WEBVTT

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hopefully must be visible on screen for

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the purposes of identity verification ,

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establishing and maintaining a quorum .

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Participating in the proceeding and

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voting , those members must continue to

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use the software platforms video

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function while in attendance unless

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they experience connectivity . Issues

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are other technical problems that

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render them unable to participate on

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camera . If a member experiences

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technical difficulties , they should

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contact the committee staff for

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assistance . Video of members

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Participation will be broadcast in the

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room and via the television slash

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Internet feeds . Members participating

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remotely must seek recognition verbally

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on their asked to mute their

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microphones when they're not speaking .

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Remembers who are participating

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remotely are reminded to keep the

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software platforms video function on

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the entire time they attend the

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proceeding . Members may leave and

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rejoined the proceeding if members

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depart for a short while for reasons

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other than joining a different

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proceeding , they should leave the

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video function on If members will be

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absent for a significant period or

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depart to join a different proceeding ,

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they should exit the software platform

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entirely , and then we join it . If

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they return . Members may use the

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software platforms chat feature to

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communicate with staff regarding

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technical or logistical support issues

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only . Finally , I have designated the

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committee staff member , too , if

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necessary , mute unrecognized members

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microphones to cancel any inadvertent

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background noise that may disrupt the

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proceedings . Well , thank you . We are

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here , this one update from Department

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of Defense on their evolving roles and

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missions in response to the Cove in 19

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Pandemic . We've had a number of these

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hearings over the course of the last

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nine or 10 months very much appreciate

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the department's cooperation in that

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process . And this morning we have with

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us , um , Dr Robert Sallis is who is

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performing the duties of assistant

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Secretary of Defense for homeland

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defense and Global Security . Major

01:46.933 --> 01:49.560
General Jeff Calabar , who is the vice

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director of operations for the Joint

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Chiefs , and Major General Stephen

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Nordhaus , who is the director of

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operations for the National Guard

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Bureau . Appreciate all of you being

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here this morning . Um , and for the

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record or witnesses air here in person ,

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we have many members who are here

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virtually Andi before you . So I do

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want to thank our staff in General Doug

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Bush in particular , who's done an

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outstanding job of making this process .

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Work hasn't been easy , but I think it

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has been very , very effective . We've

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been able to conduct the business of

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this committee effectively , Um , while

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still accommodating the needs to a deal

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with the covert pandemic . So it's been

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a lot of work , and I definitely

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appreciate that work . I also want to

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thank the department for their

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leadership and efforts on the covert

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pandemic . There's a number of

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different layers to this which will

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want to get into today . Um , obviously

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at the top , you know , is the

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protection of the force , active duty ,

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civilian and guardsmen . How are we

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able to continue to maintain readiness ,

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maintain performance of the duties well ,

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at the same time protecting our service

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members from the pandemic and stopping

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the spread ? There's been a lot the D .

02:59.892 --> 03:02.059
O . D . Has done to make that happen .

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Learning more about how it is going and

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how it is gone is enormously helpful ,

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because I think in many ways Department

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of Defense has been a leader in some of

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that on guiding all of us and how we

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can get our get our work done and still

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contain the virus . So appreciate

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hearing about that , Um , also , as we

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know the guard has been called up to

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help support , um , states and

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localities in a variety of different

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ways from beginning this pandemic .

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Most urgently , in some cases when

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communities have been overrun , they've

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set up field hospitals , and they've

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provided staff to meet those needs . I

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remember in my home state of Washington ,

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which got this sort of first burst , um ,

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in March , you know , we set up a field

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hospital , um , at a local stadium .

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Turned out we didn't need it , which

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was good , but we definitely needed the

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support staff that was provided . As I

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know , many other states have a swell .

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And now , as we go forward , it's gonna

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be really important to see how the

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Department of Defense could help with

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the vaccine distribution . And I'd

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really like to learn this morning ,

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Maura , about how you're participating

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in that how you're coordinating with

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with FEMA and HHS , um , to maximize

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the most rapid distribution of the

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vaccine possible . Um , also , there

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are the issues surrounding , you know ,

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production of the vaccine as well .

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Curious . What d o d is working on in

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that regard ? And then , lastly , there

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is the industrial base now the

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industrial base is enormously important

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for maintaining our national security

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needs . They obviously have been

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stressed in all the ways that the rest

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of us have in terms of maintaining the

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workforce in terms of providing safety

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for their workers . Um , how is that

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going ? How how do we feel about , um ,

04:42.704 --> 04:44.927
the level of production and making sure

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that we're meeting our defense needs

04:46.982 --> 04:49.093
And again , while that may start with

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the focus Certainly from this committee

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and from the Department of Defense is

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perspective on , you know how . How do

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we protect defense needs ? It has

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larger implications . Many of these

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companies obviously do most commercial

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and defense work . How are they

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handling that ? Are they adequately

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protecting their workforce ? Are they

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able to meet their needs ? If they're

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not ? How are we adjusting to those

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shortfalls ? Many questions t to be

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covered in this conversation and

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discussion . I look forward to the

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testimony and to the question and

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answer . And with that , I will yield

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to the ranking member of Mr Rogers for

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his opening statement . Thank you , Mr

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Chairman . I appreciate you having this

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this hearing today . Since the earliest

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days of the pandemic , the U . S

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military has been on the front lines of

05:28.718 --> 05:30.662
this response , providing critical

05:30.662 --> 05:32.718
support to civilian authorities that

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federal , state and local levels . The

05:34.884 --> 05:36.996
repatriation repatriated thousands of

05:36.996 --> 05:39.218
Americans , hosted dozens of quarantine

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testing and vaccination sites ,

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deployed its two hospital ships and set

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up military field hospitals to surge

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healthcare capacity and hard hit areas .

05:46.240 --> 05:48.351
Provided thousands of ventilators and

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millions of respirators and other

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peopIe to civilian authorities , and

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helped develop the therapeutics and

05:54.296 --> 05:56.296
vaccines under Operation Warp speed

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that air saving lives and putting an

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end to this pandemic . For this , we

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are eternally grateful . And while we

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know while I know there's a desire to

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see D . O . D doom or to assist the and

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authorities , I'm primarily concerned

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with its impact that Kobe is having on

06:11.441 --> 06:13.608
our military readiness . Over the past

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year , nearly 200 Navy ships have

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suffered outbreaks , which in some

06:18.114 --> 06:20.337
cases disrupted training and operations

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across the services . Hundreds of

06:22.529 --> 06:24.751
training exercises have been canceled ,

06:24.751 --> 06:26.640
curtailed or altered . This is

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especially problematic for our service

06:28.807 --> 06:30.529
members overseas , who rely on

06:30.529 --> 06:32.529
international exercises to maintain

06:32.529 --> 06:34.970
their proficiency at our ship yards and

06:34.970 --> 06:37.410
depots on across the industrial base

06:37.410 --> 06:39.577
code , workforce reductions or cutting

06:39.577 --> 06:41.299
production capacity , delaying

06:41.299 --> 06:43.299
maintenance cycles and pushing plan

06:43.299 --> 06:45.188
worked back by months . While the

06:45.188 --> 06:47.354
services have done a tremendous job to

06:47.354 --> 06:49.354
mitigate these impacts and keep our

06:49.354 --> 06:51.450
troops on station , I remain worried

06:51.460 --> 06:53.460
about the cumulative impact they're

06:53.460 --> 06:55.730
having on our readiness . I'm also very

06:55.730 --> 06:57.952
concerned with the lack of progress the

06:57.952 --> 06:59.952
D . O . D is making vaccinating our

06:59.952 --> 07:02.174
service members . It's my understanding

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that since the vaccines on Lee received

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emergency use authorization from the F

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d f D A , the D . O . D is reluctant to

07:07.580 --> 07:09.580
make vaccinations mandatory at this

07:09.580 --> 07:11.691
time . The department typically waits

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until full FDA approval before issuing

07:13.940 --> 07:16.330
such orders to vaccinate . However , it

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could be another two years before these

07:18.552 --> 07:20.960
vaccines received full FDA approval .

07:21.640 --> 07:23.862
With new variants popping up across the

07:23.862 --> 07:25.918
globe , I'm not sure we can wait two

07:25.918 --> 07:28.084
years . It's critical for our national

07:28.084 --> 07:30.196
security that every service member as

07:30.196 --> 07:32.251
well as D o . D . Civilian personnel

07:32.251 --> 07:32.130
and contractors receive vaccine this

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unit soon as possible . I'm interested

07:34.610 --> 07:36.388
to hear from our witnesses what

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percentage of our service members have

07:38.554 --> 07:40.777
been vaccinated , what the refusal rate

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has been and what steps or take are

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being taken to get more shots into arms .

07:45.110 --> 07:46.999
Finally , my job is to ensure our

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service members have the resources they

07:49.221 --> 07:51.277
need to successfully carry out their

07:51.277 --> 07:53.443
mission . This pandemic is making that

07:53.443 --> 07:55.277
mission much harder . I hope our

07:55.277 --> 07:57.110
witnesses will explain what MAWR

07:57.110 --> 07:59.170
Congress can do to help the services

07:59.170 --> 08:01.320
adapt and overcome . Thank you for

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being here today , and I thank you , Mr

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Chairman . I go back , make sure and

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we'll give testimony . Now with Mr

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Analysis , you may proceed .

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Good morning , Chairman Smith Ranking

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member Rogers Distinguished members of

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the committee Thank you for the

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opportunity to testify before you today

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on the Department of Defense is

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response to the Cove in 19 Pandemic .

08:25.740 --> 08:27.860
The Cove in 19 Pandemic has posed an

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unprecedented challenge to our nation .

08:30.440 --> 08:33.230
Since the start , the D . O . D . Has

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protected its people . Supported the

08:35.430 --> 08:37.370
national response , ensured the

08:37.370 --> 08:39.314
readiness of the force to meet its

08:39.314 --> 08:42.040
national security missions to protect D

08:42.040 --> 08:44.580
o D . Personnel from the pandemic . D .

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O D . Implemented measures to contain

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and mitigate the effects on the force ,

08:48.913 --> 08:51.024
including force , health protection ,

08:51.024 --> 08:53.010
guidance , restriction of movement

08:53.020 --> 08:56.560
orders , social distancing mask wearing

08:57.340 --> 09:00.340
tele work on an unprecedented scale and

09:00.340 --> 09:03.360
testing and contact tracing d o d is

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also established a tiered vaccine plan

09:06.240 --> 09:08.880
following CDC guidance tailored to

09:08.880 --> 09:12.140
diodes unique requirements . As of 16

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February , D . O . D has administered

09:14.880 --> 09:18.840
approximately 860,000 doses of

09:18.840 --> 09:22.130
the vaccine . D O d Support to the

09:22.130 --> 09:23.908
national response to the co vid

09:23.908 --> 09:27.270
pandemic has evolved over the last 13

09:27.270 --> 09:30.200
months . D . O D assistance began in

09:30.200 --> 09:33.620
late January 2020 supporting embassies

09:33.620 --> 09:35.564
and consulates around the globe to

09:35.564 --> 09:37.640
repatriate US citizens and U . S

09:37.640 --> 09:40.630
Persons to the United States in support

09:40.630 --> 09:43.200
of the State Department . US . Transcom

09:43.200 --> 09:46.680
facilitated the safe return of more

09:46.680 --> 09:49.910
than 4500 Americans and support of

09:49.920 --> 09:53.370
HHS US North calm and end up a common

09:53.370 --> 09:55.380
The military departments aided the

09:55.380 --> 09:57.790
quarantine of more than 3000

09:57.800 --> 09:59.950
individuals at 13 military

09:59.960 --> 10:03.120
installations as the pandemic spread

10:03.120 --> 10:05.420
over the late winter early spring of

10:05.420 --> 10:09.270
2020 hospitalizations increased rapidly

10:09.280 --> 10:11.750
and state local demand rose for both

10:11.760 --> 10:13.970
medical facilities and medical

10:13.970 --> 10:17.660
providers . HHS and FEMA turned to D O

10:17.660 --> 10:20.220
D . To help meet this demand , North

10:20.220 --> 10:23.010
Com deployed almost 15,000 d o D

10:23.010 --> 10:26.150
personnel , including nearly 5000

10:26.160 --> 10:27.938
active duty and reserve medical

10:27.938 --> 10:30.110
professionals , to 10 states and

10:30.110 --> 10:32.388
multiple locations within those states .

10:33.640 --> 10:36.240
Indo Pak Um provided similar support

10:36.250 --> 10:38.500
toe Hawaii , Guam and the Northern

10:38.500 --> 10:41.060
Mariana Islands . The Army Corps of

10:41.060 --> 10:44.440
Engineers designed and constructed 38

10:44.450 --> 10:46.561
alternate care facilities , providing

10:46.561 --> 10:48.910
additional medical bed capacity in

10:48.910 --> 10:52.520
multiple states . Working with FEMA , D .

10:52.520 --> 10:54.600
O D also authorized National Guard

10:54.600 --> 10:58.150
personnel to carry out FEMA Cove in 19

10:58.160 --> 11:00.860
mission assignments entitled 32 status .

11:01.240 --> 11:04.340
More than 47,000 National Guard

11:04.350 --> 11:06.880
supported testing , emergency medical

11:06.880 --> 11:09.310
care , medical sheltering , public

11:09.310 --> 11:10.754
health , communications ,

11:10.754 --> 11:12.910
transportation , logistics and first

11:12.910 --> 11:15.490
responders support . D . O D also

11:15.490 --> 11:17.546
played a critical role in strength .

11:17.546 --> 11:19.490
Strengthening the supply chain for

11:19.490 --> 11:21.490
medical resource is and PP in short

11:21.490 --> 11:24.920
supply . HHS and FEMA leverage D . O .

11:24.920 --> 11:28.090
D s acquisition logistics expertise to

11:28.090 --> 11:30.230
re in first reinforced nearly all

11:30.230 --> 11:32.341
facets of the national supply chain .

11:32.840 --> 11:35.180
FEMA , An HHS established the supply

11:35.180 --> 11:38.370
chain task force in late March of 2020

11:38.380 --> 11:41.380
which was led and heavily supported by

11:41.380 --> 11:43.890
D O D experts . The task force

11:43.890 --> 11:46.450
accelerated acquisition , expanded

11:46.450 --> 11:48.680
production by generating new capacity

11:49.000 --> 11:50.890
and allocated key resource is and

11:50.890 --> 11:53.690
supplies to priority hotspots around

11:53.690 --> 11:57.420
the nation . US . Transcom supported

11:57.430 --> 11:59.640
Project Air Bridge , which also

11:59.650 --> 12:02.010
airlifted Million's Mawr of critical

12:02.010 --> 12:04.630
PPE and medical supplies , to fulfill

12:04.630 --> 12:07.340
the supply chain gaps . In late March

12:07.340 --> 12:10.750
2020 Duty also established the Covic

12:10.750 --> 12:13.500
Joint Acquisition Task Force to serve

12:13.500 --> 12:16.380
as the diodes nexus for supporting

12:16.380 --> 12:18.800
federal acquisition and logistics .

12:18.800 --> 12:22.730
Needs the jihad if awarded nearly two

12:22.730 --> 12:25.490
billion worth of contracts to restock

12:25.500 --> 12:27.278
the national strategic national

12:27.278 --> 12:29.930
stockpile and expand the domestic

12:29.930 --> 12:31.986
industrial base for medical supplies

12:31.986 --> 12:34.097
and equipment . The Defense Logistics

12:34.097 --> 12:38.080
Agency also executed more than 25,000

12:38.080 --> 12:40.770
contract actions for medical supplies

12:40.770 --> 12:43.650
and equipment . Building on decades of

12:43.650 --> 12:45.840
work Studying infectious disease such

12:45.840 --> 12:47.980
as Ebola and the coronavirus , is

12:48.440 --> 12:51.020
research and development efforts of D .

