Mike Rogers

If we do not fund you at least at the rate of inflation, and hopefully aligned with the National Defense Strategy Commission's recommendation of 3-5 percent increase, then we are doing you and our country a great disservice.

That is why I greatly was disappointed with the President's top-line budget number of $715 billion requested for DOD, which constitutes a nearly $5 billion cut in real dollars.

It is important for the committee to continue our bipartisan support of these programs.

In recent years, China and Russia have established an extensive military and economic presence in South and Central America. Their presence destabilizes the region and threatens our national security.

The defense of the homeland and our security efforts in the Western Hemisphere are becoming increasingly more complex as China and Russia and other adversaries expand their reach and improve their capabilities to strike us.

The American taxpayer has a right to be outraged.

I am also concerned about the magnitude of the increases being proposed in this request.

I oppose the sweeping cuts to the State Department put forward by the previous administration.

Nowhere was the impact more harshly felt than in the heart of Appalachia, my eastern Kentucky district.

I am deeply concerned that, far from supporting the middle class, advancing a Green New Deal... will destroy more jobs in Kentucky.

We need to tread very carefully here on First Amendment rights. This is--this is dangerous territory.

We urge you to oppose any new domestic terrorism charge, the creation of a list of designated domestic terrorist organizations, or other expansion of existing nonterrorism-related authorities.

It's also important to point out that we lack any concrete evidence that violent extremism is rife in the military.

I also want to root out of the military those who actively participate in vile and violent hate groups.

It's a resource that we definitely need to be tapping into because it would help fill a need that we have got.

Well, I share Mr. Larsen and Mr. Lynch's observation. This Commission did some great work.

We are a little bit ahead but not very much.

Last week, the Chinese Communist Party rolled out a new set of defense policies. It included a 7 percent increase in defense spending and a plan to become an Arctic and Antarctic power.

However it could be another 2 years before these vaccines receive full FDA approval.

I am also very concerned with a lack of progress the DOD is making vaccinating our service members.

I remain worried about the cumulative impact they are having on our readiness.

America must engage with our allies and partners to defend ourselves from this growing threat.

This Congress must continue to address threats posed by a rising China and a belligerent Russia.

It is just an honor to be here. And this committee does have a bipartisan history that we value and we want to see continue.

This means addressing gaps in our readiness and fielding next-generation capabilities faster than ever before.