Adam Smith

I understand we have one speaker on the way, but they can catch the next one. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

I don't have any speakers. I am very pleased to dispose of this quickly, if you would like. I would just say I think it is an outstanding amendment, and we ought to vote for it. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

First of all, amen to Mr. Gallagher's comments. I appreciate that impassioned speech. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Kim), who is the ranking member on the Military Personnel Subcommittee.

The military and, by the way, doctors all across the country they will give you all the opiates you want.

The defense bill is always a collaborative process amongst all members of the House, not just the members of the committee.

I think this is something that we really need to take a look at because your point is let's study it.

I appreciate the chairman's leadership in getting us started on doing that again this year.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to start by echoing your last comment and thanking General Berger and Admiral Gilday for their leadership in these current positions.

I think it is safe to say that the USMC has a problem recruiting and retaining women.

Eighty-one percent know that to be the case.

So is this the price that women are expected to pay to serve our Nation in our Marine Corps?

But sitting here on the Armed Services Committee, let's not kid ourselves about the impact that would have on what is supposed to be our paramount duty to defend this country if we passed a continuing resolution. It would be devastating.

I have heard a lot of my colleagues talking about how we are just going to do a CR [Continuing Resolution] this year. That would be a complete and total disaster for the United States military, for the ability of this country to defend…

Modernization, I believe, is the most critical thing that we need to do to make sure that we have the Joint All-Domain Command and Control.

You can't both vote to cut the discretionary budget and then complain at the DOD for not spending enough money.

We have this logical challenge here in terms of, here is what we would like to do, here is how much money we have.

It was recently brought to my attention that three Active Duty currently serving female USMC aviators in training have been retaliated against for reporting their military sexual trauma.

I think the chairman has done a really good job of pulling those hearings together.

It has not been an easy time to be in the positions that you are in. You have both done an outstanding job.

If you are going to meet the ridiculous number that was set yesterday by the House, you would have to cut everything else by roughly 50 percent.

Yesterday, the House voted to go back to the fiscal year 2022 level. All of the Republicans voted for it; no Democrats voted for it.

Are you satisfied that we're adequately resourced to meet the needs?

We are being successful because of the leadership of the Biden administration, the leadership of NATO, and most importantly because of the courage of the Ukrainian people.

The alliance has been unbelievably successful in preserving Ukraine and turning back Russia.

We will stand together, we will stand up against Russian aggression, and we will make sure that a sovereign democratic Ukraine remains.