12:51.020 --> 12:53.100
O D . Experts help genetically

12:53.100 --> 12:56.210
Sequenced CO vid 19 and established the

12:56.210 --> 12:58.210
first treatment protocols for the

12:58.210 --> 13:00.260
remedies severe in March of 2020 .

13:01.640 --> 13:04.380
Furthermore , DARPA funded projects

13:04.390 --> 13:06.820
helped lay the groundwork for rapid

13:06.820 --> 13:08.950
development of our Neykova . 19

13:08.950 --> 13:11.640
vaccines produced by Madonna and

13:11.640 --> 13:15.380
AstraZeneca . The joint D O D

13:15.390 --> 13:18.670
HHS Vaccine Task Force , established in

13:18.670 --> 13:21.970
May of 2020 accelerated the development .

13:21.980 --> 13:24.470
The manufacturing and the distribution

13:24.470 --> 13:27.360
of covert 19 vaccines in record time

13:28.040 --> 13:30.360
now in approximately 60 million vaccine

13:30.360 --> 13:34.030
doses delivered 42 million which

13:34.040 --> 13:36.750
have been administered and expecting

13:36.760 --> 13:39.850
600 million vaccine regiments delivered

13:39.850 --> 13:43.690
by the end of July of 2021 as Secretary

13:43.700 --> 13:45.922
Austin made clear in Day one message to

13:45.922 --> 13:48.730
the department d o D must move further

13:48.740 --> 13:50.907
and faster to help counter the Cove in

13:50.907 --> 13:54.170
19 Pandemic To that end , d . O D .

13:54.180 --> 13:57.090
With FEMA as developed plans to support

13:57.090 --> 13:59.201
vaccine centers able to administer up

13:59.201 --> 14:03.160
to 6000 vaccines a day . D . O . D is

14:03.160 --> 14:05.650
also supported our allies and partners

14:05.650 --> 14:07.761
through the provision of transport of

14:07.761 --> 14:09.928
lifesaving medical equipment , PPE and

14:09.928 --> 14:11.872
humanitarian aid , D . O . D . Has

14:11.872 --> 14:14.030
provided more than $200 million in

14:14.030 --> 14:17.220
assistance to 143 countries , including

14:17.420 --> 14:19.150
testing , diagnostic support ,

14:19.160 --> 14:21.780
infection control , PPE and contract

14:21.790 --> 14:25.280
chasing and more going forward . D . O .

14:25.280 --> 14:27.447
D . Is actively implementing President

14:27.447 --> 14:29.558
Biden's National Strategy , Executive

14:29.558 --> 14:31.700
Orders and National Security Policy

14:31.700 --> 14:33.890
Memorandum and is committed to

14:33.900 --> 14:36.170
executing the president and Secretary

14:36.180 --> 14:39.370
Austin's direction to defeat covert 19

14:39.370 --> 14:42.110
Pandemic and defend the force while

14:42.110 --> 14:44.680
protecting our nation . Chairman Smith ,

14:45.020 --> 14:47.800
ranking member Rogers distinguished

14:47.800 --> 14:49.856
members of the committee . Thank you

14:49.856 --> 14:52.390
for the opportunity . The support to

14:52.390 --> 14:54.700
testify today . I appreciate the

14:54.700 --> 14:57.140
critical role in partnership Congress

14:57.140 --> 14:59.350
plays in ensuring the department is

14:59.350 --> 15:01.350
prepared to face every challenge at

15:01.350 --> 15:04.490
home and abroad . Thank you and I

15:04.490 --> 15:06.546
should have asked this upfront , but

15:06.546 --> 15:08.657
both you gentlemen coming on offering

15:08.657 --> 15:10.657
opening statements as well . Okay ,

15:10.657 --> 15:13.210
sure , Yes . Then we'll go to General

15:13.210 --> 15:15.160
Tolliver . Thank you , Chairman ,

15:15.640 --> 15:17.900
Chairman Smith , ranking member Rogers

15:17.900 --> 15:19.733
and distinguished members of the

15:19.733 --> 15:21.900
committee . Thanks for the opportunity

15:21.900 --> 15:23.678
to talk about DVD operations in

15:23.678 --> 15:26.160
response to the pandemic today . The

15:26.160 --> 15:28.049
Joint force has been committed to

15:28.049 --> 15:30.216
supporting the national Covic response

15:30.216 --> 15:33.150
effort from its beginning in early 2020

15:33.160 --> 15:36.320
and has responded to 370 for FEMA

15:36.320 --> 15:39.420
mission assignments . 47 requests for

15:39.420 --> 15:41.531
assistance from other departments and

15:41.531 --> 15:44.740
agencies , with many more expected . In

15:44.740 --> 15:47.060
the early days of this effort , DVT

15:47.060 --> 15:49.180
provided facilities to help house

15:49.180 --> 15:52.830
personnel evacuated from overseas and

15:52.830 --> 15:55.170
in March of 2020 began providing

15:55.170 --> 15:57.170
support to the states through FEMA

15:57.170 --> 15:59.810
mission assignments . The capabilities

15:59.810 --> 16:02.010
needed by FEMA and the state's evolved

16:02.010 --> 16:04.570
over time , but included everything

16:04.570 --> 16:06.459
from direct medical support , the

16:06.459 --> 16:09.090
hospitals and nursing facilities to the

16:09.090 --> 16:10.979
deployment of field hospitals and

16:10.979 --> 16:13.160
hospital ships to the staffing of

16:13.160 --> 16:15.710
alternate care facilities , mortuary

16:15.710 --> 16:17.820
affairs , transportation and

16:17.820 --> 16:20.710
sustainment . As the state's medical

16:20.710 --> 16:22.877
community learned Maura about treating

16:22.877 --> 16:24.766
the disease and responding to the

16:24.766 --> 16:27.680
pandemic , our primary operational

16:27.680 --> 16:30.070
headquarters , U . S . Northern Command

16:30.100 --> 16:33.050
innovated and evolved its response to

16:33.050 --> 16:35.161
best meet the needs of our partners .

16:35.640 --> 16:37.751
In our initial response , we deployed

16:37.751 --> 16:39.918
traditional military capabilities like

16:39.918 --> 16:41.973
field hospitals and hospital ships .

16:42.340 --> 16:44.229
But over time it became clear our

16:44.229 --> 16:46.007
capabilities could be much more

16:46.007 --> 16:47.920
effective . Augmenting existing

16:47.920 --> 16:50.140
hospitals with medical personnel ,

16:50.150 --> 16:52.310
specifically doctors , nurses and

16:52.310 --> 16:55.050
respiratory therapists . This model met

16:55.050 --> 16:57.161
the patients and hospitals where they

16:57.161 --> 16:58.828
wanted to be in the treatment

16:58.828 --> 17:00.880
facilities they were used to and

17:00.880 --> 17:03.090
enabled those facilities to handle the

17:03.090 --> 17:06.120
increased patient load . Over the past

17:06.120 --> 17:08.120
year , U S Northern Command has put

17:08.120 --> 17:11.130
more than 15,000 titled 10 forces in

17:11.130 --> 17:13.670
the homeland in support of Cove in 19

17:13.670 --> 17:16.240
response efforts , including , at its

17:16.240 --> 17:18.110
peak , over 45,000 medical

17:18.110 --> 17:21.060
professionals . They've supported 63

17:21.060 --> 17:23.960
different hospitals , nine alternate

17:23.960 --> 17:26.610
care facilities across the country and

17:26.610 --> 17:28.740
today have over 200 personnel

17:28.740 --> 17:31.590
supporting nine hospitals in Arizona .

17:31.600 --> 17:35.170
The Navajo Nation in Texas , U . S

17:35.170 --> 17:37.281
Transportation Command has also moved

17:37.281 --> 17:40.560
over £900,000 of supplies , helped

17:40.560 --> 17:43.430
repatriate over 4000 American citizens

17:43.430 --> 17:45.530
using military or commercially

17:45.530 --> 17:48.710
contracting aircraft as the nation's

17:48.710 --> 17:51.080
responsive balls again towards the

17:51.080 --> 17:53.750
focus on vaccine distribution . The

17:53.750 --> 17:56.910
joint force is equally committed today .

17:56.910 --> 17:59.132
We're already supporting to vaccination

17:59.132 --> 18:01.940
distribution centers one in California

18:01.940 --> 18:03.800
and one in New Jersey , and have

18:03.800 --> 18:06.260
ordered over 4000 additional forces to

18:06.260 --> 18:09.610
prepare to deploy to support the 1st

18:09.610 --> 18:13.150
25 different centers as needed . We're

18:13.150 --> 18:15.320
anticipating FEMA mission assignments

18:15.320 --> 18:17.487
that could come quickly for New York ,

18:17.487 --> 18:19.920
Texas and elsewhere and will stay in

18:19.920 --> 18:22.540
lockstep with FEMA as the lead federal

18:22.540 --> 18:25.980
agency for this effort . The D O D .

18:25.980 --> 18:28.320
Vaccination teams utilize some of the

18:28.320 --> 18:31.040
same capabilities from our medical

18:31.040 --> 18:33.710
facility support , but also lean more

18:33.710 --> 18:36.330
heavily on medics , pharmacists and

18:36.330 --> 18:38.920
more nurses . Thes teams come in a

18:38.920 --> 18:41.240
variety of scalable size is based on

18:41.240 --> 18:43.880
the need of the states . Just a last

18:43.880 --> 18:46.300
year will stay agile and continue Thio

18:46.300 --> 18:48.522
innovating . Evolve this response as we

18:48.522 --> 18:50.860
learn mawr or the needs of the state's

18:50.860 --> 18:53.390
change . Thanks for the opportunity to

18:53.390 --> 18:55.790
share experience today and for the work

18:55.790 --> 18:58.012
of the committee to support our efforts

18:58.012 --> 19:00.123
and our service members over the last

19:00.123 --> 19:02.346
year , we look forward to continuing to

19:02.346 --> 19:04.179
work with the committee on these

19:04.179 --> 19:06.346
important issues going forward . Thank

19:06.346 --> 19:08.290
you . Thank you . General Nordhaus

19:08.840 --> 19:11.118
Chairman Smith , Ranking member Rogers ,

19:11.118 --> 19:13.062
distinguished members of the Armed

19:13.062 --> 19:15.007
Service Committee . It is truly an

19:15.007 --> 19:17.062
honor to testify before you today on

19:17.062 --> 19:19.460
the National Guard support to co vid 19

19:19.470 --> 19:21.692
and defeating it . I'd like to start by

19:21.692 --> 19:23.748
highlighting the historic efforts of

19:23.748 --> 19:25.859
our National Guard members and our 50

19:25.859 --> 19:27.748
states . Three territories in the

19:27.748 --> 19:29.914
District of Columbia thes air the same

19:29.914 --> 19:32.081
National Guard men and women who spent

19:32.081 --> 19:34.340
over 10 million days in 2000 and 20

19:34.350 --> 19:36.350
serving their communities and their

19:36.350 --> 19:38.572
nation both domestically and around the

19:38.572 --> 19:40.780
world , four times more than in the

19:40.780 --> 19:43.200
previous year . They helped battle

19:43.200 --> 19:45.990
wildfires that damaged over 9.5 million

19:45.990 --> 19:49.430
acres . Over 43,100 service members

19:49.430 --> 19:51.560
help maintain order in 34 states

19:51.570 --> 19:53.792
territories in the District of Columbia

19:53.792 --> 19:56.160
last summer , when civil disturbances

19:56.160 --> 19:58.104
threatened the public's ability to

19:58.104 --> 20:00.160
safely protest , and they save lives

20:00.160 --> 20:02.327
and expedited recovery efforts . After

20:02.327 --> 20:04.382
a record breaking hurricane season ,

20:04.900 --> 20:08.020
including 12 named storms impacting the

20:08.020 --> 20:11.230
United States . As you know , the

20:11.230 --> 20:13.286
National Guards primary focus within

20:13.286 --> 20:15.397
the homeland has been supporting Cove

20:15.397 --> 20:17.452
in 19 operations . We currently have

20:17.452 --> 20:19.610
over 28,400 soldiers and Airman

20:19.730 --> 20:21.980
dedicated to Cove in 19 operations

20:21.990 --> 20:25.030
across all 54 states , territories and

20:25.030 --> 20:27.900
the District of Columbia , performing a

20:27.900 --> 20:31.050
wide range of missions in

20:31.050 --> 20:33.740
2020 alone or National Guard members

20:33.740 --> 20:35.860
tested nearly 13 million people ,

20:35.870 --> 20:38.092
provided medical planning , support the

20:38.092 --> 20:39.870
local communities and conducted

20:39.870 --> 20:41.870
warehouse operations to support the

20:41.870 --> 20:43.870
distribution of personal protective

20:43.870 --> 20:45.814
equipment and medical equipment to

20:45.814 --> 20:48.148
hospitals and community medical centers .

20:48.200 --> 20:50.422
The National Guard also provided nearly

20:50.422 --> 20:52.760
550 million meals to families in need ,

20:53.240 --> 20:55.810
disinfected over 9600 long term care

20:55.810 --> 20:58.380
facilities and delivered nearly 37

20:58.380 --> 21:00.436
million mass for frontline workers .

21:01.040 --> 21:03.207
Josh Hawkinson , chief of the National

21:03.207 --> 21:05.429
Guard Bureau , has made maximum support

21:05.429 --> 21:07.318
to Kobe vaccination efforts , his

21:07.318 --> 21:10.120
number one priority since early January .

21:10.120 --> 21:12.342
The National Guard has grown from a few

21:12.342 --> 21:15.270
civilian vaccination sites toe over 350

21:15.270 --> 21:18.740
across 42 states and territories . 33

21:18.740 --> 21:20.796
states and territories are employing

21:20.796 --> 21:22.684
National Guard service members to

21:22.684 --> 21:25.050
vaccinate citizens in nine states ,

21:25.050 --> 21:27.370
provide wraparound services and support

21:27.370 --> 21:31.020
the local vaccine centers . As I speak ,

21:31.030 --> 21:33.252
Army and Air National Guard members are

21:33.252 --> 21:35.308
administering on average over 72,000

21:35.308 --> 21:37.450
vaccines a day , the local citizens .

21:37.940 --> 21:40.162
We estimate that since the beginning of

21:40.162 --> 21:42.329
our vaccination efforts , the National

21:42.329 --> 21:44.496
Guard is administered over 1.2 million

21:44.496 --> 21:46.829
vaccinations to our civilian population .

21:47.440 --> 21:50.190
Also , vaccinating our National Guard

21:50.200 --> 21:52.144
members and their families and our

21:52.144 --> 21:54.390
civilians remains the top priority . To

21:54.390 --> 21:56.570
date , over 71,000 have received at

21:56.570 --> 21:58.570
least their first vaccination , and

21:58.570 --> 22:00.737
that number continues to climb today .

22:01.220 --> 22:03.442
Next , I would like to highlight to the

22:03.442 --> 22:05.498
committee the significant use of the

22:05.498 --> 22:07.442
dual status command and efforts to

22:07.442 --> 22:09.553
fight the virus . In the aftermath of

22:09.553 --> 22:11.609
Hurricane Katrina in 2000 and five ,

22:11.810 --> 22:13.977
the dual status command concept gained

22:13.977 --> 22:16.199
acceptance and allowed a National Guard

22:16.199 --> 22:18.199
officer to command both federal and

22:18.199 --> 22:19.977
state members . Service members

22:19.977 --> 22:22.032
responding to a domestic emergency .

