Rep. Adam Smith Holds a Hearing On Defense Department Counterproliferation, Counterterrorism, and Science and Technology Priorities

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Rep. Adam Smith Holds a Hearing On Defense Department Counterproliferation, Counterterrorism, and Science and Technology Priorities

HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM AND UNCONVENTIONAL THREATS HOLDS A HEARING ON DEFENSE DEPARTMENT COUNTERPROLIFERATION, COUNTERTERRORISM, AND SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRIORITIES

MARCH 21, 2007

SPEAKERS: REP. ADAM SMITH, D-WASH. CHAIRMAN REP. MIKE MCINTYRE, D-N.C. REP. ROBERT E. ANDREWS, D-N.J. REP. JIM COOPER, D-TENN. REP. JIM MARSHALL, D-GA. REP. MARK UDALL, D-COLO. REP. BRAD ELLSWORTH, D-IND. REP. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, D-N.Y. REP. KATHY CASTOR, D-FLA. REP. IKE SKELTON, D-MO. EX OFFICIO

REP. WILLIAM M. "MAC" THORNBERRY, R-TEXAS RANKING MEMBER REP. ROBIN HAYES, R-N.C. REP. KEN CALVERT, R-CALIF. REP. JOHN KLINE, R-MINN. REP. THELMA DRAKE, R-VA. REP. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY, R-TEXAS REP. H. JAMES SAXTON, R-N.J. REP. DUNCAN HUNTER, R-CALIF. EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: JOHN YOUNG, DIRECTOR, DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING

JAMES TEGNELIA, DIRECTOR, DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY

ANTHONY TETHER, DIRECTOR, DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECT AGENCY

GENE REED, SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE AND FOR CHEMICAL DEMILITARIZATION PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

THOMAS KILLION, DEPUTY ASSISTANT ARMY SECRETARY FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

REAR ADMIRAL WILLIAM LANDAY III (USN), CHIEF OF NAVAL RESEARCH

TERRY JAGGERS, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING, OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE FOR ACQUISITION

[*] SMITH: We will go ahead and get started. I apologize for running late. Everybody here knows how that works.

We are allegedly going to have some more votes here in an hour to two hours. So I wanted to get started quickly.

I'll just make a couple of brief comments, recognize Mr. Thornberry and move forward.

We have two panels of witnesses today to discuss the science and technology budget within DOD, and science and technology projects focusing particularly on efforts to combat weapons of mass destruction.

I will introduce the first panel.

And we have with us the Honorable John Young, who's the director, Defense Research and Engineering Department, the DOD; Dr. James Tegnelia, director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and also the director for combating weapons of mass destruction, U.S. Strategic Command; and Dr. Anthony Tether, who is the director of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

We are very interested in your testimony, science and technology becoming an increasingly important component of our ability to defend ourselves and also properly arm our military.

I'm very interested in the project that you can have going and how we can help make the proper investments in research, engineering and development, and also how we can take that research, engineering and development and, as quickly as possible, translate it into equipment for our soldiers in our field, among other topics.

And with that, I will turn it over to the ranking member on the committee, Mr. Thornberry, for any opening comments he may have.

THORNBERRY: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I welcome the witnesses.

I agree with you on the importance of this topic.

And I am concerned about the administration's request as far as dollar values.

Congress significantly increased this area last year. And yet, the budget request this year seems to be back down again.

I know, in your testimony, a number of you tried to put the best face you could on that. Looks still hard to justify to me. But I look forward to hearing your testimony, as well as hearing about some of the specific problems.

SMITH: Thank you very much.

And with that, we will turn it over to Mr. Young.

YOUNG: chairman smith, distinguished members of the subcommittee, I appreciate the chance to appear before you on the panel to discuss the Defense Department's fiscal year 2008 research and engineering efforts on the issues of counterproliferation and counterterrorism.

I will reserve my comments on the broader DOD Science and Technology Program for the second panel discussion.

I will ask that my written statement appear at the appropriate place in your formal record.

During my past year as the director of Defense Research and Engineering, the entire Science and Technology team has actively worked to address many of the conclusions of the Defense Department's 2006 quadrennial defense review.

As you are doing with this hearing, the QDR highlighted the need for new ca...

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