. We will now begin with our
first round of questions, and I will start. These are 5-minute
rounds.
Having a safe, effective, and reliable and credible nuclear
deterrent is the cornerstone of our national defense.
Currently, each leg of our nuclear triad is undergoing a
generational recapitalization to better align with the
projected threat. The Department of the Air Force is
responsible for two of the three legs; the land-based ICBMs
[intercontinental ballistic missiles], and our bomber fleet.
Dr. Meink, in your answers to the Committee's advanced
policy questions, you stated that, ``The ground leg of the
nuclear triad, Minuteman III, and over time, Sentinel, are
foundational to strategic deterrence and defense of the
Homeland.'' I agree with that. I also believe that we have an
opportunity following an analysis done during the Nunn-McCurdy
breach to incorporate lessons learned and build a stronger,
more enduring Sentinel program than was originally proposed.
Dr. Meink, if confirmed, will you commit to utilizing all
available tools to accelerate Sentinel in placement and ensure
that our Nation's ICBM capability does move forward?
Dr. Meink. Thank you, Senator. If confirmed, I will do so.
And I do appreciate the one-on-one conversation we had on this
topic. I'm looking forward to diving into the results of the
number security and then also, obviously, work in the B-21 and
the other activities from a nuclear perspective, the Department
supports.
Senator Fischer. Thank you.
Mr. Duffey, if confirmed as Under Secretary of Acquisition
and Sustainment, you will oversee all nuclear modernization
efforts, and serve as Chair of the Nuclear Weapons Council. Can
you provide us with a short summary of your views on why we
need such a strong nuclear deterrent?
Mr. Duffey. Madam Chair, thank you for the question, and
yes, I look forward, if confirmed, to assisting leading the
Department in the oversight of the nuclear modernization
program. Nuclear modernization, as you mentioned, is the
backbone of our strategic deterrent, and ensuring that we have
a modern, capable nuclear enterprise that not only includes the
B-21, which is a successful acquisition program by all
accounts, but the Columbia-class submarine, and the Sentinel
nuclear ICBM, are critical as chair of the Nuclear Weapons
Council.
I look forward to the partnership with the National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA), working with this Committee, to
ensure that we maintain the highest quality systems that not
only deliver the weapons, but the nuclear command and control
system that would be required for a safe and secure deployment,
if necessary. I think it's absolutely critical that we ensure
that we have accelerated acquisition of those capabilities.
Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you.
Would you agree that our triad along with ``NC3, the
deterrent'' it provides truly is the priority of the
Department, and that it underpins all of our strategic
planning?
Mr. Duffey. I absolutely agree with that. Yes, ma'am.
Senator Fischer. Thank you.
Dr. Meink, I believe we're finally on a better path when it
comes to space programs, and I'm impressed by what our
guardians have achieved over the last several years. But the
Space Force is still a young organization, and there are likely
still growing pains ahead. I am encouraged that the President
nominated someone for this program with deep expertise in the
space programs.
Dr. Meink, what's your vision for how the Space Force
should grow and how it should evolve as a service?
Dr. Meink. Thank you for the question, Senator. Yes, I've
been fortunate enough to work space systems both on the Air
Force side, which then became the Space Force side, as well as
from the IC side.
Space is critical. This is actually one of the areas that
we're most challenged, I believe. From the rapidly evolving
threat from China and others. Both the direct threat to our
systems as well as the threat, those systems pose to our
operations across the Department, in general.
I think the key to both acquisition and operations is
making sure you have the best talented workforce. These are
some of the most complicated systems, and if the U.S. is going
to maintain our advantage, which we need to do in space, we
need to make sure we have the right workforce.
The Space Force's in the process of growing. We'll support
that activity to make sure we have the right numbers and the
right skillset, and then make sure that the acquisitions
themselves are delivering, and that they're getting into
operation.
Senator Fischer. Can you give me a quick example of what
new capabilities you think Space Force should be focusing on to
acquire? Just quick example.
Dr. Meink. I think some of the space control and counter
space systems are critical. Senator, can't dive into too many
of the details, but that is probably the area that we are being
most stressed from a threat perspective.
Senator Fischer. Okay. Thank you. Senator Reed.
Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Madam Chairman.
Mr. Duffey, in 2019, you played a central role in the
withholding of $250 million in desperately needed Ukrainian
assistance, which passed Congress with bipartisan support.
Indeed, President Trump was impeached for his decisions. to
withhold the money. Your actions to facilitate the withholding
of this aid that had been authorized and appropriated by your
Congress, certainly contravened the direction of this body and
the law.
Can you assure us that you'll follow the law without
reservation rather than the wishes of the President or the
Secretary?
Mr. Duffey. Yes, Senator. I provide that assurance. If I am
confirmed, I would follow the law.
Senator Reed. Thank you very much, Dr. Meink, as you know,
launch operations at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base have
become highly constrained due to the new class of ultra heavy
lift rockets and the amount of standoff distance that they
require.
If confirmed, will you review what options are available to
alleviate this constraint, which is hindering competition in
this particular area, and report back as quickly as possible to
the Committee? I think one of the great achievements of the
last few years is the privatization of space launches, and the
competitive model is a good one. We'd like to see that
maintained.
Dr. Meink. Senator, I'd be happy to. That is something in
my current job we worked and are concerned about. One of the
phrases I like to say sometimes is this is kind of a good
problem to have. You know, historically, we had very limited
access to space launch that has grown across many, many
companies in the U.S., but that has also led to some
challenges.
As you just articulated, it's getting very busy, very
crowded, and some of these larger launch vehicles do drive
different concerns than maybe we had to address in the past.
So, yes, Senator, I think it's that capability is extremely
important for us to maintain our advantage in space. I think to
some degree what we're doing across the board in launch gives
the U.S. asymmetric advantage. But we do need to make sure that
we have the proper launch infrastructure, the proper space
really to continue operations, and allow that both national
security and commercial industry to grow.
Senator Reed. You'll get back to us as quickly as possible
with the----
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator, I will.
Senator Reed. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Michael, one of the key advantages we have in our
industrial base is our technical workforce within the military,
including our acquisition professionals, our test and
evaluation community, our STEM personnel, our laboratories.
They're vital. In fact, I think we'll find that that is going
to be the pathway to more efficiency and more productivity as
we enhance this workforce.
But we're now in a situation where many of these
individuals are being dismissed without any cause. They're
being encouraged to leave, and many of them have the skills to
walk out the door and get a lot more money in the private
sector. What can and will you do to reverse this trend, to
buildup on our workforce rather than to haphazardly dismiss it?
Mr. Michael. Ranking Member Reed, I think that we all agree
that technological innovation is the way forward for the
Defense Department and almost every dimension. We have some
story labs like DARPA and other places that ought to be
fortified as opposed to degraded in any way.
I think part of that is ensuring that it remains an honored
profession, because people join these labs and these affiliated
scientific organizations with the DOD because they care about
the mission. We have to honor that, and I think we would, can
attract more people and retain people if we celebrate their
accomplishments more.
Also, if we focus them on missions that are going to be
important and realized. That's why I mentioned, I think
focusing them on those missions and honoring their successes
will attract and retain more of them. I've done that in the
private industry for decades, really focusing on getting
engineers, keeping them, rewarding them to produce great
things. That's what I intend to do in this role if confirmed.
Senator Reed. Well, that's encouraging. Again, though,
you're looking at a situation now where people have been
dismissed, not based on their talents, but they earn a pro rata
status, and they can be dismissed. I hope you can reverse that
policy. Thank you.
My time is expiring. Mr. Bass, I'll have a question for the
record. Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Reed. Senator Cotton,
you are recognized.
Senator Cotton. Thank you.
Dr. Meink, I want to return to Senator Fischer's line of
questioning about nuclear modernization. The Air Force is
responsible for two of the three legs of the nuclear triad, as
she said. Sometimes the funding for that which is known as the
``pass through'' counts against, you might say, the top line
for the Air Force and internal budget battles.
I personally worry that Air Force can't execute all of its
tasks when it comes to its traditional, conventional task,
while also executing nuclear modernization of our missiles and
our long-range bombers. Do you agree that we need to take a new
look at the top line for the Air Force, and especially to
account for that nuclear pass through to ensure that Air Force
has the budget necessary to perform all of its vital tasks?
Dr. Meink. Yes. Senator, thank you for the question, and
thanks for the opportunity to talk a little bit offline. The
Air Force is kind of a unique position almost in its history.
We are in the process of modernizing pretty much across all the
five core mission areas. The tri nuclear deterrence is a huge
part of that.
As you just kind of mentioned, those systems are pretty
expensive. One of the first things I plan to do is take a
holistic look at all the modernization and all the readiness
bills that we have coming. Then, I will put together and
advocate for what resources I think are necessary to execute
all of those missions. Then, working both within the
administration and with Congress, which I've found throughout
my time working national security, a good relationship with
Congress was critical.
So, if confirmed, I'll be back here walking through what I
think we need to do.
Senator Cotton. Thank you.
I'm sure, in the internal budget battle, as you remind
everyone, it's not just my top line. I've got this big, big
slug of nuclear modernization here as well.
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator. There are a couple slugs in there
that----
Senator Cotton. Okay. Thank you. Another thing that worries
me is retaining our troops, especially in the Air Force,
retaining fighter pilots. We're nearly 1,800 pilots short. I
believe, these days, for every 4 jobs requiring a fighter
pilot, we just fill 3 of them. I have my thoughts on some of
the factors driving this, in part, due to some round tables
that Senator King and I have held over the years with pilots.
For instance, I think we can always probably do a little
bit better job of paying our pilots, but I don't think you're
ever going to pay them enough compared to what commercial
airlines will pay them or private companies. People join the
Air Force to fly fighter pilots because they want to fly high-
performance jets in defense of our Nation.
We need to do a better job of getting them more time in the
cockpit training here than in down range. I think it's one big
factor. There are other factors as well. But could you give me
your thoughts on that? Also, just a commitment that you're
going to look carefully at that.
Dr. Meink. Yes, I'll commit. I'm going to look carefully at
that. Senator, I think your discussion about, I see that as
kind of a quality of life pay that only goes so far. We need to
make sure, not just with pilots, but across our highly skilled
areas within our workforce, that they have the opportunity to
do what they've been trained, what they love to do. I think
that could be a bigger impact on maintaining some of these
highly technical skill sets like pilots and others, letting
them do what they were trained to do.
Yes, I've been around since I was a navigator. We've always
struggled with maintaining pilot levels. It is much larger than
just the funding. Senator, not to necessarily ask something of
you, but if you have other opinions, if I'm confirmed, I'd love
to sit down and talk to you about it.
Senator Cotton. Thank you. Just one more question for you,
Dr. Meink. Ebbing Air International Guard Base and Fort Smith
is now the home of the international fighter training mission
for the F-35. It's going to grow from 4 aircraft today to 48
fighter aircraft in the next 3 years. That's twice as fast as
the normal for standard F-35 mission.
The Air Force has worked well with our State, and local
partners, and Senator Boozman's office, Congressman Womack's
office, and mine. Can I get your commitment that will continue
to work well as we go through this very fast, but so far, a
very successful bed down to ensure that Ebbing has the
resources it needs?
Dr. Meink. Absolutely, Senator.
Senator Cotton. Mr. Bass, first off, I want to apologize,
and I missed our meeting yesterday. I hate to stand up a Wonder
Boy from Arkansas Tech University right across the river from
Darnell, Arkansas. But glad to see you today, and
congratulations on your nomination. I continue to hear that the
MHS [Military Health System] Genesis program is causing
problems for recruiting and converting recruits into new
troopers. Not just airmen, but soldiers, sailors, marines and
so forth.
Obviously, we want to work efficiently with medical
records, and we don't want to bring in people who are going to
be washed out because of serious medical conditions 6 months
after basic training. But we've discovered a lot of things, I
think, in past days.
Let's just be honest, your recruiter would've told you to
live out at MEPS [Military Entrance Processing Station] when
you went there. You know that you had a broken arm when you
played junior high football and then went on to play four more
years of senior high football. It gets recorded now, and you
have to go through a bunch of rigamarole. In the meantime, you
get a better job doing something else.
Can you take a look at how Genesis is operating to make
sure that we catch the serious problems we need to without
deterring and delaying young men and women who are eager to
sign up and serve in our military?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator. Go Razorbacks. I will commit
to taking a look at the assess standards. You know, a good
problem to have is that we have too much information in our
medical health record. You know, we'll, we'll take that. But we
also need to take a look at our session policies. I commit to
working that and working with your office.
Senator Cotton. Thank you.
Mr. Bass. Yes, sir.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Cotton. Senator
Shaheen, you are recognized.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you, Madam Chair, and
congratulations to each of our nominees and your families.
Welcome this morning. Thank you for your willingness to
continue to serve the country.
Mr. Bass, I want to followup on a concern that I have based
on your record at the CIA [Central Intelligence Agency]. I've
been very concerned about directed energy attacks on our
servicemembers, our diplomats, and our intelligence community
abroad. I have personally interviewed and worked with a number
of those victims over the years from the time of the first
attacks in China and Cuba.
The Department of Defense has been offering critical care
at Walter Reed for the victims across the interagency. However,
many in the intelligence community, I think, are doing a
disservice to these victims by continuing to deny that this is
a real issue, and to fail to look for attribution for who's
responsible.
Now, I understand that there are reports from your time at
the CIA that suggest you didn't take seriously the reports of
those anomalous health incidents. Can you speak to why you were
skeptical, and what your position would be if you were
confirmed for this new role?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator, and thank you for your
commitment to this effort. I reject the premise that I did not
take AHI [Anomalous Health Incidents] seriously. All
individuals that are affected by AHI, regardless, should be
treated with dignity and respect, and they should be afforded
healthcare.
The issue that we had to resolve was these individuals
wanted to go to Walter Reed. We needed to really streamline the
process for getting secretary designee because, at that time,
the processes and the policies were not in place to get them to
the NICOE [The National Intrepid Center of Excellence]. I think
we were using NIH [National Institutes of Health] at the time.
So, we pulled together all the subject matter experts.
My understanding now is that DOD has significantly
expedited that process. These individuals, not just at the
agency, ma'am, it was at all the Federal agencies, we wanted to
make sure these individuals got the healthcare that they
deserve regardless of source.
Whether we knew what the source was or not, they should
have gotten healthcare. We worked to do that. I think given
time, we did get those individuals into the healthcare they
deserve.
Senator Shaheen. Do you commit that, if confirmed, the
Defense Health Agency will continue to play a critical role in
care and treatment for those who have been victims of AHI.
Mr. Bass. Senator, 100 percent, I commit to that.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you.
I'd like to ask the other three of you, who I'm sorry, I
missed the opening statements that everybody provided, and the
questions that I've heard, you've all talked about the need for
additional resources at the Department level. How do you square
that with the current commitment of this Administration and
Secretary Hegseth to reduce funding for the Department of
Defense by 8 percent a year over the next 5 years? Mr. Duffey?
Mr. Duffey. Senator, thank you for the question. I believe
that the media reporting on that is inaccurate. I do not
believe that it's Secretary's intent to cut the budget 8
percent, but rather he directed the services to relook at a
budget that had been prepared by the prior Administration with
a focus on 8 percent of the resources of that prior budget, and
reallocate that toward this Administration's priorities.
Senator Shaheen. Can you tell this Committee that if you
disagree with the directive for the Secretary of Defense or the
Administration about what they tell you should do with our
nuclear program, that if you think it's incorrect, and that it
will affect the ability of that program to operate successfully
in the future, that you would say that to them and share that
standup to those people directing you to do something that you
think you should not be doing?
Mr. Duffey. Well, Senator, I would take my responsibility
seriously to advocate for the resources that I believe are
required to resource our forces with the capabilities they need
in order to prevail in conflict.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you, Dr. Meink, on the resource
question?
Dr. Meink. Absolutely, Senator. I will always advocate for
the resources. I think I need to meet the requirements that
I've been given, and I've had a bit of a history of doing that.
I will continue to do that, Senator.
Senator Shaheen. Mr. Michael?
Mr. Michael. Senator Shaheen, of course. I think the first
thing a new leader does when they come into an organization is
look at what their mission is and if they have the resources to
accomplish it or not. Every new administration gets their own
agenda. That would be one of the first order of business when
you get into a job like this; would be to assess that and make
sure that you have the right resources.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you.
Chairman Wicker. [Presiding.] Thank you very much, Senator
Shaheen. Senator Kramer.
Senator Cramer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Just on that last point, I think what you're going to find
out is you don't have enough resources, but that's just my pre-
judgment. I think it's great, Dr. Meink, that you are
surrounded by the research and development guy, and the
acquisition guy, and you're all talking about modernization.
That's what I want to talk about. But first, I want to know, in
Lemmon, South Dakota, ``as close to North Dakota as you can
possibly be,'' to quote my colleague from South Dakota, was
your area code 605 or 701? Because Lemon is known to have both.
Dr. Meink. Yes, it's not just close. Actually, part of the
town is in North Dakota. I was 605, so.
Senator Cramer. That's fine.
Dr. Meink, it gets harder from there. I'm told that the Air
Force is considering canceling solicitations for this transport
layer on SDA's [Space Development Agency] Tranche 2 and 3, and
instead using Star Shield, which is of course, an existing
SpaceX capability.
One of the specific purposes of SDA as per the founding
document is to, ``Expand our space war fighting capability, and
foster growth in the U.S. space, industrial base.'' I'm told
that cutting these bids for these transport layers means maybe
8 or more small mid-size companies would not be allowed to bid.
Is this a good idea? I mean, do you think cutting opportunities
like this could hurt the innovators in the industrial base and
the potential going forward?
Dr. Meink. Senator, thanks for that question. You know, one
of the things that I pushed for, particularly over the last 10
years is expand competition and expand the industry base. That
ends up almost always with the best result, both from a
capability and cost to the Government. I'm not familiar with
those discussions going on within the Pentagon. If confirmed, I
look forward to diving into that and assessing where they're
going and what they're recommending. But I've not seen those
recommendations at this point.
Senator Cramer. Well, I look forward to that. I look
forward to digging into that and finding out the answers.
Hopefully changing course if that is, in fact, the case going
on with SDA. The founding document, which was written in March
2019, said, ``We cannot match the pace our adversaries are
setting if we remain bound by legacy methods and culture.''
I have been told so many times by people seeking and that
have positions like you're all seeking that that's their
commitment to, and I have yet to really see anybody put that to
practice. So, as you were a member of NRO at the time, I
believe, and were probably part of that culture, why do you
think the statement was needed in 2019? Do you think the
statement is relevant today? If not, why?
Dr. Meink. Senator, I think that sort of thinking is always
required, right? We always have to look at how we're operating,
how we're executing. As technology changes, as different
threats change, we have to be flexible and adaptable enough.
We have made, I believe, significant improvements in how we
are acquiring systems. I would argue that at that point in
time, there were probably no programs that were moving faster
than the Chinese. That is not the case now. But we still have a
long way to give, Senator, and I think you pointed a couple of
those out.
Senator Cramer. Thank you for that. I think, well, while I
have time, I'm going to switch over to you, Mr. Bass, and talk
about something that's really near and dear to my heart.
Coming from a rural State, very rural area with some really
important bases in our country, and our world, and certainly to
me. I championed some legislation in the NDAA, the 2025 NDAA,
about rural healthcare and access. Specifically, to mental
health services.
But I was told that Defense Health Agency was against it.
So, the Committee staff wouldn't put it in the bill without a
vote of the Members. I brought the amendment to the Committee,
it passed on a voice vote. Here's the point. It has to do with
TRICARE reimbursement for healthcare services that don't meet
the very specific accreditation. Not a better accreditation,
just an accreditation.
That greatly reduces access to healthcare, to mental
healthcare. The reason this became important to me is because I
know of two airmen who sought mental health care, grand folks,
and were denied by TRICARE, who are no longer with us because
they ultimately chose to take their own lives all because of
this one accreditation.
I don't know what would've happened had they been able to
get the care that was available to them. But the bill that we
passed, that's part of the NDAA. It basically says if access in
the State fails to meet standards for more than 12 months
consecutive, then we have to look at something different.
Now it's under review. The first part of the bill is a 1-
year review. My experience, and my experience is far too often
that in a year we have to ask somebody where the review is, and
they'll try to get it to us in 4 months. Would you just please,
please, please, please commit to the men and women of the
military that we'll look into this right away. That, in that a
year, from the enactment of the law, I don't have to wait 4
more months for the conclusion?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator, and the mental health access
for our servicemembers and our Total Force has to be a
priority. I will commit to working with you on that.
Senator Cramer. Thank you for that.
Mr. Bass. Yes, sir.
Senator Cramer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Cramer. Senator King.
Senator King. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Duffey, it's appropriate that you and Dr. Meink are
sitting together because I think there's such a close
correlation between the work that you're doing. Technology wins
wars. The side that has the newer technology generally
prevails. Genghis Khan and the stirrup, the longbow at the
Battle of Agincourt, the tank in World War I, the atomic weapon
in World War II.
My concern is that we have missed two of the major
technologies of the 21st century. This isn't a criticism of the
current Administration. It goes back probably 10 or 15 years;
hypersonics and directed energy. We've got to catch up, and the
budget, the prior Administration cut the budget for directed
energy in half, which to me just doesn't make sense. We're
spending $2 or $3 million per missile to knock those $20,000
drones out in the Red Sea. Directed energy certainly ought to
be an answer.
I know that there's work going on, but it should be
accelerated. My request is that you try to think ahead and
think about acquiring the next technology, not just what we've
always done. My most hated words in the English language is,
``We've never done it that way before.'' I hope you'll
subscribe to a philosophy of trying to look to the future. Your
thoughts?
Mr. Duffey. Senator, thank you for the question. I'm
thrilled to not only be sitting next to Dr. Meink, but Mr.
Michael, who will be at the cutting edge of the next generation
of technologies. I look forward to a partnership with both
these gentlemen on how do we advance that technology? How do we
leapfrog our adversaries' capabilities there? Then I see my
responsibility is how do we accelerate getting that hand in the
hands of the warfighter?
Senator King. One way to do that is smaller businesses.
We've had testimony to this Committee by smaller businesses
that they've just given up on the Pentagon acquisition process.
Too complex, too much red tape, too long. I just hope that in
your Administration, you don't turn away from fostering small
businesses where a lot of the innovation takes place.
Mr. Duffey. I agree with that, Senator, and I'd like to
recognize and appreciate the leadership's Chairman Wicker's
provided in the FoRGED Act, which I think takes a bold step of
proposing the rescission of 285 provisions of law that are no
longer relevant. I think that's a great step forward. How do we
remove those burdens that we place on business that want to
deliver value to the Pentagon?
Senator King. I appreciate that.
Mr. Michael, research is crucial. Same argument that I just
made about the importance of new technology. I hope we don't
lose touch with our universities, which are huge assets in
terms of research, as well as the private sector research
capability. Is it your intention to maintain support for
research across the board, whether it's private sector,
government, or university?
Mr. Michael. Certainly it is Senator. It's obvious to me,
and I'll give you an example. The AI industry, the private
sector, is investing hundreds of billions of dollars per year
in that which dwarfs orders of magnitude, the amount we're
spending in DOD. We should be leveraging that in some way.
Certainly, in the university settings, they're also innovating
in quantum computing and lots of other areas that we need to be
drawing from, and pulling in faster into the DOD and into Mr.
Duffey's acquisition programs, so that we can get those things
in sooner from both of those types of organizations.
Senator King. Thank you.
Mr. Bass, I'm running short of time, but I want to be sure
that one of your priorities is brain health. The signature
issue from the war on terror has been problems with blast over
pressure and brain health long-term effects. I hope that's
something you'll pay significant attention to.
There are ongoing studies in the Department, but I want to
also emphasize that implementation of the results of those
studies is important. I hope that you'll commit to me that
brain health is something that you'll attend to in this
position. I think it's one of the most important maladies
affecting our troops.
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator, for your commitment to this
issue. DOD is a leader in this space, and I will commit to you
that we will continue to look at ways and devote research to
this issue and making sure that we continue to make progress.
Senator King. Thank you.
Just in a few seconds, none is so devout as the convert. I
was not enthusiastic about the creation of the Space Force
under the leadership of Senator Cramer. I now admit I was
wrong. I used AI a few minutes ago to determine that this
budget of the Space Force is 3.5 percent of the total budget of
the Defense Department.
Given the role of space in any future conflict, Dr. Meink,
I think the Space Force deserves greater resources and greater
attention. The first day or two of any future conflict is going
to take place in space.
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator, I believe that you are correct;
that space is going to be one of the determining factors,
either from a deterrence perspective because if it can't be
affected, it's going to be a deterrent to the adversary. So, we
definitely need to get that right.
The Space Force budget has been, to my understanding, has
been growing significantly since it was founded five or so
years ago. I will continue to advocate for the resources. I
think the Department, in general, given the threatened
environment in the INDO-PACOM theater, is going to play a very
important role in both air and space. I will advocate for the
resources to do that.
Senator King. Well, thank you, sir. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Well said by both of you. Thank you,
Senator King. Senator Budd.
Senator Budd. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and congratulations
to each and every one of you for your nominations and your
willingness to serve. It's much appreciated. Thanks to your
families for being here.
Dr. Meink, I enjoyed our conversation a couple of weeks
ago. You know, the Air Force announced that Seymour Johnson Air
Force Base will be one of Air Force's first deployable combat
wings ready for deployment in fiscal year 2027. So, what's your
understanding and view of the deployable combat wing concept?
Dr. Meink. Senator, thanks for the question, and thanks for
our discussion. I apologize we got a little off topic on some
of those things, but I appreciate the time. My understanding is
fairly limited with the reorganization and the refocus of how
they're going to deploy their wings. But I am aware they're in
the process of attempting to transition to that kind of
concept.
I think it holds promise, and if confirmed, that is one of
the areas I'm going to take a look at. My understanding is that
the Secretary will likely ask me to take a look at it, if I'm
confirmed.
Senator Budd. Look forward to working together in that
regard.
Continuing on in a January op-ed, General Allvin, he
highlighted that the Air Force fleet is the smallest and oldest
that it's ever been, sighting in part that, ``We are blocked
from divesting aircraft and programs, ill-suited for today's
threat environment.'' Dr. Meink, in your opinion, is the F-15 E
Strike Eagle ill-suited for today's threat environment?
Dr. Meink. First off, the F-15s, it's kind of my favorite
airplane. An F-15 air cap came to my rescue when I was in a
tanker in the first Gulf War, and ran off a couple of Iraqi
fighters. So, I'm probably a little bit conflicted when it
comes to the F-15. But is it going to be able to operate in the
highest threat environments? No. Does it have value? Yes.
I think the question going forward will be; how long do we
continue, and how do we best utilize the value from the fourth-
generation fighters? But I think it definitely has value today.
Not in all environments, but it definitely has value today,
Senator.
Senator Budd. Thank you.
More broadly, what are your thoughts on General Allvin's
comments about the size and age of the Air Force fleet? Is our
fleet, particularly our amount of tactical fighters, is it too
small?
Dr. Meink. Senator, the thing I can speak to for sure is
that the fleet is aging. The 30-plus years on average. Some of
the platforms, some of the critical platforms are significantly
older than that.
When I was a navigator, I had never flown a KC-135 that was
younger than me. They're still flying today. One of the
mainline air refueling platforms that the Department has. So,
they're definitely getting old. Still very capable platform,
but they're definitely aging.
With respect to the exact numbers, Senator, I have not
seen, and I'm looking forward to seeing the detailed analysis
that went into the projections on NGAD [Next Generation Air
Dominance] and the other systems. My sense though is it's
probably too small both on the fighter and the bomber side of
the house.
Senator Budd. Thank you for that.
Mr. Michael and Mr. Duffey, American deterrence relies on
maintaining military technological edge over our adversaries.
China's strategy to blunt to that edge through espionage,
intellectual property theft, and rapid acquisition is a threat
that must be addressed.
So, if confirmed, you both would play a major role in
ensuring that American its allies have the tools needed to
prevail in war, while ensuring that critical new technol-gy
stays out of unfriendly hands. So, Mr. Michael, as we develop
and scale new technology, including NGAD, or next generation
air dominance, AI, and quantum. How will you act to ensure that
the security of these American innovations and their IP
[intellectual property] remain in our hands?
Mr. Michael. That is one of the most important things that
I'll have to work on. Because if you look at what's happened
with the Chinese capabilities with Salt Typhoon, and with
infiltration into some of the university programs, and into our
systems. That means that that adversary can catch up without 80
percent of the cost because they could innovate on top of our
80 percent investment. That's quite a bit of advantage they
get.
So, protecting against their ability to steal our
intellectual property, our trade secrets, and us not being
reliant on their supply chains are two things that we have to
do in combination with one another to ensure that when we're
superior, we stay superior.
Senator Budd. Thank you.
Along those lines, Mr. Duffey, how will you ensure that our
acquisition system can keep up with the rate of technology and
innovation in the world?
Mr. Duffey. Well, thank you for the question, Senator. It
is critical that we have a robust defense industrial base that
can provide security to protect our intellectual property, but
has the robustness to ensure that we're delivering the most
cutting-edge capability to our forces. It would be my
commitment, if confirmed, into the job to explore those
barriers that are preventing new entrants and private capital
from entering the defense industrial base to accelerate the
production capacity of our defense industrial base, and to
create new innovation to get it in the hands of the warfighter.
Senator Budd. Thank you.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Budd.
I hope all policymakers, House and Senate, and the
executive branch, and private sector are listening to the
valuable testimony. Let me just followup, if I might, Senator
Hirono, before I recognize you. Dr. Meink, you said the number
of years into the future that the F-15 might be valuable or
useful is a question. Do you have an opinion about that? Could
you followup on that question that Senator Budd asked?
Dr. Meink. Senator, thanks for the question, and I
appreciate the opportunity we had to speak offline. I haven't
seen all the detailed results of the analysis that's going on,
or that has gone on in support of the NGAD and other decisions.
I don't have the latest information.
I would say, though, that the fourth-generation fighters
are still in many environments going to be effective. I think
at some point in time, it becomes a cost-benefit analysis as we
bring on additional fifth-, and potentially, sixth-generation
fighters. So, I can't speak to the detail, Senator, but I will
look into it, and I will be happy to come down and brief the
Hill on what I find.
Chairman Wicker. That's a valuable answer in itself. Thank
you very much. Senator Hirono, you are recognized.
Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome to
each of you.
As part of my effort to focus on the ensuring the fitness
of all nominees who come before any of my committees, I ask the
following two initial questions. We'll start with Mr. Duffey,
and go right down the line. First question, 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?
Mr. Duffey. Never.
Senator Hirono. Let's go down the line.
Dr. Meink. No, Senator.
Mr. Michael. No, Senator.
Mr. Bass. No.
Senator Hirono. Second question. Have you ever faced
discipline or entered into a settlement relating to this kind
of conduct?
Mr. Duffey. No.
Dr. Meink. No, Senator.
Mr. Michael. No.
Mr. Bass. No.
Senator Hirono. This is the first hearing of this Committee
since the security breach involving Signal, and involving their
attack on Yemen. So, I am going to ask each of you yes or no
questions. Again, we'll start with Mr. Duffey. Based on your
backgrounds, each of you has had a security clearance. Yes, or
no?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator, I have a clearance.
Mr. Michael. I didn't hear you say do I have or have I had?
Senator Hirono. Have you had, if you have historic----
Mr. Michael. Yes.
Senator Hirono. Yes. So, you know what a security clearance
is?
Mr. Michael. Yes, Senator,
Senator Hirono. Go ahead, and each of you would agree that
protecting classified information is important?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator.
Mr. Michael. It's obligatory.
Senator Hirono. It's what?
Mr. Michael. Obligatory.
Senator Hirono. Yes. It's the law. Have any of you
discussed classified information on an unclassified device or
medium?
Mr. Duffey. No.
Dr. Meink. No, Senator.
Mr. Michael. No.
Mr. Bass. No, Senator.
Senator Hirono. I'm glad that all of you have answered no,
because that's pretty obvious. If you admitted that you did not
follow the law, that you will be admitting to committing a
Federal crime.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask unanimous consent that
the record of this hearing include the March 26th Atlantic
article, which includes all of the Signal chat attack plans for
the strikes on Yemen to be included in the record of this
hearing.
Chairman Wicker. It is their objection. Without objection,
it is so ordered.
[The information referred to follows:]
Please see Appendix A at the end of this transcript.
Senator Hirono. I also joined those of my colleagues who
are calling for an investigation, sooner the better. I think we
need to counter the tendency of this Administration to want to
sweep everything under the rug whenever things get
uncomfortable for them.
I have a question for Dr. Meink. Joint basing construct
between the Air Force and Navy at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-
Hickam has led to extensive infrastructure and military
construction delays, including at the Hickam Air Force Base or
airfield. These delays have impacted the military's readiness
in the Pacific and warfighter quality of life. Will you commit
to working with my office to resolve these readiness gaps and
quality of life challenges, Dr. Meink?
Dr. Meink. Senator, I commit to working with you, Hickam,
and Hawaii, or in general, critical to operations within
INDOPACOM Theater. So, I've had an opportunity to spend and
operate out of there in the past. I understand the importance
of it, and I will commit to working with you, and Congress, and
with the Navy, the new Secretary of the Navy, to work on those
issues.
Senator Hirono. Of course, I'd like to see a lot more
coordination between the Navy and the Air Force on the needs
these construction needs. So, I hope that you have some plans
on how you will enhance the kind of coordination I'm talking
about?
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator, as I just mentioned, I think it's
going to be critically important that I work closely with the
Navy and the Department of Air Force, of course, to do what we
need to do to ensure that the infrastructure in Hawaii can
support INDOPACOM.
Senator Hirono. Thank you. I'm running out of time. But,
you know, the infrastructure needs and the modernization needs
of all of our bases are, I think, critical for readiness,
national security. I do have a question relating to a concern
about the State of our military base, again, particularly in
Hawaii, and that's why I'm introducing a requirement in this
year's NDAA for each military service to submit a 30-year, a
30-year infrastructure plan modeled after the Navy's annual 30-
year ship building plan.
This will ensure, one hopes, long-term planning,
resilience, investments, and the accountability for all
services. Would you support, Dr. Meink, a 30-year
infrastructure plan for the Department of the Air Force?
Dr. Meink. Senator, as I always have for my career, I will
work to answer and address any language we get from Congress.
Senator Hirono. I think that we need a longer-term plan,
because what happens is when you don't have this kind of a
plan, then the money that is supposed to go for these kinds of
modernization and improvements gets taken for other purposes.
That is why I think that if we have a long-term plan, that we
in Congress will be able to see whether you are comporting with
such a plan. So, I hope that you will see your way to
supporting such a requirement in the NDAA. Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Members are reminded that suggested
legislation should be submitted by Monday night, next, for
inclusion in the NDAA.
Thank you, Senator Hirono, and Senator Banks. You are next.
Senator Banks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Dr. Meink, the President has expressed historic confidence
in the Air National Guard by nominating General Caine to be the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. That's never happened before; to
have a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs come from the National
Guard, and I wonder if you could speak to the importance of the
Air National Guard in the overall Air Force mission, and the
priority of the Air National Guard, and what that will look
like on your watch?
Dr. Meink. Thank you, thank you for the question, Senator,
and thank you for the opportunity to speak offline. Yes, the
National Guard is critically important. It is a significant
portion of the Department's capabilities across the board from
tankers to fighter aircraft. It will continue to be an
important part of the Department, and we need to continue to
support and work closely with the States and with Congress to
make sure that stay so.
Senator Banks. On that note, as you know, the Air Force is
shrinking. We're not buying enough planes to keep the force at
its current size, but that means that the Air Force Reserves
and the National Guard carries a greater priority in the
mission. How can we ensure that the Air National Guard is
getting its fair share of new fighter aircraft?
Dr. Meink. So, Senator, one of the things I plan to do, and
again, is take a holistic look across all the modernization
activities to understand what we need from a numbers
perspective. How fast do we need to build both to support the
Active Duty and the Reserve units? Then, I will advocate for
whatever that requirement is or whatever the capability is, and
whatever the resources that are needed to meet the requirement
both up to the Administration and to Congress.
Senator Banks. Well, I appreciate that. I look forward to
working with you to make sure that the Air National Guard
doesn't get the short end of the stick, like it often does.
Dr. Meink, your first Air Force assignment was flying KC-
135s at Grissom Air Force Base in Indiana. Can you talk about
how important the effort is there, and why it matters, not just
to Indiana, but to the country and our national defense?
Dr. Meink. Yes. So, this is probably an area I'm a little
bit biased on since I started my career in tankers. It has
always been critical, both from a strategic nuclear mission, as
well from a conventional mission.
One of the reasons we were pulled off of alert and sent to
the Gulf War was because tankers were not only necessary for
the strategic mission, but they were just critical for
operations that were going on in the Middle East. So, yes, the
tanker force has been and always will be, and to some degree, I
think it's becoming more important given the--in the PACOM
theater, where the ranges are even longer than what they are in
some of the other theaters.
So, we need to continue--we need to ensure that the tanker
force both Active and Reserves are able to support mission.
Senator Banks. Does this surprise you? They're still flying
the same planes there that they were flying when you were
there?
Dr. Meink. I have to admit a little bit, but to some degree
not that I have too deep, but they had instances of zero time
those airplanes when I was Active Duty, when they reengine
them. So, it was almost a brand-new airplane, effectively. But
it is still, you know, 60-odd-years old. That's still pretty
old, even if you've done a lot of maintenance on them.
Senator Banks. The Air Force refueling tankers are, on
average, among the oldest aircraft in the fleet. The Air Force
isn't buying enough new tankers to replace the ones that were
retiring. The same goes for Grissom, the place where, as you
said, you started your career. Grissom has a more than a two-
mile runway, one of the longest in the United States of
America.
As far as I can tell, the Air Force needs new tankers for
Grissom, which otherwise threatens to close down the base. We
would lose that runway, that important asset that we have. How
should we be working to fix the Air Force refueler fleet?
Dr. Meink. Right now, the new tanker is the focus, right?
We have to work with both within the Government and with the
contractor to get that program on track, to get the production
rates up, and drive the cost down so that we can afford to
procure the tanker force that's necessary both to expand and
replace as even no great airplane.
Senator, you're exactly right. It is getting pretty old. We
were going to have to replace those which means we need to get
the new tanker into full production.
Senator Banks. Well, I look forward to working with you.
Your background is perfect for this job. You have my full
support, and to each of the other three with us today, I don't
have time to ask questions, too, but congratulations. I look
forward to working with you, too. I yield back.
Chairman Wicker. Senator Banks, in the summer of 1971, I
did my field training at Grissom Air Force Base, and my first
flight on the KC-135 was during that time at Grissom. So,
you're bringing back memories, and, yes, they like the Buffs,
they've been flying and doing well for a long time.
Senator Warren, you are next.
Senator Warren. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Healthcare for our men and women in uniform is critical in
peacetime and even more so in wartime. Mr. Bass, if you are
confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs,
you're going to be responsible for ensuring nearly 10 million
servicemembers and their families receive quality healthcare,
including timely access to medication.
I am very concerned about our over-reliance on foreign
nations for very medications that put the health of
servicemembers at risk and our national security along with it.
DOD spends over $5 billion on prescription drugs each year.
It's a lot of money. But in November, 2023, the Defense
Logistics Agency released a report revealing that the supply
chain for a third of all drugs on the FDA's Essential Medicines
list is at very high risk. Why? Because the ingredients from
these drugs are sourced from China, or we don't even know where
they're sourced from.
So, Mr. Bass, do you agree that it is a threat to our
readiness and to the potential health of our servicemembers
that DODs pharmaceutical supply chain relies so heavily on
China?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator, and thank you again for
meeting with me. I do agree that it is a threat. It is a
vulnerability.
Senator Warren. So, this over reliance gives our
adversaries the power to restrict DODs access to drugs when we
need to be able to treat our men and women in uniform. It also
leaves us with much less visibility into the practices of
foreign manufacturers, which by the way, routinely have quality
issues that threaten both the efficacy and the safety of these
drugs.
For these reasons, the DOD report recommends boosting the
production of finished drugs, active pharmaceutical
ingredients, and other key starting materials so that we are
making more of this right here in the United States. Mr. Bass,
do you think DOD should work to onshore the critical drugs the
military needs, including writing contracts that require
manufacturers to onshore these capabilities?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator. I do, I think that we need to
work with our industrial base, our private and public partners,
and we need to have rapid response contracts, and we need to
make sure that we either onshore or nearshore capabilities.
Senator Warren. Good. I'm glad to hear you say this. DOD
should prioritize domestic purchasing, but there are some
instances where it makes sense for DOD to actually produce the
medication itself, like when the DOD is the sole customer for
that medication.
One example the adenovirus vaccine, which is critical in
preventing serious respiratory illness among servicemembers,
particularly servicemembers in basic training. DOD developed
the vaccine and licensed it then to private industry. But
because the military is basically the only buyer, DOD couldn't
find a commercial manufacturer for nearly a decade. DOD
eventually had to pay a private manufacturer nearly $100
million just to resume production. During the years that the
private sector refused to manufacture for DOD, there were
thousands of cases of adenovirus per month, and servicemembers
who actually died.
Mr. Bass, if confirmed, will you commit to expanding DOD's
capabilities of producing essential drugs in-house to reduce
risk and to secure DODs medical supply chain?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator. The health and well-being of
all of our military members is a priority. I'm not familiar
with the report, but I commit to working with you and your
staff.
Senator Warren. All right. I appreciate that, because this
is a serious problem. Ultimately, these are investments that
will pay off. One expert estimated that DOD would make its
money back in 3 years after building its own adenovirus
manufacturing facility.
This is a longstanding bipartisan concern. I worked with
Senator Rubio for years on this, and last year, the Senate
adopted our language directing the DOD to enter into contracts
to domestically manufacture drugs and drug components that are
currently sourced overseas, and that are used exclusively by
the military. I want to see us get that in the final version of
the NDAA. There's more work to do, and I look forward to
working with you on this, Mr. Bass. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much. Senator Tuberville is
next.
Senator Tuberville. Good morning. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, gentlemen.
Mr. Duffey, I just got back from Huntsville, Alabama last
week or so, and watched the performance of high energy lasers.
Senator King had brought that up about spending all these
millions knocking down these drones. What's your thoughts on
high energy and what you've seen the progress in the last few
years? I've seen a lot in the last 4 years, myself. Your
thoughts?
Mr. Duffey. Well, Senator, thank you for the question, and
for the great State of Alabama's contribution to the defense
industrial base.
I agree with Senator King and with you. Directed energy and
high energy lasers would provide a tremendous capability when
we think through some of the threats that we face, whether it
comes to counter-UAS [unmanned aircraft system] systems and
really the threat we face, whether it's from adversaries like
the Houthis that are able to inflict low cost kinetics at us
which require us to expend high cost weapon systems.
I think if we can get the technology where we need to be
with directed energy and higher energy lasers, that would
provide us with the capability to have very low-cost response
to those threats, and in the future of a distributed warfare
with swarms and that sort of things, I think that'll be
critical for us to establish that capability.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
The progress we've made has been small, private companies.
As Senator King was saying, sometimes they get bought out and
they move down the line, or can't make it because of funding.
But I think they're doing outstanding job. I'd like to, when
you're confirmed, come down and visit and see this for
yourself.
Mr. Duffey. I look forward to it, sir.
Senator Tuberville. Dr. Meink and Dr. Michael, just a
question for you here on the future of engineering in your
departments. Both of you, we're going to have a tough time
keeping good engineers and people employed because of the
private companies taking our good people away out of the
military.
What's your thoughts and your plan of hopefully keeping the
best and the brightest in the military instead of taking the
private route? Either one of you or both of you.
Mr. Michael. I'd say it's twofold, Senator Tuberville.
First, we have to have some successes that are well promoted
inside the science and technology enterprise. If DARPA does
something great, we need to get it out of the labs and into
production fast, and that gives people motivation to want to be
part of one of those organizations.
The second thing is we should be working with private
industry more. If you take artificial intelligence, there's a
lot of money being spent, and a lot of research, and a route of
dollars. We shouldn't have to duplicate that in every area of
the Government. We should be leveraging where they're spending
more and doing ahead. The things we have to do on the basic
research side that's not profitable for private industry, we've
got to get it out of the labs faster and into production
sooner.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you. Dr. Meink?
Dr. Meink. Thanks for the question, Senator. Just to kind
of echo, I think it's not just money. I think it is the
opportunity to do advanced research, do advanced engineering
that has a mission outcome, right? That what we've found in my
current organizations, it's a very highly technical workforce.
We've done very well in recruiting and, and retention.
It goes kind of back to the quality of service I mentioned
a little bit earlier. When you bring in these really skilled,
talented people. Regardless of what that talent is, there needs
to be an opportunity for them to be successful and to do what
they love to do. Because it takes a lot of work to get some of
these skill sets. I think in many cases, that's even more
important than just pure funding or pure salary.
Senator Tuberville. Thank you.
We talk about machines a lot, but we don't talk about
people enough, and people are what's going to get the job done
for us. Mr. Bass, it's becoming more and more common for
members of our armed services to be referred away from the
military treatment facilities to civilian providers. The
consequences are enormous to the taxpayer, the cost. We want to
take care of our servicemembers. How do we fix this problem?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Senator, and thank you again for
meeting with me offline. We need to take a look at medical
readiness as our priority, and we want to make sure we meet the
access to care standards for our military members. It's a
delicate balance between going to the direct care system, and
the MTFs, and then to the private sector.
We need to look at and encourage healthcare and the MTFs
for both volume and complexity, but when necessary to meet
medical readiness standards. We need to also send it out to the
community. So, we have to look at the delicate balance between
the both. And if confirmed, I'll work with the staff to make
sure that we're meeting access standards, getting healthcare
for our troops and they're getting world-class care.
Senator Tuberville. And as you and I talked about, you
know, cutting costs, we need to involve the 21st century of AI
into the things that we do between doctors, and hospitals, and
drug companies, and all the things that can cut back costs.
They're there, we just don't use them for some reason. But I
would hope we would get involved in that. Thank you, guys.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much. Senator Slotkin.
Senator Slotkin. I yield to Senator Rosen.
Senator Rosen. I thank Senator Slotkin because I'm off to
Foreign Relations after this. So, thank you for yielding your
time, and thank you, Chairman Wicker. Thank you to the
witnesses for being here, for your families, for your
willingness to serve.
Dr. Meink, it's good to see you. Thanks for meeting with me
last month. I want to say thank you to Senator Banks, although
he is no longer here, for bringing up the importance of the
National Guard because I could not agree more. Dr. Meink, as we
discussed, Nevada's Air National Guard's 152d Airlift Wing in
Reno flies the dangerous Modular Airborne Firefighting System,
easier to say, MAFFS, the MAFFS mission. It flies it with its
legacy C-130Hs. They fly low and slow at max gross weight over
wildfires and mountainous terrain.
So, upgrading to the C-130Js would provide increased power
and cargo capacity for flight retardant, which equals increased
flight safety and firefighting capability in Nevada, and,
actually, throughout the Western states, which is their mission
every year we're plagued by devastating wildfires. Just earlier
this year, the 152d Airlift Wing was activated to fight those
fires around Los Angeles.
Upgrading to the Js is also critical, because during the
summer months, C-130H is fully loaded with fire retardant,
can't even take off from Reno with a full tank of fuel due to
the heat and elevation. This wouldn't be a problem for the C-
130Js. So, it's why no other base candidate has greater
operational need.
Dr. Meink, the fiscal year 2024 defense appropriations
procured 8 C-130Js, which weighed a basing decision by the
Secretary of the Air Force. If confirmed, will you ensure that
the 152d Airlift Wing receives those C-130Js? We actually were
next on the list, so that they can more capably and safely
carry out their dangerous firefighting mission throughout the
Western United States.
Dr. Meink. Senator, thank you for the question, and thank
you for the time. My Sherpa is actually a C-130J pilot, so I've
gotten a lot of indoctrination on importance of the C-130J. I
promise to work with you, Senator, as soon as I get confirmed
and get an opportunity to take a look at the basing laid out, I
will work with the Committee and with you to make sure that is
fully considered in those decisions.
Senator Rosen. Yes. Location, mission served is always
really important. I know we also discussed this, and I see some
young kids here in the audience. Airmen stationed at Creech Air
Force Base, Northwest of Las Vegas, they fly the MQ-9 Reapers,
the unmanned aerial system. They struggle to find adequate
childcare options because their shift schedules are outside of
normal business hours. They actually go 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, 365 days a year to support those global operations.
The DODs attempts to help provide in-home childcare
solutions for servicemembers in regions with exceptionally high
demand. They've just not been successful so far. A lot of it
has to do with the red tape and cumbersome requirements, which
essentially renders in-home childcare reimbursement unavailable
for many Nevada families. We would be able to maybe do this
within the community if we could cut some of the red tape. We
can serve each other.
Dr. Meink, this is so important for the needs of our
families, and for our mission, as well as they may be based in
Nevada, but they're not flying in Nevada. Maybe can you commit
to working with me to make this program work better for our
families. It's a quality of life and a quality for our mission.
Particularly those at Creech, they really work outside those
normal business hours.
Dr. Meink. Yes. Senator, I commit to work with you. As I
mentioned earlier, my wife is a retired Air Force officer. I
spent time both Active in Reserves and civilian. I understand
the challenges, particularly in some of the remote locations.
We go to these remote locations for a reason, but it does
create challenges and red tape. Yes, we will, I will. I commit
to work with you on streamlining that.
Senator Rosen. Thank you. I so appreciate that. My last
question really quickly is about Nevada Test and Training
Range, the crown jewel of the Air Force Nellis Air Force Base,
the Knitter----
Chairman Wicker. What did you say? What?
Senator Rosen. The Nevada Test and Training Range, the
Knitter. The Knitter. I'm sorry, that's what the Air Force
calls it. Their crown jewel. We are proud to say that provides
the largest air and ground military training space in the Lower
48. It can never beat Alaska on that amount of space, sorry.
But for the evaluations of weapons systems, tactics
development, advanced air combat training without interference
from commercial aircraft.
Knitter modernization has been among the Air Force top
priorities to ensure that our high-end training keeps pace with
current and emerging threats and capabilities. We were able to
finally pass NDAA modernization fiscal year 2024. That's the
collaboration between the Nevada delegation, the Air Force,
Department of Interior, other local stakeholders. Almost 90
percent of Nevada's land is owned or managed by the Federal
Government in some form or fashion. So, there's a lot of pieces
and parts.
So, we'll take this for the record, but I'm going to ask
what your priorities for future investments at the Knitter are,
and how do we envision the range evolving? But in deference to
everybody else who's waiting, and Senator Slotkin who allowed
me to get over to Foreign Services, we'll take that for the
record.
Senator Rosen. Thank you-all for your time.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much, Senator Rosen.
Senator Slotkin.
Senator Slotkin. Thank you. Thanks for being here.
Congratulations.
I remember coming in front of this panel under Chairman
Levin to do a panel confirmation hearing, and I remember being
the target of that, and everyone else just sat there very
quietly and got no questions. So, for those of you having
different experiences today, congratulations.
Chairman Wicker. I think you were you were in junior high?
[Laughter.]
Senator Slotkin. I was not in junior high, but I will say I
got the full McCain treatment, and remember it to this day. So,
you should be proud and happy that none of you, I think, have
received the McCain treatment.
A couple of questions for Dr. Meink. You know, in Michigan,
we have Selfridge Air Force Base, the only Air National Guard-
controlled base in the country. We've discussed this, and any
good Michigander will constantly bring up our interest in a
replacement fighter mission for our A-110's, which are phasing
out in fiscal year 2027.
I know that in order to have a better shot of having a
fighter mission, we need more airplanes. I just want you to
know that there's lots of us on this Committee for various
reasons, who want the Air Force to have more airplanes. But
will you please commit to working with us on a replacement
mission, a fighter mission, not a refuel--we've got those in
coming--but a fighter mission for Selfridge Air Force Base?
Dr. Meink. Senator, I commit to work with the Committee
both on--to make sure we have the right number of platforms,
and where those platforms are betted down on. Happy to do that.
Senator Slotkin. But the right number is more, right?
Dr. Meink. Right. Number is likely more, Senator, yes.
Senator Slotkin. I mean, no matter what it is, it's more.
Okay. Good. All right. Well, looking forward to working with
you and love to invite you to Selfridge, and have you come
formally and check out what we have going on. It's an amazing
base, so.
Dr. Meink. Happy to do so, Senator.
Senator Slotkin. Great. Switching gears. Mr. Duffey, I know
you've been sitting in the Secretary of Defense's front office,
and I believe acting as his Deputy Chief of Staff. So, really
at his right hand. You're about to become the Head of
Acquisition for the entire Department of Defense. That's a huge
job. Hugely sensitive job. We don't want other countries
knowing what we're acquiring, and so they can defeat it.
The leadership of this Committee has sent a very standard
letter to the Department of Defense acting Inspector General,
asking for an investigation of what has happened with
potentially classified information being on the Signal chat.
What do you think of this investigation? Will you commit to
participating since you were right there in the right hand of
Secretary Hegseth during this moment?
Mr. Duffey. Senator, I was not a part of the chat that's in
question. I defer to others on the investigation. I will
continue, as I have in the past, always to communicate through
approved channels with sensitive information.
Senator Slotkin. But if the acting Inspector General came
to you as someone who's been so closely working in the front
office of the Secretary, you would participate in such an
investigation?
Mr. Duffey. I would participate. I would follow Department
procedure if that included the investigation.
Senator Slotkin. Are you aware of any other Signal
communications that has gone on from the front office of the
Secretary of Defense, either him or his senior staff that have
involved operationally sensitive information, information about
specific Whitman's platforms, the timing of operations, or
anything having to do with senior leader decision making? Are
you aware of any other Signal chains that you, your staff or
your boss have been on in the past 90 days?
Mr. Duffey. I'm not aware of Signal chats that contain
sensitive information. No.
Senator Slotkin. Okay. So, you can confirm with a clear yes
or no, you have not been on any Signal chains that provide
operationally sensitive or classified information?
Mr. Duffey. No, I have not.
Senator Slotkin. Okay, great. That's makes me feel good. We
all know that our main competitor in the acquisition space is
China. That they have invested in technology that is purposely
meant to undercut our advantages in a fight.
So, if you can sum up in a bumper sticker what you're going
to focus on in the acquisition world in order to shred that gap
that we have with them, what is that bumper sticker?
Mr. Duffey. Thank you for the question, Senator. I think
two really critical metrics when it comes to measuring the
success of our acquisition system. One is speed, and second is
capacity. I think nobody beats us on performance and
capability, but we need to accelerate speed, and we need to
manage cost.
I think the best incentive because our industrial base is
absolutely critical to providing this, this is something that
they do best. It's one of our greatest national assets, is our
economic power and our innovation within our industrial base.
If confirmed in this job, it would be a priority for me to
convene leaders of industry to understand what are the barriers
that get in the way of business, wanting to do business with
the defense industrial base, and ensuring that we can benefit
from the incentives that competition provides.
The more interest we have in the defense industrial base,
the more innovation we'll get, and I think the more there will
be effective incentives to provide capable capability at cost
and at speed.
Senator Slotkin. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. A key matter that needs attention. Thank
you very much for the question and the answer. Senator Schmitt.
Senator Schmitt. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Again, I've said this earlier today. I've been asked more
questions about Signal in the last 2 days by these journalists
who didn't seem to care at all that we had a commander-in-chief
who couldn't put two sentences together for 4 years. So,
forgive me if I'm not being caught up in this faux outrage that
is being demonstrated by my Democrat colleagues about a Signal
chat that didn't have war plans.
It occurs to me that this is more to do about the election
loss, and rooting against President Trump, and trying to get a
scalp than it is about national security. So, keep going with
it. Keep going with it. Because this is the failed stuff that
didn't work for you before.
Dr. Meink, I want to draw your attention because we have a
President now that we'll take decisive action. Clearly, the
announcement of NGAD, moving forward with NGAD is a real
positive. Just so happens that the F-47 will be built by Boeing
in St. Louis, which is a big win. But I think it's a big win
for the country to move forward. How do you see our strategic--
the Chairman and I wrote an op-ed last year about doubling-down
really on our air superiority. It's a real important thing for
us to do, strategically.
Where do we stand right now? How important was that
decision in your mind?
Dr. Meink. I think it was very, very important, Senator.
Again, thank you for the one-on-ones we got to do. I appreciate
the time. So, I think the Department of the Air Force, Air
Superiority Global Strike, all the command and control, ISR
[intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance], all the
systems that the Department is responsible for are becoming
increasingly important, particularly in a China fight when it's
such a high threat environment.
You know, the sixth-generation capability that NGADs will
bring, as well as the B-21 and other systems, the long-range
munitions that we're developing, all those are going to be
extremely important. Probably more so almost than probably
since World War II with respect to the importance of air
superiority and aircraft, in general, Senator. So, I think it's
a very important decision.
Senator Schmitt. One of the thing that is just worth
mentioning, I know you've been asked a couple questions about
this from some other Senators on the committee, but we have an
Air Force Reserve fighter Wing, the 442d, that the A-10 is
going away. So, these follow-on missions and the critical
personnel that, you know, a highly trained, and if there's not
a sort of a follow-on mission, you lose that expertise. It's
really, really hard to get it back.
There's been a lot of discussions that I'll look forward to
talking with you and others about. The F-15 seems to make a lot
of sense there. But Dr. Meink, I also want to ask you, you have
a pretty unique perspective having served as the Deputy
Director of NRO, and been responsible for procurement with
commercial space capabilities. If confirmed you'll have a
responsibility for managing kind of the other side of that
collaborative partnership. From the Space Force side, how do
you view the role of commercial space imagery providers? I say
this, NGA West is in St. Louis, a huge asset and critical to
our national security. How do you view that given your role,
your previous role?
Dr. Meink. I think commercial space, in general, is going
to play a continuing bigger and bigger part in what we do both
from a commercial space and then also from national security,
imaging services are a big part of that.
We've made a lot of advances in my current job. We've
dramatically expanded the number of commercial providers. It's
been interesting, right, operating in that highly dynamic, DC
commercial space. We've learned some lessons, but I think we've
come out of it stronger. I expect to and hope to, if confirmed,
take those lessons that I've learned work in that, in the NRO,
to the Department.
Senator Schmitt. I guess for whoever, got one question
left, so whoever wants to jump in, and Dr. Meink, I feel like
I've been dominating the questions with you. We've heard a lot
about procurement reform and being more nimble. You've probably
been asked, and I was in and out of this hearing about this
before, but what are--if there were two things that we could do
better. What would it be?
Mr. Duffey. Senator, I'll take the question. I think, first
of all, I think we need to really examine very closely what are
the regulatory burdens that we place on businesses that want to
do business with the Federal Government. I think we need to be
a dependable and reliable customer because competition is the
greatest incentive structure that we can have for our industry.
There's the famous spaghetti chart out there that talks
about post-Last Supper in the late 1990s. The Defense
Industrial Base went from 51 primes to 5 primes, which really
puts--and our prime contractors deliver tremendous capability.
But I do think we deprive ourselves of the benefits of
competition.
It would be my priority, if confirmed, as the Under
Secretary, to examine where are those opportunities that we
could remove the barriers to entry for both new, venture-
backed, or private capital-backed companies, or to help
companies that are already providing value, that are struggling
to get access to the Pentagon, to give them greater access.
Because I think that will just really help us to identify and
accelerate capability to the warfighter.
Senator Schmitt. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much, Senator Schmitt.
Senator Kelly.
Senator Kelly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I just want to comment on some of the comments that my
colleague from Missouri made about the Signal chat chain
talking about war plans. Well, I have planned and conducted
strikes off of aircraft carriers, multiple strikes into harm's
way over Iraq and Kuwait. I would agree with the Senator from
Missouri, this is not an entire war plan. What this is an
operational plan for very risky combat operations off of an
aircraft carrier. It's not all the information.
But the most critical information that we have in our
Government are things like launch time off of a platform, in
this case of an air aircraft carrier, type of airplane F-18s,
MQ-9s weapons like tomahawks, time on target. It is very
critical information. Somebody could argue that the piece of
paper, it came off of the Signal chat, it did not say
``secret'' or ``top secret.''
When you have pilots that are about to go feet dry over a
foreign nation within an hour or 2 hours, and that information
is being shared on a non-secure system, it puts those pilots at
great risk. I agree. It is not all the information, but some of
the most critical information that you would not want to be
released is what was in that Signal chain.
So, whereas I do agree with some of what you said with
regards to an entire plan, sure. But the most critical pieces
were shared publicly on an unsecured system by the Secretary of
Defense.
So, with that, I've got some other questions about maritime
industry and the SHIPS for America Act, which is my legislation
with Senator Young of Indiana. Mr. Duffey and Mr. Michael, one
issue I've been focused on for a long time is the State of our
maritime industry. TRANSCOM relies on U.S.-flagged vessels and
American mariners to provide strategic sealift, and right now,
we don't have enough vessels or mariners to support sustained
operations overseas. It's a national security issue for us.
We also have a hollowed-out shipyard industrial base. We
the United States, and the only ocean-going ships we build in
the United States now are Navy vessels, and that means
constrained supply chains and increased costs for the Navy.
These are all really pressing issues for our national security.
So, Mr. Duffey first, and then Mr. Michael. One, what steps
would you take to ensure that our cast and forged industrial
shipbuilding base from forging to supply chains and production
are ready for competition, crisis, and conflict?
Mr. Duffey. Senator, thank you for your concern about this
very important issue. I had a chance to read the GAOs
[Government Accountability Office] testimony this week with
respect to shipbuilding, and one of the major concerns that
sort of was revealing to me and reviewing that was that since
2003, we have not increased the number of ships in our Navy.
Which is really puts us at a disadvantage when maritime
supremacy is absolutely critical in terms of deterring our
adversary and preventing future conflict.
My understanding of the challenges in the shipbuilding
industrial base includes workforce and supply chain. If I'm
confirmed into the role, it would be absolutely a priority for
me to work with this Committee, and with you, and thank you for
your leadership on the SHIPS legislation, because I think where
we've seen success in the Defense industry is where we can
leverage capability in the commercial industry. I think that's
one of the proposals of your legislation is how do we enhance
both defense and commercial shipbuilding within the United
States?
Senator Kelly. Then, Mr. Michael, would you agree that
there are lessons that we can learn from the private sector
when it comes to shipbuilding best practices?
Mr. Michael. There are a lot of lessons learned. I think
the most sophisticated manufacturers today have very sort of
dashboard-like understanding of where their supply chains are.
Every supplier, they're required to build something so that
they can eliminate bottlenecks. They could do just-in-time
ordering. They know what's backlogged so they can start on
other processes while they wait for the parts that are in short
supply to come in.
AI can help with that, and look through and down the supply
chain across countries and figure out where the materials are
that we need and schedule labor to be efficient on that. That's
done very effectively in lots of industries today, that we
should be borrowing that technology or buying it, or building
it ourselves, to do that in these industries given the amount
of money we spend.
Senator Kelly. Do you think having a vibrant commercial
maritime industry is going to help us build Navy ships?
Mr. Michael. I think it can. I think the ancillary
technologies that are built to manage supply chains, and
manufacturing, and labor can be used to do the same thing in
the military.
Senator Kelly. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you very much.
Mr. Michael, have you read my FoRGED Act?
Mr. Michael. Twice.
Chairman Wicker. Okay. Thank you very much. Senator
Sullivan, you're recognized.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Michael, that's a good answer.
[Laughter.]
Senator Sullivan. Got you some points there. Good work.
I want to thank all of you, all four of you, your
willingness to serve our country. Some of you have been doing
that most of your career, so it's a good, good panel, and I
appreciate everybody's service, and your family's service, too.
Families mean a lot in these kinds of jobs. So, to your family
members here as well, I want to thank all of you.
Dr. Meink, I have shown you this slide here, and Mr. Duffey
as well.
Chairman Wicker. Let's put it in the record. Without
objection.
[The information referred to follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My part of the
world in Alaska, the AOR [area of responsibility], that's, you
know, Arctic Northern Pacific, we're getting a lot of action in
our neck of the woods with Russian ``Bear'' Bomber incursions
into our ADIZ [Air Defense Identification Zone], Russian Navy
Vessels task force into our EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone]. I
just got a report harassing our fishermen just last month.
Again, joint Russian-Chinese strategic bomber task force
into our ADIZ, which has never happened in the history of our
country with armed MiG fighters and joint Russian, Chinese
naval task force. The lower 48 press doesn't cover this a lot,
but it is a lot of action in the great State of Alaska. We are
on the front lines of great power competition. I want to ask a
few questions on that.
You know, Dr. Meink, we also have over 100 fifth-generation
fighters and F-16s, and our young men and women who go do these
intercept missions all the time. These are tough missions. I
was really glad to hear that you've done these missions as a
tanker navigator and flew intercept missions against the
Russians in the Alaska ADIZ. So, thank you for that service.
But here's my question. We need more tankers. There's no
doubt about it. It's obvious. The Air Force has been telling me
literally for 10 years that we need more tankers. It went from
KC-46s--yes, we're going to put them up there to--oh, well now
we're going to put them all CONUS [Continental United States].
I don't think that makes any sense. But that was the decision.
They said, but we know we need more tankers in Alaska, so we're
going to move KC-135s from Kadena to Alaska, then they rope a
dope. That one, that was General CQ Brown when he was chief of
staff. That was previous chiefs of staff of the Air Force.
Finally, I wrote a rather forceful letter to Secretary
Kendall saying, ``Hey, it's been about 10 years since you guys
committed to tankers in my State, which we all know we need,
right?'' Just go do one of those. I mean, you know, these guys
go intercept Russian ``Bear'' bombers. They got to tank four to
five times just to get there. Really tough missions that our
young men and women do a great job at.
Secretary Kendall, in the fall, wrote and said to me,
``Yes, Senator, the 4 KC-135s are coming.'' We had one. Then I
heard--I was just home over the weekend with some folks saying,
actually, they moved that one back.
Can I get your 110 percent commitment? These four KC-135s
are coming to Eielson. Our Air Force needs them. It's been 10
years since the Air Force committed to me on this. I'm getting
a little impatient, as you can tell, but this isn't a hard
call. Everybody and their mother knows that we need more
tankers up in Alaska, given the action. If we have to surge
forces from the Lower 48 to INDOPACOM, they're all going to fly
over Alaska anyway. So, can I get your commitment on that? No,
head, no bob and weaving. Just tell me yes.
Dr. Meink. Senator, if Secretary Kendall committed to
moving four tankers up there----
Senator Sullivan. Everybody for 10 years they've been
committing.
Dr. Meink. Then I will work to follow through on that,
Senator.
Senator Sullivan. So, that's a yes?
Dr. Meink. That's a yes, Senator.
Senator Sullivan. Great. Thank you.
Mr. Duffey, I want to just talk to you and Dr. Meink very
quickly, and we can do it in more detail. But the INDOPACOM
commander, the NORTHCOM commander, given this action, NORTHCOM
commander, was here just last week--or I'm sorry, 3 weeks ago,
in testimony saying this is going to only increase, and we need
the infrastructure to deal with it.
As I just mentioned, our great airmen have to fly 1,000
miles just to get to the ADIZ just to intercept. So, they have
suggested the NORTHCOM commander more infrastructure, a dead
horse in Alaska, Galena, and very importantly, ADAC, and an Air
Force hangar with regard to tankers. Can I get your commitment
to work with me, both of you on those infrastructure projects
that the NORTHCOM [United States Northern Command] and
INDOPACOM [United States Indo-Pacific Command] commander have
both testified in the last month that they need,
Mr. Duffey. Well, give me a chance to get to Alaska,
Senator. I will commit, yes, sir.
Senator Sullivan. Yes, we know you're coming to Alaska.
[Laughter.]
Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink?
Dr. Meink. Yes, Senator.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Senator
Peters.
Senator Kelly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Dr. Meink, congratulations on your nomination to serve as
the Secretary of Air Force. Just want to say, I was happy we
had a chance to meet at length in my office, and learn about a
number of your priorities going forward.
As you know, Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan
was selected as the home of a dozen new KC-46 tankers, to
followup on Senator Sullivan's conversation. I, certainly, am
grateful as you mentioned in the office, your commitment to
honor that decision to place those KC-46s in Michigan. I look
forward to officially welcoming you to visit Selfridge so you
can see firsthand the incredible facility that is there.
Similar to Senator Slotkin, who I know raised this issue
with you earlier, I also remain committed to securing a future
fighter mission for Selfridge which is set to lose, as we
talked about, it's A-10 squadron in fiscal year 2027.
During our meeting, we discussed the Air Force's fighter
force structure and prioritizing the recapitalization of
combat-coded fighter squadrons. As you know, without
recapitalization, the DOD risks losing hundreds of skilled
servicemembers at a time when we are already short over 1,000
fighter pilots and over 4,500 maintainers. Of the 25 Air
National Guard Fighter Squadrons in existence today, 15 do not
have a recapitalization plan. Being from a National Guard
State, Air National Guard State, that concerns me a great deal.
So, my question for you, sir, is how can we ensure we are
taking full advantage of the expertise of our current National
Guard aviators and the crews that they have to address this
personnel shortfall that the Air Force has?
Dr. Meink. Again, Senator, I thank you for the question,
but also, I thank you for the opportunity to sit down and talk
with you a bit.
As I stated in the office, we for sure, the KC-46 tanker,
we will commit to that. In discussion questions from Senator
Slotkin, one of the things I will be looking at across the
board is the procurement plan of fighters to meet the overall
requirements that the Department has been given, and what are
the resources to get to the right numbers of aircraft as we
build out the F-35s.
Then, maintaining the fourth-generation fighters, and then
moving on into the NGADs program, making sure we have the right
numbers of platforms, and then look at where we're going to put
those platforms. Senator, if confirmed, to work directly with
you on where we think we're going to land and have that
discussion for sure.
Senator Kelly. Great, great.
We also discussed in that office meeting how collaborative
combat aircraft and other similar warfighting autonomous
capabilities can be utilized and integrated alongside the KC-
46s for both improved command and control. These autonomous
aircraft will be, as you know, crucial in the Indo-Pacific
given their relative low cost and the versatile capabilities as
well as high numbers to be able to produce at scale.
So, my question for you, sir, is can you share your plans
to prioritize and improve the acquisition process for
autonomous capabilities to improve force mix of integrated Air
Force platforms, as well as weapon systems. Clearly,
acquisition process needs to be a whole lot quicker, a whole
lot more efficient. I'd love to hear your plans to make that
happen.
Dr. Meink. I can talk about improving acquisition rate of
innovation for all day long. I think the key is have the right
people running the programs, have the right set of
requirements, give the right authorities to the program
managers, and then support them through the acquisition. I've
done that throughout my life with significant success, and I
will continue to do so.
With respect to specific acceleration of the different
unmanned systems, CCAs [Collaborative Combat Aircraft], and
other follow-on systems. I haven't been given the detailed--you
know, it's part of the larger NGAD CCA, the larger enterprise
solution that the Department's been working on. I haven't
gotten the detailed briefing on all that. But that will be a
focus. It's a combination of not just the manpower forms, but
it's the CCA, and I believe there's likely other platforms
that'll be required.
That's going to have to be a focus because that's what that
integration of those different type of platforms with ISR
[intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] and other
capabilities is what's going to be required to deter any
aggressor and PACOM, any place else, and win, if we need to.
We're going to have to make sure we get that right.
Senator Kelly. Thank you, Dr. Meink. Look forward to
working with you on that issue and the others that we discussed
in my office. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. Thank you, Senator Peters.
There is a vote on. I'm the only questioner remaining in
the first round. Let me go quickly. Mr. Duffey, thank you for
mentioning the FoRGED Act on multiple occasions. With regard to
things like other transaction agreements and middle tier
acquisition, you can go ahead with that now without the
enactment of additional legislation. Is that correct?
Mr. Duffey. Yes, Mr. Chairman, that is correct. If
confirmed, I would look to find ways in advance of any
additional legislation reforming the acquisition to ensure that
the Department is maximizing the use of the flexibilities of
the Congress has already provided.
Chairman Wicker. That's good. We need to do that, and we
are going to work with you on that. Mr. Michael, let me ask
about Defense Established Program to stimulate competitive
research, or DEPSCoR. How can we buildup innovation across the
heartland not just in Silicon Valley and Massachusetts?
Mr. Michael. I think there's a lot of ways. I think the
SBIR [Small Business Innovation Research] programs. I think the
way we get our supply chains unlinked from our adversaries,
those kinds of technologies or products, if you will, that we
could do that are perfectly made for more manufacturing-style
capabilities and software writing. I think there are lots of
good universities in the center of the country that have lots
of manufacturing capability, training programs, and there's
lots of plants there that exist that maybe are not being used
that would be used to do component building and so on.
So, I think that, plus focus on universities outside of the
Ivy Leagues and the Coasts. There's lots of universities in
Indiana, and in Chicago, in Illinois,
Chairman Wicker. Mississippi.
Mr. Michael. Mississippi, perhaps, Alabama, that are doing
great things. I think if we--they specialize in certain subject
matter areas that we get a lot of productivity out of that part
of the ecosystem.
Chairman Wicker. Very good.
Then, I'll end with Mr. Bass. You have experience in the
Department of Veterans Affairs. Based on your experiences
there, what additional steps should we take at the DOD to
improve retention and recruitment of civilian healthcare
personnel?
Mr. Bass. Thank you, Chairman. Recruiting and retaining
highly qualified staff has to be a priority. We are in direct
competition with the civilian sector for these critical skills
and these specialists.
Chairman Wicker. It's a problem.
Mr. Bass. Yes, sir, absolutely. It is a problem, and it's
difficult to compete. We need to take a look at Title 38
authorities to see if we can use that to strategically recruit
specialists. We need to take a look at paying compensation
packages. We should look at training opportunities to ensure
that we recruit and retain these folks. We need to make sure we
develop pipelines, recruiting pipelines from prominent
universities in Mississippi, and to make sure that we have a
necessary force to carry out our medical mission.
Chairman Wicker. Rhode Island, not so much?
Mr. Bass. Sir, I can't comment on that.
Chairman Wicker. Senator Reed, we've got a vote on?
Senator Reed. Yes, sir.
Chairman Wicker. Okay. Well, thank you very much. With
that, I'd like to thank our witnesses. Very good hearing. For
the information of Members, question for the record will be due
to the Committee within two business days of the conclusion of
this hearing. With that, and with the thanks of the Committee,
we are adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:44 a.m., the Committee adjourned.]
------
[Prepared questions submitted to Dr. Troy E. Meink by
Chairman Wicker prior to the hearing with answers supplied
follow:]
Questions and Responses
duties and qualifications
Question. What is your understanding of the duties and functions of
the Secretary of the Air Force?
Answer. The Secretary of the Air Force is the senior civilian
leader of the Department of the Air Force. Under USC Title 10, the
Secretary has the responsibility to organize, train and equip the
Department, which contains both the United States Air Force and the
United States Space Force. Additionally, he or she is responsible for
recruiting, for training and for overall administration, to include the
morale and welfare of Airmen and Guardians and their families. This
individual is responsible to the Secretary of Defense for the
functioning and efficiency of the Department and must work closely with
the Congress, sister services, industry partners, civic leaders and our
Allies and partners to ensure the Air and Space Forces effectively
support national defense objectives.
Question. In particular, what management and leadership experience
do you possess that you would apply to your service as Secretary of the
Air Force, if confirmed?
Answer. I have been serving in national security for over 35 years,
first as an Active Duty Air Force officer, then as a career civil
servant. My path of civil service has allowed me to lead and manage
organizations with larger and larger scopes of responsibility. This
includes my previous service as the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air
Force for Space and my present role as the Principal Deputy Director of
the National Reconnaissance Office. In my current role, I oversee an
organization with a global footprint, thousands of employees and
billions of dollars in national security contracts. I have successfully
led 16 clean audits at the NRO. If confirmed, I plan on applying the
lessons learned through these unique experiences to the Department of
the Air Force.
Question. If confirmed, what duties and responsibilities would you
assign to the Under Secretary of the Air Force?
Answer. Under title 10, the Under Secretary of the Air Force
performs the duties and exercises such powers as the Secretary of the
Air Force may prescribe. The Under Secretary serves as the Chief
Management Officer for the Department and carries out the primary
responsibility for the business operations of the Department of the Air
Force. Additionally, the Under Secretary oversees other matters
assigned by the Secretary. If confirmed, I will review the current
duties and responsibilities
Question. If confirmed, over which members and organizations of the
Air Force would you direct the Chief of Staff of the Air Force to
exercise supervision and what would be the scope of such supervision?
What other duties would you assign to the Chief of Staff of the Air
Force?
Answer. Under Title 10, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the
Chief of Space Operations perform their assigned duties under the
authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of the Air Force and
are directly responsible to the Secretary. If confirmed, I look forward
to reviewing the supervisory responsibilities of both Chiefs and
consider any appropriate reallocation of duties and responsibilities.
My priorities for them will be to assist me in improving the warfighter
readiness of our Airmen and Guardians as well as improve their quality
of life and quality of service.
Question. If confirmed, what innovative ideas would you consider
providing to the Secretary of Defense regarding the organization and
operations of the Department of the Air Force?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to bringing my 30 years of
successful innovation to the Department of the Air Force. We need to
not only innovate but innovated faster than our potential adversaries.
To be successful at increasing our rate of innovation we will need to
take holistic look at our strategies. We need to streamline the
budgeting and acquisition process, tailor or risk management approach,
increase the level of competition, broaden our industry base and ensure
we are recruiting and retaining the needed talent. We also need to
strive for innovation across all functions in the department.
conflicts of interest
Question. Federal ethics laws, like 18 U.S.C. Sec. 208, prohibit
government employees from participating in matters where they, or
certain family members or organizations with which they have certain
relationships, have a financial interest.
Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to disclose any
potential conflicts of interest, including investments, business ties,
family relationships, or other connections that could be perceived as
influencing your decision making?
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, that
if a conflict of interest arises, you will recuse yourself from
participating in any relevant decisions regarding that specific matter?
Answer. I will comply with all recusal requirements under 18 U.S.C.
Sec. 208.
Question. Do you commit, without qualification, if confirmed, to
decision making on the merits and exclusively in the public interest,
without regard to private gain or personal benefit?
Answer. Yes.
major challenges and priorities
Question. What would you see as your highest priorities for the
near-term and long-term future of the Air Force?
Answer. If confirmed, I will focus on the most critical areas
needed to deter aggression and win decisively if conflict arises. This
includes the near-term challenges of maintaining and operating our
current capabilities and the long-term modernization activities we need
to get right! There are critical modernization activities underway in
all mission areas of the Air Force, including nuclear deterrence, Air
Superiority, Global Strike, C2, Rapid Global Mobility and ISR. In
addition, the U.S. leadership in space is being challenged and I will
work to ensure the U.S. Space Force doesn't let that happen.
Question. What do you consider to be the most significant
challenges you would face if confirmed as Secretary of the Air Force?
Answer. If confirmed, I have no doubt that there will be several
areas that require my immediate attention, to include the nuclear and
conventional modernization going on across the Department. However,
there are three significant challenges that I can readily identify
based on the information available to me. First is the need for
resilient space architectures; second is the auditability of the
Department of the Air Force; third is maintaining a technological edge
over our near-peer adversaries.
Question. What plans do you have for addressing each of these
challenges, if confirmed?
Answer. If confirmed, I would always look to work with the
Secretary of Defense, my service counterparts, our industry partners,
and this committee to address these challenges. For resilient space
architectures, I would seek to leverage our commercial partners as much
as possible, buying what we can and only building what we absolutely
must. Widely proliferated space capabilities that leverage commercial
industry deny our adversaries any ``first-mover'' advantage and thus
have a deterrent effect on conflict in the space domain.
For auditability, I would leverage my experience at the National
Reconnaissance Office as well as tools like artificial intelligence and
machine learning that have not been available to the Department in
previous decades.
I am committed to enabling the strongest ties between strategy,
acquisition, and resources to support President Trump and Secretary
Hegseth's priorities. We must ensure the Department's foundational
processes deliver capabilities and closes gaps that are focused on
warfighting and lethality. Today, we are in an age of rapidly changing
technology where tech is obsolete almost as soon as it is developed,
and the current geopolitical landscape demands speed and agility--this
means an acquisition cycle far shorter than those of our legacy systems
and prioritizing resource allocation against the most significant
threats and toward the Department's plans to deal with those threats.
national defense strategy
Question. The 2022 NDS outlines that the United States faces a
rising China, an aggressive Russia, and the continued threat from rogue
regimes and global terrorism. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the NDS
Commission testified in July 2024 that China, Russia, Iran, and North
Korea have formed an ``axis of aggressors'', supporting each other's
military aggression and illegal wars.
What is your assessment of the military threat posed by the
People's Republic of China?
Answer. I believe that China poses the largest plausible military
threat to the United States of America, as well as our Allies and
partners in the Indo-Pacific region. China has utilized the last two or
more decades to ``go to school'' on the United States as we were
focused on countering violent extremism. They have used that time to
modernize and attempt to catch up in terms of both capability and
capacity. Furthermore, their aggressive behavior in places like the
South China Sea conspicuously demonstrates a willingness to use
military ``hard'' power to achieve their national security objectives.
I am most concerned with the developmental timelines of their military
programs; if we cannot shorten our own timelines in acquisition, they
are likely to continue closing the gap.
Question. What is your assessment of the military threat posed by
Russia?