22:22.340 --> 22:24.284
Thanks to Congress making the dual

22:24.284 --> 22:26.507
status commander a matter of law in the

22:26.507 --> 22:28.850
2000 and 12 N . D . A . Governors are

22:28.850 --> 22:31.017
enabled to provide seamless commanding

22:31.017 --> 22:33.690
control of National Guard active duty

22:33.700 --> 22:35.756
and reserve service members fighting

22:35.756 --> 22:38.270
wildfires , hurricanes and , of course ,

22:38.270 --> 22:40.290
this virus . During the peak of our

22:40.290 --> 22:43.870
response in May , we had 47,400 service

22:43.870 --> 22:46.037
members supporting covert operations ,

22:46.037 --> 22:48.460
with 41 dual status commanders approved ,

22:48.470 --> 22:50.540
of which nine were activated for

22:50.540 --> 22:52.707
command and control of active duty and

22:52.707 --> 22:54.762
reserve service members within their

22:54.762 --> 22:56.929
state or territory . Today , there are

22:56.929 --> 22:58.818
currently 21 approved dual status

22:58.818 --> 23:00.762
commanders , with two activated in

23:00.762 --> 23:03.070
California and Texas . Your continued

23:03.070 --> 23:05.014
investment in the rightness of the

23:05.014 --> 23:07.181
National Guard has paid dividends both

23:07.181 --> 23:08.848
on the battlefield and in our

23:08.848 --> 23:11.181
communities . That's just World War two .

23:11.181 --> 23:13.403
Has our National Guard been called upon

23:13.403 --> 23:15.570
to serve in such numbers ? Last June ,

23:15.570 --> 23:17.570
we had over 120,000 service members

23:17.570 --> 23:19.792
supporting missions in our homeland and

23:19.792 --> 23:22.050
overseas . Every day we're reminded of

23:22.050 --> 23:24.161
the sacrifices of these brave men and

23:24.161 --> 23:26.420
women and their families . And it is

23:26.430 --> 23:29.260
with those sacrifices in mind that we

23:29.260 --> 23:31.149
remember the eight National Guard

23:31.149 --> 23:33.371
members who died as a result of Cove in

23:33.371 --> 23:35.482
19 thes soldiers . And airman , while

23:35.482 --> 23:37.371
not serving on the front lines of

23:37.371 --> 23:39.427
covert operations , still gave their

23:39.427 --> 23:41.427
full devotion to our nation . Their

23:41.427 --> 23:43.538
legacy of service will live on in our

23:43.538 --> 23:45.760
memories . In closing , I want to thank

23:45.760 --> 23:47.816
you for this opportunity to tell the

23:47.816 --> 23:49.982
National Guard story on behalf of over

23:49.982 --> 23:51.982
443,000 National Guard soldiers and

23:51.982 --> 23:53.730
airman , I want to express our

23:53.730 --> 23:55.840
gratitude to you for your consistent

23:55.850 --> 23:58.360
and unwavering support . We are

23:58.360 --> 24:00.304
especially grateful for Congress's

24:00.304 --> 24:02.304
support of the Tricare Transitional

24:02.304 --> 24:04.527
Assistant Management program , known as

24:04.527 --> 24:06.720
Tampa , which provides 180 days of

24:06.720 --> 24:09.230
premium free transitional health care

24:09.230 --> 24:11.930
benefits after regular trick your

24:11.930 --> 24:14.670
benefits end . This protection is

24:15.140 --> 24:17.251
crucial to our transitioning National

24:17.251 --> 24:19.473
Guard warriors . As they demobilize and

24:19.473 --> 24:21.870
return to civilian life , we will

24:21.870 --> 24:23.537
remain laser focused with our

24:23.537 --> 24:25.537
interagency partners , civilian and

24:25.537 --> 24:27.703
military leaders and frontline workers

24:27.703 --> 24:29.926
to help vaccinators citizens and defeat

24:29.926 --> 24:32.750
Cove in 19 every day . Tens of 1000

24:32.750 --> 24:35.030
National Guard members , many of whom

24:35.030 --> 24:37.252
left their families and jobs , serve on

24:37.252 --> 24:39.363
the front lines of this battle saving

24:39.363 --> 24:41.474
lives and minimizing suffering across

24:41.474 --> 24:43.697
the nation . The National Guard remains

24:43.697 --> 24:45.863
always ready and always there . I look

24:45.863 --> 24:47.974
forward to your questions . Thank you

24:47.974 --> 24:50.197
very much . Mr . Rogers alluded to this

24:50.197 --> 24:52.363
in his opening statement . What is the

24:52.363 --> 24:54.250
plan for vaccinating the D o d

24:54.250 --> 24:56.700
workforce ? And that's active duty .

24:56.700 --> 24:59.960
Civilian Guard reserve . Um , how are

24:59.960 --> 25:01.516
you implementing that ? And

25:01.516 --> 25:03.738
particularly in light of the comment Mr

25:03.738 --> 25:05.738
Rogers made about not being able to

25:05.738 --> 25:08.270
actually mandate it Mhm .

25:09.940 --> 25:12.870
Charlie . Mark , could you pull the

25:12.870 --> 25:15.148
microphone just a little closer to you ?

25:15.148 --> 25:18.170
There . There we go . Karen department .

25:19.240 --> 25:22.670
Yeah , Here . I mean ,

25:24.940 --> 25:28.770
here . Yeah ,

25:29.340 --> 25:32.340
working on you Speak about , um we

25:32.340 --> 25:34.290
can't hear him . Yeah , we can't .

25:34.290 --> 25:36.623
Sorry I'm screen folks . Can't hear him .

25:36.623 --> 25:38.734
I'm having We're having a hard time .

25:38.734 --> 25:40.734
Hearing him in here is Well , we're

25:40.734 --> 25:42.957
sure . Microphones on . Can you hear me

25:42.957 --> 25:45.123
now ? Yeah , it was off . Okay , There

25:45.123 --> 25:47.290
you go . So that way , eso eso the key

25:47.290 --> 25:49.401
part . And I know the whole You wanna

25:49.401 --> 25:51.568
tear . You do all that . Well , what's

25:51.568 --> 25:54.170
your estimate on when you know how soon

25:54.170 --> 25:56.448
you'll get the entire force vaccinated ?

25:56.448 --> 25:58.510
Are you having problems with members

25:58.510 --> 26:00.800
saying , Hey , I don't want it . Um ,

26:00.810 --> 26:02.866
what's your guess ? And when you can

26:02.866 --> 26:04.977
get basically , all of your personnel

26:04.977 --> 26:07.770
vaccinated . So just a little bit more

26:07.770 --> 26:09.600
perspective . This past week we

26:09.600 --> 26:13.290
vaccinated 270,000 , uh , members .

26:13.300 --> 26:15.300
It includes both military members ,

26:15.300 --> 26:17.230
civilians and contract folks and

26:17.230 --> 26:20.400
obviously beneficiaries . 170,000 in

26:20.400 --> 26:22.344
this tier approach . Again , we're

26:22.344 --> 26:24.511
focused on the front line , folks that

26:24.511 --> 26:26.622
need the vaccine to care for others .

26:26.622 --> 26:28.622
Then we move through that process ,

26:28.622 --> 26:30.511
making sure that we're focused on

26:30.511 --> 26:32.456
specific , high , high , important

26:32.456 --> 26:34.456
mission areas , Uh , like strategic

26:34.456 --> 26:36.567
forces . Then we move through that to

26:36.567 --> 26:39.500
the most vulnerable age of 65 above and

26:39.500 --> 26:41.611
operational forces as we move through

26:41.611 --> 26:44.690
those tears Tears 12 Uh , they're

26:44.700 --> 26:46.867
they're segment . And in a certain way

26:46.867 --> 26:49.144
to get after everybody The bottom line ,

26:49.144 --> 26:51.200
your question relative to when do we

26:51.200 --> 26:53.422
think we'll have everybody vaccinated ?

26:53.422 --> 26:55.478
It will probably be sometime in late

26:55.478 --> 26:58.270
July . August time frame is , and we're

26:58.270 --> 27:00.381
making great progress . As you know ,

27:00.381 --> 27:02.770
the vaccine , uh , delivery has picked

27:02.770 --> 27:05.710
up significantly . I mean , the vaccine

27:05.710 --> 27:07.932
delivery for the country this past week

27:07.932 --> 27:10.510
was 13 million doses . Um eso itt's

27:10.510 --> 27:12.677
picking up exponentially . Yeah , that

27:12.677 --> 27:14.970
would be the second question . And in

27:14.970 --> 27:17.081
terms of the distribution chain And I

27:17.081 --> 27:19.480
know you guys air certainly focused on

27:19.490 --> 27:21.490
you know , d o d personnel in those

27:21.490 --> 27:23.490
folks . But you're also involved in

27:23.490 --> 27:26.100
speeding up the chain and look it Zim

27:26.100 --> 27:28.480
pols to explain , you need Thio produce

27:28.480 --> 27:30.647
the vaccine , and then you need to get

27:30.647 --> 27:34.230
it out to people . But there are a lot

27:34.230 --> 27:36.730
of details in that As you're looking at

27:36.730 --> 27:40.050
the distribution chain , um , is there

27:40.740 --> 27:43.680
how to ask this question ? Eso . But

27:43.680 --> 27:45.847
I've seen the reports that basically ,

27:45.847 --> 27:48.069
once we get to July , that's what we're

27:48.069 --> 27:50.291
gonna get there . What are the bottle ?

27:50.291 --> 27:52.458
What's the most important thing that d

27:52.458 --> 27:54.624
o d can do to speed that up . Where do

27:54.624 --> 27:56.624
you think you can can can be help ?

27:56.624 --> 27:58.791
Where where are the bottle next ? Here

27:58.791 --> 28:01.013
is it just We don't have enough of it ,

28:01.013 --> 28:03.236
is it ? It's not getting distributed to

28:03.236 --> 28:05.569
the States . Once it gets to the States ,

28:05.569 --> 28:05.250
it's not getting out fast enough . Or

28:05.250 --> 28:07.306
is it ? Are we pretty much doing the

28:07.306 --> 28:10.590
best we can right now ? My sense is

28:10.590 --> 28:12.812
that we can do better , but we're doing

28:12.812 --> 28:14.923
ah lot to make it happen . If I could

28:14.923 --> 28:17.034
give you a bit of a perspective and I

28:17.034 --> 28:19.201
could talk specifically about what the

28:19.201 --> 28:21.534
Defense Department is doing , Obviously ,

28:21.534 --> 28:23.701
the Defense Department is working very

28:23.701 --> 28:25.757
closely with FEMA to establish these

28:25.757 --> 28:27.757
mega and large centers that will be

28:27.757 --> 28:29.923
very helpful . In fact , I visited the

28:29.923 --> 28:31.979
center in Glendale , Arizona , about

28:31.979 --> 28:34.146
two weeks ago . They're providing 8000

28:34.146 --> 28:36.312
shots a day at a drive thru center out

28:36.312 --> 28:36.060
there . That's a tremendous amount of

28:36.060 --> 28:38.570
vaccine shots in one day . In that area

28:38.580 --> 28:40.650
are mega centers that we're working

28:40.650 --> 28:43.760
with FEMA on uh will also be able to

28:43.760 --> 28:46.330
provide up to 6000 vaccine shots . The

28:46.330 --> 28:48.608
one is just established in Los Angeles .

28:48.608 --> 28:50.552
We have plans to establish them in

28:50.552 --> 28:52.830
Texas in New York over the coming days .

28:52.830 --> 28:55.170
Um , and that will be very helpful .

28:55.180 --> 28:57.347
But as you know , if I could just back

28:57.347 --> 28:59.480
up because the vaccine , Pfizer and

28:59.480 --> 29:02.320
Madonna right now we expect 100 million

29:02.320 --> 29:04.431
doses by the end of March of each one

29:04.431 --> 29:06.300
of those . We expect another 100

29:06.300 --> 29:09.330
million doses from FISA and Madonna by

29:09.330 --> 29:11.860
the end of May and another 100 million

29:11.860 --> 29:13.971
doses by the end of July . That gives

29:13.971 --> 29:16.193
you some perspective of what the supply

29:16.193 --> 29:18.460
side is on . The distribution side with

29:18.460 --> 29:20.460
the Defense Department is obviously

29:20.460 --> 29:22.349
helping with these mega and large

29:22.349 --> 29:24.404
centers . At the same time , there's

29:24.404 --> 29:26.571
about 30,000 centers identified across

29:26.571 --> 29:28.460
the nation . Was state and local

29:28.460 --> 29:30.590
authorities . As the vaccine becomes

29:30.590 --> 29:32.590
more readily available , it will be

29:32.590 --> 29:34.360
becoming obviously in greater

29:34.360 --> 29:36.471
quantities . As they just pointed out

29:36.471 --> 29:39.020
yesterday , we did 1.6 million , uh ,

29:39.030 --> 29:42.330
doses in arms around the country . That

29:42.330 --> 29:44.497
sounds good . I apologize for a lot of

29:44.497 --> 29:46.608
other members who are gonna wanna get

29:46.608 --> 29:48.830
in just quickly . Is there a particular

29:48.830 --> 29:50.997
choke point where you're like , here's

29:50.997 --> 29:50.960
what we need to do this is I've seen

29:50.960 --> 29:53.293
this . We really need to get after this ,

29:53.293 --> 29:55.182
or is it just sort of all kind of

29:55.182 --> 29:57.349
moving forward as you described ? So I

29:57.349 --> 29:59.293
believe it's all moving forward is

29:59.293 --> 30:01.404
beginning to ramp up much faster than

30:01.404 --> 30:03.460
what we've seen again . This started

30:03.460 --> 30:05.571
December 14th when we started to take

30:05.571 --> 30:07.738
the first doses . I think you're going

30:07.738 --> 30:09.793
to see a great acceleration over the

30:09.793 --> 30:11.980
next 30 60 9120 days . So we're at the

30:11.980 --> 30:14.036
end of July . We have delivered over

30:14.036 --> 30:16.530
600 million doses of vaccine . Thank

30:16.530 --> 30:18.808
you very much . I appreciate Mr Rogers .

30:18.808 --> 30:20.974
Thank you , Mr Chairman , to follow up

30:20.974 --> 30:23.197
on that , uh , that line of questioning

30:23.197 --> 30:25.419
with the chairman Has it been a lack of

30:25.419 --> 30:28.200
supply that's held you up from

30:28.200 --> 30:30.533
vaccinating more members of the service ?

30:30.540 --> 30:32.762
I think in general that's a yes , sir .

30:32.762 --> 30:34.984
That's reasonable . I mean , it had not

30:34.984 --> 30:37.040
been produced that obviously we have

30:37.140 --> 30:39.029
hundreds of millions of people to

30:39.029 --> 30:41.780
vaccinate . If we focus just on d o d r

30:41.790 --> 30:44.730
r . Increase in supply has been , um ,

30:44.740 --> 30:47.990
growing every week . Okay , well , I

30:47.990 --> 30:51.390
was looking at your joint staff Kobe 19

30:51.390 --> 30:53.890
update of February 17th , and I see

30:53.890 --> 30:56.670
that between first dose and second dose ,

30:57.140 --> 30:59.560
y'all be administered right at

30:59.570 --> 31:02.810
916,000 doses

31:03.440 --> 31:05.496
on this . Be , I guess , for General

31:05.496 --> 31:07.329
Tolliver . I thought I heard you

31:07.329 --> 31:09.490
testified that there was 860,000 . So

31:09.490 --> 31:13.230
what's the Delta there ? I reckon ,

31:13.230 --> 31:15.397
Member , I think that's certain . Just

31:15.397 --> 31:17.619
the time lag between preparation of the

31:17.619 --> 31:20.010
remarks and the products today , there

31:20.010 --> 31:23.320
are a lot happening each day . So as of

31:23.320 --> 31:27.230
today , 916,575 . Do

31:27.230 --> 31:29.119
we know how many of those air for

31:29.119 --> 31:31.286
service members as opposed Thio ? Uh ,

31:31.286 --> 31:33.452
like Depot worker Civilian personnel ,

31:34.740 --> 31:37.980
The majority ranking member focused on

31:37.980 --> 31:40.760
the higher tiered members Tier one A

31:40.760 --> 31:43.150
and one B , which are primarily our

31:43.150 --> 31:46.730
healthcare workers . Critical personnel

31:46.740 --> 31:49.780
so more heavily focused in those areas .

