James M. Talent: “BARDA has been underfunded. It is being funded at a fraction of what it needs.”

What we were hearing back is a greater and greater level of frustration that the system doesn't seem to understand what they're dealing with.

I certainly agree that these are vital concerns, given the power of cyber weapons, their escalatory potential, and the downside consequences of a miscalculation.

But it is really important because the impact of the next 8 to 10 years, particularly in that theater, if they are able--I don't have to tell you all--to operationalize hypersonics, we have trouble because our missile defenses go out the…

We fear our military lacks the capability to attract, use, and keep the unconventional, technical, and cutting-edge talents and skills that it needs to meet future threats and new realities.