Answer. While I acknowledge that I do not have access to all
information, it is clear that Russia poses an acute threat to its
European neighbors, many of whom are NATO Allies. Despite setbacks over
the previous years of conflict in Ukraine, Russia has maintained a war
economy and will remain a threat with its military power (conventional
and strategic). I am more concerned with Russia's pursuit of asymmetric
advantages in the space, information, cyber and electronic warfare
domains.
Question. What is your assessment of the military threat posed by
collusion among Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea?
Answer. While I do not have access to all the information regarding
collusion among these four states, it is my understanding from open-
source reporting that they are sharing resources and equipment. This
has been most conspicuous in the conflict in Ukraine. Greater
cooperation among these countries allows them to cover down on the
shortfalls in each other's capabilities and capacity. If confirmed, I
see my role as organizing, training, and equipping the Air and Space
Forces to a level of warfighting readiness that deters this kind of
collusion in the future.
Question. In 2024, the Air Force announced a refocus on ``Great
Power Competition,'' with a series of reorganizations intended to
modernize force structure and force design, to align to the 2022 NDS.
In your view, has the GPC initiative been successful?
Answer. I have not been fully briefed on the extent of these
initiatives to make a judgment on their success. I do agree, in
principle, with the Department's focus on the kind of high-end
competition delineated in our National Defense Strategy. If confirmed,
I look forward to receiving an in-depth briefing on this initiative,
reviewing the data and analysis, and making my own assessment. I commit
to sharing the results of that assessment with this committee.
Question. What do you perceive to be the Air Force's role in
competing with and countering China?
Answer. I believe the role of the Air and Space Forces is to
achieve a level of warfighting capability, capacity, and readiness to
deter China from pursuing the use of force as an avenue for achieving
their national security objectives. On the strategic front, this means
having a nuclear capability that is never in doubt. On the conventional
side, it means being able to prosecute all our core functions at a time
and place of our choosing. If confirmed, I look forward to working with
this committee and this Congress to ensure the Department has the
authorities and resources to achieve that level of warfighting
readiness and thus influence the decision making calculus of China.
Question. Is the Air Force adequately sized, structured, and
resourced to implement the current strategy and the associated
operational plans? Please explain your answer.
Answer. While I have not been briefed on current operational plans,
I understand from open-source reporting that the Air Force is smaller
and older than it has ever been in its history. I am equally
concerned--as a private citizen--about the low mission capable rates
for our fleets, some of which have been reportedly as low as 50 percent
or so. If confirmed, I look forward to receiving briefings on the
adequacy of the force to implement these operational plans. If there
are shortfalls, I commit to working with this Committee and this
Congress to advocate for the resources needed.
Question. What are your primary lessons learned from observing
operations in Ukraine and the Middle East that the Air Force must
consider in its modernization efforts?
Answer. While there are several lessons that I have learned from
open-source reporting of the conflict in Ukraine, there are two that I
think are most useful to the position I have been nominated to take.
First, the increased use of unmanned systems has already altered the
character of war. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department of the Air
Force is focused on both offensive and defensive unmanned systems and
tactics.
Second, the need for resilience in our space architectures. The
conflict in Ukraine has highlighted how dependent joint forces have
become on space for capabilities like satellite communications and
positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT). For our own joint force to
prosecute its missions, our Space Force must have resilient
architectures to ensure these capabilities are not lost in times of
crisis or conflict.
Question. Does the Air Force have the requisite analytic
capabilities and tools to support you, if confirmed, in evaluating the
Air Force's force structure and sizing strategies to ensure that it can
and will generate forces that are manned, trained, and equipped to
execute current plans and strategies? Please explain your answer.
Answer. I am not aware of the specific analytic capabilities and
tools the Air Force uses to evaluate its force structure. If confirmed,
I look forward to learning what tools are being used to conduct
analysis of force structure and if they are inadequate, I will advocate
for bringing in the right tools and analytic capabilities. Moreover, I
commit to full transparency with this Committee on the results of my
assessments.
Question. If confirmed, how will you address any gaps or shortfalls
in the Air Force's ability to meet the demands placed on it by the
operational plans that implement the current strategy?
Answer. While I have not been briefed on current operational plans,
I understand from open-source reporting that the Air Force is smaller
and older than it has ever been in its history. I am equally
concerned--as a private citizen--about the low mission capable rates
for our fleets, some of which have been reportedly as low as 50 percent
or so. If confirmed, I look forward to receiving briefings on the
adequacy of the force to implement these operational plans. If there
are shortfalls, I commit to working with this Committee and this
Congress to advocate for the resources needed.
Question. If confirmed, what changes or adjustments would you make
in the Air Force's implementation of the current strategy?
Answer. I do not yet have access to the information necessary to
make an assessment on the Air Force's implementation of the current
strategy. However, I have seen through open source reporting the level
of focus the Department has on high-end competition and conflict and I
applaud efforts to re-prioritize after decades of countering violent
extremism. If confirmed, I look forward to receiving briefings on the
implementation plans for both Services and will make my own assessment.
I commit to working with this committee to share the results of that
assessment.
Question. How would you characterize your familiarity with the
civilian leaders of the militaries of other nations and multi-national
and international air power-focused consultative forums? If confirmed,
on which leaders and forums would you focus your engagement with a view
to advancing the interests of the Air Force?
Answer. I do not yet have access to the information necessary to
make an assessment. In the execution of my current duties as Principal
Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, I have some
familiarity with civilian leadership in the national security
establishments of other nations, but it is not extensive. If confirmed,
I would place a premium on building positive bilateral and multilateral
relationships with my counterparts in the military services of our
partners and Allies. To my knowledge, there are many forums for
facilitating that kind of engagement. Should I be fortunate to be
confirmed to this position, I would prioritize building relationships
with our Allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including our
Quad partners and our ASEAN partners. I would also take care not to
neglect our many European Allies and partners and am aware that there
are several forums that the Secretary traditionally has an opportunity
to engage in, including the Munich Security Conference and the Royal
International Air Tattoo.
air force readiness
Question. How would you assess the current readiness of the Air
Force--across the domains of materiel and equipment, personnel, and
training--to execute its required missions?
Answer. My current understanding is the Air Force is ready today to
deter and defend, and if necessary, to fly, fight and win against any
adversary. However, I believe the Department's advantage is shrinking
and the ability to overmatch adversaries is a concern.
Question. In your view, what are the priority missions for which
current and future Air Force and Space Force forces should be trained
and ready in the context of day-to-day activities, as well as for
contingencies?
Answer. Guardians protect our Nation's interests in, from and to
space. They must be trained and ready to fight and win in a contested
environment, enable and deliver warfighting lethality to and as part of
the Joint Force, and assure freedom of access for our forces while
denying the same to our adversaries through day-to-day activities and
contingencies.
To achieve this end, the Space Force must prioritize space domain
awareness, resilience, and capabilities that ``hold at risk'' adversary
spaces assets to protect the Joint Force.
Additionally, we must reinforce the warrior ethos within our
Guardians, providing them with the equipment, the tactics, and the
training required to use military force to control the space domain.
The Air Force provides airpower through 5 core functions--Air
Superiority, Global Precision Attack, Rapid Global Mobility, Global
ISR, and Command and Control. Together, these functions provide a range
pre-emptive and reactive options to the National Command authority and
allow the department to integrate with the joint force in peacetime,
crisis, and high-end conflict. As we maintain readiness, individual
units may not train to all 5 core functions, but as a department we
stand ready to provide Air Superiority, Global Precision Attack, Rapid
Global Mobility, Global ISR, and Command and Control, anywhere in the
world, in support of U.S. national interests, Allies, and partners.
Given the pervasive and increasing threat of small Unmanned Aircraft
Systems (UAS), Airmen and Guardians should be trained to detect,
respond and if necessary, counter sUAS in both day-to-day and
contingency scenarios. Similarly, as more missile defense capabilities
come online, Airman and Guardian operator training for those systems
will also be necessary.
Question. Does the Air Force have the requisite analytic
capabilities and tools to support you, if confirmed as the Secretary of
the Air Force, in measuring its readiness to execute the broad range of
potential Air Force missions envisioned by 2022 NDS and associated
operational plans--from low-intensity, gray-zone conflicts to
protracted high intensity fights? Please explain your answer.
Answer. To my knowledge, our current suite of authoritative data
sources is not aligned to allow easy transfer of data that will allow
us to analyze and report the readiness of our personnel, supply,
equipment, and training levels. The Department must upgrade the current
analytic tools to inform not only Service-level decisions, but to
communicate readiness across the Joint Force, the Department of
Defense, and Congress. My understanding is the Department needs new
analytical tools to complement the efforts in improving force
generation and presentation and allow the Air Force to better
articulate capacity, readiness, and risk.
Question. If confirmed, how would you prioritize maintaining
readiness in the near term, with modernizing the Air Force to ensure
future readiness?
Answer. Nuclear deterrence is foundational for our national
security. Need to protect foundational readiness programs such as
Flying Hours, Weapons Sustainment Support, and Pilot production.
We also need to balance today's requirements with the need to
modernize and maintain future readiness, deterrence and lethality.
Manage short-term risk to readiness to modernize and prepare our forces
for mid-to-long term and enduring strategic missions as well as acute
and persistent threats. We need to invest, modernize, and upgrade
Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI) for the high-end
training capability to sharpen Air Force and Joint Force combat
effectiveness and lethality such as the Nevada Test and Training Range
and the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex.
budget
Question. If confirmed, by what standards would you measure the
adequacy of funding for the Department of the Air Force?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with my senior military and
civilian officials in assessing resources levels to ensure the Air
Force and Space Force budgets achieve the priorities set forth by the
Administration, with a laser focus on defending the homeland and
deterring China and other competitors. The Department of the Air Force
(DAF) must align with Defense strategic priorities and maintain
readiness while modernizing capabilities to meet evolving threats. The
DAF must maintain a competitive edge against threats posed by our
strategic competitors to ensure air and space superiority and dominance
over adversaries, while also projecting combat power to support the
Joint Force. If confirmed, I would like to discuss specific assessments
against all our priorities with Congress to ensure the DAF is resourced
adequately.
Question. How will you ensure the Air Force is appropriately
resourced to simultaneously modernize, grow readiness, and take care of
its people?
Answer. If confirmed, I will prioritize the unique Air Force
capabilities critical to the Joint Force to generate lethality and
achieve peace through strength. I will also prioritize rebuilding our
military by matching threats to capabilities. Putting people first
means ensuring the readiness of our troops and their families. It also
means providing our troops with the most lethal and modern capabilities
that will outpace our adversaries. I will work internally with
stakeholders, the Administration, and ultimately, Congress to advocate
for readiness and modernization funding, as well as taking care of our
most important asset, people.
Question. Section 222a of title 10, U.S. Code, provides that not
later than 10 days after the President's submission of the defense
budget to Congress, each Service Chief must submit to the congressional
defense committees a report that lists, in order of priority, the
unfunded priorities of his or her armed force.
If confirmed, do you agree to support the Chief of Staff of the Air
Force and the Chief of the Space Force in providing their unfunded
priorities lists to Congress in a timely manner?
Answer. Yes. If confirmed, I commit to prioritizing and including
critical funding requirements in our budget requests. I will also
support the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Chief of Space
Operations in the submission of their unfunded priority lists in
accordance with law.
alliances and partnerships
Question. Mutually beneficial alliances and partnerships are one of
our greatest comparative advantages in competition with near-peer
rivals.
What do you see as the role of the Air Force and Space Force in
building relationships and interoperability with allies and partners?
Answer. The Air Force and Space Force are charged with developing
combat-credible international partnerships that support U.S. objectives
across, though, and above AORs. The Air Force plays a crucial role
equipping and training Allies and partners so they can defend
themselves deter adversaries, and fight alongside us. In addition, the
scope and scale of the challenges within the space domain is too large
for any one country--including the United States--to address alone, so
we must fully leverage Allies and partners as force multipliers to
achieve space superiority. Interoperability and interdependence with
Allies and partners in the space domain broadens the number of systems
available for space operations, strengthens resilience, and complicates
adversaries' decision-making--making an attack on one of our space
systems more risky, less profitable, and less likely to achieve the
adversary's end states. With the growing number of Allies and partners
standing up their own dedicated military space organizations we have
incredible opportunities to play the same crucial roles in both air and
space. We will continue to leverage these opportunities through
international engagement that prioritizes integration of space
capabilities, posture, training, wargaming, and exercising to dominate
the space warfighting domain.
Question. If confirmed, what specific actions would you take to
prioritize and strengthen existing U.S. alliances and partnerships,
build new partnerships, and take advantage of opportunities in
international cooperation?
Answer. If confirmed, I will continue to advance President Trump's
directive to achieve Peace Through Strength by empowering our Allies
and partners via security cooperation to be force multipliers.
Department of the Air Force security cooperation will facilitate
greater burden-sharing with Allies and partners who are positioned to
assume primary responsibility for defending their national and regional
interests, freeing U.S. resources toward priorities aligned with U.S.
national strategic objectives, to include homeland defense. We will
achieve this strategic alignment through key-leader engagement,
international armaments cooperation, and proactive export policy that
increases the lethality, interoperability, and readiness of our Allies
and partners to deter Chinese aggression.
indo-pacific region
Question. What are the key areas in which the Air Force and Space
Force must improve to provide the necessary capabilities and capacity
to the Joint Force to deter Chinese aggression and, if necessary,
prevail in a potential conflict with China?
Answer. The Space Force must keep the advantage we have maintained
in space for over 60 years including counterspace capabilities. The Air
Force must accelerate the modernization of its aging fleet and ensure
high levels of readiness.
Question. How would you assess the threat to Air Force forces and
facilities from Chinese missile forces? In your assessment, have Air
Force investments, posture shifts and/or new operational concepts
sufficiently addressed this threat?
Answer. To my knowledge, the threat to USAF forces and facilities
from People's Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF) are ever increasing
due to the growing number, type, range and sophistication of missiles
being produced year over year. The Agile Combat Employment (ACE)
concept will make it harder for China to neutralize operations and
increases aimpoints that must be targeted. While the USAF has made
progress in addressing the Chinese missile threat, but there is more to
be done.
Question. In your assessment, what are the priority investments the
Department of the Air Force could make that would help implement the
National Defense Strategy in the Indo-Pacific?
Answer. With China's increasing threat and capability in the Indo-
Pacific region, the DAF will have to operate in a highly contested
environment, characterized by a complex web of overlapping integrated
air and space defense systems. Investments in asymmetric capabilities
will create a more resilient and adaptable force augmenting the DAF's
credible deterrent against China and other potential adversaries in an
increasingly complex and challenging security environment.
USAF investments in prepositioned munitions and petroleum, oil, and
lubricants (POL) are also crucial for maintaining logistical support in
contested environments. Furthermore, improving overall force readiness,
modernizing the force, developing collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs),
conducting joint and combined training with Allies & partners, and
establishing resilient command and control systems are vital steps to
strengthen the USAF's agility and effectiveness in the region.
USSF investment priorities focus on achieving space superiority
through space control. Supporting and underpinning these capabilities,
the USSF requires the systems and sufficient baseline force structure
and enabling capabilities such as space domain awareness, warfighting
manpower, infrastructure, facilities, security, and realistic testing
and training.
Question. What is your current assessment of the risk of
operational failure in a conflict with China as a result of a critical
logistics failure?
Answer. The risk of operational failure due to logistical
challenges in a conflict with China is a serious concern. The DAF
modern Force relies on highly complex and interconnected supply chains
for everything from ammunition and fuel to spare parts and advanced
technology. Potential adversaries, like China, have the capability to
threaten our logistics hubs and supply lines, which are essential for
sustaining military operations. This requires improvement to DAF
distributed logistics, base resilience, and prepositioned supplies. We
also need to consider how to better leverage our Allies and Partners.
Question. In your opinion, what role will Guam play in a conflict
with China? Do you believe Guam's infrastructure is currently adequate
to support the current and future mission?
Answer. In my opinion, Guam is a critical forward location that
enables the projection and sustainment of airpower from the frontlines
of the Indo-Pacific, bolstering the USAF's posture west of the
International Date Line. My understanding is that significant
infrastructure improvements have already been made at Andersen, but
further enhancements including ongoing upgrades to its airfields,
increasing support facilities, and expanding fuel and munitions storage
capacity are vital to ensure robust resiliency and operational
continuity in contested environments.
Question. What is your view of the role of unmanned systems in
deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait?
Answer. The Taiwan Strait is a highly contested and sensitive
region, and the potential that China would use military aggression
against Taiwan remains a significant concern for regional and global
stability. Unmanned systems play a critical role in deterring conflict
in the region, but the systems' effectiveness depends on addressing the
challenges and limitations associated with their use. A comprehensive
approach that includes developing advanced unmanned systems, improving
command and control, enhancing cybersecurity and resiliency, and
integrating unmanned systems with other warfighting capabilities is key
to maximizing their potential.
europe
Question. What are the key areas in which the Air Force must
improve to provide the necessary capabilities and capacity to the Joint
Force to deter Russian aggression and, if necessary, prevail in a
potential conflict with Russia?
Answer. The Air Force must work with our NATO Allies to ensure that
the Alliance has the capability and capacity to deter Russian
aggression and if necessary, prevail in conflict. The Air Force's
ability to project power globally is a decisive factor in deterring our
peer adversaries. Reviving our defense industrial base and rapidly
fielding emerging technologies are key to sustaining the Air Force's
speed, agility, and lethality.
Question. In your view, are there investments the Air Force should
prioritize for the competition with Russia below the level of direct
military conflict in order to counter Russian malign influence and
hybrid warfare operations?
Answer. The USAF will need to work with NATO to ensure that our
Europe Allies are capable of deterring and countering Russian malign
influence, including hybrid warfare operations. We will prioritize
guiding European investments in these areas.
Question. How do you assess the Air Force's current posture to
support operations in Europe?
Answer. The U.S. Air Force is postured to support operations in
Europe with a diverse and capable force, including forward-based
squadrons and high-end capabilities like the F-35. Integration with
NATO Allies is strong and has steadily improved in recent years.
However, the evolving threat environment, particularly from Russia,
necessitates continuous force posture assessment and potential
adjustments to ensure the long-term capability to deter and, if
necessary, defeat aggression.
acquisition
Question. Civilian oversight of the acquisition system has been a
cornerstone of the post-World War Two acquisition system.
What are your personal views on the principle of civilian control
of the defense acquisition system?
Answer. I believe civilian control of our military is fundamental
to our system of government and I place that same premium on our
defense acquisitions system. It requires a collaborative effort between
military, civilian, and industry stakeholders to deliver the
capabilities our warfighters need on time and within resources. If
confirmed, I will work with the Department of the Air Force's Senior
Acquisition Executives to increase innovation, streamline and
accelerate the acquisition process, and ensure cost, schedule, and
performance goals are maintained.
Question. Congress has expanded and refined the acquisition-related
functions of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space
Operations, and the other Service Chiefs.
If confirmed, how would you synchronize your acquisition
responsibilities and those of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology and those of the Chief of
Staff of the Air Force and the Chief of Space Operations?
Answer. If confirmed, I would ensure continuous collaboration and
transparent communication with SAF/AQ, the Chief of Staff of the Air
Force, and the Chief of Space Operations to synchronize acquisition
efforts with operational priorities. This unity of effort will enable
us to deliver effective and timely capabilities that support the
operational needs of the joint force and maintain strategic advantage.
Question. Congress has authorized a range of authorities, including
the Middle Tier of Acquisition authority, rapid acquisition authority,
and the software acquisition pathway, to tailor the acquisition process
to enable the rapid delivery of new capabilities.
In your view, what benefit has the Department of the Air Force
derived from its utilization of Middle Tier of Acquisition authorities?
Answer. In my view, the MTA pathway benefits the Department of the
Air Force by allowing for rapid prototyping and fielding of
capabilities within 2-5 years, delivering new technologies to the
warfighter faster.
Question. In your view, what benefit has the Department of the Air
Force derived from its utilization of the rapid acquisition authority?
Answer. The Department of the Air Force benefits from rapid
acquisition authorities by accelerating the development, acquisition,
and fielding of critical combat capabilities, enabling the DAF to
deliver warfighting capabilities faster without the more bureaucratic
traditional acquisition processes.
Question. How will you ensure that rapid acquisition pathways are
not inundated with unnecessary or unwarranted bureaucratic processes?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to utilizing and accelerating
these hard-won pathways. Having these tools is critical to getting more
capability to the warfighter faster. If confirmed, I will scrutinize
any barriers to these novel and promising pathways and will continue to
streamline processes.
Question. How will you seek to balance the need to rapidly acquire
and field innovative systems while ensuring acquisition programs
provide effective capabilities for the joint force?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress to
streamline the requirements and acquisition process. I will ensure our
acquisition programs provide meaningful and effective capabilities for
the Joint force while leveraging all acquisition authorities and
flexibilities to deliver at speed and scale. If confirmed, I will also
ensure we have the necessary policies in place to strengthen the health
of the defense industrial base.
Question. Based on your experience, how would you structure the Air
Force to conduct better tradeoff analysis so that programmatic
investments are not stove-piped and can be assessed against the impact
of various alternatives?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure our approaches allow mission
and capability informed decisions. Both the Section 809 Panel and PPBE
commission have called for a portfolio-based approach to making
acquisition decisions. If confirmed, I will work to move the DAF from
system-by-system analysis approach to a mission informed capability
portfolio approach.
Question. What is your assessment of the adequacy with which the
Air Force has been transitioning nontraditional defense contractors
from research and development into production contracts? What steps, if
any, would you take to improve the Air Force's ability to do business
with nontraditional defense contractors?
Answer. To my knowledge, the DAF has been focused on lowering
barriers to entry and promoting competition and has made progress, with
the Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program being a very important
example. If confirmed, I will continue lowering of barriers to entry
for nontraditional defense contractors. Our Acquisition Strategies and
the incentives they create should recognize bold investment in R&D,
increased capacity options, and increased competitive opportunities
enabling more opportunities and competition for nontraditional
contractors.
Question. What is your assessment of the sufficiency of the Air
Force acquisition workforce across both civilian and military
personnel, both in the number and the level of experience of those
personnel? What do you see as the benefits or disadvantages of civilian
versus military acquisition professionals?
Answer. I believe the single most important factor in acquisition
success is the skill of the government team. As I understand it, the
Airmen and Guardians within the Acquisition Workforce are some of the
best and brightest in the Department of the Air Force. Our unified
Acquisition workforce, military and civilians, are invaluable to the
warfighter and our overall readiness. If confirmed, I will work with
military and civilian leadership to ensure our acquisition workforce
has the professionalism and competency required for success.
requirements
Question. The Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act
required the Joint Staff to take a clean-sheet approach to the
requirements process and the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense
Authorization Act required the Secretary of Defense to establish an
advisory panel on reforming the requirements process.
What recommendations would you make to the requirements process to
make it more adaptive to changes in threats and technologies?
Answer. For the United States Space Force, top-level requirements
need to be written in broad mission areas which allows the acquisition
community to decompose them in ways that allow for rapid technological
insertion, increased adaptation of commercial capabilities, and the
flexibility to trade performance for speed in certain circumstances. I
believe a robust discussion of the reforms proposed in the FoRGED Act
and the report directed under Section 811 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 will allow the Military Services
to work with Congress on potential process reforms. Reducing Quick
Action Requirement (QAR) restrictions at the Joint Staff and service
level, while also allowing for budgetary flexibility, will best posture
Combatant Commanders for success in the current national security
environment.
Question. What role do you see for the Joint Staff versus the
military services in the requirements process?
Answer. The Joint Staff ensures the voices of all Services and
Combatant Commands are taken into consideration and manages the process
of joint requirements development. The Space Force has unique
authorities in the requirements process due to the designation of the
CSO as Force Design Architect for the Armed Forces, and as the Joint
Space Integrator, which provide him broad latitude to capture and
satisfy joint warfighting gaps that can be filled with space
capabilities along with developing Service specific requirements.
The Joint Staff will act as the integrator for service needs,
meaning ensuring the services are working together to provide the
effective mission solutions as a joint team. Furthermore, the JS must
provide oversight, ensuring the voice of the joint warfighter is front
and center in the requirements process.
test and evaluation
Question. Under what circumstances, if any, do you believe it
appropriate to procure weapons systems and equipment that have not been
demonstrated through test and evaluation to be operationally effective
and operationally suitable?
Answer. Generally, I believe that limited initial production should
be utilized to support formal operational testing. Developmental
production prototypes should, to some extent, be employed for
developmental testing before making a production decision. However,
this approach is highly dependent on the urgency of the operational
requirement and the nature of the system being acquired. In certain
cases, it may be appropriate to procure weapon systems and equipment
that have not undergone full testing and evaluation. This applies when
there is an urgent and clearly defined warfighter need, the technical
risk is low, the system has been demonstrated in some capacity
(including cybersecurity), and the planned procurement is limited.
Nevertheless, a basic level of safety, cybersecurity, and performance
should typically be validated before the system is fielded.
Question. What do you see as the role of the developmental and
operational test and evaluation communities with respect to rapid
acquisition, spiral acquisition, and other streamlined acquisition
processes?
Answer. I believe these communities play a critical role in
ensuring the timely deployment of systems that deliver operational
advantages to our warfighters while meeting their requirements. For any
program, regardless of its structure, the sequencing and content of
testing should be customized to the specific program, considering
factors such as technical and operational risks, the urgency of
operational needs, and the efficiency of the testing process.
Question. Are you satisfied with Air Force test and evaluation
capabilities? In which areas, if any, do you feel the Air Force should
be developing new test and evaluation capabilities?
Answer. To maintain our military edge, we must be able to test and
evaluate our systems as effectively as we build them. That means a
sustained commitment to modernizing our test infrastructure across the
board. We need to invest in cutting-edge technologies, expand and
connect our ranges and develop a secure digital test environment while
cultivating our workforce. This is not just about keeping pace; it is
about staying ahead in critical areas like autonomy, artificial
intelligence, and multi-domain operations. Without these investments,
we risk fielding systems that are untested and unreliable.
Question. Do you believe that current Air Force test and evaluation
facilities and personnel and technical test apparatuses are up to par
for what is needed for the modernization challenges of the Air Force,
now and in the near future?
Answer. In my opinion, our current test and evaluation capabilities
in facilities, personnel, and test apparatuses require constant
investments to keep pace with the Air Force's modernization agenda.
While we have a dedicated and innovative workforce, the reality is that
aging facilities and retaining a highly skilled workforce challenges
our ability to effectively test and field the next generation of
advanced systems. If confirmed, the Air Force will remain committed to
maintaining Test and Evaluation investment to meet the demands of
future conflict.
Question. What do you see as the operational test and evaluation
needs for testing non-developmental or commercial items to ensure they
can still meet the technical requirements, and human factor needs of
environments often more complex and demanding than commercial settings?
Answer. As I understand it, the Air Force is committed to
leveraging the innovation of commercial technologies wherever possible,
but it must never compromise on ensuring those systems are truly ready
for the demands of military operations. While we can buy it off-the-
shelf, that does not mean it is combat-ready. Both commercial and
military items must be rigorously tested in realistic missions with the
actual warfighters.
Question. How many Air Force developmental or operational test and
evaluation facilities are accredited for TS/SCI discussion and
processing?
Answer. My understanding is the Air Force Operational Test and
Evaluation Center (AFOTEC) currently manages 12 facilities with the
necessary accreditation for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented
Information (TS/SCI) discussions. On the developmental test and
evaluation (DT&E) side, the Air Force Test Center currently has ?1.3
million square feet of classified facility space with 22 facilities.
Question. How many Air Force test and evaluation personnel
designing tests are accessed to the OPLANs that their programs are
designed to support? How will you ensure your testing is operationally
representative if the personnel designing tests do not know the use
cases for the equipment?
Answer. Understanding the operational environment and operational
employment is critical to ensure a well-structured test approach. I do
not have access to that level of personnel data to assess if the
workforce has the appropriate access, but if confirmed I will ensure
they do.
Question. Will the Integrated Capabilities Command (ICC) have the
authority to cancel programs that perform poorly in testing or whose
need has been overcome by events?
Answer. If the need for a capability in development is overcome by
events and/or the requirement for such a capability in no longer valid,
ICC will coordinate with the A5/7 and make recommendations to the VCSAF
via the Air Force Requirements Oversight Council. ICC oversees
capability development, and if an ICC-proposed solution to a valid
requirements performs poorly in testing, those results are presented to
the AFROC for AF senior leadership to decide whether to continue the
program. Service Component Commands (and serviced Combatant Command):
Air Mobility Command (USTRANSCOM); Air Force Global Strike Command
(USSTRATCOM); United States Air Forces Europe (USEUCOM and USAFRICOM);
Pacific Air Forces (USINDOPACOM); Air Forces North / Air Force Space
Command (USNORTHCOM and USSPACECOM); Air Force Special Operations
Command (USSOCOM); Air Forces Southern (USSOUTHCOM); Air Forces Central
(USCENTCOM).
Question. What do you believe should be the relationship between
the major commands of the Air Force and the ICC, and how will you
ensure the commander of the major commands will be able to execute the
mission assigned to them under various operational plans developed by
the combatant commands?
Answer. My understanding is the AF is planning to move toward
streamlining its top-level commands into two types: institutional and
service component. Institutional Commands are responsible for the
organization, training, equipping and presenting ready Air Forces to
Service Component Commands, which then employ those forces IAW the
orders of the Combatant Commander to which they serve as the Air
Component. By realigning this way, commanders are given the authority
to wholly own their respective function and do not face the conflicts
of interest which arise between trying to modernize their force while
simultaneously employing it. The ICC will work closely with MAJCOMs,
Institutional Commands, and Service Component Commands (MAJCOM/I/SCCs)
on synchronizing AF modernization needs with sustainment requirements
to achieve mission and system integration. The ICC will develop and
validate operational concepts and align capability development efforts
to build a combat-credible force, capable of achieving National Defense
Strategy (NDS) objectives alongside joint, allied, and partner forces.
The ICC will prioritize modernization investments, including associated
depot activation investments and develop narratives to influence
planning and programming choices integrated by design to achieve
maximum efficiency and efficacy in the USAF Strategy, Planning,
Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (SPPBE) corporate process.
Question. Do you believe there are enough full-scale aerial targets
to execute test plans for current and future programs?
Answer. My understanding is we face a serious challenge in aerial
target capabilities. Inventory is shrinking while the sophistication
needed for these systems continues to increase. This gap threatens the
ability to effectively test and field next-generation weapons. If
confirmed, I will work with the Department of Defense to explore
solutions, including potential replacements.
Question. The Air Force has shifted focus to beyond line of sight
kill chains rather than individual weapons systems. The test community
has not yet pivoted to testing the entire process in full.
How will you ensure adequate test and evaluation of the long-range
kill chain ``system of systems'' in total rather in separate pieces?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure the Air Force remains committed
to rigorously testing the Long-Range Kill Chain as a complete system,
not just individual parts. We will do this by using realistic
scenarios, leveraging advanced test capabilities like expanded ranges
and modeling/simulation, and closely coordinating developmental and
operational testing. Our goal is to ensure the Long-Range Kill Chain is
effective, resilient, and fully integrated into a multi-domain fight,
giving our warfighters a decisive advantage.
audit
Question. If confirmed, what specific actions will you take or
direct to enable the Air Force to achieve a clean financial audit in
the most expedited fashion?
Answer. The Department of the Air Force continues to make
significant progress with audit as roughly 70 percent of their general
fund balance sheet is considered audit ready. If confirmed, I would
make audit a top priority and continue to push for accelerated results
by taking advantage of industry tools and software that can enable
rapid acceleration on audit activities.
Question. What are the benefits to Air Force missions and
effectiveness of achieving and maintaining a clean audit?
Answer. The annual audit remains a catalyst for positive change,
boosting mission readiness, while transforming and streamlining how we
operate. The pursuit to obtain and maintain a clean audit opinion has
fueled the Department of the Air Force to enhance accountability over
assets (e.g., aircraft, munitions, satellites, engines, and property),
which directly impacts the DAF mission and warfighters' effectiveness.
Question. How will you hold Department of the Air Force leaders and
organizations responsible and accountable for making the necessary
investments and changes to correct findings and material weaknesses
identified in the audit process?
Answer. If confirmed, I will establish a culture of audit
accountability within the Department of the Air Force. This includes a
new governance approach, stringent timelines for senior leader
remediation efforts, and targeted investments to expedite our path to
an unmodified audit opinion by the 2028 congressional mandate.
Question. Based on your experience, how do you see improved data
from Air Force financial management IT systems that support audit help
Air Force decision-making and readiness?
Answer. Improved data from auditable financial management IT
systems will better inform communication of our readiness posture,
(e.g., what assets we have and what condition they are in), enhance
budget accuracy to focus on actual needs, and enable stronger
negotiation positions with vendors to meet mission needs cost-
effectively.
nuclear enterprise
Question. The Air Force is responsible for maintaining and
operating two legs of the nuclear triad, including its nuclear weapons
and the majority of the 107 nuclear command, control and communications
systems that link the President to the nuclear forces. There have been
a number of troubling incidents since 2007, including the inadvertent
transportation of six nuclear armed AGM-86 cruise missiles without
authorization by a B-52 from Minot Air Force Base to Barksdale Air
Forces Base, and the shipment of ICBM fuses to Taiwan. These actions
resulted in a loss of confidence and dismissal of the two senior
leaders of the Air Force, both the Secretary and the Chief of Staff. In
2014, the entire wing of combat missileers at Malmstrom Air Force Base
was decertified after leaders uncovered a proficiency exam cheating
incident. It was later determined that this cheating activity was
partially due to low morale and a shortage of qualified missileers to
perform the long hours deployed in remote CONUS locations under harsh
weather. These incidents resulted in number of reviews, including a DOD
enterprise review in 2014 by Secretary Hagel. The reviews resulted in
such actions as creation of Air Force Global Strike Command, and its
elevation to a four-star command, and the establishment of a Deputy
Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration (A10).
What are your overall views on responsibility of the Secretary of
the Air Force as regards the nuclear enterprise?
Answer. As denoted in Title 10, the Secretary through the Chief of
Staff of the Air Force ensures the safety, security, reliability,
effectiveness and credibility of the nuclear deterrence mission of the
Air Force. If confirmed, this is one of the most important
responsibilities I have, and one I will take very seriously.
Question. If confirmed, what actions will you take to oversee the
continued implementation of these reforms of the nuclear-focused
organizational and personnel systems?
Answer. If confirmed, I first would assess the status of these
reforms to see if the Department of the Air Force adequately
implemented them and then ask for an evaluation of the success of these
reforms to see if they had a positive impact.
Question. If confirmed, what would be your approach to ensure these
nuclear-related systems are adequately resourced?
Answer. If confirmed, I will take a keen interest in monitoring how
the Department of the Air Force resources their nuclear enterprise
within its corporate processes to ensure the nuclear enterprise
receives sufficient resources to maintain the safety, security,
reliability, effectiveness and credibility of the Air Force nuclear
deterrence mission.
Question. Will you commit that, if confirmed, you will personally
visit Air Force nuclear facilities and bases to gain an in-depth
understanding of both the infrastructure, hardware, and especially how
our airmen operate, maintain and secure them?
Answer. Yes. Strategic and nuclear deterrence are a top priority
for Department of the Air Force and, if confirmed, I commit to
personally visiting the Airmen in the field who execute this mission
24/7 to ensure they have the resources and facilities to execute this
critical mission.
Question. If confirmed, will you commit to preserving the unique
role of Air Force Global Strike Command within the Air Force nuclear
enterprise and ensuring its structure reflects the command's
responsibility for two legs of the Nation's strategic nuclear triad and
over 70 percent of the DOD's nuclear command, control, and
communications capabilities?
Answer. The nuclear deterrence capability provided by the USAF
underpins global stability and our National Defense Strategy, and it
will remain our utmost priority. Over the last 16 years, Air Force
Global Strike Command has unfailingly ensured a safe, secure, reliable,
and credible nuclear deterrent, and will continue to play a key role in
the evolving geopolitical landscape of Great Power Competition. I
understand that we are currently reviewing efforts initiated by the
previous Administration to realign USAF force structure for GPC and
will pay careful consideration to any proposed changes to Air Force
Global Strike Command structure. While some changes may occur, if
confirmed, I will be dedicated to ensuring that no efforts will
negatively impact the USAF's ability to continue fielding and
modernizing our significant portion of the nuclear triad and strategic
communication capabilities.
Question. If confirmed, will you commit to ensuring that Air Force
Global Strike Command has the capability, resources, training and
organizational structure to meet the operational requirements of U.S.
Strategic Command to deter nuclear escalation?
Answer. Yes. If confirmed, I will ensure the Air Force Global
Strike command has the resources and authorities to meet its Service
Component responsibilities in support of the USSTRATCOM mission.
Question. The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) reaffirmed long-
held American doctrine to maintain the Nation's nuclear triad of land-,
sea-, and air-based capabilities.
Do you agree that modernizing each leg of the nuclear triad and the
Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex is a critical
national security priority?
Answer. Yes, a robust and modern nuclear deterrent is the
cornerstone of our national security, and it is essential that we
invest in its modernization to stay ahead of emerging threats and
maintain our strategic edge. If confirmed I will assess the status and
provide the needed advocacy to continue to have a capable, and ready
nuclear deterrent.
Question. Do you believe the current program of record is
sufficient to support the full modernization of the nuclear triad,
including delivery systems, warheads, and infrastructure?
Answer. To the best of my knowledge, the current program of record
outlines a comprehensive plan for modernizing the nuclear triad,
including delivery systems, warheads, and infrastructure. Upon
confirmation, I intend to conduct a comprehensive review of the
Department of the Air Force's existing nuclear weapon systems and
modernization initiatives to identify the best ways to maintain a safe,
secure, and effective nuclear deterrent, which is essential for our
national security.
Question. The Minuteman III ICBM is decades beyond its planned
service life and must be replaced by the Sentinel ICBM if the U.S. is
to retain a triad of strategic nuclear delivery systems. However, the
Sentinel program has encountered significant issues over the past year,
culminating with a Nunn-McCurdy breach.
Do you support the current program of record for the Sentinel ICBM,
and if confirmed, will you advocate for fully funding the program?
Answer. I understand that in Summer 2024, the Sentinel program was
certified as essential to U.S. national security, and that the
Department directed the DAF to restructure the program. If confirmed, I
commit to following the recommendations from the Nunn-McCurdy
certification. The ground leg of the nuclear triad--Minuteman III and,
over time, Sentinel--are foundational to strategic deterrence and
defense of the Homeland.
If confirmed, I commit to exploring ways in which the program may
be able to regain schedule and reduce cost. Ultimately, the success of
this program will be a coordinated effort among the whole of government
(DoD, DOE, Commerce, OPM), industry, and our civil communities, all
working together to complete the most massive national-defense
modernization effort in this century.
Question. Do you support the current program of record for the
Long-Range Stand Off weapon and if confirmed, will you advocate for
fully funding the program?
Answer. If confirmed, I will carefully review the status of the
LRSO program to ensure that it is postured to deliver the deterrence
capability that the Nation needs on schedule and that is properly
funded.
Question. What are your views on expanding production of the B-21
bomber?
Answer. The B-21 is a critical capability in the Air Force's
nuclear modernization effort that will form the backbone of the
Nation's future bomber force and provide both conventional and nuclear
capability.
A penetrating bomber, like the B-21, is an important and unique
capability for the United States. I understand the B-21 program is
currently meeting its goals, we should look carefully at the total
numbers of the long-term bomber force, compromised of B-21s and
modernized B-52s.
If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the details and status of
the B-21 program and working closely with senior Air Force leaders to
assess the total number of B-21s required to meet the needs of the
Joint Force.
Question. What are your views on reconverting the full B-52 fleet
back to be nuclear-capable once the New START Treaty expires?
Answer. It is my understanding the Air Force has assessed what it
would take to reconvert the full B-52 fleet back to nuclear-capable. If
confirmed, I will review this assessment and ensure the Air Force is
postured and responsive to Presidential direction.
Question. The Air Force owns and operates the majority of the 107
nuclear command, control and communications systems. Major reforms have
been put in place at U.S. Strategic Command to set future requirements,
while the Undersecretary for Acquisition and Sustainment oversees the
acquisition of new capabilities to replace existing systems.
What are your views on the adequacy of the current Air Force
nuclear, command, control and communications systems?
Answer. Maintaining a safe, secure, reliable, effective and
credible deterrent to include nuclear command, control and
communications (NC3) systems is a top U.S. national security priority.
If confirmed I will assess the status of the Department of the Air
Force's current NC3 systems and evaluate how they ensure a safe,
secure, reliable, effective and credible deterrent.
Question. Do you support the current organizational approach to the
acquisition and management oversight of the modernization of nuclear
command, control and communications?
Answer. If confirmed, I will conduct a thorough review of the
programs to modernize nuclear command, control, and communications and
the management structures of these efforts.
Question. The E-4B National Airborne Operations Center utilizes an
aging 747-200 platform that must be replaced in the 2030's to ensure
the capability and continuity of a number of essential missions
including nuclear, command, control and communications.
What are your views on the Survivable Airborne Operations Center
program to replace this platform?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the status of the Survivable
Airborne Operations Center program to ensure that it is postured to
deliver the critical capability of a highly survivable command,
control, and communications center.
air force programs
Question. What is your understanding and assessment of the
research, development, and acquisition programs supporting Air Force
modernization?
Answer. The Department of the Air Force must ensure a mission
focused methodology to prioritize research and development investment,
including science and technology, prototyping, and experimentation
resources. If confirmed, I will pursue a portfolio approach that is
both risk and mission informed and balances R&D investment across near-
and long-term needs and aligned with National Defense Strategy
priorities.
Question. Where do you believe the greatest gaps remain between
required and current capability in both the Air and Space Forces?
Answer. The greatest gap between required and current capability is
a matter of both scope and scale. The USSF needs to continue developing
offensive and defensive space control capabilities to successful
prosecute a war in space and to conduct operations at a time and place
of our choosing. Additionally, we need to enhance our resilience, a
trend that is already underway, with proliferated constellations,
additional commercial capability, and increased protection against
advanced kinetic and non-kinetic threats.
The USAF is in the middle of modernizing all core mission areas,
which need to be successful to maintain a force capable of deterring
all potential adversaries and win decisively if deterrence fails.
Question. The Air Force is on record as needing to purchase a
minimum of 72 fighter aircraft per year to maintain requisite force
structure.
If confirmed, how would you plan to meet that minimum?
Answer. The previous Administration determined a minimum of 72
fighter aircraft per year. If confirmed, I would work with my Service
Chief to reassess the current fighter aircraft requirement based upon
the priorities of the President and Secretary of Defense. Once we've
determined the necessary fighter aircraft levels, we must then hold the
aircraft industry accountable in producing the contracted number of
aircraft on time and in accordance with the combat mission requirements
of each aircraft. Readiness is my priority along with modernizing our
combat force to deter and if required . . . win conflict.
Question. In your opinion, what is the optimum mix of 4th and 5th
generation aircraft required to meet the threat outlined in the 2022
NDS?
Answer. The Air Force requires sufficient 4th and 5th generation
aircraft located and suited to their capabilities. Fourth generation
aircraft have many roles to play, and where those roles exist, they
should be performed by 4th generation--not 5th generation--aircraft in
order to preserve 5th generation aircraft for missions only they can
perform. From a capabilities' perspective, our 4th Generation aircraft
still have an active role to play in all but the densest and most
advanced threat environments around the world. Where the threat
increases, specifically as we move closer to Chinese mainland, the
integration of 5th generation capabilities becomes more important. But
the question of fighter fleet composition isn't just about capability,
it's also about managing the overall health of an aging aircraft fleet.
We need to continually replace 4th generation fighters with 5th
generation fighters over time, not just to address a growing,
proliferating adversary threat, to efficiently and effectively manage
readiness and sustainment over the coming decades.
Question. Given the importance of extending the range of U.S.
aircraft, what do you believe to be the overall tanker requirement for
the Air Force and at what rate and on what schedule must the Air Force
procure the new tankers to attain that requirement?
Answer. The U.S. Air Force's ability to rapidly deploy forces and
conduct operations globally hinges on aerial refueling. Tankers extend
the range and endurance of fighter jets, bombers, reconnaissance
aircraft, and cargo planes. Maintaining a robust and adaptable force
capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving security
environment will be crucial to a future fight against our adversaries.
Tankers must refuel receivers where they need gas, when they need
it to ensure the Joint Force can deter adversaries. Additionally, many
studies show the Joint Force benefits having tankers equipped with
battlespace and situational awareness to maneuver around threats and
use on-aircraft survivability to persist.
Question. Large-scale exercises such as Red Flag have illustrated
that 5th generation fighters such as the F-22 and F-35 need to fly
against multiple adversary aircraft to conduct much of their required
training. The Air Force has taken a number of steps to address
shortages in adversary air, including using contract air and requiring
units to supply their own adversary air.
What are your views as to the appropriate balance of contract and
organic adversary air capability? If confirmed, how would you ensure
that the Air Force properly addresses the challenges associated with
the availability of adversary air to ensure that its 5th generation
fighters are properly trained and ready for combat?
Answer. Optimally, the Air Force would generate all adversary air
organically through a mix of unit generated sorties and a professional
aggressor force. My understanding is that currently, and for the
foreseeable future, our aircraft availability rates, and Instructor
Pilot manning requires the Air Force to augment our capacity with
contract adversary air capabilities. If confirmed, I will pursue a
professional 5th generation aggressor force balanced with funding
contract adversary air to support Air Force pilot production,
absorption and readiness commensurate with budget priorities.
Question. What is your assessment of the readiness of the Air Force
heavy bomber fleet? As to each of the airframes listed below, what
improvements should be made to increase airframe readiness?
B-1
B-52
B-2
At this time, I am not aware of the specific challenges of each
airframe; therefore, I am not in a position to identify necessary
improvements that would enhance the readiness of the bomber fleet. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with Gen Allvin and the Air Force
leadership to support the readiness of our bomber fleet.
munitions
Question. Air Force munitions inventories--particularly for
precision guided munitions and air-to-air missiles--have declined
significantly due to high operational usage, insufficient procurement,
poor program execution, and a requirements system that does not
adequately account for the ongoing need to transfer munitions to our
allies.
If confirmed, what steps would you take to ensure the Air Force has
sufficient inventories of munitions to meet the needs of Combatant
Commanders?
Answer. If confirmed, I would review the procurement plans with an
aim to fund procurement of critical weapons at maximum annual
production capacities and, where capacity is insufficient, to expand
production capacity to meet requirements. I would also explore options
to leverage affordable mass weapons and expand the munitions production
capacity as a whole.
Question. What changes in budgeting and acquisition processes would
you recommend facilitating faster Air Force munitions replenishment
rates?
Answer. Delivery lead times are the biggest source of delays in
rapid replenishment of munitions. If confirmed, I would review existing
processes and explore opportunities to reduce lead times including use
of advance procurement, multi-year procurement, and industrial base
initiatives to expand the number of qualified sources for key weapon
components.
Question. In your view, how should the Air Force adapt to self-
imposed DOD restrictions on area attack and denial munitions,
consistent with the Ottawa Agreements?
Answer. To my knowledge, the United States has never signed nor
ratified the Ottawa Treaty. If confirmed, I will ensure the Air Force
complies with directions from the Secretary of Defense including
limitations on munitions.
Question. Based on your experience, how should the Air Force be
factoring in the needs of foreign partners and allies into overall
munitions forecasting in order to improve the long-term production
stability of the industrial base?
Answer. The Air Force will work with our Allies and partners to
project their long-term munitions requirements and encourage them to
formally submit these requirements to us. This demand signal would
represent a commitment that the U.S. industrial base can use to build
production capacity and work with 2d and 3d tier suppliers to meet
demand. Additionally, for long-term production stability, the Air Force
needs to contract for multiyear weapons procurements. By ensuring
predictable demand, we allow industry to invest in the infrastructure,
workforce, and supply chain resilience necessary to accommodate
increased production and support Secretary Hegseth's goal of reviving
the defense industrial base.
Question. The FY24 NDAA required the Department of Defense to
establish a pilot program to incorporate CL-20 into existing munitions.
Is the Air Force considering executing any activities under this
pilot in order to improve the explosive yield or operational envelope
of any of its munitions?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review how the Air Force is examining
the utility of CL-20 to improve the performance of existing munitions
and for weapons currently in development, with the intent to maximize
effectiveness.
Question. Regardless of whether the Air Force is doing anything
under this pilot program, how is the Air Force considering
incorporation of new energetic materials, like CL-20, or new
manufacturing processes for energetics, like biomanufacturing, into
existing munitions to increase explosive effects or operational
envelope of its weapons?
Answer. I understand the Air Force has ongoing research programs to
investigate improvements in both warheads and missile propellants, for
the purposes of increasing warhead effectiveness and missile range. If
confirmed, I will ensure the Air Force is actively working with
industry to identify, develop, and implement new ideas in these areas.
space
Question. The United States is increasingly dependent on space,
both economically and militarily--from the Global Positioning System on
which many industries and military capabilities rely, to the missile
warning systems that underpin U.S. nuclear deterrence. Our strategic
competitors--China and Russia--are engaged in a concerted effort to
leap ahead of U.S. technology and limit U.S. freedom of action in the
space warfighting domain.
In your view, does the 2022 NDS accurately assess the strategic
environment as it pertains to the domain of space?
Answer. The unclassified 2022 NDS recognizes the space domain as a
key integrator for joint warfighting capabilities and emphasizes
China's maturing space capabilities. Secretary Hegseth recently called
space, ``the next and the most important domain of warfare,'' and vowed
to invest appropriately in both offensive and defensive space
capabilities. If confirmed, I will ensure the next NDS prioritizes a
secure space environment for the United States, its Allies, and its
partners to empower a lethal and ready Joint Force and to reflect the
environment's growing importance.''
Question. In your view, what will ``great power competition'' look
like in space and to what extent do you view China's and Russia's
activities related to the space domain as a threat or challenge to U.S.
national security interests?
Answer. China and Russia continue to use coercive and provocative
tactics to threaten and undermine U.S. leadership. Because space is
critical to American security, prosperity, and way of life, winning the
competition in space and establishing space superiority is a crucial
responsibility of the Department of the Air Force and the Joint Force.
If confirmed, I will ensure that the United States pursues a robust
force structure that includes capabilities for offensive and defensive
space control missions to enable the Joint Force to achieve national
security objectives through U.S. space superiority.
Question. Are there other nation-states or other actors operating
in space that you perceive as a risk to the United States or as cause
for concern? If so, why?
Answer. Access to space, space-based data, and space-enabled
applications is becoming increasingly simple and streamlined for all
actors. Both North Korea and Iran, for example, have continued to press
forward with their space programs, and even if they may never rival the
great powers in terms of scale, they will be able to exploit the domain
to their own ends and potentially employ counterspace technologies
against us. Each of these two have already demonstrated the ability to
jam satellite communications and GPS as well. Even without a robust
space program, any actor, State or non-State, hostile or benign, can
take advantage of space technology, whether it be precision navigation,
global communications, imagery, weather, and much more with little more
than a smartphone, potentially using these nominally neutral space
capabilities to challenge U.S. interests. Last, as China continues to
actively peddle its rapidly expanding space capabilities to the world--
and the developing world in particular--the United States risks a loss
of its presently dominant soft power in the domain, yielding that
influence to Beijing.
Question. What specific actions would you take, if confirmed, to
enhance existing Air Force acquisition policies and process to move
space operations projects to orbit faster and cheaper?
Answer. Congress has already played a central role in fostering
several changes, and the Department of Defense needs to stay focused on
successfully implementing them. Specifically, space acquisitions need
to shift from legacy practices of bespoke, siloed systems to
integrating commercial space solutions into national security space
architectures that drive new doctrine, strategy, force designs,
capabilities, and operations. If confirmed, I will review the approach
to space enterprise acquisition and work with Congress and the
Department to implement any necessary reforms.
Question. The Space Force is now acquiring space systems for
protect and defend missions, similar to any other weapon system of the
Air Force.
Do you believe the Space Force is adequately structured and capable
to acquire, test and evaluate these weapons systems to deliver the
required effects of the combatant commands such as USSPACECOM,
USINDOPACOM, or USEUCOM?
Answer. As space operations evolve to meet the demands of the
emerging strategic environment, so too must the systems, processes, and
activities intended to present credible combat capability. I believe
that rigorous test and evaluation is a requirement to prove combat
credibility of the weapons systems that the combatant commands will
employ. If confirmed, I will ensure that our space acquisitions
programs and test activities are aligned to the requirements of the
combatant commands and that those capabilities will be rapidly
delivered in a streamlined and transparent manner.
Question. What recommendations would you make to this acquisition
and testing process to improve its effectiveness in supporting the
combatant commands? What is your vision for the ideal relationship
between the Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)?
How will you minimize duplication of effort between the organizations?
Answer. As the NRO's Principal Deputy Director, I provided day-to-
day management of the NRO, including the integration of intelligence
capabilities to meet mission priorities. If confirmed, I would review
the space acquisition structure, to include test and evaluation
processes, with an eye toward streamlining decision-making and
eliminating bureaucracy, to ensure that doctrine, strategy, and
operations are all properly aligned to fully exploit the combined
commercial and exquisite national capabilities of the United States
Further, I would prioritize a review of integration across the national
security space enterprise, to include the Intelligence Community, using
congressionally established bodies, to understand where greater
integration may be achieved to effectively support combatant commands.
Question. In your role as Deputy Director of the NRO, and prior
acquisition roles at the NRO before that, you developed close working
and successful relationships with key space industries--a highly narrow
and technically specialized area. However, as Secretary of the Air
Force you will take on a much broader role overseeing the long-term
success of the Air Force in multiple domains of conflict.
If confirmed, will you ensure that the Assistant Secretary for
Space Acquisition and Integration exercises Air Force oversight of
those day-to-day space acquisition and integration roles that you once
held at the NRO in order to avoid any appearance of a possible conflict
of interest with these key space industries that you once had at the
NRO?
Answer. Yes, if confirmed, I would ensure that the Assistant
Secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration exercises oversight of
those day-to-day space acquisition and integration roles. I fully
support the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition
and Integration's role and responsibilities for quickly delivering
space capabilities to the warfighter that are fully integrated with the
Joint Force.
In addition, in my 30 years of acquisition and operations related
leadership, I have worked with a large percentage of the U.S. Defense
and Tech Industry base. Throughout that time, I have complied with all
financial reporting requirements, received regular ethics training and
consulted with General Council to ensure I was free from all conflict
of interest concerns. I will continue this approach if confirmed.
cyber and electronic warfare
Question. Section 1657 of the fiscal year 2020 NDAA directed the
appointment of an independent Principal Cyber Advisor (PCA) for each
Military Department, to act as the principal advisor to the Secretary
concerned on all cyber matters affecting that Department.
What do you see as the role of this position in the Air Force?
Answer. If confirmed, I will continue to leverage the DAF Principal
Cyber Advisor to advise my office, the CSAF, and CSO on all cyber
matters concerning the DAF to include implementing the DOD Cyber
Strategy and interim NDS within the DAF. Specifically, I will expect
the PCA to coordinate and oversee the execution of the DAF's cyber
budgeting, workforce, and operational policies as an independent
advisor. This independence is critical to ensure I am fully informed of
all views, and I will continue to use the PCA in this manner in
addition to evaluating additional opportunities to integrate the PCA
with other warfighting communities.
Question. If confirmed, how would you plan to utilize the Air Force
PCA as part of your leadership structure?
Answer. 1f confirmed as Secretary of the Air Force, the PCA would
be a principal member of my staff providing independent consultation
that cannot be found in other offices. If confirmed, I will maintain
the PCA's position and role within the DAF's leadership structure and
assess how it can be even further utilized.
Question. What are Air Force's top three cyber challenges, and how
will you use the PCA to address them?
Answer. The PCA's office will serve as a principal office as we aim
to tackle our 3 big challenges; how do we organize, train and equip.
For a cyber engagement we look to novel solutions to keep up with
current pacing threat. These cyber challenges are centered on our
ability to present lethal forces to the joint fight. The PCA's role as
an independent advisor is crucial to providing unbiased guidance on how
best to solve these challenges for the DAF.
Question. In September 2023, DOD released its 2023 Cyber Strategy.
The strategy charges DOD to persistently engage malicious cyber actors
and other malign threats to U.S. interests in cyberspace.
In your view, how well postured is the Air Force to meet the goals
outlined in the 2023 Cyber Strategy? What actions would you take, if
confirmed, to mitigate any gap between Air Force capacity and
capability and Cyber Strategy goals?
Answer. To my knowledge, the 2023 cyber strategy identifies 4 LOEs,
and the DAF's resourcing decisions directly align to supporting these
LOEs by providing the best organized, trained, and equipped Airmen and
Guardians. Mitigating gaps between current AF capacity and the cyber
strategy may require reassessing current and future investment
strategies. My staff will vigorously address any gaps based on a
careful, data-driven assessment to identify the most effective COAs.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to improve
military and civilian cybersecurity career paths?
Answer. Protecting the American people and our critical
infrastructure demands that we prioritize cybersecurity across all
levels of government. Our dedicated military and civilian workforce are
crucial to achieving this goal. If confirmed, I will champion the
ongoing modernization and enhancement of our cyber workforce, both
military and civilian. This includes streamlining career opportunities
and deepening expertise through collaboration with private industry and
academia. Additionally, we must continue coding cyber workforce roles
to military and civilian classifications to ensure consistency of work
performed by our cyber total force. We must improve talent management
strategies and create new avenues for skilled professionals outside
government to transition into public service. Furthermore, I will work
with Congress and the Department of Defense to ensure we offer
competitive incentives and targeted development programs that attract
and retain the very best cybersecurity talent.
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to enhance Air Force
information dominance capabilities?
Answer. Air and Space Force core missions depend on information
dominance. As the Department of the Air Force looks to develop and
deploy Joint All Domain Command and Control and Globally Integrated
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capabilities, it must
consider the interconnectedness of systems and the need for actionable
information at the point where leaders must make time-sensitive
operational decisions. Future operations will demand near real-time
flow of timely, accurate, relevant tactical information over a global
network without disruptive classification constraints or other barriers
slowing or limiting effective sharing of information with Joint,
Allied, and Coalition partners. If confirmed, I will strive to leverage
partnerships and shared objectives to field high-priority information
systems to effectively optimize air and space power and enable our
partners in the joint and combined force to meet national security
objectives and priorities.
Question. If confirmed, specifically what measures would you take
or direct to improve the cybersecurity culture across the Air Force
workforce--military, civilian, and contractor? How would you empower
and hold key leaders accountable for improvements in DOD cybersecurity?
Answer. I firmly believe cybersecurity is a shared responsibility,
demanding vigilance from every member of our team, not just IT and
cybersecurity professionals. If confirmed, I will empower the workforce
with the knowledge to identify and mitigate risks, fostering a culture
of shared responsibility for the security and defense of all systems
and information. We will continue to embed cybersecurity considerations
throughout the entire lifecycle of the acquisition process and
prioritize investment to the most critical vulnerabilities.
Accountability will be paramount, with cybersecurity breaches resulting
from negligence in executing cybersecurity responsibilities carrying
appropriate consequences. I will personally champion the inclusion of
cybersecurity into all exercises and readiness inspections, using these
evaluations to inform strategic investments and ensure our cyber
defenses remain resolute. By prioritizing these areas, we'll create a
culture of cybersecurity ownership, ensuring the Air Force remains
ahead of evolving threats.
Question. What is your vision for the future of Air Force
electronic warfare (EW) capabilities?
Answer. I understand that recently the Department published a
policy establishing electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) superiority
governance, management, capability development, operations and
sustainment, and capability divestment. To counter this, the policy
provides that the Department will restructure spectrum superiority
across air, space, and cyberspace domains. The EMS is contested and
dynamic, and our potential adversaries can deny us the freedom of
maneuver and action essential to U.S. and multinational operations. To
counter this, the policy provides that the Department will restructure
and modernize the EW enterprise, cultivate a culture of EMS/EW
awareness through robust training, doctrine development, and establish
Air and Space Force Directorates to champion these efforts.
Additionally, the Department's EMS superiority strategy aligns with
national defense priorities outlined in the National Defense Strategy.
I believe electronic warfare (EW) is a critical warfighting
capability and an area in which the Department of the Air Force must
invest to ensure future operational superiority. As part of a joint and
combined multi-domain force the Air Force and Space Force will need to
focus EW capabilities on the broader electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) and
joint capabilities. My view is that future battlefields will require an
Air Force and Space Force with distributed software-defined systems and
capabilities that are rapidly updatable that operate in coordination
and jointly to maintain an advantage over any adversary. If confirmed,
I would support EW as a priority and the introduction of new and
innovative concepts and doctrine in this area.
Question. What is your assessment of the adequacy and efficacy of
the EW training that Air Force personnel received in an Air Force
environment in specific airframes? In a joint environment with other
Military Services?
Answer. To my knowledge, the Department acknowledges the need to
enhance operational, tactical-level and personnel-wide EMS operations
(EMSO) training. The challenges are the EMS is finite, and the
increasing demand from military, civilian, and commercial users create
congestion. Training within the EMS is constrained by physics,
technology, and policy which is governed by domestic and international
law. Further discussion is needed between the Department and
stakeholders to find solutions to provide a venue for realistic joint
training opportunities while minimizing any impacts to other users.
Question. The Air Force is now re-invigorating the role of EW in
the combat arms. It has stood up the 350th electronic warfare wing to
ensure EW and Spectrum operations can perform their mission against a
near peer adversary at speed and relevance. It has begun to acquire the
EA-37B electronic warfare platform, which has the capability to perform
EW and spectrum operations across multiple domains. Lacking however is
the development of a dedicated career field devoted to EW and spectrum
operations.
If confirmed, will you commit to review and report back to this
committee on the role of EW and spectrum operations in the Air Force to
ensure it is holistically integrated across multiple domains, whether
the 350th EW wing can adequately support the EW platforms that the Air
Force maintains and whether there should be a dedicated career field to
this mission set?
Answer. If confirmed, I will absolutely commit to reviewing the
Department's electronic warfare and spectrum operations posture. This
review will focus on ensuring holistic integration across multiple
domains, evaluating the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing's capacity to
support the Department's EW platforms, and assessing the feasibility
and benefits of establishing a dedicated career field for this critical
mission set.
air force information technology programs
Question. If confirmed, how would you improve the Air Force's
development and deployment of major IT systems, including business
systems?
Answer. If confirmed, a top priority will be accelerating IT
delivery to achieve critical operational effects. We will prioritize
commercial solutions with minimal customization, particularly for
business systems, to leverage existing innovation and drive efficiency.
Additionally, we will embrace accelerated acquisition pathways, aiming
to deliver operational capabilities in months instead of years, saving
taxpayer dollars and ensuring our agencies have the tools they need to
fulfill their missions effectively.
Question. In your view, what is the relationship between Air Force
efforts to develop and implement enterprise IT programs and efforts
being undertaken by the DOD Chief Information Office, the Defense
Information Systems Agency, and other Defense Agencies?
Answer. To my understanding, the relationship between the Air
Force's enterprise IT efforts and those of DOD CIO and DISA is deeply
collaborative and aligned with shared goals. All are focused on
streamlining IT functions and responsibilities to meet warfighter needs
more efficiently, complementing broader DOD initiatives to eliminate
redundancies and accelerate capability delivery. Empowering the Air
Force CIO to deliver Enterprise IT services mirrors DISA's role in
delivering consistent IT solutions across DOD, ensuring greater
efficiency and alignment.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure that appropriate
business process reengineering is accomplished before the Air Force
initiates, develops, and deploys new business IT systems?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure our business systems are truly
effective by integrating two key principles into their governance.
First, we'll prioritize ``business process reengineering,'' meaning
we'll fundamentally rethink and optimize our own processes before
considering developing new technologies. Second, after validating
requirements, evaluating commercial solutions, and selecting a suitable
and efficient software solution, we'll tailor our business processes to
fit its strengths, not the other way around, to ensure we maximize the
value of our IT investments and create systems that truly support our
mission.
Question. Do you perceive a role for the Air Force research and
testing enterprise in the development and deployment of Air Force
business IT systems? Please explain your answer.
Answer. Yes. While commercial solutions are essential, the Air
Force's unique operational context sometimes requires specialized
tools, such as those that address risks within our complex supply chain
or optimize the sustainment of aging aircraft. Instead of relying
solely on lengthy, traditional testing methods, we will prioritize a
research-driven approach that embraces agile methodologies. This means
emphasizing rapid prototyping, continuous feedback, and iterative
development to deliver effective solutions in a fraction of the time.
air force-related defense industrial base
Question. What is your assessment of the systems and processes for
identifying, evaluating, and managing risk in the Air Force's organic
and commercial defense industrial base, including the munitions
industrial base?
Answer. It is crucially important that the Air Force understands
the defense industrial base and has the capability to manage industrial
base risk. If confirmed, I look forward to advancing tools and
processes that will best enable the Air Force to proactively identify
supply chain risks and capacity bottle necks so that we can address
them before a crisis.
Question. What do you see as the levers to motivate the defense
industrial base to make additional capital investment (for facilities
and tooling), as well as research and development investments to
increase the capacity of the defense industrial base?
Answer. Capital will always flow toward return on investment, and a
clear and consistent demand signal is what industry relies on to
determine where that return on investment can be found. If confirmed, I
will request continued support from Congress to provide stable funding,
and I will work within the Air Force to incentivize capital investment
in the industrial base. The tools I would use to do this include
aggregating demand signals across programs, promoting multiple
opportunities for competition throughout the life of programs, and
identifying where direct government investment in key industrial
capabilities is needed. In the 1950's the Air Force Heavy Press Program
built huge industrial capacity that our commercial industrial base has
now relied on for decades. That type of big, bold investment may be
needed again.
Question. How should Air Force acquisition leaders consider impacts
on the industrial base when addressing requirements for
recapitalization or modernization of major defense weapons systems and
munitions?
Answer. A deep understanding of the industrial base is crucial for
Air Force Acquisition leaders. If confirmed, I will ensure that
acquisition strategies consider industrial base impacts and are aligned
with an overall Air Force strategy to strengthen the Defense Industrial
Base by promoting competition, lowering barriers to entry, and shaping
incentives that drive strategic investment in capacity and bold R&D.
Question. How would you seek to ensure the Air Force engages with
the broadest industrial base possible, including traditional
contractors, nontraditional contractors, and small businesses?
Answer. If confirmed, I will further develop mechanisms for the Air
Force to work directly with contractors at all levels of the supply
chain to include the small businesses that are crucial to delivering
capability to our warfighters. I would support efforts to interact with
industrial associations, State and local governments, and trade
organizations to better understand the risks and constraints that our
industrial base faces.
Question. If confirmed, what changes, if any, would you pursue in
systems and processes to ensure that risk in the Air Force-relevant
sectors of the defense industrial base is adequately managed to enable
the development, production, and sustainment of technically superior,
reliable, and affordable weapons systems and munitions?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work to advance the tools and
processes that enable the Air Force to proactively identify industrial
base risks and capacity bottle necks so that we can address them before
a crisis. I would also challenge Air Force Acquisition leaders to
ensure that acquisition strategies promote competition, leverage the
benefits of Modular, Open Systems Architectures, and design in
producibility. Production scale and surge capacity are crucial
attributes of Air Force capabilities just like range, speed, and
survivability.
operational energy and energy resilience
Question. The Department defines operational energy as the energy
required for training, moving, and sustaining military forces and
weapons platforms for military operations, including the energy used by
tactical power systems, generators, and weapons platforms. Department
of Defense energy requirements are projected to increase due to
technological advances in weapons systems and distributed operations
over longer operating distances.
If confirmed, how would you lead the Air Force in harnessing
innovations in operational energy and linking them with emerging joint
operational concepts in order to reduce contested logistics
vulnerabilities for warfighters?
Answer. If confirmed, reducing contested logistics vulnerabilities
will be a high priority for me. If confirmed, I will ensure that the
DAF is adequately supporting the development of more efficient aircraft
with a focus on increasing combat capability and driving change where
the greatest gains are possible. I will strengthen the linkages between
DAF offices and industry to promote innovative energy concepts. I will
particularly emphasize initiatives that maximize combat capability in
contested domains, to support both current and future requirements.
Question. The Air Force is in the final phase of evaluation for
microvane drag reduction technology on C-17s. Data shows that C-17s
equipped with microvanes experience a 1 percent reduction in drag and
fuel consumption compared to their unmodified counterparts. They yield
a return on investment in 7 months.
Would you agree that microvanes are a low-cost, innovative, force
multiplying capability that improve mobility?
Answer. To my understanding, the C-17 microvanes initiative has
been undergoing research and evaluation over the last few years and has
shown promise in being an innovative, low-cost, fuel-efficient
enhancement to the fleet. If confirmed, I will conduct a review of C-17
microvanes to better understand the ongoing research efforts.
Question. In what specific areas, if any, do you believe the Air
Force needs to improve the incorporation of energy considerations and
alternative energy resources into the strategic planning processes?
Answer. Continually reducing the Air Force's operational energy
costs and usage through alternative fuels and leveraging the benefits
of technological advancements to improve operational energy
efficiencies and lower the burden and dependency on fuels are an
imperative. The Air Force must invest in critical capabilities and
technologies, including alternative energy resources, to modernize the
force to be more ready, efficient, and resilient. Our investments will
target weapon systems, infrastructure, technology, and equipment that
are demonstrably more efficient to improve the Air Force's warfighting
capability tomorrow.
Question. How can Air Force acquisition systems better address
requirements related to the use of energy in military platforms to
decrease risks to warfighters?
Answer. The Department's acquisition processes can better address
energy requirements in military platforms by considering energy as a
foundational capability from day one. If confirmed, I will examine the
incorporation of energy considerations into both initial capability
development activities and throughout the acquisition life cycle.
Question. In your view, what steps can be taken to render ``energy
supportability that reduces contested logistics vulnerabilities'' a key
performance parameter in the requirements process, as compared to
``check the box'' consideration it is today?
Answer. 1 do not know the degree to which energy may be a ``check
the box'' consideration today, but if confirmed I will ensure that
energy considerations are taken seriously and measured when we plan for
future scenarios. I will ensure appropriate emphasis is placed upon the
Energy Key Performance Parameter, specifically by ensuring thorough
analysis of campaign-level energy consumption and addressing expected
logistics risks.
Question. How can the Department of the Air Force better integrate
energy security and resilience as standard components of its Military
Construction (MILCON) programs, in your view?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department pursues
initiatives that standardize and integrate common sense energy security
and resilience practices into Military Construction (MILCON) programs.
They will be cost effective and promote installation survivability and
recovery. I will ensure the DAF is taking a holistic approach to
improve its MILCON program to build infrastructure able to withstand
and recover from the spectrum of threats to assure mission success.
environment
Question. If confirmed, how would you further efforts to address
PFAS contamination at Air Force installations?
Answer. I am familiar with the PFAS issue, and, if confirmed, I
will ensure the Department addresses PFAS impacts resulting from DAF
mission activities. I will also ensure all DAF installations, including
Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard installations, comply with all
applicable congressional, Federal, and State and local laws and
requirements. I am committed to ensuring the health and safety of our
Airmen, Guardians, their families, and the communities in which they
live and serve.
readiness and resource impacts from extreme weather
Question. How would you assess the readiness and resource impacts
on the Air Force from recent extreme weather events?
Answer. Extreme weather events have degraded the Department of the
Air Force's ability to operate and train. If confirmed, I will work to
develop a full understanding of the national security implications of
severe weather, taking a comprehensive approach that includes use of
authorities, impacts on operations, installations, and infrastructure.
Question. Based on these readiness and resource impacts, do you
believe it necessary to use more resilient designs in Air Force
infrastructure? How can the Air Force better use existing authorities
on extreme weather mitigation granted by Congress in the last few
NDAAs?
Answer. Yes, if confirmed, I will ensure the Department pursues
initiatives that integrate common sense resilience practices into
infrastructure planning. They will be cost effective and promote
installation survivability and recovery. Severe weather impacts have
degraded the Department of the Air Force's ability to operate and
train. If confirmed, I will work to develop a full understanding of the
national security implications of extreme weather, taking a
comprehensive approach that includes fully utilizing the existing
authorities granted by Congress in recent NDAAs.
infrastructure challenges
Question. Non-DOD funding mechanisms such as energy savings
performance contracts, utility energy savings contracts, and power
purchase agreements are excellent means by which the Air Force can
improve infrastructure, increase resilience, reduced deferred
maintenance, implement alternative energy resources, save taxpayer
funds, and secure other benefits without the need for upfront
appropriated funds.
If confirmed, what steps would you take to streamline the process
for the identification and use of appropriate non-DOD infrastructure
funding mechanisms, and how long would it take you to resume entering
into contracts that benefit Air Force installations?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department utilizes all
available authorities, including third-party performance contracts, to
enhance infrastructure resilience and energy security. I will work with
OSD and the Department of Energy to identify opportunities to
streamline processes and expedite solutions.
science, technology, and innovation
Question. What are the key technologies that the Air Force should
be focused on to support modernization activities?
Answer. Focused DOD-wide effort to advance and transition
technology into modernized warfighting capability is critical to
maintaining technological advantage. If confirmed, I will ensure the
Department of the Air Force priorities remain consistent with the
priorities of the President and Secretary of Defense.
Question. What do you see as the most significant challenges (e.g.,
technical, organizational, or cultural) to U.S. Air Force development
of these key technologies?
Answer. The Department must accelerate adoption of new technology
and innovation while ensuring timely delivery of capability needs.
Total force modernization requires careful balance of investment across
the broad spectrum of technology, development, production, and
sustainment needs; as well as leadership, people and streamlined
processes to drive change. If confirmed, I will continue efforts to
expand our innovation base and provide opportunities for rapid
prototyping and experimentation that enable the transition of new
technologies to the field.
Question. How well has the Air Force prioritized limited research
and development funding across its technology focus areas?
Answer. If confirmed, I will assess the DAF technology investment
portfolio and work closely with the DOD Research and Engineering
enterprise to leverage and partner on shared technology interests for
delivery of warfighting capabilities aligned with the President's
priorities.
Question. How is the Air Force balancing revolutionary capability
advancements, including investments in basic research, as compared to
``quick win'' incremental improvements that can be rapidly fielded?
Answer. To maintain technological advantage, the Department of the
Air Force must prioritize research and development investment to ensure
long term competitive advantage. Development of cost-imposing
disruptive capabilities, while delivering near term warfighting
capability improvements to performance and lifecycle cost benefits are
goals. If confirmed, I will ensure a balanced R&D investment that
accomplishes these goals.
Question. In your view, what steps must DOD and the Air Force take
to ensure that critical technical information is protected by Air Force
organizations, industry, and academia?
Answer. We must protect against peer competitors that seek to
exploit the openness that is the basis of our innovation and economic
strength, while preserving critical national security interests. If
confirmed, I will ensure the Department of the Air Force continues to
implement fundamental research security and due diligence necessary to
safeguard critical technologies, in accordance with government wide
guidelines, and will continue working with our DOD partners and outside
agencies to facilitate a comprehensive approach to mitigating
exploitation of DAF R&D.
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to increase the
interaction between Air Force labs and the private sector, and between
Air Force labs and the rest of the DOD innovation enterprise (i.e., the
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering,
Defense Innovation Unit, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,
and the other Military Services)?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with Air Force Research Labs, the
DOD innovation enterprise, and the private sector to strengthen our
innovation ecosystem. Our defense innovation base's strength relies on
the collaborative efforts of these organizations and the exceptional
talent, technical expertise, and competency they bring to the table.
Question. What are the challenges you perceive to effectively
transitioning technologies from research programs into programs of
record?
Answer. The ``valley of death'' between technology and programs of
record is real and remains a continuing struggle. Challenges include
the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution system driving
investments 2 years into the future, and the risk incurred by programs
of record to onboard technology insertion, especially programs that
have not been designed with ``open architectures'' or pre-planned
technology updates.
Question. How would you address these challenges, if confirmed?
Answer. If confirmed, I will reinforce efforts to address
technology transition by normalizing open standards and reference
architectures as a basis of acquisition program structure, as well as
emphasizing prototyping and experimentation opportunities for
operational and technical stakeholder engagement that de-risk on-ramps
to programs.
Question. Recent budget requests for defense science and technology
(S&T) have fallen short of the Defense Science Board's recommended goal
of dedicating 3 percent of the total defense budget to S&T. Robust
investment in S&T underpins technological advances in our military
capabilities and is vital to maintaining our military technological
superiority over emerging adversaries. However, over the past few
years, the Air Force has prioritized near-term research and development
over long-term S&T.
If confirmed, what metrics would you use to assess whether the Air
Force is investing adequately in S&T programs and whether the Air Force
has achieved the proper balance between near-term research and long-
term S&T?
Answer. Robust S&T is foundational to military superiority,
especially when considering peer competitor investment. Throughout my
career I have pushed technology development and integration into
operations, often exceeding the DSB's recommendations. Defense S&T
investments not only provide disruptive advantage for the warfighter,
but they also drive innovation and economic growth. The Department of
the Air Force must strike the appropriate balance between near-term
readiness and the forward-looking long-term S&T to ensure Air Force and
Space Force technical superiority. If confirmed, I will work to ensure
an appropriate, balanced S&T investment portfolio.
technical workforce
Question. A significant challenge facing the Air Force today is a
shortage of highly skilled data scientists, computer programmers, cyber
and other scientific, technical, and engineering talent to work at
Defense laboratories and technical centers.
If confirmed, what actions would you take to increase the
recruiting and retention of scientists, engineers, software coders, and
in other technical positions across the Air Force's research,
development, and acquisition enterprise?
Answer. If confirmed, I'll review the Air and Space Force
initiatives to attract STEM talent to support research and development;
the acquisition enterprises; and operations to ensure we retain our
technological edge. I'll focus on reducing hurdles to hiring and
cultivate a 21st-century workforce using tools such as partnerships,
outreach and scholarships.
Question. What is your view of the utility of various special
civilian personnel authorities (e.g. Acq Demo, Lab Demo, Cyber Excepted
Service, etc.), that were enacted to address the needs of the DOD
technical workforce?
Answer. As I understand them, special hiring authorities, like
AcqDemo, LabDemo, and Cyber Excepted Service are essential tools for
the Department of Defense to compete for the best and brightest minds
in science, technology, engineering, and acquisition. By adapting
aspects of traditional personnel management, these authorities allow us
to recruit and retain individuals with specialized skills critical to
national security. If confirmed, I would further explore streamlining
these opportunities.
air force military end strength
Question. Is the Air Force's current end strength sufficient to
meet national defense objectives? If not, what end strength do you
believe is necessary?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work the Chief of Staff of the Air
Force, the Chief of Space Operations, the Director, Air National Guard,
and the Chief of Air Force Reserve to review Air Force and Space Force
end strength requirements to ensure an adequate balance between current
operational requirements and any future force requirements. I will
commit to ensuring the right end strength is achieved to properly
sustain a force structure that meets all mission demands and continuing
to work on modernizing our capabilities and our force.
Question. What additional force shaping authorities and tools does
the Air Force need, in your view?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review existing force shaping
authorities and tools to ensure the DAF is postured accurately to
manage force strength. I commit to working with Congress to ensure the
DAF remains agile and responsive regarding the size and skills needed.
space force military end strength
Question. The prior Secretary if the Air Force has stated that the
end strength and budget of the Space Force is insufficient to meet
current threats.
What are your views of the current Space Force end strength and
budget?
Answer. The Space Force has made great progress in the 5-years
since establishment. However, I believe that the increasing threats in,
from, and to space capabilities require that we review the budget to
ensure the Space Force has the funding needed to address space
superiority and ensure they can control the domain. The threats in
space require that we make strong investments in the near term to stay
ahead of the threat, which may require a significant increase in
funding and manning. Further, to achieve Peace through Strength, the
Space Force needs to smartly grow to respond to the challenges of the
space domain.
recruiting/retention
Question. The 2024 National Defense Strategy Commission stated that
``The DOD workforce and the all-volunteer force provide an unmatched
advantage. However, recruiting failures have shrunk the force and raise
serious questions about the all-volunteer force in peacetime, let alone
in major combat.'' In addition, DOD studies indicate that only about 23
percent of today's youth population is eligible for military service,
and only a fraction of those who meet military accession standards are
interested in serving.
If confirmed, how would you ensure the Air Force maintains
sufficiently high recruitment and retention standards?
Answer. I understand the Department continuously evaluates
recruitment and retention programs to optimize policies and processes
necessary to thrive in the fierce competition for talent. I understand
the Department is seeing historically high recruiting and retention
rates. I have significant experience in recruiting and maintaining a
highly skilled workforce and if confirmed, I will review these
standards to ensure we recruit and retain quality, highly skilled
talent needed to fight and defend the Nation we serve.
Question. If required to choose between maintaining high
recruitment and retention standards and achieving authorized end
strength levels, which would be more important, in your view?
Answer. It is most important for the Department of the Air Force to
maintain its readiness while simultaneously building the force of the
future each Service needs through data-informed recruiting and
retention initiatives. If confirmed, I will assess our standards and
policies ensuring they support the Department's readiness and war-
fighting needs.
Question. What impact do current medical and other qualifications
for enlistment in the Air Force have on the number of individuals
eligible for military service? If confirmed, what changes to such
qualifications, if any, would you recommend increasing the number of
individuals eligible for service without degrading the quality of
recruits?