31:49.790 --> 31:52.410
Okay , my understanding this this puts

31:52.410 --> 31:56.400
us in About 20% of the individuals

31:56.400 --> 31:58.622
were trying t vaccinate . Is that about

31:58.622 --> 32:02.360
right ? Yeah . Good at nets ,

32:02.360 --> 32:04.193
including civilian personnel and

32:04.193 --> 32:07.210
contractors , etcetera . Correct . Do

32:07.210 --> 32:09.321
we know how many service members have

32:09.321 --> 32:12.050
received the vaccine of that ? 916,000 .

32:12.640 --> 32:14.920
So I do have the numbers . What I show

32:14.920 --> 32:16.940
and again , uh , these numbers

32:16.940 --> 32:19.051
obviously , depending on when they're

32:19.051 --> 32:21.273
captured , either . Yesterday , today I

32:21.273 --> 32:24.960
show 359,000 initial doses for

32:24.960 --> 32:27.250
service members and then fully of

32:27.250 --> 32:29.139
accented . That means two shots ,

32:29.139 --> 32:32.770
obviously 147,000 . I also have the

32:32.770 --> 32:34.659
civilian numbers and the contract

32:34.659 --> 32:36.714
numbers . If you'd like that , sir .

32:36.940 --> 32:40.280
Okay . What about concerns ? Have you

32:40.280 --> 32:42.390
heard many concerns from service

32:42.390 --> 32:44.557
members about apprehensions and taking

32:44.557 --> 32:46.501
the vaccine ? And if so , what are

32:46.501 --> 32:48.668
those concerns and how you're managing

32:48.668 --> 32:52.190
them ? That Sarang , remember ? I think

32:52.200 --> 32:54.820
I think we believe that , of course ,

32:54.820 --> 32:57.250
the vaccine is the right thing to do .

32:57.260 --> 32:59.960
It's clearly safe for service members ,

33:00.440 --> 33:03.550
and we need to continue to

33:03.940 --> 33:06.790
educate our force and help them

33:06.790 --> 33:09.860
understand the benefits and and ensure

33:09.860 --> 33:12.330
there's leadership involvement in the

33:12.330 --> 33:14.840
discussion of the benefits of the of

33:14.840 --> 33:17.062
the vaccine . So , do you have a handle

33:17.062 --> 33:19.118
General Tolliver's ? How many ? What

33:19.118 --> 33:21.284
percentage of the service members have

33:21.284 --> 33:23.750
declined , And so , ranking member , I

33:23.750 --> 33:26.500
think our initial , uh , initial look .

33:26.500 --> 33:28.667
And this , of course , very early data

33:28.940 --> 33:32.110
is acceptance . Rates are somewhere in

33:32.110 --> 33:34.890
the two thirds territory , and , of

33:34.890 --> 33:36.834
course , it it varies by different

33:36.834 --> 33:39.550
groups . Okay , what about are they

33:39.550 --> 33:41.383
deployable if somebody who's not

33:41.383 --> 33:43.606
vaccinated is that , Is that individual

33:43.606 --> 33:46.980
deployable ? So So , ranking member .

33:46.980 --> 33:49.120
We've the services and the combat

33:49.120 --> 33:51.342
commands that worked very hard over the

33:51.342 --> 33:53.287
last year to make sure that we can

33:53.287 --> 33:56.490
operate in a covert environment before

33:56.490 --> 33:59.470
vaccines were available . The addition

33:59.470 --> 34:02.010
of the vaccine should should make us

34:02.450 --> 34:05.300
more capable in that environment . But

34:05.300 --> 34:07.300
we've already demonstrated over the

34:07.300 --> 34:09.411
last year that we're fully capable of

34:09.411 --> 34:11.780
operating in a covert environment . So

34:11.920 --> 34:13.809
I take that to mean yes , there ,

34:13.809 --> 34:16.031
deployable , even if they have not been

34:16.031 --> 34:18.750
vaccinated . Yes , sir . Great . Uh ,

34:18.760 --> 34:20.927
finally , what is the current state of

34:20.927 --> 34:23.510
readiness across the services when it

34:23.510 --> 34:25.621
comes to covert ? And how has it been

34:25.621 --> 34:27.910
impacted by code ? So , ranking member ,

34:27.910 --> 34:29.980
I think the services have been very

34:29.980 --> 34:33.140
adaptive and resilient that when larger

34:33.140 --> 34:36.000
formation exercises weren't possible ,

34:36.010 --> 34:38.240
they have substituted those with some

34:38.240 --> 34:41.540
smaller formations , uh , smaller

34:41.540 --> 34:43.950
formations that have allowed them to

34:43.960 --> 34:47.160
maintain their basic proficiency and

34:47.160 --> 34:50.010
currency and combat readiness at the

34:50.010 --> 34:52.121
same time . Of course , there is some

34:52.121 --> 34:55.480
quality lost in in those larger

34:55.490 --> 34:58.560
formation , training and exercises ,

34:58.740 --> 35:01.300
but I would say the overall see ratings

35:01.300 --> 35:04.090
or readiness ratings for all the

35:04.090 --> 35:06.146
services and combatant commands have

35:06.146 --> 35:10.120
stayed within historic norms

35:10.470 --> 35:14.400
largely because of the adaptive and

35:14.840 --> 35:17.590
and aggressive action by the services

35:17.590 --> 35:19.701
in the combat commands . Okay . Thank

35:19.701 --> 35:22.160
you , Mr McGill . Back . Thank you , Mr

35:22.160 --> 35:25.410
Landerman . Thank you , Mr Chair .

35:25.410 --> 35:28.170
Might come across . Okay . Yep . We got

35:28.170 --> 35:30.720
you loud and clear . Very good . Thank

35:30.720 --> 35:33.140
you . Well , thank our witnesses for

35:33.150 --> 35:35.690
your testimony today . Um , let me

35:35.690 --> 35:38.210
begin . Uh , sort of about a follow up

35:38.210 --> 35:40.650
to the ranking members . Question , uh ,

35:40.660 --> 35:43.170
concerned about focus on readiness ,

35:43.180 --> 35:45.930
Aziz . Well , so we've seen obviously

35:45.930 --> 35:48.020
Kobe 19 outbreaks , disruptive

35:48.020 --> 35:50.770
military's operations , especially Navy

35:50.770 --> 35:53.570
deployments . And while the department

35:53.580 --> 35:55.469
is doing well in distributing the

35:55.469 --> 35:58.080
vaccine , it has a hand . Last week ,

35:58.080 --> 35:59.830
Secretary Austin said that the

35:59.840 --> 36:01.729
department does not know how many

36:01.729 --> 36:03.784
service members have declined to get

36:03.784 --> 36:07.050
vaccinated . General nor house . Uh ,

36:07.060 --> 36:09.950
what would be the force ready ? This

36:09.950 --> 36:12.950
impacts if you were than 50 or 60% of

36:12.950 --> 36:15.920
service members , except vaccinations .

36:15.930 --> 36:19.080
And just for the record , I would

36:19.080 --> 36:21.191
assume , But I don't want to assume I

36:21.191 --> 36:23.710
wanna be things for the record . Uh ,

36:23.720 --> 36:25.776
do service members have the right to

36:25.776 --> 36:29.110
refuse to get vaccinated ? Uh , it's

36:29.110 --> 36:31.221
obviously that impacts readiness . So

36:31.221 --> 36:33.570
if you could , uh , address both those

36:33.580 --> 36:37.260
aspects of the question . Congressman ,

36:37.260 --> 36:39.482
thank you for the question . Uh , yes ,

36:39.482 --> 36:41.427
it's It's voluntary to receive the

36:41.427 --> 36:44.050
vaccination as's faras numbers that

36:44.050 --> 36:46.106
we're seeing in the National Guard .

36:46.106 --> 36:48.272
It's just like Tolliver talked about ,

36:48.272 --> 36:50.161
very similar to what's out in the

36:50.161 --> 36:52.850
population . Uh , in the two thirds to

36:52.850 --> 36:56.770
70% um , readiness impacts . Uh ,

36:56.780 --> 37:00.420
if they were lower than the 40 toe 30

37:00.420 --> 37:03.100
to 40% . As you discussed . I can't

37:03.100 --> 37:05.044
really speak to We've been able to

37:05.044 --> 37:08.350
operate within the co vid environment .

37:08.730 --> 37:10.680
Like Major General Tolliver talked

37:10.680 --> 37:13.980
about the individual capability of our

37:13.990 --> 37:15.879
adjutants general and how they've

37:15.879 --> 37:18.270
worked with flexibility and adaptable

37:18.280 --> 37:20.391
to make sure that our service members

37:20.391 --> 37:22.440
have one way or another gotten the

37:22.440 --> 37:24.551
training they need to be ready and to

37:24.551 --> 37:26.800
deploy . They've been very successful

37:26.800 --> 37:29.290
at that . And to this date , we're able

37:29.290 --> 37:31.430
to meet all current and future

37:31.430 --> 37:33.597
projected deployments for the National

37:33.597 --> 37:37.320
Guard . Thank you , general . Um ,

37:37.330 --> 37:39.850
Mr Solis is , uh , the Biden

37:39.850 --> 37:42.600
administration modified the cost share

37:42.610 --> 37:44.710
agreement to fully fund the National

37:44.710 --> 37:48.160
Guard entitled 32 status at 100%

37:48.170 --> 37:51.330
on extended three authorization till

37:51.330 --> 37:54.970
September 31st . 2021 . What criteria

37:54.970 --> 37:56.637
will the department used when

37:56.637 --> 37:58.859
determining whether or not to recommend

37:58.859 --> 38:00.914
a further extension of funding ? The

38:00.914 --> 38:03.730
National Guard entitled 32 status after

38:03.740 --> 38:07.410
September 31st 2021 . Congressman ,

38:07.410 --> 38:09.632
Thanks for the question . We're working

38:09.632 --> 38:11.632
closely with FEMA . Obviously , the

38:11.632 --> 38:13.799
National Guard is filling FEMA mission

38:13.799 --> 38:16.010
requirements in support of , uh , uh ,

38:16.020 --> 38:18.242
FEMA . And so , as we work through this

38:18.242 --> 38:20.520
together , we'll make a determination

38:20.520 --> 38:22.800
as we get closer to September on

38:22.800 --> 38:25.150
whether the , uh , continuing efforts

38:25.150 --> 38:27.094
of the National Guard obviously is

38:27.094 --> 38:28.928
necessary . If that's the case ,

38:28.928 --> 38:31.290
obviously we would be supporting 100%

38:31.290 --> 38:33.457
reimbursement going forward for that ,

38:33.457 --> 38:37.210
too . Thank you . And I understand that

38:37.210 --> 38:40.220
the department is responsible for , uh ,

38:40.230 --> 38:42.341
obviously supporting civilian efforts

38:42.341 --> 38:44.570
for vaccine distribution in tracking Mr

38:44.580 --> 38:47.570
Choices . Can those responsibilities be

38:47.570 --> 38:50.210
taken over by large companies like

38:50.210 --> 38:51.920
Amazon , for example who are

38:51.920 --> 38:54.330
experienced in the last mile delivery ?

38:54.330 --> 38:56.790
What would be best in terms of actually

38:56.800 --> 39:00.020
function of How do we get this ? Get

39:00.020 --> 39:01.853
this out . Is it the best in the

39:01.853 --> 39:03.687
National Guard , or should we be

39:03.687 --> 39:06.250
looking the private sector like Amazon ?

39:07.220 --> 39:09.220
So , Congressman , if we're talking

39:09.220 --> 39:10.776
about distribution from the

39:10.776 --> 39:13.510
manufacturers , uh , that is being done

39:13.510 --> 39:16.460
right now by FedEx and UPS and those

39:16.460 --> 39:18.460
kinds of organizations to the state

39:18.460 --> 39:21.340
level . Um , and they're maximizing the

39:21.340 --> 39:24.490
commercial capability to do that . Is

39:24.490 --> 39:27.410
that helpful , Congressman ? So So give

39:27.410 --> 39:30.100
me a take it from there with the

39:30.100 --> 39:32.322
National Guard is doing versus what the

39:32.322 --> 39:35.650
private sector is that doing ? So once .

39:35.650 --> 39:38.090
Once the vaccine has arrived at a

39:38.100 --> 39:40.211
distribution point within the state ,

39:40.520 --> 39:42.631
then the state , obviously the public

39:42.631 --> 39:44.520
health emergency management state

39:44.520 --> 39:46.750
officials take over from there a Sfar

39:46.750 --> 39:49.430
as making sure that the right resource

39:49.430 --> 39:51.790
is at that distribution point and at

39:51.790 --> 39:54.250
that vaccination point are available .

39:54.250 --> 39:56.361
And I think that's where the National

39:56.361 --> 39:58.361
Guard has been tremendously helpful

39:58.361 --> 40:01.360
throughout the states , with all of the

40:01.370 --> 40:04.570
ability Thio inoculate the citizens in

40:04.570 --> 40:07.220
support of their public health and , uh ,

40:07.230 --> 40:09.286
individuals at the state level . But

40:09.286 --> 40:11.341
I'll defer to General Nordhaus if he

40:11.341 --> 40:13.520
wants to add to how the National Guard

40:13.520 --> 40:15.631
is exercising . That in the States is

40:15.631 --> 40:17.940
gonna have to do that in eight seconds .

40:18.310 --> 40:20.532
So Okay , so why don't we take that for

40:20.532 --> 40:22.643
the record ? Because I think the time

40:22.643 --> 40:24.643
is pretty much up , but thank you .

40:24.643 --> 40:26.754
Appreciate that . Um , and next up is

40:26.754 --> 40:28.977
Mr Turner recognized for five minutes .

40:29.510 --> 40:31.510
Thank you , Mr Chairman . I want to

40:31.510 --> 40:34.990
thank all of our witnesses today . D o

40:34.990 --> 40:37.046
D certainly has been extraordinary .

40:37.046 --> 40:39.101
And its response in what has been an

40:39.101 --> 40:41.690
unbelievably a difficult situation for

40:41.690 --> 40:44.600
a country . And it has been it has been

40:44.600 --> 40:47.000
essential . Um , journal Nordhaus . I

40:47.000 --> 40:48.889
have a couple questions about the

40:48.889 --> 40:50.611
National Guard . The secretary

40:50.611 --> 40:52.520
mentioned that we're trying to

40:52.520 --> 40:54.640
prioritize the

40:55.610 --> 40:59.230
vaccine for those , uh , service

40:59.230 --> 41:01.800
members who are on the front lines , if

41:01.800 --> 41:04.220
you will , or are performing functions

41:04.230 --> 41:06.286
which are not essential but in which

41:06.286 --> 41:09.370
they might have exposure . Um , are the

41:09.370 --> 41:10.870
members of the guard being

41:10.870 --> 41:13.640
appropriately advertised to our as you

41:13.650 --> 41:16.860
indicated , serving their communities

41:16.940 --> 41:18.829
in the covered response , such as

41:18.829 --> 41:21.770
serving in food banks , um , serving in

41:21.770 --> 41:24.480
vaccine supply , assisting their

41:24.480 --> 41:26.424
communities in ways in which their

41:26.424 --> 41:28.313
backfilling is part of the covert

41:28.313 --> 41:30.536
response ? Are they being appropriately

41:30.536 --> 41:32.850
prioritized ? Congressman , Thanks for

41:32.850 --> 41:34.961
the question . And I do have to state

41:34.961 --> 41:38.890
that I'm hyo Guardsmen . Eso first of

41:38.890 --> 41:41.130
all , yes , we're in lockstep . We've

41:41.130 --> 41:44.650
been fully integrated in the d o d

41:44.660 --> 41:47.000
priority schema for the vaccination .

