00:00Thank you very much, General Anderson, and thank you both for being with us.
00:05It's now time for me to ask some standard questions that we ask of all military nominees.
00:13To exercise its legislative and oversight responsibilities,
00:17it is important that this committee and other appropriate committees of the Congress
00:22be able to receive testimony briefings and other communications of information.
00:29So if you'll just answer yes or no, you can answer simultaneously and we'll be watching.
00:35Have you adhered to applicable laws and regulations governing conflicts of interest?
00:41Yes, Senator.
00:42Okay, just a yes or a no is fine.
00:44Do you agree when asked to give your personal views even if those views differ from the administration in power?
00:51Yes.
00:52Have you assumed any duties or undertaken any actions which would appear to presume the outcome of the confirmation process?
01:00No.
01:01Will you ensure your staff complies with deadlines established for requested communications,
01:07including questions for the record in hearings?
01:10Yes.
01:11Will you cooperate in providing witnesses and briefers in response to congressional requests?
01:18Yes.
01:19Yes.
01:20Will those witnesses be protected from reprisal for their testimony or briefings?
01:24Yes.
01:25Do you agree if confirmed to appear and testify upon request before this committee?
01:30Yes.
01:31Do you agree to provide documents including copies of electronic forms of communications in a timely manner
01:39when requested by a duly constituted committee or to consult with that committee regarding the basis
01:46for any good faith delay or denial in providing such documents?
01:50Yes.
01:51Yes.
01:52Yes.
01:53And thus ends our standard questions.
01:56Let me ask though, let me ask one that has become somewhat standard and we've gotten encouraging responses from all of our witnesses.
02:06Much of the funding in the defense reconciliation bill, the big beautiful bill as the president calls it,
02:13is unspecific and will technically be at the discretion of the Department of Defense.
02:20Though this committee will write recommendations for them.
02:23We do that because of the rules.
02:25A quick yes or no answer from each of you.
02:27Do you commit to follow the Congress's spending recommendations in defense reconciliation unequivocally,
02:36Admiral Bradley?
02:37Yes.
02:38General Anderson.
02:39Yes.
02:40And Admiral Bradley, you in particular will be receiving quite a sum of money for SOCOM priorities
02:45and we want to work together to make sure it is used for the most pressing needs.
02:52So I thank you for your answers there.
02:58General Anderson, you talked about the activities of China in Africa.
03:10You talked about the activities of Russia under their dictator Vladimir Putin.
03:22Why do they do this?
03:24Are they helping Africa out of the goodness of their hearts?
03:29Senator, I appreciate the concern.
03:33I see that from my time at SOC Africa and my time in the joint staff that there is growing activity from both China and Russia on the continent.
03:43Both of those nations see their futures running through the continent and it's key to their strategy.
03:48I think we can look at several of the things that have been done that have not necessarily been good for the people of Africa.
03:53I think they are aware of that.
03:55I think when we can highlight that, it helps them understand the risks of dealing with China and Russia,
04:01whether that be debt diplomacy from China or the corrosive effects of the Africa Corps, previously known as Wagner, in those societies.
04:11Well, okay, and so when we have programs such as PEPFAR or USAID, we would like to feel that that really helps the people there,
04:28but we have a strategic security purpose in doing that ourselves, do we not?
04:35Yes, Senator.
04:37Okay, and what is that?
04:39Senator, these programs are important as long as they provide for the security and prosperity of our nation.
04:48And I think as we target those in key areas, they can help build stability in key regions.
04:53If we abandon the playing field in that regard, what would be the response in Moscow or Beijing?
05:03I think they'd be celebrating, would they not?
05:06Well, Senator, I know that if there's opportunities, they will seize them.
05:10Yes.
05:11Now, on SOCOM, let me just say the SOCOM's budget has been inadequate.
05:25There's been a 35% increase in combatant command requests for SOCOM support over the last three years.
05:34In the last decade, there's been a 200% increase in crisis response missions executed by SOCOM.
05:4514% budget cut, though, in SOCOM, as I pointed out in my opening statement since 2019 when adjusted for inflation.
05:56And in raw numbers, 4,000 troops cut from SOCOM and $757 million in unfunded requirements for fiscal year 2026.
06:10Now, Admiral, the reconciliation bill included $1.64 billion to support SOCOM's readiness and modernization priorities.
06:23Do you agree with me that SOCOM's budget is inadequate to meet growing global demands?
06:29Senator, as you've described it, I've heard General Fenton make a compelling case with those same statistics and believe those to be true.
06:38And let me just point out to you and make sure you agree.
06:44Reconciliation was always meant to be additive to, not a replacement for the core budget.
06:51Absent real growth and SOCOM's future budget request, your command will face significant resourcing challenges.
06:58Is that correct?
07:00Senator, we will absolutely use the resources that are provided to us with ruthless prioritization to go down through the tasks that are given to us.
07:10Inevitably, though, with the current operations commitment that exists, that will mean that we will have to mortgage some of our modernization initiatives to be able to pay for that readiness to sustain those current operations.
07:26Well, listen, we will not be able to be generous with either of you.
07:31But we do want to hear what you really, really need.
07:37And we're going to be depending on the two of you and your teams to let us know that.
07:44Because if something goes wrong and you didn't have the capacity to cover it, then they shouldn't look to you if this body hasn't provided you with the resources.
07:58So thank you very much.
Comments