Answer. I currently have no reason or data to doubt the current
standards and criteria. If confirmed, in my view, we must balance our
standards to keep pace with medical science and modernization while
meeting the need for a ready and capable force. To that end, I will
keep the balance of those standards in the forefront and work with DOD
to maximize our effectiveness and ensure force readiness.
Question. Rather than relying solely on ever-higher compensation
for a shrinking pool of volunteers, what creative steps would you take,
if confirmed, to expand the pool of eligible recruits and improve Air
Force recruiting?
Answer. I understand the Air Force and Space Force are on track to
meet FY25 requirements with record high recruiting. If confirmed, I
will work with our services to evaluate our recruiting force, our
marketing strategies, and our recruiting policies and programs to
recruit the talent needed to meet our warfighter readiness.
Question. What do you consider to be key to the Air Force's future
success in retaining the best qualified personnel for continued service
in positions of greater responsibility and leadership in the Air Force?
Answer. The key to developing and retaining our personnel lies in
fielding a continuum of training, education, and experiential
development that fosters Air Force leaders. We need to focus both on
quality of life and quality of service. If confirmed, I will
collaborate with our force development and management experts as well
as career field managers to align officer, enlisted, and civilian
development with Air Force needs.
Question. What steps, if any, should be taken to ensure that
current operational requirements and tempo do not adversely impact the
overall recruiting, retention, readiness, and morale of soldiers?
Answer. If confirmed, it will be my responsibility to evaluate the
current operational requirements, recruiting, retention, and readiness
to ensure we are prioritizing strategic force management, investing in
quality-of-life initiatives, fostering a warrior ethos, and leveraging
technology and innovation. I will be tireless in my advocacy and
support for Airmen and Guardians to ensure they have the resources,
training, and support they need to be successful.
Question. In your view, do current recruiting standards--
particularly DOD-wide criteria for tier-one recruits--accurately
predict recruit attrition and/or future success in the Air Force?
Answer. To my understanding, DOD-wide tier-one recruiting standards
provide a valuable baseline by focusing on factors like education,
aptitude and physical fitness. Robust recruiting standards help Airmen/
Guardians successfully transition into their first operational unit,
but there are limitations on predicting accurate recruit attrition and/
or future success in the Department of the Air Force. This is due to
the evolving nature of warfare and wide variety of career paths in the
Department. If confirmed, I will work to understand recruitment pools,
prioritize meritocracy in evaluating recruits, and ensure the Air Force
is refining recruitment metrics.
Question. Do you believe that current military entrance testing
methods unnecessarily restrict the pool of eligible recruits, for
example, by penalizing prospective recruits for whom English is not
their native language?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the current efforts across the
Department to ensure valid, reliable, and fair criteria and measures
are used to access applicants with the highest potential.
pilot retention
Question. The Air Force has consistently reported a shortage of
thousands of pilots including a shortage of at least 950 fighter
pilots.
What are the Air Force's current efforts to address this critical
problem? How would you assess the effectiveness of these efforts to
date?
Answer. I am aware airline hiring is expected to grow by
approximately 6 percent annually through 2031. This likely will
challenge the Air Force's pilot ecosystem by recruiting its experienced
pilots who are critical to providing experience in combat operations as
well as producing and experiencing new pilots. I understand that thanks
to Congress, the Air Force offers the most comprehensive pilot
retention incentive in history. If confirmed, I will pay close
attention to the results of retention incentives and continue to work
with Congress to improve pilot production and retention.
Question. What monetary and non-monetary incentives and initiatives
implemented by the Air Force have yielded the most positive impacts on
pilot retention?
Answer. I understand the Department is committed to retaining
experienced pilots by focusing on four key areas: compensation, talent
management, quality of life, and quality of service. This includes
utilizing targeted bonuses, prioritizing assignment stability and
transparency, and ensuring a holistic approach that addresses all
aspects of a pilot's experience. If confirmed, I will closely monitor
these efforts and work with Air Force leaders to ensure their
effectiveness in meeting the needs of our future force.
Question. What additional authorities does the Air Force need from
Congress to address this shortfall definitively?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review whether and to what extent
additional authorities may be required to address the pilot shortfall.
Question. How has the Air Force increased pilot production capacity
commensurate with the demands of the NDS?
Answer. To my understanding, the Department recognizes the critical
importance of addressing the pilot shortage to meet the demands of the
National Defense Strategy with a highly trained and ready force. The
Air Force has implemented numerous programs to increase pilot
production capacity through a multi-pronged approach that encompasses
recruitment, retention, modernization of training, and monetary
incentives.
Question. As the Air Force prepares for competition with a peer-
adversary, what steps is it taking to increase quality standards within
and screening rates for flight school, and the pipeline beyond?
Answer. The Air Force's mission is airpower anywhere and anytime.
It is critical the Department addresses the pilot shortage. If
confirmed, I will tackle this challenge by consulting with internal and
external experts to develop an approach that enhances pipeline
strength, optimizes training efficiency, and prioritizes retention of
our pilots.
reserve components
Question. In your view, what is the appropriate relationship
between the active Air Force and the Air Force Reserve and Air National
Guard?
Answer. The appropriate relationship between the Active Air Force,
the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve is robust
interoperability. Seamless integration across the components enhances
overall mission capability and readiness of the Total Force. If
confirmed, I will work across the components to evaluate and understand
the current dynamics of this relationship, enabling me to identify the
best approaches to leverage the unique structure and strengths of each
component.
Question. What is your vision for the roles and missions of the Air
Force Reserve Components? If confirmed, what new objectives would you
seek to achieve with respect to the Air Force Reserve Components'
organization, force structure, and end strength?
Answer. The Total Air Force team includes the Air Reserve Component
imbued with decisive and precise deterrent capability unmatched in
other nations. The appropriate roles and missions of the Air Reserve
Component should be aligned with the strategic requirements of the Air
Force and the National Defense Strategy. The Air National Guard and Air
Force Reserve provide strategic depth and operational capacity across
all mission sets, domains, and capabilities of the Total Force. If
confirmed, my objectives would be to ensure an integrated, Total Force
approach to organizing, training, and equipping Airmen to meet the
National Defense Strategy.
Question. Are you concerned that continued reliance on Air Force
Reserve Components to execute operational missions--both at home and
around the globe--is adversely affecting the ability to meet their
recruiting and retention missions? Why or why not?
Answer. I recognize sustained tempo can create challenges. If
confirmed, I will consult with Guard and Reserve leaders to assess the
impact and identify any steps needed to support the long-term health of
the force.
military compensation
Question. What is your assessment of the adequacy of military
compensation and benefits?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to a detailed review of
military compensation to better understand which, if any areas may need
revision to allow for a more targeted approach to the overall
compensation package.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to control the
rising cost of military personnel?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the current cost of DAF
military personnel, what led to its growth, and areas in which we may
be able to achieve cost savings while maintaining our ability to
attract and retain talent.
military health system (mhs) reform
Question. Do you support the implementation of the MHS reforms
mandated by the NDAAs for FYs 2017, 2019, and 2020?
Answer. If confirmed, I will support the Defense Health Agency
(DHA) based on the direction of Congress. DAF has been a steadfast,
transparent partner to the DHA, providing leadership and project
management experience to transfer programs and resources IAW with law
to support DHA's mission. There have been many challenges based on the
disparate organization of each of the Services and Service-specific
needs, but I will ensure the DAF remains dedicated to supporting the
DHA and MTFs that support Air Force and Space Force missions and
healthcare delivery to our communities.
Question. Will you ensure that the Air Force continues to provide
the military medical personnel needed to provide care in military
treatment facilities?
Answer. I proactively support the Military Health System's (MHS)
mission to ensure a medically ready force and a ready medical force--
anytime, anywhere. We owe it to our Service members and their families
to provide the finest care available both at home and on the
battlefield, and our military medical personnel are at the center of
that capability. If confirmed, I will carefully review our military
medical personnel strategic outlook to ensure we are recruiting,
accessing, and retaining the right talent to best support the demands
of our complex mission.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure that the Air Force
reduces its medical headquarters' staffs and infrastructure to reflect
the more limited roles and responsibilities of the Air Force Surgeon
General?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Air Force Surgeon
General to validate the size of the Surgeon General's headquarters
staff and ensure effective execution of the roles and responsibilities
within the office.
non-deployable service members
Question. Do you agree that airmen and guardians who are non-
deployable for more than 12 consecutive months should be subject either
to separation from the Air Force or referral into the Disability
Evaluation System?
Answer. Readiness is vital to military service. If confirmed, I'll
ensure that non-deployment policies align with Air Force priorities,
putting readiness and mission needs first. Individual circumstances
will be considered, but operational strength and deployability will
take precedence. I'll work closely with leadership to ensure our forces
remain strong, capable, and mission ready, while still allowing the DAF
to take full advantage of human capital available.
Question. In your view, under what circumstances might the
retention of a servicemember who has been non-deployable for more than
12 months be in the best interest of the Department of the Air Force?
Answer. I do not have enough information to speculate on the
frequency of this occurrence. If confirmed, I will work with DAF
leaders to understand the current approach and consider mission and
readiness requirements of the Department of the Air Force.
Question. In your view, should an airman or guardian's readiness to
perform the required specific missions, functions, and tasks in the
context of a particular deployment also be considered in determining
whether that service member is deployable?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with DAF leaders to understand
the current approach, consider mission and readiness requirements of
the services, and ensure those policies are applied consistently.
Question. What are your ideas for addressing the challenges of
medical non-deployability in the Reserve components?
Answer. Ensuring medical readiness in the Air Force, to include the
Reserve Component, is critical to maintaining overall force
effectiveness. If confirmed, I will work to identify and address the
root causes of non-deployability across the entire service to include
the Active and Reserve Component.
military family readiness and support
Question. What do you consider to be the most important family
readiness issues for service members and their families?
Answer. I believe we recruit Airmen or Guardians but retain
families. Based on what I hear in the press and see with members of the
NRO staff, I am concerned spousal employment and access to high-
quality, affordable food may be some of the family readiness challenges
today's force faces. If confirmed, I will engage with DAF leaders to
identify the key family readiness challenges, assess the DAF's existing
capabilities in addressing them, and develop strategies to enhance
these programs while advocating for required resources.
Question. If confirmed, what specific actions would you take to
ensure that military families are provided with accessible, high-
quality childcare, at an appropriate cost?
Answer. Military readiness depends on providing military families
access to affordable, high-quality, and readily available childcare. If
confirmed, I will collaborate with DAF leaders to evaluate ongoing
initiatives addressing this need. Additionally, I will explore
opportunities to further expand the childcare network, including
traditional, non-traditional and community-based solutions to meet the
needs of our Airmen and Guardians.
suicide prevention
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to prevent
suicides in the Department of the Air Force, and in the families of
airmen and guardians across all components?
Answer. I believe the Air Force has a responsibility to promote
mental well-being, eliminate barriers to mental health resources, and
remove the stigma of seeking help. Doing so enhances our lethality,
readiness and warrior ethos. If confirmed, I will support continued
implementation of the Brandon Act and the establishment of the
Integrated Primary Prevention Workforce and will support evidence-based
programs that improve the process for service members to access mental
health support.
mental and behavioral health care
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to ensure that
sufficient mental and behavioral health resources are available to
airmen and guardians in an operational theater, as well as to they and
their families at home station locations?
Answer. Military service provides unique challenges, and access to
mental and behavioral resources is essential. If confirmed, I will work
to understand the State of our mental and behavioral health resources--
at home and in operational theaters--to provide Airmen and Guardians
the care they need.
Question. If confirmed, what specifically would you do to ensure
that sufficient mental and behavioral health resources are available to
Reserve Component airmen, guardians, and their families who do not
reside near a military installation?
Answer. Military service provides unique challenges, and access to
mental and behavioral resources is essential. If confirmed, I will work
to understand the State of the mental and behavioral health resources
available to Reserve Component airmen and their families.
Question. Although the Department has made great strides in
reducing the stigma associated with help-seeking behaviors, many
service members remain concerned that their military careers will be
adversely affected should their chain of command become aware that they
are seeking mental or behavioral health care. At the same time, the
military chain of command has a legitimate need to be aware of physical
and mental health conditions that may affect the readiness of the
service members under their command.
Regarding the provision of mental and behavioral health care, how
does the Air Force bridge the gap between an airman or guardian's
desire for confidentiality and the chain of command's legitimate need
to know about matters that may affect the readiness of the airman,
guardian, and the unit?
Answer. Ensuring the readiness of our force depends on the mental
health and well-being of our Airmen and Guardians. Balancing
confidentiality with the need to address issues affecting readiness is
a critical and complex challenge that I would take seriously. If
confirmed, I would work with DAF leadership to identify best practices
to ensure a fair balance between confidentiality and operational
readiness. I would work to foster a culture where seeking help is
viewed as a strength, not a career risk, while maintaining the
readiness and lethality that the DAF's mission demands.
Question. In your view, do non-medical counseling services provided
by DOD Military Family Life Counselors have a role in promoting the
readiness of airmen, guardians, and their families? Please explain your
answer.
Answer. While I have not yet had the opportunity to review the DAF
methods for deciding between the use of DOD Military Family Life
Counselors and medical counseling services, I am passionate about
military readiness. If confirmed, I will work closely with DAF leaders
to analyze these processes, clarify the role of DOD Military Family
Life Counselors, and explore ways to enhance their utilization in the
future.
sexual harassment and assault prevention and response programs
Question. Do you believe the policies, programs, resources, and
training that DOD and the Military Services have put in place to
prevent and respond to sexual assault, and to protect service members
who report sexual assault from retaliation, are working? If not, what
else must be done?
Answer. As a leader in DOD, I witnessed significant emphasis on
ending sexual violence in our Services. Sexual assault and retaliation
for reporting sexual assault harms our Airmen and Guardians and reduces
our military readiness--therefore, it demands our attention. If
confirmed, I will review current policies, programs, resources, and
training related to sexual assault prevention and response for their
effectiveness, to include the protection of service members who report
sexual assault from retaliation.
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to increase focus on the
prevention of sexual assaults?
Answer. If confirmed, I would review current DAF programs designed
to respond to and prevent sexual assaults. I also would work with DAF
leaders to ensure the programs and initiatives we implement align with
military readiness. Finally, I would receive a briefing on the current
evaluation activities to assess progress.
Question. What is your view of the necessity of affording a victim
both restricted and unrestricted options to report sexual harassment?
Answer. In my view, restricted and unrestricted reporting options
offer victims the option to maintain confidentiality, if desired, as
well as providing an opportunity to file an official report. Using both
options allows the Department to provide helping services in line with
the victim's desires.
domestic violence and child abuse in military families
Question. What is your understanding of the extent of domestic
violence and child abuse in the Air Force, and, if confirmed, what
actions would you take to address these issues?
Answer. Any case of domestic violence or child abuse and neglect is
against the values and threatens operational readiness in the
Department of the Air Force. If confirmed, I commit to ensuring these
issues are receiving the attention they deserve and that there are
adequate resources to support the initiatives to prevent and respond to
domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.
u.s. air force academy
Question. In your view, what is the unique benefit of a military
service academy compared to other officer commissioning sources?
Answer. I value all commissioning sources. Between USAFA, ROTC, and
Officer Training School we are able to build the officer corps we need
for the future. My understanding is a very high percentage of USAFA
graduates commission into combat and combat support career fields,
heavily weighted to our pilot and space operator pipelines. If
confirmed, I will evaluate the commissioning opportunities.
Question. Do you believe the Air Force Academy currently is meeting
the needs of the Air Force and Space Force in terms of producing new
officers with necessary academic experience, military discipline, and
character?
Answer. Yes. I support USAFA's priorities of forging warfighters to
win, developing leaders of character and quality, and motivating
critical thinkers to adapt. If confirmed, I will ensure USAFA provides
academic rigor and that all our commission programs instill in cadets
the warrior ethos required to lead our forces.
Question. What is your assessment of the efficacy of the policies
and processes in place at the Air Force Academy to prevent sexual
assault and sexual harassment, and to ensure that cadets who do report
assault or harassment are not subject to retaliation--social ostracism
and reputation damage--in particular?
Answer. I have not yet had a chance to review the specific policies
and procedures in place at the Air Force Academy. If confirmed, I would
ensure the Air Force Academy is in full compliance with DOD and DAF
policy and initiatives on preventing and responding to sexual assault
and harassment If improvements are needed, I am committed to making
required changes.
joint officer management
Question. In your view, do the requirements associated with
becoming a Joint Qualified Officer (JQO), and the link between
attaining joint qualification and eligibility for promotion to General
Officer, continue to be consistent with the operational and
professional demands of Air Force and Space Force line officers?
Answer. The DAF must operate in a joint environment to be
effective, and I believe joint experience is important to success.
Although I am not currently familiar with the specific requirements, if
confirmed I will work with senior leaders, across the DAF, to examine
the qualification and make any recommendations I find necessary to
ensure the requirements are aligned with development requirements to
support operational priorities.
Question. What additional modifications, if any, would you
recommend to JQO prerequisites necessary to ensure that Air Force and
Space Force officers are able to attain both meaningful joint and
Service-specific leadership experience, as well as adequate
professional development?
Answer. Leadership experience and professional development are
crucial to ensure our officers are prepared for leadership in complex
security environments. If confirmed, I will work with senior leaders,
across the DAF, to examine JQO prerequisites and make any
recommendations I find necessary to ensure the requirements are aligned
with development requirements to support operational priorities.
space force personnel management act
Question. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2024 authorized the Space Force to combine all active and Reserve
component guardians into a single, full-time/part-time, component.
In your judgment, how will this novel military personnel
arrangement benefit the Space Force?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
implementation of the Space Force Personnel Management Act. Thanks to
the vision of Congress, PMA offers significant potential in enabling
the Space Force to manage its unique military force more effectively to
meet current and evolving mission requirements while delivering
unmatched space capabilities.
Question. How will you ensure former members of the Air Force
Reserve and Air National Guard are not disadvantaged by joining the
Space Force under this new construct?
Answer. As I understand it, the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2024 authorized the creation of the Space Force
Personnel Management Act (SFPMA) which approved the integration active-
component Guardians and Air Force Reservists in space-focused career
fields to offer both full-and part-time service options. If confirmed,
I will review the existing progress toward implementation of SFPMA to
ensure it properly meets the Total Force needs and will focus on how
implementation plans provide a level playing field for current members
of the Air Force Reserve who opt in to the Space Force. Additionally,
it is my understanding that the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2025 directed the transfer of Covered Space Functions of
the Air National Guard to the United States Space Force. If confirmed,
I will review implementation of this requirement.
Question. The Committee understands that personnel information
technology systems are the main obstacle preventing the Space Force
from implementing the Space Force Personnel Management Act
expeditiously.
If confirmed, how will you assist the Space Force acquire the
necessary technology required to implement the Space Force Personnel
Management Act?
Answer. The Space Force Personnel Management Act is an important
step toward modernizing the Space Force and allowing additional
flexibilities to support a more efficient and effective force
development. If confirmed, I will ensure the Space Force is resourced
and unhindered by bureaucratic roadblocks throughout the multi-year
implementation process to deliver the technology required to meet
congressional intent and take care of our Guardians.
Question. Section 514 of the Servicemember Quality of Life
Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025
requires the Secretary of the Air Force to transfer to the Space Force
the covered space functions and personnel of the Air National Guard.
What is you understanding of when the transfer of the covered units
and equipment to the Space Force will occur, and what is the associated
plan for transferring personnel?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with my senior military officials
in assessing resource levels to ensure the Space Force budget aligns
with the priorities set forth in the National Defense Authorization
Act, which will include evaluating the timeline for transferring
covered units and equipment and developing a comprehensive plan for
transferring associated personnel.
air force integrated pay and personnel system (afipps)
Question. The Committee is aware that the AFIPPS program continues
to struggle with significant schedule delays and cost overruns. This
program is essential for the Air Force to implement modern personnel
policy and for Air Force audit requirements.
What is your view of the importance of AFIPPS?
Answer. It is my understanding that the Air Force Integrated
Personnel and Pay System (AFIPPS) is the DAF's modernized solution to
link personnel and pay. If confirmed, I will seek a briefing on the
program and, if necessary, will work with DAF leadership to build a
strategy to finalize the program.
Question. If confirmed, what will you do to ensure AFIPPS delivers
the promised capability according to latest schedule and cost
estimates?
Answer. Caring for our personnel is a no fail mission. If
confirmed, I am committed to working with DAF leadership to understand
where we are with this program and what we need to do moving forward.
professional military education
Question. What changes or reform would you recommend to the
professional military education system to ensure that tomorrow's
leaders have the tools necessary to ensure the Department is able to
meet the national defense objectives of the future?
Answer. If confirmed, I will conduct a comprehensive review of our
Professional Military Education system, engaging with internal and
external experts to ensure current delivery models align with mission
readiness. This includes analyzing curriculum relevance, resource
allocation, integration of emerging technologies, and strategic
competition preparedness, to ensure the successful execution of mission
by the Department.
department of the air force civilian workforce
Question. How would you describe the current State of the
Department of the Air Force (including the Space Force) civilian
workforce, including its morale and the Department's ability to
successfully recruit and retain top civilian talent?
Answer. I believe civilian employees are vital to sustaining the
readiness of our military forces. If confirmed, I will ensure the
Department is focused on hiring top talent into positions that directly
contribute to our warfighting readiness. I also will review the work
environment and level of employee engagement. If confirmed, I will work
with DAF leadership to maintain or enhance work environments and
employee engagement.
Question. In your judgment, what is the biggest challenge facing
the Air Force and Space Force in effectively and efficiently managing
their civilian workforce?
Answer. If confirmed, I would work with DAF leadership to
understand the challenges DAF faces in managing the workforce. In
addition, if confirmed, I would maximize the numerous hiring and
compensation flexibilities and authorities the Congress has provided
and seek out ways to bring dramatic, long-lasting improvements through
a meritocratic culture that promotes innovation and excellence. I will
review our personnel processes and systems and look for efficiencies
that will enable effective management of the civilian workforce.
Question. In your view, do Air Force and Space Force supervisors
have adequate authorities to address and remediate employee misconduct
and poor duty performance, and ultimately to divest of a civilian
employee who fails to meet requisite standards of conduct and
performance? If so, are both civilian and military supervisors
adequately trained to exercise such authorities? If not, what
additional authorities or training do Air Force and Space Force
supervisors require?
Answer. If confirmed, I am committed to making sure the Department
continues to have the best people. Throughout my career, I have focused
on getting the right people into the right jobs and in structuring
organizations to use their people effectively. If I am confirmed, I
will review the effectiveness of the numerous personnel management
authorities and systems and explore greater efficiencies. The
Department must make every effort to create a future-ready, agile and
adaptive workforce able to meet the rapidly evolving challenges of the
21st century.
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 Tom Cotton
re-capitalization
1. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, what are the steps you will be taking
to ensure that we have the munitions and combat airframes necessary to
counter China?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will assess the Air Force's requirements
of both munitions and combat air platforms. I also commit to working
with Geographic Component Commands to address weapon requirements. I
plan to continue requesting appropriations for as many relevant
munitions as the industrial base can produce, as well as investing in
the development of new ones. If confirmed, I look forward to working
with Congress to obtain appropriations for the procurement of munitions
and their delivery platforms to maintain a competitive edge in a highly
contested environment.
space force
2. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, long range kill chain will rely on
space access. How will you ensure the Joint Force will have durable
access to the space domain?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will ensure the United States Space
Force (USSF) has the resources it needs to protect and enable the Joint
Force: The USSF continues to provide U.S. forces the freedom of
maneuver to achieve national strategic objectives and disrupt adversary
long range kill chains. Achieving this requires an end State where
adversaries are deterred from using space to counter Joint Force
activities. To ensure any adversary is deterred we must achieve Space
Superiority. A principal means to provide Space Superiority is assured
access to space via space lift and a resilient, hybrid architecture.
The USSF drives capability and resilience for lift through multiple
launch sites, supply chains, vehicles, and companies. The USSF stays
ready to launch payloads when needed through considerations that
include but are not limited to agile spacecraft integration and ready
launch vehicles and facilities.
The USSF faces a challenge in pursuit of Space Superiority, in
providing capabilities in the space domain, that is similar to every
other Armed Service--to balance readiness in the near term with long
term modernization of our forces. If confirmed, my responsibility will
be to provide direction and secure resources which establish deterrence
today while preparing a combat credible force to act as needed in the
domain in the future.
national reconnaissance office and space force
3. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, the roles of the National
Reconnaissance Office and the U.S. Space Force are closely aligned and
sometimes overlap. How do we best leverage the National Reconnaissance
Office and the U.S. Space Force so that they complement each other?
Dr. Meink. As the NRO's Principal Deputy Director, I provided day-
to-day management of the NRO, including the integration of intelligence
capabilities to meet mission priorities. If confirmed, I would review
the space acquisition structure, to include test and evaluation
processes, with an eye toward streamlining decision-making and
eliminating bureaucracy, to ensure that doctrine, strategy, and
operations are all properly aligned to fully exploit the combined
commercial and exquisite national capabilities of the U.S. Further, I
would prioritize a review of integration and a secure supply chain
across the national security space enterprise, to include the
Intelligence Community, using congressionally established bodies, to
understand where greater integration and efficiency may be achieved to
effectively support combatant commands.
intelligence
4. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, a large majority of the Air Force's
processing, exploitation, and dissemination capacity, over 10,000
airmen, is funded and tied to the U-2, MQ-9, and RQ-4 through the Air
Force Distributed Common Ground System. As the Air Force and Space
Force strategy divests away from air-breathing intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, and toward space-based
collectors, how will you ensure that the intelligence airmen providing
critical intelligence capacity and weapons quality data remain manned
and funded to enable combat readiness?
Dr. Meink. As I understand, the Department of the Air Force (DAF)
is divesting some of its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
(ISR) fleets to transition to more advanced and survivable capabilities
with sensors in all domains. The DAF is not pivoting completely to
space. When combined, air and space-based capabilities provide a
flexible and complimentary force to prevail in any conflict. If
confirmed, I look forward to better assessing the capabilities,
including intelligence manpower, needed in the air and space domains.
5. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, how will you ensure that the airmen
and guardians can access and utilize the classified data collected by
space-based sensors, which are traditionally controlled by the National
Security Agency (NSA) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
(NGA), to support their theater component commanders?
Dr. Meink. The Air Force and Space Force effectively collaborate
with both NGA and NSA. When it comes to ensuring access to SB-MTI data,
the Space Force and NGA are developing a joint security classification
guide that is aggressively pursuing the lowest classification level for
the data that is safe for national security while meeting warfighting
needs. On a broader scale, we continue to strengthen our crucial
partnerships with NGA and NSA, emphasizing timely and secure access to
relevant and accurate data. Clear policies streamlined vetting of data,
and system interoperability are critical to enabling Guardians and
Airmen to support combatant commanders with space-based insights.
Furthermore, by streamlining security clearance eligibility and
ensuring timely sponsorship based on validated mission needs, we will
leverage established frameworks to provide authorized personnel with
the classified information required for operational success, ultimately
balancing robust security with the imperative of delivering actionable
data to the warfighter on tactically relevant timelines.
6. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, as the Department of the Air Force
divests many airborne ISR platforms and re-prioritize toward space-
based capabilities, how are you going to ensure that theater Air Force
intelligence collection priorities will be prioritized appropriately
within a collection process controlled by national Intelligence
Community (IC) agencies like NSA, NGA, and National Reconnaissance
Office (NRO)?
Dr. Meink. Air Component intelligence collection priorities will
continue to follow the same process used today. Theater air components
will prioritize their intelligence collection and submit their
prioritized list to the Combatant Command for integration into the
Combatant Command's collection priorities. Once a Combatant Command
finalizes their prioritized list, DOD and IC systems will collect
against Combatant Command priorities in accordance with established
agreements and Combatant Command allocation.
u.s. nuclear deterrent
7. Senator Cotton. Dr. Meink, on February 25, 2025, Chairman Wicker
and I wrote a classified letter to Secretary Hegseth and Secretary
Wright. Will you commit to reviewing this letter and the attached
documents?
Dr. Meink. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. If
confirmed, I will request a copy of your letter and its attachments and
review them.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator M. Michael Rounds
software acquisition pathway
8. Senator Rounds. Dr. Meink, as you know, the Software Acquisition
Pathway (SWP) was established in December 2019 following the enactment
of the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA. However, over 6 years later, DOD is still
not taking full advantage of this authority. Earlier this month
Secretary Hegseth issued the memo ``Directing Modern Software
Acquisition to Maximize Lethality'' to direct all DOD components to use
the SWP as the ``preferred pathway for all software development'' to
include weapon systems programs. This is a positive development. As the
memo notes, ``DOD has struggled to reframe its acquisition process from
a hardware-centric approach to a software-centric approach'' and as a
result, ``it is the warfighter who pays the price.'' If confirmed, what
specific actions would you seek to undertake in your organization to
accelerate software acquisition, especially within collaborative and
modular autonomous weapons systems, and fully take advantage of the
more nimble and rapid development that occurs in the commercial
software sector?
Dr. Meink. In my understanding, the DAF has been actively and
continuously applying the software pathway since its introduction to
improve the delivery of software capabilities to the warfighter. The
criticality of modern systems software necessitates leveraging all
authorities, including Commercial Solutions Openings and Other
Transactions, to accelerate system delivery and address evolving
threats. If confirmed, I will review the DAF's application of this
pathway, improve training on modern software development--emphasizing
flexible scope and frequent releases, and ensure access to effective
cost-estimating and management tools compatible with these processes.
spectrum
9. Senator Rounds. Dr. Meink, as I have shared before, I have heard
from 24 senior DOD officials in hearings over the past 2 years--
including the Secretary of Defense, every service chief, and 8
combatant commanders--that forcing DOD to vacate the 3.1-3.45 GHz band
would have extremely negative and costly effects on our warfighting
capabilities. If confirmed, what will you do to make sure that the Air
Force and Department of Defense can maintain access to use of and
maneuver within the electromagnetic spectrum at home and abroad?
Dr. Meink. The 3.1-3.45 GHz band is essential for joint operations.
This range impacts air-and land-based radars, weapons systems and other
electronics--such as the station keeping equipment on Air Force C-130
aircraft. Physics in this band cannot be replicated--ceding 3.1-3.45
GHz will negatively affect national security. If confirmed, I will work
to ensure the DAF does not lose primacy for the operations and training
we need in the Lower 3 GHz range, and I will continue working with the
DOD CIO on how we might dynamically share the spectrum.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Dan Sullivan
alaska specific issues
10. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, Eielson Air Force Base (AFB) which
in addition to being home to F-35 squadrons, F-16 interceptors, and KC-
135s along with hosting many nations each year for Red Flag events,
still needs many more ``warm'' facilities to house KC-135 airframes. It
can only really fit two right now. Additionally, other infrastructure
is very outdated, and facilities are not keeping pace with Wainwright
Army base. Will you work with me to acquire the infrastructure
necessary to hold the tankers?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will ensure infrastructure requirements
at Eielson AFB are properly assessed and prioritized to support the
critical missions being conducted from the installation.
11. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, in our discussion in my office we
spoke about the need for additional hangar and infrastructure
capability at Deadhorse (near Prudhoe Bay) to help extend the Air
Force's reach in the Arctic. The U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM)
Commander, General Gregory Guillot, as well as the U.S. Pacific Air
Forces (PACAF) Commander, General Kevin Schneider have both expressed
interest in this location. Will you work with me, if confirmed, to get
the military construction approved to support operations out of
Deadhorse?
Dr. Meink. The Arctic is critical to our ability to defend the
homeland and project power internationally. If confirmed, I commit to
continuing to evaluate our posture in Alaska, and I will work with
Congress to ensure the Department has sufficient infrastructure to
support its missions and operations.
12. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, the 18th Fighter Interceptor
Squadron (FIS) at Eielson AFB is responsible for interception of
Russian and Chinese strategic bombers and fighters that cross into the
Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Oftentimes however the
18th FIS is short of either pilots or mechanics to accomplish their
mission. They always do accomplish the mission, but often at great
extra cost in manpower and time (especially as intercepts have
increased in the last year). Will you commit to looking at the task
organization and real-life manning of this unit and its sustainers and
ensure that they are manned 100 percent to finish their mission?
Yes, if confirmed, I will commit to reviewing the task organization
and manning of the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and its supporting
units to ensure they are resourced to effectively carry out their
critical homeland defense mission.
13. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, as you are aware I've been
fighting to get the KC-135 Active Association complete at Eielson AFB
for nearly a decade and your predecessor signed off on it. I appreciate
your commitment during your hearing to see this through to completion.
I've ran into a number of issues with the Air Force Site Activation
Task Force (SATF) which has visited Eielson nearly six times to conduct
housing surveys. It appears they are using housing data from 2023 to
make decisions regarding the amount of available housing at Eielson.
Will you commit to work with me to ensure that SATF is using the most
current housing data to inform its decisions about housing at Eielson
and to relook the Air Force's housing requirements as soon as possible
to ensure we are meeting mission need at the base?
Yes if, confirmed, I will review the housing data being used by the
DAF to inform housing requirements and ensure we are using the most
current data.
14. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, as part of President Trump's
Golden Dome program, there will almost certainly be a need to ensure
that our advanced early warning radar systems like the E-7 are capable
of detecting incoming aircraft and missile threats both at home and if
necessary, forward deployed. We have had a number of issues in Alaska
with E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) readiness rates
due to aging airframes and parts. Will you commit to reviewing the E-7
program to make sure we are properly resourcing it and work with me to
ensure that we have that capability on hand when required in Alaska?
Dr. Meink. I understand that Golden Dome will require the DAF to
integrate command and control (C2) processes within the Joint Force,
NORTHCOM, STRATCOM, and the inter-agency to fully address the threat
from ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-
generation aerial attacks. Airborne Early Warning and Control
capabilities, like the future E-7A Wedgetail provide agile and
responsive battlespace C2 and aircraft identification and tracking
capabilities. If confirmed, I will review the E-7A program to ensure
the ability to meet the current threats abroad and related to defending
the homeland. I also commit to delivering the E-7A capability to the
warfighter as quickly and affordably as possible, with support from
Congress.
aerial refueling
15. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, for over 6 years now we've seen
the new KC-46 aerial refueling tanker being delayed for various issues
with its manufacturer Boeing. These issues have ranged from cracks in
critical components to issues with the boom and drag on the aircraft.
What is your plan to work with Boeing to get this aircraft fully
operational and to improve its dismal readiness ratings?
I understand that the KC-46 is progressing toward full operational
capability and that the recent strategic pause in deliveries is
allowing for thorough inspection and repair of the identified cracks.
If confirmed, I commit to work closely with Boeing to resolve remaining
issues and deliver a fully operational and ready aircraft.
16. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, as the Air Force has waited for
the KC-46 to overcome readiness issues, we are continuing to utilize
the KC-135 (a decades-old aircraft) to conduct refueling operations. As
a result, our tanker availability gap has grown since the aged aircraft
has more and more maintenance issues. As you await new KC-46 deliveries
and satisfactory testing, what will be your plan to increase KC-135
readiness above its current dismal level?
I have seen reports that the KC-135 fleet maintains an aircraft
availability rate around 60 percent. If confirmed, I commit to reinvest
in our military ensuring our warfighters have the funding and parts
needed to boost operational readiness for our platforms and deliver
meaningful technology.
17. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, can you talk through how you might
``surge'' maintenance in the event of a conflict?
The ability to ``surge'' tomorrow begins today. Three levers affect
tanker readiness: parts, production, and people. The KC-46 and KC-135
require a focused investment in critical spare parts and components. I
plan to work with the industrial base to improve contract reliability
during a surge to improve parts delivery to depots and operational
bases. The Total Force tanker fleet also requires a timely and
predictable depot maintenance schedule that scales to the customer
demand signal, composed of highly trained and professional civilian and
contract personnel. Finally, we need high-quality maintainers at all
our tanker bases manned at or above current levels to ensure enduring
aircraft availability. Our Airmen are masters at ``surging'' for
conflict, and it will be my job to set them up for success. If
confirmed, I plan to influence all these levers and bring the necessary
tanker readiness required by our combatant commanders.
18. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, what role do you think unmanned
aerial refueling (like the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray) will play in the
future of air combat?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed I look forward to reviewing the analysis
that examines concepts for unmanned aerial refueling and working with
OSD and the other Services to leverage existing technologies.
f-47 fighter program
19. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, as you are aware the F-47 program
was awarded recently to Boeing. While I have no doubt that Boeing was
chosen because it had the best aircraft prototype, I'd like to know how
you plan to hold contractors (including Boeing) accountable for any
failures or delays in this program given its recent history with the
KC-46 which is ongoing?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to work closely with our defense
industrial base to deliver results while holding each other accountable
as the Department cannot do this on its own. There must be proper
alignment of contract types and incentives to the technical risk and
fielding requirements of our warfighters. We must require open
architecture compliance and drive continuous competition.
20. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, what do you think we learned from
these previous programs that we should do differently with the F-47?
Dr. Meink. I understand that the F-47 is built on a digital
foundation that gives the government full visibility and control,
ensuring knowledge parity with industry partners. This open
architecture allows seamless integration of new technologies,
guaranteeing it can continuously meet evolving threats and enable
competition at the system level. If confirmed, I commit to looking at
other programs to which we could apply these acquisition principles.
small business act 8(a) contractor
21. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, in our meeting, you mentioned the
need to thoroughly review our existing contracts and contract vehicles
to ensure they are providing the best benefit to the taxpayer. The
Small Business Act (SBA) 8(a) program, created by Congress, provides a
contract vehicle through which sole source and set aside contracts can
be awarded to small businesses owned by Alaska Native corporations,
Community Development Corporations, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian
organizations. These corporations are tied to political relationships,
not racial classifications. They also are some of our most efficient
contractors, earning stellar Contractor Performance Assessment
Reporting System (CPARS) marks. Last many of these small businesses
employ veterans at rates far exceeding the national average, allowing
our Nation's finest to continue to serve after they take off the
uniform. Will you commit to me to work to preserve and strengthen 8(a)
contracting for the Department of the Defense and the Air Force?
Dr. Meink. I understand that the Section 8(a) program has provided
notable benefits both to program participants and to Federal agencies.
I also understand that the SBA has pursued program improvements to
ensure that program participation and use decisions are made on sound
criteria. The 8(a) Program and other Small Business programs are
valuable tools for strengthening the defense industrial base. If
confirmed, I will work with Congress, the Department of the Air Force
Office of Small Business Programs (SAF/SB), and interagency partners
such as SBA on improving, preserving, and strengthening Section 8(a)
contracting and other Small Business Programs whenever using them would
be in the best interest of the Department of the Air Force.
22. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, I recently toured an SBA 8(a)
contracting operation and saw firsthand the value 8(a) brings to the
Federal customer in terms of cost and efficiency while delivering
mission-critical solutions that increase our national security and
warfighter readiness. When the rate for big government contractors is
double 8(a) shops and about 45 days for 8(a) contractors versus 3
months for big government contractors, and 8(a) shops give the
intellectual property (IP) to the Government unlike big government
contractors--would you agree that the SBA 8(a) program one of the most
efficient and effective ways to deliver results to the Federal
Government?
Dr. Meink. I understand that the Section 8(a) program has provided
notable benefits both to program participants and to Federal agencies.
The 8(a) Program and other Small Business programs are valuable tools
for strengthening the defense industrial base. If confirmed, I will
work with Congress, the Department of the Air Force Office of Small
Business Programs (SAF/SB), and interagency partners such as SBA on
improving, preserving, and strengthening Section 8(a) contracting and
other Small Business Programs whenever using them would be in the best
interest of the Department of the Air Force.
alaska energy issues
23. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, President Trump's January 20, 2025
order declaring a National Energy Emergency which directs in section 2
to utilize the authorities afforded under the Defense Production Act
``to facilitate the identification, leasing, siting, production,
transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy resources,
including, but not limited to, on Federal lands.'' and in section 7
states ``(a) In collaboration with the Secretaries of Interior and
Energy, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct an assessment of the
Department of Defense's ability to acquire and transport the energy,
electricity, or fuels needed to protect the homeland and to conduct
operations abroad, and, within 60 days, shall submit this assessment to
the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. This
assessment shall identify specific vulnerabilities, including, but not
limited to, potentially insufficient transportation and refining
infrastructure across the Nation, with a focus on such vulnerabilities
within the Northeast and West Coast regions of the United States. The
assessment shall also identify and recommend the requisite authorities
and resources to remedy such vulnerabilities, consistent with
applicable law.''
In Alaska, shortages in natural gas supplies in the Cook Inlet are
affecting heating and energy usage in Southcentral Alaska--the most
populated area in Alaska and home to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
(JBER) which hosts the 673d Air Base Wing, the headquarters for the
U.S. Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, 11th Airborne Division, and the
Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region.
In late January 2024, temperatures dropped to record low
temperatures (around -20+ F) in the Anchorage area coinciding with
failures of two of five of the wells at the Cook Inlet Natural as
Storage (CINGSA) Facility reducing gas deliverability to local
utilities and led to directing local users, including Joint Base
Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), to lower thermostats to conserve gas
consumption. The Alaska LNG project is designed to provide these bases
with gas and is in the process of providing it for utilities in
Fairbanks and Southcentral Alaska.
Do you see the national security interest in seeing that natural
gas from the Alaska LNG project is made available to Alaska's military
bases and recognize the Alaska LNG project as being of strategic
national importance for our military?
Dr. Meink. Expanding our access to available, but underutilized,
sources of energy, such as natural gas is important to power our
installations and achieve national energy dominance. If confirmed, I
will work with OSD, the Department of Energy, the Department of
Interior, and other stakeholders, such as our utility partners, to
identify potential solutions to ensure our installations have the power
they need to meet critical mission requirements.
24. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, will you commit to pursuing
agreements, pursuant to the President's Executive Order, to power
Alaska's military bases?
Dr. Meink. Energy and water are critical to the Department of the
Air Force's ability to achieve its mission. If confirmed, I will commit
to utilizing all available authorities to pursue an ``all-of-the-
above'' approach to provide reliable energy for our installations in
Alaska, in accordance with the President's Executive Orders.
defense acquisition and procurement
25. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, in a recent Readiness Subcommittee
Hearing on Joint Force Posture, I asked each of the services' vice
chiefs about budget flexibility and carryover funding authority to
provide each service with the ability to shift a certain percentage of
funds among capabilities each year. Do you think that the services
would benefit from such budget flexibility and how do you think it
should best be implemented?
Dr. Meink. I believe the DAF would benefit greatly from budget
flexibility--it is imperative that we can move faster while developing
and procuring capabilities to respond to emerging threats and changing
technologies. I concur with the PPBE Commission Report's recommendation
to allow a carryover of 5 percent of Military Personnel and Operation
and Maintenance annual total obligation authority into the next fiscal
year. This authority would enable DOD managers to reserve a small
portion of funds to address late-breaking bills and unanticipated
expenses. To my knowledge, the current reprogramming limitations hinder
the DOD's agility to adopt emerging technologies. Increased flexibility
is crucial and can be achieved by continuing to evaluate Below
Threshold Reprogramming (BTR) threshold for adjustments. I believe a
periodic review (e.g., annual or bi-annual) for reprogramming
thresholds will ensure they remain relevant and address inflationary
pressures.
26. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, as you probably know, software-
defined and autonomous systems are vital to U.S. Indo-Pacific
Commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo's hellscape concept of operations
(CONOP). And while not a panacea for a potential conflict with China,
Admiral Paparo recently stated, ``Unmanned systems [are] our force
multiplier'' and they ``multiply [our] combat power, without
multiplying our manning requirements.'' Specifically, he emphasized
that ``we have to build these capabilities at scale . . .'' During his
nomination hearing, newly confirmed Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen
Feinberg agreed stating, ``Clearly, we need to develop autonomy.
Autonomy in significant numbers with a centralized command . . .
Additionally, while we continue to heavily invest in new autonomous
capabilities, we also have hundreds--if not thousands--of legacy
systems, some in service and others in the boneyard, that could be
upgraded with 21st Century software.''
In your personal opinions, in order to fully ``scale'' autonomous
and software-defined capabilities ``in significant numbers'' to the
warfighter, what approach should DOD take in retrofitting--or
``jailbreaking''--legacy systems (that already exist in large numbers)
with cutting-edge autonomous software capabilities?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will make scaling autonomous capability
across DAF platforms an important priority. I will assess where DAF
operational capabilities can benefit from advanced technologies and
then ensure the best engineering and modernization approach is applied.
I will also reinforce enterprise-wide approaches including open system
architectures, modern software acquisition approaches, and DevSecOps
software pipelines to allow delivery of systems at speed and scale to
the warfighter.
27. Senator Sullivan. Dr. Meink, given the existing contractual
limitations, what authorities or contractual changes would your teams
need to execute these retrofits and unlock the latent capabilities
already resident, but sadly dormant in our existing warfighting
hardware?
Dr. Meink. In my view, the Department should leverage authorities
like OTAs and streamlined acquisition processes to rapidly prototype
and accelerate deployment of these capabilities. If confirmed, I will
review potential contract approaches such as associate contractor
agreements, consortia, or other contractor teaming arrangements to
unlock the potential of our fielded fleet.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Kevin Cramer
collaborative combat aircraft production
28. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, the Air Force needs a capability in
mass to compete with the exponential growth of China's military,
particularly in the air domain, and this must be achieved at a speed
and cost not readily available with exquisite, manned aircraft. The
Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program promises to rapidly and
affordably deliver highly capable, autonomous air vehicles at the scale
necessary to deter our adversaries. In today's threat environment, we
can no longer afford to prototype and iterate on emerging capabilities,
like CCA, and stop short of fielding them in the nearer term. Instead,
the service must have in place the acquisition strategy and funding
needed to advance proven capabilities to the warfighter. Following a
successful flight demonstration, we understand that the Air Force is
planning to immediately transition Increment 1 to production to attain
affordable mass at scale to counter the threat that exists today. As
Secretary of the Air Force, will you commit to advancing Increment 1 of
the CCA program into production and fielding at the scale required to
compete with great power competitors?
Dr. Meink. I share your concerns about our adversaries' efforts to
challenge our air power strength. I understand that the DAF has plans
for fielding an operational CCA capability before the end of the
decade, and if confirmed, I'll work to deliver on CCA's promise of an
affordable, semi-autonomous, rapidly fielded platform at scale.
Beyond rapid fielding, the DAF must integrate these new semi-
autonomous systems, as a lethal force multiplier, into the existing
force. This requires deliberate effort, as the DAF cannot afford to
apply traditional operational and maintenance models on these systems.
If confirmed, I commit to including operational and maintenance
considerations in the program plan.
collaborative combat aircraft acceleration
29. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, in consideration of the global
threat environment, in particular China's military investment and the
implications of great power conflict in the U.S. Indo-Pacifcic
Command's (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility to U.S. Forces, the
application of affordable and lethal mass matters. There is little
doubt that the Air Force will need its exquisite, manned capabilities
in particular use cases, but there are limits on quantities that can be
produced, operated and sustained within the constraints of time and
resources. However, we have seen how lower cost, highly capable
autonomous aircraft can augment manned fighters and enhance the Air
Force's ability to project power. One signature example of this is the
Combat Collaborative Aircraft program. The Air Force has established a
baseline procurement assumption of 1,000 Collaborative Combat Aircraft
at an estimated unit cost of one-third the price of crewed fighters.
With this example in mind, can you describe what the Air Force sees in
the value of attritable systems and how the service intends to increase
production and accelerate fielding of systems at scale?
Dr. Meink. The DAF should continue to pursue a mix of systems which
provide operational Commanders flexible options to achieve their
objectives. For example, while crewed 5th Generation fighters continue
to play a critical role, they may not be able to be produced on a
timeline or at a cost which addresses the evolving threats posed by our
adversaries. I understand that CCA will provide a force multiplier to
the crewed fighter fleet and will deliver affordable mass by being less
exquisite and complex but still operationally relevant. This will
enable shorter manufacturing lead-times, faster production rates, and
expedited fielding timelines.
autonomy software
30. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, Congress recognizes the value of
unmanned systems, and we're pleased to see the Air Force and the
Secretary nominee's focus on these capabilities as well. While we
strongly support the Air Force focus on building the hardware, we
recognize that without a pilot in the cockpit, these aircraft will also
need the advanced autonomy software required to operate. Leading
autonomy providers in the commercial world, such as OpenAI and Tesla,
spend billions of dollars on perception and training of their autonomy.
Meanwhile, the Air Force has budgeted just fractions of this sum for
the development of software for unmanned systems. What is the Air
Force's future plans to develop, integrate, and field autonomy
software?
Dr. Meink. We must invest in cutting-edge technologies needed to
counter the pacing challenge and maintain our edge. I believe
autonomous and semi-autonomous weapon systems are required for the DAF
to deter and, if necessary, win in the future fight. If confirmed, I
will review the current status and plans for the autonomous software
that supports these critical capabilities.
I believe, the Air Force recognizes the growing importance and role
of autonomy in unmanned systems and autonomous support systems, such as
analysis and decision-making tools for core functions. The Air Force
continues to make progress and has formed partnerships in academia and
industry, but infrastructure, development, and support for autonomy
software must be accelerated. If confirmed, I will take steps to create
a unifying strategy to accelerate the development, integration, and
fielding of autonomous software across our future systems. This
includes aircraft, munitions, and decision-making tools and required
infrastructure, data, and policy to rapidly field, iterate, and improve
systems.
31. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, is the Air Force sufficiently
budgeting for the development, fielding, operations, and sustainment of
this critical capability in the upcoming budget request and across the
Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)?
Dr. Meink. The field of autonomous software is evolving incredibly
fast. Budgeting must not only cover current needs but also anticipate
the resources required to integrate emerging technologies like advanced
AI, machine learning, and sophisticated sensor fusion. If confirmed, I
will assess our planned investments against our requirements to ensure
we not only keep pace with, but stay ahead of, potential adversaries.
expanding use of autonomous systems
32. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, Congress recognizes the value of
leveraging unmanned assets partnered with exquisite manned aircraft for
a variety of mission sets across the Air Force. Could you share your
thoughts regarding the myriad of mission sets that could be levied onto
unmanned systems, including integration of unmanned systems into
operations with existing and future manned platforms?
Dr. Meink. The Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program is part
of the Next Generation Air Dominance Family of Systems, a DAF effort to
equip the force with crewed and uncrewed platforms that can meet the
pacing challenge. I look forward to working with USAF leaders to
understand the missions they envision CCAs performing. My understanding
is, under the umbrella of Autonomous Collaborative Platforms, future
missions could include Reconnaissance, Mobility, Sensing,
Communications, Electronic Attack or Refueling. If confirmed, I look
forward to continuing development of the ACP capabilities.
33. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, how are you planning to further
leverage unmanned assets, including by transitioning certain mission
sets to unmanned platforms?
Dr. Meink. We are increasing automation and efficiency inherent to
existing unmanned platforms to improve the lethality of our Airmen
flying and operating those assets. I believe there are few rated and
enlisted aviators better suited to developing tactics, techniques, and
procedures for employing manned-unmanned teaming than are found flying
the MQ-9, RQ-4, and RQ-170's in our inventory today.
34. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, in particular, as adversaries have
pushed their reach out further, our mobility and refueling fleets are
further challenged. While the Air Force is the cornerstone of the
Department of Defense's (DOD) tanker capabilities, we are failing to
maintain the readiness of the minimum quantity of aircraft. We are
encouraged by the Air Force's Next Generation Aerial Refueling System
(NGAS) effort, which has the opportunity when fully funded to bring the
quantities of aircraft to the right levels while also keeping them
uncrewed to lower risk. Do you remain committed to the success of this
program?
Dr. Meink. It is clear to me the DAF must have a more resilient
tanking capability and, if confirmed, I look forward to the opportunity
to increase the resilience of our tanker fleet through the most rapid
and cost-effective means.
35. Senator Cramer. Dr. Meink, could you expand on other Air Force
mission sets in particular that could be successfully achieved through
unmanned systems?
Dr. Meink. I believe unmanned aircraft have the potential to
contribute to the majority of DAF mission sets. To my knowledge, we are
already employing unmanned systems in lethal environments to mitigate
risk to individual Airmen against violent adversaries like the Houthis
in Yemen. We continue to develop and deliver lethal effects through MQ-
9s, specifically, asymmetrically advantaging our ability to persist in
elevated threat environments.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Ted Budd
space force
36. Senator Budd. Dr. Meink, the National Reconnaissance Office
(NRO) has opted not to utilize Space Force's Strategic Launch
Integration Contract (SLIC), effectively limiting competition and
reinforcing the dominance of a few providers in the National Security
Space Launch (NSSL) market. Given the Space Force's role in fostering a
robust and competitive industrial base, how will you ensure that future
Space Force launch contract vehicles actively promote competition and
avoid the consolidation we have seen in recent NRO procurements?
Dr. Meink. I support increasing competition in the launch of
National Security payloads. It is important to maintain a robust and
competitive launch market that can support enterprise requirements and
maintain assured access to space while promoting healthy competition
between commercial launch providers. As I understand, the DOD's
National Security Space Launch Phase 3 acquisition strategy promotes
competition and enhances resilience by providing opportunities for
emerging launch providers to compete for more risk tolerant,
commercial-like missions, while also ensuring assured access to space
for critical, no-fail missions. If confirmed, I will ensure the
Department works with the Space Force and industry to maintain diverse
space access capabilities.
hypersonics
37. Senator Budd. Dr. Meink, how concerned are you regarding
China's hypersonic capabilities and, if confirmed, what should the
organizations you have been nominated to lead, do to ensure sufficient
emphasis is placed on and the proper resources are put toward the
development of critical systems and supporting technologies that would
help lower the costs and accelerate the fielding of the Department's
offensive and defensive hypersonic programs of record, including those
that would support Golden Dome?
Dr. Meink. China's hypersonic weapons pose a significant challenge,
and peace through strength requires a robust response. If confirmed, I
commit to ensuring the Department of the Air Force emphasizes the
accelerated fielding of resilient capabilities to ensure seamless
warning, tracking, custody, and defense against these advanced threats
in support of the Administration's Golden Dome initiative. I would also
lead the DAF in partnering with Missile Defense Agency, National
Reconnaissance Office, and other agencies to align resources to these
critical hypersonic defense and space-based hypersonic tracking
programs, to lower costs and meet aggressive fielding schedules. I
believe the DAF should continue to leverage innovative acquisition
strategies and existing authorities to accelerate the rapid prototyping
and fielding of ``best of breed'' technology.
38. Senator Budd. Dr. Meink, if confirmed, are you committed to
working with this committee to ramp up the Department's efforts in
critical hypersonic systems and supporting technologies to compete with
China?
Dr. Meink. Yes. The Air Force is focused on deterring China in the
Indo-Pacific and, should deterrence fail, providing our Nation's
leadership with the options and military capabilities necessary to
prevail in a high-end conflict in a highly contested environment. I
believe that continued effort to develop and field hypersonic air-
launched weapons is essential and will enable us to hold high-value,
time-sensitive targets at risk in contested environments from standoff
distances. If confirmed, I will work to ensure this capability is
prioritized in the Air Force's plans.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
space based tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
39. Senator Gillibrand. Dr. Meink, the Space Force, National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency (NGA) are working to establish the policies and procedures that
will guide DOD's use of space-based tactical intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance (ISR). From your experience in NRO, how do you
assess the progress of the work so far?
Dr. Meink. I believe the Space Force, NRO, NGA, and NSA's
collaborative efforts on space-based ISR policies and procedures are
progressing positively. If confirmed, it is my intention to conduct a
thorough assessment of the results of this partnership and focus on
ensuring the department has the collection management and data
dissemination authority to meet warfighter requirements.
40. Senator Gillibrand. Dr. Meink, as you likely step into the role
as Secretary of the Air Force, what do you view as the proper role for
the military versus the Intelligence Community (IC) in that
arrangement?
Dr. Meink. It is my understanding that the role of the Secretary of
the Air Force is to organize, train, and equip the department with
warfighting capabilities, which is an essential military function.
Meanwhile, there is a shared responsibility with the Intelligence
Community (IC), particularly regarding acquiring and operating
intelligence systems that support military intelligence. The Secretary
of the Air Force is responsible for the effective supervision and
control of the intelligence activities of the Department of the Air
Force. This includes those of the intelligence activities of the Space
Force IC Element, the newest member of the Intelligence Community.
special access programs
41. Senator Gillibrand. Dr. Meink, in January of last year, Deputy
Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks signed a policy change establishing
a process to enable DOD to bring down classification levels for systems
previously designated Special Access Programs, or SAPs. Coming from
your background in the space domain, what is your assessment of the
implementation of that policy change?
Dr. Meink. I am committed to protecting our Nation. This includes
ensuring systems, capabilities, information, and technologies receive
an appropriate level of protection without hindering development,
collaboration, planning, and warfighting. My assessment is the
implementation of DOD SAP policy is achievable while striking a balance
between protections and preserving national security.
42. Senator Gillibrand. Dr. Meink, what actions will you take to
address overclassification while protecting sensitive programs?
Dr. Meink. I strongly believe enabling access to information as
quickly and as broadly as possible is critical to national security. If
confirmed, I will advocate for accurate classification and automated
declassification were appropriate, while continuing to protect
sensitive programs. If confirmed, I will conduct a review to ensure the
Department classification processes and policies are aligned to prevent
overclassification and ensure appropriate classification and timely
downgrading or declassification decisions while protecting sensitive
programs.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
base energy resiliency
43. Senator Hirono. Dr. Meink, many Air Force and Space Force
installations in Hawaii face climate, energy, and aging infrastructure
challenges that threaten base resiliency, especially when faced with
extreme climate events, as seen with the damage at Tyndall Air Force
Base after Hurricane Michael. What specific steps would you take to
address these issues and improve long-term operational resiliency at
these critical bases in the Pacific?
Dr. Meink. Air Force and Space Force installations, including those
in Hawaii, face challenges posed by our adversaries as a well as
natural hazards. These potential disruptions threaten infrastructure,
readiness, and operational resilience. If confirmed, I will work to
prioritize investments in projects that improve infrastructure
resilience, and I will ensure resilience is embedded in long-term
planning efforts.
44. Senator Hirono. Dr. Meink, how would you incorporate innovative
infrastructure solutions--such as microgrids or hardened
communications--into your broader strategy to ensure that Air and Space
Force installations are ready for sustained operations?
Dr. Meink. I am aware that the DAF recently finalized a new
Installation Infrastructure Action Plan which will employ innovative
approaches to infrastructure management to ensure we can continue to
deliver combat power, and I support implementing the Action Plan.
Some of these approaches include expanding the installation of
microgrids, leveraging innovative contracting approaches to accelerate
the use of third-party financing, monetizing underutilized land and
buildings to reduce financial liabilities, proactively divesting
infrastructure to offset required recapitalization of mission critical
assets, and prioritizing resources to the most critical war-fighting
needs while driving down costs.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
ethics
45. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to not seeking any employment with or compensation from a
defense contractor, including through serving on a board, as a
consultant, or as a lobbyist, for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Dr. Meink. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
46. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to not engaging in any lobbying activities, including
unregistered ``shadow'' or ``behind-the-scenes'' lobbying under the
guise of consulting or advising on DOD-related matters, focused on DOD
or any of its components for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Dr. Meink. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
47. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, during your nomination process, did
anyone on the Trump campaign, transition team, or other closely related
entity approach you about your loyalty to President Trump?
Dr. Meink. No.
48. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you sign a loyalty pledge or other
similar oath? If so, please provide a copy of the text of that pledge
or oath.
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; I was not approached about my loyalty to
President Trump.
49. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you make any verbal representations of
loyalty? If so, please describe this representation.
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; I was not approached about my loyalty to
President Trump.
50. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, in November 2024, the New York Times
and other news outlets reported that Boris Epshteyn, a top adviser to
President Trump, allegedly requested payment from prospective political
appointees to promote their candidacies for top positions within the
Administration. Did you discuss the possibility of joining the
Administration with Mr. Epshteyn at any time?
Dr. Meink. No.
51. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you did discuss the possibility
of joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn, did Mr. Epshteyn seek
payment from you for promoting your candidacy for a position within the
Administration?
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; I was not approached.
52. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, at any time, did lawyers for
President Trump or members of President Trump's team approach you
regarding Mr. Epshteyn and the allegations cited above? If so, please
explain the information that they provided you, including copies of
documents, what was discussed during any calls, and any other
information pertaining to this interaction.
Dr. Meink. No.
53. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you own any defense contractor
stock, will you divest it to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of
interest?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will take action to divest those
interests identified in my Ethics Agreement. I can pledge to you that I
will be mindful of not only the legal requirements that govern my
conduct, but also of the need to ensure that the public has no reason
to question my impartiality, and I will consult with the Department's
ethics officials should such issues arise. To the best of my knowledge,
I have never had an investment that represented a conflict of interest
throughout my 30 plus year government career.
54. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you commit not to retaliate,
including by denying access to DOD officials or facilities, against
news outlets or individual journalists who publish articles that are
critical of you, your office, DOD, or the Trump administration?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
55. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how many times have you been accused
of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for another individual in a personal or professional
capacity? Provide a list of all instances in which you have been
accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for an individual and the behavior of which you were
accused.
Dr. Meink. I have never been accused of this type of behavior.
56. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you requested, or has anyone
requested on your behalf, that any other person or third party sign a
nondisclosure, confidentiality, non-disparagement, or similar agreement
regarding your conduct in a personal or professional capacity?
Dr. Meink. No.
57. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you voluntarily release any
individual from any such agreements before your nomination hearing?
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; I have not requested, or had anyone
request on my behalf, these types of agreements.
58. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you ever paid or promised to
pay, or has anyone paid or promised to pay on your behalf, an
individual as part of any non-disclosure, confidentiality, non-
disparagement, or similar agreement?
Dr. Meink. No.
59. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if the answer to the question above
was yes, how much was promised, how much was paid, and what were the
circumstances?
Dr. Meink. Not applicable.
60. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, Mr. Duffey, Mr. Michael, and Mr.
Bass, will you commit to not seeking employment, board membership with,
or another form of compensation from a company that you regulated or
otherwise interacted with while in government, for at least 4 years
after leaving office?
Dr. Meink. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
61. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, were you at any time, or are you
currently, contacted by or under investigation or review by any
inspector general personnel for your role in contracting decisions, or
for any other reason?
Dr. Meink. No, not to my knowledge.
62. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if so, what is the status of the
investigation(s)?
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; there are no such investigations to my
knowledge.
63. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you have not been under
investigation or review by any inspector personnel, why do you think
Reuters reported you were?
Dr. Meink. I cannot speculate on the impetus for the Reuters
article referenced in this question.
64. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you ever been counseled or
advised that your working relationship with SpaceX or Mr. Musk creates
a conflict of interest?
Dr. Meink. No.
65. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if the answer to the question above
is yes, who counseled or advised you of this conflict, and what action
did you take?
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; I have never been counseled or advised
that I have a conflict of interest.
66. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is the nature of your
relationship with SpaceX and Mr. Musk?
Dr. Meink. I have no relationship with SpaceX or Mr. Musk outside
of a professional relationship in the execution of my current duties.
67. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what role did Mr. Musk play in your
nomination to be Secretary of the Air Force?
Dr. Meink. None to my knowledge; I was nominated by the President
of the United States for this position.
68. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, did you ask Mr. Musk to support or
recommend your nomination?
Dr. Meink. No.
69. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, did you have conversations with Mr.
Musk regarding the nomination? If so, please describe the nature of
these conversations.
Dr. Meink. Mr. Musk was one of many people present at one of the
interviews I had with President Trump. However, the President was the
only one who asked me questions. I'm honored President Trump nominated
me for the position as Secretary of the Department of the Air Force.
70. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, did Mr. Musk ask for anything in
return for supporting your nomination?
Dr. Meink. I reject the premise of this question; I was nominated
by the President of the United States for this position.
71. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, Reuters reported that you altered
key details of a major contract, effectively boxing out other companies
from bidding. Are these reports accurate?
Dr. Meink. No.
72. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, did you alter the details of this
contract?
Dr. Meink. No.
73. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you did alter the details of this
contract, why did you do so?
Dr. Meink. Not applicable; I have not altered the details of any
contract.
74. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, reports further suggest that you
threatened to withhold future contracts from L3Harris if the company
filed a formal complaint. Did you threaten or imply that you would
withhold future contracts from L3Harris or any other contractors if
they filed complaints, bid protests, or cooperated with the Inspector
General's investigation?
Dr. Meink. No, and I'm not aware of any investigation.
75. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, would it ever be appropriate to
threaten or imply that you would withhold future contracts from a
company if they filed a complaint, bid protest, or cooperated with an
Inspector General, civil, or criminal investigation?
Dr. Meink. Dr. Meink. No, and I'm unaware of any investigation.
76. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you ever threatened or implied
that you would withhold future contracts from a company if they filed a
complaint, bid protest, or cooperated with an inspector general or
other investigation?
Dr. Meink. No, and I'm unaware of any investigation.
77. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if confirmed to be Secretary of the
Air Force, what role would you play in DOD acquisition negotiations
with contractors like SpaceX?
Dr. Meink. None; acquisition negotiations would be the purview of
the acquisition executives in the Department.
78. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you think it is valuable to
encourage competition and innovation in the defense industrial base?
Dr. Meink. Yes, and I have helped expand competition to the highest
levels in my current organization.
79. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, on February 11th, Mr. Musk held a
press conference in the Oval Office where he claimed that every
Government contract awarded to SpaceX was ``by far the best value for
money for the taxpayer.'' If confirmed to be Secretary of the Air
Force, what measures would you take to ensure a robust bidding process
to encourage competition for DOD projects?
Dr. Meink. I have a long and distinguished record of encouraging
innovation, competition and expanding the industrial base during my
time at the NRO. If confirmed, I would bring that experience to the
Department of the Air Force and ensure that leadership at all levels
was actively encouraging innovation and competition in the defense
industrial base.
80. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, in November 2024, Mr. Musk wrote on
X (formerly Twitter) that ``manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age
of drones'' and called those building jets like the F-35 ``idiots''. Do
you agree with Mr. Musk's characterization of fifth-generation stealth
fighters?
Dr. Meink. I do not associate myself with those remarks.
congressional oversight and transparency
81. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of the
role of the Department of Defense Inspector General and service
Inspectors General?
Dr. Meink. To my knowledge, the mission of the DOD IG is to promote
the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of DOD programs, and the
integrity of its workforce and operations, through impactful audits,
evaluations, investigations, and reviews. The role of the Air Force IG
is to independently and objectively inspect, investigate, and inquire
into matters of importance to the Department of the Air Force, to
include waste, fraud, and abuse. I will continue to support the
independence of the IG as I have done throughout my career.
82. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you ensure your staff complies
with any Inspector General deadlines established for requested
communications, providing witnesses, providing documents, and that
those witnesses will be protected from reprisal for their testimony?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
83. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are not able to comply with
any Inspector General requests and deadlines, will you notify the
Republican and Democratic members of the Committee regarding the basis
for any good faith delay or denial?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will work to comply with Inspector
General requests in a timely manner. I would defer to the Office of the
Inspector General to update members of the Committee regarding the
progress of the Inspector General's ongoing reviews.
84. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to refusing to follow illegal orders from any individual,
including the President?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will follow the law and the Constitution
of the United States.
85. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what actions would you take if you
were given an illegal order from any individual, including the
President?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I would have a duty not to carry out a
manifestly unlawful order.
86. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you commit to testify or
provide a deposition if you are called upon by Congress to provide a
deposition voluntarily?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
87. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you commit to testify or
provide a deposition to Congress if you are issued a subpoena to
testify?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
88. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, , will you commit to providing
information or documents to Congress voluntarily if you are requested
to do so?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
89. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you provide information or
documents to Congress if you are issued a subpoena?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
90. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, will you commit to following current
DOD precedent for responding to information requests, briefings, and
other inquiries from Congress, including the Senate and House Armed
Services Committees and their minority members?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
91. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if confirmed, will you commit to
posting your official calendar monthly?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I am committed to meeting all legal
disclosure requirements.
92. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you think DOD has an
overclassification problem? If so, please provide this committee with
an estimate of the number or percentage of documents that will be under
your purview that are overclassified.
Dr. Meink. I strongly believe enabling access to information as
quickly and as broadly as possible is critical to national security. If
confirmed I will continue to work with data owners to ensure data is
not overclassified.
93. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, to the best of your knowledge, is
your service or component identifying records for proactive posting in
compliance with the Freedom of Information Act? If not, please describe
how you would ensure that they do so to comply with public records law.
Dr. Meink. I have not received any briefing on the Department of
the Air Force's current Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program. If
confirmed, I will review that program to ensure it is aligned with law.
94. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if confirmed, do you think your
department should pursue strategic technology to support automated
declassification?
Dr. Meink. I believe such pursuits would need to be standardized
throughout the Department of Defense, not just at the military
Department level. I strongly believe enabling access to information as
quickly and as broadly as possible is critical to national security. If
confirmed I will advocate for automated declassification were
appropriate, while continuing to protect sensitive programs.
project 2025
95. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you discussed Project 2025 with
any officials associated with the Trump campaign, the Trump transition
team, or other members of the Trump administration? If so, please
explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom you
discussed it.
Dr. Meink. No.
96. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you discussed Project 2025 with
any officials associated with the Heritage Foundation? If so, please
explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom you
discussed it.
Dr. Meink. No.
nuclear weapons and missile defense
97. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what do you understand your role to
be in ensuring that programs do not reach this significant cost overrun
threshold if you are confirmed?
Dr. Meink. I believe that nuclear deterrence is the foundation of
our national security. The nuclear modernization of the Department of
the Air Force includes the ground leg of the nuclear triad, which is
long overdue for revitalization. If confirmed, I commit to making
nuclear modernization my highest priority and ensuring that the
Department is a responsible steward of taxpayer funds for these
purposes. Furthermore, I see my role as ensuring that leadership at all
levels in the Department--to include those working on these programs--
share that philosophy.
foreign influence
98. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you received any payment from a
foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
the past 5 years?
Dr. Meink. No.
99. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you communicated with any
foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
the past 5 years?
Dr. Meink. I have provided relevant information in connection with
my security clearance background check.
100. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, please disclose any communications
or payments you have had with representatives of any foreign government
or entity controlled by a foreign government within the past 5 years
and describe the nature of the communication.
Dr. Meink. I have provided relevant information in connection with
my security clearance background check.
sexual assault and harassment
101. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, the most recent DOD statistics
found that about 29,000 Active Duty troops--which accounts for 6.8
percent of female servicemembers and 1.3 percent of male
servicemembers--experienced unwanted sexual contact in 2023. A Brown
University study estimates that the actual rates are two to four times
higher. How do you plan to address and reduce sexual assault and sexual
harassment in your service or component?
Sexual assault and sexual harassment have no place in the Air Force
or the total force. I am--and always have been--a passionate champion
of the prevention of sexual harassment and sexual assault. My record at
the NRO substantiates this and I plan on bringing that same passion to
the Department. It is my understanding that the Department and its two
subordinate military services have programs in place to combat these
harmful behaviors. I believe it takes leadership at all levels,
however, to enforce healthy and respectful workplace practices within
their echelons. If confirmed, I commit to bringing the same leadership
philosophy I have had at NRO to the Department of the Air Force and
ensuring the healthiest command climates for our Airmen, Guardians,
civilians and their families.
102. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how do you plan to support and
protect your department servicemembers, civilians, grantees, and
contractors who come forward with reports of sexual assault and sexual
harassment?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to encouraging healthy command
climates at all levels that promote greater reporting of sexual assault
and sexual harassment to connect victims with care and hold alleged
offenders appropriately accountable. I pledge to communicate
consistently and persistently that the Department must take allegations
seriously, respond to them promptly, and comply with the full letter of
the law.
103. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, the Air Force Academy phased out
the Enhanced Access Knowledge Act, a sexual assault prevention program
that showed success at other universities, following a spike in
unwanted sexual contact among cadets and across the military. If
confirmed, will you review the adequacy of the Academy's programs to
prevent and respond to sexual harassment and sexual assault?
Dr. Meink. I am not familiar with this program and have not yet
been briefed on it. If confirmed, I commit to reviewing the adequacy of
the Academy's sexual assault prevention programs.
104. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, should cadets, servicemembers, or
civilians who report sexual assault be prosecuted if their report does
not result in a successful conviction?
Dr. Meink. I believe all cadets, servicemembers, and civilians
should be treated with dignity and respect. The treatment of these
individuals should furthermore comport with all applicable laws and
regulations regarding discrimination, bullying and hazing.
105. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how should cadets, servicemembers,
or civilians who report sexual assault be treated if their report does
not result in a successful conviction?
Dr. Meink. I believe all cadets, servicemembers, and civilians
should be treated with dignity and respect. The treatment of these
individuals should furthermore comport with all applicable laws and
regulations regarding discrimination, bullying and hazing.
106. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you support allowing women who
have become pregnant or started families to return to the Air Force
Academy?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, my role as Secretary of the Air Force is
to organize, train and equip the two subordinate military services.
While I have not had a chance to review the topic of cadets in these
situations returning to the Academy, I commit to reviewing the issue
and complying with all Department of Defense guidance on the topic.
retaliation and protecting whistleblowers
107. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe that servicemembers,
civilians, grantees, and contractors should be protected from any form
of retaliation for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual
assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern
that they wish to raise?
Dr. Meink. Yes, I believe that all whistleblower laws should be
followed, and protections should be provided to whistleblowers
according to applicable statute.
108. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you ever retaliated against
any individual for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual
assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern
that they wish to raise?
Dr. Meink. No.
109. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to protecting whistleblowers? If so, please specify how you will
do so.
Dr. Meink. Yes, if confirmed, I will commit to protecting
whistleblowers in accordance with applicable laws. I will work with the
General Counsel of the Department to ensure compliance with these laws
throughout the process.
impoundment control act
110. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, on January 27, 2025, President
Trump's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo calling for
the suspension all Federal financial assistance programs (excluding
``assistance provided directly to individuals''). Do you agree with
OMB's decision to issue this memo?
Dr. Meink. I have not been briefed on the impact, if any, this
decision has had on the Department of the Air Force. If confirmed, I
commit to reviewing any impacts this has had on Department missions and
functions.
111. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe the Secretary of
Defense has the legal authority to block the disbursement of funds
appropriated by Congress?
Dr. Meink. I fully acknowledge and respect Congress' constitutional
role in appropriating funds to be carried out by the executive branch
for designated purposes. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law. I would
ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of Defense on this
matter are informed by the administration's legal positions and advice
from the Department's General Counsel's office.
112. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of the
Impoundment Control Act (ICA)?
Dr. Meink. My understanding is that the Impoundment Control Act
defines an impoundment as an action or inaction by an officer or
employee of the United States that delays or precludes the obligation
or expenditure of budget authority. The Act divides impoundment into
two categories: recissions or deferrals. Proposals for budget authority
recissions rest in the President, and deferrals of budget authority may
be proposed by the President, Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of
the Air Force.
113. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you commit to following the
Impoundment Control Act?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to following all laws.
114. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you commit to notifying the
Senate and House Armed Services Committees, including the majority and
minority, if you are asked not to follow the Impoundment Control Act or
not to expend the money that Congress appropriates or authorizes?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to complying with applicable
legal requirements regarding responding to requests from Congress.
115. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, the Constitution's Spending Clause
(Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 1) and Appropriations Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9,
cl. 7) give Congress, not the Executive, power of the purse. The
Supreme Court has unanimously upheld this power. Do you believe that
impoundments are constitutional?
Dr. Meink. I have not reviewed the constitutionality of
impoundments and would defer to the judgment of the Supreme Court.
116. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, the funding levels in
appropriations bills passed into law are not targets or ceilings;
instead, they are amounts the executive branch must spend, unless
stated otherwise. Congress could--if it wanted the President to have
discretion--write those amounts as ceilings. Do you agree?
Dr. Meink. I defer to the judgment of Congress on the utility of
such changes to appropriations bills being passed into law.
117. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of the
requirements for DOD to obligate funding that Congress authorizes and
appropriates, in accordance with the time period that Congress deems it
to do so?
Dr. Meink. As I understand it, the DOD's ability to obligate
funding is limited to the period of availability stipulated in law. An
appropriation or fund is therefore not available for expenditure for a
period beyond that which is authorized by law.
118. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you commit to expending the
money that Congress appropriates and authorizes?
Dr. Meink. I commit to being a good steward of taxpayer funds, as I
have always been in my decades of public service, and will comply with
all applicable laws regarding the obligation and expenditure of
appropriations to the Department of the Air Force.
119. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you commit to following and
implementing every provision of the annual National Defense
Authorization Act passed into law?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to following all laws.
civilian harm
120. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you agree that one difference
between the United States and its potential adversaries is the greater
value that the U.S. Government puts on protecting human life and
liberty at home and abroad?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
121. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of title
10 U.S.C. 184, which established the Civilian Protection Center of
Excellence?
Dr. Meink. I have not received a brief on this, but I understand it
to fall under the purview of the Secretary of Defense.
122. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, the U.S. military has spent many
years working to improve its ability to prevent and mitigate civilian
harm without sacrificing lethality--including through the development
of the DOD Instruction on Civilian Harm under the first Trump
administration, which I commend. These efforts received bipartisan
support from Congress and grew out of a recognition from the U.S.
military itself that, after over 2 decades of U.S. wars, warfighters
needed better tools and trustworthy systems to prevent civilian harm,
uphold U.S. values, and prevent the moral injury and psychological
trauma that too often comes with deadly mistakes. If confirmed, will
you commit to continued leadership on civilian harm issues?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to preventing and/or mitigating
civilian harm without jeopardizing lethality or the safety of our
Airmen and Guardians.
123. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, what do you
understand to be your role and responsibilities regarding civilian harm
mitigation and response?
Dr. Meink. I have not been briefed on my role and responsibilities.
According to Title 10, the role of the Secretary of the Air Force is to
organize, train and equip the Department of the Air Force. While the
operational roles and responsibilities regarding civilian hard
mitigation and response likely fall under the Combatant Commands, I
will certainly do everything I can under my Title 10 responsibilities
to assist.
124. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what do you understand to be the
importance of mitigating civilian harm in military operations?
Dr. Meink. I believe this mitigation is incredibly important to our
country and to the Department and is in line with our core values.
125. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to supporting and protecting the Civilian Protection Center of
Excellence?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to reviewing this program and
better understanding what role, if any, I would have.
126. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how will you prevent and mitigate
civilian harm?
Dr. Meink. According to Title 10, the role of the Secretary of the
Air Force is to organize, train and equip the Department of the Air
Force. While the operational roles and responsibilities regarding
civilian hard mitigation and response likely fall under the Combatant
Commands, I will certainly do everything I can under my Title 10
responsibilities to assist.
127. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to supporting and implementing the Civilian Harm Mitigation
Response and Action Plan (CHMR-AP)?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to reviewing this program and
better understanding what role, if any, I would have.
128. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe that our troops are
at higher risk for retribution as the number of civilian deaths from
U.S. military operations or U.S.-led military operations increases?
Dr. Meink. I believe that our servicemembers are placed at risk in
many military operations throughout the world. If confirmed, I see it
as my charge to ensure they are the best organized, trained, and
equipped force to mitigate that risk.
blast overpressure
129. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to protecting servicemembers from blast overpressure and
increasing their options for seeking care after being exposed?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
130. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, what steps
will you take to protect servicemembers from blast overpressure and
increase their options for seeking care after being exposed?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to working with the Defense
Health Agency as well as my counterparts in our sister services on
identifying best practices and ensuring that treatment options are
available to our Airmen and Guardians. I will then work within the
Department to implement those best practices.
131. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how do you plan to work with the
Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that servicemembers,
veterans, and their families are aware of the risks of blast
overpressure and traumatic brain injury?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I would not do this alone; I would work
with my sister services, in concert with the office of the Secretary of
Defense, to ensure an information campaign between both Departments was
in place and, if need be, revitalized. I would then ensure command
teams at all echelons were educated and informed of the resources
available to them.
132. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you support establishing logs
for troops on blast overpressure exposure and traumatic brain injury?
Dr. Meink. While I have not yet been briefed on this topic, if
confirmed I would review the efficacy of maintaining such logs if they
could provide better response options for our Airmen and Guardians.
133. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you support requiring
neurocognitive assessments of troops annually, before they begin
training to establish a baseline, and before they leave the military to
determine when their change in cognitive health over time?
Dr. Meink. While I have not yet been briefed on this topic, if
confirmed I would review the efficacy of establishing these baselines
at these points in their service if they could provide better response
options for our Airmen and Guardians.
134. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, how will you
address the links between blast overpressure exposure and increased
risks of suicide?
Dr. Meink. I have not been briefed on any link between this
exposure and increased risk of suicide, but, if confirmed, will request
to learn more about any connections.
135. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what steps would you take to
improve suicide prevention efforts, including investing in peer support
programs, crisis intervention, and community-based mental health
initiatives?
Dr. Meink. While I support the initiatives mentioned in the
question, I believe the most crucial component to this will be removing
the stigma sometimes attached to servicemembers who seek help. I
believe this is a leadership issue. Command teams at all levels need to
communicate to their formations and be empowered to remove the stigma
associated with asking for help. If confirmed, I pledge to push that
philosophy down through every echelon of the Department.
136. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, it appears that U.S. Army Green
Beret Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, who died by suicide in a
cybertruck explosion on January 1, 2025, may have had a history of
traumatic brain injury. What do you understand to be the consequences
and long-term effects of blast overpressure exposure and brain injury
on servicemembers?