41:47.010 --> 41:49.730
Uh , we receive our allotment of

41:49.730 --> 41:53.000
vaccines and then we follow right down

41:53.000 --> 41:55.970
the list from one a through one c . And

41:55.970 --> 41:58.960
in that top list of , uh , in the one a

41:58.960 --> 42:01.220
our our guardsmen that are serving in

42:01.220 --> 42:04.180
covert operations across the 54 . And

42:04.180 --> 42:06.200
so they have the ability to get the

42:06.200 --> 42:08.840
vaccine , and we've been pushing it out

42:08.850 --> 42:11.017
weekly to the state so that they could

42:11.017 --> 42:14.290
get vaccinated . Vaccinated ? Excellent .

42:14.290 --> 42:16.290
General , I have one more follow up

42:16.290 --> 42:18.457
with you and I since both of us have ,

42:18.457 --> 42:20.512
you know , are brutes in Ohio . I do

42:20.512 --> 42:22.734
want to say that this question is based

42:22.734 --> 42:24.957
on information I have actually in other

42:24.957 --> 42:27.012
states besides Ohio . Um , could you

42:27.012 --> 42:29.179
please tell me are how is the chain of

42:29.179 --> 42:31.300
command working when National Guard

42:31.310 --> 42:34.840
work with community partners , um , and

42:34.840 --> 42:37.460
are embedded in , for example , food

42:37.460 --> 42:39.930
banks , supply systems or vaccine

42:39.930 --> 42:43.260
supply ? Where there are our

42:43.270 --> 42:45.103
community organizations that are

42:45.103 --> 42:47.048
actually conducting it . If a if a

42:47.048 --> 42:48.881
member has concerns , member has

42:48.881 --> 42:51.610
concerns about how it's being operated

42:51.610 --> 42:54.800
or even has recommendations , how how

42:54.800 --> 42:57.180
does that work with respect to their

42:57.180 --> 42:59.402
participation ? Because they're they're

42:59.402 --> 43:01.730
not just obviously labor , they have

43:01.730 --> 43:03.952
great intellectual capability . How are

43:03.952 --> 43:06.130
we able Thio ensure that that's

43:06.130 --> 43:09.740
leveraged and that there thoughts and

43:09.740 --> 43:12.018
concerns were taken into consideration .

43:12.200 --> 43:15.720
Congressman across the 50 for From the

43:15.720 --> 43:18.350
beginning of this , we've been focused

43:18.350 --> 43:20.406
on the federally supported , locally

43:20.406 --> 43:22.406
managed , and that has been a great

43:22.406 --> 43:24.340
opportunity for our guardsmen as

43:24.340 --> 43:27.320
they're out in able to assist at the

43:27.900 --> 43:31.320
local level to help local communities

43:31.320 --> 43:33.960
be able to expedite whether it's food ,

43:33.960 --> 43:36.930
banks or vaccines . Uh , to those in

43:36.930 --> 43:39.470
need , I'll give you a . For instance ,

43:39.480 --> 43:42.570
this is a quote from the Louisiana

43:42.570 --> 43:44.459
director of community outreach of

43:44.459 --> 43:46.626
testing and vaccination programs , and

43:46.626 --> 43:48.626
he talks about that . The Louisiana

43:48.626 --> 43:50.737
National Guard have been very helpful

43:50.737 --> 43:52.792
and assisting them with logistics of

43:52.792 --> 43:54.903
all the sites with Lynn , Louisiana ,

43:54.903 --> 43:56.903
all the traffic control and they're

43:56.903 --> 43:59.126
helping getting patients registered and

43:59.126 --> 44:01.181
really keeping things safe , orderly

44:01.181 --> 44:03.292
and moving properly and efficiently .

44:03.292 --> 44:05.290
And so because our guardsmen are

44:05.290 --> 44:08.000
traditional and they have civilian jobs

44:08.010 --> 44:10.830
all across , uh , the different

44:10.840 --> 44:12.840
entities they bring those different

44:12.840 --> 44:14.840
perspectives and thoughts toe every

44:14.840 --> 44:17.510
mission set that they go thio . So in

44:17.510 --> 44:20.120
South Carolina , Major General McCarty

44:20.120 --> 44:22.980
talks about how those guardsmen are

44:22.990 --> 44:25.212
able to come up with creative solutions

44:25.212 --> 44:28.440
to help solve complex problems . And so

44:28.450 --> 44:31.500
every state is using , uh is working

44:31.500 --> 44:33.722
with our interagency partners , whether

44:33.722 --> 44:35.722
it's FEMA or whether it's the state

44:35.722 --> 44:37.944
Health Department , or whether it's the

44:37.944 --> 44:40.000
local community to make sure that we

44:40.000 --> 44:41.778
can support them . A za best is

44:41.778 --> 44:44.340
possible . Excellent . Thank you ,

44:44.340 --> 44:46.284
General . Thank you , Chairman . I

44:46.284 --> 44:48.229
appreciate you holding this year .

44:48.229 --> 44:50.670
Thank you , Mr Turner . Mr . Courtney ,

44:50.670 --> 44:52.510
are you participating ?

44:54.690 --> 44:57.150
Apparently or not on . So that would be

44:57.170 --> 45:01.110
my turn . This'll be a question thio

45:01.790 --> 45:04.340
to first for all of you . It's been an

45:04.340 --> 45:07.620
extraordinary year , and clearly the U .

45:07.620 --> 45:09.820
S military all across all of the

45:09.820 --> 45:12.800
services has been in a very , very

45:12.800 --> 45:15.480
important part of the American response

45:15.550 --> 45:19.110
to the pandemic . And I thank you . Uh ,

45:19.120 --> 45:21.840
this morning , as I drove into the

45:21.840 --> 45:24.460
Rayburn building , I had the pleasure

45:24.460 --> 45:27.400
of seeing National Guardsmen here in

45:27.400 --> 45:31.220
the capital protecting us on doing so

45:31.220 --> 45:33.930
all across the nation . Uh , yesterday ,

45:33.940 --> 45:36.190
the readiness subcommittee did a

45:36.200 --> 45:39.590
briefing Thio learn from the very from

45:39.590 --> 45:42.290
the five services the impact on

45:42.290 --> 45:45.820
readiness . I will just not go through

45:45.820 --> 45:48.042
all of that and ask you gentlemen to go

45:48.042 --> 45:51.150
through it again . However , I will put

45:51.150 --> 45:55.000
it this way . The services have been

45:55.010 --> 45:58.220
very creative in addressing the issues

45:58.690 --> 46:01.800
and learning along the way . If we knew

46:01.800 --> 46:04.910
today , if we knew at the beginning

46:04.910 --> 46:07.920
what we know today , the impacts across

46:07.920 --> 46:09.920
the military would be significantly

46:09.920 --> 46:12.840
less . Nevertheless . Learning has

46:12.840 --> 46:15.410
taken place , there are concerns , and

46:15.410 --> 46:17.466
we'll go into those concerns in more

46:17.466 --> 46:19.920
detail in the subcommittee work . Um ,

46:19.930 --> 46:22.620
that my question really goes to the

46:22.620 --> 46:25.390
future here . The new administration

46:25.390 --> 46:26.946
wants to use the military ,

46:26.946 --> 46:29.500
particularly the Defense Production Act .

46:30.480 --> 46:32.647
Mr . Solis is , if you could take this

46:32.647 --> 46:35.630
issue up what is taking place with

46:35.630 --> 46:37.797
regard to the Defense Production Act ,

46:37.797 --> 46:40.540
with thinking PP easier , perhaps even

46:40.540 --> 46:43.000
the issue of vaccinations being

46:43.000 --> 46:45.490
produced and distributed . So if you

46:45.490 --> 46:47.601
could talk generally and then perhaps

46:47.601 --> 46:49.740
specifically , about some examples of

46:49.740 --> 46:51.970
where the Defense Production Act is or

46:51.970 --> 46:55.950
is not in operation . Congressman ,

46:55.950 --> 46:57.894
Thank you . I'm gonna , uh , asked

46:57.894 --> 47:00.117
Brennan Graham , who's with a and asked

47:00.117 --> 47:02.172
to it he actually manages , oversees

47:02.172 --> 47:04.172
the Defense Production Act and he's

47:04.172 --> 47:05.839
going to speak to the front .

47:13.980 --> 47:16.091
Good morning , Congressman . From the

47:16.091 --> 47:18.940
defense industrial back , you could

47:18.940 --> 47:22.810
bring your chair up and have

47:22.810 --> 47:23.810
at it .

47:27.090 --> 47:28.979
Please introduce yourself for the

47:28.979 --> 47:30.979
record . Good morning . All For the

47:30.979 --> 47:32.868
record , I'm Mr Brent Anger him ,

47:33.280 --> 47:35.391
Department of Defense acquisition and

47:35.391 --> 47:38.280
Sustainment . Thank you from the

47:38.290 --> 47:41.100
defense and production at perspective .

47:41.480 --> 47:43.920
Uh , the department has used some of

47:43.920 --> 47:45.642
our own resource is along with

47:45.642 --> 47:48.420
supporting both Health and Human

47:48.420 --> 47:51.910
Services and FEMA . Thio execute

47:52.280 --> 47:54.910
a number of on shoring of medical

47:54.910 --> 47:58.700
resource is across the for the

47:58.700 --> 48:01.580
need of covert across both ppd testing

48:01.580 --> 48:04.280
and diagnostics pharmaceuticals . Yeah ,

48:04.670 --> 48:07.860
and 95 masks . So to date , the

48:07.870 --> 48:10.100
department has awarded about 885

48:10.100 --> 48:11.990
million in defense production at

48:12.000 --> 48:15.560
dollars of our own . That has been both

48:15.560 --> 48:17.616
towards . Medical resource is in the

48:17.616 --> 48:21.200
defense industrial base , Uh , and then

48:21.200 --> 48:24.730
about about 1.6 billion on behalf of

48:24.730 --> 48:28.710
HHS . Um , so we have seen we have done

48:28.710 --> 48:31.430
in best medical investments to include

48:31.430 --> 48:35.200
$250 million in N 95 respirator Mass .

48:35.770 --> 48:38.120
10 million of surgical Mass to get the

48:38.120 --> 48:40.342
production of over 45 million units per

48:40.342 --> 48:42.730
month , 22 million in glove production

48:43.470 --> 48:46.330
for over 30 million units a month , and

48:46.330 --> 48:48.950
over $880 million in co vid test

48:48.950 --> 48:51.690
production kits to get over 86 million

48:51.690 --> 48:55.220
units per month . Are you able

48:55.220 --> 48:58.660
to does the does the Defense Production

48:58.660 --> 49:02.650
Act allow for the prioritization

49:02.660 --> 49:04.660
of both the purchases and then the

49:04.660 --> 49:08.510
distribution in the 2020 . It was

49:08.510 --> 49:11.390
principally left up to the states to

49:11.390 --> 49:14.260
try to acquire the necessary equipment

49:14.270 --> 49:18.190
PPS on others . Are you

49:18.190 --> 49:20.570
now using the Defense Production Act to

49:20.580 --> 49:24.190
coordinate and to , uh , a

49:24.190 --> 49:27.640
choir and then distribute necessary

49:27.640 --> 49:30.980
equipment ? PPE s , for example ? So we

49:30.980 --> 49:33.090
use defense production Acto acquire

49:33.090 --> 49:35.830
material . I'll say Department of

49:35.830 --> 49:37.830
Health and Human Services using the

49:37.830 --> 49:39.886
strategic national stockpile in FEMA

49:39.886 --> 49:41.830
are are the ones that are actually

49:41.830 --> 49:44.052
distributing that PPE to the states and

49:44.052 --> 49:46.163
using their rating systems to be able

49:46.163 --> 49:48.163
thio prioritize for the states . So

49:48.163 --> 49:50.960
there remains across the

49:52.050 --> 49:55.000
nation , a shortage of equipment

49:55.970 --> 49:58.950
and you're relying . It is the

49:58.960 --> 50:01.182
Department of Health and Human Services

50:01.182 --> 50:04.930
and FEMA that are setting the pace

50:05.860 --> 50:08.360
and then you administer from there , we

50:08.360 --> 50:11.130
supplied them the products , right , So

50:11.130 --> 50:12.963
we're doing the from an assisted

50:12.963 --> 50:15.390
acquisition , providing the contractual

50:15.390 --> 50:17.557
and acquisition support to procure the

50:17.557 --> 50:20.810
items in stand up the industrial base

50:20.810 --> 50:22.532
to be able to produce to their

50:22.532 --> 50:25.230
requirements . Okay , my time having

50:25.230 --> 50:27.230
expired . I want to go into this in

50:27.230 --> 50:30.870
more depth and well have some

50:30.870 --> 50:33.850
written questions for you about how the

50:33.850 --> 50:37.150
defense production acts worked . God ,

50:37.380 --> 50:40.340
I will now yield and call on mitts .

50:40.350 --> 50:42.070
Hartzler Europe next .

50:46.760 --> 50:49.580
Thank you , Mr Garamendi , And

50:49.580 --> 50:51.990
appreciate everyone here . All that

50:51.990 --> 50:54.212
you're doing for our country . I wanted

50:54.212 --> 50:56.379
to just follow up on what my colleague

50:56.379 --> 50:58.820
just , uh , ask about even before the

50:58.820 --> 51:01.350
Pandemic Representative Committee and I

51:01.350 --> 51:03.510
had introduced a bill to bring back

51:03.510 --> 51:05.690
pharmaceutical production to America

51:05.700 --> 51:07.867
because of the vulnerabilities that we

51:07.867 --> 51:10.089
had discovered with China being a major

51:10.089 --> 51:11.700
source of our pharmaceutical

51:11.700 --> 51:14.350
ingredients . And I've been pleased

51:14.360 --> 51:18.230
that in January of this

51:18.230 --> 51:20.286
year , the Department of Defense and

51:20.286 --> 51:23.610
Coordination with HHS awarded a $69.3

51:23.610 --> 51:25.780
million contract to continuous

51:25.780 --> 51:28.280
pharmaceuticals to develop a domestic

51:28.280 --> 51:30.224
production capability for critical

51:30.224 --> 51:32.336
active pharmaceutical ingredients and

51:32.336 --> 51:34.336
final dosage from medicines using a

51:34.336 --> 51:37.170
proprietary , integrated , continuous

51:37.170 --> 51:40.250
manufacturing technology . And last

51:40.250 --> 51:42.660
September , D o . D . And HHS also

51:42.660 --> 51:45.590
signed a $20 million contract with on

51:45.590 --> 51:47.590
demand pharmaceuticals to develop a

51:47.590 --> 51:49.860
domestic production capability for

51:49.860 --> 51:51.582
critical active pharmaceutical

51:51.582 --> 51:54.980
ingredients . And so my question is ,

51:54.990 --> 51:58.690
um , what capability has been

51:58.690 --> 52:00.857
provided here in the United States for

52:00.857 --> 52:02.857
standing up our pharmaceuticals and

52:02.857 --> 52:05.023
what additional work is the Department

52:05.023 --> 52:07.190
of Defense doing to secure the medical

52:07.190 --> 52:09.420
supply chain for our troops through the

52:09.420 --> 52:12.480
use of the Defense Production Act ? Um ,

52:12.490 --> 52:14.546
are there any additional authorities

52:14.546 --> 52:16.601
with the department defense that you

52:16.601 --> 52:19.000
need for Congress to help within this

52:19.000 --> 52:21.270
effort ? So can you kind of expand a

52:21.270 --> 52:23.160
little bit on the pharmaceutical

52:23.160 --> 52:25.800
production has been stood up through

52:25.800 --> 52:28.700
the Defense Production Act and give us

52:28.700 --> 52:29.811
an update on that .

