Future of Defense Task Force Opening Statement February 5, 2020

Live stream the hearing here.

Good Morning. This hearing will come to order.

I would like to welcome our members on the Task Force and the witnesses testifying before us today.

Technology is at the heart of today’s great power competition, and the United States no longer enjoys unrivaled dominance. Countries like Russia and China are not just trying to compete with the United States’ conventional military capability, they are trying to leapfrog us in emerging technologies to blaze a new technological frontier.

As I speak, our adversaries are working to surpass us in a dizzying array of emerging technologies: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology and 5G to name a few.

My co-chair, Representative Jim Banks, and I just returned from Southeast Asia, where we saw first-hand the overwhelming influence of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. We also saw the fruits of its technological revolution where companies like Huawei, ZTE and Alibaba have made significant gains on U.S. competitors. China is investing billions and is resolute in its endeavor to be the world leader in many of these emerging technologies.

One cannot understate the fact that whoever wins this race will likely enjoy both military and economic superiority. To ensure U.S. strategic overmatch in these increasingly common battle spaces, the Pentagon must work to supercharge its innovation base. It will need to grow human capital, enhance funding for research and development, foster partnerships with tech innovators in the private sector, and bolster ties with academia.

We also need immigration policies that ensure the United States attracts the most talented people globally. This effort will require a whole of government approach. And the Pentagon will play an enormous role in that effort.

Initiatives like DARPA, have created a historical context. With an initial funding of 520 million dollars which would be 4.5 billion in today’s dollars, DARPA led to current initiatives like DIU which while particularly noteworthy simply doesn’t enjoy the same level of support with a mere 41-million-dollar budget. We cannot expect the same success without the same level of commitment.

Additionally, the defense acquisition process is clearly broken, particularly with regards to the emerging technologies often discussed on this task force. The private sector must help provide the impetus for change. The simple truth is that a majority of the breakthroughs and innovation are occurring in the private sector and the DOD must emphasize agility to capitalize on those innovations and talent, as our national security depends on it. Frankly, that is why the Future of Defense Task force Exists. We need to innovate, we need to create and leverage new capabilities and we must win this race.

Furthermore, we must create technological and economic advantages and those advantages come through our American talent. We cannot lose that advantage. I have heard far too many stories about talented young people, with the skills we need, choosing to leave the national security and defense community. They do not depart out of a lack of patriotism, but out of frustration with slow moving bureaucracy and antiquated personnel policies. We owe them better.

As Congress considers the future of defense, it is important to remember the American war fighters. We owe it to the warfighters and it is our duty as policy makers to catalyze innovation and maintain the military and technological superiority that deters conflict and keeps our young people out of wars. But if conflict does occur, it is our responsibility to make sure our service members never have to engage in a fair fight.

I’d like to thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Thornberry for continuing to support the Task Force. And I want to recognize my fellow Task Force Members for their ongoing efforts in this important endeavor.

With that I would like to turn my co-chair, Congressman Jim Banks of Indiana.

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