Dr. Meink. While I have not yet been briefed on this topic, if
confirmed I would review the consequences and long-term effects of
blast overpressure and seek to understand how such knowledge could
provide better response options for our Airmen and Guardians.
137. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you support addressing the risks
of blast overpressure to servicemembers through the swift
implementation of sections 721 through section 725 of the Fiscal Year
2025 NDAA?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
138. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, which occupational specialties do
you understand to be at the highest risk for blast overpressure
exposure in the Air Force?
Dr. Meink. While any Airman or Guardian may be put into harms way
in the execution of their duties and all specialties/communities within
our Department must be reviewed, I understand that our Special Tactics
Airmen and other specialty codes that are often embedded with ground
maneuver elements of other services are at an increased risk of
exposure to blast overpressure.
right-to-repair
139. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe giving DOD access to
the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could
advance DOD's readiness?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
140. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe giving DOD access to
the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could help
reduce DOD's repair and sustainment costs?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
141. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how will you ensure servicemembers
in your service or component, who are stationed abroad, can timely and
cost-effectively repair equipment when needed, especially in a
contested logistics environment?
Dr. Meink. As I understand it, the Air Force's Agile Combat
Employment model may require our forces to operate from austere
locations with little support and to infil and exfil rapidly from those
locations. This does not allow for the same logistics timelines to
which we've been accustomed, and certainly not in a contested
environment. Our Airmen will need to be authorized and empowered to
manufacture parts and fix their equipment without relying on normal
supply chains. This will require greater experimentation with advanced
and self-sufficient sustainment capabilities. If confirmed, I commit to
reviewing how we can experiment further with these concepts during our
exercises.
142. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to including right-to-repair/technical data rights clauses in
acquisition contracts that your service or component enters into?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to complying with laws and
regulations governing acquisitions. Furthermore, I commit to reviewing
where we can better leverage right-to-repair in our future acquisition
contracts and look forward to working with partners at USD A&S on those
initiatives.
143. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to ensuring contractors deliver technical data rights to your
service or component when their contract requires or allows it?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
144. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to conducting an assessment of the cost of not having the right-
to-repair/technical data rights for your service's or component's
equipment, the results of which you would make public for review by
Congress and the Department of Government Efficiency?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to conducting an assessment and
complying with all applicable laws and Department regulations regarding
the public release of that assessment.
acquisition reform
145. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of the
Procurement Integrity Act and your obligations under that law?
Dr. Meink. The law prohibits the release of source selection
information or information relating to contractor bids or proposals. If
confirmed as Secretary, I will ensure the Department of the Air Force
complies with the law.
146. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe that it is important
to be able to assess accurate cost and pricing data from contractors,
especially for sole-or single-source contracts?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will work with Department stakeholders
and the acquisition workforce to ensure the Department has access to
accurate cost and pricing data as required by law.
147. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how do you plan to obtain cost and
pricing data from contractors to determine that the cost of DOD
contracts is fair and reasonable?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will continue to ensure contractors
deliver cost and pricing data required by contract. I will use all
legal tools available to ensure that delivery.
148. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how do you plan to do so in cases
where contractors refuse or claim they are unable to turn over this
data?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will continue to use all legal tools
available to ensure that delivery.
149. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, what steps
will you take to ensure that contractors are not price gouging or
overcharging DOD?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will continue to use all legal tools
available to ensure that price gouging or overcharging are not taking
place.
150. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed will you
commit to seeking refunds from contractors and companies that
overcharge DOD?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will continue to seek redress in full
compliance of what the law will allow.
151. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if so, how do you plan to do so?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will continue to seek redress in full
compliance of what the law will allow.
152. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you believe there is excessive
consolidation in the defense industry?
Dr. Meink. I believe that a greater number of competitive companies
is healthy for our defense industrial base.
153. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if so, what do you believe to be
the ramifications of that consolidation?
Dr. Meink. A lack of competition can result in decreased
innovation, higher costs, lower performance, and longer schedules.
154. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you are confirmed, how will you
support competition in the defense industry?
Dr. Meink. In my multiple years at the NRO, I have had a strong
record of encouraging innovation, increasing competition, and expanding
the industry base. I plan on leveraging that experience and, if
confirmed, bringing those lessons learned to the Department of the Air
Force.
155. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what do you understand to be the
role of independent cost estimates in the acquisition process?
Dr. Meink. I believe independent cost estimates, which are
generally more accurate, are fundamental to the acquisition process.
The interchange between cost estimates, requirements and program
management is critical to successful acquisitions.
156. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, how should DOD establish program
schedules and milestones?
Dr. Meink. The establishment of program schedules and milestones is
governed by DOD Instruction 5000.02. I would defer to the broader DOD
acquisition executive and to the Secretary of Defense for changes to
that instruction. If confirmed, I would work with those offices to
ensure the Department is in compliance with the instruction.
157. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, would it be appropriate for DOD to
establish program schedules to achieve partisan electoral outcomes?
Dr. Meink. I believe program schedules should serve the American
people, ensuring that their taxpayer dollars are always considered a
precious resource, and ensuring that the achievement of national
security objectives are the highest priority. These are the
philosophies that should govern program schedules.
158. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, should DOD acquisition decisions be
influenced by partisan political activities?
Dr. Meink. No.
159. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, should DOD acquisition decisions be
influenced by individuals with conflicts of interest that involve DOD?
Dr. Meink. No.
research and development
160. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, does DOD benefit from partnering
with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally funded research
and development centers?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
161. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, under your leadership, will DOD
continue to work with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally
funded research and development centers to research and address our
toughest national security challenges?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I commit to continuing to work with
colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and federally funded
research and development centers to develop new and transformative
capabilities for the Warfighter consistent with the Administration's
mission and priorities.
162. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, on March 20, 2025, DOD announced it
was terminating $360 million in grants. What is your understanding of
DOD's criteria for canceling grants?
Dr. Meink. I have not been briefed on this decision or the analysis
that went into that decision. If confirmed, I would request a brief to
better understand this criteria.
163. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink , what should DOD's criteria for
canceling grants be?
Dr. Meink. I have not been briefed on the criteria that go into
decisions regarding grants. If confirmed, I would request a brief to
better understand the criteria.
164. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, who should be involved in decisions
to cancel DOD grants?
Dr. Meink. I have not been briefed on the criteria that go into
decisions regarding grants. If confirmed, I would request a brief to
better understand this criteria.
165. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, does DOD invest enough in research
and development?
Dr. Meink. I believe DOD funding for research and development is
vital. I also believe taking advantage of commercial investments is
critical as there are many areas where those investments far exceed
that of the department. In addition, we need to incentivize defense
industry to focus on long-term production versus short-term profits. By
doing so, I believe companies will be more likely to use their own
capital toward greater research and development.
166. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do defense contractors invest
enough in research and development?
Dr. Meink. I could not make a general statement about all defense
contractors with my limited knowledge of their R&D expenditures. But as
stated previously, I believe that we should incentivize defense
industry to focus on long-term production versus short-term profits. By
doing so, I believe companies will be more likely to use their own
capital toward greater research and development.
167. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what should DOD's top research and
development priorities be?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed I will focus DAF R&D priorities to meet the
priorities of the SECDEF and the Interim National Defense Strategy
Guidance. I will ensure DAF R&D is focused to address mission needs to
deliver these priorities and focused on capability gaps and
opportunities. Prudent investment also requires leveraging the entire
DOD ecosystem including Service and Agency partners and the larger
commercial and industrial base.
protecting classified information and federal records
168. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of the
need to protect operational security, or OPSEC?
Dr. Meink. OPSEC is of paramount importance and is everyone's
responsibility in the Department of Defense. As the Deputy Director of
the NRO and a member of the IC, I have a strong record of protecting
OPSEC and encouraging all members of my organization to do likewise.
169. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what are the national security
risks of improperly disclosing classified information?
Dr. Meink. It is generally accepted that the improper or
unauthorized disclosure of classified information could be expected to
cause identifiable or describable damage to national security. The
describable damage and certainty of that damage would depend on the
details of the information released, including the level of
classification, as well as the extent and nature of the disclosure.
Determining the extent of damage to national security is part of the
unauthorized disclosure process as outlined in DOD policy, and I would
defer to the Department for additional specifics.
170. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, is it your opinion that information
about imminent military targets is generally sensitive information that
needs to be protected?
Dr. Meink. While I do not have enough information to make a
judgment in the scope of this question, I will commit to adhering to
the information and security policies of the Department of Defense and
will ensure all of those who work for me do the same.
171. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what would you do if you learned an
official had improperly disclosed classified information?
Dr. Meink. I would follow the security protocols governing that
disclosure as I have for my entire career. If confirmed, I commit to
adhering to the information and security policies of the Department of
Defense and will ensure all of those who work for me do the same.
172. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what is your understanding of
Government officials' duties under the Federal Records Act?
Dr. Meink. It is the responsibility of all government officials in
Federal agencies to manage their records efficiently, and maintain and
dispose of them in accordance with governing laws and regulations.
173. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, should classified information be
shared on unclassified commercial systems?
Dr. Meink. As per the DOD's Information Security Program, only
computers and IT systems approved and accredited for Classified
National Security Information may be used for classified
communications.
174. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, is it damaging to national security
if the pilots flying a mission find out that the official who ordered
them to perform that mission shared sensitive information that could
have made it more likely that the mission would fail or they would be
killed?
Dr. Meink. I would have to be familiar with the original
classification or details of the information to which you are
referring. I am not in a position to be able to provide an opinion of
substance without more information.
175. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, if you had information about the
status of specific targets, weapons being used, and timing for imminent
U.S. strikes against an adversary, under what circumstances would you
feel comfortable receiving or sharing that information on an
unclassified commercial application like Signal?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, I will always follow proper information
security protocols in accordance with the Department of Defense Policy.
information air dominance center
176. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, do you support the Air Force
creating a new Information Dominance Center?
Dr. Meink. I have not been fully briefed on the extent of the
Department of the Air Force's ``Great Power Competition'' initiative,
to include the Information Dominance Systems Center, to make a
judgment. If confirmed, I look forward to receiving an in-depth
briefing on this initiative, reviewing the data and analysis, and
making my own assessment. I commit to sharing the results of that
assessment with this committee.
177. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, what do you see as the role of a
new Information Dominance Systems Center in supporting great power
competition?
Dr. Meink. I have not been fully briefed on the extent of the
Department of the Air Force's ``Great Power Competition'' initiative,
to include the Information Dominance Systems Center, to make a
judgment. If confirmed, I look forward to receiving an in-depth
briefing on this initiative, reviewing the data and analysis, and
making my own assessment. I commit to sharing the results of that
assessment with this committee.
178. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, when do you think you will have
completed your review of any holds related to re-optimization for great
power competition?
Dr. Meink. I am committed to ensuring our Nation is prepared to
meet the pacing challenge. If confirmed, I will prioritize my review of
any holds related to re-optimization for great power competition.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Jacky Rosen
nevada test and training range
179. Senator Rosen. Dr. Meink, Nevada is proud to host the ``Crown
Jewel'' of the Air Force, the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR),
which provides the largest air and ground military training space in
the lower 48 for testing and evaluation of weapons systems, tactics
development, and advanced air combat training--without interference
from commercial aircraft. NTTR modernization has been among the Air
Force's top priorities to ensure our high-end training keeps pace with
current and emerging threats and capabilities. I am glad that we were
finally able to pass modernization in the Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA after
many years of collaborative work between the Nevada delegation, Air
Force, Department of Interior, and local stakeholders. What are your
priorities for future investments in the NTTR?
Dr. Meink. If confirmed, my NTTR investment priorities include
enhancing Live, Virtual, and Constructive training, and modernizing
threat replication with advanced systems. These investments will ensure
NTTR remains the premier training and testing environment for our
warfighters, maintaining our air superiority in the face of evolving
threats.
180. Senator Rosen. Dr. Meink, how do you envision the range
evolving to support the Air Force's modernization efforts, particularly
with emerging technologies like unmanned systems and artificial
intelligence--such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA)?
Dr. Meink. NTTR's vast airspace and advanced threat replication
capabilities make it ideal for developing and testing unmanned systems
and AI, including Collaborative Combat Aircraft. NTTR remains at the
forefront of Air Force modernization, providing a crucial proving
ground for these transformative technologies, and ultimately preparing
our warfighters to dominate in future conflicts.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mark Kelly
air force modernization and readiness
181. Senator Kelly. Dr. Meink, since 1987, the Air Force's fighter
fleet has shrunk by 60 percent. The Air National Guard fighter fleet is
a significant contributor to our Total Force, with 25 fighter squadrons
across 22 States, but it's being left behind as the Air Force
reoptimizes for Great Power Competition. The Air Force is rapidly
divesting legacy aircraft, including A-10's, F-15Cs and older F-16s,
which disproportionately affects the National Guard since it operates
27 percent of the Air Force fighters while flying 53 percent of the
oldest fighters slated for divestment. The lack of a comprehensive plan
that would provide for the concurrent and proportional modernization
and recapitalization of the Guard fighter fleet presents a risk to our
Nation's defense.
That's why Senator Crapo and I led the Fighter Force Preservation
and Recapitalization Act, which was partially included in the NDAA and
requires the Secretary of the Air Force to develop a plan to sustain
and recapitalize the ANG fighter fleet a similar rate as the Active
components of the Armed Forces. I am looking forward to reviewing this
plan.
Are you concerned with the health of the Air National Guard fighter
fleet?
Dr. Meink. Yes, I am concerned with the health of our entire Total
Force fleet, including the Air National Guard, which plays an out-sized
role.
182. Senator Kelly. Dr. Meink, what do you believe is the best way
ensure the Air National Guard has a sufficient fighter force to defend
Americans at home and abroad?
Dr. Meink. While I have not been briefed yet on all of the
contributions of the Air National Guard to the Air Force's future force
structure, I am confident that the Guard will continue to play an out-
sized role. If confirmed, I look forward to conducting my own
assessment of our force structure and will commit to sharing the
results of that assessment with you and the Committee.
183. Senator Kelly. Dr. Meink, if confirmed, will you commit to
working with me and my colleagues to advance Air National Guard fighter
recapitalization?
Dr. Meink. Yes.
remote sensing capabilities
184. Senator Kelly. Dr. Meink, during your time at the NRO, you
played a key role in shifting the agency's mindset and actively pushed
for the incorporating of commercial capabilities, leading a significant
acquisition of commercial remote sensing capabilities. You achieved
this through an establishment of an service level agreement (SLA),
prioritizing and more fully integrating commercial capabilities into
the planned architecture. This model proved highly effective, and I'm
interested in seeing it applied to other mission areas, such as Space
Domain Awareness, where there will be a long-term need for expanded
tracking and monitoring. How do you view the potential to apply this
approach as Secretary of the Air Force?
Dr. Meink. I believe very strongly that our Space Force will need
to continue leveraging commercial capabilities to ensure a resilient
space architecture for our joint force. I fully expect to bring many of
the lessons learned from my experience at the NRO leveraging commercial
capabilities to the Department of the Air Force. I have not been fully
briefed on the Space Force's Commercial Space Strategy, but--if
confirmed--I look forward to assessing that strategy and I will commit
to sharing the results of that assessment with you and this Committee.
______
[The nomination reference of Dr. Troy E. Meink follows:]
______
[The biographical sketch of Dr. Troy E. Meink, which was
transmitted by the Committee at the time of the nomination was
referred, follows:]
______
[The Committee on Armed Services requires all individuals
nominated from civilian life 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 Dr. Troy E.
Meink in connection with his nomination follows:]
______
[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.]
______
[The nomination of Dr. Troy E. Meink was reported to the
Senate by Chairman Wicker on April 8, 2025, with the
recommendation that the nomination be confirmed. The nomination
was confirmed by the Senate on May 13, 2025.]
------
[Prepared questions submitted to Mr. Michael P. Duffey by
Chairman Wicker prior to the hearing with answers supplied
follow:]
Questions and Responses
duties and qualifications
Question. Section 133b of title 10, United States Code, describes
the duties and powers of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition
and Sustainment (USD(A&S)).
In your opinion, what are the most important roles of the USD(A&S)
in supporting the missions of the Department of Defense (DOD)?
Answer. The USD(A&S) is the Principal Staff Assistant and advisor
to the Secretary of Defense for all matters relating to acquisition and
sustainment in the Department of Defense, with responsibility for
delivering integrated capabilities to our warfighters quickly and at
scale. This requires that the USD(A&S) maintain effective oversight of
the full DOD acquisition and sustainment enterprise while establishing
appropriate policies and processes to drive innovation and production
at scale; foster a robust defense industrial base; sustain and
modernize our weapons systems over their full life cycles; build a
resilient logistics and mission support enterprise; empower the
acquisition and sustainment workforce to increase cost efficiency and
reduce delivery timelines; and ensure Service members and their
families have safe and functional places to live and work.
Question. Civilian oversight of the acquisition system was a key
recommendation of the Packard Commission and with Goldwater-Nichols
Act. What are your personal views on the principle of civilian control
of the defense acquisition system?
Answer. I support the provisions included in the Goldwater-Nichols
Act, which provides a clear and streamlined chain of command between
the Defense Acquisition Executive and Military Service Acquisition
Executives for effective oversight of the Defense Acquisition System.
If confirmed, I will work closely with the Service Acquisition
Executives to reinforce these principles.
Question. Do you believe the USD(A&S) has been provided appropriate
authority over the DOD acquisition and sustainment enterprise?
Answer. Based on my current understanding, I believe the USD(A&S)
has the appropriate authority over the DOD acquisition and sustainment
enterprise. If confirmed, I will work to further review these
authorities and, if necessary, identify any potential changes for
consideration.
Question. What changes, if any, would you recommend to section 133b
of title 10, United States Code?
Answer. I do not have any specific recommendations at this time. If
confirmed, I will work to further review these provisions and, if
necessary, identify any potential changes for consideration.
Question. If confirmed, how do you plan to assess the
organizational structure, workforce, authorities, and availability of
resources to ensure that the Office of the USD(A&S) is able to
effectively execute its mission?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with leadership across the
Department and my staff to assess how effectively A&S's organizational
structure, workforce, and resourcing are aligned to the needs of our
warfighters given the current operational environment and, if
necessary, identify any potential changes for consideration.
Question. If confirmed, what duties and responsibilities would you
assign to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment (DUSD (A&S))?
Answer. If confirmed, I will prescribe duties to the DUSD(A&S) in
accordance with 10 U.S.C. Sec. 137a(b). Close partnership with the
DUSD is critical to maintain effective oversight of and accountability
for the full A&S portfolio, and I will work closely with the DUSD to
set the conditions required to deliver and sustain capabilities to our
warfighters quickly at scale.
Question. If confirmed, what duties and responsibilities would you
assign to the Assistant Secretaries and other officials (e.g.,
Executive Director for Business Operations and Special Programs) who
will report to you or the DUSD (A&S)?
Answer. If confirmed, I will prescribe duties to the Assistant
Secretaries and other direct reports within A&S in accordance with 10
U.S.C. Sec. 138(b), the A&S charter, and their individual
organizations' charters. In conjunction with the DUSD, I will work
closely with each to maintain effective oversight of and accountability
for their respective portfolios. I will set the conditions required for
them to apply their management and subject matter expertise to support
our warfighters across the breadth and depth of the full A&S portfolio.
Question. If confirmed, you would be responsible for managing the
defense acquisition system. Section 133b of title 10, United States
Code, requires the USD(A&S) to have ``an extensive system development,
engineering, production, or management background and experience with
managing complex programs.''
What background and experience do you have that qualify you for
this position?
Answer. I have more than two decades of experience in the national
security and technology communities, including nearly 15 years in the
Department of Defense. I have previously served as Deputy Chief of
Staff to the Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary
of Defense for Research and Engineering, and conducted multiple tours
of duty in the former Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. Having also served in the
Office of Management and Budget, I have a unique combination of
perspectives that contribute to enhancing the Department's ability to
deliver capability to the warfighter quickly at scale. If confirmed, I
will apply these experiences to bring a holistic approach to increasing
the effectiveness of the defense acquisition system and enhancing the
Department's efficiency across the full acquisition and sustainment
enterprise.
Question. If confirmed, how would you leverage the skills and
knowledge gained through your prior experiences to carry out the duties
of the USD(A&S)?
Answer. The duties of USD (A&S) require a combination of
programmatic, financial, and organizational management experience at an
enterprise level. If confirmed, I will directly apply my experience in
these areas to the duties of the USD(A&S) position by engaging directly
and deeply with the staff on matters facing the Department to quickly
work through the range of potential pathways to overcome challenges,
build a roadmap for thorough implementation, and oversee successful
execution to accomplish the mission.
conflicts of interest
Question. Federal ethics laws, to include 18 U.S.C. Sec. 208,
prohibit government employees from participating in matters where they,
or certain family members or organizations with which they have certain
relationships, have a financial interest.
Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to disclose any
potential conflicts of interest, including investments, business ties,
family relationships, or other connections that could be perceived as
influencing your decisionmaking?
Answer. Yes.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, that
if a conflict of interest arises, you will recuse yourself from
participating in any relevant decisions regarding that specific matter?
Answer. I will comply with all recusal requirements under 18 U.S.C.
Sec. 208.
Question. Do you commit, without qualification, if confirmed, to
decisionmaking on the merits and exclusively in the public interest,
without regard to private gain or personal benefit?
Answer. Yes.
priorities and challenges
Question. If confirmed, what are the top priorities you would plan
to focus on during your tenure as the USD(A&S)? What would be your
plans for achieving these priorities?
Answer. If confirmed as USD(A&S), my top priorities I plan to focus
on during my tenure as the USD(A&S) will be to:
1. Rebuild our military into a fighting force that will deter and,
if necessary, decisively defeat our adversaries
2. Rapidly accelerate delivery of capability that provides
dominant military superiority to our warfighter
3. Align requirements, budgeting, and acquisition across the
enterprise to ensure we are focused on funding, buying, and building
the weapon systems needed most to achieve our national security
objectives and protect US interests
4. Modernize and streamline the defense acquisition system to
empower our workforce, improve the quality and speed of our internal
decisionmaking, and attract increased private capital investment and
new entrants to maximize competition, quality, and affordability in the
defense industrial base
5. Revitalize and reindustrialize our defense industrial base and
repatriate our supply chains to provide resilience and deliver
domestically sourced systems and components to provide our military
with decisive advantage to deter and prevail in future conflict
Implementing these priorities will require rapid action to
implement quick win opportunities that create momentum and build a
culture that prioritizes accountability, urgency, and performance. If
confirmed, I intend to immediately assess the current State of the
USD(A&S) organization and our integration with the broader DOD, the
health and performance of major defense acquisition programs, and the
State of the defense industrial base. Throughout this initial review, I
intend to refine these priorities based on the findings of the review
and conversations with stakeholders, and build and execute a roadmap
for rapid implementation of priority initiatives in partnership with
the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretary of
Defense for Research & Engineering, the Military Department leadership,
and the Congress.
Question. In your opinion, what are the greatest challenges facing
the DOD's acquisition and sustainment communities?
Answer. The DOD's acquisition and sustainment communities face
considerable challenges in executing the mission to ensure our military
is equipped with the force structure and combat support services
required to assure mission success. Our acquisition and sustainment
workforce consists of dedicated, patriotic professionals who are
committed to achieving this mission with dedication and skill every
day. However, aligning the incentives and balancing the diverse
perspectives and priorities of stakeholders across such a broad
enterprise that includes OUSD(A&S), the broader Office of the Secretary
of Defense, the Military Departments, the defense industrial base, and
international allies and partners, presents a difficult challenge to
the Department and the leadership responsible for delivering results.
Additionally, the acquisition and sustainment (A&S) communities
continually face pressing challenges to balance competing priorities to
optimize acquisition decisions and execution, including minimizing the
speed and cost of delivery while ensuring required system performance
and staying current with emerging technological innovation. A&S must
also work to effectively manage the healthy tension in its relationship
with industry, demanding performance and enforcing accountability while
working to streamline regulations, incentivize innovation, and attract
new companies to maintain a robust, competitive industrial base that
rapidly delivers high performance systems within budgeted cost and
schedule. A&S can only overcome these challenges with strong
leadership, a culture that prioritizes urgency, performance,
accountability, and results, as well as a maintaining and improving
dedicated, capable, motivated, and stable workforce of acquisition
professionals within government and industry.
Question. What would be your plans for addressing these challenges,
if confirmed?
Answer. Overcoming these challenges will require leadership and an
unrelenting effort to create and maintain the alignment and unity of
effort to accelerate our acquisition and sustainment of capability that
is responsive to the needs of the warfighter while balancing speed,
affordability, and performance. In order to overcome these challenges
and keep pace with our adversaries in delivering cutting-edge
technology quickly and affordably, adapting to rapid technological
change, maintaining a healthy, diverse, competitive, and innovative
industrial base, ensuring a resilient and secure supply chain, and
maintaining and improving a 21st century workforce, if confirmed I
intend to focus on building a culture that values urgency, speed, and
performance while prioritizing results. This will require a commitment
to open and frequent communication with the workforce, regular and
robust engagement with internal and external stakeholders, and
empowerment of the workforce with the necessary flexibility, authority,
and resources, enforcement of accountability.
In addition to creating and maintaining a workplace culture focused
on performance and results, if confirmed I intend to drive
implementation of key initiatives that will keep our acquisition and
sustainment system at the cutting edge of 21st century management
practices that drive performance, including implementation of ongoing
initiatives such as capability portfolio management, the adaptive
acquisition framework, modular open system architectures, other
transaction authority contracting, and acquisition workforce
development. In addition, if confirmed, I intend to prioritize
initiatives that will align, streamline, and modernize the
requirements, budget, and acquisition, accelerate modernization,
digitization, and streamlining of the acquisition process, and
revitalize the defense industrial base.
Question. By what metrics will you measure your progress toward
achieving these priorities and addressing these challenges?
Answer. Effective data collection, measurement, and analytics are
absolutely essential to aligning an enterprise with the size and impact
of the defense acquisition and sustainment system and ensuring the
necessary focus on the results that the Secretary, the President, the
Congress, and the American people demand from the Department. If
confirmed, I intend to focus on ensuring our acquisition and
sustainment system dramatically improves our data collection,
analytics, and measurement capability and aligns with the cutting edge
of 21st century corporate management best practices, measuring the
performance of the overall system and individual components to
continually assess and respond to dynamic conditions and optimize the
allocation and application of resources to most effectively deliver
results.
The prioritization of data-driven oversight and decisionmaking will
enable more robust awareness of system performance in delivering
results and the effectiveness of reforms while enabling a focus on
maximizing positive change in metrics such as the US comparative
advantage in military technological advantage, speed and efficiency of
acquisition program delivery, program affordability and cost growth,
current and projected system inventory and readiness levels, industrial
base health and competitiveness, domestic production capacity and
procurement rates within critical defense product lines, private sector
investment in innovation and production, supply chain resilience and
security, and workforce performance, skills, satisfaction, and
retention. In addition to monitoring these outcome-based metrics, if
confirmed, I intend to prioritize monitoring and maximizing the
effectiveness of our data collection, analysis, and value to
continually improve A&S decisions and execution.
Question. How do you propose to enforce accountability for
acquisition decisions and processes under your purview, both for
yourself and for those in your chain of command?
Answer. Accountability and transparency are essential to
maintaining alignment and a focus on delivering the most impactful
results across the enterprise. If confirmed I would establish and
reinforce clear lines of authority and responsibility so that the
Program Managers and Program Executive Officers on the front lines of
acquiring capability for the warfighter are empowered with the
authority to make decisions, the resources to execute, the flexibility
to adapt to changing circumstances, and the accountability to deliver
results. This includes a clear definition of authorities,
responsibilities, and expectations throughout the acquisition
lifecycle.
If confirmed, I would also ensure there is a clear chain of command
for all acquisition programs, with well-defined escalation paths for
addressing issues and making key decisions. This includes access to
leadership to quickly resolve issues and move forward with deliberate
action. If confirmed, I would work to enhance transparency and increase
data-driven decisionmaking by modernizing the acquisition enterprise,
digitizing the practice of acquisition, and continually measuring and
managing through data-driven insights into program execution against
key performance indicators (KPIs) like schedule, cost, and performance
goals.
If confirmed, I will also seek to leverage data analytics by
implementing advanced data analytic tools and artificial intelligence
to identify trends, assess risks, inform decisionmaking throughout the
acquisition lifecycle, strengthen performance management, and align
incentives while tying program performance to personnel evaluations and
prioritizing results over effort. By linking program manager and
acquisition workforce performance evaluations to program outcomes, we
can reward success and address underperformance.
If confirmed, I would also work with the Military Departments and
acquisition program leadership to structure contracts with industry
partners to incentivize on-time delivery, cost controls, and delivery
to performance specifications, with an intent to recognize and reward
excellence from individuals and teams that demonstrate exceptional
performance in acquisition program management. The Department must
ensure there are appropriate consequences for poor performance,
focusing on implementing corrective action plans for programs
experiencing significant schedule delays, cost overruns, or performance
shortfalls, re-baselining or terminating failing programs, and holding
individuals accountable for poor performance or misconduct through
appropriate administrative and disciplinary actions.
key relationships
Question. Recent National Defense Authorization Acts have directed
significant changes to the assignment of responsibilities within the
defense acquisition system. For example, the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 split the former
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology,
and Logistics (USD(AT&L)) into the USD(A&S) and the Under Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)).
In your view, what are the advantages and disadvantages of having
two separate organizations: one to manage acquisition and sustainment,
and one to manage research and engineering?
Answer. With two Principal Staff Assistants in the Office of the
Secretary of Defense, one primarily focused on Acquisition &
Sustainment and the other focused on Research & Engineering, the
Department benefits from a sharper focus and increased expertise within
each respective portfolio, allowing USD(A&S) to focus time, resources,
and attention on the complex processes of acquiring and sustaining
weapon systems and ensuring programs are delivered on time and within
budget to meet our warfighter's most pressing needs. It also allows
USD(R&E) to concentrate efforts on long-term technological superiority,
fostering innovation, and working in partnership with USD(A&S) to
transition cutting-edge technologies from the lab to the battlefield.
Two separate offices also allow a tailored approach to developing
the strategies and policies that are specific to the unique challenges
of each area, such as streamlining acquisition processes for A&S and
fostering innovation ecosystems for R&E. This construct also elevates
the importance of R&E by creating a dedicated voice for science and
technology at the highest levels of the DOD, emphasizing the critical
role of innovation in maintaining military advantage.
These benefits must overcome some disadvantages, including the
potential for silos and coordination challenges limiting communication
and collaboration and hindering the smooth transition of technologies
from R&E to A&S. There is also risk of duplication from overlapping
responsibilities, the competition for limited resources, and the
additional growth of layers of bureaucracy that complicates
decisionmaking processes if it is not managed effectively.
The success of this organizational structure depends heavily on
effective communication, collaboration, and leadership, including the
establishment of strong communication channels and the fostering of
joint initiatives between USD(A&S) and USD(R&E) to ensure seamless
transition of technologies and alignment of priorities. USD(A&S) and
USD(R&E) can explore opportunities to develop joint strategic plans and
technology roadmaps that bridge the gap between R&E and A&S, fostering
a lifecycle approach to capability development, and measuring success
with shared metrics and performance goals that incentivize
collaboration and hold both organizations accountable for successful
technology transition and fielding.
Question. If confirmed as the USD(A&S), how would you envision your
relationship with the USD(R&E)?
Answer. If confirmed, I intend to work collaboratively with
USD(R&E), building upon our shared commitment to delivering decisive
technological advantage to the warfighter. Through regular and frequent
communication and coordination on the implementation of strategic
priorities, I will seek to promote a shared understanding of the
challenges and opportunities facing both R&E and A&S, breaking down
potential silos and fostering a culture of collaboration. Where
applicable, I would seek to establish joint performance metrics that
incentivize collaboration and hold both organizations accountable for
successful technology transition and fielding, including the conduct of
joint program reviews of key technology development efforts to assess
progress, identify risks, ensure alignment on goals and objectives, and
publicly recognize and reward joint successes in technology development
and transition.
Question. DOD continues to struggle with the transition of new
technologies into existing programs of record. The USD(R&E) enterprise
has primary responsibility for development of new advanced
technologies, but the Acquisition and Sustainment enterprise must also
do its part to address transition of technology development programs
into procurement and fielding.
What impediments to technology transition do you see within the
Department?
Answer. Technology transition is a critical capability that the
Department has struggled to effectively implement in recent years. The
problem is magnified by a recent surge in innovative technology
solutions emerging from commercial, non-traditional, and new defense
industrial base vendors. The Department must work to tackle the
challenges that hamper the rapid transition of emerging technology into
production and delivery to the warfighter.
Among those challenges, the Department's labs and technologists are
often incentivized to prioritize groundbreaking research and
technological advancements, sometimes at the expense of practical
considerations like manufacturability, affordability, and integration
with existing systems. The acquisition enterprise, intentionally
focused on delivering proven capabilities within cost and schedule
constraints, can be risk-averse to adopting new and unproven
technologies, particularly if they require significant modifications to
existing programs.
As separate organizations, R&E and A&S are also at risk of
operating in separate silos, with decreased communication and
collaboration during the early stages of technology development. Given
the expertise each organization provides, it is crucial to prioritize
collaboration across the lifecycle of developing and acquiring
capability to address manufacturability, sustainment, and integration
challenges that can lead to costly redesigns and delays, while ensuring
that new technologies that often struggle to secure funding within
existing program budgets can compete for resources. The DOD's
acquisition regulations and test and evaluation processes, while
intended to ensure accountability, can be complex and time-consuming,
hindering the rapid fielding of new technologies.
Finally, the DOD lacks a cohesive, department-wide strategy for
technology transition, leading to inconsistent approaches and missed
opportunities across different service branches and agencies. Dedicated
funding for technology transition efforts must be prioritized to bridge
the ``valley of death'' between R&D and procurement.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to increase the
rate and frequency at which proven technologies developed by DOD,
defense industry, or the commercial sector are transitioned into
programs of record?
Answer. If confirmed, it would be among my highest priorities to
increase the rate and frequency at which proven technologies developed
by DOD, the defense industry, or the commercial sector are transitioned
into programs of record. If confirmed, I would work to collaborate with
the joint staff to assess and reform the requirements process to ensure
we are striking the right balance between adequately communicating the
needs of the Department and the warfighter for technology to maintain
dominance on the battlefield while preserving the flexibility for
creative engineers, technologies, and executives in industry to
innovate and deliver timely, cost effective, and high performance
solutions.
Additionally, if confirmed, I would seek to work with R&E to assess
the inventory of available technology, identify quick win opportunities
to promote adoption and transition of promising emerging technology,
and develop an improved pathway within the Department to ensure that
emerging technologies are identified and available without delay. If
confirmed, I would look to partner with R&E and DIU to assess emerging
technology and proposed commercial solutions for their readiness and
availability to improve the warfighter's battlefield advantage,
including the technology maturity, manufacturability, reproducibility,
integration risk, maintainability, cost, and other factors that enable
the Department to introduce new technology into the complex ecosystem
of sophisticated systems to enhance lethality, tracking,
communications, and other capabilities essential to success on the
battlefield.
If confirmed, I would also work to shift the culture within the A&S
enterprise to be more accepting of calculated risks associated with
adopting new technologies and recognize that not every transition will
be successful, but the potential benefits of experimentation and
lessons learned from failure outweigh the costs of excessive risk
aversion. By developing incentive structures that reward program
managers and acquisition professionals for successfully integrating new
technologies into existing programs or creating new pathways for rapid
fielding, we can promote greater risk tolerance to accelerate learning
and delivery.
Finally, we must develop and track key metrics to measure the
success of technology transition efforts, such as the time it takes to
field new capabilities, the number of technologies successfully
integrated into programs of record, and cost savings achieved through
technology adoption. By regularly assessing the effectiveness of
technology transition processes and making adjustments as needed, we
can more quickly identify the delays in the process and more
effectively accelerate transition emerging technology into fielded
capabilities.
implementation of acquisition reforms
Question. Congress has authorized a range of authorities to tailor
the acquisition process to enable the rapid delivery of new
capabilities including the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA), rapid
acquisition authority, and the software acquisition pathway.
In your view, what benefit has the Department derived from its
utilization of Middle Tier of Acquisition?
Answer. It is my understanding the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA)
is designed to streamline the acquisition process for those programs
that fit under that pathway. From my perspective, MTAs have allowed the
DOD to deliver critical capabilities to warfighters faster than
traditional acquisition approaches by employing rapid prototyping,
experimentation, and fielding of systems in shorter timeframes. MTAs
have also enabled DOD to be more responsive to evolving threats with
increased flexibility to adapt requirements and incorporate new
technologies as they emerge. If confirmed, I would seek ways to
maximize use of this pathway and incorporate best practices and lessons
learned to accelerate other acquisition pathways.
Question. In your view, what benefit has the Department derived
from its utilization of the rapid acquisition authority?
Answer. In my view, the U.S. warfighter has benefited from the use
of Rapid Acquisition Authority (RAA) and the Urgent Capability
Acquisition (UCA) pathway. Both tools enable the Department to rapidly
address urgent operational needs and respond to emerging threats. If
confirmed, I will look to leverage all the tools at my disposal, like
RAA and UCA, to ensure our warfighters are getting the best
capabilities at speed and scale.
Question. In your view, what benefit has the Department derived
from its utilization of the software acquisition pathway?
Answer. I believe a key benefit of the Software Pathway's rapid
innovation cycles and capabilities has been more streamlined
acquisition processes and increased Warfighter engagement within the
development and evaluation of products. If confirmed, I will work
across the Department to ensure its continued use to rapidly deliver
capabilities to outpace evolving threats.
Question. If confirmed, how will you ensure that rapid acquisition
pathways are not inundated with unnecessary or unwarranted bureaucratic
processes?
Answer. If confirmed, I will assess whether the acquisition
workforce is fully leveraging the flexible pathways available in the
Adaptive Acquisition Framework to maximize speed, deliver capabilities
to the warfighter at an accelerated pace, and apply lessons learned
where this has been successful. It is my understanding that, except to
the extent mandated by statute, the rulesets under each of the
acquisition pathways are matters of policy established by the USD(A&S).
If confirmed, I will remain vigilant and seek to ensure that any
policy-rooted additions are thoroughly scrutinized and fully vetted by
stakeholders before they are made.
Question. If confirmed, how will you seek to balance the need to
rapidly acquire and field innovative systems while ensuring acquisition
programs stay on budget and schedule?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Under Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering and the Military Departments'
Service Acquisition Executives to ensure the necessary policies are in
place. It is my understanding that the Department has several
initiatives and programs to facilitate rapid fielding and innovation
and, if confirmed, I would seek to leverage and buildupon these
initiatives where practicable. It is also my understanding that several
defense acquisition programs are delayed and over budget and, if
confirmed, I will conduct a thorough review of any such programs.
Finally, I appreciate that some cost growth and schedule delays are a
function of optimistic planning at program inception and unrealistic
expectations of industry. If confirmed, I will seek to ensure that
disciplined and thoroughly informed baselines are established in the
first instance in cooperation with the SAEs.
Question. In your view, has the Department successfully adopted the
flexibilities provided in the Adaptive Acquisition Framework? If not,
what would you do to improve the adoption of the flexible authorities
to bring innovation into the Department?
Answer. The Adaptive Acquisition Framework is a flexible set of
acquisition pathways for effective, suitable, survivable, sustainable,
and affordable solutions to deliver advanced capabilities to the end
user in a timely manner. Yet our holistic acquisition system, including
the requirements process and resourcing process, is not fast or agile
enough to provide our men and women in uniform with the most advanced
equipment available on time and under budget. If confirmed, I will work
with my staff and the Service Acquisition Executives to leverage the
flexible authorities granted by Congress to maximize the use of
competition, disciplined requirements, and the innovation of non-
traditional vendors to accelerate fielding of advanced capabilities. I
will also work with the Joint Staff, Services, DIU, Comptroller and
CAPE to leverage opportunities to rapidly pursue acquisition programs
and ensure we properly resource those programs once we commit to them.
Question. In your view, are there any congressionally mandated or
Department-driven reforms that you would recommend be modified or
suspended? If so, why?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the suite of authorities set
forth in statute and will seek to address any identified shortfalls
through the legislative proposal process.
Question. In your view, of the congressionally mandated or
Department-driven reforms, which specifically have been the most
successful and impactful acquisition reform initiatives of the past
decade?
Answer. Other Transaction Authority has provided a key tool for
adopting new business models and working with non-traditional
providers. Similarly, the Middle Tier of Acquisition pathway has also
provided flexibility to move faster to acquire operational
capabilities. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the additional
impacts, positive and negative, that these and other reforms have had
on the Defense Acquisition System. If confirmed, I will work with my
staff to develop a data-driven understanding of the impact of the
changes in the last few years, and more importantly, identify where we
must do more or make changes to improve outcomes.
software and it acquisition
Question. Software has become one of the most critical components
of DOD systems, but recent studies by the Government Accountability
Office (GAO), the Defense Innovation Board, and the Defense Science
Board, among others, show the Department's software development
practices have not kept up with leading industry practices. While DOD
has taken significant steps in the last few years, such as establishing
a software acquisition pathway emphasizing rapid delivery and user
engagement, programs have yet to consistently incorporate leading
software development practices.
What do you believe are the major barriers to DOD fully adopting
modern software development approaches, and what additional steps, if
confirmed, would you take to drive their adoption throughout DOD?
Answer. I believe the Department has made considerable progress in
adopting modern software practices in recent years, but we must
accelerate the scaling and transformation of our workforce, processes,
tools, and culture. Secretary Hegseth's recently issued memorandum
addressing the Software Acquisition Pathway for instance, works to
initiate a cultural change in how we do business, directly addressing
the use of rapid acquisition authorities for software programs. If
confirmed, I will work across the Department and Services to build on
our early foundations and further optimize rapid software delivery
through the modernization of our enterprise processes, strategies, and
culture in line with Secretary Hegseth's guidance. If confirmed, I will
also ensure the Department has the needed workforce, training,
resources, and guidance at all levels, such as a Software Cadre, to
accelerate our cultural shift to modern software practices into our
programs, policies, and processes.
Question. What changes would you recommend to the Software
Acquisition pathway, if any?
Answer. It is my understanding that the Department has been
proactive in making improvements to the Software Acquisition Pathway
since its inception in October 2020 and has been working across the
Department to improve its enterprise processes for requirements,
testing, costing, and interoperability to support the accelerated
delivery timelines required by the Software Pathway. For example, the
recently signed new guidance adds opportunities for Defense Business
Systems to use the Software Pathway's streamlined modern practices. If
confirmed, I will work across the Department to optimize our enterprise
processes, ensure we have the resources to scale wider adoption of this
pathway, and implement Secretary Hegseth's direction for acquiring
software components of weapons and business systems.
Question. What recommendations do you have to improve the
understanding and competency of software development and IT skills in
the workforce to help government decisionmakers be better informed
consumers of such capabilities?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department has the needed
workforce, training, resources, and guidance at all levels to
accelerate our cultural shift to adopt modern software acquisition and
development practices into our programs, policies, and processes. In an
era of software-defined warfare, I believe it is critical to have a
workforce with the expertise to implement commercial best practices,
rapid innovation, and streamlined acquisition.
Question. What is your assessment of the role of DOD software
factories?
Answer. It is my understanding that the Department continues to
improve its software production capabilities and to establish digital
development pipelines and platforms that can accelerate delivery of
capabilities to the warfighter. If confirmed, I will work across the
Department to enable programs with the enterprise tools and processes
it needs to support more rapid and secure digital product delivery.
Question. Do you believe that consumption-based solutions, also
called software-as-a-service, is a contracting methodology that should
be more widely adopted by DOD? If so, what steps would you recommend to
encourage the use of consumption-based solutions?
Answer. It is my understanding that Software-as-a-Service is
growing within Defense Business Systems, and I believe the Department
must continue to team with industry to expand the availability of these
platforms and services to address military unique challenges. If
confirmed, I will continue to both enable and encourage consumption-
based solutions and commercial solutions to update and upgrade our IT
infrastructure.
advanced technology adoption
Question. The rapid pace at which our adversaries are fielding
technological advancements demands the Department establish an
acquisition system that can deliver capabilities that are responsive to
new threats and emerging technological opportunities.
In your view, do the current policies and practices of the defense
acquisition system sufficiently encourage and support the adoption of
disruptive technologies in the Department's acquisition programs? If
not, what changes would you recommend in support of these initiatives?
Answer. I believe that the Department has the right policies and
practices in place to adopt disruptive technologies, and while some
modifications may improve the process, the larger challenge we face is
that the acquisition workforce does not make sufficient use of the new
agile approaches the Department has developed through the Adaptive
Acquisition Framework. I also believe that the Department needs to
better incentivize its acquisition workforce to take risks. If
confirmed, I will work with my team in A&S, as well as the Service
Acquisition Executives to assess the effectiveness of the current
system and how well it is utilized.
Question. What do you see as the balance when making tradeoff
decisions regarding whether to pursue more deliberative major
capability acquisition pathways versus rapid acquisition processes?
Answer. I believe that the type of capability the Department is
acquiring should drive the means it uses to acquire that capability.
Where the Department is willing to take more risk, we should prioritize
the use of accelerated approaches, and when acquiring larger, more
complex capabilities, a more deliberate process will ensure we are
correctly managing risk to develop the capability. If confirmed, I
intend to ensure that where more rapid, iterative processes can be
applied, the Department will ensure maximized use of rapid pathways.
Question. What do you view as the major barriers to entry for new
companies that want to do business with DOD? How would you address
these barriers, if confirmed?
Answer. New companies face significant hurdles when attempting to
work with the DOD. Inconsistent demand signals, bureaucratic red tape,
and a slow acquisition process discourage new companies from navigating
the complexities of DOD contracts. Addressing these barriers requires a
multi-pronged approach. This includes streamlining the acquisition and
budgeting processes to provide clearer demand signals and proactive
engagement with smaller, lesser-known companies to demonstrate that the
DOD values their innovation and is committed to expanding the
industrial base. By taking these steps, the DOD can attract fresh
talent and ideas, ultimately bolstering its technological edge and
improving national security.
Question. What do you see as the impediments for program managers
to quickly transition new technologies? What changes would you suggest
to the program manager and program executive officer authorities?
Answer. I believe that program management is primarily about
managing risk in delivering a critical capability to the warfighter
while balancing cost, schedule, and performance. Driving disruption
into the system, where a disruption orientation makes sense, will
require better incentives in the Department to enable a culture that
takes more risk and provides greater flexibility and authority to
program managers with responsibility to deliver results. If confirmed,
I will work with my team and the Service Acquisition Executives to
improve our ability, and willingness, to take risks in the system.
Question. What recommendations do you have for implementing
portfolio management in defense acquisition, if any?
Answer. It is my understanding that the Department has made
progress toward implementing portfolio management, including the
release of a Directive that mandates the use of data-driven and
mission-focused analysis and cross-Department reviews to better inform
decisions within and across portfolios and programs. That said, I
believe that the Department must go further to establish, refine, and
integrate disciplined decisionmaking processes across all aspects of
defense acquisition, including how it programs resources, sets
requirements, and makes acquisition decisions. If confirmed, I will
work with the key stakeholders across the Department, to include the
Joint Staff, Comptroller, CAPE, R&E, DIU, and the Military Services to
enable portfolio management and improve the Department's acquisition
decisions.
Question. What is your understanding of DOD's Capability Advantage
Pathfinders (CAPs), and in your view, are there any lessons that may be
learned in improving cross-portfolio capability development?
Answer. It is understanding that the Department is utilizing the
CAP effort to develop innovative approaches to acquisitions utilizing
current authorities. If confirmed, I will familiarize myself with the
CAP initiatives and work to implement any critical lessons that could
be used to accelerate and scale capability delivery.
Question. Based on your experience, how would you structure DOD to
conduct better tradeoff analysis so that programmatic investments are
not stove-piped and can be assessed against the impact of various
alternatives?
Answer. I believe the Department needs to make better decisions,
faster. Embracing more mission-focused or portfolio-focused analysis
can better inform our decisions aligned to Secretary Hegseth's
priorities. I understand that A&S is leading the way on capability
portfolio management, and A&S, along with other key stakeholders, is
executing mission-focused portfolio analysis. If confirmed, I will
review the capability portfolio management and mission-focused
analytics ongoing in the Department and look for ways to improve our
ability to make the right decisions to rapidly and cost-effectively
deliver capability to the warfighter.
other transactions authority (ota)
Question. Do you believe DOD's use of the transition to production
authority under OTAs has been adequately leveraged?
Answer. I anticipate there is more the Department can do to
leverage this important statutory authority for follow-on production of
prototype OTAs that were competitively awarded and successfully
completed. I believe the Department should consider potential follow-on
production early in the process and then assess its use during the
prototyping phase. If confirmed, I would work to ensure the Department
clearly communicates to industry the technical success criteria under a
prototype project to rationalize any transition to production.
Question. What steps will you take to promote the appropriate use
of OTAs to encourage the participation of new and non-traditional
defense contractors in the defense industrial base?
Answer. If confirmed, I will promote the appropriate use of OTAs
with our defense acquisition workforce by emphasizing the benefits of
the Department's increased access to the innovative capabilities non-
traditional defense contractors provide as essential to outpace our
adversaries. The Department must prioritize the acquisition of
commercial and other non-developmental capabilities that private sector
entities have already funded where appropriate. Secretary Hegseth's
recent Software Acquisition Pathway memorandum directs the use of
Commercial Solutions Openings and Other Transactions as the default
solicitation and award approaches for acquiring capabilities under the
Software Pathway. I believe this memorandum is an important first step
to encouraging the participation of new and non-traditional defense
contractors in our defense industrial base, and I look forward to
partnering with DIU to scale this approach.
planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (ppbe)
Question. The Department's acquisition process is closely linked
with its PPBE process, and acquisition programs can move only as nimbly
as the budget processes that fund them. The National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 established a commission to
examine and make recommendations for PPBE reform.
In your view, which of the Commission on PPBE Reform's final
recommendations do you believe are most important to improving resource
allocation and innovation in DOD?
Answer. I am committed to aligning the strategy, requirements,
acquisition, and resource processes to support President Trump and
Secretary Hegseth's priorities. Today, we are in an age of rapidly
changing technology where technology becomes obsolete soon after it is
developed--which means we must work to shorten the acquisition
lifecycle, enable rapid technology refresh and modernization, and
prioritize resource allocation against the capabilities that provide
the most significant military advantage against our adversaries
If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress, Secretary
Hegseth, Deputy Secretary Feinberg, and across the Department to
determine the needed changes to the process to ensure we have the
greatest alignment of strategy, requirements, acquisition, and
resourcing to achieve President Trump's mandate of Peace through
Strength.
Question. What steps can the Department take to implement changes
to PPBE of its own accord, and which changes do you think require
congressional action?
Answer. The PPBE Commission devoted considerable time and effort to
investigate reform opportunities and recommend much needed improvements
to the Department's Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution
(PPBE) process. It is my understanding that many of the Commission's
recommendations may not require congressional action. If confirmed, I
look forward to working with the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under
Secretary for Comptroller, and the Director of Cost Assessment and
Program Analysis to prioritize the reforms within our control with the
greatest potential impact to improve the Department's processes. Other
recommendations that foster innovation and adaptability and provide
flexibility to the Department will require significant collaboration
with and action by the congressional defense committees. If confirmed,
I commit to working with all stakeholders to ensure the strongest ties
between strategy, acquisition, and resources to support President Trump
and Secretary Hegseth's priorities.
Question. One of the major obstacles to successfully bringing
emerging technologies into the Department's acquisition system is the
so-called ``valley of death,'' partially caused by the gap in funding
between the development of a new technology and its transition into a
program of record.
What changes are needed to the PPBE and other processes to help
bridge the ``valley of death''?
Answer. I believe the Department must find ways to ensure program
managers and Department officials have the flexibility and authority to
react to emerging technological opportunities, re-allocate resources as
needed, and accelerate the transition of critical technologies across
the valley of death. If confirmed, I will work with my team in A&S, as
well as my colleagues in Comptroller, to explore acquisition solutions
for improved operational integration. Moreover, if confirmed, I look
forward to working with my colleagues in the Military Departments, R&E,
and DIU to ensure we establish technology transition partnerships and
plans to ensure we deliver technologies to rapidly address warfighting
needs.
Question. In your view, what changes in the roles of innovation
offices like Defense Innovation Unit, AFWERX, and the Strategic
Capabilities Office, or in established program offices, are necessary
to make sure new technologies have the Doctrine, Organization,
Training, Materiel, Leadership, Personnel, and Facilities required to
successfully transition to the field?
Answer. Acquisition is a life-cycle management activity that spans
from basic research to sustainment and disposal. The innovation offices
throughout the Department will continue to identify, develop, and
acquire new products and technologies, some of which are not always
designed with the DOTmLPF requirements in mind. If confirmed, I will
work with my partners in the innovation community, R&E, the Military
Services, and the Comptroller, to improve the integration of new
technology.
requirements
Question. Section 811 of the fiscal year 2024 National Defense
Authorization Act required the Joint Staff to take a clean-sheet
approach to the requirements process and section 884 of the fiscal year
2025 National Defense Authorization Act created an independent advisory
panel to review the requirements processes of DOD.
What is your view of the need for a clean-sheet approach to the
Joint Capabilities Integration and Development System (JCIDS), or do
you believe incremental changes are sufficient?
Answer. I believe it is important to note that the Department's
acquisition processes are more than just the DOD 5000 series
acquisition policy and involve partners from across the Department in
Joint Staff, CAPE, Comptroller, Policy, and others. Reforms to
acquisitions can only go so far without related reforms to resourcing
and requirements processes. Currently, no matter how fast an
acquisition program can move, it is still locked into lengthy
requirements and budgeting processes. If confirmed, I will work closely
with the VCJCS to understand how we can improve requirements processes
to align with agile acquisition methods, as well as the Comptroller and
CAPE on how we resource to meet those requirements.
Question. If confirmed, what recommendations would you make to the
requirements process to make it more adaptive to changes in threats and
technologies?
Answer. I believe we can improve how requirements are developed,
shifting the culture from overly prescriptive requirements that
narrowly define the solution specifications to broader descriptive
requirements that define the capability needs while providing
flexibility to industry to innovate while developing and delivering a
solution. This reform is essential to address rapidly evolving threats
posed by our adversaries, such as cybersecurity and electronic warfare,
as well as enable the incorporation of new technologies to address
capability needs without prescribing solutions. If confirmed, I will
work closely with the VCJCS to understand how we can improve
requirements processes to align with agile acquisition methods.
Question. One critique of the requirements process is the
interaction of ``Big R'' requirements approved, for example, in a
Capabilities Development Document, and the ``little r'' requirements
such as technical specifications in a contract solicitation.
Do you believe that program managers should have a stronger voice
in requirements generation to ensure that technical implementation is
feasible?
Answer. It is essential for the success of the Department's
acquisition process that the requirement offices in the Military
Departments work with the acquisition community to ensure they are
incorporating the latest technologies and facts of life into their
requirements. If confirmed, I will work with the Joint Staff and the
Military Services to improve our ability to develop more flexible
requirements and enable the acquisition community to embrace new
approaches to take greater risk in capability development.
Question. If confirmed, how would you improve the feedback between
program execution and validated requirements when information on
technologies, threats, and costs become available?
Answer. It is my understanding that most of the time, the
acquisition process follows a sequential approach that develops a
requirement, budgets for it, then acquires it, meaning the operator
does not touch it until delivery. I believe that the Department
requires a more iterative approach to meet the threats of the 21st
century. If confirmed, I will work with the Joint Staff, the Services,
and USD(R&E) to improve how we incorporate a warfighter centered design
process into our acquisition and requirements processes.
Question. The USD(A&S) is not a member of the Joint Requirements
Oversight Council but does advise the Secretary of Defense on how to
acquire capabilities and what capabilities should be acquired.
In your opinion, should the requirements process for new
capabilities continue to be primarily the province of the military
departments, and military officers of the Joint Staff and the combatant
commands?
Answer. Yes.
Question. In your view, what should be the role of the Joint Staff
in the requirements process versus the role of the military services?
Answer. I believe that it is critical we continue to let the
Services drive their own requirements; however, I also believe that
Joint Staff should be working to drive joint mission needs into Service
requirements and ensuring that there is balance in addressing
capability needs and gaps across the Services and Combatant Commands.
We also need to ensure that joint mission needs and requirements are
appropriately assigned to ensure execution and follow through in
meeting those warfighting demands. If confirmed, I will work with the
VCJCS to understand how A&S can better assist to ensure operational
success in delivering capabilities to the warfighter.
Question. If confirmed, in what circumstances would you consider it
appropriate to recommend that the Secretary invest in a capability you
consider of high importance, for which there is either no formal
requirement or no military department is funding a solution to a
requirement?
Answer. I believe that, in special circumstances, the Secretaries
of the Military Departments or the Secretary of Defense, after
consulting with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, may
establish requirements, including providing capabilities for allies or
partner agencies. I believe that it is the role of the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to advise the Secretary to
invest in a capability that addresses critical issues to expedite
delivery of essential capabilities through use of the Urgent Capability
Acquisition pathway. I understand that A&S already plays a role in
pursuing capabilities to address emergent and urgent needs through the
Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell, even when there is no formally
established requirement, and no funding programmed by a Military
Department. By all accounts, this has been a successful approach to
meet many urgent needs and if confirmed I would seek ways to improve
it.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you recommend to improve
joint requirements development and cross service communication in order
to create more efficiency in the Department?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the VCJCS and the Services
to explore how to improve joint requirements and cross-service
collaboration. Concepts like cross-Service sharing of requirements
documents, capability needs statements that define an operational
problem rather than define the solution, and joint requirements
development that define what the Joint Force needs could improve
efficiency in our requirements processes.
test and evaluation
Question. The objective of test and evaluation activities is to
ensure that system performance meets specifications and requirements,
and that deployed capabilities are operationally effective against
threats.
Are you satisfied with the Department's test and evaluation
capabilities? If confirmed, in which areas, if any, do you believe the
Department should be developing new test and evaluation capabilities?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the USD(R&E) and the
Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) to ensure the
Department of Defense (DoD) prioritizes investments in the most crucial
test and evaluation (T&E) capabilities, as determined by the Secretary
of Defense and the National Defense Strategy. As our innovators come up
with new technologies, the Department will need new T&E capabilities
and capacity to effectively test those technologies.
Question. Do you believe that current DOD test and evaluation
facilities, personnel, and technical test infrastructure are up to par
for what is needed for the modernization challenges of the Department
now and in the near future?
Answer. It is important that the DOD maintain modern test and
evaluation (T&E) infrastructure and a highly qualified workforce where
necessary to ensure we can successfully test weapon systems that give
our warfighters a decisive advantage. If confirmed, I will work with
the DOT&E and the USD(R&E) to ensure A&S cooperation and support where
the Department seeks to enhance test & evaluation capabilities.
Question. In your opinion, what is the appropriate role of
developmental, operational, and live-fire testing in the acquisition
process?
Answer. Developmental, operational, and live-fire testing are
important aspects of the acquisition process to ensure our systems
operate as intended and provide for the safety and security of our
operators. If confirmed, I will work with the USD(R&E) and the DOT&E,
to review the role of developmental, operational, and live-fire testing
across the acquisition process.
Question. What recommendations would you make to tailor
documentation and approvals for test and evaluation for rapid
acquisition, if any?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the USD(R&E) and the DOT&E
to review the existing test and evaluation rapid acquisition
documentation and approval process to determine if changes or tailoring
are needed and, if necessary, work to tailor them as appropriate.
Question. How should DOD test and evaluation capabilities support
software and other efforts that require rapid iteration between
development and deployment?
Answer. Early and continuous testing throughout the software life
cycle is crucial to support effective and efficient evaluations and
delivery timelines. I support integrating, streamlining, and automating
testing processes to enable rapid analysis of test data and evaluation
of system operational effectiveness, suitability, and survivability.
Program success depends on maximum sharing, reciprocity, availability,
and reuse of test results and artifacts among testing and certification
organizations.
Question. If confirmed, under what circumstances would you support
programs accepting more risk upfront (e.g., flight test failures) to
attempt to accelerate fielding schedules for a potential conflict with
China?
Answer. In recent years, the Department's test and evaluation
community has sought to integrate aspects of developmental and
operational testing and conduct such testing early in the acquisition
process. If confirmed, I would seek pathways to accelerate these
efforts to ensure early and frequent testing to accelerate fielding.
Question. In your view, what are the advantages and disadvantages
of increasing the integration among the developmental, acquisition, and
testing communities?
Answer. Integration across the acquisition lifecycle through early
collaborative test planning and execution will work to reduce late
discovery of system issues and deficiencies.
Question. What other reforms would you recommend to improve the
timeliness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the test and evaluation
process to more quickly correct technical deficiencies in weapon
systems?
Answer. If confirmed, I would look to increase the use of digital
ecosystems to integrate mission engineering, systems engineering, and
test and evaluation to mitigate weapon system deficiencies.
Question. What do you see as the operational test and evaluation
needs for non-developmental or commercial items to ensure they can
still meet the technical requirements and human factors needs of
environments often more complex and demanding than commercial settings?
Answer. It is vital that we continue to integrate existing
commercial and non-developmental capabilities to meet our technical
requirements in efforts to achieve cost effectiveness, resilience, and
drive rapid innovation. However, commercial technologies often aren't
designed to operate under contested, high-stress, and complex
environments--including adversary electronic warfare and cyber
capabilities. If confirmed, I will work with the USD(R&E) to ensure
that technology readiness experimentation evaluates commercial
technologies to measure readiness for the modern battlefield. If
confirmed, I would look forward to working with industry, particularly
nontraditional defense contractors, to implement these processes.
defense industrial base (dib)
Question. Over the past several years, there have been increasing
concerns in Congress, industry, and the Department over the health of
the DIB and its ability to reliably meet current and future defense
needs. The war in Ukraine has showcased how challenging it is to
restart and increase relevant munitions supply chains. Additionally,
many supply chains have single points of failure and/or remain reliant
on non-allied sources of material.
If confirmed, what do you assess to be the most significant
challenges facing the DIB and how would you propose to address them?
Answer. It is my understanding that the most significant challenges
facing the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) stem from steady de-
industrialization over the last 50 years and the scale of our supply
chain resilience issues. Unpredictable budgets and investments weaken
the DOD-industrial base relationship and limit interest in DOD as a
customer. If confirmed, I will work with Congress to assess the issues
within the DIB, promote capabilities through targeted investment,
increase private capital investment to increase production capacity,
protect against adversarial capital and cyber intrusions, and partner
with international partners and allies.
Question. What steps will you take to ensure that the DIB has the
appropriate manufacturing and production infrastructure to support
current and future needs of DOD? Are there additional authorities that
would be useful?
Answer. If confirmed, I will prioritize strengthening the Defense
Industrial Base's (DIB) manufacturing and production infrastructure to
meet the DOD's evolving needs. This begins with a comprehensive
assessment, conducted in close collaboration with the Military
Departments, to identify current and future production demands and
pinpoint existing capability gaps.
I recognize the importance of the Defense Production Act (DPA) as a
powerful tool for shaping the industrial base. I am committed to
utilizing existing DPA authorities when authorized. If confirmed, I
will actively engage with Congress to explore whether expanding DPA
authorities would further enhance our ability to build the necessary
capacities and address emerging challenges in a rapidly evolving
technological landscape.
Question. What do you see as the levers to motivate the defense
industrial base to make additional capital investment (for facilities
and tooling), as well as research and development investments to
increase the capacity of the defense industrial base?
Answer. First, the DOD must provide a clear and consistent demand
signal to industry. This means streamlining the acquisition process,
reducing regulatory barriers, and increasing the use of multi-year
procurements to demonstrate a commitment to long-term business and
incentivize investment. At the same time, fostering competition within
the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) spurs companies to innovate and
invest to remain competitive. Finally, we should strategically leverage
existing investment vehicles, through programs like the Industrial Base
Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS), to forge strong public-private
partnerships that share both the risks and rewards of bolstering the
DIB. If confirmed, I would seek to develop this collaborative approach
to equip the DIB with the tools and capacity needed to meet current and
future national security challenges.
Question. What steps should the Department take--on its own or as
part of a ``whole of government'' approach--to increase domestic
industrial capacity and reduce reliance on suppliers in China and on
other adversaries?
Answer. Reducing reliance on supply chains in adversarial nations,
particularly China, for critical defense components requires a ``whole-
of-nation'' approach that prioritizes the growth and resilience of
America's defense industrial base. The DOD can lead this effort by
incentivizing commercial industry to onshore supply chains, expanding
domestic manufacturing capabilities, and prioritizing U.S. productivity
and competitiveness. This includes working across government agencies,
such as the State Department and the Department of Commerce, to
implement strategic export controls, promote fair trade practices, and
foster a more robust and secure domestic supply chain for critical
components and platforms.
Question. What actions should the Department take to address the
threat of ``adversarial capital'' from China and other sources that
seek to gain undue influence over the DIB?
Answer. The threat of ``adversarial capital'' from China and other
foreign adversaries seeking to gain influence over the U.S. Defense
Industrial Base (DIB) represents a significant and evolving challenge.
These adversaries employ a range of tactics, including strategic
investments, corporate acquisitions, and technology transfer, to gain
access to sensitive technologies, compromise supply chains, and
potentially undermine U.S. national security.
If confirmed, I look forward to countering these threats through an
approach that leverages the full range of government authorities and
fosters close collaboration with international allies. This includes
robust implementation of existing tools like the Committee for Foreign
Investment in the United States (CFIUS), Team Telecom, and export
controls to scrutinize foreign investments.
Question. In your view, what is the appropriate role for the
Department with respect to proposed and ongoing private sector merger
and acquisition activities of DOD contractors?
Answer. It is my understanding that DOD's role with respect to
merger and acquisition (M&A) activities of DOD contractors is to assess
any anti-competitive implications on the Defense Industrial Base (DIB)
and to their impacts to the industrial and technological base,
competition and innovation, and the public interest. Excessive
consolidation can reduce competition, hurt innovation, and lead to
higher costs. A vibrant, competitive, and diverse defense industrial
base is vital to the department. DOD is responsible for ensuring our
Nation's security and is in a unique position to assess the impact of
potential defense industry consolidation on its ability to fulfill its
mission, while maintaining awareness of how ongoing M&A activities
influence the DIB. In certain cases, the Department should voice
concerns when a merger or acquisition could adversely impact the cost,
schedule, or performance of defense acquisition programs, or hinder the
research and development of critical defense technologies. This
proactive approach is particularly important when adversary nations and
their business interests attempt to acquire or influence defense
industry members or their supporting supply chains.
Question. In your view, what actions can be taken to expand
existing efforts of the Manufacturing Capability Expansion & Investment
Prioritization office within USD(A&S) to further invest in domestic and
allied production of required materials and products?
Answer. Investment in domestic and allied production of required
materials and products are important to ensure we maintain a healthy
and resilient defense industrial base. I am committed to applying
authorities and resources to maximize the resilience of our defense
industrial base and prioritize domestic production, and if confirmed,
look forward to understanding how the Manufacturing Capability
Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office can better
utilize the authorities granted by the Defense Production Act (DPA) and
the Industrial Base Fund to achieve those objectives.
Question. How can the Department better leverage suppliers in the
national technology and industrial base (NTIB) and among other allies
and partners?
Answer. The Department can better leverage suppliers in the NTIB by
continuing to build and strengthen relationships amongst existing and
new participants in defense acquisition as well as identifying and
addressing barriers to integrating ally and partner organizations into
the DIB. Working closely with private capital, academia, and leaders in
tech and other Defense-adjacent industries can provide the Department a
wider array of companies, skillsets, and technologies, which can help
modernize our overarching technological base and build resiliency.
Question. Do you think it is possible for the venture capital and
private equity community to play some role in supporting the DIB, and
if so, how?
Answer. Yes. These communities are already investing in defense-
related technologies and supporting the mission, often without cost to
taxpayers. If confirmed, I am committed to finding effective ways to
harness private capital to accelerate the growth of a more resilient
defense industrial ecosystem.
To further leverage the potential of these communities, the
Department must improve transparency regarding its priorities and
strengthen the consistency of its demand signals. Clear and consistent
communication will allow investors to make more informed decisions and
direct capital toward technologies critical to national security. We
must also strive to better understand how the venture capital and
private equity communities operate, fostering stronger relationships
and tailored engagement strategies. By bridging the knowledge gap and
building trust, we can unlock even greater support for the DIB from
these vital sources of innovation and capital.
Question. The NDAA for fiscal year 2021 established an Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, responsible for
overseeing the Department's efforts to manage and support the DIB.
In your view, what should be the key priorities and activities of
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy?
Answer. If confirmed in the role of USD(A&S), I will ensure that
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy
(ASD(IBP)) plays a crucial role in assuring the United States maintains
its military superiority through the DIB. As articulated by the
President, achieving ``Peace through Strength'' necessitates a robust
and responsive defense industrial base. Achieving this will require
strengthening domestic supply chains, particularly in critical areas
like critical minerals, microelectronics, and hypersonics, while also
mitigating vulnerabilities and fostering resilience against potential
disruptions.
To effectively execute this mission, the Department should
prioritize the development and implementation of comprehensive
strategies that expand and empower the DIB. This requires a thorough
understanding of the DIB's current capabilities and identification of
existing gaps that need to be addressed. Equally important is
leveraging legislative tools like the Defense Production Act to
incentivize domestic production and innovation. By fostering a healthy
and diverse industrial base, promoting collaboration, and championing
technological advancement, we can ensure the U.S. maintains its
competitive edge in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure the office of this
Assistant Secretary is adequately resourced (in terms of personnel,
budget, and authority) and provided with the high-level support
necessary to perform its duties and responsibilities?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Congress and
across the Department to secure adequate authorities and ensure a team
with expertise is well positioned to tackle the complexities of the
DIB. Adequate and appropriate resources and support are crucial to
effectively carry out Industrial Base Policy's mission.
In addition to authorities, consistent and predictable funding is
crucial for long-term success. Stable funding allows the Department to
send strong signals to industry partners, enabling them to confidently
invest in and expand the DIB.
In early 2024 the Department released the first ever ``National
Defense Industrial Strategy'', or NDIS, to guide DIB engagement, policy
development, and investment over the next several years.
Question. If confirmed, how will you retain or adjust the
priorities established in the National Defense Industrial Strategy?
Answer. The National Defense Industrial Strategy and its
implementation plan outline a framework to address industrial base
challenges faced by the DOD, Congress, and industry. If confirmed, I
will adjust and align the NDIS strategic direction to ensure that it
reflects the new administration's strategic objectives and aligns with
the National Defense Strategy. It will be important to buildupon the
momentum initiated by the NDIS, by continuing to integrate and improve
with new guidance, to further DIB resilience and preparedness for
future conflicts.
defense industrial base cybersecurity
Question. What is your understanding of the challenges of enhancing
cybersecurity of the DIB?
Answer. My understanding of the DIB cybersecurity challenge is that
the cyber landscape changes very rapidly, and it can be difficult to
balance the pace at which Department of Defense (DoD) and industry need
to react to evolving threats with the implementation timelines industry
needs to comply as adversaries continue to evolve their tactics,
techniques, and procedures (TTP). Cyber-attacks on DIB information
systems threaten DOD mission execution, reduce warfighting
capabilities, weaken American technological superiority, and exfiltrate
both intellectual property and national security information.
It is my understanding that the cyber capabilities of the companies
in the DIB vary greatly. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the
current State of DOD cybersecurity requirements for our industry
partners and working to ensure we balance a need for security with the
burdens of excessive regulation.
Question. If confirmed, how would you balance the needs of
improving cybersecurity with the burden of compliance on small and
medium sized businesses? Are there authorities or resources within DOD
that could help mitigate some of those compliance burdens?
Answer. Bolstering cybersecurity across the DIB without placing
undue burdens on small and medium-sized businesses is critical. These
businesses are often more vulnerable to cyberattacks due to resource
constraints, yet they play a vital role in our Nation's defense.
Access to secure facilities, such as SCIFs, is often cost-
prohibitive for smaller companies. If confirmed, I will actively
explore the feasibility of multi-use SCIFs and other shared resource
models to alleviate this burden and ensure equitable access to
classified information.
In the last few years, the focus of the Acquisition & Sustainment
model has been on one element of the framework: the Cybersecurity
Maturity Model certification (CMMC).
Question. If confirmed, are there any changes you would make or
recommend to the CMMC efforts beyond those already mandated by the
Deputy Secretary, including CMMC 2.0?
Answer. I recognize the critical importance of ensuring that
contractual requirements for protecting DOD information are met by
defense contractors. If confirmed, I will review the current
requirements of the CMMC program and evaluate options to improve the
requirements and implementation so that industry can affordably
maintain pace with current cybersecurity best practices.
Question. What is your view of the role of the certified third-
party assessment organizations?
Answer. Managing and assessing cybersecurity compliance are
important roles to ensure our DIB partners are applying cybersecurity
best practices to protect critical information. If confirmed, I look
forward to reviewing current and potential mechanisms to assess
compliance, including third-party assessment organizations.
Question. What do you believe is the appropriate role of the CMMC
Advisory Board (CMMC-AB)?
Answer. Cybersecurity accreditation is an important role to ensure
our DIB partners understand our requirements in applying cybersecurity
best practices to protect critical information. If confirmed, I look
forward to reviewing our accreditation procedures to ensure our
requirements keep pace with the threat and manage the burden on the
industrial base.
defense production act (dpa)
Question. In 2020, the Defense Production Act (DPA) was
successfully leveraged during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide vital
response materials, including through Operation Warp Speed,
accelerating vaccine development and the delivery of other COVID-
related medical supplies.
What is your understanding of how DOD has leveraged DPA
authorities, including as an interagency funding mechanism, during the
pandemic and post-pandemic?
Answer. My understanding is Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III
has been leveraged to sustain and expand production in areas where
national security was considered to be at risk. I understand the
Department has coordinated with other agencies to understand risks in
the industrial base that could impact national security, as well as how
DPA authorities could be leveraged to mitigate them. During the
pandemic, the Department worked with Health and Human Services (HHS) to
understand where DPA authorities could be best leveraged to increase
production capacity to respond to COVID-19. Since the pandemic, DPA
Title III investments have allowed us to begin removing China from our
supply chains.
Question. What are your views on DOD's use of DPA Title III
authorities to support the defense industrial base?
Answer. The Defense Production Act (DPA) is a critical tool for
rebuilding our defense industrial base and ultimately reestablishing
deterrence. We can do more to expedite DPA Title III awards, but I am
aware the DPA Title III program is already enabling the Department to
make investments directly in the sub-tiers of the defense industrial
base, especially into areas where private industry is unwilling to
invest, which otherwise would not be possible. If confirmed, I look
forward to ensuring the Department continues to focus our use of the
DPA on national defense, in line with the President's and Secretary
Hegseth's priorities, existing statute, and in coordination with
Congress.
Question. What are your views on the DPA loan and loan guarantee
programs? If confirmed, would you advocate expanding these programs?
How would you monitor the effectiveness of the loan program?
Answer. If confirmed, I would review the benefits and challenges of
expanding the DPA activities of the Department into loan and loan
guarantee programs. I understand the Department has established loans
and loan guarantees in other parts of DOD, like the Office of Strategic
Capital (OSC), to incentivize private capital investments to transform
capability for the DIB, and I will look to better understand how an
expansion of the DPA loan program office can complement and enhance the
DIB in cooperation with OSC's loan program.
Question. Do you have any recommendations to improve the
effectiveness of how DOD employs DPA Title III authorities?
Answer. My understanding is that there are ongoing efforts to
develop legislative proposals to update the DPA for the modern era. If
confirmed, I plan to support that process and prioritize the most
effective application of DPA authorities to strengthen the DIB,
including expanding the Department's ability to incentivize private
investment and accelerate its impact in expanding domestic industrial
base capability and capacity.
organic industrial base
Question. In your opinion, what role does the organic industrial
base play in modernization efforts and in the sustainment of
warfighting capabilities?
Answer. The Organic Industrial Base plays an important role in
bolstering the defense industrial base's primary goal of ensuring
sustained readiness of DOD weapon systems and equipment throughout the
lifecycle. By providing essential resources like facilities, skilled
personnel, technical expertise, and equipment, the OIB supports
critical activities including maintenance, repair, overhaul, upgrade,
and manufacturing to meet operational needs. Additionally, the OIB
enables the Department to rapidly scale production and sustainment
capabilities during periods of heightened demand.
Question. What is your assessment of the status of the facilities
and workforce in DOD depots, logistics centers, arsenals, and other
elements of the organic industrial base?
Answer. I believe that the Organic Industrial Base, to include our
depots, logistics centers, and arsenals, serves an important role in
maintaining military readiness. If confirmed, I will work with the
Services to formally assess the State of our OIB and assess the need to
foster continued modernization of the OIB to ensure the Department
maintains the proper mix of capabilities to meet future warfighting
needs while staying adaptable for future missions.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to strengthen the
Department's organic industrial base?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Administration and
Congress to assess the areas of greatest need and, where necessary,
request resources to support the modernization and optimization of our
OIB facilities and workforce, together with other key elements of our
domestic defense industrial base. This would include a thorough
analysis of the current State of OIB infrastructure, workforce, and
capabilities to identify strengths, gaps, and areas requiring urgent
attention to ensure we are applying the most modern capabilities to
ensure we maximize the readiness of our military forces.
sustainment
Question. DOD has committed to rebuild its readiness to conduct
large-scale combat operations against near-peer competitors such as
China and Russia. The readiness of critical weapon systems relies on
the quantity and timeliness of sustainment. However, sustainment
challenges continue to impede readiness across the warfighting domains
and military services.
What is your assessment of the sustainment challenges facing the
Department's naval vessels, ground vehicles, and aviation fleets, and
what actions would you take to improve mission capable rates for these
fleets?
Answer. I understand that sustainment is often an afterthought
during the acquisition process. And yet, as we saw during the nominee
for the Secretary of the Navy's confirmation hearing, corrosion and
other sustainment challenges are limiting the readiness of our critical
systems and inflating the costs of our weapons systems. I believe that
renewed focus on anticipating, planning for, and addressing sustainment
issues on the front end of the lifecycle of weapons systems will help
the Department improve weapon system reliability and maintainability.
If confirmed, I will work to ensure that we have the proper policies
and resources to achieve sustainment priorities in partnership with the
Military Services.
Question. In your opinion, what steps should DOD take to ensure our
ability to execute the current and expected volume of platform
maintenance and modernization?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work across A&S and with the Military
Services to understand the specific challenges facing platform
maintenance and modernization to drive closer collaboration. However,
in general, I believe that the Department can invest in focused and
predictable infrastructure upgrades and modernization, workforce
development, improvement of predictive maintenance practices through
better data, including technical data, and conduct periodic reviews of
maintenance and modernization operations to better identify
bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement. I believe that,
by taking these actions, the Department can meet both current
operational demands as well as build a resilient and adaptable
framework capable of addressing future challenges.
Question. In your view, what are the biggest challenges in the
sustainment of commercial technologies that are fielded to warfighters?
Answer. I understand that the sustainment of fielded commercial
technologies poses significant challenges for warfighter readiness and
can be expensive because the commercial providers operate outside of
our acquisition lifecycle and they operate on a proprietary basis which
may increase the risk of vendor lock. Additionally, I understand that
the cost for the sustainment of commercial technologies is not always
programmed. If confirmed, I look forward to working with stakeholders
across the Department to tackle the challenges associated with the
sustainment of commercial technologies to ensure the warfighter has
interoperable tools they need to complete the mission. Our warfighters
must be adequately trained on rapidly evolving commercial technologies
while managing long-term sustainment costs of legacy equipment.
improving planning for sustainment
Question. The GAO has reported that operation and sustainment (O&S)
costs account for about 70 percent of a system's total lifecycle costs.
In your opinion, how well are the Department's acquisition programs
planning for sustainment?
Answer. I strongly believe in the importance of prioritizing
sustainment planning early in the acquisition process in order to
reduce life-cycle costs. While I am aware the existing policy currently
requires this level of planning, there is always potential for further
improvement. If confirmed, I will collaborate across A&S and the
Military Services and Defense Agencies to strengthen sustainment
efforts by continuing to integrate comprehensive planning into new
programs and focus on refining sustainment strategies for existing
programs at every stage of a weapon system's lifecycle to enhance
readiness, efficiency, and long-term effectiveness.
Question. Do you believe that the military services are adequately
resourcing activities to resolve diminishing manufacturing sources and
material shortages?
Answer. Based on my experience, I believe that the Military
Services are taking diminishing manufacturing sources and material
shortages and related activities seriously. If confirmed, I will seek
information on actions being done to address diminishing manufacturing
sources and material shortages and pursue appropriate solutions to
reduce associated risks to material readiness.
Question. What is your view of the benefits of introducing second
sources of supply into weapon systems component and parts
manufacturing, if any?
Answer. I believe that introducing second sources of supply by
qualified vendors enhances competition, reduces dependency on a single
supplier, prevents vendor lock by introducing competition, improves
resilience to disruptions, and can lower costs while ensuring a more
reliable and diversified supply chain for weapon system components.
Additionally, having more suppliers increases our ability to respond to
critical backorders from our warfighters, and improves our ability to
surge.
