In terms of modernization, there is a tendency to make incremental improvements in equipment.

We do have a successful example of Timor-Leste and Australia of working together.

We owe our sailors and marines and all of our men and women in uniform more than that, a lot more.

Mr. Chairman, I concur.

General Dunford has described the strategy as a 'political-military plan' and a 'whole-of-government approach' requiring important contributions from other non-DOD departments and agencies, most notably the State Department.

This committee has grown increasingly concerned about the erosion of America's conventional military overmatch.

Thank you, Admiral, and make sure you thank the men and women under your command.

Yes, sir. I would be the first to admit it is not what our workforce is optimized for.

I think I can safely say that we are really not organized to deal with it at this point.

We have to be much, much better prepared for 2018, 2020, and beyond.

The transatlantic relationship is a cornerstone of U.S. national security and the international order established at the end of World War II.

This defense budget request and the additional funding that our military needs is literally illegal under the Budget Control Act.

If we are serious about the drug epidemic in this country, we need to adequately fund not only fund our crucial military effort in SOUTHCOM, but also Health and Human Services, the FBI, the DEA, the Coast Guard, the FDA, and all the other…

The new administration has an important opportunity to chart a different and better course.

If they are able to subvert Ukraine, then that will send shock waves throughout Europe.

Our assistance to partners on the ground is helping them to make steady progress in reclaiming areas of Iraq and Syria once held by ISIS, most notably in Mosul.

I have not heard a clarion call from the President and also a practical response and solution.

It is escalate to win, which forces us to escalate to stop them from winning.

I am concerned, however, about the mixed signals that the current administration seems to be sending regarding the United States commitment to NATO and the willingness to cut a deal with Russia.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me focus on the issue of cyber, which you brought up, and I brought up in my comments.

Russia's continued support for the Assad regime fuels the country's civil war, enables the abuse and killing of the Syrian population, and allows ISIS to exploit the resulting instability for its own gains.

What I hope we do not see from this Administration is a plan built around massive tax incentives for private investors.

I also hope that the Trump administration does not attempt to solve our infrastructure problems on the cheap.

We have to focus on that quite significantly.

Senator Reed deserves a great deal of credit for facilitating that new service by helping to secure $110 million in AIP grants.