Donald Norcross

We've primed the pump, the $8 billion that's going in here to the R&D I think is a very good move.

I do believe, though, that the underlying foundation for the reason for why this government crumbled and why those troops fled is corruption.

Something is not right when the Taliban can get American-made ammunition easier than Americans can.

But for those in our industrial base who went to work every day, particularly early on when they had little knowledge of how it was spreading, we thank them also because we would not be here today if somehow this industrial base stopped.

It makes a difference. If you are listening to this, it gets confusing, but it is incredibly important we start looking at that.

Let's make sure that we clear it up on the record.

We value what you do each and every day and your time.

Thank you for your testimony, each of you. Very much appreciate it.

We will come back and make sure that we do what is right for the American people, and, certainly, for our military.

We are going to make the best of this, because, obviously, you have made your time available.

We will call this meeting to order.

It's unconscionable. We have had time to work through this. Talking about it is not a plan.

I personally oppose taking the prosecution authority away from the commander.

No, incredibly important. But it's also keeping that industrial base alive, which we all agree with that.

I think we can move from 55 percent where we are, incrementally and predictably, so that supply chains become more secure.

The trillions of dollars we just spent propping up businesses through the pandemic, you could call that a bailout. No, it is helping Americans.

And certainly to my colleagues on the other side, Mr. Walberg and I have reached many common grounds on this. So I think there is a real pathway here.

Well, first of all, thank you, Chairman, for holding this meeting and bringing to the front of the line something that is near and dear to everyone on this call, whether you agree how we get there or not, it's those golden years.

But I love to hear the other side talk about how they want to get through and have transparency at the same time they're denying January 6.

The point I am trying to make is, time is lost and there is no excuse in the world.

So, it is all of the above then.

The moment we fail to maintain vigilance is the moment when a belligerent power will seize the opportunity to tip the balance of power.

The budget cut to the Department of Defense being proposed by this administration, in my mind, is somewhat unacceptable in the situation we are in right now.

Absolutely. General Murray, would you concur?

President Biden saw fit this time to slash our defense budget by over $4 billion in real dollars.