Question. Section 865 of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense
Authorization Act seeks to expedite qualification and testing of
alternative sources of supply and section 882 seeks to remove policy
barriers to reverse engineering.
If confirmed, how would you use section 865 and section 882 to
improve the timeliness of the qualification, certification, and test
processes for new sources of supply?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work to implement authorities from
Congress that are aimed at removing barriers to securing alternative
sources of supply across commercial and organic solution types. A
balance between the need to move quickly with the need to safeguard our
systems will ensure that any reverse engineering efforts enhance our
warfighters' ability to protect our national interests and defend our
homeland. Additionally, if confirmed, I will work expedite the
qualification of new suppliers in critical areas like energetic
materials and advanced manufacturing by establishing clear timelines,
reducing bureaucratic hurdles, and exploring innovative testing
methods. A streamlined process will attract a wider range of companies,
fostering competition, innovation, and a more responsive defense
industrial base.
Question. What additional recommendations do you have for expanding
the industrial base to create more timely and cost-effective supply of
spare and repair parts?
Answer. Increasing the overall production capacity of the DIB is
paramount as we seek to reduce our reliance on supply chains in
adversarial nations and increase our domestic supply chain resilience.
To expand the industrial base to create a more timely and cost-
effective supply of spare and repair parts, we need to expand
utilization of existing authorities to help fund new capacity in
partnership with industry investments. If confirmed, I will buildupon
this framework to ensure we utilize all funding and acquisition methods
to increase our industrial capacity.
Question. In your opinion, what is the opportunity for advanced
manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing to reduce cost and lead
times for parts that are currently ordered in low production volumes?
Answer. I believe there is opportunity to use advanced
manufacturing capabilities, such as 3D printing, to reduce cost and
lead times for parts that are currently ordered in low production
volumes. On-Demand manufacturing, decentralized production,
customization, rapid prototyping, and supply chain resilience can
translate to substantial cost savings, increased operational readiness,
and a more agile and resilient military supply chain. If confirmed, I
will seek to understand what specific advanced manufacturing efforts
are ongoing at the Department and work with my colleagues at OUSD(R&E)
to implement advanced manufacturing techniques and standards where
appropriate to aid the warfighter and reduce sustainment costs.
Question. Are there additional incentives or strategies, such as
royalties, the Department should use when negotiating with industry to
ensure there are multiple suppliers for spare parts?
Answer. Ensuring a robust and diverse supply chain for spare parts
is critical for maintaining readiness and avoiding single points of
failure. If confirmed, I will explore a range of incentives to
encourage multiple suppliers.
If confirmed, I will promote the utilization of advanced
manufacturing techniques, as long as the resulting parts meet
performance specifications. This approach fosters innovation and
competition while reducing reliance on traditional sole-source
providers.
Finally, I believe that conducting comprehensive supply chain
analyses to identify and mitigate risks associated with third, fourth,
and fifth-tier suppliers is crucial to prevent inadvertent single-
source dependencies from emerging deeper within the supply chain. By
implementing these multifaceted strategies, we can foster a healthier
and more resilient industrial base capable of meeting our spare parts
needs now and into the future.
facilities sustainment
Question. To combat the growing $180 billion facilities sustainment
backlog, in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2025, Congress required each of the military departments to budget at
least 4 percent of their total plant replacement value (PRV) by 2030.
If confirmed, what approach will you take to address this backlog,
ensure the Department is following the law to meet the PRV metrics
leading up to 2030 and to ensure that facility sustainment funding is
sufficiently prioritized and funded? Please specify aspects of the
approach such as increased funding, elimination of excess
infrastructure, and addressing infrastructure in failing condition.
Answer. Our installations are critical to both the warfighting
mission and the quality of life of our military members and their
families. If confirmed, I will work with the Military Departments and
other DOD components to ensure investments in our infrastructure meet
the requirements of the warfighter and their families, are efficiently
sized and maintained to provide maximum value to the U.S. taxpayer, and
are fully compliant with statutory requirements.
acquiring commercial technology
Question. Since the end of the cold war, Congress and successive
leaders in DOD have recognized that the technological superiority and
modernization that is critical to national security increasingly takes
place in the commercial sector, and that in many technical areas, the
pace of commercial technological advance is much quicker than that of
the government.
In your view, has DOD adequately complied with statute establishing
a commercial item preference? Why or why not?
Answer. I believe the Department can do more to leverage commercial
and other non-developmental capabilities that private sector entities
have already funded. My understanding is that statute directs the
congressional preference for establishing a commercial item of
preference. If confirmed, I will review the Department's current
compliance with this statute, and ensure we are maximizing effective
application to leverage technological advancements of the commercial
sector while balancing the need to successfully integrate those
technologies into the DOD ecosystem.
Question. Do you believe that DOD's acquisition practices
sufficiently incentivize programs to opt for commercial items? If so,
what processes would you recommend changing?
Answer. I believe it is important to ensure the Department is
incentivizing DOD programs to opt for commercial items where it is most
beneficial to the warfighter. Secretary Hegseth's recent issuance on
``Directing Modern Software Acquisition to Maximize Lethality'' is a
good example of prioritizing commercial solutions. His direction to
employ the Commercial Solutions Openings and Other Transactions as the
default solicitation and award approaches for software development will
drive the Department to prioritize existing capabilities in the
marketplace.
Question. In your view, have Commercial Solutions Openings been a
useful solicitation process for adopting commercial technologies and
innovative solutions? What recommendations would you make to improve
Commercial Solutions Openings, if any?
Answer. I understand Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs) have
proven to be a useful solicitation process to enable the Department to
adopt commercial technologies and innovative solutions. If confirmed, I
will examine how the Department has used CSOs, particularly for
software development as Secretary Hegseth has directed, to understand
whether any legislative or other improvements are necessary.
Question. In your opinion, are there new ways to reward and
incentivize the acquisition workforce and programs to choose commercial
solutions, if available?
Answer. If confirmed, I will lead a culture in the Department's
acquisition community that celebrates the adoption of existing
commercial solutions in support of warfighting and other capabilities
where it benefits the warfighter. I would seek to establish a culture
that prioritizes results and provide the necessary resources to
encourage our workforce to employ modern business approaches to meet
today's challenges.
Question. In your view, how should the USD(A&S) work with the
Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council to promote the
acquisition of commercial technologies?
Answer. I believe there should be a close partnership between
USD(A&S), the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the
Military Services to modernize DOD's requirements system. If confirmed,
I would look to partner with the appropriate stakeholders to reform the
system to integrate operational needs ``requirements pull'' with
commercial solutions ``tech push,'' informed by experimentation, via a
collaborative, iterative approach to exploit new technologies and adapt
our ways of fighting.
Question. Do you believe the Department is making the best use of
both Part 12 and Part 15 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations in
developing acquisition strategies for programs?
Answer. I understand the Administration is advancing a bold
initiative to overhaul the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and
that the OUSD(A&S) staff are actively engaged. If confirmed, I will
lead the effort to understand how FAR Parts 12 and 15 need to be
transformed to optimize acquisition rules and reduce or eliminate
costly burdens that stifle broader industry participation.
Question. Congress and the Department have prioritized the entry of
nontraditional defense contractors into the defense industrial base.
What changes, if any, would you recommend to the definition of
nontraditional defense contractors?
Answer. I believe any changes to the statutory definition of
nontraditional defense contractors should be grounded in the principle
of maximizing competition amongst all types of companies to expand the
defense industrial base. If confirmed, I will assess this more closely
and offer any recommendations to the Congress for statutory change.
Question. What recommendations do you have to changes to the
definition of nontraditional defense contractors, if any? Do you
believe that nontraditional defense contractors should be treated
commercially to the maximum extent practicable? Why or why not?
Answer. If confirmed, I will assess this more closely and will work
with the Administration to offer any recommendations to the Congress
for statutory change.
Question. Nontraditional defense contractors often take significant
risk using private sources of funds to develop technologies. What
recommendations do you have for achieving fair and reasonable pricing
for products and services supplied by nontraditional defense
contractors that recognizes their privately funded risk and lack of
government-compliant business systems?
Answer. I believe the current practice for pricing of Defense
contracts allows for these considerations to be fully addressed,
compensated in a sole source context, and included as a company sees
fit in any competitively submitted price proposals. However, there is
always room for improvement, and if confirmed I would look into this
issue to see how nontraditional companies can better balance their risk
to foster increased collaboration with DOD.
intellectual property
Question. Do you believe that DOD has implemented intellectual
property (IP) best practices sufficiently to ensure that the government
has appropriate access to IP and technical data?
Answer. I believe that the Department has made progress in
implementing best practices through updated guidance, training, tools,
and communication, but the Department has not yet realized the full
spectrum of intellectual property (IP) best practices necessary to
ensure that the Government has appropriate access to IP, including
technical data and associated licensing. I believe the acquisition of
life-cycle IP early in the program must be a higher strategic priority.
I believe this will be key to making sustainment more agile and
affordable and ensure DOD can take full advantage of industry's faster
pace in technology innovation.
Question. What is your view on the Department's adequacy of
enforcing data rights it has already negotiated onto contracts, such as
through invalidation of improper rights assertions, and ensuring
delivery of data ordering?
Answer. If confirmed, my initial focus in this area will be to
better understand the obstacles that DOD program personnel are facing
in enforcing delivery of data and accompanying rights it has already
negotiated in contracts. If confirmed, I will review the existing
mandatory processes and procedures for invalidating improper rights
assertions and review whether there are constraints on compelling
contract performance that may be impeding delivery. If confirmed, I
will also work with the Department's Intellectual Property Cadre to
understand the challenges regarding available enforcement mechanisms
and Department practices to support warfighter needs.
Question. If confirmed, what adjustments would you make to DOD's
practices in negotiating IP and technical data rights for programs in
order to improve DOD's ability to develop, procure, and sustain new
systems and technologies affordably?
Answer. If confirmed, my initial focus in this area will be to
better understand the practical obstacles that DOD program personnel
are facing related to IP. To thrive in this environment, I anticipate
the need to improve our training in identifying IP requirements and
negotiating to meet the needs. If confirmed, I would ensure the
workforce takes greater advantage of agile tools and techniques such as
non-traditional contracting methods, negotiating specialized licenses,
and fully implementing modular open systems approaches in DOD programs.
reform of the protest process
Question. To what extent do you think the time required to settle
protests warrants reform in order to protect the interests of both
industry and the government?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the regulatory and policy
approaches along with the recommendations to determine what changes, if
any, are necessary.
Question. Do you have any recommendations on how to improve the
protest process?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the bid protest processes and
consider recommendations to improve existing processes where possible.
small business
Question. In your view, what are the biggest barriers that prevent
small businesses from doing business with the Department?
Answer. In my view, some of the biggest barriers to entry for new
companies are the number of entry points into the Department, the
complexity of the DOD procurement process, and the challenges that new
companies face when seeking to understand and comply with necessary
industrial security requirements. I understand that the Office of Small
Business Programs, which reports to the USD(A&S), is the principal
advisor to this official and the Secretary of Defense on all issues
affecting small businesses that want to work with the Department. If
confirmed, I would work with my fellow Under Secretaries of Defense and
the Director of the Office of Small Business Programs on leveraging the
tools, programs, and authorities to address these issues and mitigate
barriers to entry.
Question. In your view, what are the biggest barriers that prevent
small businesses from becoming prime contractors for the Department?
Answer. I understand the Office of Small Business Programs provides
guidance and administers statutory programs to increase the number of
small business prime contractors and suppliers in the DIB. In my view,
one of the biggest barriers preventing small businesses from becoming
prime contractors for the Department is the lack of experience or
knowledge of defense acquisition processes. If confirmed, I will work
with the Director of the Office of Small Business Programs to make the
Department a more attractive customer by reducing administrative
barriers and supporting the statutory tools and programs that Congress
has authorized.
Question. Do you believe the Department is using all available
authorities to provide small businesses the opportunity to subcontract
with existing prime contractors in order to ensure that programs of
record have access to the most advanced and effective technologies?
Answer. My understanding is that the Department has numerous
authorities and programs that work to ensure small businesses have the
maximum practicable opportunity to compete for subcontracts, such as
the DOD Mentor-Protege Program, the DOD APEX Accelerators program, the
Indian Incentive Program, and the Rapid Integrated Scalable Enterprise,
among others. If confirmed, I would work with the Director of the
Office of Small Business Programs to better understand these programs
and ensure that the Department is leveraging these authorities to
ensure that Defense programs have access to the most advanced and
effective technologies.
Question. What do you see as the benefits of diversifying the
defense industrial base through more engagement with small and
disadvantaged businesses?
Answer. The magnitude of demands on DOD is putting compressed needs
and demands on industry contributions to those efforts, increasing the
importance of main street small businesses to help fulfill the needs.
It will require a robust defense industrial ecosystem to successfully
deter the rising threats to our National Security.
A diverse and resilient industrial base, powered by a robust
ecosystem of small businesses, sends a strong signal to our adversaries
about our ability to mobilize the full weight of the U.S. economy in
support of our national security. It demonstrates our capacity to tap
into the ingenuity and determination that have always defined America,
and to harness that power in service of our defense.
Question. DOD continues to struggle to meet all its small business
goals. Do you believe the current small business goals for the
Department are achievable? Should the small business goals be adjusted?
Answer. My understanding is that historically the Department of
Defense has met its overarching small business prime contracting goals.
I am committed to supporting Department programs and initiatives that
promote genuine small business participation in the DIB while reducing
barriers to their participation. My understanding is that, in alignment
with congressional intent, the small business goals have been adjusted
to the statutory levels prescribed in the Small Business Act. If
confirmed, I will work with the Director of the Office of Small
Business Programs on efforts to achieve the Department's statutory
small business goals, including regulatory relief and modernizing of
acquisition processes, and, if necessary, recommend adjustments for
congressional consideration.
acquisition workforce education and training
Question. A well-trained and empowered acquisition workforce is a
critical enabler in the implementation of acquisition reform and in the
management of acquisition programs.
What is your assessment of the Department's acquisition workforce,
both in terms of its capacity and capability? Does the Department have
enough acquisition professionals with the right skills?
Answer. I believe that the Department of Defense's acquisition
workforce is critical to equipping the warfighter and maintaining our
lethality. Rebuilding our military and reestablishing deterrence
requires an acquisition workforce capable of using innovative practices
across the full spectrum of the acquisition and sustainment lifecycle.
If confirmed, I will evaluate the workforce's capacity and capability
to ensure the Department has the right mix of acquisition professionals
with the necessary expertise to support the warfighter.
Question. In what ways does the DOD civilian workforce take on
tasks that would otherwise have to be done by military personnel, and
thus taking them away from their core warfighting functions? What do
you see as the pros and cons of civilian versus military acquisition
professionals?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department maximizes the
effectiveness of both its civilian and military acquisition
professionals while prioritizing military readiness and lethality. The
DOD civilian workforce plays a critical role in sustaining warfighter
capabilities by handling essential acquisition, logistics, and
sustainment functions--allowing uniformed personnel to focus on
operational and warfighting tasks. Civilians provide continuity,
specialized expertise, and long-term program management critical to the
defense industrial base. Similarly, our uniformed acquisition
professionals bring current operational expertise which ensures
warfighting capabilities are integrated. If confirmed, my focus will be
on efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that acquisition
professionals--whether civilian or military--are advancing the
Department's mission in the most effective manner possible.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to ensure the
acquisition workforce is fully trained on new acquisition authorities
and best practices, so that it can make informed decisions about when
and how to use the different acquisition pathways and tools available
to it?
Answer. The President and Secretary Hegseth have made it clear that
preparing the workforce to meet the challenges we face as a Nation and
a Department is a top priority. If confirmed, it will be my
responsibility to support the Military Services and Components in
developing an agile, responsive Defense acquisition workforce. I
believe that it is critical to empower the workforce with the tools
that allow it to innovate, upskill, and operate as an agile and
enduring advantage supporting the new National Defense Strategy.
Additionally, training must evolve to align with new acquisition
approaches, such as the Adaptive Acquisition Framework. I understand
that there are several workforce initiatives in progress. If confirmed,
I will review each to make sure we have effective planning and
investments to support the workforce.
Question. What is your assessment of the Department's training,
education, certification, and credentialing programs for the
acquisition workforce? Are there ``health metrics'' that the DOD is or
could be using to help ensure that the acquisition workforce is
adequately sized for all of the tasks assigned to it?
Answer. In our current threat environment, workforce skills
requirements are constantly evolving and require continuous review and
iteration. If confirmed, I will review the metrics used and evaluate
the health of the acquisition workforce. I will also work with the
Military Services and Defense Acquisition University (DAU) to ensure
training, education, certification and credentials are optimized to
equip the acquisition workforce to do their part to rebuild the
military and reestablish deterrence.
Question. Section 832 of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense
Authorization Act created a program for the Defense Acquisition
University to implement field training support for the acquisition
workforce, by which facilitators would teach rapid acquisition and
commercial contracting in the context of completing a phase of an
actual acquisition or sustainment program.
What is your view of the need for field training to support
implementation of real-world programs as a complement to traditional
school-house training provided by the Defense Acquisition University?
Answer. I fully support point-of-need field training in the
workplace. I believe we must equip acquisition program teams to smartly
use innovative acquisition practices such as the acquisition pathways
and commercial solutions. The acquisition team is critical to rapidly
fielding capabilities that rebuild the military and reestablish
deterrence. If confirmed, I will review and make sure the Defense
Acquisition University (DAU) is working with the Services to implement
the DAU field training teams required by Section 832 of the FY25 NDAA.
Question. If confirmed, what specific steps would you take to
improve the effectiveness of the training provided by the Defense
Acquisition University?
Answer. If confirmed, I will thoroughly assess and evaluate DAU
training to ensure all activities are aligned with the Secretary's
priorities and to the strategic needs of the acquisition workforce. It
is my understanding that DAU has endeavored to optimize the way it
develops and delivers training, as well as strengthening the
relationships with the Military Services and DOD Components. The
capabilities of the Defense Acquisition Workforce are vital to
rebuilding the military and reestablishing deterrence, and if confirmed
I will review the steps being taken to improve these capabilities.
Question. The Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC) is
intended to engage universities to support acquisition training and
research, whereas the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) is
intended to engage universities on systems engineering.
How do you view the effectiveness of the AIRC, and do you believe
it is adequately focused on business problems facing the acquisition
community?
Answer. As I understand, the AIRC is DOD's vehicle for improving
the acquisition system by engaging academia through applied research
and other activities to innovate acquisition policies, processes,
tradecraft, education, and outcomes. If confirmed, I will review AIRC's
accomplishments and ongoing activities to ensure they are focused on
increasing efficiency, speed and capability fielding to help the
Military Services rebuild the military and reestablish deterrence.
I also understand that AIRC is supporting OSD in implementing the
ROTC-like Defense Civilian Training Corps (DCTC) program. My
understanding is that this program was started under President Trump's
first Administration by the former USD(A&S) and that the vision was to
rigorously prepare selected college juniors and seniors to join DOD as
civilians, ready with the mindset and skills needed in defense
acquisition. If confirmed, I will review AIRC's work and implementation
of the DCTC program.
Question. Do you believe the AIRC and the SERC have sufficiently
different research focus to provide value?
Answer. It is my understanding that the AIRC and SERC have
sufficiently different research focus areas and engage faculty with
unique backgrounds--SERC engages faculty largely from Engineering and
Computer Science; and AIRC engages faculty from Business, Law, and
Policy. This diversity of focus areas allows them to benefit their
respective missions through synergy of research efforts. If confirmed,
I will ensure that AIRC takes the lead in developing best practices
across all the functional areas that will create synergistic solutions
to support the DOD mission.
assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations and
environment
Question. If confirmed, to what extend would you seek to improve
the incorporation of the energy Key Performance Parameter (KPP) and
incorporation of operational energy and sustainability into maintenance
requirements and the acquisition system, which should also save money
over the lifecycle of a weapons platform?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the integration of the Energy
Key Performance Parameter (KPP) and operational energy considerations
throughout requirements, acquisition, and sustainment decisionmaking
and work closely with the Services to ensure our operational energy
efforts are focused on enhancing the lethality and cost effectiveness
of our military's operational capabilities.
space
Question. As part of the creation of the Space Force, the fiscal
year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act created a Service
Acquisition Executive (SAE) for Space to consolidate space acquisition
functions in the Air Force. The fiscal year 2022 National Defense
Authorization Act subsequently expanded the role of the SAE to oversee
space acquisition across the ``space systems and programs of the armed
forces in support of the Chief of Space Operations.'' This was part of
a series of reforms to empower the SAE for Space and the Chief of Space
Operations as the Space Force achieves institutionalization of its
Title 10 status.
If confirmed, will you support the SAE for Space per the duties
included in the fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2022 National Defense
Authorization Acts?
Answer. Yes, if confirmed I will support all SAE's, including the
SAE for space, in executing their duties.
The USD(A&S) co-chairs the Council on Oversight of Defense
Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Enterprise. The major
activities of the Council have been to coordinate the Military GPS User
Equipment (MGUE) across the Department of Defense, given the
increasingly contested electromagnetic spectrum within which DOD
systems must operate.
Question. If confirmed, what do you see as the major issue(s) with
acquiring and coordinating the installation of MGUE components across
the myriad number of DOD systems that rely on GPS signals, to include
synchronization with the GPS satellites?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work closely with the Military
Services' acquisition organizations to review the installation of MGUE
components across the Department and identify opportunities to
accelerate fielding where appropriate, to include the removal of
unnecessary barriers and optimization of contract structures to better
incentivize vendors where possible.
nuclear modernization
Question. The USD(A&S) oversees the programs to modernize U.S.
nuclear forces, most of which are decades beyond their planned service
lives. Successfully executing these programs is essential to preserving
a viable nuclear deterrent for the United States.
What is your understanding of the State of U.S. nuclear forces,
global nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) architecture,
and the supporting weapons sustainment and production capabilities
within the National Nuclear Security Administration?
Answer. The Nation's nuclear forces, global NC3, and weapon
sustainment and production capabilities are undergoing large-scale
recapitalization, replacement, and revitalization. If confirmed, I look
forward to fully reviewing the status of each of the programs to ensure
that our current and future capabilities and programs provide a
reliable and credible nuclear deterrent.
Question. Do you agree with the assessment of past Secretaries of
Defense that nuclear deterrence is DOD's highest priority mission and
that modernizing our Nation's nuclear forces is a critical national
security priority?
Answer. Yes. Nuclear deterrence is the cornerstone of our national
security.
Question. If confirmed, do you commit to support full funding for
efforts to comprehensively modernize the Nation's nuclear deterrent
forces, including supplemental capabilities like the sea-launched
cruise missile, and accelerate such programs wherever possible?
Answer. If confirmed, I am committed to supporting full funding for
nuclear modernization and acceleration wherever possible, including
additional capabilities that bolster deterrence.
Question. Please describe what you see as the major acquisition
issues with each of the above.
Answer. Nuclear deterrence is DOD's top priority mission, and it is
critical to maintain our fielded systems while simultaneously
modernizing all three legs of the triad. If confirmed, I will review
each of our modernization programs and understand any associated
acquisition challenges to ensure our modernization programs deliver
timely capability to the warfighter.
Question. The nuclear enterprise functions through collaboration
among the Navy, the Air Force, the Joint Staff, the Offices of the
Under Secretaries of Defense for Policy, Acquisition and Sustainment,
and Research and Engineering, the NNSA headquarters, and the NNSA
national laboratories and production plants.
Do you believe that the current system adequately connects military
requirements to acquisitions and procurement to technical expertise and
production?
Answer. I believe that Congress has empowered the Nuclear Weapons
Council and Joint Requirements Oversight Council to coordinate in a way
that improves upon the current system. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing the processes and understanding options for further
improvement to provide capabilities to the warfighter.
Question. If confirmed, do you have any recommendations for
improving the functions of the complex?
Answer. If confirmed and with my colleagues on the Nuclear Weapons
Council, I will review the functions of the joint enterprise and be
prepared to offer recommendations as appropriate.
nuclear weapons council
Question. Section 179 of title 10, designates the USD(A&S) as the
Chair of the Nuclear Weapons Council.
What is your understanding of this role?
Answer. My understanding of the role of Chair of the Nuclear
Weapons Council is to ensure the Council fulfills the statutory
requirements set forth in Section 179 of Title 10 and ultimately to
ensure that the Departments of Defense and Energy are postured to
ensure a safe, secure, reliable, and effective nuclear deterrent.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to ensure that
the duties and responsibilities of the Nuclear Weapons Council are
effectively executed?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure that the Nuclear Weapons
Council is focused on the most critical issues facing the enterprise
and will work with the Staff Director--the new Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy
and Programs--to enable timely, data-driven, risk-informed decisions.
Question. What do you see as the primary challenges that the
Nuclear Weapons Council will face over the next 4 years, and if
confirmed, what steps will you take as Chair to address these
challenges?
Answer. I understand that the Department of Defense and its
partners at the Department of Energy face challenges as we work
together to sustain fielded systems while executing modernization
programs. If confirmed, I will work with all stakeholders to understand
and address these challenges, ensuring that the enterprise is prepared
to meet DOD requirements that can help pace the threat in an evolving
security environment.
Question. In addition to the Department of Defense programs for
modernizing U.S. nuclear forces and the NC3 system, the Nuclear Weapons
Council has laid out a schedule for modernization of the nuclear
weapons stockpile and the supporting National Nuclear Security
Administration infrastructure.
Do you agree that modernizing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile
and supporting National Nuclear Security Administration infrastructure
is a critical national security priority?
Answer. Yes, the nuclear weapons stockpile must be underpinned by
responsive and resilient production capabilities and infrastructure.
Delivering modern infrastructure with the capabilities and capacity
necessary to support the stockpile is a critical national security
priority.
Question. Do you support and intend to advocate for all aspects of
the Nuclear Weapons Council's sustainment and modernization plan for
the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile and supporting National Nuclear
Security Administration infrastructure?
Answer. The nuclear weapons stockpile must be underpinned by
responsive and resilient production capabilities and infrastructure.
Delivering modern infrastructure with the capabilities and capacity
necessary to support the stockpile is a critical national security
priority. If confirmed, I will review the Nuclear Weapons Council's
sustainment and modernization plan for the US nuclear weapons stockpile
and supporting NNSA infrastructure and advocate for the initiatives and
resourcing that supports the President's and the Secretary's priorities
to ensure nuclear deterrence.
Question. In your opinion, are the multiple components of the DOD
and NNSA nuclear modernization plans appropriately sequenced and scoped
in order to meet the operational needs of the commander of U.S.
Strategic Command?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work closely with the Commander of
U.S. Strategic Command, through the Nuclear Weapons Council, to
understand the linkages between challenges facing the scope and
schedule of the modernization programs and how those challenges
translate to operational risk.
Question. If confirmed, will you commit to working with the other
members of the NWC and the interagency to ensure that annual budgets
adequately support the modernization and sustainment of the U.S.
nuclear weapons stockpile?
Answer. Yes, if confirmed, I will commit to working closely with
other members of the NWC to ensure the U.S. nuclear stockpile remains
safe, secure, reliable, and effective. Overseeing and ensuring adequate
funding to support these activities is a core function of the NWC and,
if confirmed, I look forward to working with my colleagues to tackle
these issues.
Question. If confirmed, how do you plan to leverage the USD(A&S)'s
various roles within the nuclear enterprise to ensure the health of the
specialized industrial base needed to produce certain components
currently being modernized?
Answer. If confirmed, I will leverage the important roles of the
USD(A&S) in stewarding aspects of the nuclear enterprise. If confirmed,
I will focus on achieving robustness in the specialized and fragile
industrial base and efficiency in the acquisition system to ensure
timely support for the modernization of the nuclear deterrent.
Question. Do you support the Stockpile Stewardship Program, and
have you reviewed the elements of this program as conducted by the
NNSA?
Answer. I support the Stockpile Stewardship Program as a
significant and successful endeavor of the National Nuclear Security
Administration to ensure a safe, secure, reliable, and effective
nuclear stockpile in the absence of nuclear testing. If confirmed, I
will further review the program to understand its many facets.
Question. If the technical conclusions and data from the Stockpile
Stewardship Program could no longer confidently support the annual
certification of the stockpile as safe, secure, and reliable, what
would be your recommendation?
Answer. I understand that a core function of the Nuclear Weapons
Council is to provide an annual assessment of the safety, reliability,
and military effectiveness of the nuclear stockpile, underpinned by
independent assessments of the national security laboratory leaders and
the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command. If technical conclusions and
data could not support this certification, I would seek to work closely
if confirmed with the laboratory leaders, the Commander, U.S. Strategic
Command, the Members of the Council, and the Secretaries of Defense and
Energy to understand the issues and provide the President with a
recommendation to remedy.
Question. Major construction efforts are underway at the NNSA
laboratories and plants to support the re-establishment of a U.S.
plutonium pit production capability at the Los Alamos National
Laboratory and the Savannah River Pit Production Facility, as well as
the production of uranium components at the Y-12 Plant's Uranium
Processing Facility.
Please explain your understanding of each of these construction
projects and your views on each relative to statutory and DOD
requirements.
Answer. I acknowledge that the National Nuclear Security
Administration's laboratories and plants are reestablishing production
capabilities and capacities not exercised in the U.S. since the end of
the cold war. I understand that statutory and DOD requirements are
driving timelines and capacities of these capabilities, and I applaud
the recent first production unit of a plutonium pit at Los Alamos
National Laboratory. If confirmed, I will prioritize visiting the sites
of these construction projects to understand the challenges and provide
assistance and advocacy.
Question. The Nuclear Weapons Council works with the United Kingdom
through what is known as the ``U.S.--U.K. Mutual Defense Agreement.''
Please explain your understanding of the importance of this
agreement and its effects on DOD policies and programs. Do you support
continued collaboration with the United Kingdom in the maintenance of
its independent nuclear deterrent?
Answer. The United Kingdom is a critical ally and one that is also
working to modernize its independent nuclear deterrent, heavily
leveraging and reliant on U.S. information and capabilities through
several agreements, including the U.S./UK Mutual Defense Agreement and
Polaris Sales Agreement. I support, and, if confirmed, look forward to
continuing the close collaboration and partnership with the UK through
the U.S./UK Mutual Defense Agreement and through the Nuclear Weapons
Council.
Question. What are your views on the W93 weapon program?
Answer. I understand that the U.S. Navy's W93/Mk7 program will
provide the U.S. Navy with a modern system to meet deterrence
objectives and also plays an important role in support of the United
Kingdom's separate but parallel effort. If confirmed, I will prioritize
gaining a comprehensive understanding of all programs associated with
the modernization of our nuclear stockpile, particularly the W93/Mk7.
assistant secretary of defense for nuclear deterrence, chemical, and
biological defense policy and programs
Question. The Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act
restructured the existing Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear,
Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs into the Assistant Secretary
of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense
Policy and Programs. Congress took this action to cut through
bureaucratic stovepipes in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and
designate a single official as the principal civilian staff assistant
responsible for nuclear policies, programs, and operations.
If confirmed, will you commit to expeditiously implementing this
reform and working with the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary
of Defense, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy to ensure
resources, personnel, and policies are reallocated and revised to
support the office of the Assistant Secretary?
Answer. If confirmed, I will prioritize working with the Secretary
of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Under Secretary
for Policy to implement the fiscal year 2025 National Defense
Authorization Act provision. Empowering this position with the
resources, personnel, and policies necessary to achieve congressional
direction is paramount.
guam
Question. The USD(A&S) is designated as the Senior Defense Official
responsible for the development of the Integrated Air and Missile
Defense of Guam system, and co-chairs the Guam Synchronization
Oversight Council (GSOC), which is charged with aligning DOD
investments to support the restoration of DOD infrastructure on the
island.
What is your understanding of the condition of DOD facilities on
Guam?
Answer. Guam is critical to our national security and the
Department must ensure the warfighters have the right infrastructure to
provide credible deterrence. If confirmed, I will review the collective
DOD efforts to ensure the infrastructure and facilities requirements
meet the operational and support missions necessary to meet the U.S.
Indo-Pacific Command's requirements.
Question. If confirmed, what steps will you take to work with your
GSOC co-chair, the Under Secretary of the Navy, to accelerate efforts
to reestablish Guam as an effective power projection platform in the
Western Pacific?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Under Secretary of the
Navy to execute my role as the GSOC Co-Chair assessing infrastructure
requirements to meet the needs of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and helping
to drive the necessary budgetary requests to support those
requirements. Furthermore, if confirmed, I look forward to working with
each of the Military Department's to identify roadblocks to on-going
efforts and helping to find solutions which meet the needs of the
Department.
Question. In your view, if 2027 is indeed a period of increased
risk of a conflict with China as multiple commanders of Indo-Pacific
Command have stated, is DOD moving at an acceptable pace for developing
and deploying missile defense capabilities to Guam?
Answer. If confirmed, I will thoroughly investigate this topic and
evaluate the role that A&S has had as it relates to these capabilities.
President Trump has clearly communicated his desire for the Golden Dome
initiative and, if confirmed, I commit to working with all Department
stakeholders to review the development and deployment of missile
defense capabilities to Guam at speed and scale.
Question. If confirmed, what adjustments, if any, would you direct
to the current planning for the Integrated Air and Missile Defense of
Guam?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the appropriate A&S teams to
understand and evaluate existing plans and program information. From
what is publicly available, it is clear the Integrated Air and Missile
Defense of Guam plays a significant role in overall homeland defense.
President Trump signed the Iron Dome for America executive order that
directs the Department to develop Golden Dome and, if confirmed, I will
work with all Department stakeholders to review our progress in
accomplishing that directive.
military installation resilience
Question. One of the principal responsibilities of the USD(A&S) is
to develop and update policies, programs, and guidance, and oversee
compliance within the Department to ensure resilience against the
current and projected impacts of extreme weather on military
installations--both in the United States and overseas. In the fiscal
year 2020 NDAA, Congress amended section 2864 of title 10, United
States Code, to require that Installation Master Plans include a
component addressing the weather resilience of both the installation
and of key supporting civilian infrastructure. Notwithstanding
Congress' mandate, there does not seem to be any sense of urgency
within the Department to comply, even at those installations identified
as most vulnerable to impacts of extreme weather.
If confirmed, what steps would you take to increase the pace of the
required revisions of Installation Master Plans to include this
resilience component?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the State of military
installation resilience and the current pace of revisions to
Installation Master Plans to include this resilience component and
determine appropriate measures to adjust that pace according to the
needs of the Department.
Question. What steps would you take to ensure that this component
of such Master Plans addresses both the resilience of the installation
and the resilience of the key supporting civilian infrastructure?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review this component of such Master
Plans and evaluate what steps would need to be taken to address the
appropriate resilience of an installation and the key supporting
civilian infrastructure.
relations with congress
Question. What are your views on the State of the relationship
between the Office of the USD(A&S) and the Senate Armed Services
Committee in particular, and with Congress in general?
Answer. USD(A&S) and Congress share a common goal to accelerate the
acquisition and sustainment of our weapon systems to rapidly deliver
the most capable systems and services to our warfighters within cost
and schedule limitations. This shared mission provides the basis for a
strong relationship between the USD(A&S) and Congress which can and
should be strengthened by prioritizing transparency, communication, and
a genuine commitment to working together by pairing Congress' ability
to mandate change through statute with USD(A&S) commitment to executing
the mission. This complementary relationship is essential for success
within the acquisition and sustainment communities.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to sustain a
productive and mutually beneficial relationship between Congress and
the Office of the USD(A&S)?
Answer. Building a productive and mutually beneficial relationship
between Congress and the Office of the USD(A&S) is essential to achieve
the mission and implement acquisition reform. If confirmed, I would
prioritize the development of that relationship by establishing a
cadence of regular briefings and consultations with key congressional
committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and
House Armed Services Committee (HASC), as well as relevant
appropriations subcommittees. I would aim to proactively notify
Congress of any significant program delays, cost overruns, or
performance issues, providing detailed explanations and proposed
solutions.
I intend to prioritize building personal relationships with key
Members of Congress and their staff, going beyond formal hearings and
briefings to engage in dialog, build trust, and understand the
priorities and concerns of individual members and their constituents. I
would seek opportunities to organize site visits and program
demonstrations for Members of Congress and their staff to provide
firsthand insights into DOD programs and technologies, and engage with
Congress early in the legislative process, seeking input, sharing
perspectives, and collaborating on proposed changes to acquisition laws
and regulations. It is a top priority for me to work collaboratively
with Congress to develop solutions that overcome the challenges facing
the defense acquisition and sustainment enterprise.
sexual harassment
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take were you to
receive or become aware of a complaint of sexual harassment,
discrimination, or other harassment from an employee of the Office of
the USD(A&S) or an employee of an organization over which the USD(A&S)
exercises authority, direction, and control?
Answer. If confirmed as the USD(A&S), I would take any complaint of
sexual harassment, discrimination, or other forms of harassment with
the utmost seriousness. Every individual within the Office of the
USD(A&S) and in organizations under its purview deserves a safe and
respectful work environment. I would ensure the safety and well-being
of the complainant, initiate a prompt and thorough investigation, take
appropriate disciplinary action, foster a culture of prevention and
respect, and seek to ensure fairness for all parties involved,
prioritizing evidence-based findings to prove guilt under any
investigation.
congressional oversight
Question. In order to exercise legislative and oversight
responsibilities, it is important that this committee, its
subcommittees, and other appropriate committees of Congress receive
timely testimony, briefings, reports, records--including documents and
electronic communications, and other information from the executive
branch.
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 the following
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 the following 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 the following
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
the following 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 the following 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 the following 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 the following with a simple yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
______
[Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]
Questions Submitted by Senator Tom Cotton
national environmental policy act
1. Senator Cotton. Mr. Duffey, National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) has grown and become so cumbersome, it restricts the Department
of Defense's (DOD) ability to start or finish critical projects. If
confirmed, what can we do to speed up these timelines and reduce these
burdensome requirements?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work with the Military Departments
to review current DOD procedures and requirements, identify any
unnecessary procedures that could be streamlined or eliminated, and
support expedited environmental reviews where applicable. I will also
work with other Federal stakeholders and Congress to maximize an
effective and streamlined process.
u.s. nuclear deterrent
2. Senator Cotton. Mr. Duffey, on February 25, 2025, Chairman
Wicker and I wrote a classified letter to Secretary Hegseth and
Secretary Wright. Will you commit to reviewing this letter and the
attached documents?
Mr. Duffey. Yes, if confirmed, I will ensure a top priority is to
review this letter and the referenced documents and engage Secretary
Hegseth on his response.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator M. Michael Rounds
software acquisition pathway
3. Senator Rounds. Mr. Duffey, as you know, the Software
Acquisition Pathway (SWP) was established in December 2019 following
the enactment of the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA. However, over 6 years
later, DOD is still not taking full advantage of this authority.
Earlier this month Secretary Hegseth issued the memo ``Directing Modern
Software Acquisition to Maximize Lethality'' to direct all DOD
components to use the SWP as the ``preferred pathway for all software
development'' to include weapon systems programs. This is a positive
development. As the memo notes, ``DOD has struggled to reframe its
acquisition process from a hardware-centric approach to a software-
centric approach'' and as a result, ``it is the warfighter who pays the
price.'' If confirmed, what specific actions would you seek to
undertake in your organization to accelerate software acquisition,
especially within collaborative and modular autonomous weapons systems,
and fully take advantage of the more nimble and rapid development that
occurs in the commercial software sector?
Mr. Duffey. I am familiar with and understand the importance of
Secretary Hegseth's memorandum and, if confirmed, I will ensure
modernizing software acquisition is a top priority. I believe that,
over the last few years, the Department has made considerable progress
in adopting modern software practices, but we must accelerate the
scaling and transformation of our workforce, processes, tools, and
culture.
4. Senator Rounds. Mr. Duffey, if confirmed, you would be tasked
with developing and submitting an implementation plan for this effort.
How will you seek to partner with industry, specifically in our
Nation's technology hub--Silicon Valley--to fully ``leverage the entire
commercial ecosystem for defense systems'' as the memo requires?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will execute the Secretary's directive
on modern software acquisition by fostering competition and expanding
opportunities for non-traditional contractors. I will work to ensure
our acquisition and contracting approaches lower barriers to entry,
enable faster and more flexible solicitation approaches, and speed up
access to non-traditional players and cutting-edge tech for our
Warfighters.
electronic faults technology
5. Senator Rounds. Mr. Duffey, almost 3 years ago the Department of
Defense estimated that the inability to detect and isolate electronic
faults in weapon systems resulted in over 383,000 non-mission capable
days each year and over $5.5 billion in non-value-added sustainment
costs. In response to this readiness and sustainment challenge, the
Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) proposed funding for the
purchase of a readily available, effective, and proven technology to
address this issue. The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) fully
supports this technology, and the fiscal year 2024 defense
appropriation included $35.2 million for it. My concern is that under
the previous administration, the Army has, instead of acquiring this
readily available, proven, and extremely cost-effective technology
despite its powerful support from OSD and SASC, decided to continue to
only study the issue. Meanwhile, the Navy has outright resisted
acquisition of the technology. If confirmed, would you commit to
following up with me on this technology?
Mr. Duffey. It is critical that the Department address sustainment
issues through innovative solutions. If confirmed, I will work with the
Secretary of the Army to understand the results of the study and commit
to following up with you on technology solutions for electronic faults.
Additionally, if confirmed, I will work with the ASD(Sustainment) and
the Services to address this and other key sustainment issues.
6. Senator Rounds. Mr. Duffey, are you aware that essential DOD
capabilities rely on use of the lower-3 band?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
7. Senator Rounds. Mr. Duffey, if confirmed, will you commit to
defending the DOD's access to and unimpeded use of this portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum?
Mr. Duffey. I understand the importance of this spectrum to our
military and to achieving the objectives of the President and the
Secretary of Defense. If confirmed, I look forward to receiving further
briefings on this topic and will work to ensure the Department has the
spectrum access necessary to achieve national security and homeland
defense objectives.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Joni K. Ernst
small business innovation research program-small business technology
transfer programs
8. Senator Ernst. Mr. Duffey, the Department of Defense allocates
more than $2 billion dollars each year for small business research,
development, and commercialization of new technologies. I recently
introduced S. 853, the INNOVATE Act, which would reform the SBIR-STTR
programs to eliminate small business welfare and help scale the best
battle-ready technologies for deployment with the warfighter. How will
you work with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and
Engineering (R&E) to ensure that the most promising SBIR funded
technologies are properly analyzed for integration into programs of
record?
I understand the Office of the USD(A&S) manages the Rapid
Integrated Scalable Enterprise (RISE) program, which fields innovative
technologies from Phase II SBIR/STTR into military systems and programs
of record. If confirmed, I would also review all of the authorities
under the Office of the USD(A&S) and work with the USD(R&E) on courses
of action to properly transition innovative technologies into the hands
of the Warfighter.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Dan Sullivan
alaska specific issues
9. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, in our discussion in my office we
spoke about the need for additional hangar and infrastructure
capability at Deadhorse (near Prudhoe Bay) to help extend the Air
Force's reach in the Arctic. The U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM)
Commander, General Gregory Guillot, as well as the U.S. Pacific Air
Forces (PACAF) Commander, General Kevin Schneider have both expressed
interest in this location. Will you work with me, if confirmed, to get
the military construction approved to support operations out of
Deadhorse?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work with the Secretary of the Air
Force, Northern Command, and Congress to ensure infrastructure
investments--including military construction--are prioritized to ensure
mission success in the Arctic.
10. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, as part of President Trump's
Golden Dome program, there will almost certainly be a need to ensure
that our advanced early warning radar systems like the E-7 are capable
of detecting incoming aircraft and missile threats both at home and if
necessary, forward deployed. We have had a number of issues in Alaska
with E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) readiness rates
due to aging airframes and parts. Will you commit to reviewing the E-7
program to make sure we are properly resourcing it and work with me to
ensure that we have that capability on hand when required in Alaska?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that the E-3 AWACS low readiness
rate is one of the primary reasons it is being replaced by the E-7
Wedgetail aircraft. If confirmed, I commit to working with Congress to
ensure that capability is available when needed in Alaska.
aerial refueling
11. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, what role do you think unmanned
aerial refueling (like the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray) will play in the
future of air combat?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that the MQ-25 Stingray will
enhance Carrier Air Wing warfighting capabilities. As we develop
Collaborative Combat Aircraft, we will likely see other opportunities
to assess and potentially expand on unmanned aerial refueling
capabilities. If confirmed, I look forward to a briefing on unmanned
aerial refueling and working with the Department leadership to
determine appropriate levels of manned and unmanned platforms.
f-47 fighter program
12. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, as you are aware the F-47 program
was awarded recently to Boeing. While I have no doubt that Boeing was
chosen because it had the best aircraft prototype, I'd like to know how
you plan to hold contractors (including Boeing) accountable for any
failures or delays in this program given its recent history with the
KC-46 which is ongoing?
Mr. Duffey. The F-47 will serve an important role in the Next
Generation Air Dominance Family of Systems and will provide the
warfighting capabilities necessary to continue U.S. dominance in the
air domain well into the future. If confirmed, I will work closely with
the Air Force to ensure that the program has the acquisition support
required to execute its acquisition plans.
13. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, what do you think we learned from
these previous programs that we should do differently with the F-47?
Mr. Duffey. The Air Force's acquisition approach for F-47 leverages
the lessons from recent acquisition programs, which resulted in the
development of a foundational digital infrastructure. The open
architecture represents a leap forward in defense acquisition and will
provide benefits throughout the life of the program. If confirmed, I
will work with the Air Force Service Acquisition Executive to ensure
the Air Force is leveraging all relevant acquisition authorities to
execute the program.
small business act 8(a) contractor
14. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, in our meeting, you mentioned the
need to thoroughly review our existing contracts and contract vehicles
to ensure they are providing the best benefit to the taxpayer. The
Small Business Act (SBA) 8(a) program, created by Congress, provides a
contract vehicle through which sole source and set aside contracts can
be awarded to small businesses owned by Alaska Native corporations,
Community Development Corporations, Indian tribes, and Native Hawaiian
organizations. These corporations are tied to political relationships,
not racial classifications. They also are some of our most efficient
contractors, earning stellar Contractor Performance Assessment
Reporting System (CPARS) marks. Last many of these small businesses
employ veterans at rates far exceeding the national average, allowing
our Nation's finest to continue to serve after they take off the
uniform. Will you commit to me to work to preserve and strengthen 8(a)
contracting for the Department of the Defense and the Air Force?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing 8(a)
contracting and prioritizing programs under this contracting authority
that support and strengthen national defense and Warfighter readiness.
15. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, I recently toured an SBA 8(a)
contracting operation and saw firsthand the value 8(a) brings to the
Federal customer in terms of cost and efficiency while delivering
mission-critical solutions that increase our national security and
warfighter readiness. When the rate for big government contractors is
double 8(a) shops and about 45 days for 8(a) contractors versus 3
months for big government contractors, and 8(a) shops give the
intellectual property (IP) to the Government unlike big government
contractors--would you agree that the SBA 8(a) program one of the most
efficient and effective ways to deliver results to the Federal
Government?
Mr. Duffey. I am aware of the SBA's 8(a) program and that the
Department has multiple programs that have successfully connected with
8(a) firms to bring their speed and innovation into the industrial
base. To the extent those firms deliver accelerated capability to the
warfighter, I would agree that the 8(a) program is a valuable
contracting tool for the Department of Defense.
alaska energy issues
16. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, on January 20, 2025, President
Trump issued Executive Order 14153 entitled ``Unleashing Alaska's
Extraordinary Resource Potential'' which mentions the Department of
Defense in multiple places in multiple places.
Section 3(b)(xxiii) directs the Secretary of Interior to ``identify
and assess, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, the
authorities and public and private resources necessary to immediately
achieve the development and export of energy resources from Alaska--
including but not limited to the long-term viability of the Trans-
Alaska Pipeline System and the associated Federal right-of-way as an
energy corridor of critical national importance--to advance the
Nation's domestic and regional energy dominance, and submit that
assessment to the President.''
Section 3(d) says ``In addition to the actions outlined in
subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of the Army, acting
through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall
render all assistance requested by the Governor of Alaska to facilitate
the clearing and maintenance of transportation infrastructure,
consistent with applicable law. All such requests for assistance shall
be transmitted to the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Interior,
and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy for approval prior
to initiation.''
How do you intend to work with the Secretary to implement these
policies and how do you view Alaska natural resource development,
including development of the vast trove of critical minerals in Alaska,
as a national strategic priority?
Mr. Duffey. Alaska offers abundant resources to support our energy
dominance. If confirmed, I will work with the Assistant Secretary of
the Army for Civil Works and other appropriate officials within the
Department to ensure rapid and thorough implementation of the
President's direction in Executive Order 14153.
17. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, the Alaska LNG [liquefied natural
gas] Project, a proposed 800-mile natural gas pipeline to transport
natural gas from the Alaska North Slope to the Kenai Peninsula for the
purposes of in-State energy security and the export of LNG to our Asian
allies is a priority of the President of the United States. Executive
Order 14153 entitled ``Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource
Potential'' in section 2 policy states, ``It is the policy of the
United States to . . . prioritize the development of Alaska's liquefied
natural gas (LNG) potential, including the sale and transportation of
Alaskan LNG to other regions of the United States and allied nations
within the Pacific region.''
Section 3(ii)(a) of President Trump's Executive Order 14153
entitled ``Unleashing Alaska's Extraordinary Resource Potential''
directs ``The heads of all executive departments and agencies,
including but not limited to the Secretary of the Interior; the
Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Under Secretary of Commerce
for Oceans and Atmosphere; and the Secretary of the Army acting through
the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Public Works, shall exercise
all lawful authority and discretion available to them and take all
necessary steps to (ii) prioritize the development of Alaska's LNG
potential, including the permitting of all necessary pipeline and
export infrastructure related to the Alaska LNG Project, giving due
consideration to the economic and national security benefits associated
with such development.''
Furthermore, in President Trump's March 4, 2025, Address to a Joint
Session of Congress he stated ``My administration is also working on a
gigantic natural gas pipeline in Alaska, among the largest in the
world, where Japan, South Korea and other nations want to be our
partner with investments of trillions of dollars each. It's never been
anything like that one. It will be truly spectacular. It's all set to
go.''
How do you see the Department of Defense's interest and role in
this project?
Mr. Duffey. I believe DOD's interest and role is to ensure a
thorough evaluation of energy resilience at our installations in Alaska
and the Indo Pacific region and ensure the inclusion of liquified
natural gas is evaluated as part of these actions. If confirmed, I will
also thoroughly investigate the requirements and permitting of the
proposed pipeline and export infrastructure and support timely
implementation of the President's direction.
18. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, how do you see your role as Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment in implementing
the Presidents executive orders on Alaskan energy?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, my role would be to assemble a team of
subject matter experts on energy, installation, and environmental
issues from across the Department, determine the best courses of action
to meet the energy requirements of our armed forces, and recommend
actions for efficient and effective implementation of the President's
direction.
19. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, President Trump's January 20,
2025 order declaring a National Energy Emergency which directs in
section 2 to utilize the authorities afforded under the Defense
Production Act ``to facilitate the identification, leasing, siting,
production, transportation, refining, and generation of domestic energy
resources, including, but not limited to, on Federal lands.'' and in
section 7 states ``(a) In collaboration with the Secretaries of
Interior and Energy, the Secretary of Defense shall conduct an
assessment of the Department of Defense's ability to acquire and
transport the energy, electricity, or fuels needed to protect the
Homeland and to conduct operations abroad, and, within 60 days, shall
submit this assessment to the Assistant to the President for National
Security Affairs. This assessment shall identify specific
vulnerabilities, including, but not limited to, potentially
insufficient transportation and refining infrastructure across the
Nation, with a focus on such vulnerabilities within the Northeast and
West Coast regions of the United States. The assessment shall also
identify and recommend the requisite authorities and resources to
remedy such vulnerabilities, consistent with applicable law.''
In Alaska, shortages in natural gas supplies in the Cook Inlet are
affecting heating and energy usage in Southcentral Alaska--the most
populated area in Alaska and home to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
(JBER) which hosts the 673d Air Base Wing, the headquarters for the
U.S. Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, 11th Airborne Division, and the
Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region.
In late January 2024, temperatures dropped to record low
temperatures (around -20+F) in the Anchorage area coinciding with
failures of two of five of the wells at the Cook Inlet Natural as
Storage (CINGSA) Facility reducing gas deliverability to local
utilities and led to directing local users, including Joint Base
Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), to lower thermostats to conserve gas
consumption. The Alaska LNG project is designed to provide these bases
with gas and is in the process of providing it for utilities in
Fairbanks and Southcentral Alaska.
Do you see the national security interest in seeing that natural
gas from the Alaska LNG project is made available to Alaska's military
bases and recognize the Alaska LNG project as being of strategic
national importance for our military?
Mr. Duffey. I understand the Alaska LNG project has the potential
to alleviate Cook Inlet's natural gas vulnerabilities and bolster
energy independence. The reliable energy supply to JBER and other
Alaskan military installations is critical to national security, given
their strategic location and missions.
20. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to pursuing
agreements, pursuant to the President's Executive Order, to power
Alaska's military bases?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department utilizes all
available authorities, including evaluating liquified natural gas, to
enhance infrastructure resilience and energy security. I will work with
OSD and the Department of Energy to identify opportunities to
streamline processes and expedite solutions.
21. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, one possible option to help see
the Alaska LNG project to completion that is both in the interest of
the Department and the President's broader objective of unleashing
Alaska's energy potential is the Department of Defense reserving the
capacity in the pipeline. The Department could then have the
prerogative of offloading this capacity to Alaskan utilities resulting
in no cost to the Department or it could maintain rights to the fuel in
the event of a national emergency. An early commitment from the
Department to reserve capacity in the pipeline would enable an
accelerated timeline for securing private financing the project at the
lowest possible cost of capital. Do you recognize the positive impact
this course of action would have on meeting the intention of Executive
Order 14153 and fulfilling the Department's obligations under it?
Mr. Duffey. I recognize the potential benefits of leveraging DOD
involvement to de-risk the project, attract private investment, and
potentially secure fuel for national emergencies. If confirmed, I will
ensure a thorough evaluation of its cost-effectiveness, alignment with
the Department's needs and strategy, impact on Alaskan utilities, legal
implications, market viability, and environmental consequences.
22. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, will you work with me, the State
of Alaska and the project's lead developer to fully explore this option
and if advisable, and at all possible execute it?
Mr. Duffey. Yes, if confirmed, I commit to working with you,
Alaska, and the developer to fully explore this option and, if
advisable and feasible, work toward its execution.
23. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, forward deployed U.S. Forces at
bases in Japan and Korea depend on the national power grids to operate.
The Department, therefore, has a direct interest in the security of
Japanese and Korean energy. Do you see how Alaska LNG shipped to our
allies, through sea lanes with no choke points or obstructions, and
with the implicit protection of the U.S. Navy, can contribute to the
security and safety of our own bases in Japan and South Korea in
furtherance of their mission to deter adversaries in the region,
including China and North Korea?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work across OSD and with the
Department of Energy to ensure we thoroughly explore and, where it is
in our national interest, support the export of Alaskan LNG energy to
assure the energy resilience and safety of bases in Japan and Korea and
across the entire Indo-Pacific region.
defense acquisition and procurement
24. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, in a recent Readiness
Subcommittee Hearing on Joint Force Posture, I asked each of the
services' vice chiefs about budget flexibility and carryover funding
authority to provide each service with the ability to shift a certain
percentage of funds among capabilities each year. Do you think that the
services would benefit from such budget flexibility and how do you
think it should best be implemented?
Mr. Duffey. I believe the Department should work with Congress to
ensure program managers and Department officials have the flexibility
and authority, to potentially include budget flexibility and carryover
funding authority, to react to emerging technological opportunities,
reallocate resources as needed, and accelerate the transition of
critical technologies to rapidly address warfighter needs.
25. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, as you probably know, software-
defined and autonomous systems are vital to U.S. Indo-Pacific
Commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo's hellscape concept of operations
(CONOP). And while not a panacea for a potential conflict with China,
Admiral Paparo recently stated, ``Unmanned systems [are] our force
multiplier'' and they ``multiply [our] combat power, without
multiplying our manning requirements.'' Specifically, he emphasized
that ``we have to build these capabilities at scale . . .'' During his
nomination hearing, newly confirmed Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen
Feinberg agreed stating, ``Clearly, we need to develop autonomy.
Autonomy in significant numbers with a centralized command . . .
Additionally, while we continue to heavily invest in new autonomous
capabilities, we also have hundreds--if not thousands--of legacy
systems, some in service and others in the boneyard, that could be
upgraded with 21st Century software.''
In your personal opinions, in order to fully ``scale'' autonomous
and software-defined capabilities ``in significant numbers'' to the
warfighter, what approach should DOD take in retrofitting--or
``jailbreaking''--legacy systems (that already exist in large numbers)
with cutting-edge autonomous software capabilities?
Mr. Duffey. The development and deployment of autonomous platforms
will significantly alter the landscape of future conflicts,
particularly conflict with technologically advanced adversaries. As the
Department works to scale our current manned fighter platforms with
autonomous unmanned systems, I believe it is important to ensure
autonomy can be trusted to safely operate an aircraft, particularly
through the challenging maneuvers inherent in future fight. As we
integrate artificial intelligence into existing air platforms, I
believe we should work to leverage the platform data already available
and identify ways to accelerate the collection and use of that data to
build autonomous algorithms to support future unmanned systems and
retrofit legacy systems. If confirmed, I will work with Department
leadership to determine the appropriate level of manned versus unmanned
systems needed to defeat our adversaries.
26. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, given the existing contractual
limitations, what authorities or contractual changes would your teams
need to execute these retrofits and unlock the latent capabilities
already resident, but sadly dormant in our existing warfighting
hardware?
Mr. Duffey. I agree with Deputy Secretary Feinberg that the
Department should always seek opportunities for modernization such as
those presented by unmanned autonomous capabilities. If confirmed, I
will review existing contracts to consider whether there are potential
contractual changes that could unlock capabilities within legacy
systems.
27. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, last year, Congress received the
report of the Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting and
Execution (PPBE) Reform--a comprehensive report that outlined issues
with the Department of Defense's defense acquisition system. I plan to
lead efforts to cut bureaucracy and speed up innovation in the Pentagon
and defense technology sector and I believe the recommendations in this
report are a crucial step in doing so. Many of the reforms in that
report do not need congressional legislation to execute but rather can
be enacted by the Department of Defense and you, if confirmed. Will you
commit to review the findings of that report and direct a Pentagon
working group to begin implementation of the reform measures it
outlined?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will review and pursue the most
promising opportunities to rapidly implement PPBE Commission report
recommendations that improve resourcing flexibility and accelerate
acquisition. I believe the acquisition cycle must be far shorter than
those of our legacy systems, and we must prioritize resource allocation
against the most significant threat. This will require the Department
to modernize how it manages the integration of requirements, budgeting,
and acquisition process, aligning incentives to deliver results.
28. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, I am working with the Pentagon
and through legislation to lead efforts that help innovative defense
startups avoid the ``Valley of Death'' which results in long-
procurement timelines and shuttered defense firms. Will you commit to
work with me to fix this issue and to get feedback from non-traditional
defense technology leaders and scholars to reform the Pentagon's
processes?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I commit to collaborate with Congress and
this committee, as well as other stakeholders, to take actions that
address the ``Valley of Death.'' I believe it is paramount for the
Department to access new and emerging technologies from innovative
defense startups and connect those promising solutions with warfighting
needs, enabling more rapid delivery of capabilities.
29. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to reviewing the
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) as outlined
in the PPBE Reform Commission report and provide Congress with updates
as to the regulations that need to be removed or amended to speed up
acquisition?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will review the DFARS and assess
options to remove or amend regulatory requirements that preclude the
Department from meeting warfighting capability needs at the speed that
is necessary to deter or defeat our adversaries. I will also commit to
working with this Administration's legislative process to identify
statutory requirements that are the basis for DFARS language which
could be repealed or amended to enable the Department to speed up
acquisition.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Ted Budd
hypersonics
30. Senator Budd. Mr. Duffey, how concerned are you regarding
China's hypersonic capabilities and, if confirmed, what should the
organizations you have been nominated to lead, do to ensure sufficient
emphasis is placed on and the proper resources are put toward the
development of critical systems and supporting technologies that would
help lower the costs and accelerate the fielding of the Department's
offensive and defensive hypersonic programs of record, including those
that would support Golden Dome?
Mr. Duffey. I am deeply concerned about China's rapid advancement
in hypersonic capabilities. If confirmed, I will work to ensure America
restores our technological edge in these critical capabilities.
Additionally, I will commit to working to ensure the appropriate
emphasis, to include sufficient funding and appropriate authorities, is
placed on the development of the Nation's offensive and defensive
hypersonic capabilities and accelerate fielding of these capabilities
for many mission areas, to include the Golden Dome for America
Integrated Air and Missile Defense systems.
31. Senator Budd. Mr. Duffey, if confirmed, are you committed to
working with this committee to ramp up the Department's efforts in
critical hypersonic systems and supporting technologies to compete with
China?
Mr. Duffey. I am fully committed to working closely with this
committee to accelerate the Department's efforts in hypersonic systems
and supporting technologies. I believe open communication and
collaboration with Congress are essential for ensuring we have the
resources and strategic direction necessary to maintain our competitive
edge against China in this critical area. If confirmed, I look forward
to engaging with you on this vital issue and welcome your insights and
guidance.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Jack Reed
defense contracts
32. Senator Reed. Mr. Duffey, do you agree that it is hard to
signal to industry that DOD is a consistent customer when the current
administration is indiscriminately canceling contracts with little or
no explanation?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I intend to actively engage with defense
industry senior executives who are responsible to develop and produce
the defense capabilities our warfighters require. I also intend to
review the Department's programs to ensure that we are sending a
consistent and stable demand signal to industry that is focused on
maximizing the lethality of the warfighter.
33. Senator Reed. Mr. Duffey, do you commit to providing this
committee a full accounting of the contracts canceled for convenience
since the beginning of this administration, including any associated
fees or contracts costs as a result of canceling for convenience
(versus canceling for cause, or simply not renewing contract options)?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I intend to review contract cancellations
and commit to open and transparent communication with the Committee
regarding all contract terminations
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
compliance with subpoenas
34. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Duffey, in your response to both the
advance policy questions (APQ) and the initial questions from Chairman
Wicker, you agreed that, if confirmed, you will ``appear and testify
before this Committee when requested''. Despite your current
assurances, this is not the position you took during your tenure in the
first Trump administration. To the contrary, you actively refused to
comply with congressional subpoenas. Why should this Committee believe
your assurances that you will comply and appear before this Committee?
Mr. Duffey. I will appear and testify before the Committee and the
Congress when requested.
apex accelerator program
35. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Duffey, the APEX Accelerator Program is
housed in the Department's Office of Small Business Programs. New York
is home four APEX Accelerators in Rochester, Utica, Manhattan, and
Queens, bringing roughly $5.7 billion value in contracts and
subcontracts to New York's defense industrial base. Could you speak to
the value of the APEX Accelerator Program and your plans and vision for
the program?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that the APEX Accelerator
program brings tremendous value to the government, our Nation's
Warfighters, and our national security. If confirmed, I will work with
the Office of Small Business Programs to review the APEX Accelerator
program and support efforts to mitigate barriers to entry, increase
competition, and innovation in the industrial base.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
acquisition reform to support for u.s. indo-pacific command
36. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, reforming acquisition practices to
support forward-deployed forces in the region is critical to deterrence
and readiness in the Indo-Pacific. However, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
(INDOPACOM) provided Congress with $11 billion dollars in unfunded
priorities in fiscal year 2025. How will you align acquisition and
sustainment strategies with the unique operational needs of Indo-
Pacific Forces, particularly those stationed in Hawaii and operating
from Pacific Island chains?
Mr. Duffey. Secretary Hegseth has established deterring aggression
in the Indo-Pacific as a top priority of the Department. Modernizing
the Department's acquisition and sustainment practices is key to
achieving this goal. If confirmed, I will work with the Combatant
Commanders and the Military Services to review existing acquisition and
sustainment strategies in the Indo-Pacific and ensure these strategies
are enabling the Department to field and sustain forward deployed
forces in a contested environment. Additionally, if confirmed, I will
ensure that existing bilateral and multilateral logistics and
sustainment forums result in mutually beneficial Joint and Combined
Force access to critical sustainment capabilities while increasing ally
and partner burden sharing and strengthening the U.S. defense
industrial base.
37. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, given the need to respond quickly
to evolving threats while safeguarding public funds, what specific
reforms would you pursue to balance rapid fielding of new systems with
strong oversight and accountability?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will act swiftly to leverage the full
range of authorities provided by Congress to enable rapid fielding of
new systems. I also commit to examining the effectiveness of existing
statutory authorities, and to working with this committee and the
Congress to recommend any additional reforms that might be necessary.
At the same time, I will continue to be mindful that the Department's
efforts to acquire systems more rapidly do not restrict oversight or
accountability.
38. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, how do you plan to incentivize the
use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions to meet immediate
DOD's needs while maintaining flexibility for future upgrades?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will emphasize the importance of
diligent and detailed market research to ensure DOD's understanding of
the marketplace to maximize the use of COTS solutions. I believe the
Department needs to consider flexible, adaptable, and maintainable
systems from the start to maintain competition and source upgrades in
the future. Excellent systems engineering and design is a key enabler
and will be one of my focus areas. In addition, I will emphasize the
importance of defining requirements in terms that balance flexibility
to maximize industry innovation with appropriate specificity to
accurately represent the needs of the warfighter.
small businesses and cybersecurity maturity model certification
39. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, small businesses with DOD contracts
are struggling under the cost burden and complex processes of the
Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) implementation. Even
DOD recognizes that implementation can cost up to $100,000. I recognize
that it is important to address cybersecurity threats, but we risk many
small businesses going out of business because of the extremely high
costs of the cybersecurity certification process. How will you address
the cost burden of this process on small businesses?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will review the procurement process and
CMMC implementation to minimize costs and incentivize small businesses
to meet the cybersecurity requirements.
40. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, I am also concerned about feedback
we have heard that in the Department's attempts to cut costs, there is
consideration of gutting the Office of Small Business Programs, which
includes the long-standing funding to help small businesses, like
Project Spectrum and the APEX Accelerators. What do you see as the role
or benefit of the Office of Small Business Programs, and how do they
help small businesses navigate the cyber certification processes?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that the Office of Small
Business Programs is essential to maximizing small business
contributions to the defense industrial base. These businesses offer
great value in rebuilding the industrial base, re-establishing
deterrence, and modernizing acquisition processes, and I intend to
prioritize balancing our need to incentivize cybersecurity protections
in industry while minimizing the cost to do so.
41. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, do you commit to working with my
office on addressing these challenges and supporting our small
businesses in this process?
Mr. Duffey. Yes, if confirmed I would commit to working with your
office on addressing these challenges and supporting small business
contributions to our national security.
demand signals to defense industrial base
42. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, the Department of Defense has a
poor track record of effectively communicating demand signals to the
defense industrial base, which makes strategic planning a challenge,
especially for small businesses. How will you coordinate to improve
communication to the defense industrial base, particularly to small
businesses, about the Department's needs, planned investments, and
business opportunities?
Mr. Duffey. In my view, the Department should be communicating
clear and sustained demand signals to the defense industrial base in
order to ensure that the DIB can support DOD's warfighting needs. These
demand signals can be in the form of multi-year procurements, strategy-
driven outreach efforts, forum-driven outreach efforts, and more.
Overall, the DOD can improve communication of demand signals through
strengthening internal coordination within the DOD, sharing long-term
strategic priorities, and enhancing forecasting.
acquisition reform
43. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, the FORGED Act calls for numerous
reforms to the defense acquisition system. Included in these reforms is
the repeal of the roles and responsibilities of the Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, as well as the Service
Acquisition Executives (section 101(a)(7)). Do you support this change?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work with the SAEs, my staff, and
this committee to understand all implications of the proposed reform
and what policies might be enacted to achieve the intent of the
proposed legislation. I commit to engaging with Congress on any
implications of the language.
44. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, if this legislation were enacted,
what impact would it have on your ability to serve as the USD(A&S)
without clear statutory direction regarding your roles and
responsibilities?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work closely with the SAEs and
this committee to address the pending legislation to offer my
recommendations.
acquisition workforce
45. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, Secretary Hegseth has committed to
a strategic reduction in the DOD workforce of 5-8 percent, or
approximately 50,000-60,000 employees. While the Defense Department's
acquisition budgets have grown significantly in recent years, senior
DOD officials have reported that there are not enough contracting
officers to manage the increasing workload and large programs. Given
the direction from the Secretary to cut the DOD's workforce across all
components, how will you ensure that acquisition programs remain on
schedule while reducing the acquisition workforce?
Mr. Duffey. I believe contracting officers are a force-multiplier
in delivering and sustaining lethal capabilities to the warfighter and
driving efficiency for the American taxpayer. As part of the multi-
functional acquisition team, contracting professionals, engineers,
logisticians, testers, program managers, and a host of others serve as
business advisors and work with program managers to drive optimal cost,
schedule, and contractor performance in providing timely delivery of
requirements needed by the warfighter. While the Department's contract
spend has increased in recent years, the DOD workforce continues to
demonstrate resilience and dedication in supporting and executing major
acquisition programs, and we must continue to attract, grow, and retain
a capable workforce. If confirmed, I will direct the Defense
Acquisition University to review and, if necessary, update training to
the acquisition workforce and determine if any additional authorities
are needed for the acquisition workforce to be successful.
46. Senator Hirono. Mr. Duffey, furthermore, how will you manage
employee retention, development, and recruitment given the high
expected increase in workload?
Mr. Duffey. Retaining and developing a highly skilled acquisition
workforce is critical to achieving the Secretary of Defense's priority
to rebuild the military. If confirmed, I will focus on targeted
retention initiatives to keep experienced professionals engaged and
motivated. I will also ensure critical and necessary investment in
professional development to upskill our acquisition workforce and
ensure they are prepared for evolving acquisition challenges.
Additionally, I will work with the A&S team to refine our recruitment
strategies to attract top talent, including leveraging hiring
authorities and programs to bring in personnel with critical skills.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
ethics
47. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to not seeking any employment with or compensation from a
defense contractor, including through serving on a board, as a
consultant, or as a lobbyist, for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Mr. Duffey. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
48. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to not engaging in any lobbying activities, including
unregistered ``shadow'' or ``behind-the-scenes'' lobbying under the
guise of consulting or advising on DOD-related matters, focused on DOD
or any of its components for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Mr. Duffey. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
49. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, during your nomination process, did
anyone on the Trump campaign, transition team, or other closely related
entity approach you about your loyalty to President Trump?
Mr. Duffey. Not that I recall.
50. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you sign a loyalty pledge or other
similar oath? If so, please provide a copy of the text of that pledge
or oath.
Mr. Duffey. Not that I recall.
51. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you make any verbal representations of
loyalty? If so, please describe this representation.
Mr. Duffey. Not applicable.
52. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, in November 2024, the New York
Times and other news outlets reported that Boris Epshteyn, a top
adviser to President Trump, allegedly requested payment from
prospective political appointees to promote their candidacies for top
positions within the Administration. Did you discuss the possibility of
joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn at any time?
Mr. Duffey. No.
53. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you did discuss the possibility
of joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn, did Mr. Epshteyn seek
payment from you for promoting your candidacy for a position within the
Administration?
Mr. Duffey. No.
54. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, at any time, did lawyers for
President Trump or members of President Trump's team approach you
regarding Mr. Epshteyn and the allegations cited above? If so, please
explain the information that they provided you, including copies of
documents, what was discussed during any calls, and any other
information pertaining to this interaction.
Mr. Duffey. No.
55. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you own any defense contractor
stock, will you divest it to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of
interest?
Mr. Duffey. I will comply with all Department and legal ethical
requirements.
56. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit not to retaliate,
including by denying access to DOD officials or facilities, against
news outlets or individual journalists who publish articles that are
critical of you, your office, DOD, or the Trump administration?
Mr. Duffey. I will follow Department public affairs guidance on all
media engagement.
57. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how many times have you been
accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for another individual in a personal or professional
capacity? Provide a list of all instances in which you have been
accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for an individual and the behavior of which you were
accused.
Mr. Duffey. None.
58. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you requested, or has anyone
requested on your behalf, that any other person or third party sign a
nondisclosure, confidentiality, non-disparagement, or similar agreement
regarding your conduct in a personal or professional capacity?
Mr. Duffey. No.
59. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you voluntarily release any
individual from any such agreements before your nomination hearing?
Mr. Duffey. Not applicable.
60. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you ever paid or promised to
pay, or has anyone paid or promised to pay on your behalf, an
individual as part of any non-disclosure, confidentiality, non-
disparagement, or similar agreement?
Mr. Duffey. No.
61. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if the answer to the question above
was yes, how much was promised, how much was paid, and what were the
circumstances?
Mr. Duffey. Not applicable.
62. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to recuse yourself
from all particular matters involving your former clients and employers
for at least 4 years?
Mr. Duffey. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
63. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to not seeking
employment, board membership with, or another form of compensation from
a company that you regulated or otherwise interacted with while in
government, for at least 4 years after leaving office?
Mr. Duffey. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
64. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, would it ever be appropriate to
threaten or imply that you would withhold future contracts from a
company if they filed a complaint, bid protest, or cooperated with an
Inspector General, civil, or criminal investigation?
Mr. Duffey. I will follow law and Department policy regarding
protests.
65. Senator Warren. Dr. Meink, have you ever threatened or implied
that you would withhold future contracts from a company if they filed a
complaint, bid protest, or cooperated with an inspector general or
other investigation?
No, and I'm unaware of any investigation.
66. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you think it is valuable to
encourage competition and innovation in the defense industrial base?
Mr. Duffey. We must deepen our understanding of the strengths and
vulnerabilities within our defense industrial base and seek to
revitalize through reindustrialization, increased investment, flexible
contracting, enhanced workforce recruitment and training, and increased
competition. I believe it is essential to encourage competition and
innovation in the defense industrial base. Competition and innovation
play an important role in the defense industrial base and are critical
to the Department. Competition drives innovation, leading to more
advanced and capable systems for our warfighters, while simultaneously
helping to control costs. If confirmed, I will prioritize policies that
encourage competition and reduce barriers to entry for new and
innovative companies. If confirmed, I will continue to reduce barriers
to market entry to make the bestnnovations available to the Department.
congressional oversight and transparency
67. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
role of the Department of Defense Inspector General and service
Inspectors General?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that the role of the Department
of Defense Inspectors General is to conduct independent audits and
investigations relating to DOD's programs and operations to promote
economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and to prevent and detect fraud
and abuse.
68. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you ensure your staff complies
with any Inspector General deadlines established for requested
communications, providing witnesses, providing documents, and that
those witnesses will be protected from reprisal for their testimony?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
69. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are not able to comply with
any Inspector General requests and deadlines, will you notify the
Republican and Democratic members of the Committee regarding the basis
for any good faith delay or denial?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work to comply with Inspector
General requests in a timely manner. I would defer to the Office of the
Inspector General to update members of the Committee regarding the
progress of the Inspector General's ongoing reviews.
70. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to refusing to follow illegal orders from any individual,
including the President?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will follow the law and the
Constitution of the United States.
71. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what actions would you take if you
were given an illegal order from any individual, including the
President?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I would have a duty not to carry out a
manifestly unlawful order.
72. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to testify or
provide a deposition if you are called upon by Congress to provide a
deposition voluntarily?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
73. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to testify or
provide a deposition to Congress if you are issued a subpoena to
testify?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
74. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to providing
information or documents to Congress voluntarily if you are requested
to do so?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
75. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you provide information or
documents to Congress if you are issued a subpoena?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
76. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, will you commit to following
current DOD precedent for responding to information requests,
briefings, and other inquiries from Congress, including the Senate and
House Armed Services Committees and their minority members?
Mr. Duffey. Yes.
77. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if confirmed, will you commit to
posting your official calendar monthly?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will commit to transparency consistent
with the law and Department policy regarding disclosure of sensitive
information.
78. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you think DOD has an
overclassification problem? If so, please provide this committee with
an estimate of the number or percentage of documents that will be under
your purview that are overclassified.
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that overclassification persists
at the Department, though the exact extent of overclassification is not
well understood at this time. If confirmed, I will work with the
USD(I&S) to support investment in tools to assist in accurate
classification--like machine learning and AI--which have shown promise
in reducing human error and should be further employed to improve the
classification, marking, and declassification of the Department's
sensitive information.
79. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, to the best of your knowledge, is
your service or component identifying records for proactive posting in
compliance with the Freedom of Information Act? If not, please describe
how you would ensure that they do so to comply with public records law.
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will review Acquisition & Sustainment
(A&S) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) business processes to ensure
compliance with applicable legal requirements.
80. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if confirmed, do you think your
department should pursue strategic technology to support automated
declassification?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will commit to working with my
colleagues in OUSD(I&S) and across the Department to review existing
processes and determine steps necessary to explore the possibility of
automated declassification.
81. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, why did you refuse to answer the
subpoena that the House issued you after the December 2019 impeachment
of the President?
Mr. Duffey. I complied with guidance and direction from White House
Counsel and the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel.
project 2025
82. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you discussed Project 2025
with any officials associated with the Trump campaign, the Trump
transition team, or other members of the Trump administration? If so,
please explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom
you discussed it.
Mr. Duffey. I have not discussed Project 2025 with the Trump
campaign, the Trump transition team, or other members of the Trump
administration in the past year.
83. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you discussed Project 2025
with any officials associated with the Heritage Foundation? If so,
please explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom
you discussed it.
Mr. Duffey. As part of my role in preparing for a potential
transition, I discussed multiple national security reform proposals
with Heritage Foundation officials.
84. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, the Project 2025 chapter to which
you contributed states that the Office of Federal Procurement Policy
``should be engaged early and often in OMB's [Office of Management and
Budget] effort to drive policy, including by obtaining transparency
about entities that are awarded Federal contracts and grants and by
using Government contracts to push back against woke policies in
corporate America.'' As Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment (USD(A&S)), would your priority be using Government
contracts to advance U.S. national security and support our
servicemembers or to police the personnel and human resources (HR)
decisions of defense contractors?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will prioritize ensuring government
contracts deliver the best value to the Department and the American
taxpayer.
acquisition
85. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how do you plan to use your role to
influence the ``woke'' policies in corporate America?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will prioritize ensuring industry
partners deliver the best value to the Department and the American
taxpayer.
86. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, which policies do you plan to
target?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will promote policies that ensure
partners deliver the best value to the Department and the American
taxpayer.
87. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed as USD(A&S),
what standards will you follow to determine which programs are
``outdated or underperforming''?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work with my counterparts in the
Combatant Commands, the Joint Staff, and on the Joint Requirements
Oversight Council to review program requirements and determine if they
are still relevant for national security. I will also conduct an
assessment of programs with requirements that are no longer relevant to
national security and identify programs that cannot meet current
requirements or are experiencing high-cost overruns and severe delays
88. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what guardrails will you put in
place to prevent undue influence from defense contractors in
determining which programs are outdated or underperforming?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will comply with legal requirements and
Department policy to ensure determinations are made without undue
influence and use objective cost, schedule, and performance data.
89. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you support Project 2025's
recommendation to create a ``Night Court'' and ``terminate outdated or
underperforming programs''?
Mr. Duffey. I support ensuring the Department's entire portfolio of
programs meets or exceeds performance expectations and provides the
greatest capability to our men and women in uniform.
90. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if so, how will you approach this
process to ensure that decisions are fair, transparent, and non-
political?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will commit to ensuring that any
decisions to terminate ``outdated'' or ``underperforming'' programs are
fair, transparent, non-political, and consistent with Secretary
Hegseth's priority to rebuild our military by matching threats to
capabilities.
91. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you support ``reducing the
number of procurement competitions''? If you do, why?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will partner with my colleagues across
the Department to achieve an optimal balance between open competition
and streamlined acquisition processes. I believe that the decision of
whether to reduce the number of procurement competitions should be made
on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific
circumstances, risks, and potential benefits of each approach. I
strongly support streamlining and accelerating the acquisition process.
92. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how do you think reducing
competition impacts the quality of the products and weapons systems
that DOD uses?
Mr. Duffey. A competitive and diverse defense industrial base is
vital to the Department's ability to fulfill its mission. In my
opinion, healthy competition produces better quality, pricing,
innovation, and access to technical data and intellectual property
rights, whereas in most cases reduced competition can lead to lower
quality, limited innovation, and higher prices that can hinder the
research and development of critical defense technologies and adversely
impact the cost, schedule, or performance of defense acquisition
programs.
93. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you agree that ``[t]he critical
shortage of trained and certified acquisition personnel must be
addressed with urgency in order to support DOD mission objectives and
goals?''
Mr. Duffey. A well-trained, certified, and experienced acquisition
workforce is fundamental to executing DOD's mission effectively.
Addressing key acquisition and sustainment roles is imperative, and, if
confirmed, I am committed to ensuring that we take decisive action to
build and sustain a strong talent pipeline.
94. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if so, how do you plan to address
this shortage if you are confirmed as USD(A&S)?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will evaluate the workforce's capacity
and capability to ensure the Department has the right mix of
acquisition professionals with the necessary expertise to support the
warfighter. I will commit to strengthening recruitment and retention
efforts, particularly in areas where we face skill gaps. Additionally,
I will prioritize an acquisition workforce capable of using innovative
practices across the full spectrum of the acquisition and sustainment
lifecycle and ensure acquisition professionals have clear career
development pathways.
nuclear weapons and missile defense
95. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you support ``[a]ccelerat[ing]
the development and production of the Sentinel intercontinental
ballistic missile?''
