Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your statement concerning the triad. I know that our witnesses before us today will be echoing the same sentiment.

On April 20, 2021, in a response to Senator Cotton, you stated that reducing the number of ICBMs or removing that leg of the triad would 'solve a critical problem for China.'

I think, you know, certainly, that is a great illustration of rebutting the philosophy of 'if we denuclearize, others won't pursue nuclear weapons.'

protecting our service members should be an incredibly high priority.

The U.S. has determined that Russia's actions have strained key pillars of arms control architecture.

This is incredibly important that we have a public discussion about what our adversaries are doing.

Clearly what they are, what Russia and China is doing is not a response or result of United States actions.

Russia's stockpile of non-strategic nuclear weapons, already large and diverse, is being modernized with an eye towards greater accuracy, longer ranges, and lower yields, to suit their potential warfighting role.

This makes it even more critical that we execute the modernization of all legs of the nuclear triad.

I want to continue our chairman's lauding of the career of Mac Thornberry, again, over his objections. In my 18 years that I have served in Congress, I can tell you, not only has his leadership been essential on the Armed Services…

I want to end the war in Afghanistan, too, but I want to end it responsibly.

And we leaving willy-nilly, without any plan, without any leverage, is clearly the wrong thing to do according to every witness, Republican and Democrat, before this committee.

It is pretty hard to get something if you have given up your leverage.

Well, certainly a principle that I understood in the Marine Corps is we don't leave Americans behind.

I think it is very important for us to have forward-deployed troops.

I am not a fan of the United States adhering to agreements that Russia continuously violates.

Last year, on August 4, 2019, around 1 a.m., a gunman opened fire on a crowded street in the Oregon district in Dayton, Ohio. The police officers at the scene ran toward the danger. Within a mere 32 seconds, because of the courageous acts…

John Lewis has a true legacy of leadership in this House, and he changed the world that we live in. When Congressman Lewis would take the podium, everyone in this House would fall silent and listen to him. I doubt in his long career in…

Let's just be honest. This amendment does not do anything for funding for COVID or funding for healthcare. This is, straight and simple, defund DOD, and that is it. We have just come off of sequestration where we saw our planes falling out…

I greatly appreciate that the advocate to the amendment slipped into his comments that Russia cheats, because that is why we are stepping out. Mr. Speaker, you can't have a treaty with just yourself. You have to have a treaty with two…

We have before us, the National Defense Authorization Act that is proceeding as a bipartisan bill. Chairman Smith committed himself to that, and Ranking Member Thornberry worked diligently to make this a bipartisan bill. So you only see…

I claim the time in opposition to the amendment. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio is recognized for 5 minutes.

I want to join Ranking Member Thornberry in noting the passing of John Lewis. His heroism and his eloquence challenged us all, and he will be sorely missed. Mr. Speaker, I also want to begin by thanking Chairman Adam Smith. Our chairman…

How much time is remaining? The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.

I recognize that there is only one legitimate President of the United States at a time in accordance with U.S. law.