52:33.050 --> 52:34.994
Thank you , Congresswoman . Uh , I

52:34.994 --> 52:37.050
would like to take that action . For

52:37.050 --> 52:39.217
the record we provided those . Both of

52:39.217 --> 52:41.272
those capabilities were on behalf of

52:41.272 --> 52:44.130
HHS to provide that capability and eso

52:44.130 --> 52:46.210
as those , uh , those products ,

52:46.210 --> 52:48.380
they're starting to be developed . I'd

52:48.380 --> 52:50.213
like to get back to you with the

52:50.213 --> 52:52.380
results on how those air being working

52:52.380 --> 52:56.280
out . Do you know of those capabilities

52:56.280 --> 52:58.058
that are being developed ? What

52:58.058 --> 53:00.280
percentage of those new pharmaceuticals

53:00.280 --> 53:02.447
will be provided and set aside for our

53:02.447 --> 53:04.502
men and women in uniform versus just

53:04.502 --> 53:07.340
the general public ? Both of those

53:07.340 --> 53:10.570
capabilities would be for , uh , for

53:10.570 --> 53:12.626
HHS , For the general public , those

53:12.626 --> 53:14.681
have not been specific for d o . D .

53:15.950 --> 53:17.783
And are the capabilities just in

53:17.783 --> 53:21.380
general or are have have has this money

53:21.380 --> 53:24.390
been dedicated just to covert related

53:24.390 --> 53:25.180
medicines ?

53:28.450 --> 53:30.660
Based on the continuous award that was

53:30.660 --> 53:33.120
focused on , uh , covert related

53:33.120 --> 53:33.880
medicines .

53:37.150 --> 53:39.261
Okay , so we're not using the Defense

53:39.261 --> 53:41.150
Production Act just to expand our

53:41.150 --> 53:43.390
general pharmaceutical development here

53:43.390 --> 53:45.446
in the United States . That could be

53:45.446 --> 53:47.668
helpful for our soldiers . So we're not

53:47.668 --> 53:49.834
dependent on China . Is that correct ?

53:50.150 --> 53:52.372
We currently have no Defense Production

53:52.372 --> 53:55.830
Act awards in that area . Okay .

53:55.840 --> 53:57.700
Are you aware of any additional

53:57.700 --> 53:59.740
capabilities that we need here as a

53:59.740 --> 54:02.230
committee to enable you to help with

54:02.230 --> 54:04.350
this ? Because we need to certainly

54:04.350 --> 54:06.572
address this pandemic , but represented

54:06.572 --> 54:08.517
Garamendi and myself . Many of our

54:08.517 --> 54:10.683
colleagues here on this call have have

54:10.683 --> 54:12.739
a lot of concerns for our underlying

54:12.739 --> 54:14.961
dependence on China with our medicine .

54:14.961 --> 54:18.040
So do we need to do any anymore through

54:18.040 --> 54:21.120
the N . D . A . Or legislation to get

54:21.120 --> 54:23.950
this , um , production developed here .

54:23.960 --> 54:25.904
So our troops aren't so relying on

54:25.904 --> 54:28.016
China for some of our basic medicines

54:28.016 --> 54:31.470
and vaccines . I would recommend that

54:31.480 --> 54:33.702
we're gonna General Paul Frederick from

54:33.702 --> 54:35.869
the joint staff Surgeon General . Uh ,

54:35.869 --> 54:37.869
talk about what specific additional

54:37.869 --> 54:39.924
medicines we may need to support our

54:39.924 --> 54:39.670
troops .

54:45.340 --> 54:46.470
Okay ,

54:50.740 --> 54:52.770
Congresswoman , this is Brigadier

54:52.770 --> 54:54.770
General Paul Friedrichs , the joint

54:54.770 --> 54:57.370
staff surgeon . And first , I want to

54:57.370 --> 54:59.270
thank you and the members of this

54:59.270 --> 55:01.326
committee for the work that you have

55:01.326 --> 55:03.930
done in this area , because this is an

55:03.940 --> 55:06.630
absolute concern of ours , and we are

55:06.630 --> 55:09.040
grateful for the precedent that you've

55:09.040 --> 55:11.151
said and re looking at this . We have

55:11.151 --> 55:13.670
gone back through based on the original

55:13.670 --> 55:17.180
language that you all had drafted and

55:17.180 --> 55:20.000
looked at those operational medications

55:20.010 --> 55:22.080
that we rely on in our deployed

55:22.090 --> 55:25.350
assemblages and identified which ones

55:25.710 --> 55:28.130
rely on ingredients from other

55:28.130 --> 55:31.550
countries . We are working with the FDA

55:31.560 --> 55:33.880
to obtain ingredients for those where

55:33.880 --> 55:36.140
we've not been able to identify the

55:36.140 --> 55:38.650
source of origin and to your question

55:38.660 --> 55:41.410
about what other steps need to be taken ,

55:41.410 --> 55:43.354
that is really the next step is to

55:43.354 --> 55:45.440
understand fully through the global

55:45.450 --> 55:47.710
supply chain where all of the

55:47.720 --> 55:50.160
ingredients come from and ensure that

55:50.160 --> 55:52.540
pharmaceutical companies are able to

55:52.540 --> 55:54.707
share that information with us so that

55:54.707 --> 55:57.660
we can then identify what risk there is

55:57.660 --> 55:59.827
to those medications in our deployable

55:59.827 --> 56:02.020
assemblages . We continue to work

56:02.020 --> 56:03.742
closely with the Food and Drug

56:03.742 --> 56:05.798
Administration and the Department of

56:05.798 --> 56:08.220
Health and Human Services on this as we

56:08.220 --> 56:10.660
identify those risks and then identify

56:10.660 --> 56:12.938
opportunities to mitigate . Um , ma'am ,

56:12.938 --> 56:14.938
I hope that answers your question .

56:15.130 --> 56:17.510
Thank you . It's very helpful . And I

56:17.510 --> 56:19.566
look forward to working with you and

56:19.566 --> 56:21.732
try to get this information as quickly

56:21.732 --> 56:23.788
as possible . But thank you for your

56:23.788 --> 56:26.121
time there , Mr Chairman . Are you back ?

56:26.330 --> 56:28.386
Thank you very much , Miss harshly .

56:28.386 --> 56:30.608
Thank you , General , for your response

56:30.608 --> 56:32.750
on that . In the larger context , we

56:32.750 --> 56:35.550
have discovered that much of what we

56:35.550 --> 56:37.780
depend upon for the military and for

56:37.780 --> 56:40.750
our domestic use in this pandemic and

56:40.750 --> 56:42.840
beyond is not produced in America .

56:43.690 --> 56:45.830
This is one example of that problem .

56:45.830 --> 56:48.052
And there are numerous other examples .

56:48.330 --> 56:50.350
The President has established a buy

56:50.350 --> 56:52.610
American policy and that's for the

56:52.610 --> 56:54.370
military as well as all other

56:54.380 --> 56:56.547
government purchases . And so we'll be

56:56.547 --> 56:58.769
following that along closely . We would

56:58.769 --> 57:00.436
appreciate some more detailed

57:00.436 --> 57:02.380
information on this pharmaceutical

57:02.380 --> 57:05.320
issue . Our next witness is Excuse me .

57:05.320 --> 57:07.970
Our next questioner , Mr Carvajal

57:07.980 --> 57:11.050
Europe . Listen .

57:11.930 --> 57:15.370
Thank you , Mr Chair . General General

57:15.370 --> 57:17.380
North Haas . In the weeks since the

57:17.380 --> 57:19.530
National Guard mobilized to respond

57:19.540 --> 57:23.220
January January 6 , violent extremist

57:23.220 --> 57:25.250
insurrection mob And for the

57:25.250 --> 57:27.890
presidential inauguration , there were

57:27.890 --> 57:30.310
reports that hundreds of Guard members

57:30.320 --> 57:32.542
on duty and D . C . Tested positive for

57:32.542 --> 57:36.130
covered 19 . What procedure ? The Guard

57:36.130 --> 57:38.241
have in place the test members before

57:38.241 --> 57:41.200
arriving in D . C . While in D . C or

57:41.200 --> 57:43.670
before returning home , did the guard

57:43.670 --> 57:45.740
conduct contact tracing for members

57:45.740 --> 57:47.930
suggested positive . And the reason I

57:47.930 --> 57:49.874
ask is that I think it goes to the

57:49.874 --> 57:52.070
heart of our readiness . Do we already

57:52.070 --> 57:54.237
have the infrastructure and procedures

57:54.237 --> 57:57.750
and protocols in place to protect our

57:57.750 --> 57:59.990
service members as well as those that

57:59.990 --> 58:02.030
they are around ?

58:05.320 --> 58:07.431
Congressman , thank you very much for

58:07.431 --> 58:09.840
the question . Um , we follow all CDC

58:09.840 --> 58:11.780
guidance and Aziz , those folks

58:11.780 --> 58:14.640
deployed , um , you know , they dio

58:14.650 --> 58:16.890
testing and , uh , screening from a

58:16.900 --> 58:19.660
standpoint of temperature thio checks

58:19.670 --> 58:21.670
to make sure that they're healthy ,

58:21.670 --> 58:23.781
they pass the questionnaires and then

58:23.781 --> 58:26.430
they deployed into ah D . C . I will

58:26.430 --> 58:30.250
say that , uh , the positives once we

58:30.320 --> 58:32.600
tested somebody , they go through the

58:32.600 --> 58:35.500
normal health requirements there to get

58:35.500 --> 58:38.050
tested . Um , if they tested positive ,

58:38.050 --> 58:40.430
The D . C . National Guard on the

58:40.430 --> 58:42.208
organization worked through the

58:42.208 --> 58:44.430
contract tracing to make sure that they

58:44.430 --> 58:46.541
identified members that needed toe go

58:46.541 --> 58:48.850
in tow , restriction of movement on ,

58:48.850 --> 58:51.190
and they continued that , um , over the

58:51.190 --> 58:53.640
last , uh , you know , month now . And

58:53.640 --> 58:55.751
I will say that from the numbers I've

58:55.751 --> 58:57.973
seen , they've done a really good job .

58:57.973 --> 59:00.140
And they've continued to reduce that ,

59:00.140 --> 59:02.140
um , to be able to find where those

59:02.140 --> 59:04.196
positives are and then , uh , do the

59:04.196 --> 59:05.973
contract tracing to appropriate

59:05.973 --> 59:08.140
restriction of movement to ensure that

59:08.140 --> 59:10.307
they could minimize any impacts to the

59:10.307 --> 59:13.990
mission . Thank you , General

59:14.000 --> 59:17.130
Colin . Pierrot , I if I heard

59:17.130 --> 59:19.210
correctly , one third of our service

59:19.210 --> 59:21.640
members are refusing the vaccination .

59:22.320 --> 59:24.980
What the department doing to reach out

59:24.980 --> 59:26.980
to our service members to encourage

59:26.980 --> 59:29.810
them to be vaccinated . And when I

59:29.810 --> 59:31.930
served in the Marine Corps , I don't

59:31.930 --> 59:34.097
think I was ever given an option about

59:34.097 --> 59:36.208
my vaccinations . We just got in line

59:36.208 --> 59:38.540
and zapped us and everybody got it .

59:38.550 --> 59:40.830
And that was just the way it waas . Are

59:40.830 --> 59:42.880
you saying that now we have a new

59:42.880 --> 59:44.820
approach to vaccinations for our

59:44.820 --> 59:48.620
service members . Congressman ,

59:48.620 --> 59:50.970
I wouldn't say we have a new approach .

59:50.980 --> 59:53.520
There's still a variety of vaccinations

59:53.520 --> 59:55.830
that air mandatory . The fact that this

59:55.830 --> 59:58.200
is authorized under emergency use

59:58.200 --> 01:00:01.930
authorization is what puts it in the

01:00:01.930 --> 01:00:04.730
category of being a voluntary

01:00:04.740 --> 01:00:08.390
vaccination and you know , I

01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:10.540
think it's most effective to think

01:00:10.540 --> 01:00:12.707
about the numbers that have accepted .

01:00:13.110 --> 01:00:15.060
Um , certainly service members can

01:00:15.060 --> 01:00:18.510
accept . Or , you know , we we don't we

01:00:18.510 --> 01:00:21.830
don't precisely know an individual has

01:00:21.830 --> 01:00:25.340
not received a vaccine . We think it's

01:00:25.340 --> 01:00:28.500
important that this the department

01:00:28.500 --> 01:00:30.667
continue to communicate to our service

01:00:30.667 --> 01:00:34.010
members the value of the vaccine , the

01:00:34.020 --> 01:00:36.780
safety of the vaccine with continued

01:00:36.780 --> 01:00:38.950
leadership involvement to help our

01:00:38.950 --> 01:00:40.839
service members understand that .

01:00:42.310 --> 01:00:45.880
Thank you , Mr Celeste says . I

01:00:45.880 --> 01:00:47.991
appreciate the support the department

01:00:47.991 --> 01:00:49.880
has provided to states throughout

01:00:49.910 --> 01:00:52.460
providing personnel , protesting sites ,

01:00:52.470 --> 01:00:54.940
food distribution and designating

01:00:55.410 --> 01:00:57.490
culture . They care facilities . I

01:00:57.490 --> 01:00:59.268
understand . The department has

01:00:59.268 --> 01:01:01.490
announced that it will send active duty

01:01:01.490 --> 01:01:03.546
service members to support five FEMA

01:01:03.546 --> 01:01:05.546
vaccination sites and are currently

01:01:05.546 --> 01:01:08.110
evaluating additional requests . What

01:01:08.110 --> 01:01:10.390
criteria does the department use when

01:01:10.390 --> 01:01:12.240
evaluating these requests ?

01:01:14.410 --> 01:01:16.466
Congressman , We obviously look at a

01:01:16.466 --> 01:01:18.720
number of factors . First of all ,

01:01:18.730 --> 01:01:21.400
obviously , because of the demand for

01:01:21.400 --> 01:01:23.400
vaccine support , that's that's the

01:01:23.400 --> 01:01:25.622
priority for the nation . And obviously

01:01:25.622 --> 01:01:28.010
we want to support that . We also look

01:01:28.010 --> 01:01:30.440
at the types of people that were

01:01:30.440 --> 01:01:33.410
providing medics , Corman nurses and

01:01:33.410 --> 01:01:35.466
obviously evaluate the impact on the

01:01:35.466 --> 01:01:38.530
department . The department is is ready

01:01:38.530 --> 01:01:40.970
prepared to support all of these

01:01:40.970 --> 01:01:43.081
vaccine centers that we've identified

01:01:43.081 --> 01:01:45.081
and working with FEMA , the ones in

01:01:45.081 --> 01:01:47.192
California . As you mentioned , we've

01:01:47.192 --> 01:01:49.480
got once plan for New York and Texas

01:01:49.490 --> 01:01:51.546
and will work very closely with FEMA

01:01:51.546 --> 01:01:53.450
going forward , depending on the

01:01:53.460 --> 01:01:56.620
availability of medical people , nurses ,

01:01:56.620 --> 01:01:58.564
medics , Corman and those types of

01:01:58.564 --> 01:02:00.787
things . We weigh all of those things .