Mr. Duffey. Nuclear deterrence remains the DOD's top priority
mission, and I fully support modernization of the nuclear triad. If
confirmed, I will review the Sentinel program status following last
year's critical Nunn-McCurdy breach and will support opportunities,
where possible, to accelerate the development and production of the
Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program.
96. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if so, why do you support a program
with an 81 percent cost overrun?
Mr. Duffey. ICBMs serve as the triad's most responsive leg, and the
Sentinel program remains a critical component of the nuclear
modernization Program of Record and our national security. If
confirmed, I will have an opportunity as the Milestone Decision
Authority to regularly review the program and will work closely with
the Air Force to control cost and deliver timely capability to the
warfighter.
97. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
significance of a Nunn-McCurdy breach?
Mr. Duffey. I understand that a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach
represents a juncture for an acquisition program that requires a series
of activities to determine whether it is in the national interest to
continue the program. If certified to continue, the program must
address root causes and implement corrective actions. The Department of
Defense must ensure that we are acting as responsible stewards of
taxpayer resources.
98. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what do you understand your role to
be in ensuring that programs do not reach this significant cost overrun
threshold if you are confirmed?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed as the Under Secretary for Acquisition and
Sustainment, my role as the Defense Acquisition Executive and Milestone
Decision Authority for certain programs is to provide direction to and
oversight of acquisition programs. This responsibility requires careful
balance and deep understanding of cost, schedule, and performance risks
and mitigation opportunities. Preventing cost overrun hinges on
realistic program baselines and, if confirmed, I will work with the
SAEs to provide proper guidance and oversight in their acquisition
programs.
99. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you support ``[r]eject[ing] any
congressional proposals that would further extend the service lives of
U.S. capabilities such as the Minuteman III (MMIII) intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM)?''
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I would collaborate closely with the
Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force to
understand the technical and operational risks associated with further
extension of today's systems if modernized systems were not available
to field on schedule.
100. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if so, why do you support this
despite DOD providing testimony that the ``Air Force, with the support
of Congress, continue investments to ensure sustainment of MMIII to
manage end-of-life margin until it is fully replaced by a modern ICBM
weapon system''?
Mr. Duffey. I support ensuring that the United States maintains a
safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent. While the Department is
committed to the modernization of the Nation's nuclear forces,
continued sustainment of fielded systems is imperative to avoiding a
deterrence shortfall and to mitigate risk during the transition to
modernized systems.
101. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you agree with any of these
statements: (1) ``all U.S. nuclear capabilities and the infrastructure
on which they rely date from the cold war and are in dire need of
replacement,'' (2) ``Missile defense has been underprioritized and
underfunded in recent years,'' or (3) ``[t]he United States manifestly
needs to modernize, adapt, and expand its nuclear arsenal?'' If so,
specify which ones.
Mr. Duffey. I agree with each of these three statements and, if
confirmed, will gain a deeper understanding of nuclear capabilities and
infrastructure, missile defense, and the current and planned
capabilities of the nuclear arsenal.
102. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how much funding will be needed to
update nuclear capabilities? Please provide a dollar amount.
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing our nuclear
modernization programs and fully understanding the total costs
associated with modernizing the Nation's nuclear capabilities.
103. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you support expanding the U.S.
nuclear arsenal? If so, please specify with which weapons.
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the current
and planned capabilities of the U.S. nuclear arsenal as the Chair of
the Nuclear Weapons Council to ensure the United States continues to
deter aggression from our adversaries and defend the Homeland.
104. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, which systems in the U.S. nuclear
arsenal do you consider out of date?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the current
and planned capabilities of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and identifying
those programs that require modernization.
105. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how do you think increasing our
nuclear weapons spending will impact our adversaries' interest in doing
the same?
Mr. Duffey. Our adversaries have already committed to and
demonstrated increased spending on nuclear weapons, independent of the
U.S. levels of funding.
106. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, which conventional weapons should
be cut to pay for nuclear modernization or missile defense systems?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I intend to review nuclear and
conventional weapons programs to ensure the Department addresses gaps
in warfighting capability, and develops and produces the right
capabilities, in both type and capacity, to meet requirements to defend
the Homeland and deter adversaries. If confirmed, I look forward to
ensuring the warfighter has the necessary capabilities to meet those
requirements.
foreign influence
107. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you received any payment from
a foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government
within the past 5 years?
Mr. Duffey. No.
108. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you communicated with any
foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
the past 5 years?
Mr. Duffey. No.
109. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, please disclose any communications
or payments you have had with representatives of any foreign government
or entity controlled by a foreign government within the past 5 years
and describe the nature of the communication.
Mr. Duffey. None.
retaliation and protecting whistleblowers
110. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you believe that
servicemembers, civilians, grantees, and contractors should be
protected from any form of retaliation for coming forward about an
illegal order, sexual assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or
any other concern that they wish to raise?
Mr. Duffey. I do.
111. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you ever retaliated against
any individual for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual
assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern
that they wish to raise?
Mr. Duffey. No.
112. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to protecting whistleblowers? If so, please specify how you will
do so.
Mr. Duffey. I will comply with law and Department policy regarding
whistleblower protection.
impoundment control act
113. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, on January 27, 2025, President
Trump's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo calling for
the suspension all Federal financial assistance programs (excluding
``assistance provided directly to individuals''). Do you agree with
OMB's decision to issue this memo?
Mr. Duffey. I support the President's efforts to streamline the
Federal Government and ensure that it is carrying out Federal programs
in an efficient and economical manner. That said, I am not aware of the
how this memorandum would impact DOD. If confirmed, I will review the
memo and work to implement the President's direction.
114. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you believe the Secretary of
Defense has the legal authority to block the disbursement of funds
appropriated by Congress?
Mr. Duffey. I fully acknowledge and respect Congress'
constitutional role in appropriating funds to be carried out by the
executive branch for designated purposes. I commit, if confirmed, to
executing my responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the
law. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by the administration's legal
positions and advice from the Department's General Counsel's office.
115. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
Impoundment Control Act (ICA)?
Mr. Duffey. My understanding is that Congress passed the
Impoundment Control Act in 1974. This Act provides a framework for
handling circumstances in which the President seeks to defer or cancel
execution of appropriated funds. I commit, if confirmed, to executing
my responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on
this matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice
to the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
116. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you commit to following the
Impoundment Control Act?
Mr. Duffey. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
117. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you commit to notifying the
Senate and House Armed Services Committees, including the majority and
minority, if you are asked not to follow the Impoundment Control Act or
not to expend the money that Congress appropriates or authorizes?
Mr. Duffey. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by advice the
administration's legal positions and from the Department's General
Counsel's office.
118. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, the Constitution's Spending Clause
(Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 1) and Appropriations Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9,
cl. 7) give Congress, not the Executive, power of the purse. The
Supreme Court has unanimously upheld this power. Do you believe that
impoundments are constitutional?
Mr. Duffey. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
119. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, the funding levels in
appropriations bills passed into law are not targets or ceilings;
instead, they are amounts the executive branch must spend, unless
stated otherwise. Congress could--if it wanted the President to have
discretion--write those amounts as ceilings. Do you agree?
Mr. Duffey. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
120. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
requirements for DOD to obligate funding that Congress authorizes and
appropriates, in accordance with the time period that Congress deems it
to do so?
Mr. Duffey. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
121. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you commit to expending the
money that Congress appropriates and authorizes?
Mr. Duffey. I commit to being a good steward of taxpayer funds, as
I have always been in my decades of public service, and will comply
with all applicable laws regarding the obligation and expenditure of
appropriations to the Department of the Air Force.
122. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you commit to following and
implementing every provision of the annual National Defense
Authorization Act passed into law?
Mr. Duffey. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by advice the
administration's legal positions and from the Department's General
Counsel's office.
123. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you support addressing the
risks of blast overpressure to servicemembers through the swift
implementation of sections 721 through section 725 of the Fiscal Year
2025 NDAA?
Mr. Duffey. I am committed to prioritizing the health and safety of
our service members. If confirmed, I look forward to working with
officials from across the Department to review sections 721 and 725 of
the FY2025 NDAA and to better understand and address the risks of blast
overpressure to servicemembers.
right-to-repair
124. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you believe giving DOD access
to the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could
advance DOD's readiness?
Mr. Duffey. I believe the Department should procure the necessary
data and associated rights to enable repair of its own equipment. If
confirmed, I will direct a review of the Department's internal policies
regarding the acquisition of technical data rights, and the impact on
readiness.
125. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you believe giving DOD access
to the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could
help reduce DOD's repair and sustainment costs?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will direct a review of the
Department's internal policies regarding the acquisition of technical
data rights, and the impact on repair and sustainment costs.
126. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how will you ensure servicemembers
in your service or component, who are stationed abroad, can timely and
cost-effectively repair equipment when needed, especially in a
contested logistics environment?
Mr. Duffey. The ability to quickly and cost-effectively repair,
maintain, and overhaul equipment is essential to reestablishing
deterrence. If confirmed, I will ensure that the Department's
acquisition and sustainment strategies strengthen the U.S. defense
industrial base, utilize innovative solutions like advanced
manufacturing, and leverage co-sustainment opportunities with allies
and partners closer to the point of need, to ensure our ability to
operate in contested logistics environments.
127. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to including right-to-repair/technical data rights clauses in
acquisition contracts that your service or component enters into?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I am committed to carefully reviewing the
Department's current policies and practices regarding right-to-repair
and technical data rights within acquisition contracts. I will explore
how best to leverage rights-to-repair and technical data rights in
acquisition contracts to enhance competition, control costs, and foster
innovation within the defense industrial base.
128. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to ensuring contractors deliver technical data rights to your
service or component when their contract requires or allows it?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I commit to understanding the obstacles
defense program personnel are facing in enforcing data rights already
negotiated in contracts and review the existing processes and
procedures for remedy.
129. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to conducting an assessment of the cost of not having the right-
to-repair/technical data rights for your service's or component's
equipment, the results of which you would make public for review by
Congress and the Department of Government Efficiency?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will review the Department's current
policies and practices regarding right-to-repair and technical data
rights under acquisition contracts and work with Congress toward
balancing the need to control costs and enhance competition while
promoting a healthy defense industrial base to support the warfighter.
acquisition reform
130. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, the FORGED Act calls for numerous
reforms to the defense acquisition system. Included in these reforms,
is the repeal of the roles and responsibilities of the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, as well as the Service
Acquisition Executives (Sec. 101(a)(7)). Do you support this change?
Mr. Duffey. I agree with and support many of the reforms proposals
within the FORGED Act. If confirmed, I look forward to assessing the
impacts of all provisions of the proposed legislation on the
Department's ability to accelerate acquisition and will work closely
with the SAEs and this committee to address these proposed reforms and
to offer my recommendations on any statute changes.
131. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if this legislation were enacted,
what impact would it have on your ability to serve as the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment without clear
statutory direction regarding your roles and responsibilities?
Mr. Duffey. I agree with and support many of the reform proposals
within the FORGED Act. If confirmed, I look forward to assessing the
impacts of all provisions of the proposed legislation on the
Department's ability to accelerate acquisition and will work closely
with the SAEs and this committee to address these proposed reforms and
to offer my recommendations on any statute changes.
132. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
Procurement Integrity Act and your obligations under that law?
Mr. Duffey. My understanding of the Procurement Integrity Act is
that, as a government official, I am obligated to protect competitive
source selection information from unauthorized disclosure. Safeguarding
this sensitive information is essential to maintaining the integrity of
the procurement process and ensures all prospective contractors have
the fair opportunity to compete for Federal contracts. I understand the
Procurement Integrity Act also restricts former Government officials
from accepting compensation from contractors under certain conditions.
133. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you believe that it is
important to be able to assess accurate cost and pricing data from
contractors, especially for sole-or single-source contracts?
Mr. Duffey. I believe that competition is the preferred way to
obtain fair and reasonable pricing. In instances where competition is
not available, the Truthful Cost and Pricing Data Act provides access
to information that places the Government and the contractor on an
equal footing as it relates to facts that could significantly affect
the negotiation of contract price. If confirmed, I will work with
Department stakeholders and the acquisition workforce to ensure the
Department has access to accurate cost and pricing data as required by
law.
134. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how do you plan to obtain cost and
pricing data from contractors to determine that the cost of DOD
contracts is fair and reasonable?
Mr. Duffey. As long as existing statutory requirement for cost and
pricing data remains in place, the Government has authority to obtain
certified cost and pricing data from contractors unless an exception
applies. A notable exception to the Truthful Cost and Pricing Data Act
is competition, which will always be my preference, and I will
encourage competition to the maximum extent I can.
135. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how do you plan to do so in cases
where contractors refuse or claim they are unable to turn over this
data?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to working with our
contracting and acquisition subject matter experts to understand and,
where necessary, apply the tools and authorities at our disposal to
ensure contractor compliance with legal and contractual requirements.
136. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, what steps
will you take to ensure that contractors are not price gouging or
overcharging DOD?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding the Department takes a proactive
approach to safeguarding against price gouging through several
initiatives, including fostering competition, obtaining and analyzing
data in sole source situations, and working with the Congress on
legislative initiatives. When circumstances warrant, it is my
understanding that the Department also uses reverse engineering to seek
new sources and obtain the benefits of competition. If confirmed, I
will work to review and, where beneficial to the Department, expand our
efforts in these areas.
137. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed will you
commit to seeking refunds from contractors and companies that
overcharge DOD?
Mr. Duffey. Yes. I am committed to sound financial management of
the resources authorized and appropriated to the Department of Defense,
to include seeking refunds when funds are otherwise not recoverable
through the terms and conditions of the contract.
138. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if so, how do you plan to do so?
Mr. Duffey. It is my understanding that the Department has
established guidance for the workforce to seek voluntary refunds from
contractors when overpayments or otherwise inappropriate payments are
not recoverable through the terms and conditions of the contract. If
confirmed, I will support our contracting officers in instances where
voluntary refunds are the most appropriate tool for recovering funds in
defense of the taxpayer.
139. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do you believe there is excessive
consolidation in the defense industry?
Mr. Duffey. I am concerned that there has been significant
consolidation in the defense industry over the past few decades that
restrict competition.
140. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if so, what do you believe to be
the ramifications of that consolidation?
Mr. Duffey. In my view, the ramifications of consolidation include
reduced competition (which can mean higher prices), less innovation,
and a lack of incentive to improve efficiencies. Additionally,
consolidation can lead to supply chain issues as only a small number of
organizations maintain all the supply chains needed to maintain the
DIB. To increase innovation and burden sharing, we need to explore
options to expand capability and capacity across both traditional and
non-traditional vendors.
141. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed, how will you
support competition in the defense industry?
Mr. Duffey. I believe that the Department must prioritize fostering
a competitive defense industrial base. Competition is crucial for
innovation, affordability, resilience, and our ability to produce
critical capabilities at speed and scale. If confirmed, I believe we
should work to incentivize private sector investments to increase
production capacity from existing vendors and new entrants. We can
leverage existing tools such as SBIR/STTR programs and authorities like
OTAs and other streamlined acquisition processes, and consider
expanding them to reach a wider range of innovators, streamline
regulations and provide more accessible information about defense
needs. Addressing barriers to entry for smaller businesses, promoting
open architectures, and investing in workforce development will ensure
we have a robust industrial base with the skilled workforce necessary
to support the warfighter's needs.
142. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what do you understand to be the
role of independent cost estimates in the acquisition process?
Mr. Duffey. Independent Cost Estimates (ICE) are an important tool
for planning, budgeting, market research, program baseline and should
cost analyses, cost realism in competitive acquisitions, and many other
activities throughout the lifecycle of the program. They can also be
useful in comparing sole source proposals to what the Government
expected to pay based upon independent data sources.
143. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, how should DOD establish program
schedules and milestones?
Mr. Duffey. Program schedules and milestones will be unique to each
acquisition programs. If confirmed, I will ensure the acquisition
workforce has the training and experience needed to determine the best
and most appropriate acquisition approach for programs, as well as
robust technical planning and credible baselines. Additionally, I will
work with the SAEs to ensure programs are moving at speed and scale so
warfighters have the capabilities they need to deter conflict and
defeat our adversaries.
144. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, would it be appropriate for DOD to
establish program schedules to achieve partisan electoral outcomes?
Mr. Duffey. The DOD should align acquisition program schedules to
prioritize the rapid delivery and sustainment of preeminent
capabilities to support our warfighters and promote our national
security interests at home and abroad.
145. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, should DOD acquisition decisions
be influenced by partisan political activities?
Mr. Duffey. The acquisition program decisions must prioritize the
rapid delivery and sustainment of preeminent capabilities to support
our warfighters and promote our national security interests at home and
abroad.
146. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, should DOD acquisition decisions
be influenced by individuals with conflicts of interest that involve
DOD?
Mr. Duffey. DOD acquisition program decisions must prioritize the
rapid delivery and sustainment of preeminent capabilities to support
our warfighters and promote our national security interests at home and
abroad.
research and development
147. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, does DOD benefit from partnering
with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally funded research
and development centers?
Mr. Duffey. Partnerships with academic institutions, nonprofits,
and federally Funded Research and Development Centers provide the
Department with access to cutting-edge research, innovative
technologies, and subject matter expertise. These partnerships provide
vital research, innovation, and expertise that strengthen DOD
capabilities and acquisition strategies. If confirmed, I will partner
with these institutions to support the innovation needs of the A&S
community and the Department as a whole.
148. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, under your leadership, will DOD
continue to work with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally
funded research and development centers to research and address our
toughest national security challenges?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I am committed to continuing these
partnerships to drive innovation and ensure our technological edge.
These institutions have played a critical role in helping us develop
emerging technologies, improve acquisition methodologies, and address
strategic threats. I am committed to leveraging all partnerships,
including these key organizations, to accelerate innovation and ensure
we deliver the best capabilities to our warfighters.
149. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, on March 20, 2025, DOD announced
it was terminating $360 million in grants. What is your understanding
of DOD's criteria for canceling grants?
Mr. Duffey. I understand the Department is reinvesting in critical
mission needs through the review of identified programs, contracts, and
grants. If confirmed, I will work with Department leadership to
determine any potential impact to the acquisition and sustainment
community.
150. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what should DOD's criteria for
canceling grants be?
Mr. Duffey. I understand Secretary Hegseth's desire to to focus
Department spending on mission critical needs. If confirmed, I will
work closely with the USD(R&E) to better understand the existing
criteria for canceling grants, identify opportunities for change, and
promote transparent and justifiable outcomes.
151. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, who should be involved in
decisions to cancel DOD grants?
Mr. Duffey. Decisions to cancel DOD grants are complex and should
involve key stakeholders and the General Counsel to ensure legal
compliance and fair, transparent, and justifiable outcomes. If
confirmed, I will work with the relevant Department stakeholders to
determine impact to the OUSD(A&S).
152. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, does DOD invest enough in research
and development?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I commit to working with Secretary
Hegseth, the Comptroller and the Under Secretary of Defense for
Research & Engineering to recommend the President's budget include a
sufficient investment in research and development.
153. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, do defense contractors invest
enough in research and development?
Mr. Duffey. While defense contractors make significant R&D
investments, fostering a collaborative environment between government,
industry, and academia is crucial to ensure sufficient investment
aligned with long-term national security needs. Current contractor R&D
efforts demonstrate strengths in certain areas, but opportunities exist
for improvement and strategic redirection to address emerging threats
and technological gaps.
154. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what should DOD's top research and
development priorities be?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will partner with the Under Secretary
of Defense for Research and Engineering to shape and prioritize the
Department's research and development investments, balancing near-term
needs with long-term vision and focusing on both disruptive innovation
and the maturation of critical existing technologies.
ukraine aid
155. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, when did you first learn, during
President Trump's first term, that he wanted to freeze aid to Ukraine?
Mr. Duffey. June 19th, 2019
156. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, when did you first learn that
President Trump wished to withhold this aid in order to pressure
Ukraine into investigating President Biden and his son?
Mr. Duffey. This was not communicated to me.
157. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, in what manner did you learn this
information? Please include any details on whom you learned this
information from as well as whether this was during a verbal
conversation, phone call, email, or otherwise.
Mr. Duffey. Not applicable.
158. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, did you instruct an OMB official
on July 25 to insert ``a footnote into the budget document that
prohibited the Pentagon from spending any of the aid until Aug. 5''?
Mr. Duffey. I do not recall the precise details or timing, but I
did direct the footnote to withhold the Ukraine Security Assistance
Initiative funding.
159. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, why did the Trump administration
take the ``very unusual step'' of removing the career OMB official's
authority to oversee the aid freeze?
Mr. Duffey. It is the discretion of the President and the Director
to delegate the apportionment authority to the official he or she sees
fit.
160. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, why did you decide to freeze this
aid, despite concerns that this would violate the ICA?
Mr. Duffey. All funds were spent and the programmatic delay caused
by the hold did not violate the ICA.
161. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, please provide unredacted copies
of any emails, correspondence, or other materials related to the
freezing of aid to Ukraine.
mr. duffey. those materials are not in my possession.
162. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, have you been approached by any
Russians, or any other foreign countries, including for business
opportunities, since 2016?
Mr. Duffey. No.
163. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, please disclose any foreign
contacts you have had since 2016.
Mr. Duffey. My foreign contacts are listed, as required, on my SF-
86.
164. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, when do you think it is
appropriate to not spend money that is authorized or appropriated by
Congress?
Mr. Duffey. The executive branch is tasked with executing
congressional direction in the most efficient way possible.
165. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, as a political appointee, what do
you understand your role to be in seeking and listening to the advice
of career civil servants?
Mr. Duffey. Career civil servants provide continuity and technical
expertise in advising political appointees.
166. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed as USD(A&S),
do you commit to enacting the laws set by Congress?
Mr. Duffey. I do.
167. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, if you are confirmed as USD(A&S),
do you commit to upholding and following the Constitution, including
ensuring that the President must ``take care that the laws be
faithfully executed''?
Mr. Duffey. I do.
168. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
authority of lawmaking power that the Constitution vests to Congress?
Mr. Duffey. The Constitution vests the Congress with power to make
all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into
Execution all Powers vested by the Constitution.
protecting classified information and federal records
169. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of the
need to protect operational security, or OPSEC?
Mr. Duffey. Operational Security is practiced to deny adversaries
the opportunity for an advantage over U.S. forces. Proper OPSEC
protects critical information and the mission and the men and women
executing it.
170. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what are the national security
risks of improperly disclosing classified information?
Mr. Duffey. It is generally accepted that the improper or
unauthorized disclosure of classified information could be expected to
cause identifiable or describable damage to national security. The
describable damage and certainty of that damage would depend on the
details of the information released, including the level of
classification, as well as the extent and nature of the disclosure.
Determining the extent of damage to national security is part of the
unauthorized disclosure process as outlined in DOD policy, and I would
defer to the Department for additional specifics.
171. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, is it your opinion that
information about imminent military targets is generally sensitive
information that needs to be protected?
Mr. Duffey. The Department has robust policies and processes
dedicated to determining the sensitivity of information related to
military targets. If confirmed, I will ensure that myself and those
under my organizational control will adhere to those processes and
standards.
172. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what would you do if you learned
an official had improperly disclosed classified information?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I would report any such incident, or
suspected incident, to the appropriate security office.
173. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, what is your understanding of
Government officials' duties under the Federal Records Act?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will adhere to the Federal Records Act
and the applicable DOD policies that implement it, which ensure that
the Federal records I create or receive are appropriately maintained.
174. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, should classified information be
shared on unclassified commercial systems?
Mr. Duffey. As per the DOD's Information Security Program, only
computers and IT systems approved and accredited for Classified
National Security Information may be used for classified
communications.
175. Senator Warren. Mr. Duffey, is it damaging to national
security if the pilots flying a mission find out that the official who
ordered them to perform that mission shared sensitive information that
could have made it more likely that the mission would fail or they
would be killed?
Mr. Duffey. The Department of Defense places the utmost importance
on mission success and the safety of the men and women carrying out the
mission, making it the finest fighting force in the world. If
confirmed, I will endeavor to carry on that tradition of excellence
supporting the men and women of the armed forces in my role as the
USD(A&S).
176. Mr. Duffey, if you had information about the status of
specific targets, weapons being used, and timing for imminent U.S.
strikes against an adversary, under what circumstances would you feel
comfortable receiving or sharing that information on an unclassified
commercial application like Signal?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I commit to adhering to the information
security policies of the Department of Defense.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mark Kelly
innovation and modernization efforts
177. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, the People's Republic of China
(PRC) is our pacing threat, they've made incredible technological leaps
in hypersonic capabilities. While the Department has made progress, it
is lagging behind, and this is just one example of PRC technological
investment. We face delays and program management problems across the
Department. What steps will you take to ensure the Department maintains
technological overmatch?
Mr. Duffey. Streamlining acquisition program timelines and
utilizing existing flexible procurement authorities is critical to
accelerate development. The faster we can test, deploy, and scale
production of critical technologies, the more rapidly we will restore
our technological advantage. If confirmed, I will work with the Under
Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering and the Military
Departments to prioritize these investments and ensure our continued
overmatch.
178. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, how will you direct the Department
to foster innovation across broad ecosystems to deliver new technology
to the field and present rapidly deployable technological solutions?
Mr. Duffey. Streamlining acquisition program timelines and
utilizing existing flexible procurement authorities is critical to
foster innovation and accelerate development. The faster we can test,
deploy, and scale production of critical technologies, the more rapidly
we will restore our technological advantage. If confirmed, I will work
with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering, the
Defense Innovation Unit, and the Military Departments to prioritize
these investments and ensure our continued overmatch.
domestic production of critical minerals
179. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, despite cobalt playing an essential
role in critical defense technologies, the United States does not
process cobalt domestically at a commercial scale. The United States
imports nearly 100 percent of our cobalt sulfate and cobalt metal
requirements, leaving the U.S. cobalt supply chain vulnerable.
Meanwhile, China produces more than 70 percent of the world's refined
cobalt. It is important that the Department of Defense bolster efforts
to substantially domesticate and expeditiously de-risk our critical
mineral supply chain from China. To that end, given the national
security importance of building a domestic critical mineral supply
chain, can I get your commitment that, if confirmed as the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment, you will work to
support American cobalt processing companies?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will review our supply chain
vulnerabilities am committed to working across the government to
bolster domestic critical mineral production, including cobalt, where
needed to reduce our reliance on foreign sources and strengthen
national security.
180. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, additionally, on March 20, 2025,
President Trump released an Executive Order entitled ``Immediate
Measures to Increase American Mineral Production''. However, due to an
Executive Order on March 14, 2025, rescinding multiple Defense
Production Act Presidential Determinations, many pending Defense
Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) grants are on hold until further
notice, leaving in limbo all previously recommended awards for U.S.
critical mineral projects, including those for cobalt. Can I get your
commitment that, if confirmed, you will support reinstating the DIBC
awards for Critical Mineral Projects in the United States, or support
their expedited consideration for new programs?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will assess the impact of the rescinded
Presidential Determinations on DIBC grants for critical mineral
projects and determine the appropriate next steps to support domestic
critical mineral capabilities.
semiconductor innovation and integration into department of defense's
acquisition and sustainment systems
181. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, as you both know, DOD has struggled
to utilize commercial leading-edge semiconductors in DOD acquisition
programs because the pace of innovation moves faster than our
procurement process. In recent years, and with the support of this
Committee, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has
carried out several programs to address this program, including the
Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes--Commercial (RAMP-C) program,
the State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integrated Packaging (SHIP) program,
and the Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP). How would you
access the success of these programs?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to working across the DOD
and with other agencies to review and assess the successes of RAMP-C,
SHIP, and JUMP, specifically focusing on RAMP-C's rapid prototyping of
secure microelectronics, SHIP's advancements in heterogeneous
integration for more powerful chips, and JUMP's fostering of
university-government research collaborations. I commit to supporting
these programs where they can directly improve our ability to
accelerate adoption of advanced microelectronics into our weapon
systems.
182. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, what are the next steps R&E and
DARPA should be taking to buildupon the success of these research and
development programs and integrate their funding into DOD procurement
processes?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I will work with the USD(R&E) to assess
the progress of these R&D programs and identify ways to transition
successful technologies into fielding state-of-the-art semiconductors
that support critical warfighting platforms.
183. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, what lessons should A&S learn from
R&E's work to find ways to integrate leading-edge commercial
microelectronics at scale into DOD programs of record?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to working closely with
R&E to identify best practices and lessons learned from their efforts
to integrate leading-edge commercial microelectronics into programs of
record.
184. Senator Kelly. Mr. Duffey, how will you ensure A&S works
closely with commercial partners in the semiconductor industry to
ensure leading-edge microchips can be integrated into DOD's acquisition
process, while maintaining appropriate safeguards?
Mr. Duffey. If confirmed, I look forward to building strong,
collaborative partnerships with commercial semiconductor companies and
exploring opportunities for streamlining the secure integration of
leading-edge microchips into DOD programs.
______
[The nomination reference of Mr. Michael P. Duffey
follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The biographical sketch of Mr. Michael P. Duffey, 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 all individuals
nominated from civilian life 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 Mr. Michael P.
Duffey in connection with his 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.]
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[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
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[The nomination of Mr. Michael P. Duffey was reported to
the Senate by Chairman Wicker on April 8, 2025, with the
recommendation that the nomination be confirmed. The nomination
was confirmed by the Senate on June 3, 2025.]
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[Prepared questions submitted to Mr. Emil Michael by
Chairman Wicker prior to the hearing with answers supplied
follow:]
Questions and Responses
duties and qualifications
Question. Section 133a of title 10, U.S. Code, provides that the
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E))
shall be appointed from civilian life from among persons who have an
extensive technology, science, or engineering background and experience
with managing complex or advanced technological programs.
What is your understanding of the duties and functions of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering?
Answer. The Under Secretary serves as the Principal Staff Assistant
(PSA) and advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for
all matters regarding the Department of Defense (DOD) Research and
Engineering (R&E) Enterprise, technology development, technology
transition, developmental prototyping, experimentation, and
developmental testing activities and programs, and, most importantly,
unifying defense R&E efforts across DOD.
From many of the duties assigned, chief among them is that the
Under Secretary serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of DOD
with the mission of advancing technological innovation. The CTO
provides technical leadership and oversight, establishes strategic
priorities, issues guidance, and acts as the senior responsible
official for the supervision of all programs and activities pertaining
to the R&E Enterprise across DOD. The USD(R&E) also establishes
policies and strategic technical guidance to ensure that all programs
receive an objective viewpoint as to their technical feasibility and
the tradeoffs among different technology approaches and leads defense
research, engineering, developmental prototyping and experimentation,
developmental test and evaluation, and microelectronics activities
across DOD Components.
Question. What background and experience do you possess that
qualify you to perform these duties?
Answer. If confirmed, I would bring my decades of leadership across
many different technology businesses and management of large and
complex organizations, including my time Chief Business Officer at
Uber, to ensure that the United States has the most technologically
sophisticated and affordable arsenal of defense systems in the history
of the world. I have been involved with over fifty different technology
companies during my career and have learned the hard tradeoffs that
have to be made to bring new ideas to fruition based on advancements in
state-of-the-art innovations.
conflicts of interest
Question. Federal ethics laws, to include 18 U.S.C. Sec. 208,
prohibit government employees from participating in matters where they,
or certain family members or organizations with which they have certain
relationships, have a financial interest.
Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, to disclose any
potential conflicts of interest, including investments, business ties,
family relationships, or other connections that could be perceived as
influencing your decisionmaking?
Answer. Yes, I agree.
Question. Do you agree, without qualification, if confirmed, that
if a conflict of interest arises, you will recuse yourself from
participating in any relevant decisions regarding that specific matter?
Answer. I will comply with all recusal requirements under 18 U.S.C.
Sec. 208.
Question. Do you commit, without qualification, if confirmed, to
decisionmaking on the merits and exclusively in the public interest,
without regard to private gain or personal benefit?
Answer. Yes, I agree.
relationships
Question. Please describe your understanding of the relationships
and areas of collaboration between the USD(R&E) and the following
officials and organizations:
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment
Answer. Prior to 2017, the duties and roles of the USD(R&E) and the
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S))
were combined under the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,
Technology, and Logistics. While the present organizational structure
charges two Under Secretaries with important missions independent of
one another, the two offices must work closely together to ensure that
DOD is able to rapidly insert the latest technologies into the next
generation of weapons systems while ensuring that the projects are
feasible, and the timelines and costs are predictable. If confirmed, I
am committed to working in close collaboration with USD(A&S) to ensure
that DOD makes real progress on all of its priorities.
Question. The Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
Answer. The USD(R&E) supports policy development in multiple
spheres, including on matters of missile defense; for joint research
and engineering programs with our Allies; for program and technology
protection plans in consultation with the Defense Technology Security
Administration (DTSA); and in the development of the roadmaps for the
critical technology areas, which need to be informed by various policy
and strategy directorates. If confirmed, I am committed to working
closely with the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy to ensure we
maintain and expand collaborative relationships across the two
organizations.
Question. The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and
Readiness
Answer. Critical to the Department's success in developing
technology superiority is building a culture of innovation in its
people. The USD(R&E) and the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel
and Readiness (USD(P&R)) must work closely together to make sure that
DOD makes the best use of its hiring flexibilities and is recruiting a
workforce that is ready to implement the Secretary's priorities of
restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and
reestablishing deterrence. In particular, the recruitment and retention
of research and engineering talent in a world of increasing private
sector options is a key priority I intend to work on closely with the
USD (P&R).
Question. The Director of Operational Test and Evaluation
Answer. Under the USD(R&E) resides the responsibility for
developmental test oversight and policy, as well as the Test Resource
Management Center which oversees the test capability development and
test capacity of the entire test and evaluation (T&E) ecosystem of the
Department. If confirmed, I would work with the Director of Operational
Test and Evaluation to enhance the effectiveness, suitability, and
survivability of DOD systems. I would communicate frequently with the
Director to discuss strategic T&E policy and review the status of
current collaboration efforts. There is a lot that can be done in
collaboration between the USD(R&E) and the Director of Operational Test
and Evaluation to smooth and speed up the transition of weapon systems
from developmental testing to operational testing. If confirmed, I
would look forward to strengthening our T&E ecosystem alongside the
Director of Operational Test and Evaluation.
Question. The Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency
Answer. The USD(R&E) works closely through the Under Secretary of
Defense for Intelligence and Security (USD(I&S)) to communicate the
intelligence needs of the DOD R&E Enterprise to the Director of the
Defense Intelligence Agency, and also to the wider Intelligence
Community, in order to make informed technology development decisions.
As our adversaries have greater capability to intrude in our systems
and in our work product, collaboration with the USD (I&S) is vital to
the retaining the value we are creating across the R&E Enterprise.
Question. The Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA)
Answer. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a
Defense Agency under the authority, direction, and control of the
USD(R&E). I am committed to ensuring that DAPRA, one of the crown
jewels of DOD, continues to have the support it needs to conduct the
breakthrough research, but that it also is focused on missions that
most align with a rapidly changing world and is a beacon of excellence
within the R&E Enterprise.
Question. The Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)
Answer. The Director, DIU, is now a PSA to the Secretary and has a
mandate for accelerating the adoption of commercial technology
throughout the DOD. Until recently, the Director, DIU, directly
reported to the USD(R&E). As such, I understand the working
relationships between the DIU and the Office of the USD(R&E) are
collaborative and, if confirmed, I would strive to continue this
constructive collaboration to ensure that relevant technologies,
whether commercially or government derived, can successfully transition
from research and development, to prototype, to fielded into the hands
of our warfighters.
Question. The Director of the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC)
Answer. The Director of the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) is a
direct report to the USD(R&E). OSC develops and implements strategies
and partnerships to accelerate and scale private investment in critical
technologies needed for national security with new tools for the
Department through Federal financing. While there are currently many
Federal financing programs across the Government, before the OSC none
existed to address technology investment shortfall issues at DOD. OSC
works within the Federal Government to ensure that DOD leverages U.S.
advantages in private capital markets to achieve national security
priorities. I will do everything possible to support and, potentially
expand, the mission of the Director of OSC.
Question. The Director of the Defense Microelectronics Activity
Answer. The Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) is critical,
organizational element of the Department providing reliable
microelectronics products and solutions to DOD. The DMEA was part of
OUSD(R&E) until January 2021, when DMEA was transferred and placed
under the authority, direction, and control of the USD(A&S). If
confirmed, I will work closely with the USD(A&S) and the Director of
the DMEA to co-develop and expand assurance techniques for
microelectronics and to collaboratively ensure DMEA's role in the
Department's organic manufacturing industrial base is aligned to both
sustainment and research objectives.
Question. The Administrator of the Defense Technical Information
Center
Answer. The Administrator of the Defense Technical Information
Center (DTIC) is a direct report to the USD(R&E). On behalf of
OUSD(R&E), the DTIC administers science and technology (S&T) policy,
captures the results of research into a central repository of
knowledge, and delivers that knowledge to the community. DTIC reaches
across Military Service and Defense Agency silos to connect people and
activities. On behalf of the OUSD(R&E), DTIC operates information
analysis centers that manage research and development contracts
supporting research and analysis services to DOD. If confirmed, would
look for opportunities to increase the value that DTIC could provide to
DOD.
Question. The Director of the Test Resource Management Center
Answer. The Director of the Test Resource Management Center (TRMC)
is a direct report to the USD(R&E). The TRMC is charged with oversight
of the Department's testing and range facilities, as well as certifying
the sufficiency of DOD Components' budgeted investments in test
infrastructure, maintenance, and upgrades. If confirmed, I look forward
to providing direction to ensure the TRMC is able to accomplish its
departmental roles and responsibilities supporting DOD needs.
Question. The Director of the Chief Digital and Artificial
Intelligence Office
Answer. Trusted artificial intelligence and autonomy (TAI&A) is one
of the DOD Critical Technology Areas under the OUSD(R&E). Therefore,
the Director of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office
(CDAO) and the USD(R&E) should work closely on areas of overlapping
interest, to ensure deconfliction of efforts, and to take mutually
reinforcing positions.
Question. The Director of the Defense Digital Service
Answer. The Defense Digital Service (DDS), now under the Director,
CDAO, offers a software engineering and a product management approach
to solving problems across DOD. If confirmed, I would seek to leverage
the expertise the DDS offers to further advance the modernization
priorities of Department.
Question. The Director of the Space Development Agency
Answer. The Director of the Space Development Agency (SDA) is
developing critical space architecture that will support missile
defense capabilities; therefore, the SDA and the OUSD(R&E) should have
a collaborative relationship that ensures interoperability between all
phases of the missile defense kill chain.
Question. The Director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
Answer. The Director of MDA is a direct report to the USD(R&E).
Areas of collaboration include a heavy emphasis on advanced
capabilities to include directed energy, hypersonic defense and various
special access programs. Additionally, the USD(R&E) chairs the Missile
Defense Executive Board.
Question. The Service Acquisition Executives
Answer. Service Acquisition Executives lead development,
procurement, and fielding of materiel solutions for the Military
Services. The USD(R&E), through their relationships with the Joint
Staff and Combatant Commands, can align technology development to joint
requirements to inform S&T and prototyping investments. Portfolio leads
from the Critical Technology Areas also work across the Military
Services with the Service Acquisition Executives to support transition
of critical technologies from the respective roadmaps. The USD(R&E)
must continue to work closely with the Military Services to integrate
roadmaps and leverage prototyping and experimentation investments for
joint applications.
Question. The Service Science and Technology Executives
Answer. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science &
Technology, who reports directly to the USD(R&E), chairs the S&T
Executive Committee composed of the S&T Executives from the Military
Services and Defense Agencies with equity in the S&T Enterprise. This
committee provides a forum to unify and coordinate S&T strategies,
budgets, and execution decisions. In coordination with the Military
Services' and Defense Agencies' S&T Executives via the S&T Executive
Committee, the OUSD(R&E) oversees, coordinates, and aligns investments
to maximize the Department's resources, avoid unnecessary duplication,
and create the future capabilities required by the Nation.
Question. The Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC)
Answer. The USD(R&E) serves as a Statutory Advisor to the JROC. I
understand that in this role the USD(R&E) advises the Joint Staff on
the status of technology development to shape requirements development
(e.g., capability portfolio management review) and to conduct mission
analysis to provide oversight to relevant working groups. Additionally,
the Joint Staff and the USD(R&E) partner to operationalize the Joint
Warfighting Concept through multi-year experimentation campaigns. If
confirmed, I would seek to continue these important avenues of
collaboration and ensure that the viewpoint of the CTO on the
feasibility of requirements is represented.
Question. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States
Answer. It is my understanding that the USD(R&E) provides expert
technical subject matter expertise, especially on critical technology
areas, in support of the Under Secretary for Acquisition and
Sustainment (USD(A&S)), who represents the Secretary before the
Committee in the review of foreign investments for national security
considerations. If confirmed, I will ensure my organization continues
to provide this objective and timely expert technical advice associated
with each foreign investment related to U.S. critical technology,
defense critical infrastructure, and sensitive data, and the
corresponding risk to national security and U.S. technological
advantage.
Question. The Defense Science Board (DSB)
Answer. The Defense Science Board (DSB) is a Federal Advisory
Committee tasked with providing independent advice and recommendations
on matters supporting the DOD's scientific and technical enterprise.
The DSB is supported through the OUSD(R&E), which helps ensure
compliance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
``the Sunshine Act,'' and DOD policies and procedures. The DSB focuses
on specific tasks in response to the USD(R&E) or from the Secretary of
Defense and is an extremely valuable source of independent advice for
the Department. If confirmed I will fully support DSB as it engages its
important mission.
Question. The Defense Innovation Board
Answer. The Defense Innovation Board (DIB), previously under
OUSD(R&E) and now under DIU, brings together experts from outside the
government, offering fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that the
DOD can draw upon. The DIB advises on projects and initiatives related
to defense innovation and also shares information and best practices to
promote a more innovative culture within DOD.
Question. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers
Answer. The USD(R&E) is charged with the oversight of the
Department's 10 federally Funded Research and Development Centers
(FFRDCs). I understand the FFRDCs were established to assist DOD in
meeting long-term strategic needs in engineering, research and
development, or in other analytic areas essential to the Department's
mission and operations. If confirmed, I will work to ensure that the
FFRDCs fully address the most important challenges that DOD faces.
Question. The Commanding General of Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command
Answer. The Army Combat Capabilities Development Command executes
the majority of the Army's S&T enterprise investments, along with the
Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center and the Space
and Missile Defense Command Technical Center. If confirmed, I will work
closely with the Commanding General, Army Combat Capabilities
Development Command to collaborate on DOD S&T priorities with the Army.
Question. The Chief of Naval Research
Answer. The Chief of Naval Research is responsible for ensuring the
Navy's S&T enterprise investments are unified and coordinated to meet
Navy's capabilities needed for the future. If confirmed, I will work
closely with the Chief of Naval Research to collaborate on DOD S&T
priorities with the Navy.
Question. The Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory
Answer. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary
scientific research and development center for the Department of the
Air Force and the Space Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading
the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting
technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace force. AFRL is an
integral partner with OUSD(R&E) to ensure our military remains at the
cutting edge of weapons technology. If confirmed I will work closely
with the Commander of the AFRL to collaborate DOD S&T with Air Force
S&T.
Question. The Director of the White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy
Answer. The USD(R&E) works with the Director of the White House
Office of Science and Technology Policy on topics of interest to both
the White House and across the Federal Government. Also, it is my
understanding that the Office of Science and Technology Policy
establishes committees to work on issues including science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce
development, research security, and other matters as they arise. These
committees are composed of experts from each of the Federal science
funding agencies and work on reports and memoranda that advance the
Administration's scientific agenda.
office of the under secretary of defense for research and engineering
Question. What is your vision for the Office of the USD(R&E)?
Answer. It is critical that the Department innovates more quickly
and with more efficiency. If confirmed, I would look for opportunities
to implement, as appropriate, best practices that I've used in the
private sector to drive innovation at speed and with efficiency
throughout the organization. I would seek to impact a culture that can
be overly risk averse. To benefit from an innovative culture, it must
be understood that there is knowledge to be gained from experimental
failures and without such failures, the pace of innovation will
necessarily be slow. I am committed to working with Congress to develop
newer, higher quality and more efficient systems for the warfighter.
Question. If confirmed, what recommendations, if any, would you
make regarding changes to the organization, management, and resourcing
of the Office of the USD(R&E) so as better to execute its duties and
responsibilities?
Answer. If confirmed, one of my first actions will be to review the
organization for how to foster an innovative culture that can move with
speed while being efficient. I will work to ensure that our priorities
are aligned with the Administration's policies and that our resources
have a clear strategy against which to operate. If confirmed, I look
forward to reviewing the OUSD(R&E)'s budget including its plans for the
fiscal year 2026 budget submission.
Question. Are there other assets, including staffing and resources
that you believe the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for
Research and Engineering requires to optimize mission accomplishment?
Answer. A thorough review of the staffing and resources within the
OUSD(R&E) is critical to ensure that the Department is aligned with the
President's and Secretary Hegseth's national security priorities.
Before taking decisive actions, I will want to thoroughly examine the
organization's programs, budget, and authorities and solicit feedback
from key stakeholders. Undoubtedly, the OUSD(R&E) can play a role in
speeding up, reducing costs, and improving the performance of the
innovation ecosystem. As the percentage of any system that is reliant
on both new software and hardware technologies has increased
dramatically in the last decade, the need for the OUSD(R&E) to be an
effective voice on feasibility, cost and fostering an innovation
ecosystem is more critical than ever.
Question. What is your understanding of the role of the USD(R&E) in
advising and supporting acquisition programs for the Department of
Defense?
Answer. As someone from the business community, I believe I can
bring a unique perspective. My understanding is that research and
engineering can play a key role in improving the acquisition outcomes,
particularly by providing unbiased and deep expertise to identify
technical risk early on in acquisition programs. Recognizing that we
are in a competitive race, I would work with my counterparts to
evaluate whether the value provided by each step in the process is
sufficient to justify burden on innovators and the cost and schedule
impacts. If confirmed, I would work closely with my counterparts to
bring best practices from the private sector and to be relentlessly
clear-eyed about the tradeoffs that must be made between schedule,
capability and cost.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure effective
collaboration between your office, the Office of the Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Services?
Answer. These are critical relationships and in this age of great
power competition the stakes are too high to get it wrong. The statute
that established the USD(R&E) gave it the mission of advancing
technology and innovation, including by supervising technology
transition. Helping to overcome the so-called valley of death is a core
statutory responsibility that I am enthusiastic about. If confirmed, I
will work to ensure that these relationships are functioning
effectively to drive the innovation ecosystem.
major challenges and priorities
Question. What are the major challenges that confront the next
USD(R&E), in your view?
Answer. The USD(R&E) plays a key role in revitalizing the defense
industrial base, creating competition, and building a modern and lethal
arsenal. As the Department's CTO, the USD(R&E) also helps to secure our
supply chains, prevent intellectual property theft and cyber-
intrusions, and develop President Trump's Golden Dome air and missile
defense system to protect our homeland. Further, the culture of the R&E
Enterprise must evolve to one that delivers the best capabilities at a
pace that exceeds that of our adversaries. This must include the
reduction of duplicative efforts and re-focusing on key priorities that
are clear and understandable to everyone at DOD.
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to address each of these
challenges?
Answer. The challenges of revitalizing the industrial base and
building a modern and lethal arsenal requires matching the appropriate
DOD investment or development mechanism to each opportunity. For
example, the OSC seeks to address industrial base and supply chain
issues through long-term investments in companies with tremendous up-
side for DOD, while development and transition tools like prototyping,
experimentation and the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of
Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program address the challenge of
building modern and lethal capabilities while increasing the size of
the defense industrial base, creating competition and opportunities for
new and non-traditional defense contractors. Keystone initiatives like
the President's Golden Dome air and missile defense system will require
the systems engineers across the Department to collaborate on
architecture and software, in collaboration with the development and
acquisition communities.
Question. If confirmed, what broad priorities would you establish
that you believe should be addressed by the USD(R&E)? What
recommendations would you make regarding those priorities?
Answer. Capitalizing on technology leaps that arise once in a
generation is the key broad priority for the USD(R&E). For example,
learning how to leverage and safely deploy artificial intelligence
capabilities to the maximum extent while leveraging private sector
innovation and investments; ensuring the military fully benefits from
the revolution of quantum computing; and pioneering novel and advanced
domestically developed materials. If confirmed, I would assess the
Department's efforts in these pivotal technologies to ensure the
Department is able to take the lead over our near-peer adversaries.
Question. In your view, what technologies do you consider the
highest priorities for DOD to develop, based on their ability to
contribute to the Department's mission in the short-and longer-terms?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to being briefed on the Global
Research Watch Programs and on the most recent horizon scans across the
U.S. and adversaries' technology landscapes to inform my priorities.
The USD(R&E) must balance addressing short-term capability gaps with
the need to invest in long-term strategies to meet the missions of the
future, while being fully informed on the threat perspective and armed
with the most relevant intelligence reports. Without being read-in at
the necessary levels, it is difficult to forecast technology priorities
beyond highlighting artificial intelligence, autonomous systems,
quantum computing, directed energy, and hypersonic capabilities.
Question. If confirmed, how would you connect your technology
strategies and plans with the efforts of other military services and
combatant commands?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the
OUSD(R&E)'s technology strategies and fostering strong working
relationships with the Military Services and the Combatant Commands.
The relationship between the OUSD(R&E) and the Military Services and
the Combatant Commands is critical to ensuring that the United States
maintains a technological advantage over our adversaries and the
warfighter has the capabilities needed to deter and defeat our
adversaries. The combatant commands are the first place to understand
the needs of the warfighter and with the enormous R&E capabilities that
the Services have, these relationships are key to the success of the
USD(R&E).
Question. What scientific fields do you consider the most important
for shaping and developing new technologies, concepts, and capabilities
that will be the most relevant for future warfighting and defense
missions?
Answer. Prior to being briefed on the important work already
occurring in the S&T and engineering portfolios, I am reticent to name
a single scientific field as the most critical. As the nominee to be
the DOD CTO, if confirmed, I would be the champion for every critical
field across the S&T and engineering enterprise that is contributing to
rebuilding our military and reestablishing deterrence. However, across
any of these fields, innovation is the most relevant concept that will
contribute contributing to our future warfighting and defense missions.
Central to technological innovation is speed. Innovation does not stop
at the invention of new weapons and defense systems but also in
improving them reducing their cost over time. Innovation requires
leadership that is willing to take bets on things that do not work but
has the discipline to stop them with haste. Finally, innovation means
focusing investments in S&T to the concepts that are aligned with our
Peace through Strength Mission. Time and speed must be driving factors
in all our decisions, particularly as a sophisticated near-peer, China,
accelerates their research and engineering at a faster rate due to
lower labor costs and shortcuts through intellectual property theft.
Question. In your view, are there any technology areas that should
be added or removed from the current list of DOD's modernization
priorities? If so, please explain your rationale.
Answer. It is my understanding that there are currently 14 Critical
Technology Areas identified by the Department as vital to maintaining
U.S. national security. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the
work being done in all 14 Critical Technology Areas and ensuring the
Department's resources are focused on our most critical challenges with
the right amount of weight behind each area.
Question. Based on your experience, are there enduring technology
areas that might not be considered emerging (for example, energetic
materials, or corrosion control) that the Department should remain
focused on as categories outside of the modernization priorities? How
should the Department make investment decisions to balance the needs
between these emerging and enduring technology areas?
Answer. The DOD should constantly review and update its
modernization priorities to ensure it is responsive to the needs of the
warfighter and is addressing critical threats, capabilities, and
opportunities. For example, outside of the 14 Critical Technology
Areas, the OUSD(R&E) also focuses on research in munitions; energetics;
alternative positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities; counter-
unmanned systems; nuclear modernization; autonomous systems; and
advanced materials. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department
allocates its resources in an appropriate manner to address the threats
from our adversaries.
chief technology officer
Question. If confirmed as USD(R&E), you would serve as the Chief
Technology Officer (CTO) of the Department of Defense. What do you
perceive to be the current role of the CTO of the Department of
Defense?
Answer. From my understanding, the CTO serves as the principal
advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense for all
matters regarding advancing technological innovation. The CTO provides
technical leadership and oversight, establishes strategic priorities,
issues guidance, and acts as the senior responsible official for the
supervision of all programs and activities pertaining to the R&E
Enterprise across DOD.
Question. Based on your experience, how do you think this differs
from a CTO role in industry? Are there aspects that you think should be
integrated into the USD(R&E) role? Please provide details on your
response.
Answer. I have been fortunate enough to have formative experiences
in the private sector throughout my career. I am a firm believer that
bringing best practices from the private sector into the Department is
a top priority because, if adopted effectively, they will streamline
operation and allocate resources more appropriately. In industry, the
CTO role does not advise multiple separate entities and is focused on
one entity and commonly has all the engineers developing a product in
their organization. The CTO of DOD advises many different organizations
with different systems, therefore broad expertise and an understanding
of how others build things is most critical. The key practice that is
relevant is that the CTO in private industry makes hard tradeoffs
consistently. The choice of feasibility, capability and speed is a
constant decision framework. I believe that the CTO of DOD could bring
that practice to DOD, and it would drive important culture change.
Question. Should the role of the CTO be modified in other ways to
enhance its effectiveness?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing how the role of
CTO is currently supporting the mission of advancing technology and
innovation. I look forward to advising Secretary Hegseth on how the CTO
role can be modified, if necessary, to best support the mission.
Question. Given the growing role of information technology and
software in military capabilities, what do you understand to be the
differences in roles, responsibilities, and authorities between the DOD
Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the CTO?
Answer. The DOD CIO and the DOD CTO must work closely together. The
CIO ensures that the department has a solid information technology (IT)
foundation upon which the CTO can build, while the CTO's insights help
the CIO anticipate future challenges and strategic opportunities. While
the two offices focus on seemingly separate efforts, their
collaboration is key as they are essential for ensuring that DOD can
effectively leverage the power of information technology and maintain
its technological edge given the increasing value of data and of
systems that can interoperate.
Question. Do you believe the position of USD(R&E) currently
possesses adequate authorities to exercise the responsibilities of a
CTO? Please explain your answer.
Answer. If confirmed, one of my first actions will be to review the
organization. I will work to ensure that our priorities are aligned
with the Administration's policies and that we have the appropriate
resources and tools to appropriately address our critical threats.
OUSD(R&E) authorities will be a part of that review. I look forward to
working with the Committee to ensure that the Department has the
appropriate tools to carry out our mission.
investment in science and technology
Question. If confirmed, what metrics would you use to assess the
suitability of the portfolio of investments made under the defense
science and technology (S&T) program, to include the magnitude and
diversity of the investments?
Answer. The Department's S&T investments can and should align to
key operational challenges and opportunities faced by the Joint Force,
and if confirmed, I will assess the DOD S&T portfolios to see if the
research areas are well mapped to address capability shortfalls and
stay ahead of the threats. Such challenges and opportunities are driven
both by top-level strategic guidance as well as by direct interaction
and collaboration with the Military Services, the Combatant Commands,
Allies, and partners. Science and technology often takes a longer view
than other investments, addressing future military needs through
deliberate, targeted investment. Since there is uncertainty about which
technologies could provide revolutionary capabilities in the future,
robust S&T investments must ensure our Nation is able to exploit
emerging technology areas, informing new asymmetric warfighting
capabilities and reduce risk of technological surprise by potential
adversaries. An important metric would be comparison in capability to
our adversaries, but also the degree to which DOD has advanced new
technologies that don't exist elsewhere and doing so at a predictable
cost and timeframe.
Question. In your view, should the Secretary of Defense's Defense
Planning Guidance include guidance for the science and technology
programs of the Military Departments? Please explain your answer.
Answer. Yes, maintaining robust investment in S&T is vital to our
Nation's future security. S&T can be used to rapidly mature advanced
technology in response to operational need, but it is also the
foundation of future military concepts. Thus, there should be guidance
in the Defense Planning Guidance to ensure minimum levels of funding
for that security.
Question. Do you believe that the Defense Planning Guidance should
include guidance on minimum investment levels for the research and
testing infrastructure of the Military Departments? Please explain your
answer.
Answer. As noted by Secretary Hegseth, it is President Trump's
priority to achieve peace through strength. If confirmed, I understand
it would be my role to make recommendations to the Secretary on the
budgets for research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E), and
that would include participating in the development of the Defense
Planning Guidance (DPG) that influences the budgets of the Military
Departments. I will work with the requisite stakeholders to ensure the
Military Department budgets are sufficient to accomplish RDT&E missions
for the entire DOD.
Question. What role should the USD(R&E) play in the detailed
development and coordination of Military Department and Defense Agency/
Field Activity S&T investment strategies, programs, and budgets, in
your view?
Answer. The USD(R&E) should play a critical role in the development
and coordination of S&T investment strategies, programs, and budgets
for the Military Departments and the Defense Agency/Field Activities
maximizing return on investments for joint applications.
Question. What role should the USD(R&E) play in the development and
coordination of Military Department research and test infrastructure
investment strategies, programs, and budgets, in your view?
Answer. The USD(R&E) is responsible for ensuring the priorities of
the President's National Security Strategy and Secretary of Defense's
National Defense Strategy are reflected in RDT&E strategies, programs,
and budgets. In general, the USD(R&E) focuses on cross-cutting
investments that go beyond a single Military Department. The USD(R&E)
serves as an accelerator to use innovative contracting vehicles and
relationships with private industry and academia to develop, test, and
field new capabilities in coordination with the Combatant Commanders.
Question. What S&T areas, if any, do you consider underfunded by
the DOD?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the OUSD(R&E)'s
budget, including its plans for the fiscal year 2026 budget submission,
to understand what, if any, S&T areas may need additional funding.
Question. In your judgment, will the lack of funding in these areas
affect the Department's ability to meet the threats of the future?
Please explain your answer.
Answer. In general, the Department should seek to fully fund
critical S&T areas to meet current and future threats. As mentioned
above, if, confirmed I would look forward to reviewing the Department's
S&T budget plans to understand what, if any, S&T areas may need
additional resources.
Question. If confirmed, what factors would you consider in
assessing whether the Department's S&T investment strategy strikes the
appropriate balance between funding innovative, disruptive technologies
and addressing near-term operational needs and military requirements?
Answer. Balancing near-term and long-term investments is a
persistent, multifaceted challenge that demands addressing immediate
warfighting needs while also maintaining long term technical
superiority over adversaries. Key to this task is aligning investments
in critical technology and capabilities with warfighter needs that are
derived from our national strategy. This involves balancing multiple
lines of effort, including modernizing existing systems, developing new
emerging technologies, and ensuring a robust, vibrant national security
industrial base. Short term investments should include transitioning
impactful capability to operational use, while long term investments
should involve higher risk, high reward activities that have the
potential for revolutionary leaps in capability. An important enabler
for striking this balance between incremental vs. disruptive progress
is continual risk assessment and adaptive budget processes to keep pace
with ever-evolving adversaries. I would coordinate closely with the
Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, and Services to ensure our investments
are aligned to Warfighter needs. The Department must also possess
transparent, effective accounting systems to track spending, such as
the Transition Tracking Action Group.
The Department's S&T activities form the basis of new technology
components and system capabilities. High fidelity models and wargaming
can provide insight into the effectiveness of innovative disruptive
technologies vs. near-term systems to meet operational needs. A
collective informed decision can then be made to balance near-term
needs vs the potential of a disruptive capability. In collaboration
with other elements of the Office of the Secretary of Defense,
especially the USD(A&S), I will support forming new pathways to get the
most promising and relevant component technologies into integrating
prototypes for rapid transition to operating forces while ensuring our
developmental technologies always have an eye toward the next fight and
the next challenge.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure the Department's
leadership is aware of successful efforts resulting from investments in
science and technology programs and organizations in supporting defense
missions?
Answer. If confirmed, I will seek opportunities to ensure the
Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and other senior leaders are made aware of
successful efforts resulting from S&T investments, including by
promoting their participation in engagements such as R&E's
experimentation program. Additionally, I will communicate success
stories up the chain of command and throughout the senior leadership.
Question. In your view, what are the critical legacy technology
areas where DOD has needs that may not be met by industry or academia
and we should be maintaining steady, sustaining investments to ensure
warfighting capability?
Answer. This is an important question which is probably best
answered after I have been fully informed. In my preparation for this
hearing, I have seen multiple examples of ``dual use'' technologies
where the Department benefits from the economies of scale and
performance improvement pace that is driven by demanding civilian
commercial competition. The Critical Technology Areas have a mix of
suppliers ranging from existing companies with established commercial
markets to new companies with yet-to-be established emerging commercial
markets. Maintaining investments to ensure competitive opportunities to
those with established commercial markets has the desired effect of
increasing resilience if a portion of them have U.S.-based supply
chains. Likewise, maintaining steady investments to ensure competitive
opportunities to those with emerging commercial markets has the desired
effect of increasing diversity by adding multiple reliable suppliers
for DOD to access.
basic research
Question. Given the continuing nature of basic research and the
broad implications and applications of discovery-focused and
innovation-focused sciences, what criteria would you use to measure the
success of DOD basic research programs and investments, if confirmed?
Answer. Basic research programs have played a unique and critical
role in exploring new scientific directions for revolutionary
technology development in support of the DOD mission and continue to do
so. For example, in the near-term, success includes generating a
talented workforce that is able to continue developing solutions for
DOD, and the emergence of technologies into production by DOD and the
private sector. The velocity of basic research maturing into usable
technology is a key measure that allows for more long-term investment
because of the confidence it builds in the choices that lead to the
start of new investments. Longer-term success involves technologies
taken from the laboratories into programs of record and dual-use
technologies acquired by the Department. New and well-integrated
approaches to evaluate the potential impact of discovery-focused basic
research programs are needed to facilitate the planning of transition
efforts, accelerate innovation, but also better assess the DOD-relevant
scientific innovations versus those of our pacing competitors.
Question. What concerns do you have, if any, about current levels
of funding for Department of Defense basic research? How would you plan
to address those concerns, if confirmed?
Answer. DOD basic research programs have benefited from consistent
budgetary support over the last decade, but near-peer competitors,
especially China, are increasing their investments in basic research
more quickly than DOD while experiencing lower labor costs and
benefiting from intellectual property theft. It is vital to have strong
support for basic research in the Department, because otherwise there
is a significant risk that China and other nations will be in the lead
in fields critical to DOD in the future, but it is incumbent on the R&E
Enterprise to be efficient in using its budget to produce more than it
has in the past.
research security and program protection planning
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure that DOD's basic and
applied research programs are executed in a manner consistent with
National Security Decision Directive 189 and National Security
Presidential Memorandum 33?
Answer. It is my understanding that National Security Decision
Directive (NSDD) 189 has been executed through previous USD(R&E)
memoranda and broadly defines fundamental research at the Department as
basic and applied research performed at universities, or basic research
performed at defense labs and in industry. National Security
Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) 33 directs review of all fundamental
research projects to protect against foreign government interference
and exploitation. If confirmed, I would continue to carry out these
NSPMs unless modified or superseded by new directives promulgated by
the President.
Question. What efforts would you make, if confirmed, to enable the
Department to benefit from open innovation in fundamental research,
while protecting such research from undue foreign interference?
Answer. Fundamental research is critical to the Department in
generating the science behind the next great warfighter capabilities.
If confirmed, I would seek to balance open inquiry against the
Department's research security needs as currently described in NSPM 33
and other relevant statues and directives.
Question. If confirmed, what are your ideas for working with the
academic community to limit undue foreign influence on university
research programs, and limit unwanted foreign access to research
expertise and results, without creating an undue burden on the open and
collaborative nature of the research community?
Answer. I believe that the academic community, DOD, and the science
funding agencies should work collaboratively to solve the problem of
undue foreign influence on university research programs in an efficient
and implementable way. If confirmed, I will work with the Office of
Science and Technology Policy and other interested science funding
agencies to implement consistent policies and procedures for our
research community. Consistent training, awareness, and education to
and by the institutions are critical to limit undue foreign influence
in university research programs that supports the Department.
Question. In your view, what steps could the USD(R&E) put in place
to ensure that regulations pertaining to Department-funded university
research are consistently applied and monitored by DOD and ensuring
they are well understood by the university community?
Answer. If confirmed, I would prioritize promulgating and
implementing clear, consistent policies across the Department with
exceptions made speedily if proven to be needed. Finally, I believe the
Department should work with university leaders to clearly explain what
the Department wants and also to learn from them where burdens can be
reduced without reducing effectiveness.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to protect U.S.
research and intellectual property from undue foreign influence,
without unjustly singling out researchers from certain nations?
Answer. Intellectual property generated by industry and the results
of U.S. funded research is the bedrock of our economic and national
security. If confirmed, I will ensure the Department's due diligence
reviews for small businesses and university research are conducted
based on a clear set of objective criteria in alignment with statute
and this Administration's priorities.
Question. In your opinion, are there ways to better coordinate and
streamline the research security guidance to universities and the
Program Protection Planning carried out by the government? For example,
are there data sharing systems to improve visibility for academia,
industry and the government?
Answer. A holistic approach to research security and program
protection, to include improving and streamlining information sharing,
is vital to rapidly and securely fielding capabilities to our
warfighters. If confirmed, I will pursue digital modernization
opportunities to improve visibility of relevant information such as
adversaries' problematic behavior, potential mitigating actions, and
security posture best practices while reducing administrative burden to
academia, industry, and program offices.
expanding the dod academic research base
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take increase DOD
engagement with universities participating in the Defense Established
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research?
Answer. My understanding is that the Defense Established Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research works to increase research capacity at
universities that have not worked with the Department much in the past.
If confirmed, I would make sure that the Department is engaging with
these universities as much as possible to help researchers there better
align with DOD research priorities and better understand how to work
with the Department. The Department's research efforts can only benefit
from having more universities to work with. Based on what I know about
the program, I would intend to be very supportive.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to increase the
funding for and quality of fundamental research at defense
laboratories?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure a balanced research portfolio
to include looking for opportunities for collaboration with academia
and industry, increasing scientific integrity, and actively engaging
with our Allies.
science and technology activities of civilian agencies
Question. Do you believe that Department of Defense and other
national security missions benefit from robust funding for scientific
research in civilian agencies? Please explain your answer.
Answer. I believe that national security in general, and the
Department specifically, absolutely benefit from robust funding at
civilian science agencies. At the same time, DOD should not ignore
private sector innovations either. The DOD must apply a broad sense of
non-duplication.
Question. If confirmed, how would you work with other Federal
agencies and the Office of Science and Technology Policy to improve
coordination of research activities and harmonization of research
funding decisions?
Answer. It is critical that Federal research agencies coordinate
their research activities. There are limited resources for research and
the pace of technological development is constantly increasing.
Coordination is key to making sure we develop new technologies
efficiently and quickly. This coordination should happen across the
Federal agencies, from the leadership level on strategic issues down to
the programmatic level on more tactical, project-by-project level
decisions. If confirmed, I would want to have regular meetings with my
counterparts at other Federal agencies and ensure that those that work
within the OUSD(R&E) does the same. Within the OUSD(R&E), technology
transition portfolio managers throughout the innovation ecosystem can
work to harmonize funding for critical technologies across their
research and acquisition lifespan.
technology strategy
Question. What weaknesses, if any, do perceive in the current
defense S&T strategic planning process?
Answer. Each Military Service carries out its S&T planning to
address its specific needs. This is necessary, but there is a risk that
needs that are common across the Military Services are not adequately
prioritized by each Military Service. The OUSD(R&E) is crucial to
ensuring that the individual Military Service plans take in to account
Joint needs and new technology opportunities. The oversight of Military
Service S&T planning and fostering of collaboration between the
Military Services on technology development in areas of common interest
is a critical role that the OUSD(R&E) must fulfill to ensure a strategy
that results in a robust, truly Joint S&T Enterprise. Further,
cooperation with the various S&T organizations could help to limit
`requirements creep' and any capability falling through the cracks of
various organizations.
Question. What do you believe to be the key attributes of a good
technology strategic plan and how could these attributes be carried
through effectively to the DOD programming and budgeting purposes?
Answer. Very little technology development has an impact in a
vacuum. Good strategic planning must incorporate the many stakeholders
involved in research, qualification, acquisition, fielding, and
sustainment. Strategic planning for groundbreaking technology must also
identify connections to Military Services and program offices to
influence requirements rather than just respond to them. Moreover, a
good technology strategic plan should balance technology push for
global competitiveness with requirements pull, both addressing future
warfighter needs. The plan should include near-, mid-, and far-term
capability goals and technology objectives, and integrated across the
department to ensure meaningful and cost-efficient progress. Last, an
effective technology strategic plan should provide clear development
metrics, identify where defense fits into the larger commercial
investments in dual use technologies, and define a timeline for
technology insertion into the acquisition process.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure reliance on technology
strategic plans as foundational elements of the budget, planning, and
programming process?
Answer. The OUSD(R&E) maintains senior officials for technology
areas deemed critical to national defense, who are responsible for
ensuring that science, technology, engineering, prototyping, and
demonstration investments are effectively leveraged and fully aligned
with DOD's priorities. If confirmed, I will assess if the Critical
Technology Areas are well aligned with the National Defense Strategy. I
will ensure that senior officials, as well as other staff within the
OUSD(R&E), collaborate closely with the Director of Cost Assessment and
Program Evaluation, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
(Comptroller), and the Military Services to ensure that technology
strategic plans are foundational elements of the budget, planning, and
programming process. There, however, must be an acknowledgement that
the validity of any strategic plan has been reduced in time. As such,
these plans must have elements that can be revisited in shorter
timeframes if the situation demands.
technology transition
Question. How would you assess the effectiveness of current
transition processes and systems?
Answer. The current technology transition process is challenged.
The primary challenge is the availability of funding in the year of
execution or lack of clarity that the capability is on the path to
becoming a funded program. As technologies mature and are proven
funding must be available to support transition. The current PPBE
process does not provide flexibility for accelerated fielding and DOD
must improve the visibility in gives to the suppliers on their chances
of succeeding within DOD.
Question. In your view, what challenges exist in technology
transition in DOD?
Answer. The pace of change in technology development and on the
battlefield has become much faster than the pace of change of
requirements. The Department is too slow to develop the demand signal
for a new capability to be relevant. If confirmed, I will attempt to
help make the OUSD(R&E) a driver of future requirements to ensure we
are investing in and fielding the right things at the right time.
Question. What would you do, if confirmed, to address each of these
challenges?
Answer. The USD(R&E) can leverage the Accelerate the Procurement
and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program to address the
problem of the mismatch between the pace of budgeting and the pace of
development; the APFIT program is successfully enabling innovative
companies to bridge funding timelines and get technology into
production up to 2 years sooner. The Department can also continue
improve the relevance of its technology development cycles through
leveraging multi-service collaboration and operational experimentation
with the Combatant Commands.
Question. As compared to other technologies, do you believe that a
different methodology is needed to transition software capabilities
from research to operational use?
Answer. I was excited to see that Secretary Hegseth recently signed
a memorandum recognizing that today's reality is ``software-defined
warfare'' and directing all DOD Components to broadly modernize their
approach to software acquisition. I look forward to bringing my
experience from the private sector to support the Secretary in driving
software modernization across the research and engineering portfolio.
Question. What are your views as to whether DOD's approach to and
processes for funding technology transition must be changed? What sort
of changes, if any, would you recommend, if confirmed?
Answer. An important challenge is the traditional budget process
for emerging solutions. This has historically posed significant
challenges for small businesses and other innovative businesses that
desire to work with DOD. The APFIT program provides a model which has
been successful at bridging the gap. Flexibility in funding is critical
to accelerate prototyping, transition, and fielding, but also DOD must
endeavor to make decisions faster and communicate more clearly to
ensure that indecision fatigue does not set in with aspiring vendors.
commercial technologies
Question. What steps would you take to make appropriate use of
commercial technologies for the benefit of DOD institutions and the
warfighter?
Answer. We must utilize the strength and innovation of the U.S.
commercial sector, particularly dual-use technology, to bolster DOD and
improve Warfighter lethality. In my role as USD(R&E), if confirmed, I
will advocate for the Department to fully leverage U.S. industry. There
are programs in OUSD(R&E), such as Technology Readiness Experimentation
(T-REX), that inform DIU procurement of commercial technologies for the
Warfighter.
Question. What do you believe to be the most significant barriers
to Program Executive Offices or prime contractor adoption and
transition of new technologies, including but not limited to commercial
technologies, into acquisition programs? What should be done to address
such barriers, in your view?
Answer. It is my understanding that Program Executive Offices face
many barriers when adopting and transitioning new technologies into
acquisition programs. Such barriers include the misalignment of
technology development throughout the community with acquisition
requirements, a lack of program plans that include insertion points,
and a lack of funding to incorporate technology transitions. If
confirmed, I will work with USD(A&S) and DIU to remove these barriers,
so technology adoption and transition is easier for the Program
Executive Offices.
Question. In your view, would there be benefit to the Department's
establishment of a comparative testing program for domestic commercial
technologies--perhaps a program modeled on the successful Foreign
Comparative Testing program?
Answer. The Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program has done an
excellent job at determining procurement alternatives for current and
emerging requirements, capitalizing on partner and ally investments and
expertise in many warfighting capability areas. FCT authorities that
allow follow-on procurement without additional competition could be
applied to current defense innovation acceleration efforts to enable
similar benefits domestically.
Question. What do you see as the test and evaluation needs for non-
developmental or commercial items to ensure they can still meet the
technical requirements and human factors needs of environments often
more complex and demanding than commercial settings?
Answer. It is vital that the Department continues to integrate
existing commercial and non-developmental capabilities to meet
technical requirements in efforts to achieve cost effectiveness,
resilience, and drive rapid innovation. However, commercial
technologies often are not designed, in the first instance, to operate
under contested, high-stress, and complex environments--including
adversary electronic warfare and cyber capabilities. In my role as
USD(R&E), if confirmed, I will ensure that technology readiness
experimentation evaluates commercial technologies to measure readiness
for the modern battlefield. I look forward to working with industry,
particularly nontraditional defense contractors, to implement these
processes. I believe that many commercial technology providers will
work with DOD to adapt their technologies for dual use if the process
is simplified and streamlined.
systems engineering and prototyping
Question. Does the Department of Defense have sufficient systems
engineering expertise in its current workforce and contractor base?
Answer. Without having experience with this workforce and
contractor base, I would want to fully assess the capabilities of these
groups, if confirmed. Regardless, in order to address emerging
challenges, we need to continuously enhance this expertise. The
OUSD(R&E) leads a number of initiatives to upskill the systems
engineering workforce. These efforts focus on equipping individuals
with the necessary skills to perform critical acquisition tasks, such
as systems engineering, digital engineering, production, quality
assurance, manufacturing, information technology, agile software
development, and testing. It is also important that we enable new
contractors to compete for DOD business so that we have a more robust
ecosystem.
Question. What changes, if any, do you believe should be made in
the Department's systems engineering organizations and practices?
Answer. Engineering serves as the foundation for technology
development, transition, acquisition, and sustainment. Studies of DOD
acquisition outcomes have shown that implementing rigorous foundational
engineering activities early in the capability life cycle leads to
improved cost, schedule, and performance results. To achieve this, the
Department must prioritize modular open systems architecture, digital
engineering, and workforce training to deliver capabilities to the
warfighter. By doing so, it can effectively identify, mitigate, and
prevent potential challenges in development, manufacturing, deployment,
and sustainment.
Question. What role does prototyping play in efforts to increase
the success of the Department's acquisition efforts?
Answer. The development of advanced prototypes, coupled with
rigorous experimentation in representative environments, has rapidly
fielded warfighting capability. When coupled with appropriate, timely
resource planning, prototyping and experimentation has enabled the
Department to bring operational capabilities to the force two to 5
years faster than traditional acquisition pathways. If confirmed as the
USD(R&E), I will explore seek to exploit the full potential of this
approach with the Military Services and acquisition leaders.
Question. If confirmed, how would you work to increase the breadth
and scope of systems engineering projects and prototyping efforts
undertaken by the Department and its contractor base?
Answer. Mission engineering processes provide the approach for
systems analysis across complex operational environments. This approach
defines breadth and scope of system engineering projects and
prototyping efforts to fill critical warfighting gaps. These gaps are
shared across the development community, academia, and industry for
common understanding. This approach aligns a common threat, mission
thread, and systems-of-systems architectures across the community.
Shared development results in comprehensive solutions for acquisition.
Question. What are your views on the maturity and availability of
digital twin or model-based systems engineering tools in the commercial
space, and their potential applicability for DOD needs. Please explain
your answer.
Answer. Industry has seen notable progress in digital twin and
model-based systems engineering tools. These technologies demonstrate
the ability to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance system
availability. DOD must overcome barriers to scalability, complexity,
security, and interoperability to fully realize the benefits of these
tools. To this end, the OUSD(R&E) must continue to improve policy,
guidance, and digital standards consistent with commercial best
practices in this field.
venture capital and private equity
Question. In your view, what role should venture capital and
private equity firms play in the Department's investments in developing
technologies, including in the Small Business Innovation Research
program?
Answer. Venture capital (VC) and private equity investment in
defense technologies could play an even bigger role in the
revitalization of the defense industrial base, particularly for small
businesses seeking to gain entry and provide innovative solutions to
meet evolving warfighter demands, delivering breakthrough, war-winning
capabilities. Programs such as Small Business Innovation Research/Small
Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) provide opportunities for
small businesses--many of which are VC-backed--to be a part of these
revitalization efforts. If confirmed, I would pursue opportunities
within the Defense SBIR/STTR programs that allows for small businesses
to leverage critical defense VC investment, increasing the ability to
rapidly develop and field critical capabilities at scale.
Question. What advantages and disadvantages do you see in the use
of venture capital and private equity strategies?
Answer. Through programs at the Office of Strategic Capital, DOD
leverages one of the U.S. strengths by leveraging the investment acumen
and skillsets of successful and experienced fund managers who act as a
force multiplier to surface, foster, and develop new critical
technologies, components, and production processes vital to national
and economic security. Such strategies can involve risk, particularly
given investments in emerging technology companies, but funds can
mitigate that risk by taking a portfolio approach while programs, such
as SBIR/STTR, provide opportunities to fuse Government research and
development funding with private capital from defense venture and
private equity firms. Technology transition programs focused on
bridging innovative solutions developed through the SBIR/STTR programs
can benefit from contracting with venture-backed small businesses. With
the Department's strategic efforts to acquire dual-use technologies in
lieu of home-grown solutions, firms backed by private VC demonstrate
strong commercial demand, which provides a level of both cost and
technical risk mitigation when the Government is assessing investment
of finite sources toward a particular solution or capability.
One disadvantage of VC and private equity strategies is that
investors may need to see returns on a shorter timeframe, which may not
be conducive for certain research projects. However, with clearer
communication and changes that enable funding in earlier intervals, we
could improve the effectiveness.
Question. Should the Department decide to use venture capital and
private equity strategies, what steps do you believe should be taken to
ensure that Department funds are invested in technologies and companies
that properly reflect national defense priorities, avoid the potential
for conflicts of interest by industry partners, and to ensure that the
Department's investments are not diluted?
Answer. The DOD National Defense Science and Technology Strategy
specifies 14 Critical Technology Areas vital to national security.
Within that framework and consistent with statute, the OSC Investment
Strategy further identifies and prioritizes integrated strategies for
maintaining and enhancing competitive advantage. Investments can fail
to reap synergies that might otherwise be available through
coordination, both within OSC's portfolio and with the adjacent efforts
of interagency partners and the private sector.
A foundational component of OSC's activities with VC and private
equity funds is the requirement for participating funds to invest a
significant portion of its portfolio in the DOD Critical Technology
Areas. OSC, though its own authorities and interagency partnerships,
embraces these target areas for investment and implements programs
aligned with DOD needs. Furthermore, OSC's initial program invest in
the funds (rather than competing with industry as a direct venture or
private equity investor), which alleviates inherent conflicts. OSC's
mandate could be further extended to back-up financing to even further
extend its purview.
Question. How can the Department leverage other innovative
financing strategies, like loans, loan guarantees, equity or
reinsurance to help support the technology development strategies of
the Department?
Answer. Capital markets are a major source of strength for the
United States in the global competition for technological advantage.
DOD can leverage the advantage provided by capital markets through
financial instruments like loans and loan guarantees, equity, and re-
insurance, all of which have been used as part of proven strategies to
attract and scale private capital in support of national security
priorities, including the development of critical technologies, their
components, and the ability to grow and scale production. When paired
with DOD's expertise with promising critical technologies, supply
chains, and broader industrial base requirements, these tools enable
efficient investments that deliver unprecedented value to DOD and the
taxpayer.
Question. What other strategies do you intend to employ, if
confirmed, to ensure that the Nation's most innovative companies work
on the Department's research and engineering programs?
Answer. OSC works with the private sector to strengthen
technological advantages in the United States. By aligning Government
and private sector incentives around technology areas vital to national
security and economic security, DOD uses the power of the market and
economic competition to attract the capital required for critical
technology investment through organizations like OSC and programming
like the SBIR/STTR Strategic Funding Increase.
beneficial ownership concerns
Question. What concerns do you have regarding foreign beneficial
ownership of DOD contractors and subcontractors, especially those with
venture capital or private equity funding?
Answer. My expectation is that all DOD contractors and
subcontractors, regardless of ownership and regardless of funding
mechanism, work toward DOD's goals and objectives. Malign foreign
influence, intellectual property escape, and poor cybersecurity are
concerning issues that are also applicable to the entire defense
industrial base.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to ensure
continuous monitoring and assessment of the beneficial ownership of DOD
contractors and subcontractors?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work closely with the USD(A&S) to
ensure appropriate reporting of DOD contractor ownership and any
subcontractors that would risk our supply chain.
operational energy and energy resilience
Question. The Department defines operational energy as the energy
required for training, moving, and sustaining military forces and
weapons platforms for military operations, including the energy used by
tactical power systems, generators, and weapons platforms. Today, DOD
energy requirements are projected to increase geometrically due to
technological advances in weapons systems and distributed operations
over longer operating distances.
If confirmed, how would you lead the Department in harnessing
innovations in operational energy in order to reduce contested
logistics vulnerabilities for warfighters?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work closely with the USD(A&S), the
Joint Staff, the Military Services, the Combatant Commands, the S&T
community, and industry to pursue opportunities to reduce the
military's energy logistics vulnerabilities both domestically and
abroad. I will support resilient, secure, and innovative energy
solutions, including advanced power generation and storage, microgrids,
and nuclear power, as well as advances to reduce operational energy
needs to increase military capabilities while reducing logistics
burdens associated with providing energy to the warfighter.
international research cooperation
Question. In your view, how should increased globalization of
defense technology affect the Department of Defense's research and
technology development and investment strategy?
Answer. If confirmed, I would seek to increase opportunities for
industry to provide commercial solutions to the hardest defense
problems. I would also engage with our Allies and partners to leverage
their technological capabilities to complement and protect the
Department's strategic investments in technology maturation and
capability delivery. The OUSD(R&E) investment strategy should focus on
reestablishing deterrence and maintaining strategic advantage while
preventing critical technologies from falling into the hands of global
adversaries or competitors.
Question. What do you perceive to be the most significant obstacles
to effective international research and development cooperation, and,
if confirmed, how would you address those obstacles?
Answer. From my perspective, the most significant obstacles to
effective international research and development cooperation are
conflicting priorities. If confirmed, I would increase awareness across
the DOD Components' international science and technology activities to
promote transparency and accountability across the Department as well
as ensuring the DOD Research and Engineering Enterprise pursues
international collaboration, both government-to-government and with
industry, in support of the Secretary's strategic priorities and to
deliver capabilities at the speed of relevance. Finally, I intend to
work with the DOD Components to identify funding that will be used
specifically to pursue international cooperation with Allies and
partners that bring an equitable investment to collaborative
activities.
Question. How would increased international technology cooperation
and procurement of foreign goods and services affect our domestic
defense industrial base, in your opinion?
Answer. If confirmed, I would work with the DOD Components to
consider acquisition and sustainment pathways early in the co-
development process. This will allow the U.S. defense industrial base
to leverage the industrial bases of trusted Allies and partners to meet
DOD procurement and production demands, potentially leading to a more
competitive and innovative ecosystem.
Question. What best practices should govern Departmental monitoring
and assessment of the research capabilities of our global partners and
competitors, and of the global commercial sector?
Answer. While other parts of DOD and the U.S. national security
community writ large provide critical functions of monitoring and
assessing the research capabilities of global partners and competitors,
if confirmed, I would also leverage the opportunities and insights
offered by regionally embedded personnel exchanges and in-country
stationed DOD technical experts. These individuals provide valuable
insights into allied and partner capabilities and investments, which in
turn can inform best practices for pursuing collaborative activities
with those countries. Another example is expanding joint
experimentations and demonstrations. If confirmed, I will encourage
more opportunities to include allied and partner participation in DOD
experimentations and demonstrations to assess and evaluate their
capabilities.
test and evaluation
Question. What are your views on the adequacy and effectiveness of
the Department of Defense's developmental test and evaluation
activities?
Answer. Thorough testing in an operationally realistic environment
is critical for informing acquisition decisionmaking, identifying
programmatic opportunities to apply additional engineering and risk
mitigation resources, and ensuring operational readiness. I believe
that DOD still has work to do to align its test activities with the new
Adaptive Acquisition Framework and to ensure that test and evaluation
processes are properly structured to assess software-intensive systems,
new capabilities such as artificial intelligence-enabled autonomous
systems, and to leverage new systems engineering approaches such as
digital engineering.
Question. What modifications would you recommend to the test and
evaluation processes in the Department to more efficiently and quickly
develop and deliver operationally effective and suitable technologies
to the warfighter?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to improving the Department's
use of digital ecosystems across the capability lifecycle from science
and technology work through systems delivery and sustainment while
providing data-driven decisionmaking through a campaign of learning,
all focused on delivering operationally effective and suitable
technologies to the warfighter.
Question. What role do you believe OSD should play in developmental
test and what type of organizational structure and staffing is required
to effectuate this role?
Answer. Per section 133a of title 10, U.S. Code, the USD(R&E) is
responsible for establishing policies on and supervising developmental
testing activities and programs across the Department. If confirmed, I
will review the existing organizational structure and staffing and from
that determine what, if any, changes are needed to maintain an
effective developmental test and evaluation role across the Department.
Question. What are your views with respect to the Test Resources
Management Center and in particular with respect to ensuring the
services budget appropriately funding for Major Range Test Facility
Bases such as the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site?
Answer. I support the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal
year 2025, which gives the TRMC additional authorities to oversee the
support infrastructure on the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands,
which encompasses the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site. If
confirmed, I look forward to working with the Director of the TRMC and
the Secretary of the Army to ensure these facilities are adequately
maintained and upgraded consistent with Secretary Hegseth's priorities.
Question. Do you believe the Office of the Test Resource Management
Center (TRMC) has sufficient resources and authority to manage the test
and evaluation infrastructure of the Department? If not, what changes
would you recommend?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the TRMC to
understand its current resources and authorities and to determine if
those are sufficient to manage the T&E infrastructure for the
Department.
Question. Do you believe the Department has sufficient test and
evaluation infrastructure to support the needs of both research and
development and acquisition? If not, how would you ensure DOD has
sufficient test and evaluation infrastructure?
Answer. As I understand it, the Department faces big challenges in
meeting the projected demand for testing new technologies like
hypersonic weapons. If confirmed, I will need to verify that the
Department's current and planned T&E infrastructure will be sufficient
to meet projected demand. I would work with the requisite stakeholders
to determine sufficiency of current T&E infrastructure and make any
necessary adjustments.
small business issues
Question. The Department of Defense has the largest Small Business
Innovation and Research Program (SBIR) government wide. In 2025, the
SBIR program will be up for renewal.
What recommendations do you have to improve the Department's use of
the Small Business Innovation Research programs in order to develop and
field new, advanced capabilities?
Answer. The SBIR/STTR programs are important tools to grow the
small business ecosystem that is critical to Department's modernization
efforts. These programs have delivered numerous technologies and
capabilities that have been adopted by warfighters and commercial
entities. It is essential that the programs are executed in a manner
that prioritizes Departmental needs, ensures merit-based selection
procedures, and decreases barriers to entry to ensure a robust defense
industrial base. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the SBIR and
STTR programs to build on existing improvement initiatives and ensuring
robust delivery of critical capabilities expeditiously and consistent
with the demands of the Department.
Question. If confirmed, how would you work to ensure that the Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is an integral part of DOD
modernization strategies and activities?
Answer. The DOD invests over $3 billion each fiscal year through
the SBIR/STTR programs in innovative technologies to meet critical
needs of the warfighter and grow and modernize the defense industrial
base while ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds. If
confirmed, I am committed to working with Congress, the Service
Acquisition Executives, and all other parties of interest to ensure
that the SBIR/STTR programs are fulfilling their missions of developing
and delivering innovation, consistent with the Department's
modernization strategies and Critical Technology Areas.
Question. If confirmed, how might you modify the SBIR program to
improve the transition of S&T capabilities into acquisition programs?
Answer. Many game-changing technologies adopted by DOD came from
small innovative businesses. The SBIR and STTR programs are important
tools to support the small business ecosystem. If confirmed, I look
forward to reviewing these programs and driving efficiencies. I will
work closely with Congress and with my counterpart, the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, to make appropriate
improvements to the SBIR program.
Question. If confirmed, how might you modify the SBIR program to
improve its ability to attract new entrants into the defense ecosystem,
such as small startup companies, as participants?
Answer. Small business concerns, including nontraditional defense
contractors, may require additional assistance to understand
Government-specific processes and procedures such as proposal
submission requirements, pre-award activities, cybersecurity rules and
practices, and foreign disclosure requirements. If confirmed, I would
work with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment and the Director of the DOD Office of Small Business
Programs to review ways to increase opportunities to educate small
business concerns, ensuring the Department is making a concentrated
effort to educate small businesses on how to do business with DOD.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to improve DOD's
consideration of intellectual property rights as an incentive for small
business to engage with the Department?
Answer. Many game-changing technologies adopted by DOD came from
small innovative businesses. The SBIR and STTR programs are important
tools to support the small business ecosystem. If confirmed, I look
forward to reviewing these programs and working with my counterpart,
the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, on ways
to improve how the Department incentivizes small business to engage
with intellectual property rights.
Question. What emphasis would you place, if confirmed, on
participation by the acquisition community in setting research
priorities for the SBIR program and in incorporating new technologies
and methods into existing programs of record?
Answer. Many game-changing technologies adopted by DOD came from
small innovative businesses. The SBIR program is an important tool to
support the small business ecosystem. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing this program and working with my counterpart, the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, to involve the
acquisition community in setting research priorities for the program
and incorporating new technologies and methods into existing programs
of record.
Question. The 2022 reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation
and Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) place
several due diligence requirements on all participating agencies,
required a certain number of ``open topic'' solicitations, and set
minimum performance standards for experienced SBIR firms.
As Congress focuses on reauthorization of SBIR and STTR in 2025, in
your view, are there authorities that could be expanded to incentivize
the number of new entrants into the SBIR program?
Answer. The SBIR program is an important tool to support the small
business ecosystem. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing this
program and exploring how the Department can incentivize new entrants
into the SBIR program and improve its effectiveness. Current
authorities lack a clear definition of open topics, so I believe a
clearer definition is needed to ensure consistency of open topic
generation across the Department. Additionally, I would like to see the
Department have a delegation of authority for setting threshold amounts
for Sequential Phase II awards to more effectively take innovative
solutions across the valley of death, scale production or operational
testing, and reach program transition or commercialization.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to improve
existing risk management processes to ensure intellectual property and
technology do not end up with adversaries?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the current policies and data
captured by the Defense SBIR/STTR Program Office with regards to due
diligence and explore how to work with different stakeholders to
improve existing risk management to ensure intellectual property and
technology do not end up in the hands of adversaries.
Question. In what ways can the Department balance the desire for
new entrants into the defense space with the need for veteran SBIR
providers that have a successful track record for delivering needed
technology solutions to the Department?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with the Defense SBIR/STTR
Program Office to review the current ratio of new entrants to existing
awardees and commit to ensure that policies are in place to meet the
needs of the Warfighter.
Question. How can we better collect and align data on SBIR between
the DOD components and that collected and presented by the Small
Business Administration to ensure consistent analysis of outcomes?
Answer. If confirmed, I would explore opportunities to improve data
collection.
defense laboratories
Question. What is your overall assessment of the technical
capabilities and quality of Defense laboratories relative to their
peers at the Department of Energy, and in federally Funded Research and
Development Centers (FFRDCs), industry, and academia--both foreign and
domestic?
Answer. Defense laboratories and FFRDCs can play a critical role in
national security by conducting specialized research and developing
technologies not easily replicable elsewhere. Comparing them to other
sectors, including the foreign sector, requires careful consideration
of their distinct missions, strengths, and limitations.
Question. In your view, are there specific or unique capabilities
the defense laboratories provide the Department that industry would not
be capable of providing?
Answer. The defense laboratories have world-class scientists and
engineers capable of leading the development of technologies critical
to the distinctive needs of the military fighting force. With quality
scientists and engineers and unique laboratories and testing
facilities, the defense laboratories are capable of tackling high risk
technical challenges that may be in some cases beyond what industry and
academia can achieve on their own. In addition, as leaders in
technology development, the defense laboratories and test centers focus
on the needs of the warfighter as their top priority.
Question. What do you believe to be the most effective management
and human resources approaches for personnel at these Defense
laboratory facilities?
Answer. An innovative and empowered workforce requires a flexible
and progressive human resources system. My understanding is that the
Department's Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL)
Personnel Demonstration Program (Lab Demo), managed by the OUSD(R&E),
may meet this need. The OUSD(R&E) collaborates with the STRLs to
leverage congressional workforce authorities and to develop new
personnel flexibilities to enable them to recruit, retain and cultivate
a quality and optimized DOD Laboratory workforce.
Question. If confirmed, what specific steps, if any, would you take
to improve the quality, technical capabilities, and mission performance
of the Defense laboratories?
Answer. If confirmed, I would seek to review the defense
laboratories and identify ways to improve quality, technical capability
and mission performance across the enterprise.
federally funded research and development centers (ffrdcs) and
university affiliated research centers (uarcs)
Question. In your opinion, what role do the FFRDCs play in the
defense research ecosystem? How would you characterize the value of
such organizations to DOD?
Answer. It is my understanding that FFRDCs can be an important part
of the DOD S&T ecosystem. At their best, FFRDCs can provide objective
technical expertise, long-term vision, and a unique ability to bridge
the gap between research and operational implementation.
Question. If confirmed, what suggestions would you make to better
utilize FFRDCs across the Department?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the current policies and use of
the FFRDCs to explore how the Department might more efficiently and
effectively use the FFRDCs.
Question. In your opinion, how do the UARCs differ in role and
purpose from FFRDCs, defense labs, and defense contract research
organizations?
Answer. UARCs are university-based research institutions focused on
long-term research with broad national security implications. The
FFRDCs are objective advisors that provide technical expertise and
analysis to address specific complex challenges, the defense
laboratories conduct research, development, and testing directly tied
to the specific needs of the Military Services, and defense contract
research organizations are private companies that primarily engage in
research and development driven by commercial interests.
Question. In your opinion looking across the full landscape of
current UARCs, do you see any major technical discipline or research
capability gaps that are not being currently addressed and would
therefore benefit from a dedicated UARC? Are there any UARCs that in
your opinion have outlived their useful purpose?
Answer. While I cannot currently make definitive pronouncements
about specific UARCs outliving their purpose, if confirmed, I will
review the current policies, UARC strategic alignment, and potential
for adaptation.
Question. How do the UARCs help with STEM and workforce development
that supports DOD?
Answer. Given proper direction, UARCs can promote appropriate STEM
education, workforce development, and knowledge transfer that directly
benefit DOD.
Question. If confirmed, what suggestions would you make to better
utilize UARCs across the Department?
Answer. If confirmed, I will review the current policies and use of
the UARCs to explore how the Department might more efficiently and
effectively use them.
workforce issues
Question. What is your perception of the particular workforce
challenges confronting the DOD research enterprise?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the
research enterprise's particular workforce challenge and finding ways
to appropriately address those challenges.
Question. How would you work with the personnel policy and
management communities in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and
the Military Departments to enhance the human resources flexibilities
available to DOD labs, test ranges, and other research and engineering
components of the DOD with a view to improving productivity,
performance, and mission accomplishment?
Answer. It is my understanding that the OUSD(R&E) executes
oversight of Lab Demo, the STRL personnel system. If confirmed, I will
work with the Military Departments to assess their needs to continue
supporting their human capital requirements across the research
enterprise.
Question. How would you work with the DOD lab, test range, and
other research and engineering components of the DOD to maximize
utilization of human resources flexibilities currently in place or
newly authorized?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
existing and potential human resource flexibilities relevant to these
components.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to increase the
recruiting and retention of scientists, engineers, software coders, and
other technical positions across the Department's research enterprise?
Answer. Recruiting and retaining top scientists and engineers is a
priority for the Department's research efforts. If confirmed, I look
forward to learning more about ways to increase the recruiting of key
technical positions across the research enterprise.
Question. Are there ``health metrics'' that the DOD is or could be
using to help ensure that the DOD research enterprise workforce is
adequately sized for all of the tasks assigned to it?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning about ways to
analyze and appropriately size DOD research enterprise workforce to
ensure that it is capable of carrying out the priorities of the
President and the Secretary of Defense.
Question. Are there additional workforce hiring or retention
authorities that you would recommend to ensure the DOD research
enterprise can attract and retain world-class scientists, engineers,
and other technical professionals who are also highly sought after by
industry?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
existing and potentially new hiring and retention authorities.
space issues
Question. What is your understanding of the relationship between
the Office of the USD(R&E) and the Space Force? How can the USD(R&E)
best support space research and engineering, without duplicating
functions properly assigned to the Space Force?
Answer. The Nation is at a tipping point of maintaining or losing
its advantage in the space domain. Given limitations in vital technical
skills and the flexibility the United States must maintain for expanded
maneuvering in space, the OUSD(R&E) and the U.S. Space Force must work
synergistically to meet the needs of the Commander, U.S. Space Command.
This means investing in research efforts that lead to joint material
and non-material solutions that can be supported by operators from any
Military Service. If confirmed, I look forward to ensuring that the
OUSD(R&E) maintains a strong relationship with the U.S. Space Force.
missile defense agency
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to expedite the
Missile Defense Agency's shift in focus to research and development?
Answer. My understanding is that MDA is prioritizing a greater
focus on research and development with increased emphasis on
nontraditional defense contractors. Specifically, MDA has stood-up an
Advanced Capability Program Executive Office focused on rapidly
developing critical missile defense technologies and capabilities.
If confirmed, I plan on reviewing the Department's approach to
research and development, the utilization of prototyping, artificial
intelligence in weapon system development, and expanding the
technological advantages available to the Department and the
warfighter. The Department must invest in critical technology areas
vital to maintaining the U.S. national security and must develop and
apply 21st century technologies and accelerate transitioning key
technologies to the Military Services and the Combatant Commands to
maintain the U.S. technology advantage.
Question. What are your views with respect to divestiture of
management responsibilities for existing weapon systems to the Military
Departments?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to understanding how the MDA
and the Military Departments work together on managing, operating and
sustaining the Nation's missile defense capabilities.
Question. Should specific missile defense systems be transferred to
the Military Departments, in your view?
Answer. It is my understanding the Department has examined this
issue over the last several Administrations. If confirmed, I look
forward to understanding how the MDA and the Military Departments work
together on managing, operating and sustaining the Nation's missile
defense capabilities.
defense advanced research projects agency (darpa)
Question. What adjustments would you expect to make, if confirmed,
in the current style of DARPA research program management and
investment strategy?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about DARPA's
program management and investment strategy.
Question. What is the appropriate relationship between DARPA and
the Military Service S&T programs and laboratories?
Answer. It is my current understanding that DARPA executes its
high-risk model because of the existence of the Military Service S&T
organizations that diligently pursue more evolutionary requirements-
driven research. While the Military Service laboratories frequently
provide the ``Plan A'' baseline for program advancements, DARPA offers
a disruptive ``Plan B,'' that if successful, creates leap-ahead
capabilities, accelerated timelines, and/or dramatically reduced costs.
Sometimes DARPA proves that a new technological vector is possible but
needs the Military Service laboratories to carry out the maturation and
system application work necessary to scale the new technology. The key
to making these handoffs effective is ensuring that the Military
Services don't get stuck in ``sunk cost'' or ``not invented here''
thinking that would keep them from embracing DARPA-created disruption
and that the Military Services have the budget flexibility to be able
to quickly pivot to new DARPA-driven opportunities.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to improve
DARPA's effectiveness in transitioning successful programs and
innovations to the Services?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about DARPA's
approach to, and record of, transition to the Services.
office of strategic capital
Question. What is your understanding of the role and function of
the OSC?
Answer. It is my understanding that the OSC's role is to attract
and scale private capital investment in critical technologies and
critical components in the supply chain to support American national
and economic security. The OSC leverages the inherent competitive
advantage of U.S. capital markets through loans and loan guarantees to
motivate capital markets to support investments in areas that have been
deemed critical by DOD. These priorities include production and
component-level technologies critical to national security that
adversaries are also currently prioritizing.
Question. How does OSC play a role in accomplishing the
Department's core missions and functions?
Answer. The United States is in a technological-economic
competition with global adversaries such as China. That competition
requires critical component and production-level inputs that feed into
both defense and commercial capabilities that advance U.S. national
security in this competition. I understand DOD has historically
provided grants for research and development and contracts for
capabilities; however, the OSC uses Federal credit to incentivize
capital markets to make investments into those component and
production-level critical technologies that are critical for present
and future national security. These direct investments address a
``missing middle'' segment of the current market and increase
competitiveness and resiliency in the U.S. industrial base and supply
chains.
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (stem) education
Question. Do you agree with the premise that the Department of
Defense specifically, and the Nation as a whole, are facing a crisis in
STEM education?
Answer. I agree that as a Nation, the United States generally lags
in many areas compared to peer adversaries and other advanced economies
in preparing our youth for postsecondary studies and careers in STEM. I
believe that it is a national security imperative that our Nation, DOD,
and U.S. industry and academia have enduring access to STEM talent.
Question. In your view, how have deficiencies in STEM education
affected the Department's ability to execute its missions?
Answer. The ability to meet the national security mission and to
ensure that the Warfighters have the technologies they need to complete
their mission depends on the research and technology innovations that
the scientists and engineers conduct at DOD research laboratories,
engineering centers, and other defense agencies, as well as in industry
and academia. Deficiencies in STEM education will lead to a short
supply of talented candidates equipped to support national security
missions.
Question. What role do you think the Department should play in
supporting STEM education writ large, and also for service members and
their dependents?
Answer. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the
role that the Department plays in STEM education. Clearly, the
Department relies on talented scientists and engineers in the public
and private sectors to carry out its mission.
Question. What role should the Department play in other K-12 STEM
educational activities?
Answer. If confirmed, I would want to understand the current role
that the Department plays in K-12 STEM educational activities and make
assessments guided by direction provided by the Secretary of Defense.
manufacturing
Question. What role should DOD play in investing in manufacturing
innovation and ensuring that the resultant innovations are adopted into
defense industry and the organic industrial base?
Answer. The DOD's role in manufacturing innovation dates back to
the Second World War. Today, the United States faces a more diverse
range of adversaries, notably China, where the government has for
decades subsidized the growth of Chinese manufacturing. The United
States must routinely and effectively deploy advanced manufacturing
solutions if the domestic industrial base is to outpace that of China's
in economic or armed conflict. My sense is that DOD should accelerate
the development and adoption of advanced innovative technologies and
processes for manufacturing and sustainment applications across the DOD
enterprise.
Question. What is your assessment of the performance and impacts of
the DOD Manufacturing Technology program, including the Manufacturing
Institutes? How are these institutes linked with the research and
testing organizations in the Department?
Answer. I'm aware of the Manufacturing Technology Program,
including the Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MIIs) and I look
forward to learning more, if confirmed. My understanding is that they
both play a vital role in supporting innovation and the translation of
technology breakthroughs into products. The public-private partnerships
created by the MIIs provide an opportunity for the Department to
leverage industry, academia, and State and local entities in a unique
way that infuses the commercial and defense industrial bases with
advanced manufacturing capabilities.
microelectronics
Question. If confirmed, specifically what steps would you take to
ensure that the Department of Defense has assured access to the
microelectronics it requires for defense systems?
Answer. I understand the OUSD(R&E) manages the Trusted and Assured
Microelectronics Program (T&AM) program and the Microelectronics
Commons Program. Initiatives under the T&AM program include
accelerating access to the most advanced microelectronics technologies
from domestic foundries, development of methods to verify and validate
the integrity of microelectronics procured for DOD missions, and
promoting technology refresh on DOD platforms through prototype and
demonstrations of improvements in capabilities derived from
incorporating advanced microelectronics into systems. If confirmed, I
look forward to learning more about the on-going efforts within the
OUSD(R&E) and with interagency partners to ensure that DOD has access
to the microelectronics it requires for defense systems.
Question. What is your assessment of the Department of Defense's
microelectronics needs, to include both legacy, state-of-the-practice,
and state-of-the-art?
Answer. It is my understanding the Department has the need for a
variety of microelectronics including legacy, state-of-the-practice,
and state-of-the-art. Some of these needs are specific to DOD, such as
radiation-hardened microelectronics, and others are needs shared with
the commercial sector. If confirmed, I look forward to ensuring that
the Department has access to the many types of microelectronics it
requires for defense systems.
Question. If confirmed, what steps would you take to ensure that
the Nation has an effective microelectronics research enterprise?
Answer. Microelectronics has been designated as a Critical
Technology Area under the OUSD(R&E) which constructs research and
technology roadmaps with reference to microelectronics research
activities at other agencies. I would consider assessments of the
microelectronics workforce, infrastructure, and industrial base
capabilities are conducted and updated to identify gaps and
opportunities that can be addressed with DOD research initiatives.
Question. What role should the Department of Defense play in
supporting the commercial microelectronics industry?
Answer. The DOD relies on a robust microelectronics industrial base
to manufacture the components needed to ensure that DOD systems deliver
the capabilities needed by the warfighter. Research and development to
accelerate DOD adoption of the most advanced microelectronics
technologies supports the commercial microelectronics industry to the
benefit of both defense and economic security. In addition, if
confirmed I will support technology transfer of the results of DOD
microelectronics research and development to the commercial electronics
industry.
Question. What role should the Department of Defense play in
working with the interagency regarding domestic production of
microelectronics?
Answer. The DOD and the rest of the U.G. Government, collectively,
can help aggregate demand for microelectronics supported through
onshore full lifecycle capabilities. Communication and collaboration
across the U.S. Government is key to identifying critical needs that
are shared across agencies and prioritizing domestic production.
Interagency engagement is a key element of the OUSD(R&E)'s mandate to
construct research and development roadmaps and perform industrial base
assessments of capabilities. I look forward to engaging across the U.S.
Government to ensure DOD's needs are met.
Question. How can the Department of Defense reduce or mitigate its
dependence on foreign sources of microelectronics for its systems and
programs?
Answer. Onshoring of both advanced microelectronics manufacturing
and the supply chains that support the industrial base will reduce DOD
reliance on foreign sources. I look forward to learning more about the
OUSD(R&E)'s efforts under the T&AM program to promote domestic
manufacturing of advanced microelectronics.
sexual harassment
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take were you to
receive or become aware of a complaint of sexual harassment,
discrimination, or other harassment from an employee of the Office of
the USD(R&E) or an employee of an organization over which the USD(R&E)
exercises authority, direction, and control?
Answer. I have always conducted myself with integrity and
professionalism in every role I have held. I stand by my track record
as a business leader who has successfully led major innovation efforts
and worked with teams across industries and governments to solve
complex problems. I will State categorically that sexual assault and
harassment have no place in our country's military and Defense
Department. If confirmed, I commit to upholding all appropriate
standards of conduct in the Under Secretary's office and will also
familiarize myself with the Department's resources in instances of
alleged misconduct, including at the Office of the Inspector General,
and any tools from human resources and victim advocates, where
appropriate.
congressional oversight
Question. In order to exercise legislative and oversight
responsibilities, it is important that this committee, its
subcommittees, and other appropriate committees of Congress receive
timely testimony, briefings, reports, records--including documents and
electronic communications, and other information from the executive
branch.
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 Roger F. Wicker
needed authorities
1. Senator Wicker. Mr. Michael, with the enactment of the Fiscal
Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Under
Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (AT&L)
was split into two separate secretariats, one of which was the Under
Secretary of Defense of Research and Engineering, and the other was
Under Secretary of Defense of Acquisition and Sustainment. Prior to
this split, the Under Secretary of AT&L had specific authorities to
control the research and development efforts of each service if they
were not realizing the original goals set forth by the Office of the
Secretary of Defense. After the organizational split, the Under
Secretary for Research and Engineering no longer had that authority.
However, the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment maintained
that control over acquisition programs.
Do you believe the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering has
the authority necessary to influence the research and development
efforts of the services and components, or do you believe changes are
necessary?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, one of my first actions will be to
review the organization and review if any additional authorities would
be necessary to make the organization more effective. I will work to
ensure that our priorities are aligned with the Administration's
policies and that we have the appropriate resources and tools to
address critical threats. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) authorities will be a part of
that review. I look forward to working with the Committee to ensure
that the Department of Defense (DoD) has the appropriate tools to carry
out its mission.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Tom Cotton
golden dome
2. Senator Cotton. Mr. Michael, the President has made missile
defense a priority. Golden Dome will need to protect America from
cruise missiles, hypersonics, and maneuverable re-entry vehicles
released by intercontinental ballistic missiles. What do you view are
the requirements for America's Golden Dome?
Mr. Michael. President Trump's Golden Dome is a key initiative that
will provide air and missile defense to protect our homeland. If
confirmed, I look forward to better understanding and having input on
the requirements, including for specific missions and systems
identified in the President's Executive Order for Golden Dome.
3. Senator Cotton. Mr. Michael, what critical technologies already
exist, and what technologies must be developed and implemented to
complete the Golden Dome?
Mr. Michael. I understand that some of the critical technologies
necessary for Golden Dome for America may exist. As a nominee for Under
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)), I do not
have access to controlled unclassified information or classified
information that would inform a thorough answer. That said, I
understand that the Golden Dome for America requires a wide range of
developmental technologies that are specifically called out in the
President's Executive Order, such as space-based intercept
capabilities. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing the critical
technologies necessary to implement the Golden Dome.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator M. Michael Rounds
software acquisition pathway
4. Senator Rounds. Mr. Michael, as you know, the Software
Acquisition Pathway (SWP) was established in December 2019 following
the enactment of the Fiscal Year 2020 NDAA. However, over 6 years
later, DOD is still not taking full advantage of this authority.
Earlier this month Secretary Hegseth issued the memo ``Directing Modern
Software Acquisition to Maximize Lethality'' to direct all DOD
components to use the SWP as the ``preferred pathway for all software
development'' to include weapon systems programs. This is a positive
development. As the memo notes, ``DOD has struggled to reframe its
acquisition process from a hardware-centric approach to a software-
centric approach'' and as a result, ``it is the warfighter who pays the
price.'' If confirmed, what specific actions would you seek to
undertake in your organization to accelerate software acquisition,
especially within collaborative and modular autonomous weapons systems,
and fully take advantage of the more nimble and rapid development that
occurs in the commercial software sector?
Mr. Michael. I was encouraged to see that Secretary Hegseth
recently signed a memorandum that directed all DOD Components to
modernize their approaches to software acquisition. I understand that
the OUSD(R&E) has already been engaged in software modernization
activities, working closely with the DOD Chief Information Officer and
the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)). If confirmed, I commit to taking swift action
consistent with OUSD(R&E) authorities to advance a culture of agile
software acquisition and to promote agile development and procurement
approaches, including the Software Acquisition Pathway. I look forward
to bringing my experience from the private sector to support the
Secretary in driving software modernization across the research and
engineering portfolio.
spectrum
5. Senator Rounds. Mr. Michael, are you aware that essential DOD
capabilities rely on use of the lower-3 band?
Mr. Michael. Yes, I am aware that the lower-3 GHz band is home to
several critical ground, maritime, and airborne radar systems. My
understanding is that these frequencies have properties that make them
critical for our radar systems to find, discriminate, and track targets
in all weather conditions. If confirmed, I would look forward to
understanding the Department's specific spectrum needs and programs.
Clearly, we must ensure that our warfighters have the appropriate,
safe, and secure access to the right spectrum when they need it to
complete the mission, and that it is secure for our national security
needs.
6. Senator Rounds. Mr. Michael, if confirmed, will you commit to
defending the DOD's access to and unimpeded use of this portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum?
Mr. Michael. Mr. Michael. I understand the importance of this
spectrum to our military and to achieving the objectives of the
President and the Secretary of Defense. If confirmed, I look forward to
receiving further briefings on this topic and will work to ensure the
Department has the spectrum access necessary to achieve national
security and homeland defense objectives.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Joni K. Ernst
small business innovation research program-small business technology
transfer reauthorization
7. Senator Ernst. Mr. Michael, the Department of Defense allocates
more than $2 billion dollars each year for small business research,
development, and commercialization of new technologies. I recently
introduced S. 853, the INNOVATE Act. The bill would reauthorize the
Small Business Innovation Research Program-Small Business Technology
Transfer (SBIR-STTR) programs and enact reforms to accelerate
commercialization of battle-ready technologies from innovative small
businesses, strengthen research security measures to ensure that
taxpayer-funded innovations do not benefit America's adversaries, and
structure this program as a source of merit-based seed funding rather
than welfare for small businesses. Will you commit to working with me
and supporting the efforts I am leading in the upcoming SBIR-STTR
reauthorization?
Mr. Michael. The DOD invests over billions each fiscal year through
the SBIR/STTR programs in innovative technologies to meet critical
needs of the warfighter and grow and modernize the defense industrial
base while ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds. If
confirmed, I am committed to working with you, the Congress, the
Service Acquisition Executives, and engaging with all other parties of
interest to ensure that the SBIR/STTR programs are merit-based and
fulfilling their missions of developing and delivering innovation,
consistent with the Department's modernization strategies and Critical
Technology Areas.
department of defense research funding for academic and research
institutions
8. Senator Ernst. Mr. Michael, we must take all steps to ensure
that academics receiving Department of Defense (DOD) research funding
are not collaborating with malign foreign academic and research
institutions. Therefore, Congress has required the Department to ban
funding for academics with ties to malign institutions on the section
1286 list. Unfortunately, R&E has set a policy where malign
institutions are added to the list only if they meet a very high
threshold of evidence, such as a Chinese legal document attesting to a
university's ties to the military. If confirmed, will you work with me
to lower that threshold of evidence so that all foreign institutions
that are reasonably and plausibly believed to be malign are added to
the section 1286 list?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, in
coordination with other Department experts as appropriate, on re-
evaluating the thresholds of evidence for including malign institutions
in accordance with the criteria established in section 1286 to ensure
that we protect our intellectual property against foreign adversaries.
9. Senator Ernst. Mr. Michael, the Department of the Air Force's
China Aerospace Studies Institute published a study in 2020 detailing
37 officer and noncommissioned officer academic institutions in China.
(URL here: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/CASI/Display/Article/
2216778/the-peoples-liberation-armys-academic-institutions/). If
confirmed, will you work to ensure that all of these institutions, and
any successor institutions, are added to the section 1286 list?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to working with you, in
coordination with other Department experts as appropriate, and
leveraging available resources to include malign institutions in
accordance with section 1286 requirements both technically and
substantively. I look forward to learning more about the specific
institution that you have identified.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Dan Sullivan
alaska specific issues
10. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, as part of President Trump's
Golden Dome program, there will almost certainly be a need to ensure
that our advanced early warning radar systems like the E-7 are capable
of detecting incoming aircraft and missile threats both at home and if
necessary, forward deployed. We have had a number of issues in Alaska
with E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) readiness rates
due to aging airframes and parts. Will you commit to reviewing the E-7
program to make sure we are properly resourcing it and work with me to
ensure that we have that capability on hand when required in Alaska?
Mr. Michael. I have not been briefed on this Air Force issue. If
confirmed, I would look forward to learning more about the Air Force's
plans in this area, including a review of the E-7 program.
aerial refueling
11. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, what role do you think unmanned
aerial refueling (like the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray) will play in the
future of air combat?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I am interested in learning more about
this important capability. My understanding is that the MQ-25 and
unmanned refueling in general is especially critical in operations
within the western Pacific in which extended People's Republic of China
air defense ranges and surface-to-ship missiles require extended
carrier standoff. I look forward to studying these opportunities if
confirmed and acting with purpose to ensure that we are ensuring the
best capabilities are deployed as quickly as possible.
f-47 fighter program
12. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, as you are aware the F-47
program was awarded recently to Boeing. While I have no doubt that
Boeing was chosen because it had the best aircraft prototype, I'd like
to know how you plan to hold contractors (including Boeing) accountable
for any failures or delays in this program given its recent history
with the KC-46 which is ongoing?
Mr. Michael. Accountability for contractors is more essential than
ever. The OUSD(R&E) plays an important role in acquisition, including
through conducting independent technical risk assessments that identify
technical problems early on in the acquisition process. If confirmed, I
will work to provide independent technical risk and schedule
assessments in support of these activities, in compliance with DOD
authorities.
13. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, what do you think we learned
from these previous programs that we should do differently with the F-
47?
Mr. Michael. As a nominee for the USD(R&E), I do not have access to
controlled unclassified information or classified information that
would inform a thorough answer. That said, in general, my understanding
is that previous programs of a similar nature to the F-47 program have
struggled with single-vendor, total system contracts that pose
challenges from limited competition, flexibility, responsiveness, and
contract structures that do not have incentives aligned with the
mission. In addition, previous programs have been challenged by lack of
access to modern data and business systems to effectively provide
oversight. The convergence of digital engineering, systems engineering,
and agile, iterative development will provide more effective capability
development. If confirmed, I look forward to reviewing these issues
carefully and with speed and purpose.
defense acquisition and procurement
14. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, in a recent Readiness
Subcommittee Hearing on Joint Force Posture, I asked each of the
services' vice chiefs about budget flexibility and carryover funding
authority to provide each service with the ability to shift a certain
percentage of funds among capabilities each year. Do you think that the
services would benefit from such budget flexibility and how do you
think it should best be implemented?
Mr. Michael. Yes, given the pace of change in technology
development and its use on the battlefield, additional flexibility to
shift funding among capabilities, particularly in research and
development, would provide benefit to the Services in accelerating
prototyping, transition, and fielding solutions. Consolidating RDT&E
budget line items or even budget activities combined with increases in
the current reprogramming thresholds would provide greater flexibility
to transition programs and avoid start-stop funding, which delays
technological deployment.
15. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, as you probably know, software-
defined and autonomous systems are vital to U.S. Indo-Pacific
Commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo's hellscape concept of operations
(CONOP). And while not a panacea for a potential conflict with China,
Admiral Paparo recently stated, ``Unmanned systems [are] our force
multiplier'' and they ``multiply [our] combat power, without
multiplying our manning requirements.'' Specifically, he emphasized
that ``we have to build these capabilities at scale . . .'' During his
nomination hearing, newly confirmed Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen
Feinberg agreed stating, ``Clearly, we need to develop autonomy.
Autonomy in significant numbers with a centralized command . . .
Additionally, while we continue to heavily invest in new autonomous
capabilities, we also have hundreds--if not thousands--of legacy
systems, some in service and others in the boneyard, that could be
upgraded with 21st Century software.''
In your personal opinions, in order to fully ``scale'' autonomous
and software-defined capabilities ``in significant numbers'' to the
warfighter, what approach should DOD take in retrofitting--or
``jailbreaking''--legacy systems (that already exist in large numbers)
with cutting-edge autonomous software capabilities?
Mr. Michael. As we are seeing in Ukraine, retrofitting legacy
systems can be effective. Often, retrofitting existing systems with
software solutions is also the most cost-effective option. If
confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the programs within
the OUSD(R&E) to drive technology to retrofit systems. Wherever
possible, we should use novel approaches to upgrade legacy systems to
current missions as both a way to save time and money.
16. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, given the existing contractual
limitations, what authorities or contractual changes would your teams
need to execute these retrofits and unlock the latent capabilities
already resident, but sadly dormant in our existing warfighting
hardware?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to understanding any
potential contractual and authority limitations and taking full
advantage of opportunities to leverage significant latent capabilities
in systems that are already on hand and other dual-use technology
opportunities, in coordination with appropriate DOD Components and in
compliance with DOD policy and regulations. It should be a priority for
the DOD to request all additional authorities to leverage the installed
base of systems to unlock new capabilities.
17. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, as the chief advisor for DOD
Research and Engineering, you are charged with rapidly advancing
technology and innovation and quickly delivering these innovative
capabilities into the hands of our warfighters. Along these lines, in
Secretary Hegseth's advance policy questions, he addressed the
importance of autonomous systems in future conflicts. He stated, ``It
is clear that unmanned systems are a fundamental part of the future
warfighting environment,'' and ``recent events have shown that . . .
autonomy . . . among [other factors] will play a key role in future
near-peer conflicts.'' Given the clear priority and need for autonomous
systems in future conflicts, if confirmed, how would you seek to remake
and accelerate the development and deployment of warfighting autonomous
capabilities?
Mr. Michael. I understand that the OUSD(R&E) has been a leader in
the development of advanced autonomous capabilities. If confirmed, I
anticipate driving these initiatives further and faster as a key
Department priority. Accelerating these capabilities requires
partnerships across the DOD, engagement with academia and industry, and
engagement with partner nations to identify emerging solutions and
conduct advanced prototype experimentation. Joint experimentation
serves to demonstrate technical feasibility, determine utility for the
warfighter, and help develop combined and joint concepts of operation
for multi-domain autonomous platforms and command and control. USD(R&E)
industry engagement forums and partners like the Defense Innovation
Unit (DIU) serve to connect emerging solutions to DOD's challenges. For
example, the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) program, in
conjunction with the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of
Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program, have successfully accelerated
autonomous capabilities from nontraditional defense contractors for
Combatant Commanders. We must catch up to our adversaries where behind
and accelerate faster where we are ahead on autonomous systems.
18. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, is a national imperative needed
to help us ensure our competitive edge against our adversaries?
Mr. Michael. I agree that it is a national imperative to ensure our
competitive edge against our adversaries and that we need to take
faster action that may involve more risk to do so. The USD(R&E) plays a
key role in revitalizing the defense industrial base, creating
competition, and building a modern and lethal arsenal. As the
Department's Chief Technology Officer, the USD(R&E) also helps to
secure the Department's supply chains, prevent intellectual property
theft and cyber-intrusions, and develop President Trump's Golden Dome
air and missile defense system to protect the homeland.
19. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, last year, Congress received the
report of the Commission on Planning, Programming, Budgeting and
Execution (PPBE) Reform--a comprehensive report that outlined issues
with the Department of Defense's defense acquisition system. I plan to
lead efforts to cut bureaucracy and speed up innovation in the Pentagon
and defense technology sector and I believe the recommendations in this
report are a crucial step in doing so. Many of the reforms in that
report do not need congressional legislation to execute but rather can
be enacted by the Department of Defense and you, if confirmed. Will you
commit to review the findings of that report and direct a Pentagon
working group to begin implementation of the reform measures it
outlined?
Mr. Michael. It is critical that the Department innovate more
rapidly and with more efficiency. If confirmed, I would look for
opportunities to implement, as appropriate, best practices that I've
used in the private sector to drive innovation with efficiency
throughout the organization. The challenge of building a modern and
lethal arsenal requires matching the appropriate DOD investment or
development mechanism to each opportunity. If confirmed, I commit to
review the PPBE reform measures and form whatever working groups and
guidance are necessary to quickly implement reforms to ensure the
Department is able to take the lead over our near-peer adversaries and
are aligned with our peace through strength mission.
20. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, I am working with the Pentagon
and through legislation to lead efforts that help innovative defense
startups avoid the ``Valley of Death'' which results in long-
procurement timelines and shuttered defense firms. Will you commit to
work with me to fix this issue and to get feedback from non-traditional
defense technology leaders and scholars to reform the Pentagon's
processes?
Mr. Michael. Yes, I commit to working with Congress on this
important issue without hesitation. The statute that established the
USD(R&E) gave the official the mission of advancing technology and
innovation, including by supervising technology transition. Helping to
overcome the ``Valley of Death'' is a core statutory responsibility
that I am enthusiastic about. If confirmed, I will work to ensure that
relationships with non-traditional defense technology leaders and
scholars are functioning effectively to drive the innovation ecosystem.
21. Senator Sullivan. Mr. Michael, will you commit to reviewing the
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) as outlined
in the PPBE Reform Commission report and provide Congress with updates
as to the regulations that need to be removed or amended to speed up
acquisition?
Mr. Michael. Yes, I commit to reviewing the recommendations in the
PPBE Reform Commission report to update regulations and speed up
acquisition. And I commit to working closely with my USD(A&S)
counterpart on this important issue.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Ted Budd
united states-israel cooperation
22. Senator Budd. Mr. Michael, can you speak to your views on
United States-Israel Cooperation programs, particularly for anti-
tunneling, counter-unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and research on
emerging technologies?
Mr. Michael. I have not had the briefings or access necessary to
provide an informed assessment of current U.S.-Israel collaboration. If
confirmed, however, I would investigate these issues and provide an
assessment upon request. I do commit to strongly encourage and promote
such collaboration and look for ways that emerging technologies might
improve it.
hypersonics
23. Senator Budd. Mr. Michael, how concerned are you regarding
China's hypersonic capabilities and, if confirmed, what should the
organizations you have been nominated to lead, do to ensure sufficient
emphasis is placed on and the proper resources are put toward the
development of critical systems and supporting technologies that would
help lower the costs and accelerate the fielding of the Department's
offensive and defensive hypersonic programs of record, including those
that would support Golden Dome?
Mr. Michael. Hypersonic technology development is critical given
advancement by our adversaries. I expect that the Golden Dome for
America effort will galvanize a national effort to develop and field
hypersonic systems both for offensive and defensive use. I understand
that the OUSD(R&E) established hypersonics as a modernization priority
and Critical Technology Area in 2018, partly in response to the growing
Chinese hypersonic threat. The OUSD(R&E) leads the development of the
Department's vision, strategy, and roadmap for hypersonic technologies.
If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the Department's
hypersonic activities, including those that will support the Golden
Dome. This technology development must be combined with prioritization
by all the relevant components of the DOD to both speed deployment and
reduce duplicative efforts that could result in less focus on the
realization of such capabilities.
24. Senator Budd. Mr. Michael, if confirmed, are you committed to
working with this committee to ramp up the Department's efforts in
critical hypersonic systems and supporting technologies to compete with
China?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I commit to working with the Committee
to advance America's hypersonic technologies. I understand that the DOD
has made progress developing air-, land-, and sea-based hypersonic
weapon systems along with both terminal and glide phase hypersonic
defenses. The DOD must continue to increase the pace at which it
develops and demonstrates new hypersonic technologies and concepts,
must improve the affordability and producibility of current hypersonic
systems, must expand testing infrastructure for more frequent and agile
ground and flight tests, and, finally, must invest in the national
hypersonics industrial base to support the DOD's needs.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
research and critical technologies
25. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Michael, the University of Rochester's
Laboratory for Laser Energetics, or LLE, is primarily supported by the
National Nuclear Security Administration and drives innovation in
inertial fusion, high-energy-density science, and intense lasers for
the stockpile stewardship mission. The LLE is also leveraging their
expertise and making great advances in laser science and technology to
support DOD. What future role do you see for DOD to continue to
leverage Department of Energy (DOE) capabilities to keep the United
States at the forefront of innovation and high-tech education by
advancing faster than international competitors like China?
Mr. Michael. I see a significant role for DOD collaboration with
the DOE areas. The Nation's research universities possess unique,
world-class capabilities that benefit both the DOE and DOD. If
confirmed, I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about the
Stockpile Stewardship Program and to collaborate with the Administrator
of the National Nuclear Security Administration and academia on
critical programs that address emerging threats, deter adversaries, and
assure allies.
26. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Michael, America's leading research
universities, including those in my State, have a long history of
significant contributions to national security through science and
technology research and development. Under your leadership, how will
DOD continue to partner with research universities?
Mr. Michael. Basic research programs have played a unique and
critical role in exploring new scientific directions for revolutionary
technology development in support of the DOD mission and continue to do
so. U.S. research universities employ some of the top scientific minds
from around the world and have been responsible for many transformative
research developments in national security-related areas. If confirmed,
I will work to ensure that Department-funded research continues to
deliver greater capabilities to the Warfighter at the fastest pace
possible.
27. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Michael, basic (6.1) and applied (6.2)
research projects are the seeds for future innovations that will become
new military capabilities. The Federal Government is the main funding
source for the early stages of these long-term investments. How does
the department plan to align incentives to drive faster tech adoption
when funds for basic (6.1) and applied (6.2) research programs have
consistently been cut by the Department?
Mr. Michael. Basic and applied research programs are the lifeblood
of future technological advancement driving future capabilities. If
confirmed, I commit to working with Congress to ensure that 6.1 and 6.2
research has an appropriate level of funding to ensure that the U.S.
maintains a technological advantage over its competitors. Additionally,
speeding up the timeframes from basic and applied innovation to
prototypes and fielding of systems will be important proof points as to
the value of these areas.
28. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Michael, the Trump administration has
expressed interest in cutting down the current 14 critical technology
areas. How will those technology areas be chosen and what, if any,
technologies do you currently believe belongs on that list?
Mr. Michael. It is my understanding that there are currently 14
Critical Technology Areas identified by the Department as vital to
maintaining U.S. national security. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing the work being done in all 14 Critical Technology Areas and
ensuring the Department's resources are focused on our most critical
challenges with the right amount of weight behind each area. I intend
to review these areas from first principles based on the current
missions and will not hesitate to contract or expand them based on
today's realities.
29. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Michael, if confirmed, will you commit
to working with universities and academic institutions to help identify
them?
Mr. Michael. Before taking decisive actions, I will want to
thoroughly examine the critical technology areas and solicit feedback
from key stakeholders, to include universities.
My review of the work being done in the current 14 Critical
Technology Areas will include work being done by the Government,
private industry, and universities and academic institutions.
30. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Michael, how is the Department working
to ensure that while focusing on technology translation and other
commercialization efforts, it will support our top researchers in
continuing their efforts to develop revolutionary technologies that
will meet the most pressing national security concerns of the future?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will work to ensure a balanced
research portfolio to include looking for opportunities for
collaboration with academia and industry and technology transition and
commercialization efforts.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
missile defense
31. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, in December, your predecessor
highlighted that developing a hypersonic missile defense capability is
an urgent priority as near-peer adversaries develop advanced long-range
weapons. Hawaii, as the strategic center of the Indo-Pacific and home
to key command and control nodes, is particularly vulnerable to these
emerging threats. Do you agree that defending Hawaii against advanced
missile threats--including hypersonics--should be a top priority for
the Department?
Mr. Michael. Yes, I agree that the defense of the homeland,
including Hawaii, is a top Administration priority as evidenced by
efforts to build the Golden Dome. I expect that the Golden Dome will
galvanize a national effort to develop and field advanced missile
threat defenses. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the
numerous DOD Components that are developing the capabilities necessary
to defend the U.S. homeland.
32. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, will you commit to accelerating
the research, testing, and deployment of technologies that could enable
a missile defense capability for Hawaii?
Mr. Michael. The Golden Dome for America will, in its ultimate full
realization, will safeguard the entire Nation and its citizens through
a next-generation missile defense shield. The Golden Dome architecture
will use next generation and non-traditional advanced technologies--
including space-based sensing, space and terrestrial based intercepting
capabilities, left of launch defense capabilities, and both kinetic and
non-kinetic defeat mechanisms to counter all threats to the homeland.
research and engineering workforce
33. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, the Trump administration is
conducting mass firings of probationary employees and those hired
through nontraditional pathways--like Highly Qualified Expert or
``HQEs''. Many fill critical technical positions in USD(R&E) and come
from STEM [science, technology, engineering, and math] or the
commercial industry. DOD has yet to conduct the required analysis to
assess the impacts of these cuts on DOD readiness. Will you commit to
following the law and conduct the required readiness analysis before
terminating your employees?
Mr. Michael. Recruiting and retaining top scientists and engineers
is a priority for the Department's research efforts. If confirmed, I
look forward to learning more about ways to increase the recruiting of
and retention of key technical employees across the research enterprise
which includes assessments of readiness.
34. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, what specific policies or
oversight will you implement to ensure that critical technical
personnel are not dismissed because of the Trump administration's mass
firings?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
the research enterprise's workforce challenges and finding ways to
appropriately address retention and recruitment of critical technical
personnel.
working with allies and partners
35. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, the Department of Defense must
rapidly develop and integrate cutting-edge technologies alongside our
allies and partners to meet the pacing challenge posed by China. How
will you expand collaboration with Indo-Pacific allies and partners,
including joint technology development or testing programs, to ensure
interoperability and speed-to-fielding of key capabilities?
Mr. Michael. The Indo-Pacific remains the Department's priority
theater, even as the region is marked by increasing tension. I
understand that efforts like RDER are leveraging joint and coalition
experimentation opportunities in the Indo-Pacific theater now, and
there are opportunities to expand collaborative experimentation through
AUKUS Pillar II and with other interested nations. If confirmed, I will
work to understand and leverage these opportunities and extend
international collaboration in the Indo-Pacific theater so that the
maximum possible synergies are realized while ensuring protection of
our innovations.
defense established program to stimulate competitive research program
36. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, the FORGED Act also calls for
eliminating the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research (DEPSCoR) Program, a capacity-building program designed to
strengthen the basic research infrastructure at institutions of higher
education in underutilized States and Territories (section
101(a)(107)). If this legislation were enacted, what impact would this
have on DOD's ability to conduct research in underutilized States such
as Rhode Island?
Mr. Michael. My understanding is that the Defense Established
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) program works to
increase research capacity at universities that have not worked with
the Department much in the past. If confirmed, I would make sure that
the Department is engaging with such universities as much as possible
to help researchers there better align with DOD research priorities and
better understand how to work with the Department. The Department's
research efforts can only benefit from having more universities to work
with. Based on what I know about the DEPSCoR program, I would intend to
be very supportive of the DEPSCOR program.
37. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, would the impact be similar for
other underutilized States?
Mr. Michael. Yes, my understanding is that if the DEPSCoR program
is eliminated, all States that participate in the program would be
similarly impacted.
38. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, do you support eliminating the
DEPSCoR Program?
Mr. Michael. Based on what I know about it, I would intend to be
very supportive of the DEPSCoR program. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing the DEPSCoR program.
scaling prototypes
39. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, the Pentagon often struggles to
transition promising prototypes into large-scale programs. What
barriers do you see preventing the rapid fielding of innovative
capabilities, and how would you address them to ensure we can operate
at scale?
Mr. Michael. An important challenge for emerging solutions is the
traditional budget process and the traditional requirements process.
The traditional budget process has historically posed significant
challenges for small businesses and other innovative organizations
seeking to work with the DOD. Flexibility in funding is critical to
accelerate prototyping, transition, and fielding. The APFIT program is
an example of a successful model designed to bridge this funding gap.
Acquisition Executives also face barriers when adopting and
transitioning new technologies into acquisition programs. Such barriers
include the misalignment of technology development with acquisition
requirements, program plans that fail to include insertion points, and
a lack of funding to incorporate technology transitions.
40. Senator Hirono. Mr. Michael, how will you work with the Office
of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and
other components to address these challenges?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will work with the USD(A&S) to
understand and remove these barriers to technology adoption and
transition. I will look to leverage and improve models like the APFIT
program to overcome challenges with the budget process and accelerate
solutions in partnership with the USD(A&S). I will engage with user
representatives and the Joint Staff early in the requirements process
and encourage a re-evaluation of how the requirements process works. I
will be well positioned to assist the USD(A&S) with identifying and
addressing technical risks across the development lifecycle.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
ethics
41. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to not seeking any employment with or compensation from a
defense contractor, including through serving on a board, as a
consultant, or as a lobbyist, for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Mr. Michael. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
42. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to not engaging in any lobbying activities, including
unregistered ``shadow'' or ``behind-the-scenes'' lobbying under the
guise of consulting or advising on DOD-related matters, focused on DOD
or any of its components for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Mr. Michael. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
43. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, during your nomination process,
did anyone on the Trump campaign, transition team, or other closely
related entity approach you about your loyalty to President Trump?
Mr. Michael. No.
44. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you sign a loyalty pledge or other
similar oath? If so, please provide a copy of the text of that pledge
or oath.
Mr. Michael. No, I was never approached.
45. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you make any verbal representations of
loyalty? If so, please describe this representation.
Mr. Michael. No, I was not approached.
46. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, in November 2024, the New York
Times and other news outlets reported that Boris Epshteyn, a top
adviser to President Trump, allegedly requested payment from
prospective political appointees to promote their candidacies for top
positions within the Administration. Did you discuss the possibility of
joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn at any time?
Mr. Michael. No.
47. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you did discuss the possibility
of joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn, did Mr. Epshteyn seek
payment from you for promoting your candidacy for a position within the
Administration?
Mr. Michael. No.
48. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, at any time, did lawyers for
President Trump or members of President Trump's team approach you
regarding Mr. Epshteyn and the allegations cited above? If so, please
explain the information that they provided you, including copies of
documents, what was discussed during any calls, and any other
information pertaining to this interaction.
Mr. Michael. No, I was never approached.
49. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you own any defense contractor
stock, will you divest it to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of
interest?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, the Ethics Agreement I signed on March
10, 2025, which was previously provided to the Committee, sets forth my
ethics commitments.
50. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what do you consider the role of
the press in a democracy?
Mr. Michael. I strongly support a free press as a critical part of
democracy.
51. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you think it would be an
appropriate use of taxpayer resources to ``dig up dirt'' on journalists
who investigate or criticize you, your office, DOD, or the Trump
administration?
Mr. Michael. Absolutely not.
52. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit not to retaliate,
including by denying access to DOD officials or facilities, against
news outlets or individual journalists who publish articles that are
critical of you, your office, DOD, or the Trump administration?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
53. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, how many times have you been
accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for another individual in a personal or professional
capacity? Provide a list of all instances in which you have been
accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for an individual and the behavior of which you were
accused.
Mr. Michael. None.
54. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you requested, or has anyone
requested on your behalf, that any other person or third party sign a
nondisclosure, confidentiality, non-disparagement, or similar agreement
regarding your conduct in a personal or professional capacity?
Mr. Michael. No.
55. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you voluntarily release any
individual from any such agreements before your nomination hearing?
Mr. Michael. Not applicable.
56. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you ever paid or promised to
pay, or has anyone paid or promised to pay on your behalf, an
individual as part of any non-disclosure, confidentiality, non-
disparagement, or similar agreement?
Mr. Michael. No.
57. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if the answer to the question
above was yes, how much was promised, how much was paid, and what were
the circumstances?
Mr. Michael. Not applicable.
58. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit to recuse yourself
from all particular matters involving your former clients and employers
for at least 4 years?
Mr. Michael. I will abide by the extensive post-government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my Ethics Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in
full compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
59. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit to not seeking
employment, board membership with, or another form of compensation from
a company that you regulated or otherwise interacted with while in
government, for at least 4 years after leaving office?
Mr. Michael. I will abide by the extensive post-Government
employment ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of
my ethics agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive
restrictions relating to acceptance of compensation from defense
contractors, as well as communicating back to the Federal Government on
behalf of any future employers and clients. I believe that these
existing rules are appropriate and sufficient to protect the public
interest. If confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my
office honorably and I will seek any post-Government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
60. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, would it ever be appropriate to
threaten or imply that you would withhold future contracts from a
company if they filed a complaint, bid protest, or cooperated with an
Inspector General, civil, or criminal investigation?
Mr. Michael. No, that would not be appropriate.
61. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you think it is valuable to
encourage competition and innovation in the defense industrial base?
Mr. Michael. Yes, I believe that it is valuable to encourage
competition and innovation in the defense industrial base.
congressional Oversight and Transparency
62. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what is your understanding of the
role of the Department of Defense Inspector General and service
Inspectors General?
Mr. Michael. It is my understanding that the role of the Department
of Defense Inspector General is to conduct independent audits and
investigations relating to DOD's programs and operations to promote
economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and to prevent and detect fraud
and abuse. It is my understanding that the Service Inspectors General
perform similar functions, independently assessing for the Secretaries
of the Military Departments matters such as economy, efficiency, and
readiness.
63. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you ensure your staff
complies with any Inspector General deadlines established for requested
communications, providing witnesses, providing documents, and that
those witnesses will be protected from reprisal for their testimony?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
64. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are not able to comply with
any Inspector General requests and deadlines, will you notify the
Republican and Democratic members of the Committee regarding the basis
for any good faith delay or denial?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will work to comply with Inspector
General requests in a timely manner. I would defer to the Office of the
Inspector General to update members of the Committee regarding the
progress of the Inspector General's ongoing reviews.
65. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to refusing to follow illegal orders from any individual,
including the President?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will follow the law and the
Constitution of the United States.
66. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what actions would you take if you
were given an illegal order from any individual, including the
President?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I would have a duty not to carry out a
manifestly unlawful order.
67. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit to testify or
provide a deposition if you are called upon by Congress to provide a
deposition voluntarily?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
68. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit to testify or
provide a deposition to Congress if you are issued a subpoena to
testify?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
69. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit to providing
information or documents to Congress voluntarily if you are requested
to do so?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
70. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you provide information or
documents to Congress if you are issued a subpoena?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
71. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, will you commit to following
current DOD precedent for responding to information requests,
briefings, and other inquiries from Congress, including the Senate and
House Armed Services Committees and their minority members?
Mr. Michael. Yes.
72. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if confirmed, will you commit to
posting your official calendar monthly?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed I will commit to transparency consistent
with the law.? For example, if my official calendar is requested
pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, I will commit
to releasing responsive agency records subject to any withholding under
applicable FOIA exemptions.
73. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you think DOD has an
overclassification problem? If so, please provide this committee with
an estimate of the number or percentage of documents that will be under
your purview that are overclassified.
Mr. Michael. I believe the Department has done a tremendous amount
of work to reduce overclassification and ensure that information is
properly classified and declassified in accordance with Executive Order
13526. Despite these past efforts, it is my understanding that
overclassification persists at the Department, though the exact extent
of overclassification is not well understood by me at this time. If
confirmed, I will work with the USD(I&S) to support investment in tools
to assist in accurate classification--like machine learning and AI--
which have shown promise in reducing human error and should be further
employed to improve the classification, marking, and declassification
of the Department's sensitive information.
74. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, to the best of your knowledge, is
your service or component identifying records for proactive posting in
compliance with the Freedom of Information Act? If not, please describe
how you would ensure that they do so to comply with public records law.
Mr. Michael. I have not been briefed on the organization's
compliance posture with the Freedom of Information Act. However, I
fully support complying with all public records laws and would ensure
the OUSD(R&E) follows these laws.
75. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if confirmed, do you think your
department should pursue strategic technology to support automated
declassification?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
strategic technologies that hold promise to improve business practices
and make information sharing at the appropriate classification level
more efficient.
project 2025
76. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you discussed Project 2025
with any officials associated with the Trump campaign, the Trump
transition team, or other members of the Trump administration? If so,
please explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom
you discussed it.
Mr. Michael. No, I was never approached.
77. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you discussed Project 2025
with any officials associated with the Heritage Foundation? If so,
please explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom
you discussed it.
Mr. Michael. No, I was never approached.
nuclear weapons and missile defense
78. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what do you understand your role
to be in ensuring that programs do not reach this significant cost
overrun threshold if you are confirmed?
Mr. Michael. I have not been briefed on the details of the Sentinel
program. That said, modernizing the nuclear triad is a critical issue
for the country. As a statutory member of the Nuclear Weapons Council,
the USD(R&E) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the Nation maintains a
safe, secure and effective strategic nuclear deterrent now and in the
future. The USD(R&E) also provides independent technical risk
assessments for weapon systems, ensuring that acquisition decisions are
fully informed by a methodological approach. If confirmed, my role as
the USD(R&E) would be to identify technical risks and performance
shortfalls across the development lifecycle to inform critical
engineering and acquisition decisions. For major programs, this
engagement could include assessing technical risks and technical
maturity early on, assessing system performance as testing unfolds, and
assessing schedule risks as program development proceeds. I look
forward to fulfilling that role and ensuring the Department is
modernizing to meet future threats.
foreign influence
79. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you received any payment from
a foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government
within the past 5 years?
Mr. Michael. No.
80. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you communicated with any
foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
the past 5 years?
Mr. Michael. I have disclosed relevant contacts and communications
in my SF-86 and my Senate Armed Services Committee questionnaire.
81. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, please disclose any communications
or payments you have had with representatives of any foreign government
or entity controlled by a foreign government within the past 5 years
and describe the nature of the communication.
Mr. Michael. I have disclosed relevant contacts and communications
in my SF-86 and my Senate Armed Services Committee questionnaire.
retaliation and protecting whistleblowers
82. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you believe that
servicemembers, civilians, grantees, and contractors should be
protected from any form of retaliation for coming forward about an
illegal order, sexual assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or
any other concern that they wish to raise?
Mr. Michael. Yes, all whistleblowers should be protected consistent
with the law.
83. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, have you ever retaliated against
any individual for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual
assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern
that they wish to raise?
Mr. Michael. No.
84. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to protecting whistleblowers? If so, please specify how you will
do so.
Mr. Michael. Yes, I will protect whistleblowers by fostering a
culture of high integrity where everyone knows that we will follow the
law.
impoundment control act
85. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, on January 27, 2025, President
Trump's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo calling for
the suspension all Federal financial assistance programs (excluding
``assistance provided directly to individuals''). Do you agree with
OMB's decision to issue this memo?
Mr. Michael. I support the President's efforts to streamline the
Federal Government and ensure that it is carrying out Federal programs
in an efficient and economical manner. This is vital given the fiscal
constraints our country is facing that the President has pointed out,
and thus to making our national security policies and organizations
sustainably effective. That said, I am not aware of the how this
memorandum has been interpreted and applied among the relevant
executive branch agencies, including DOD. Therefore, I am not in a
position to provide an informed assessment of the matter. If confirmed,
however, I would look forward to learning more and helping to
facilitate solutions that reflect the President's and the Secretary of
Defense's priorities and are consistent with the law.
86. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you believe the Secretary of
Defense has the legal authority to block the disbursement of funds
appropriated by Congress?
Mr. Michael. I fully acknowledge and respect Congress'
constitutional role in appropriating funds to be carried out by the
executive branch for designated purposes. I commit, if confirmed, to
executing my responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the
law. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by the administration's legal
positions and advice from the Department's General Counsel's office.
87. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what is your understanding of the
Impoundment Control Act (ICA)?
Mr. Michael. My understanding is that Congress passed the
Impoundment Control Act in 1974. This Act provides a framework for
handling circumstances in which the President seeks to defer or cancel
execution of appropriated funds. I commit, if confirmed, to executing
my responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on
this matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice
to the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
88. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you commit to following the
Impoundment Control Act?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
Administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
89. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you commit to notifying the
Senate and House Armed Services Committees, including the majority and
minority, if you are asked not to follow the Impoundment Control Act or
not to expend the money that Congress appropriates or authorizes?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by advice the
administration's legal positions and from the Department's General
Counsel's office.
90. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, the Constitution's Spending Clause
(Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 1) and Appropriations Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9,
cl. 7) give Congress, not the Executive, power of the purse. The
Supreme Court has unanimously upheld this power. Do you believe that
impoundments are constitutional?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
91. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, the funding levels in
appropriations bills passed into law are not targets or ceilings;
instead, they are amounts the executive branch must spend, unless
stated otherwise. Congress could--if it wanted the President to have
discretion--write those amounts as ceilings. Do you agree?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
Administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
92. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what is your understanding of the
requirements for DOD to obligate funding that Congress authorizes and
appropriates, in accordance with the time period that Congress deems it
to do so?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by the
administration's legal positions and advice from the Department's
General Counsel's office.
93. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you commit to expending the
money that Congress appropriates and authorizes?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law on this
matter as on all others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to
the Secretary of Defense on this matter are informed by advice the
administration's legal positions and from the Department's General
Counsel's office.
94. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you commit to following and
implementing every provision of the annual National Defense
Authorization Act passed into law?
Mr. Michael. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law,
including the National Defense Authorization Acts.
right-to-repair
95. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you believe giving DOD access
to the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could
advance DOD's readiness?
Mr. Michael. Ensuring DOD's readiness is a critical mission that
the Department must undertake. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing how having access to the technical data rights needed to
repair equipment could advance DOD's readiness but would want to ensure
that the Department is using its maximum power to repair equipment so
long as it's more efficient than alternatives.
96. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you believe giving DOD access
to the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could
help reduce DOD's repair and sustainment costs?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to exploring ways that
the OUSD(R&E) can reduce costs for the DOD and taking appropriate
action and would be in favor of exercising all existing rights to
repair so long as it's more efficient than alternatives.
97. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, how will you ensure servicemembers
in your service or component, who are stationed abroad, can timely and
cost-effectively repair equipment when needed, especially in a
contested logistics environment?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to supporting OUSD(A&S)
in ensuring that servicemembers have the proper training and
information to timely and cost-effectively repair equipment, especially
in a contested logistics environment.
98. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to including right-to-repair/technical data rights clauses in
acquisition contracts that your service or component enters into?
Mr. Michael. My understanding is that the OUSD(R&E) does not enter
into acquisition contracts.
99. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to ensuring contractors deliver technical data rights to your
service or component when their contract requires or allows it?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the
USD(A&S) and the Military Services to use any contractually permissible
rights to make repairs more efficient.
100. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, will you
commit to conducting an assessment of the cost of not having the right-
to-repair/technical data rights for your service's or component's
equipment, the results of which you would make public for review by
Congress and the Department of Government Efficiency?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to working with the
USD(A&S) and the Military Services to understand the potential benefits
of requiring contractors to provide technical data rights to Services
or Components.
acquisition reform
101. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what is your understanding of the
Procurement Integrity Act and your obligations under that law?
Mr. Michael. The Procurement Integrity Act prohibits certain
activities by personnel involved in the procurement process. If
confirmed, I will be responsible for ensuring disclosure, protection,
and proper marking of contractor bid or proposal information and source
selection information, disqualifying any employee with financial
conflicts of interest, and determining the impact of reported
violations on pending awards or selections.
102. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you believe that it is
important to be able to assess accurate cost and pricing data from
contractors, especially for sole-or single-source contracts?
Mr. Michael. I believe it is important to be able to assess
accurate cost and pricing data from contractors in order to ensure the
DOD is paying a fair price for critical services.
103. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, how do you plan to obtain cost
and pricing data from contractors to determine that the cost of DOD
contracts is fair and reasonable?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will want to thoroughly examine the
organization's programs, budget, contracts and authorities and solicit
feedback from key stakeholders so as to ensure the DOD is paying fair
and reasonable costs.
104. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, how do you plan to do so in cases
where contractors refuse or claim they are unable to turn over this
data?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to fully reviewing these
types of issues with the OUSD(A&S) and have the DOD receive as much
relevant data as possible to be efficient with taxpayer dollars.
105. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, what steps
will you take to ensure that contractors are not price gouging or
overcharging DOD?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to supporting OUSD(A&S)
should it decide to review any current contracts in order to ensure
that fair prices are being paid in exchange for critical services.
106. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed will you
commit to seeking refunds from contractors and companies that
overcharge DOD?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to supporting OUSD(A&S)
should it decide to review any current contracts in order to ensure
that fair prices are being paid in exchange for critical services and
any refunds due are collected.
107. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if so, how do you plan to do so?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to supporting OUSD(A&S)
should it decide to review any current contracts in order to ensure
that fair prices are being paid in exchange for critical services with
all available DOD resources.
108. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you believe there is excessive
consolidation in the defense industry?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to assessing
consolidation in the defense industry relevant to research,
development, and engineering. It is inarguable that more competition
benefits the DOD.
109. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if so, what do you believe to be
the ramifications of that consolidation?
Mr. Michael. One of the ramifications of consolidation is the
emergence of chokepoints in the supply chain throughout the industrial
and critical technology ecosystem, which has led to vulnerabilities in
the development of capabilities needed for national defense. In
addition, if more consolidation leads to less competition, then its
inherently less efficient than the alternative.
110. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you are confirmed, how will
you support competition in the defense industry?
Mr. Michael. Competition has been the lifeblood of U.S. innovation.
If confirmed, I would look to remove barriers to entry for new partners
in the defense industrial base and to encourage competition.
111. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what do you understand to be the
role of independent cost estimates in the acquisition process?
Mr. Michael. Independent and sound cost estimates are vital for
effective acquisition decisionmaking and oversight. Cost estimates
support efficient resource allocation decisions. Independent cost
estimates should encompass all lifecycle costs including development,
production, deployment, operations and support, and disposal.
112. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, how should DOD establish program
schedules and milestones?
Mr. Michael. I understand that the USD(R&E) provides oversight and
analysis on developmental test, test and evaluation master plans,
digital engineering approaches and engineering modernization, and
independent technical risk assessments. Each of these categories of
analysis should inform program schedules and milestones that are
technically feasible and realistic.
113. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, would it be appropriate for DOD
to establish program schedules to achieve partisan electoral outcomes?
Mr. Michael. It would not be appropriate for DOD to establish
program schedules to achieve partisan electoral outcomes.
114. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, should DOD acquisition decisions
be influenced by partisan political activities?
Mr. Michael. Acquisition decisions should not be influenced by
partisan political activities.
115. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, should DOD acquisition decisions
be influenced by individuals with conflicts of interest that involve
DOD?
Mr. Michael. Acquisition decisions should not be influenced by
individuals with material conflicts of interest that involve DOD.
research and development
116. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, does DOD benefit from partnering
with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally funded research
and development centers?
Mr. Michael. Maintaining efficient investments in science and
technology (S&T) is vital to our Nation's future security. S&T can be
used to rapidly mature advanced technology in response to operational
need, but it is also the foundation of future military concepts.
Collaborating with colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations,
national labs and federally funded research and development centers are
critical to the success of the S&T ecosystem. U.S. research
universities and federally funded research and development centers
employ some of the top scientific minds from around the world and have
been responsible for many transformative research developments in
national security-related areas.
117. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, under your leadership, will DOD
continue to work with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally
funded research and development centers to research and address our
toughest national security challenges?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I commit to continuing to work with
colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and federally funded
research and development centers to develop new and transformative
capabilities for the Warfighter consistent with the Administration's
mission and priorities.
118. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, on March 20, 2025, DOD announced
it was terminating $360 million in grants. What is your understanding
of DOD's criteria for canceling grants?
Mr. Michael. I have not been briefed on the Department's grants nor
its recent grant cancellation decisions, but I support aligning DOD
spending with the Secretary's stated goals of restoring the warrior
ethos, rebuilding our military by matching threats to capabilities, and
reestablishing deterrence by defending our homeland. The Department's
grants should align with these priorities.
119. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what should DOD's criteria for
canceling grants be?
Mr. Michael. The DOD should focus its resources on essential
technologies that will support its core national missions as determined
by the Secretary and the Administration. If confirmed, I will ensure
that OUSD(R&E) activities align with the Administration's commitment to
efficiency and support the military to rebuild and develop capabilities
that meet the current threat landscape.
120. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, who should be involved in
decisions to cancel DOD grants?
Mr. Michael. Decisions to terminate grant awards may be necessary
to ensure that the Department makes the best use of available
resources. These decisions are most often made by those responsible for
the individual program the grant supports but can also be determined by
DOD leadership in accordance with Department priorities or the
Administration consistent with its policy objectives.
121. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, does DOD invest enough in
research and development?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to assessing whether DOD
invests enough in research and development (R&D). Balancing near-term
and long-term investments is a multifaceted challenge that demands
addressing immediate warfighting needs while also maintaining long term
technical superiority over adversaries. The Department's S&T activities
form the basis of new technology components and system capabilities. If
confirmed, I commit to reviewing the DOD R&D budget to ensure that it
is consistent and sufficient to ensure the Department addresses
Warfighter needs while investing in securing its technological
advantage.
122. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do defense contractors invest
enough in research and development?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I commit to reviewing the R&D
investments made by defense contractors to encourage industry to
optimally contribute to the Department's future capabilities through
their independent R&D investments.
123. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what should DOD's top research
and development priorities be?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will assess the DOD's R&D priorities,
including through review of the 14 Critical Technology Areas, and help
ensure that the Department is delivering on the priorities it
establishes consistent with the missions the Administration has
articulated.
defense established program to stimulate competitive research program
124. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, the FORGED Act calls for
eliminating the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive
Research (DEPSCoR) Program, a capacity-building program designed to
strengthen the basic research infrastructure at institutions of higher
education in underutilized States and Territories (Sec. 101(a)(107)).
If this legislation were enacted, what impact would this have on the
Department of Defense's ability to conduct research in underutilized
States such as Rhode Island?
Mr. Michael. My understanding is that the Defense Established
Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) program works to
increase research capacity at universities that have not worked with
the Department much in the past. If confirmed, I would make sure that
the Department is engaging with such universities as much as possible
to help researchers there better align with DOD research priorities and
better understand how to work with the Department. The Department's
research efforts can only benefit from having more universities to work
with. Based on what I know about the DEPSCoR program, I would intend to
be very supportive of the DEPSCOR program.
125. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, would the impact of this
legislation be similar for other underutilized States?
Mr. Michael. Yes, my understanding is that if the DEPSCoR program
is eliminated, all States that participate in the program would be
similarly impacted.
126. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, do you support eliminating the
DEPSCoR program?
Mr. Michael. Based on what I know about it, I would intend to be
very supportive of the DEPSCoR program. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing the DEPSCoR program.
protecting classified information and federal records
127. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what is your understanding of the
need to protect operational security, or OPSEC?
Mr. Michael. Operations Security is practiced to deny adversaries
the opportunity for an advantage over U.S. forces. Proper OPSEC
protects critical information and the mission and the men and women
executing it.
128. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what are the national security
risks of improperly disclosing classified information?
Mr. Michael. It is generally accepted that the improper or
unauthorized disclosure of classified information could be expected to
cause identifiable or describable damage to national security. The
describable damage and certainty of that damage would depend on the
details of the information released, including the level of
classification, as well as the extent and nature of the disclosure.
Determining the extent of damage to national security is part of the
unauthorized disclosure process as outlined in DOD policy, and I would
defer to the Department for additional specifics.
129. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, is it your opinion that
information about imminent military targets is generally sensitive
information that needs to be protected?
Mr. Michael. The Department has robust policies and processes
dedicated to determining the sensitivity of information related to
military targets. If confirmed, I will ensure that myself and those
under my organizational control will adhere to those processes and
standards.
130. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what would you do if you learned
an official had improperly disclosed classified information?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I would report any such incident, or
suspected incident, to the appropriate security office. It is the
responsibility of all DOD personnel--military, civilian, contractors--
to promptly report security incidents, including unauthorized
disclosures, to ensure that such incidents are properly examined and
that necessary actions are taken to mitigate adverse effects of the
loss of control of classified information. Regardless of intent or
culpability, unauthorized disclosures of classified information are
anathema to protecting our Nation and our troops.
131. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, what is your understanding of
Government officials' duties under the Federal Records Act?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I will adhere to the Federal Records Act
and the applicable DOD policies that implement it, which ensure that
the Federal records I create or receive are appropriately maintained.
132. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, should classified information be
shared on unclassified commercial systems?
Mr. Michael. As per the DOD's Information Security Program, only
systems approved and accredited for Classified National Security
Information may be used for classified communications.
133. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, is it damaging to national
security if the pilots flying a mission find out that the official who
ordered them to perform that mission shared sensitive information that
could have made it more likely that the mission would fail or they
would be killed?
Mr. Michael. The Department of Defense places the utmost importance
on mission success and the safety of the men and women carrying out the
mission, making it the finest fighting force in the world. If
confirmed, I will endeavor to carry on that tradition of excellence
supporting the men and women of the armed forces in my role as the
USD(R&E).
134. Senator Warren. Mr. Michael, if you had information about the
status of specific targets, weapons being used, and timing for imminent
U.S. strikes against an adversary, under what circumstances would you
feel comfortable receiving or sharing that information on an
unclassified commercial application like Signal?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I commit to adhering to the information
security policies of the Department of Defense. Beyond that, I cannot
speculate about my actions in response to hypothetical or uncertain
circumstances.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mark Kelly
innovation and modernization efforts
135. Senator Kelly. Mr. Michael, defense modernization is a top
priority of mine. I co-chair the Defense Modernization Caucus and take
the future of the Department very seriously. The technological
supremacy the United States held over our adversaries for the past 40
years is rapidly diminishing. It is apparent to many of us that the
future of defense based technological innovations rests in artificial
intelligence (AI), cyber, quantum computing, advanced microelectronics,
and the rapid proliferation of drones. This creates an imperative to
leverage innovation across industry. If confirmed, what steps will you
take to bridge the gap over the so-called valley of death?
Mr. Michael. I appreciate the important work that the Defense
Modernization Caucus is doing to bring more attention and focus to
critical technologies. The statute that established the USD(R&E) gave
the role the mission of advancing technology and innovation, including
by supervising technology transition. Helping to overcome the so-called
valley of death is a core statutory responsibility that I am
enthusiastic to address. To leverage innovation across industry, we
must address the challenges of revitalizing the industrial base while
building a modern and lethal arsenal. This requires matching the
appropriate DOD investment or development mechanism to each
opportunity. For example, the Office of Strategic Capital seeks to
address industrial base and supply chain issues through long-term
investments in companies with tremendous up-side for DOD, while
development and transition tools like prototyping, experimentation and
the APFIT program address the challenge of building modern and lethal
capabilities while increasing the size of the defense industrial base,
creating competition and opportunities for new and nontraditional
defense contractors. Keystone initiatives like the President's Golden
Dome air and missile defense system will require systems engineers
across the Department to collaborate on architecture and software, in
collaboration with the development and acquisition communities. In
addition, the Department should reduce duplicative efforts where the
private sector has invested dramatically more and achieved breakthrough
advancements to adapt or utilize those paid-for innovations for
Department use.