01:02:00.787 --> 01:02:02.842
But we understand this is a priority

01:02:02.842 --> 01:02:05.009
for the nation , and the department is

01:02:05.009 --> 01:02:07.064
ready and postures to support . No ,

01:02:07.064 --> 01:02:10.930
these vaccine center . Thank you , Mr

01:02:10.930 --> 01:02:14.050
Chair . I yield back . Uh , thank you ,

01:02:14.060 --> 01:02:16.430
Mr Whitman . You're up next .

01:02:19.300 --> 01:02:21.467
Thank you , Mr Chairman . I appreciate

01:02:21.467 --> 01:02:23.411
our witnesses joining us today . I

01:02:23.411 --> 01:02:25.467
wanted to go to Mr Saleh sis and ask

01:02:25.467 --> 01:02:28.370
him , uh , specifically what Department

01:02:28.370 --> 01:02:32.310
of Defense is doing for our critical

01:02:32.320 --> 01:02:35.080
civilian support structure for the

01:02:35.080 --> 01:02:37.024
military . And I'll give you a new

01:02:37.024 --> 01:02:39.920
example . Newport News Shipbuilding is

01:02:39.930 --> 01:02:42.440
one of our contractors that requires

01:02:42.440 --> 01:02:44.662
individuals to work in close quarters ,

01:02:44.662 --> 01:02:46.384
and therefore vaccinations are

01:02:46.384 --> 01:02:48.610
critically important for them . Last

01:02:48.610 --> 01:02:50.443
week , they didn't receive their

01:02:50.443 --> 01:02:52.221
allocation of vaccines from the

01:02:52.221 --> 01:02:54.277
Virginia Department of Health . When

01:02:54.277 --> 01:02:56.540
that happens , that interrupts their

01:02:56.540 --> 01:02:59.940
ability to obviously the build chips .

01:02:59.940 --> 01:03:02.910
And that's that is I know common with a

01:03:02.910 --> 01:03:05.610
number of other folks that , uh , that

01:03:06.000 --> 01:03:08.111
provide critical support services for

01:03:08.111 --> 01:03:10.222
the United States . Military building

01:03:10.222 --> 01:03:12.167
systems that required Thio work in

01:03:12.167 --> 01:03:14.500
close quarters and vaccinations are key .

01:03:14.500 --> 01:03:16.722
What ? What's the Department of Defense

01:03:16.722 --> 01:03:18.556
doing to assure that there's not

01:03:18.556 --> 01:03:21.150
interruption of those of those efforts

01:03:21.150 --> 01:03:23.910
there and making sure that the

01:03:23.920 --> 01:03:26.640
federally required vaccines are

01:03:26.640 --> 01:03:29.160
distributed to federal contractors who

01:03:29.170 --> 01:03:31.170
again , by the very nature of their

01:03:31.170 --> 01:03:33.226
work , are required to work in close

01:03:33.226 --> 01:03:35.281
quarters ? Uh , and making sure that

01:03:35.281 --> 01:03:37.503
they are doing their job to support our

01:03:37.503 --> 01:03:39.614
brave men and women of the military ?

01:03:40.500 --> 01:03:42.222
So , Congressman , again , the

01:03:42.222 --> 01:03:44.630
department has has worked very closely

01:03:44.640 --> 01:03:47.070
toe look at our beneficiaries , our

01:03:47.070 --> 01:03:49.300
military , our civilian and specific

01:03:49.300 --> 01:03:51.522
contracts support . That's the directly

01:03:51.522 --> 01:03:53.770
provided to the department , for

01:03:53.780 --> 01:03:56.580
example , the Newport Shipyard , as you

01:03:56.580 --> 01:03:58.802
indicated , that that's being supported

01:03:58.802 --> 01:04:01.820
by the state allocation . And so as we

01:04:01.820 --> 01:04:03.931
look to the future , obviously any of

01:04:03.931 --> 01:04:06.240
these critical areas were willing to

01:04:06.240 --> 01:04:08.350
and obviously going to talk to these

01:04:08.350 --> 01:04:11.410
organizations , uh , to see how in what

01:04:11.410 --> 01:04:15.040
we can do to assist . But as we see the

01:04:15.050 --> 01:04:18.120
increase in vaccination , uh ,

01:04:18.130 --> 01:04:20.940
capability from Pfizer , Madonna will

01:04:20.940 --> 01:04:23.310
be able Thio provide more support

01:04:23.590 --> 01:04:25.570
collectively to these critical ,

01:04:25.570 --> 01:04:27.792
essential workers , uh , that have been

01:04:27.792 --> 01:04:29.903
identified and each one of the states

01:04:29.903 --> 01:04:31.980
following the CDC guidance again .

01:04:31.980 --> 01:04:34.202
Essential workers Air identified , Uh ,

01:04:34.202 --> 01:04:36.460
eso I'm optimistic that , uh , the

01:04:36.460 --> 01:04:39.270
Newport ship building community will be

01:04:39.270 --> 01:04:41.548
receiving their vaccine in short order .

01:04:42.990 --> 01:04:45.800
E just hope follow up with not just

01:04:45.800 --> 01:04:47.911
Newport News but other companies that

01:04:47.911 --> 01:04:50.070
perform critical functions for our

01:04:50.080 --> 01:04:52.191
military to make sure that there's no

01:04:52.191 --> 01:04:54.024
interruption in vaccines there ,

01:04:54.024 --> 01:04:55.969
because when it does , it's a work

01:04:55.969 --> 01:04:58.080
percent eruption . And that's not not

01:04:58.080 --> 01:05:00.136
what what we need to be doing . Uh ,

01:05:00.136 --> 01:05:02.247
one other , uh , one other . Question

01:05:02.247 --> 01:05:04.550
two is about health protection ,

01:05:04.550 --> 01:05:07.810
condition levels . What latitude , Uh ,

01:05:08.190 --> 01:05:10.520
do local commanders have in changing

01:05:10.520 --> 01:05:12.742
health protection condition levels ? In

01:05:12.742 --> 01:05:14.853
other words , are you giving them the

01:05:14.853 --> 01:05:17.020
flexibility , determined conditions on

01:05:17.020 --> 01:05:18.853
a literally a day by day basis ?

01:05:18.853 --> 01:05:22.000
Because , uh , they know best about

01:05:22.000 --> 01:05:25.420
what what's needed to protect the

01:05:25.420 --> 01:05:27.860
health of their of their people under

01:05:27.860 --> 01:05:30.260
their command . Congressman , there is

01:05:30.260 --> 01:05:32.520
that flexibility to do that . I'll turn

01:05:32.520 --> 01:05:34.631
it over to the joint staff , but it's

01:05:34.631 --> 01:05:36.853
obviously depending upon the positivity

01:05:36.853 --> 01:05:38.298
rate within the community

01:05:38.298 --> 01:05:40.353
hospitalization rate , and obviously

01:05:40.353 --> 01:05:42.520
those air the indicators but the local

01:05:42.520 --> 01:05:44.687
commanders set the at the installation

01:05:44.687 --> 01:05:46.687
set . The health condition levels .

01:05:47.990 --> 01:05:50.760
Congressman is General Tolliver . We

01:05:50.760 --> 01:05:52.927
think you're exactly right that nobody

01:05:52.927 --> 01:05:55.149
knows better than the local commander .

01:05:55.149 --> 01:05:57.580
What's happening in that local area ?

01:05:57.590 --> 01:06:00.070
Especially connections . The local

01:06:00.070 --> 01:06:02.300
leaders , whether that z

01:06:02.780 --> 01:06:06.510
leadership or medical facilities . And

01:06:06.510 --> 01:06:08.980
while d o d instructions give general

01:06:08.980 --> 01:06:10.990
guidance of things to consider its

01:06:10.990 --> 01:06:13.280
fully within the hands of local

01:06:13.280 --> 01:06:15.800
commanders to make that decision .

01:06:18.480 --> 01:06:20.147
Very good . Well , listen , I

01:06:20.147 --> 01:06:22.369
appreciate that . That's E knows . I've

01:06:22.369 --> 01:06:24.091
spoken to some local command .

01:06:30.280 --> 01:06:32.613
Mr . Whitman , we seem to have lost you ,

01:06:37.480 --> 01:06:38.290
Mr Whitman .

01:06:41.080 --> 01:06:44.320
We will move on . And if Mr Whitman

01:06:44.320 --> 01:06:48.170
comes back , he's late . Our

01:06:48.170 --> 01:06:50.450
next witnesses . Excuse me . Our next

01:06:50.540 --> 01:06:54.510
question here is Mr Brown . Thank

01:06:54.510 --> 01:06:56.510
you , Mr Chairman . And thank you ,

01:06:56.510 --> 01:06:58.780
gentlemen , for being here today . Eso

01:06:58.780 --> 01:07:01.290
we've heard during the testimony that ,

01:07:01.680 --> 01:07:04.950
uh , the department can mandate a

01:07:04.950 --> 01:07:08.410
vaccine if it's formerly licensed by

01:07:08.410 --> 01:07:11.920
the FDA . Is that authority to

01:07:11.920 --> 01:07:14.220
mandate a vaccine ? Let's say , for

01:07:14.220 --> 01:07:17.510
example , influenza or when the service

01:07:17.510 --> 01:07:19.800
member deploys to an area where a

01:07:19.800 --> 01:07:22.820
vaccination is required . Is that

01:07:22.820 --> 01:07:26.820
expressed authority granted in statute

01:07:26.820 --> 01:07:30.790
by Congress ? Or is that the the

01:07:30.790 --> 01:07:33.270
power of the president , As commander

01:07:33.270 --> 01:07:34.100
in chief

01:07:37.570 --> 01:07:39.792
and congressman , I'm going to defer to

01:07:39.792 --> 01:07:42.070
General Friedrichs Joint staff surgeon .

01:07:42.580 --> 01:07:44.802
Congressman , this is Brigadier General

01:07:44.802 --> 01:07:47.024
Paul Friedrichs . Thank you very much .

01:07:47.024 --> 01:07:49.136
That is authority vested in statute .

01:07:49.136 --> 01:07:51.850
And the statute is written to state

01:07:51.850 --> 01:07:54.840
that those drugs which are not under an

01:07:54.840 --> 01:07:56.896
emergency use authorization , can be

01:07:56.896 --> 01:07:59.890
mandated . Those which are under an

01:07:59.890 --> 01:08:02.810
emergency use authorization may not be

01:08:02.810 --> 01:08:05.210
mandated except in certain

01:08:05.210 --> 01:08:07.570
extraordinary circumstances . Laid out

01:08:07.580 --> 01:08:11.380
in the statute does that s O which .

01:08:11.390 --> 01:08:13.612
No , I really appreciate that . I wanna

01:08:13.612 --> 01:08:16.440
kind of flush that out so that , uh ,

01:08:16.450 --> 01:08:18.640
Congress that we make sure that you

01:08:18.640 --> 01:08:21.810
have the tools you need is there in the

01:08:21.810 --> 01:08:25.650
planning in the forecasting for when it

01:08:25.650 --> 01:08:27.539
comes to the take up rates of the

01:08:27.539 --> 01:08:31.400
vaccine . Um , uh , is there

01:08:31.410 --> 01:08:33.700
Is there a scenario in which the

01:08:33.700 --> 01:08:37.000
department might exercise the authority

01:08:37.000 --> 01:08:39.890
to mandate the cove in 19

01:08:39.970 --> 01:08:43.280
vaccination under this , um ,

01:08:44.570 --> 01:08:47.590
this emergency use authorization ?

01:08:48.370 --> 01:08:50.703
Congressman , from a medical standpoint ,

01:08:50.703 --> 01:08:53.560
I believe the legislation which you and

01:08:53.560 --> 01:08:55.338
your colleagues have written is

01:08:55.338 --> 01:08:58.170
sufficient to address the circumstances

01:08:58.170 --> 01:09:02.020
that we're facing today on . It's very

01:09:02.020 --> 01:09:03.860
clear legislation . We've worked

01:09:03.870 --> 01:09:06.080
closely with our Office of General

01:09:06.080 --> 01:09:09.840
Counsel toe understand the intent and

01:09:09.840 --> 01:09:12.520
the specifics of the legislation . Eso

01:09:12.530 --> 01:09:14.697
way . Believe that you have given very

01:09:14.697 --> 01:09:18.090
essentially . So essentially , you ,

01:09:18.100 --> 01:09:20.690
the department could mandate

01:09:22.070 --> 01:09:24.900
that a service member received the Kobe

01:09:24.900 --> 01:09:27.230
19 vaccination under under the

01:09:27.230 --> 01:09:29.230
statutory authorization provided by

01:09:29.230 --> 01:09:31.286
Congress . No , sir . The department

01:09:31.286 --> 01:09:33.850
could not mandate that the department .

01:09:33.860 --> 01:09:35.749
Okay , But you said under certain

01:09:35.749 --> 01:09:37.971
circumstances what ? Give us an example

01:09:37.971 --> 01:09:40.027
of what would be that circumstance .

01:09:40.027 --> 01:09:42.510
Where even with , uh , the emergency

01:09:42.510 --> 01:09:45.670
use authorization from the FDA , which

01:09:45.670 --> 01:09:48.640
is not the formal license you could you

01:09:48.640 --> 01:09:50.251
could mandate the cove in 19

01:09:50.251 --> 01:09:51.918
vaccination . What would be a

01:09:51.918 --> 01:09:53.640
circumstance ? So there are no

01:09:53.640 --> 01:09:55.751
circumstances where the Department of

01:09:55.751 --> 01:09:57.862
Defense has the legislative authority

01:09:57.862 --> 01:10:00.880
to do that on we can provide in a

01:10:00.890 --> 01:10:02.723
written response back to you the

01:10:02.723 --> 01:10:04.860
specific language on that the certain

01:10:04.860 --> 01:10:06.804
circumstances would require action

01:10:06.810 --> 01:10:08.810
outside the Department of Defense .

01:10:09.660 --> 01:10:11.604
Okay , now I understand that . And

01:10:11.604 --> 01:10:14.440
thanks for the clarifying that Congress

01:10:14.450 --> 01:10:16.561
can I add to that discussion , though

01:10:16.561 --> 01:10:19.240
this is , uh , Bob Silas is I do think

01:10:19.240 --> 01:10:21.351
that we're in the beginning phases of

01:10:21.351 --> 01:10:23.870
this , uh , vaccine . And as General

01:10:23.870 --> 01:10:25.981
Tolliver pointed out , I do think the

01:10:25.981 --> 01:10:28.940
opportunity to educate , inform and

01:10:28.940 --> 01:10:31.210
make sure that our service members are

01:10:31.210 --> 01:10:33.750
civilians . And contractors really

01:10:33.750 --> 01:10:35.806
understand the benefit of this going

01:10:35.806 --> 01:10:37.528
forward . I think we'll reduce

01:10:37.528 --> 01:10:40.610
significantly . Thank you . Are

01:10:40.610 --> 01:10:43.180
you keeping data ? Are

01:10:43.180 --> 01:10:46.830
you , uh , surveying the

01:10:46.830 --> 01:10:50.050
force on by demographics ? Who's

01:10:50.050 --> 01:10:52.120
accepting the vaccine and who's not

01:10:52.120 --> 01:10:55.320
either by gender , race , ethnicity or

01:10:55.320 --> 01:10:58.010
any other relevant factor . And I ask

01:10:58.010 --> 01:11:00.750
that because , um , there is a lower

01:11:00.750 --> 01:11:03.940
take up rate in many communities around

01:11:03.940 --> 01:11:06.070
the country . Uh , in communities of

01:11:06.070 --> 01:11:08.860
color . Are you gathering or collecting

01:11:08.860 --> 01:11:11.080
that data ? Are you making those

01:11:11.080 --> 01:11:14.230
observations ? Congressman , this is

01:11:14.230 --> 01:11:16.341
Brigadier General Friedrichs from the

01:11:16.341 --> 01:11:18.063
joint staff again . Eso we are

01:11:18.063 --> 01:11:20.790
collecting that data on acceptance rate .