136. Senator Kelly. Mr. Michael, one program I worked to establish
in NDAA and secured $500 million in funding for in the CHIPS and
Science Act was a program within R&E called the Microelectronics
Commons. It created a network of research and development (R&D)
facilities across the country dedicated to providing researchers and
innovators in the semiconductor industry access to manufacturing-grade
capabilities to help test innovative new microchips at scale--bridging
the valley of death. That program was established in late 2023 and is
already enabling groundbreaking research. Are you familiar with the
Microelectronics Commons? If confirmed, will you commit to ensuring R&E
remains dedicated to advancing groundbreaking innovations in the
semiconductor industry?
Mr. Michael. I understand that the OUSD(R&E) manages the Trusted
and Assured Microelectronics program and the Microelectronics Commons
and am familiar with the publicly available information on it. If
confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the on-going efforts
within the OUSD(R&E) and with interagency partners to ensure that DOD
has access to the microelectronics it requires for defense systems and
to innovation to ensure the Nation is not dependent on adversaries for
such critical capabilities.
137. Senator Kelly. Mr. Michael, the People's Republic of China
(PRC) is our pacing threat, they've made incredible technological leaps
in hypersonic capabilities. While the Department has made progress, it
is lagging behind, and this is just one example of PRC technological
investment. We face delays and program management problems across the
Department. What steps will you take to ensure the Department maintains
technological overmatch?
Mr. Michael. Hypersonic technology development is critical. I
expect that the Golden Dome for America effort will galvanize a
national effort to develop and field hypersonic systems. I understand
that the OUSD(R&E) established hypersonics as a modernization priority
and Critical Technology Area in 2018, partly in response to the growing
Chinese hypersonic threat. The OUSD(R&E) leads the development of the
Department's vision, strategy, and roadmap for hypersonic technologies
and works to ensure that Military Service and Defense Agency efforts
are consistent with those roadmaps. If confirmed, I look forward to
learning more about the Department's hypersonic activities, including
those that will support the Golden Dome.
138. Senator Kelly. Mr. Michael, how will you direct the Department
to foster innovation across broad ecosystems to deliver new technology
to the field and present rapidly deployable technological solutions?
Mr. Michael. It is critical that the Department innovates more
quickly and with more efficiency. If confirmed, I will look for
opportunities to implement, as appropriate, best practices that I've
used in the private sector to drive innovation at speed and with
efficiency throughout the organization. As a starting place, I would
attempt to alter an overly risk adverse culture. To benefit from an
innovative culture, it must be understood that there is knowledge to be
gained from experimental failures, and without such failures, the pace
of innovation will necessarily be slow. I am committed to working with
Congress to develop newer, higher quality and more efficient systems
for the warfighter. Further, where commercially available technology
exists, the Department needs to remove unnecessary barriers to adopt it
if it will save time and money.
semiconductor innovation and integration into department of defense's
acquisition and sustainment systems
139. Senator Kelly. Mr. Michael, as you both know, DOD has
struggled to utilize commercial leading-edge semiconductors in DOD
acquisition programs because the pace of innovation moves faster than
our procurement process. In recent years, and with the support of this
Committee, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has
carried out several programs to address this program, including the
Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes--Commercial (RAMP-C) program,
the State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integrated Packaging (SHIP) program,
and the Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP). How would you
access the success of these programs?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (DARPA) work on
microelectronics. It is critical that the Nation maintains its
technological edge in microelectronics and DARPA has historically
proven capable of being part of important successes.
140. Senator Kelly. Mr. Michael, what are the next steps R&E and
DARPA should be taking to buildupon the success of these research and
development programs and integrate their funding into DOD procurement
processes?
Mr. Michael. It is my current understanding that DARPA executes its
high-risk model because of the existence of the Military Service S&T
organizations that diligently pursue more evolutionary, requirements-
driven research. While the Military Service laboratories frequently
provide the ``Plan A'' baseline for program advancements, DARPA offers
a disruptive ``Plan B,'' that if successful, creates leap-ahead
capabilities, accelerated timelines, and/or dramatically reduced costs.
Sometimes, DARPA proves that a new technological vector is possible but
needs the Military Service laboratories to carry out the maturation and
system application work necessary to scale the new technology. The key
to making these handoffs effective is ensuring that the Military
Services embrace DARPA's unique mission and have the budget flexibility
to be able to quickly pivot to new DARPA-discovered opportunities if
it's the best solution for our warfighters regardless of the source of
such innovation. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
DARPA's approach to, and record of, technology transition to the
Military Services.
Senator Tammy Duckworth
quantum technologies
141. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, what is your perspective on
how you would prioritize and drive the adoption of quantum technologies
to enhance the effectiveness of the warfighter?
Mr. Michael. Quantum science is a Critical Technology Area for the
Department with many applications and with great promise from industry.
I understand that the Department continues to pursue quantum science
and its applications--from better clocks and sensors to the potential
of quantum computation. If confirmed as the Department's Chief
Technology Officer, I look forward to learning more at the classified
level and ensuring that the Department has the technological advantage
in this critical field.
142. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, to date, the Department of
Defense has made initial investments to advance quantum capabilities.
Should you be confirmed, can I get your commitment to not only continue
these efforts but also to ensure sustained Office of the Secretary of
Defense (OSD)-level investments that align with DOD priorities?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I look forward to learning more about
the Department's investments in quantum capabilities. I will support
appropriate investments that align with DOD priorities.
143. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, would you commit to taking a
proactive role in collaborating with the individual services to
identify and integrate the most promising quantum applications that
directly enhance warfighter effectiveness?
Mr. Michael. Quantum science is currently a Critical Technology
Area with great potential. If confirmed, I look forward to working with
the Military Services on technology transition opportunities.
bioindustrial manufacturing
144. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, biotechnology and
biomanufacturing provide innovative tools and capabilities that
directly support Department of Defense missions, strengthen domestic
supply chains, and reduce reliance on foreign sources for critical
materials. Would you commit to providing a timeline outlining BioMADE's
plans to deploy all remaining DOD-provided funds allocated, including
timelines for issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), selecting sites,
and initiating construction or partnership activities?
Mr. Michael. I support efforts to strengthen our supply chains and
reduce our reliance on foreign sources of critical materials. If
confirmed, I look forward to learning more about the BioMADE
Manufacturing Innovation Institute, its biomanufacturing efforts, and
how BioMADE aligns with Department priorities.
145. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, would you be willing to commit
to identify a senior official or office within DOD responsible for
overseeing and ensuring U.S. leadership in biomanufacturing as a
critical technology area?
Mr. Michael. I understand that biotechnology is a designated
Critical Technology Area for the Department. As such, there is
currently a Principal Director for Biotechnology who is considered the
senior official for R&D work in biotechnology, which includes
biomanufacturing.
146. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, would you be able to provide a
detailed description of the selection criteria BioMADE uses when
implementing DOD-funding to support infrastructure investments?
Mr. Michael. If confirmed, I would look forward to reviewing the
selection criteria that the BioMADE Manufacturing Innovation Institute
uses to support infrastructure investments. Given that many of these
programs are classified, I cannot provide an informed answer as of this
time.
147. Senator Duckworth. Mr. Michael, can you provide an accounting
of how DOD-provided funds and those collected through BioMADE
membership fees have been utilized by the institute to date, specifying
funded projects, partnerships established, outcomes achieved thus far,
and how these expenditures align with broader DOD strategic objectives
in biomanufacturing?
Mr. Michael. As a nominee for the USD(R&E), I do not have access to
controlled unclassified information. If confirmed, I look forward to
reviewing and assessing the BioMADE program, to include its accounting,
plans, partnerships, and goals and how those align with DOD priorities.
______
[The nomination reference of Mr. Emil G. Michael follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The biographical sketch of Mr. Emil G. Michael, which was
transmitted by the Committee at the time of the nomination was
referred, follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The Committee on Armed Services requires all individuals
nominated from civilian life 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 Mr. Emil G.
Michael in connection with his 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.]
______
[The nomination of Mr. Emil G. Michael was reported to the
Senate by Chairman Wicker on April 8, 2025, with the
recommendation that the nomination be confirmed. The nomination
was confirmed by the Senate on May 14, 2025.]
------
[Prepared questions submitted to Mr. Keith Bass by Chairman
Wicker prior to the hearing with answers supplied follow:]
Questions and Responses
duties and qualifications
Question. What is your understanding of the duties and functions of
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA))?
Answer. The ASD(HA) is the advisor to the Secretary of Defense and
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness for health
policy and medical resources as well as leader of the Military Health
System (MHS). The ASD(HA) has authority, direction, and control over
the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and Uniformed Services University of
the Health Sciences (USUHS) and, working with the Military Departments
and Joint Staff, oversees all DOD medical capabilities, medical
personnel, and medical readiness.
Question. If confirmed, what duties and functions do you expect the
Secretary of Defense to prescribe for you?
Answer. If confirmed, I expect the Secretary of Defense to charge
me with stabilizing and modernizing the MHS. I will support rebuilding
our warfighter ethos by increasing medical force generation and
sustainment through improved military and civilian staffing at military
medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and more integrated relationships
with Federal and private sector partners.
Question. What background and experience do you have that qualify
you for this position?
Answer. I spent two decades in uniform, both as an enlisted sailor
and officer in the Navy, aboard ships, supporting humanitarian
missions, in MTFs, at the White House, intelligence headquarters, and
the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. After retiring from Active
Duty, I served in executive leadership roles in the private sector
before returning as a civilian hospital leader at the Department of
Veterans Affairs. These experiences gave me a deep understanding at all
levels of the MHS and military medicine.
major challenges and priorities
Question. In your view, what are the major challenges confronting
the next ASD(HA)?
Answer. With the increasing cost of health care, the most
significant challenge is improving medical readiness in a resource
constrained environment. As briefed recently in open testimony, DOD
needs to quickly stabilize the MHS to rebuilding medical capabilities
and improve readiness.
Question. If confirmed, how would you address each of those
challenges? Please be specific in your responses.
Answer. I support continuing to stabilize and optimize the MHS by
more appropriately staffing the MTFs and strengthening our partnerships
with other Federal health care systems and leading private sector
health care organizations. I also believe that we need to improve our
medical logistics to better supply equipment, supplies, and
pharmaceuticals to our MTFs and operational medical missions.
Question. If confirmed, what would be your top priorities for the
military health system (MHS)?
Answer. My top priorities for the MHS would be improving medical
readiness, stabilizing the MHS, and focusing on mental health and
suicide prevention. The MHS underwent tremendous transformation over
the past decade. It is now time to use these modernizations to refocus
efforts on generating, sustaining, and maintaining medical readiness at
MTFs, operational units, and partnerships. I understand that there are
significant fiscal constraints in and long-term underfunding of the MHS
and my priority will be to ensure we are maximizing the return on
investment of current resources.
relations with congress
Question. What are your views on the State of the relationship
between the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs (OASD(HA)) and the Senate Armed Services Committee in
particular, and with Congress in general?
Answer. The relationship to the Members of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, and Congress broadly, is one of the most important
relationships for the ASD(HA). The House and Senate represent the will
of the people, and moreover represent the constituency of millions of
TRICARE beneficiaries. In my view, it is vital that the ASD(HA) has a
strong, open, transparent, and trusting relationship with the Senate
Armed Services Committee and the whole of Congress. If confirmed, I
will do everything in my power to ensure this relationship is
strengthened, robust, and enduring.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to sustain a
productive and mutually beneficial relationship between Congress and
the OASD(HA)?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure that the relationship between
Congress and the OASD(HA) builds on trust and transparency. I pledge
that Congress will have open lines of communication to the OASD(HA),
that we provide regular updates, and respond to inquiries or requests
for information. If confirmed, I will also continue to participate in
regular updates to the House and Senate Armed Services Committee, as I
understand is the current practice of the OASD(HA) and the Director of
the Defense Health Agency.
national defense strategy
Question. If confirmed, how would you position the MHS to support
more fully the Department's National Defense Strategy?
Answer. It is my understanding from earlier testimony that Defense
Department has not fully utilized the potential of industrial and
innovation bases to deliver necessary military capabilities efficiently
and at the required pace of the National Defense Strategy. If
confirmed, I will improve how we resource and staff medical
capabilities, including more agile and modernized contracting
practices, medical industrial base policy, and holistic assessments of
military and civilian medical personnel resources in the MHS.
Question. If confirmed, what immediate changes would you make in
the MHS to better support the National Defense Strategy?
Answer. If confirmed, first and foremost I will look at the
footprint, policies, and resources of the MHS to ensure it best aligns
to the National Defense Strategy. I will overlay the DOD's medical go-
to-war, combat casualty, and readiness requirements with opportunities
for collectively sharing resources with other Federal partners and
working with the civilian sector where appropriate. I will then look at
all the revenue streams into the MHS to make sure we are most
efficiently maximizing the use of all the resourcing opportunities.
joint medical estimate and combat casualty care
Question. The most recent Joint Medical Estimate, required by
section 732 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019,
identified significant concerns related to the Military Health System's
ability to provide required care to injured personnel in certain combat
scenarios and the Department's contested medical logistics
capabilities.
If confirmed, how would you evaluate and mitigate the risks
identified in the Joint Medical Estimate within the MHS?
Answer. As I understand it, the Defense Department recently
implemented new policy to take an enterprise-wide perspective to
address, analyze, and mitigate risks identified by the Joint Medical
Estimate. This would be a significant evolution for the MHS. I believe
continuing to implement these new policies will increase the
effectiveness and efficiency of planning, programming, and budgeting
for the Unified Medical Budget and Defense Health Program. If
confirmed, I will use these policies to drive strategic change to
improve the allocation of taxpayer resources to rebuilding military
medical capabilities to support our warfighters, including the world's
most advanced aeromedical evacuation and medical logistics.
Question. In the September 16th, 2020 issue of JAMA Surgery, Dr.
Jeremy Cannon, a retired Air Force trauma surgeon, and current faculty
member at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, warned of
the ``peacetime effect'' that happens when the military medical
establishment returns home at the conclusion of a major conflict. He
wrote, ``Once fighting ends, wartime surgeons and medical specialists
disperse, casualty care systems dismantle, military-specific
publications in the medical literature significantly decline, and the
focus on injury-related education and training wanes. During these
times, Military Health System (MHS) leaders prioritize the mission of
wellness among active duty members and other beneficiaries over combat-
relevant training. Then, when the military mobilizes for the next war,
the MHS is ill-equipped for combat and its members are unprepared to
manage casualties.'' We see this occurring now at the Walter Reed
National Military Medical Center, the Department's premier military
hospital.
Do you believe the MHS is adequately focused on combat-related
medical capability?
Answer. We know that the peacetime effect is very pronounced across
the MHS. As described above, I believe the MHS needs to rebuild medical
readiness and combat-related medical capabilities. The MHS really needs
to refocus its strategy and modernizations to improve support to the
Combatant Commands and our warfighters downrange.
Question. If confirmed, how will you ensure the MHS is properly
prepared to avoid the consequences of the ``peacetime effect'' in the
next major conflict?
Section 735 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 established the
Indo-Pacific Medical Readiness Program. In recognition of the
importance of medical readiness in this Combatant Command area of
responsibility, as well as the vast geographical distances involved,
this section provides for accreditation of foreign medical facilities
and procedures to facilitate access to such facilities by U.S.
personnel. This new initiative also reflects the need for effective
partnering with allies to improve medical readiness.
Answer. If I am confirmed, I would need to understand why we are
unable to fully generate and sustain our medical forces. From recent
testimony and reports, I know that DOD's largest medical platforms do
not have the staff, supplies, and resources to reattract complex care.
Without these complex patients, our providers and health care teams
will naturally lose their skillsets. We have an opportunity as a Nation
to train our medical personnel with our Allies and partners while
simultaneously sustaining and maintaining clinical skills by partnering
with medical facilities in these host countries. Doing so gives our
medical forces training nearer to the fight, an understanding of the
challenges they may face, and helps our Allies and partners advance
their own capabilities.
Question. Will you commit to working with the Joint Staff, the
Combatant Commands, and other DOD components to implement effective
collaboration and partnering with medical systems of allies to improve
medical readiness?
Answer. Yes, I commit to working closely and better integrating
health policy and medical capabilities with the Joint Staff, Combatant
Commands, Military Departments, DHA, and USUHS to improve collaboration
across the DOD, the Federal Government, and our Allies and partners,
especially those across the Indo-Pacific's vast geography. We need to
make sure that military medical personnel understand and can work
inoperably with these Allies and partners, and we must also ensure that
our Allies and partners can work with us without degrading the high-
quality clinical care we provide to American men and women in uniform.
managing the cost of health care
Question. In your view, what is the greatest threat to the long-
term viability of the military health system?
Answer. From my time in uniform and as a civilian health care
leader, I believe the greatest threat to the MHS is fiscal instability.
Rising health care costs are directly impacting the Department. The MHS
must manage growth in health care costs while ensuring medical
readiness and the care of our servicemembers, retirees and family
members are not compromised. Like other large health systems in the
United States, the MHS is confronting significant medical inflation and
labor shortages. Unlike other health systems though, the MHS is also
confronting the rise of China as a near-peer threat to our military.
Getting the funding and resourcing right is the biggest challenge and
most important step to rebuilding readiness in the MHS.
Question. What is your assessment of the long-term impact of the
Department's health care costs on military readiness and overall
national security?
Answer. Rising health care costs are a national problem. The
Department will continue to provide a robust health benefit to attract
and retain military personnel as well as for those who dedicate their
lives and careers to the military. As these costs rise above the
average growth rate of the Department's topline budget, there is the
real risk that rising health care costs will compete with resources
needed to invest in other warfighting platforms and Department-wide
organizational reforms. To alleviate these burdens, DOD must continue
to transform and modernize the MHS to improve effectiveness while
realizing efficiencies by reducing less productive and unnecessary
redundancy.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to address the
effect of the Department's medical costs on the Department's top-line
budget, while simultaneously implementing programs to improve health
outcomes and to enhance the experience of care for all beneficiaries?
Answer. If confirmed, I will lead the ongoing modernization of the
MHS with renewed focus on effectiveness, infrastructure, and staffing.
I will advocate for the appropriate budget while searching for
efficiencies to ensure we are good stewards of the taxpayer's funding.
There is a delicate balance between maintaining a focus on professional
development, quality of care goals, and the primary focus of combat
casualty care.
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to create a value-based
military health system--a system that delivers quality health care and
improves health outcomes for beneficiaries at reasonable costs both to
beneficiaries and to the Department?
Answer. We need a MHS that delivers on its unique value to the
Nation: a health care system that sustains fighting forces, deploys
into combat and contested environments, receives combat casualties, and
provides day-to-day health care for 9.5 million beneficiaries. If
confirmed, I will accelerate efforts to become a value-based care
system by ensuring accurate requirements and resourcing strategies
based on readiness and health outcomes for both direct care and private
sector care.
space available care
Question. Federal law generally limits the authority of the
Secretary of Defense to provide access to military treatment facilities
(MTF) to military personnel and covered TRICARE beneficiaries. In
certain circumstances MTFs may provide care on a ``space available''
basis when such care would not interfere with access to care for
covered beneficiaries.
What is your view of the availability of space available care for
non-covered personnel (e.g. civilian employees, contractors, their
families)?
Answer. The MHS exists first and foremost to provide, support, and
promote military readiness. ASD(HA) has a role in providing medical
capacity for the Total Force, including civilian employees and
contractors who work at military installations in rural, remote, and
austere locations. However, the MHS continues to remain focused on our
Servicemembers, their families and dependents, and retirees, while
increasing volume to the maximum extent possible to maintain the
appropriate skills for our providers and staff. As always, the MTFs
will remain available to provide emergency care on military
installations.
Question. Do you believe the Department of Defense should expand
the availability of space available care for non-covered beneficiaries?
Answer. With on-going medical personnel labor shortages across the
United States, I am hesitant to recommend expanding availability of
space available care without looking into this further. I believe the
Department could increase space available care to non-covered
beneficiaries where it makes sense from a readiness perspective. Brooke
Army Medical Center in my home State of Texas is a good example of a
partnership with the local community to provide trauma services for
non-covered beneficiaries to generate, sustain, and maintain ready
medical forces.
Question. How should the DHA account, and in what circumstances
should it waive payment, for the provision of space available care to
non-covered beneficiaries?
Answer. I believe that waiving payment for space available care to
non-beneficiaries should be limited to those whose health care directly
contributes to medical readiness or those who are truly uninsured and
unable to pay. This perspective supports the intent of the James M.
Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, Section
716, ``Improvements to processes to reduce financial harm caused to
civilians for care provided at military medical treatment facilities.''
medical provider productivity
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to improve provider
productivity in the MHS?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure manpower models are realistic
and standardized, especially with respect to provider-to-support staff
ratios by specialty area. I will ensure we have the proper support
staffing to help facilitate care, reduce administrative burdens to
focus on patient care, and reduce burn out. These manpower models must
also support determinations of the optimal military and civilian
medical force mix required to support deployments while also
maintaining continuity of operations within our MTFs.
Question. How does low provider productivity impact beneficiaries'
access to care?
Answer. Provider productivity is very complex. I believe the
biggest issues with access to care for DOD beneficiaries are staffing
shortages, administrative processes, and cumbersome technology. Without
whole teams and state-of-the-art support, we cannot expect our
providers and clinical staff to be optimally effective and efficient.
We must ensure we have proper support staff.
Question. In your view, is provider productivity impacted by the
Department's inability or failure to provide adequate administrative or
ancillary clinical resources to relieve providers of administrative
burdens that may limit their time for patient encounters?
Answer. From my own time in uniform and experience as a health care
leader, administrative and ancillary support is critical to provider
productivity. There are far too many examples of physicians triaging
their own patients or even surgeons wheeling patients into surgery. We
need to allocate the workforce to improve the efficiency of health care
across the MHS, which starts by establishing accurate, realistic
requirements and resourcing the right personnel to best fill those
requirements.
Question. In your view, how does medical procedure volume and
complexity relate to the readiness of military medical providers to
provide casualty care in a deployed environment?
Answer. Medical procedure volume and complexity is critical to
ensuring the readiness of military medical providers and health care
teams. Studies show that providers who have higher medical procedure
volume and complexity achieve better patient outcomes. We want
providers to practice the full scope of their credentials and
privileges to maintain their clinical skills. If confirmed, I will
ensure the Department continues efforts to increase the volume and
complexity of care provided in its military medical treatment
facilities to support case mix in critical wartime specialties.
Question. In your view, do all current MTFs serve as operational
medical readiness training platforms? Please explain.
Answer. Yes, in my view as a hospital leader and a retired Naval
officer, I believe MTFs support the mission as training platforms. It
is my understanding that the Department continues to focus on medicine
and surgical specialty capabilities at its largest MTFs to ensure
sufficient volume and case mix are available to support providers and
health care teams with critical wartime clinical currency. If
confirmed, I will continue the Department's efforts to optimize primary
and specialty care at MTFs worldwide to better meet readiness
requirements.
medical quality assurance for operational clinical care
Question. In December 2024, the Government Accountability Office
issued a report entitled ``Military Health Care: Departments Should
Update Policies for Providers in Operational Settings Like Field
Hospitals and Aircraft Carriers.'' This report highlighted the failure
of the Military Services to implement requirements of DOD Instruction
6025.13, ``Medical Quality Assurance and Clinical Quality Management in
the Military Health System,'' issued in July 2023. The Defense Health
Agency and the Services promised corrective actions.
If confirmed, what actions will you take to ensure that clinical
quality assurance requirements are implemented in operational clinics?
Answer. The MHS went through an enormous transformation and there
are likely many policies that require updating to conform with the new
way of managing and administering military medicine across the DOD.
Assuring quality in the deployed environment is a critical task and, if
confirmed, I will work toward standardizing clinical quality management
across the whole Department no matter where the care is delivered.
civilian healthcare providers
Question. The recently enacted National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2025 included a provision that extended until 2030, the
Secretary of Defense's ability to utilize exceptional hiring and
compensation authority available to the Department of Veterans Affairs
under title 38 of U.S. Code. This authority has been available to the
Department of Defense for more than two decades, yet this authority has
never been implemented despite staffing shortages across the MHS.
If confirmed, how will you utilize so-called ``title 38'' authority
to more effectively recruit and hire civilian health care personnel to
staff MTFs?
Answer. I understand the DOD is already applying many of these
title 38 authorities to establish special salary rates in specific
geographies as well as pay setting for physicians, dentists, and
podiatrists. I also know from personal experience at the VA that title
38 is expensive and that there is more to recruiting and retention than
pay scales alone. If confirmed, I will continue implementing title 38
authorities where it makes the most strategic sense to reduce the
difference in salaries between the DOD, other Federal agencies, and the
private sector.
Question. Based on your experience with the Department of Veterans
Affairs, is there anything else the Department of Defense should be
doing to better recruit and retain civilian health care personnel?
Answer. Based on my experience, I think DOD needs to offer
competitive compensation and incentive packages, streamline the hiring
process, provide enhanced training opportunities for our providers, and
we must continue to evaluate their work-life balance.
military health system reorganization
Question. Section 702 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2017 transferred direct oversight and management of
military hospitals and clinics from the Services to the Defense Health
Agency (DHA).
If confirmed, how will you enhance DHA's operations to ensure the
medical readiness of military forces and the readiness of the military
medical force?
Answer. If confirmed, I will work with key stakeholders to assess
and evaluate staffing methodologies and operations to ensure we
optimize medical readiness.
In December 2023, the Department of Defense required the Defense
Health Agency to reattract ``at least 7 percent of available care from
the private sector back to MTFs'' by December 31, 2026 as the
``effective way'' to ``take care of our people, support the National
Defense Strategy, increase clinical readiness, mitigate risk to
requirements, and reduce long-term cost growth in private sector care''
Question. What is your opinion of the directive to reattract
significant numbers of TRICARE beneficiaries to the direct care system?
Answer. I agree with this wholeheartedly. It is crucial to have the
necessary volume and complex patients required to maintain skills for a
medically ready force. If confirmed, I will evaluate staffing levels
and the capacity across our MTFs. I think it is a worthwhile effort to
reattract TRICARE beneficiaries to the MTFs. If confirmed, I will
ensure that DOD policies support process improvements to MTF manpower
requirements as well as making access to care at MTFs easier and more
patient centered.
Question. In your judgment, how should the MHS determine what
services are offered at MTFs rather than in the private sector care
network?
Answer. The MHS is becoming a requirements-driven organization,
much like other warfighting and combat supporting capabilities and
organizations in the DOD. Those requirements for combat support are
sometimes incongruent with health care delivery on a day-to-day basis.
MTFs should offer services where there is an overlap with combat
support and readiness as well as the full spectrum of care at MTFs on
installations in austere or remote locations. The MHS can also take
advantage of its scale by better deploying virtual health tools to
provide care at a distance and across time zones.
Question. The same December 2023 directive required the Secretaries
of the Military Departments to ``primarily prioritize assignment of
uniformed medical and dental personnel to MTFs, with the Director of
the DHA exercising ``operational control over such personnel for the
primary duties for which they are assigned.''
Do you support prioritizing MTFs for the assignment of military
medical personnel?
Answer. I support prioritizing the assignment of military medical
personnel where it makes sense from a readiness perspective to improve
generating and sustaining ready medical forces and maintaining a
medically ready force. If confirmed, I will work with medical manpower
subject matter experts in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the
Military Departments, and DHA to fully assess the policies regarding
the assignment of military medical personnel.
Question. If confirmed, how would you attempt to balance the
staffing needs of the MTFs under the DHA and operational medical needs
under the military departments?
Answer. If confirmed, I would take a collaborative approach with
DHA, the Services, the Joint Staff Surgeon and Combatant Commands to
ensure staffing needs are properly aligned to support the National
Defense Strategy.
military medical treatment facility restructuring
Question. According to the Defense Health Agency, ``There are not
enough Active Duty medical personnel, civilian employees, or contractor
personnel . . . to meet mission requirements effectively and
efficiently for wartime and peacetime operations, contingency planning,
and preparedness.'' This medical manpower shortage combined with a
constrained Defense Health Program budget is forcing DOD to identify
potential actions to realign medical manpower to MTFs with more
clinical demand, and reduce the scope of services at MTFs on
installations where there is sufficient private sector capacity to meet
the health care needs of the beneficiary population.
Section 1073d of title 10, United States Code, requires the
Secretary of Defense to notify the Committees on Armed Services of the
Senate and the House of Representatives at least 180-days prior to any
modification of the scope of medical care provided at any MTF.
If confirmed, do you commit to keeping the Armed Services
Committees informed of any changes to medical care offered at
particular MTFs as required by law?
Answer. If confirmed, I commit to keeping the Armed Services
Committees informed of any changes to medical care offered at MTFs as
required by law.
Question. In your view, when considering whether to modify the
scope of services at an MTF, what factors should be of primary
importance?
Answer. In my view, there are three critical factors to consider
when modifying the scope of services at an MTF: opportunities to
generate ready medical forces, operational requirements, and local
availability and capacity of private sector care.
Question. In your judgment, how can the MHS meet its stated goal to
reattract beneficiaries to the direct care system if the DHA is also
likely to recommend downsizing or eliminating medical services
available at MTFs?
Answer. While I am not aware of specific actions to downsize or
reduce medical services, there is a delicate balance between
reattracting care and optimizing available services at MTFs. Yes, we
need to reattract care. We must maintain the strength of the referral
network, staffing to adequately care for patients, and assess and
analyze the details to make an informed decision. There are many
factors that must be considered when evaluating medical services for
downsizing or elimination. The decision is not made lightly. I
understand there are significant medical personnel shortages across the
MHS. The MHS cannot sustain these shortages and gaps in the long run
and will need to make decisions about where best to place limited
resources. I do support reattracting beneficiaries where it makes
sense, especially in markets with severe access to care issues in the
private sector and when such care generates medical readiness
Question. In your view, how could the MHS better match military
provider assignments to requirements that may change quickly in a given
medical market?
Answer. From what I understand, DOD has a new policy to evaluate
human capital distribution across the MHS every year aligned to the
planning and programming cycle. From my own experience in uniform, this
is a welcome policy change. DOD can now evaluate local market
conditions and historic workload trends enterprise-wide to inform its
requirements and resourcing of a particular billet. I also understand
that the same policy gives more TDY/TAD authority to local leaders to
mitigate unexpected staffing gaps.
tricare contract administration
Question. The Department's new TRICARE managed care support
contract, known as ``T-5,'' began health care delivery on January 1,
2025. This contract should improve the accuracy of provider networks,
expand patient access to telehealth services, improve the beneficiary
appointment process, and provide more overall access to care. Including
all eight option years, these contracts are valued at $136 billion.
In your view, is the Defense Health Agency adequately resourced to
effectively supervise and oversee contracts of this complexity and
value?
Answer. If confirmed, I would evaluate the DHA headquarters broadly
to determine its resourcing needs. Right now, I do not have enough
information to judge whether DHA has the right personnel to supervise
and oversee contracts as large and complex as the next-generation T-5
TRICARE contracts.
Question. If confirmed, what metrics will you prioritize to ensure
the contractors are delivering the promised T-5 improvements?
Answer. As a retired Navy officer, improvements to T-5 are near and
dear to me and my family. The improvements promised also directly
impact recruiting and retaining our Active Duty Servicemembers. If
confirmed, I will prioritize monitoring access to care, including
timely referral management and network adequacy, to deliver on promised
T-5 improvements.
Question. Section 705 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2017 requires the Department of Defense to implement a
``TRICARE Competitive Plans Demonstration Project'' in order to create
an opportunity for competition for the larger managed care support
contracts and to assess a variety of other value-based incentive for
the provision of heath care services to covered beneficiaries.
What do you believe is the potential value to the MHS of the
TRICARE Competitive Plans Demonstration Project?
Answer. I believe in the power of free markets and theory of
competition to drive improvement and innovation in the United States.
Done right, the TRICARE Competitive Plans Demonstration Project would
provide more opportunities for innovation in private sector care
delivered to DOD beneficiaries.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure the DHA is adequately
awarding contracts and supporting the implementation of the TRICARE
Competitive Plans Demonstration Project?
Answer. If confirmed, I would look first at any potential
shortcomings in the awards to make sure that the requirements are in
the best interest of DOD beneficiaries and the Department. Once those
shortcomings or gaps are addressed, I would continue implementing the
project and track these lessons learned to inform the next generation
of TRICARE contracts.
Question. What factors would you consider to determine whether the
TRICARE Competitive Plans Demonstration Project should be expanded
beyond the two locations currently planned?
Answer. Based on my experience, I would consider beneficiary
populations, patient experience, access to care, and costs to the
government when considering expanding the TRICARE Competitive Plans
Demonstration Project.
tricare dental program (tdp)
Question. Section 701 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2023 required the Defense Health Agency to make numerous
improvements to the TRICARE Dental Program, including increasing the
number of plan options, establishing a third-party administrator
contract for managing plan administrative features, new enrollment
options, and a reduction in cost-sharing requirements for junior
enlisted personnel. The 2023 provision required the DHA to implement
these improvements no later than January 1, 2026. That deadline has
been extended by 1 year in the recently enacted National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.
If confirmed, how will you ensure that the DHA delivers, without
any further delay, the modern, innovative TRICARE Dental Program
required by law?
Answer. If confirmed, I will closely monitor the DHA's
implementation of these improvements to the TRICARE Dental Program.
Dental expenses can quickly mount, and the ASD(HA) must ensure that
readiness of our Servicemembers to deploy is not hampered by medical or
dental expenses.
mhs genesis
Question. The Department of Defense recently completed its
deliberate phased deployment of MHS Genesis, the new electronic health
record system (EHR). This careful deployment involved operational
testing that identified and facilitated the correction of
implementation challenges, facilitating subsequent successful
deployments to different health care settings, where other challenges
are identified and addressed.
What is your assessment of MHS Genesis?
Answer. I understand MHS GENESIS is deployed to 100 percent of
garrison locations across DOD both in uniform as well as a civilian
outside the DOD. From what I understand, each successive implementation
of MHS GENESIS went better, faster, and more efficiently than the last.
While there is always room for improvement, I do believe that MHS
GENESIS today in the DOD is on a better glidepath than in years past.
Question. In your view, how can the Department offer its testing
and evaluation capabilities to the VA as it continues to struggle to
implement its version of the EHR that is based on the same platform as
DOD's EHR?
Answer. DoD learned a lot from its successive deployments of the
EHR. If confirmed, I would ensure that the lessons learned from the
DOD's implementation are cataloged, shared, and transmitted to the VA
to help propel its implementation forward. The VA's adoption of the
Federal EHR will improve the transition from Active Duty to Veteran
status and more effectively integrate health service delivery across
the government.
medical research and development
Question. What steps will you take to assess the quality and
effectiveness of near-term and long-term medical research activities
throughout the Department of Defense?
Answer. If I am confirmed, one of my key responsibilities will be
overseeing the Defense Health Program (DHP) Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriation. If confirmed, I will take steps
to ensure a rigorous programmatic and scientific review of all aspects
of the portfolio and align investments to the highest operational
medical priorities. In addition, to address requirements and to avoid
duplicative efforts, if confirmed I will coordinate DHP RDT&E funded
activities with the Combatant Commands, Military Departments, Defense
Agencies, and other DOD Components using formal governance structures.
Question. How will you ensure that the research portfolio
represents research areas based upon current military requirements?
Answer. DoD needs a diverse and well-balanced research portfolio to
support military readiness and mission requirements. The DHP invests in
a diverse research portfolio, including combat casualty care, traumatic
brain injury, mental health, and other relevant areas that will support
current and future military requirements. If confirmed, I will ensure
the Department continues to conduct annual reviews and analyses and
hold regular governance forums that include the Military Departments,
Defense Agencies, and other DOD Components. These efforts leverage
formal processes to develop joint requirements and would help the
Department align its medical research portfolio with military and
mission requirements.
Question. How will you ensure that these activities are coordinated
with other DOD research activities, such as those at the DOD
laboratories, as well as activities in other Federal agencies?
Answer. I understand that the Department works hard to ensure that
DHP-funded research efforts are coordinated with other DOD research
activities and linked with efforts of other Federal agencies. The
Department has several formal partnerships with other agencies, such as
those with the VA, National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug
Administration. If confirmed, I will ensure we work within the
Department and through our external partnerships to ensure our research
activities continue to be closely coordinated with the activities of
other DOD components, as well as the research activities of other
Federal agencies.
Question. Existing law requires medical research activities of the
military services to transition to the DHA. Some of the services retain
some readiness related research capabilities.
If confirmed, how will you ensure a smooth transition with ongoing
research? How will you manage research priorities?
Answer. If confirmed, I will ensure that research is prioritized
based on warfighting needs in close collaboration with the Joint Staff
and Military Departments. From what I understand, the research and
development capabilities that were Joint or possibly duplicative
transferred to the DHA to create an economy of scale. Transitioning
these activities was done by function, which means that we would not
stop on-going research simply because those leading the work move--
everything about the project transfers. I also believe that
consolidating these functions creates opportunities for more efficient
research aligned to Joint warfighting requirements.
Question. The Department of Defense has established a cross-
functional team tasked with care, collection, and research related to
Anomalous Health Incidents (AHI) in servicemembers stationed abroad.
If confirmed, what will your role be to ensure the continuation of
the work of this cross-functional team at DOD?
Answer. If confirmed, I would ensure that DOD continues researching
Anomalous Health Incidents (AHI). I understand that DOD has improved
clinical intake processes for AHI patients. Like other important
medical research and development in the DOD for new and novel issues,
we rely on cross-functional expertise and have a long history of
working collaboratively across Components.
Question. Pursuant to a Secretary of Defense memorandum dated
August 8, 2024, entitled ``Department of Defense Requirements for
Managing Brain Health Risks from Blast Overpressure,'' the Department
of Defense is taking steps to mitigate blast exposure during combat and
training.
If confirmed, how would you work with the Services to assess and
address the health effects of new weapons systems as they are
developed?
Answer. I understand the DOD has made tremendous strides in
advancing information and knowledge of blast overpressure. If
confirmed, I will continue working with the Military Departments to
ensure we are assessing risks for blast overpressure from new weapons
systems while simultaneously mitigating and treating Servicemembers who
are exposed to blast overpressure from today's weapons systems.
medical devices and technology acquisition
Question. The Department of Defense uses a number of commercial
industry partners to meet its medical technology requirements.
What, if any, reforms need to be made to DOD acquisition and
procurement procedures and policies to ensure that DOD can continue to
work with leading commercial innovators in medical devices and
technologies?
Answer. If confirmed, I will evaluate whether existing authorities
are sufficient to meet our long-term needs and facilitate collaboration
with commercial innovators in medical devices and technologies. I
intend to engage the DHA's Chief Information Officer and the Component
Acquisition Executive on any needed reforms that can speed acquisition
and implementation of secure commercial solutions for existing or
emerging MHS requirements. I will also seek out new opportunities to
leverage new or unique authorities, like those of the Defense
Innovation Unit, to acquire innovative commercial products, and
technologies while still meeting the cyber security standards and
intent of free market competition.
quality and safety of medical care
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to ensure that patients
get complex surgical treatment from military surgical teams providing
treatment in high-volume surgical practices?
Answer. If confirmed, one of my priorities would be ensuring
sufficient military staffing at MTFs that generate readiness with high
volume, clinical complex surgical cases. Doing so also involves
resourcing infrastructure and closing gaps in deferred maintenance to
make sure that medical personnel have robust, modern places to deliver
care to DOD beneficiaries.
mental health care
Question. Section 718 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2020 required DOD to ``develop and implement a
comprehensive policy for provision of mental health care to members of
the armed forces.'' This was to be done within 180 days of the date of
enactment, but has not yet been completed. In the meantime, we have
seen high-visibility events suggesting shortcomings in mental health
care for members. Further, a December 2024 Defense Health Agency report
found that in 2023 mental health disorders were involved in over half
(54.8 percent) of all hospital bed days among Active component
servicemembers, reinforcing the need for a comprehensive policy on
mental health care.
If confirmed, what actions would you take to improve access to
mental health care by servicemembers and their families?
Answer. I take mental health care for our Servicemembers and their
families very seriously. I also am keenly aware of the access to care
challenges and shortages across the United States. If confirmed, I
would explore expanding telehealth services across the MHS and
prioritizing Servicemembers and their families in rural, remote, or
austere locations around the world. There may also be some ``home
grown'' local innovations or process improvements at MTFs that could be
expanded across the MHS to increase access to mental health care.
Question. In your view, are the Department of Defense's current
mental health resources adequate to serve all Active Duty members and
eligible Reserve component members and their families, as well as
retirees and their dependents?
Answer. In my view, no, the DOD's current mental health resources
are inadequate to meet the needs of Active Duty Servicemembers,
eligible members of the Reserve Component, and other DOD beneficiaries.
I think we can also do more and find new innovations. Solving for the
lack of providers and support personnel for mental health will take
collaboration with industry, academy, and governments across the United
States.
Question. If confirmed, what actions would you take to ensure that
sufficient mental health resources are available to servicemembers in
theater and to servicemembers and families at home station locations
with insufficient community-based mental health resources?
Answer. If confirmed, I would explore increasing telehealth for
mental health care on the battlefield as well as those at home station.
I also understand that recent legislation expanded access to telehealth
services for mental health care across State lines, making it easier
and more convenient for TRICARE beneficiaries living in locations
without mental health resources to get care. In addition, I would
explore utilizing AI technology to aid in bridging the gap for
stateside, OCONUS, or deployed Servicemembers.
Question. If confirmed, how will you ensure the issuance of a
comprehensive policy on mental health care for members of the armed
forces without further delay?
Answer. If confirmed, I would use the oversight authorities of the
ASD(HA) to ensure that a comprehensive policy for mental health care
access is implemented quickly and efficiently. I would also investigate
any anecdotes about access to mental health care issues to ensure that
local leaders are following prescribed DOD policy.
Question. Section 714 of the Servicemember Quality of Life
Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025
authorizes DOD to extend medical license portability to TRICARE network
providers providing mental health services to members of the armed
forces and TRICARE-eligible dependents. This would allow TRICARE
network mental health providers to practice across State lines, subject
to terms and conditions to be established by DOD. This could help
increase the availability of mental health services for military
members and families. This section also requires DOD to issue an
Interim Final Rule within 180 days from the date of enactment to
implement this new authority.
If confirmed, how would you expand tele-behavioral health services
throughout the MHS to improve access to mental health care?
Answer. I understand that the DOD has begun expanding telehealth
for mental health care. If confirmed, I would leverage the progress to
ensure that more Servicemembers, their families, and all other
beneficiaries have access to these services because they are convenient
and effective, especially for those stationed in rural, remote, or
austere locations. I would also ensure that communications are clear
for mental health care providers in the network now that DOD has been
given authority to provide care across State lines, which is
potentially a game changer for our Servicemembers and their families.
operational medical force readiness
Question. In your view, what is DHA's role as a Combat Support
Agency?
Answer. As I understand, DHA's role as a Combat Support Agency
(CSA) is to enable the Army, Navy, and Air Force to provide a medically
ready force and ready medical forces to Combatant Commands in both
peacetime and wartime. As a CSA, DHA also directly supports the
Combatant Commands by providing joint logistics, joint planning
capabilities, and decisionmaking information. The DHA uses the
principles of Ready Reliable Care to advance high reliability practices
across the MHS by improving system operations, optimizing the delivery
of care, and cultivating a culture of safety. If confirmed, I will
ensure DOD's activities are relevant and visible to Combatant
Commanders and enhance DHA's integration in Combatant Command plans,
exercises, and requirements, including for Role 4 definitive care
capabilities.
Question. What can DHA do to provide more medical expertise to the
Joint Staff and to combatant commands so that medical concerns are
addressed in OPLANs, exercises, and other operational readiness
activities?
Answer. If confirmed, I would evaluate the relationship between the
DHA, the Joint Staff, and Combatant Commands. As the youngest CSA, I am
sure there is ample opportunity for improvement through learning and
maturation. I think DHA has a lot to offer, especially with respect to
data, analytics, and information needed for planning and exercising
operational capabilities.
Question. In your view, have the Services and the DHA adequately
defined military medical force readiness and developed an appropriate
model to determine and project the Department of Defense's costs for
medical force readiness?
Answer. It is my understanding that the term medical readiness
encapsulates both a medically ready force and a ready medical force. In
my view, the Military Departments and the DHA are making progress in
defining military medical force readiness. The Military Departments and
DHA must work together to ensure the medical readiness of the force is
maintained. To that end, it is also my understanding that the
Department has refined and expanded critical knowledge, skills and
ability (KSA) measures to more precisely assess medical readiness. I
understand that efforts are currently underway not only to determine
the costs of readiness, defined as the cost of sustaining a medically
ready force and ready medical force, but also to express the value of
MTFs as readiness platforms.
Question. If confirmed, how would you ensure that staffing models
and associated costs to maintain operational medical readiness skills
reflect actual combatant command requirements?
Answer. If confirmed, I would review military medical personnel
requirements holistically for both operational missions and
institutional forces at MTFs. I will work with the Joint Staff Surgeon,
the Military Departments, and the DHA to overlay Combatant Command
requirements for military medical personnel with the military medical
treatment facility staffing requirements to maintain a medically ready
force and a ready medical force. This review would be anchored by KSAs
as well as graduate medical education and other professional medical
education pipelines. If there is insufficient volume and complexity of
caseload at a particular MTF to meet and sustain the KSAs, the DHA
should establish agreements with civilian or other Federal facilities
to provide alternate venues for skills sustainment. Furthermore, the
DHA in its role as a Combat Support Agency is a part of the Joint Staff
planning process and can inform updates to medical skill requirements
to reflect current operational planning by the Combatant Commands.
Question. If confirmed, what would you do to right-size the active
medical force requirements of the Department to optimize operational
medical force readiness capabilities?
Answer. I know from my own experience in uniform that the military
medical force must be appropriately sized in order to quickly respond
to global operational medical requirements. If confirmed, I will
continue ongoing efforts to establish a DOD process to define the
medical and dental personnel requirements across the MHS necessary to
meet operational medical force needs in accordance with applicable law
and policy. I will work with DOD stakeholders to ensure DOD has a
robust medical force that can provide the medical capabilities across
the full range of military operations when and where needed.
Question. If confirmed, would you advocate for outsourcing more
beneficiaries' health care services to the private sector when and
where it makes sense? How and where would you do that?
Answer. If confirmed, I will continue the Department's efforts to
establish an integrated health care delivery system, which includes
identifying where it makes sense to defer or outsource beneficiaries'
health care needs to the private sector. I will ensure the Department
uses established, patient-centered and standard processes to refer care
to the private sector in locations where MTFs do not have available
specialties or cannot provide care within access standards.
pain management and opioid medications
Question. If confirmed, what policies and programs would you
implement to improve pain management in the military health system to
reduce and eliminate the misuse and/or abuse of opioid medications?
Answer. Meaningful responses to the national epidemic of opioid
misuse and abuse should include policies and programs that address the
root causes of opioid use, overuse, and abuse. If confirmed, I will
ensure that MHS pain management capabilities, practices, and policies
result in appropriate opioid prescribing. More importantly, if
confirmed, I will determine if there are sufficient non-opioid pain
management treatments available and that they are applied to pain
management care plans for our DOD beneficiaries.
Question. In your view, should alternative and complimentary
therapies for pain management be considered as benefits under the
TRICARE program?
Answer. This is an extremely important question that is directly
related to the national epidemic of opioid overuse, abuse and
overdoses. There has been a rapid evolution of thought and medical
evidence to support the utilization of many pain management treatments
that were previously termed ``alternative'' medical therapies. Now
referred to as complementary and integrative health, selected therapies
such as acupuncture, mindfulness exercises, massage therapy, and
movement therapies like yoga have been recognized as safe and effective
for pain management by the National Institutes of Health, VA, and, from
what I understand, now the DOD. If confirmed, I would support a
deliberate and evidence-based practices to increase the availability of
many of these pain management therapies for DOD beneficiaries.
congressional oversight
Question. In order to exercise legislative and oversight
responsibilities, it is important that this Committee, its
subcommittees, and other appropriate committees of Congress receive
timely testimony, briefings, reports, records--including documents and
electronic communications, and other information from the executive
branch.
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 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 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 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
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 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 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 yes or no.
Answer. Yes.
______
[Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]
Questions Submitted by Senator Tom Cotton
pharmaceutical supply chain
1. Senator Cotton. Mr. Bass, we rely heavily on China for basic
drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients. In a recent hearing,
former military health officials discussed the risks that China can use
this dependence to its advantage and withhold needed medical supplies
during war. If confirmed, how do we protect our supply chains and
divest from China for our pharmaceutical supply chains?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I support ongoing efforts to identify the
risks in the pharmaceutical supply chain and focus industrial base
policy efforts on reshoring or right shoring those most critical to
warfighting and combat operations. I will work with key stakeholders,
both internal and external, to protect our supply chains and our supply
chain and reduce dependency on China.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
anomalous health incidents lessons learned
2. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Bass, during your tenure at the Central
Intelligence Agency's (CIA) Office of Medical Services in 2020, the CIA
established a temporary Anomalous Health Incidents (AHI) cell to
coordinate the Agency's response, including medical care, collection,
and analysis. In December 2024, the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence, issued a review on the Agency's response to AHI. In this
report, the Committee assessed that the CIA's response to AHIs
``contributed to a trust deficit between CIA and portions of its
workforce''. Witnesses attributed this distrust to the CIA's
stigmatization of victims, poor communication, and a lack of
transparency. What lessons have you learned from this experience?
Mr. Bass. Without inadvertently disclosing classified information,
we at the CIA did not have information to make truly informed decisions
on AHI treatment, and the CIA does not have the same robust medical
infrastructure to provide health care as the DOD. The detection and
treatment of AHIs was led and coordinated by a separate office within
the CIA. I am thankful for the ongoing partnership that has since
developed between the CIA, DOD, and Department of State to treat all
patients affected by AHI. If confirmed, I will continue to strengthen
these relationships and ensure timely access to care.
3. Senator Gillibrand. Mr. Bass, as the nominee for Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, what steps will you take to
ensure that Active Duty members and their families do not face the same
stigmatization, poor communication, and lack of transparency?
Mr. Bass. My north star would be ensuring that our Service members,
their families, and all DOD beneficiaries have access to the right care
at the right time. I believe that the Military Health System has
greatly improved its transparency over the years, which improves
communication and reduces stigma and, if confirmed, I will continue to
maintain and increase transparency as a key tenet of high reliability.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
vaccines
4. Senator Hirono. Mr. Bass, you are the current Medical Center
Director for the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) West Texas Health
Care System. Texas is currently experiencing an unprecedented measles
outbreak, infecting hundreds, who are mostly children. So far, it has
tragically led to the death of a child and one adult. Ensuring the
health and safety of our servicemembers is the responsibility of the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Heath Affairs, especially for a
military that deploys across the world. Will you commit to ensuring our
servicemembers have continued access to lifesaving vaccines, such as
the MMR [measles, mumps, and rubella], Polio, and COVID-19 vaccines,
and those relevant to their military occupational specialty?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will continue to adhere to the
longstanding DOD methods for establishing immunization requirements for
our Service members to deploy, including deference to senior mission
commanders and waiver processes.
5. Senator Hirono. Mr. Bass, do you plan on making changes to the
DOD Immunization Program, including the Department's long-standing
policy of required immunizations?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I do not plan on making any changes to
immunization policy and, like all health policy matters, will work with
the subject matter experts at the DOD to update guidance as
appropriate.
securing the drug supply chain
6. Senator Hirono. Mr. Bass, national drug shortages, particularly
for generics, have weakened the security of the U.S. drug supply chain,
impacting our military health system. There are currently over 250
active drug shortages nationwide, mainly because of manufacturing
quality issues. Nearly 80 percent of manufacturing facilities for
active ingredients in generic drugs are located outside of the United
States, largely in China and India. Given our important obligation to
servicemembers and their families, how do you plan to ensure that the
DOD procures the highest quality and most effective drugs?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I plan on working internally with relevant
stakeholders, buyers, and subject matter experts at the Defense Health
Agency and Defense Logistics Agency to make sure we procure safe, high-
quality pharmaceuticals. While I cannot speak for other Federal
agencies, I will advocate for right shoring our supply chains to
improve the resilience of the American pharmaceutical industrial base.
7. Senator Hirono. Mr. Bass, do you commit to working with my
office to address dangerous drug shortages impacting the health and
readiness of our warfighters?
Mr. Bass. Yes. As a prior Navy Sailor and officer, I understand
firsthand how critical drug shortages introduce risk to achieving the
mission.
reproductive rights
8. Senator Hirono. Mr. Bass, following the Supreme Court's Dobbs
decision, 19 states have banned or severely restricted access to
abortion and related reproductive services. These restrictions create
challenges for servicemembers stationed in those States, impacting
their health and safety. This Administration also rescinded the DOD
reproductive health travel policy, taking away critical support for our
servicemembers' reproductive choice. What actions will you take to
ensure that all servicemembers, regardless of duty station, have access
to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion,
contraception, and related counseling services?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will ensure that DOD continues to provide
medically necessary reproductive health care, consistent with
applicable law.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
ethics
9. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to not seeking any employment with or compensation from a defense
contractor, including through serving on a board, as a consultant, or
as a lobbyist, for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Mr. Bass. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
10. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to not engaging in any lobbying activities, including unregistered
``shadow'' or ``behind-the-scenes'' lobbying under the guise of
consulting or advising on DOD-related matters, focused on DOD or any of
its components for 4 years after leaving DOD?
Mr. Bass. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
11. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, during your nomination process, did
anyone on the Trump campaign, transition team, or other closely related
entity approach you about your loyalty to President Trump?
Mr. Bass. No.
12. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you sign a loyalty pledge or other
similar oath? If so, please provide a copy of the text of that pledge
or oath.
Mr. Bass. No.
13. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you were approached about your
loyalty to President Trump, did you make any verbal representations of
loyalty? If so, please describe this representation.
Mr. Bass. No.
14. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, in November 2024, the New York Times
and other news outlets reported that Boris Epshteyn, a top adviser to
President Trump, allegedly requested payment from prospective political
appointees to promote their candidacies for top positions within the
Administration. Did you discuss the possibility of joining the
Administration with Mr. Epshteyn at any time?
Mr. Bass. No.
15. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you did discuss the possibility of
joining the Administration with Mr. Epshteyn, did Mr. Epshteyn seek
payment from you for promoting your candidacy for a position within the
Administration?
Mr. Bass. No.
16. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, at any time, did lawyers for
President Trump or members of President Trump's team approach you
regarding Mr. Epshteyn and the allegations cited above? If so, please
explain the information that they provided you, including copies of
documents, what was discussed during any calls, and any other
information pertaining to this interaction.
Mr. Bass. No.
17. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you own any defense contractor
stock, will you divest it to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of
interest?
Mr. Bass. The Ethics Agreement I signed on March 7, 2025, which was
previously provided to the Committee, sets forth my ethics commitments,
if confirmed.
18. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit not to retaliate,
including by denying access to DOD officials or facilities, against
news outlets or individual journalists who publish articles that are
critical of you, your office, DOD, or the Trump administration?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
19. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how many times have you been accused
of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for another individual in a personal or professional
capacity? Provide a list of all instances in which you have been
accused of sexually harassing, assaulting, or creating a hostile work
environment for an individual and the behavior of which you were
accused.
Mr. Bass. Never.
20. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, have you requested, or has anyone
requested on your behalf, that any other person or third party sign a
nondisclosure, confidentiality, non-disparagement, or similar agreement
regarding your conduct in a personal or professional capacity?
Mr. Bass. No.
21. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you voluntarily release any
individual from any such agreements before your nomination hearing?
Mr. Bass. N/A.
22. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, have you ever paid or promised to
pay, or has anyone paid or promised to pay on your behalf, an
individual as part of any non-disclosure, confidentiality, non-
disparagement, or similar agreement?
Mr. Bass. No.
23. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if the answer to the question above
was yes, how much was promised, how much was paid, and what were the
circumstances?
Mr. Bass. N/A.
24. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit to recuse yourself
from all particular matters involving your former clients and employers
for at least 4 years?
Mr. Bass. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
25. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit to not seeking
employment, board membership with, or another form of compensation from
a company that you regulated or otherwise interacted with while in
government, for at least 4 years after leaving office?
Mr. Bass. I will abide by the extensive post-government employment
ethics rules required by Federal law as well as the terms of my Ethics
Agreement. These provisions set forth comprehensive restrictions
relating to acceptance of compensation from defense contractors, as
well as communicating back to the Federal Government on behalf of any
future employers and clients. I believe that these existing rules are
appropriate and sufficient to protect the public interest. If
confirmed, I will carry out the responsibilities of my office
honorably, and I will seek any post-government employment in full
compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
26. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, would it ever be appropriate to
threaten or imply that you would withhold future contracts from a
company if they filed a complaint, bid protest, or cooperated with an
Inspector General, civil, or criminal investigation?
Mr. Bass. No.
27. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you think it is valuable to
encourage competition and innovation in the defense industrial base?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
28. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, a 2024 Department of Defense
Inspector General (DOD OIG) report found that between 2009 and 2018
``all phases of the [White House Medical Unit's] pharmacy operations
had severe and systemic problems due to the unit's reliance on
ineffective internal controls to ensure compliance with pharmacy safety
standards.'' During your tenure with the White House Medical Unit
(WHMU), did you have knowledge of WHMU staff dispensing controlled
substances to ineligible staffers?
During my tenure with the WHMU, I was not aware of staff dispensing
controlled substances to ineligible staffers without the proper
approvals. All pharmacy operations were reviewed and monitored in
accordance with applicable law and procedures.
29. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if so, how long were you aware of the
situation?
Mr. Bass. N/A
30. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if so, what steps, if any, did you
take to correct the issue?
Mr. Bass. N/A
31. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if so, did you or staff, under your
direction, dispense controlled substances to ineligible staffers?
Mr. Bass. No. I did not direct staff to dispense controlled
substances to ineligible staffers. I leave clinical judgments to those
with credentials and privileges to do so.
32. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, during your tenure with the WHMU,
were you aware of the ``severe and systemic problems'' happening within
the WHMU?
Mr. Bass. No. I believe problems identified by the DOD Office of
the Inspector General have since been resolved with new policy.
33. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if so, how long were you aware of the
situation?
Mr. Bass. N/A
34. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if so, what steps, if any, did you
take to mitigate these problems?
Mr. Bass. N/A
35. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, reporting by the DOD OIG found that
the WHMU staff performed tasks in violation of the Code of Regulations,
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) policy, and DOD guidance. During
your tenure with the WHMU, did you conduct tasks in violation of
Federal law, policy, or guidance?
Mr. Bass. No.
36. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, during your tenure with the WHMU, did
you direct staff to conduct tasks in violation of Federal law, policy,
or guidance?
Mr. Bass. No.
37. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, during your tenure with the WHMU,
were you aware of any conduct that violated Federal law, policy, or
guidance?
Mr. Bass. No.
38. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, reporting by the DOD OIG also found
that the WHMU wasted thousands of dollars on brand'name drugs rather
than generic equivalents. If confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)), what steps will you take to
prevent similar waste?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will ensure compliance with DOD formulary
standards. An attending physician can make a request for a brand name
pharmaceutical if clinically indicated in accordance with procedures
published by the Defense Health Agency. I understand that recent policy
clarifies that these procedures apply to the WHMU.
39. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, did any WHMU staff raise concerns
with you about improper dispersal of controlled substances?
Mr. Bass. No.
40. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, did you admonish, discipline,
threaten, or retaliate against anyone who raised concerns about
improper dispersal of controlled substances?
Mr. Bass. No.
41. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, were you at any time contacted by or
under investigation or review by the DOD OIG for your role in the
``severe and systemic problems'' of the WHMU, or for any other reason?
Mr. Bass. No.
42. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, Military.com reported that you were a
poor communicator and ``offloaded'' your responsibilities to others
when you were the Director of the Office of Medical Services at the
CIA. If confirmed as the ASD(HA), what steps would you take to prevent
miscommunication in this new role?
Mr. Bass. The Military.com article is based on factually
unsupported assertions and distorted narrative. I would hope that
anyone who found something I said to be misleading or inappropriate to
come speak directly with me. If confirmed, I will rely on the senior
military and civilian staff in the Office of the ASD(HA) to bring
forward concerns or alert me to a misgiving without any threat of
retaliation or reprisal. A good leader is never threatened by honest
feedback.
43. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, your lack of medical training caused
friction when you were the Director of the Office of Medical Services
at the CIA. If confirmed, what will you do to prevent similar friction
and concerns in your new role?
Mr. Bass. The ASD(HA) is the senior health policy advisor to the
Secretary of Defense and Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and
Readiness as well as the resourcing and programming authority for the
Military Health System. If confirmed, I will adhere to those roles and
make sure the many physicians, surgeons, nurses, and scientists across
the Military Health System provide their expertise and insights into
policymaking whenever and wherever necessary. congressional Oversight
and Transparency
44. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what is your understanding of the
role of the Department of Defense Inspector General and service
Inspectors General?
Mr. Bass. It is my understanding that the role of the Department of
Defense Inspector General is to conduct independent audits and
investigations relating to DOD's programs and operations to promote
economy, efficiency, and effectiveness and to prevent and detect fraud
and abuse. It is my understanding that the Service Inspectors General
perform similar functions, independently assessing for the Secretaries
of the Military Departments matters such as economy, efficiency, and
readiness.
45. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you ensure your staff complies
with any Inspector General deadlines established for requested
communications, providing witnesses, providing documents, and that
those witnesses will be protected from reprisal for their testimony?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
46. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are not able to comply with
any Inspector General requests and deadlines, will you notify the
Republican and Democratic members of the Committee regarding the basis
for any good faith delay or denial?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will work to comply with Inspector
General requests in a timely manner. I would defer to the Office of the
Inspector General to update members of the Committee regarding the
progress of the Inspector General's ongoing reviews.
47. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to refusing to follow illegal orders from any individual, including the
President?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will follow the law and the Constitution
of the United States.
48. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what actions would you take if you
were given an illegal order from any individual, including the
President?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I would have a duty not to carry out a
manifestly unlawful order.
49. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit to testify or provide
a deposition if you are called upon by Congress to provide a deposition
voluntarily?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
50. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit to testify or provide
a deposition to Congress if you are issued a subpoena to testify?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
51. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit to providing
information or documents to Congress voluntarily if you are requested
to do so?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
52. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you provide information or
documents to Congress if you are issued a subpoena?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
53. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, will you commit to following current
DOD precedent for responding to information requests, briefings, and
other inquiries from Congress, including the Senate and House Armed
Services Committees and their minority members?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
54. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if confirmed, will you commit to
posting your official calendar monthly?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will commit to transparency consistent
with the law. For example, if my official calendar is requested
pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, I will commit
to releasing responsive agency records subject to any withholding under
applicable FOIA exemptions.
55. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you think DOD has an
overclassification problem? If so, please provide this committee with
an estimate of the number or percentage of documents that will be under
your purview that are overclassified.
Mr. Bass. No, not in the Military Health System.
56. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, to the best of your knowledge, is
your service or component identifying records for proactive posting in
compliance with the Freedom of Information Act? If not, please describe
how you would ensure that they do so to comply with public records law.
Mr. Bass. Yes.
57. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if confirmed, do you think your
department should pursue strategic technology to support automated
declassification?
Mr. Bass. Yes, although this is outside my subject matter
expertise.
project 2025
58. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, have you discussed Project 2025 with
any officials associated with the Trump campaign, the Trump transition
team, or other members of the Trump administration? If so, please
explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom you
discussed it.
Mr. Bass. No.
59. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, have you discussed Project 2025 with
any officials associated with the Heritage Foundation? If so, please
explain what you discussed, when you discussed it, and with whom you
discussed it.
Mr. Bass. No.
nuclear weapons and missile defense
60. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, have you communicated with any
foreign government or entity controlled by a foreign government within
the past 5 years?
Mr. Bass. Not outside of routine official government business.
61. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, please disclose any communications or
payments you have had with representatives of any foreign government or
entity controlled by a foreign government within the past 5 years and
describe the nature of the communication.
Mr. Bass. None.
retaliation and protecting whistleblowers
62. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you believe that servicemembers,
civilians, grantees, and contractors should be protected from any form
of retaliation for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual
assault or harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern
that they wish to raise?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
63. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, have you ever retaliated against any
individual for coming forward about an illegal order, sexual assault or
harassment, negligence, misconduct, or any other concern that they wish
to raise?
Mr. Bass. No.
64. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to protecting whistleblowers? If so, please specify how you will do so.
Mr. Bass. Yes. I would make it clear retaliation against a
whistleblower is not tolerated.
impoundment control act
65. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, on January 27, 2025, President
Trump's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo calling for
the suspension all Federal financial assistance programs (excluding
``assistance provided directly to individuals''). Do you agree with
OMB's decision to issue this memo?
Mr. Bass. This question does not impact the Defense Health Program.
66. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you believe the Secretary of
Defense has the legal authority to block the disbursement of funds
appropriated by Congress?
Mr. Bass. I fully acknowledge and respect Congress' constitutional
role in appropriating funds to be carried out by the executive branch
for designated purposes. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my
responsibilities consistent with the Constitution and the law. I would
ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of Defense on this
matter are informed by the administration's legal positions and advice
from the Department's General Counsel's office.
67. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what is your understanding of the
Impoundment Control Act (ICA)?
Mr. Bass. The Impoundment Control Act lays out procedures the
President must follow to seek a deferral of execution or recission of
funds appropriated for a specific purpose. Duly appointed officers
still have an obligation to prioritize and efficiently resource
requirements that are most critical to the mission.
68. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you commit to following the
Impoundment Control Act?
Mr. Bass. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my responsibilities
consistent with the Constitution and the law on this matter as on all
others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by the administration's legal
positions and advice from the Department's General Counsel's office.
69. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you commit to notifying the Senate
and House Armed Services Committees, including the majority and
minority, if you are asked not to follow the Impoundment Control Act or
not to expend the money that Congress appropriates or authorizes?
Mr. Bass. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my responsibilities
consistent with the Constitution and the law on this matter as on all
others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by advice the administration's
legal positions and from the Department's General Counsel's office.
70. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, the Constitution's Spending Clause
(Art. I, Sec. 8, cl. 1) and Appropriations Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9,
cl. 7) give Congress, not the Executive, power of the purse. The
Supreme Court has unanimously upheld this power. Do you believe that
impoundments are constitutional?
Mr. Bass. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my responsibilities
consistent with the Constitution and the law on this matter as on all
others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by the administration's legal
positions and advice from the Department's General Counsel's office.
71. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, the funding levels in appropriations
bills passed into law are not targets or ceilings; instead, they are
amounts the executive branch must spend, unless stated otherwise.
Congress could--if it wanted the President to have discretion--write
those amounts as ceilings. Do you agree?
Mr. Bass. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my responsibilities
consistent with the Constitution and the law on this matter as on all
others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by the administration's legal
positions and advice from the Department's General Counsel's office.
72. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what is your understanding of the
requirements for DOD to obligate funding that Congress authorizes and
appropriates, in accordance with the time period that Congress deems it
to do so?
Mr. Bass. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my responsibilities
consistent with the Constitution and the law on this matter as on all
others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by the administration's legal
positions and advice from the Department's General Counsel's office.
DOD has an obligation to the men and women in uniform to prioritize
limited resources to requirements and warfighting capabilities most
critical to national security.
73. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you commit to expending the money
that Congress appropriates and authorizes?
Mr. Bass. I commit, if confirmed, to executing my responsibilities
consistent with the Constitution and the law on this matter as on all
others. I would ensure that my actions and advice to the Secretary of
Defense on this matter are informed by advice the administration's
legal positions and from the Department's General Counsel's office.
74. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you commit to following and
implementing every provision of the annual National Defense
Authorization Act passed into law?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I commit to following all laws.
blast overpressure
75. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to protecting servicemembers from blast overpressure and increasing
their options for seeking care after being exposed?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
76. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, what steps will
you take to protect servicemembers from blast overpressure and increase
their options for seeking care after being exposed?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will continue letting the science inform
policy for blast over pressure and ensure that the Military Health
System's clinical practice guidelines reflect and incorporate leading,
state-of-the-science practices.
77. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how do you plan to work with the
Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure that servicemembers,
veterans, and their families are aware of the risks of blast
overpressure and traumatic brain injury?
Mr. Bass. DOD has a long history of sharing longitudinal records
and clinical practice guidelines with the Department of Veteran
Affairs. If confirmed, I will continue to support and strengthen this
partnership.
78. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you support establishing logs for
troops on blast overpressure exposure and traumatic brain injury?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
79. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you support requiring
neurocognitive assessments of troops annually, before they begin
training to establish a baseline, and before they leave the military to
determine when their change in cognitive health over time?
Mr. Bass. Yes, although I would let the scientists and physicians
recommend any changes to periodicity of neurocognitive assessments.
80. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, how will you
address the links between blast overpressure exposure and increased
risks of suicide?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will let the scientists and
epidemiologists continue to study and evaluate the correlations between
blast overpressure and increase risk of suicide.
81. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what steps would you take to improve
suicide prevention efforts, including investing in peer support
programs, crisis intervention, and community-based mental health
initiatives?
Mr. Bass. I would support the requirements and resourcing processes
within the DOD and ensure that these processes prioritize mental health
care across the Military Health System for Service members.
82. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, it appears that U.S. Army Green Beret
Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, who died by suicide in a cybertruck
explosion on January 1, 2025, may have had a history of traumatic brain
injury. What do you understand to be the consequences and long-term
effects of blast overpressure exposure and brain injury on
servicemembers?
Mr. Bass. I understand that the DOD is still investing in research
activities to better understand the consequences and long-term effects
of blast overpressure on warfighter brain health. I also understand
that scientists continue to learn more about these effects and that our
brains may not be as resilient as we once thought to blast
overpressure.
83. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you support addressing the risks
of blast overpressure to servicemembers through the swift
implementation of sections 721 through section 725 of the Fiscal Year
2025 NDAA?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
right-to-repair
84. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you believe giving DOD access to
the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could
advance DOD's readiness?
Mr. Bass. Yes. Generally speaking, having access to the technical
data necessary to support fielded systems could help reduce repair and
sustainment costs.
85. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you believe giving DOD access to
the technical data rights needed to repair its own equipment could help
reduce DOD's repair and sustainment costs?
Mr. Bass. Yes. Generally speaking, having access to the technical
data necessary to support fielded systems could help reduce repair and
sustainment costs. The Department acquires data and license rights
under contract with an associated value, and it would need to determine
on a case-by-case basis to determine the cost-benefit ratio.
86. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how will you ensure servicemembers in
your service or component, who are stationed abroad, can timely and
cost-effectively repair equipment when needed, especially in a
contested logistics environment?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I would work with strategic partners across
the DOD, including the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition and Sustainment and the Defense Logistics Agency, to
support a readiness posture for contested environments.
87. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to including right-to-repair/technical data rights clauses in
acquisition contracts that your service or component enters into?
Mr. Bass. Yes, I would advocate across the Department for allowing
user-level repair, where appropriate.
88. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to ensuring contractors deliver technical data rights to your service
or component when their contract requires or allows it?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
89. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, will you commit
to conducting an assessment of the cost of not having the right-to-
repair/technical data rights for your service's or component's
equipment, the results of which you would make public for review by
Congress and the Department of Government Efficiency?
Mr. Bass. Yes, although such requirements may be less of a concern
in the Military Health System.
acquisition reform
90. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what is your understanding of the
Procurement Integrity Act and your obligations under that law?
Mr. Bass. The Procurement Integrity Act prevents unethical and
improper competitive practices from influencing Federal procurements by
prohibiting the disclosure or obtaining protected information before a
contract award and restricting acceptance of post-government employment
compensation from contractors by certain former officials.
91. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass do you believe that it is important to
be able to assess accurate cost and pricing data from contractors,
especially for sole-or single-source contracts?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will work with Department stakeholders
and the acquisition workforce to ensure the Department has access to
accurate cost and pricing data as required by law.
92. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how do you plan to obtain cost and
pricing data from contractors to determine that the cost of DOD
contracts is fair and reasonable?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I would rely on procurement subject matter
experts.
93. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how do you plan to do so in cases
where contractors refuse or claim they are unable to turn over this
data?
Mr. Bass. A contractor must provide this information if required by
contract or documented in a request for proposal.
94. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed, what steps will
you take to ensure that contractors are not price gouging or
overcharging DOD?
Mr. Bass. Most procurement information for the Military Health
System is akin to procurement activities in other large health systems
in the United States, making comparison easier and pricing fairer.
95. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you are confirmed will you commit
to seeking refunds from contractors and companies that overcharge DOD?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will continue to seek redress in full
compliance of what the law will allow.
96. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if so, how do you plan to do so?
Mr. Bass. I would rely on procurement subject matter experts for
assistance.
research and development
97. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, does DOD benefit from partnering with
colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally funded research and
development centers?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
98. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, under your leadership, will DOD
continue to work with colleges, universities, nonprofits, and federally
funded research and development centers to research and address our
toughest national security challenges?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I commit to continuing to work with
colleges, universities, nonprofit organizations, and federally funded
research and development centers to develop new and transformative
capabilities for the Warfighter consistent with the Administration's
mission and priorities.
99. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, on March 20, 2025, DOD announced it
was terminating $360 million in grants. What is your understanding of
DOD's criteria for canceling grants?
Mr. Bass. I was not involved in the decisionmaking behind the
terminations and so am not in a position to speak on the matter.
100. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what should DOD's criteria for
canceling grants be?
Mr. Bass. Grants should be canceled if there are truly higher
priority needs for our Service members. In this resource constrained
environment, we must ensure mission critical needs are prioritized.
101. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, who should be involved in decisions
to cancel DOD grants?
Mr. Bass. Decisions to terminate grant awards may be necessary to
ensure that the Department makes the best use of available resources.
These decisions are most often made by those responsible for the
individual program the grant supports but can also be determined by DOD
leadership in accordance with Department priorities or the
Administration consistent with its policy objectives.
102. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, does DOD invest enough in research
and development?
Mr. Bass. Ensuring the Department remains on the cutting edge means
proper funding for research and development (R&D) has to be a priority.
If confirmed, I commit to working with the Secretary, the Comptroller
and the Undersecretary of Defense for R&D to ensure we are properly
investing in research and development.
103. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do defense contractors invest enough
in research and development?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I commit to reviewing the R&D investments
made my defense contractors. However, I believe it is critical that we
ensure defense contractors have the proper incentives to make
sufficient investments in research and development that align with the
Department's efforts.
104. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what should DOD's top research and
development priorities be?
Mr. Bass. For the Military Health System, we must maintain focus on
biomedical research for battlefield medicine and prolonged field care;
increase research in understanding the effects of weapons systems on
our Service members; as well as the causes, epidemiology, and treatment
for conditions that uniquely affect the military.
exceptional families
105. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, TRICARE's Extended Care Health
Option (ECHO) was designed to serve as a military equivalent to
Medicaid but military family advocates report it remains too limited in
scope and funding to fully meet the needs of exceptional families.
Given the uncertainty surrounding Medicaid at the Federal and State
levels, do you support expanding ECHO to ensure military families have
consistent access to necessary services, no matter where they are
stationed?
I support programs within the Military Health System that expand
access to our military families no matter where they are stationed, but
I do believe we need to ensure that remote health care options are
adequately resourced and patient-friendly.
106. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what specific steps would you take
to improve ECHO so that it better reflects the comprehensive care and
flexibility of Medicaid waiver programs?
I would work with the subject matter experts within the Defense
Health Agency to ensure that all additive programs to the TRICARE
Health Plan are accessible to our military families and, perhaps more
importantly, that the care provided by the DOD is accessible at home,
aboard, and wherever our family members live.
107. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how would you advocate for increased
funding and program improvements to reduce out-of-pocket costs and
administrative burdens for military families who rely on ECHO?
On behalf of our military families, I would advocate broadly for
all of the requirements of the Military Health System and ensure that
the Secretary of Defense and Congress understand the tradeoffs we have
to make as good stewards of the taxpayers dollars.
108. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, proposed changes to Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding and school-based therapies
threaten to reduce access to critical services, forcing parents to
fight for accommodations their children are legally entitled to
receive. For military families who move frequently, these challenges
are even greater, as they must re-establish services with each
relocation, often facing delays and inconsistencies in school-provided
support. Compounding this issue is the misconception that TRICARE-
covered medically necessary services, such as speech, occupational, or
physical therapy, and applied behavior analysis can replace school-
provided services, when in reality, they are separate and distinct.
TRICARE services are designed to meet medical needs, while schools are
required to provide educational support services--not substitute one
for the other. Given these concerns, how would you work to protect and
strengthen medically necessary services delivered by a medical provider
within the school setting, ensuring that children with exceptional
needs receive the full range of support they require?
The DOD Exceptional Family Member Program is a mandatory enrollment
program designed to provide comprehensive and coordinated support and
services to our military families with special medical or educational
needs. I will continue supporting this program and ensure that the
requirements for enrollment are aligned with leading practices to help
our military families thrive.
mental health
109. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do you support strengthening
military and veteran mental health services to ensure that those in
crisis can access care without unnecessary obstacles?
Yes.
110. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what specific measures would you
take to ensure DOD fully complies with mental health parity rules,
reducing bureaucratic barriers that prevent servicemembers and their
families from receiving necessary treatment?
I would ensure that all instructions maximize access to mental
health care without bureaucratic barriers. I would work toward ensuring
that requirements for mental health care are resourced appropriately to
deliver the capability needed.
111. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, how would you advocate for expanded
mental health provider networks within TRICARE, ensuring military
communities have access to quality care no matter where they are
stationed?
I understand that DOD now has the authority for TRICARE network
providers to deliver mental health care across State lines, which
greatly expands opportunities to access care. If confirmed, I would
continue implementing these authorities while also expanding and
refining tele-health services for mental health care.
protecting classified information and federal records
112. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what is your understanding of the
need to protect operational security, or OPSEC?
Mr. Bass. All information that could be used by an adversary to
hurt the military or reduce national security must be protected in
accordance with the instructions from the classifying authority.
113. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what are the national security risks
of improperly disclosing classified information?
Mr. Bass. It is generally accepted that the improper or
unauthorized disclosure of classified information could be expected to
cause identifiable or describable damage to national security. The
describable damage and certainty of that damage would depend on the
details of the information released, including the level of
classification, as well as the extent and nature of the disclosure.
Determining the extent of damage to national security is part of the
unauthorized disclosure process as outlined in DOD policy, and I would
defer to the Department for additional specifics.
114. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, is it your opinion that information
about imminent military targets is generally sensitive information that
needs to be protected?
Mr. Bass. The Department has robust policies and processes
dedicated to determining the sensitivity of information related to
military targets. If confirmed, I will ensure that myself and those
under my organizational control will adhere to those processes and
standards.
115. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what would you do if you learned an
official had improperly disclosed classified information?
Mr. Bass. I would report it to the DOD security managers for
immediate assessment and mitigation.
116. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, what is your understanding of
Government officials' duties under the Federal Records Act?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I will adhere to the Federal Records Act
and the applicable DOD policies that implement it, which ensure that
the Federal records I create or receive are appropriately maintained.
117. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, should classified information be
shared on unclassified commercial systems?
Mr. Bass. As per the DOD's Information Security Program, only
computers and IT systems approved and accredited for Classified
National Security Information may be used for classified
communications.
118. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, is it damaging to national security
if the pilots flying a mission find out that the official who ordered
them to perform that mission shared sensitive information that could
have made it more likely that the mission would fail or they would be
killed?
Mr. Bass. The Department of Defense places the utmost importance on
mission success and the safety of the men and women carrying out the
mission, making it the finest fighting force in the world. If
confirmed, I will endeavor to carry on that tradition of excellence
supporting the men and women of the armed forces in my role as the
ASD(HA).
119. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if you had information about the
status of specific targets, weapons being used, and timing for imminent
U.S. strikes against an adversary, under what circumstances would you
feel comfortable receiving or sharing that information on an
unclassified commercial application like Signal?
Mr. Bass. If confirmed, I commit to adhering to the information
security policies of the Department of Defense.
treating civilians at medical treatment facilities
120. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, do trauma centers and other military
treatment facilities (MTF) benefit from being able to treat civilians?
Mr. Bass. If the care delivered is complex and relevant to combat
operations, then yes, treating non-beneficiary civilians at MTFs
benefits the readiness posture of the DOD.
121. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if confirmed, will you review DOD's
processes for waiving fees for civilians to ensure that problems with
MTF billing do not load civilians up with medical debt?
Mr. Bass. Yes.
medical capacity
122. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, in your judgment, is the U.S.
military's medical system prepared to support large-scale combat
operations?
Mr. Bass. In my judgment the Military Health System is not best
positioned and prepared to support large-scale combat operations today.
123. Senator Warren. Mr. Bass, if the U.S. military's medical
system is not prepared to support large-scale combat operations, what
steps should DOD take to be adequately prepared?
Mr. Bass. I believe the Military Health System needs to close gaps
in requirements first and foremost at the military medical centers and
hospitals most critical to combat operations.
______
[The nomination reference of Mr. Keith M. Bass follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
______
[The biographical sketch of Mr. Keith M. Bass, 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 all individuals
nominated from civilian life 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 Mr. Keith M.
Bass in connection with his 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]
______
[The nomination of Mr. Keith M. Bass was reported to the
Senate by Chairman Wicker on April 8, 2025, with the
recommendation that the nomination be confirmed. The nomination
was confirmed by the Senate on January 5, 2026.]
[all]