01:11:21.160 --> 01:11:23.160
And as General Tolliver and General

01:11:23.160 --> 01:11:25.520
Nordhaus mentioned , our experience

01:11:25.610 --> 01:11:28.080
mirrors the preliminary data that we're

01:11:28.080 --> 01:11:30.770
seeing in other communities . We're

01:11:30.780 --> 01:11:32.502
actually digging into that and

01:11:32.502 --> 01:11:34.613
continuing to collect more data as we

01:11:34.613 --> 01:11:37.070
administer more vaccines . As we

01:11:37.070 --> 01:11:39.070
mentioned , the first priorities or

01:11:39.070 --> 01:11:41.126
health care workers . And that's the

01:11:41.126 --> 01:11:43.070
group for which I mean by race and

01:11:43.070 --> 01:11:45.310
ethnicity . Are you collecting data by

01:11:45.310 --> 01:11:47.643
race and ethnicity ? Yes , sir , we are .

01:11:48.160 --> 01:11:50.327
And okay . Thank you . Mr Chairman . I

01:11:50.327 --> 01:11:52.880
yield back . Thank you , Mr Brown .

01:11:53.260 --> 01:11:55.750
Thank you for those questions . I think

01:11:55.750 --> 01:11:57.670
we've gone through this issue of

01:11:57.680 --> 01:11:59.920
vaccination and required or not

01:11:59.920 --> 01:12:03.660
required . Uh , Mr Scott , you're next .

01:12:04.650 --> 01:12:06.706
Thank you , Mr Chairman . And , uh ,

01:12:06.706 --> 01:12:08.872
gentlemen , thanks for being here . My

01:12:08.872 --> 01:12:11.039
question revolves somewhat around data

01:12:11.039 --> 01:12:12.928
as well , uh , minus specifically

01:12:12.928 --> 01:12:15.350
geared towards the infection rates and

01:12:15.360 --> 01:12:17.480
or the infection rates that we're

01:12:17.480 --> 01:12:21.170
seeing in the d o . D . Different from

01:12:21.170 --> 01:12:23.281
the infection rates that we're seeing

01:12:23.281 --> 01:12:26.040
in the general public . Uh , it's it's

01:12:26.040 --> 01:12:29.380
so , uh , what are the trends that

01:12:29.380 --> 01:12:31.547
we're seeing ? We see obviously have a

01:12:31.547 --> 01:12:33.658
more controlled environment than than

01:12:33.658 --> 01:12:35.658
the general public does . So , um ,

01:12:35.658 --> 01:12:37.658
infection rates and the trends with

01:12:37.658 --> 01:12:39.491
regard to those rates versus the

01:12:39.491 --> 01:12:41.602
general public . What are we seeing ?

01:12:41.602 --> 01:12:43.824
Congressman , this is Brigadier General

01:12:43.824 --> 01:12:45.991
Friedrichs , the joint staff surgeon .

01:12:45.991 --> 01:12:47.880
Thank you very much . Eso we have

01:12:47.880 --> 01:12:50.102
aggressively implemented there's public

01:12:50.102 --> 01:12:51.880
health measures that the 500 is

01:12:51.880 --> 01:12:54.102
recommended . And as a result , we have

01:12:54.102 --> 01:12:57.520
seen a lower percent positive test rate

01:12:57.590 --> 01:13:00.120
in our population than in the general

01:13:00.120 --> 01:13:02.750
public over the last year . And that's

01:13:02.750 --> 01:13:04.750
been very consistent for the active

01:13:04.750 --> 01:13:08.550
duty force a Swede gone forward . Our

01:13:08.560 --> 01:13:12.230
overall number of cases has risen and

01:13:12.230 --> 01:13:14.900
fallen as the number of cases across

01:13:14.900 --> 01:13:17.370
the United States has risen and fallen .

01:13:17.380 --> 01:13:19.602
So we have mirrored what's happening in

01:13:19.602 --> 01:13:21.840
the communities where our bases are

01:13:21.840 --> 01:13:24.860
located . But the percent of our force ,

01:13:24.860 --> 01:13:27.200
which is tested positive , has been

01:13:27.200 --> 01:13:29.300
lower than what we've seen in other

01:13:29.300 --> 01:13:31.920
communities . In addition , we've seen

01:13:31.930 --> 01:13:34.910
our percent of the force who require

01:13:34.920 --> 01:13:38.050
hospitalization . And although we have

01:13:38.060 --> 01:13:40.500
had a few members of the force who have

01:13:40.510 --> 01:13:43.080
died as a result of covert infections ,

01:13:43.450 --> 01:13:46.170
uh , that is a smaller number than in

01:13:46.170 --> 01:13:48.630
the general public , in part because we

01:13:48.630 --> 01:13:51.260
have a younger population . And in

01:13:51.260 --> 01:13:53.850
general , they're fairly active on

01:13:53.850 --> 01:13:56.400
healthy , has tow serve , harking back

01:13:56.400 --> 01:13:58.178
to the days of front Reagan and

01:13:58.178 --> 01:14:00.122
recognized some of the traditional

01:14:00.122 --> 01:14:03.330
conservative values and issues . Party

01:14:03.330 --> 01:14:05.890
strong . Alright , So , Jim Bank Jim

01:14:05.890 --> 01:14:07.770
Banks has chimed in on my time .

01:14:09.240 --> 01:14:10.050
Um ,

01:14:12.540 --> 01:14:15.100
how much ? How much difference are you

01:14:15.100 --> 01:14:19.090
seeing in the in the rates versus the

01:14:19.090 --> 01:14:21.970
general public ? Congressman ? I'm

01:14:21.970 --> 01:14:24.192
sorry . Could you repeat the question ,

01:14:24.192 --> 01:14:27.350
sir ? Are we 10% better ? We 20% better .

01:14:27.350 --> 01:14:29.530
What was the difference in the

01:14:29.540 --> 01:14:33.240
infection rate between , uh , deity

01:14:33.240 --> 01:14:36.520
personality and and the general public ?

01:14:36.810 --> 01:14:38.866
Congressman ? The data that I'm most

01:14:38.866 --> 01:14:41.350
familiar with is the percent positive

01:14:41.350 --> 01:14:43.980
rate and we have typically had about a

01:14:43.980 --> 01:14:46.970
1% lower rate of test which were

01:14:46.970 --> 01:14:48.840
positive compared to the general

01:14:48.850 --> 01:14:51.620
population . But that's varied from

01:14:51.620 --> 01:14:53.620
week to week . As we look at it , I

01:14:53.630 --> 01:14:56.320
would be happy if I made to respond for

01:14:56.320 --> 01:14:58.670
the record with specific data on that .

01:14:59.040 --> 01:15:01.450
But it's been , uh , consistently at

01:15:01.450 --> 01:15:03.394
least a percentage point below the

01:15:03.394 --> 01:15:06.670
general population . Okay ,

01:15:07.140 --> 01:15:11.070
um , I'm interested in that data , and

01:15:11.070 --> 01:15:12.903
I mentioned I do think that it's

01:15:12.903 --> 01:15:15.014
extremely important that we keep it .

01:15:15.014 --> 01:15:17.126
We don't know how long these vaccines

01:15:17.126 --> 01:15:19.610
we're gonna work . Uh , and so we don't

01:15:19.610 --> 01:15:21.277
know when the second round of

01:15:21.277 --> 01:15:23.443
vaccinations is gonna have to happen .

01:15:23.443 --> 01:15:25.610
And I think that the data , especially

01:15:25.610 --> 01:15:27.666
in the more controlled environment ,

01:15:27.666 --> 01:15:29.943
although it's not perfectly controlled ,

01:15:29.943 --> 01:15:29.660
it is more control than the general

01:15:29.660 --> 01:15:33.460
public is gonna be . I think that to to

01:15:33.460 --> 01:15:37.080
all of this is way , push forward . Uh ,

01:15:37.090 --> 01:15:39.201
I am concerned , and I mentioned this

01:15:39.201 --> 01:15:41.034
yesterday and the hearing . I am

01:15:41.034 --> 01:15:43.368
concerned about our teams , for example ,

01:15:43.368 --> 01:15:45.368
or O d . A . Teams . They're out in

01:15:45.368 --> 01:15:47.423
Africa that worked in these training

01:15:47.423 --> 01:15:49.646
equipped missions where they're in very

01:15:49.646 --> 01:15:51.701
close proximity in order to do their

01:15:51.701 --> 01:15:53.868
job with people from other countries .

01:15:53.868 --> 01:15:56.220
I would be interested in how you intend

01:15:56.220 --> 01:15:59.840
to handle that with regard to

01:16:00.220 --> 01:16:02.109
what I would refer to its partner

01:16:02.109 --> 01:16:05.600
forces . Um , are we Are we testing

01:16:05.600 --> 01:16:09.130
those partner forces ? Are we , um ,

01:16:09.140 --> 01:16:11.380
checking fevers before we do a train

01:16:11.390 --> 01:16:13.557
training mission with them ? How ? How

01:16:13.557 --> 01:16:16.340
are we handling ? Oh o d A missions ,

01:16:16.340 --> 01:16:18.340
for example , with partner forces .

01:16:20.210 --> 01:16:22.321
Congressman is General Tolliver . I'd

01:16:22.321 --> 01:16:26.140
I'd say , in general , the forces and

01:16:26.140 --> 01:16:28.290
those areas are practicing good force

01:16:28.290 --> 01:16:30.150
health protection measures of

01:16:30.630 --> 01:16:34.210
distancing mask wearing , in some cases

01:16:34.210 --> 01:16:36.790
distributed operations , distributed

01:16:36.790 --> 01:16:39.010
training by an OD , a team in an area

01:16:39.010 --> 01:16:42.560
like that . Hygiene awareness . And ,

01:16:43.030 --> 01:16:46.280
uh , we believe that those the forces

01:16:46.280 --> 01:16:48.970
were partnering with our our general

01:16:48.980 --> 01:16:51.250
generally following the same procedures

01:16:51.250 --> 01:16:53.790
we are , but I don't have the details .

01:16:53.790 --> 01:16:55.957
That president on those specific O . D

01:16:55.957 --> 01:16:58.700
A . Teams . Okay , I'm almost out of

01:16:58.700 --> 01:17:00.800
time . General Nordhaus , Tom Carton

01:17:00.800 --> 01:17:03.022
and Tom Grabowski would want me to tell

01:17:03.022 --> 01:17:05.189
you Hello . They've done a great job ,

01:17:05.189 --> 01:17:07.522
especially , uh , months and months ago .

01:17:07.522 --> 01:17:09.467
They were out there in our nursing

01:17:09.467 --> 01:17:11.633
homes with the Georgia guard , helping

01:17:11.633 --> 01:17:13.578
them fill this virus and certainly

01:17:13.578 --> 01:17:15.800
appreciate all that the guards doing in

01:17:15.800 --> 01:17:17.800
Georgia and in Washington as well .

01:17:17.800 --> 01:17:20.022
Right now , gentlemen . Thank you . And

01:17:20.022 --> 01:17:22.300
my time's expired . Thank you , Mr Cam .

01:17:23.130 --> 01:17:25.190
Thank you , Chairman . Thank you ,

01:17:25.190 --> 01:17:27.301
everyone for joining here and talking

01:17:27.301 --> 01:17:29.560
with us about this incredibly important

01:17:29.560 --> 01:17:32.880
issue . I wanted Thio Thio shift a

01:17:32.880 --> 01:17:34.920
little bit here in terms of the

01:17:34.930 --> 01:17:37.730
questioning , Uh , many of us represent

01:17:37.740 --> 01:17:39.962
military bases and installations in our

01:17:39.962 --> 01:17:41.962
district . I represent joint base ,

01:17:41.962 --> 01:17:44.184
McGuire , Dicks , Lakers and that joint

01:17:44.184 --> 01:17:46.620
base is really an anchor to an entire

01:17:46.620 --> 01:17:48.787
community community , not just off the

01:17:48.787 --> 01:17:51.000
service members , but outside around

01:17:51.000 --> 01:17:52.944
this , I wanted to just ask two or

01:17:52.944 --> 01:17:55.000
three questions about this . I had a

01:17:55.000 --> 01:17:57.220
town hall last night and on the town

01:17:57.220 --> 01:17:59.400
hall , there was a veteran veteran who

01:17:59.400 --> 01:18:01.567
lives just outside of the joint base ,

01:18:01.567 --> 01:18:04.670
who says he is dependent upon access to

01:18:04.670 --> 01:18:08.150
the commissary for for his food . You

01:18:08.150 --> 01:18:10.317
know , he's someone who doesn't have a

01:18:10.317 --> 01:18:12.372
lot of money . I was telling me just

01:18:12.372 --> 01:18:14.317
the struggles he's had financially

01:18:14.317 --> 01:18:16.150
because of this , but he's had a

01:18:16.150 --> 01:18:18.372
tremendous amount of difficulty getting

01:18:18.372 --> 01:18:20.150
onto the base because of covert

01:18:20.150 --> 01:18:22.372
restrictions . So I guess I just wanted

01:18:22.372 --> 01:18:26.060
to ask you what work has d o d

01:18:26.060 --> 01:18:28.230
done to try to think about just the

01:18:28.240 --> 01:18:30.240
broader community here . How we are

01:18:30.240 --> 01:18:32.518
looking out for veterans in particular ,

01:18:32.518 --> 01:18:35.250
many of them who settle down and live

01:18:35.250 --> 01:18:37.139
right around the bases where they

01:18:37.139 --> 01:18:39.361
retire from . Is there anything else we

01:18:39.361 --> 01:18:41.528
could be doing to help them get access

01:18:41.528 --> 01:18:43.750
to the commissary and other services on

01:18:43.750 --> 01:18:43.690
the base ? In other ways , we can

01:18:43.700 --> 01:18:45.478
integrate them into some of our

01:18:45.478 --> 01:18:47.811
thinking off covert response from D o d .

01:18:48.220 --> 01:18:50.280
Maybe we can have that over Thio .

01:18:50.290 --> 01:18:52.840
Major General , um , Talib are

01:18:54.520 --> 01:18:56.860
Thanks , Congressman . I'd say that in

01:18:56.860 --> 01:18:58.740
the in the setting of the health

01:18:58.740 --> 01:19:02.140
protection condition measures , I think

01:19:02.150 --> 01:19:04.300
not just at the local level , but

01:19:04.300 --> 01:19:06.467
certainly at the department were aware

01:19:06.467 --> 01:19:08.633
of the dependencies in the community .

01:19:08.633 --> 01:19:11.070
There are a lot of linkages to the

01:19:11.070 --> 01:19:13.181
local community . The commanders need

01:19:13.181 --> 01:19:15.900
to be aware of when , when they're

01:19:15.900 --> 01:19:19.310
going to the more , uh , extensive

01:19:19.310 --> 01:19:21.477
measures like , say , health , predict

01:19:21.477 --> 01:19:24.070
protection , condition Delta , where

01:19:24.070 --> 01:19:26.420
some of those people would not be

01:19:26.420 --> 01:19:29.020
allowed access to the base . There are

01:19:29.030 --> 01:19:31.720
lots of linkages at those levels ,

01:19:31.720 --> 01:19:34.270
whether it's contractors , um ,

01:19:34.280 --> 01:19:37.090
different support that comes from off

01:19:37.090 --> 01:19:39.890
the base onto the base . Certainly the

01:19:39.890 --> 01:19:42.250
support the base provides to dependence

01:19:42.250 --> 01:19:45.010
veterans or or other beneficiaries in

01:19:45.010 --> 01:19:47.860
the area . So I know that our

01:19:47.860 --> 01:19:50.320
commanders are aware of that if they

01:19:50.330 --> 01:19:52.520
But when they reach circumstances that

01:19:52.520 --> 01:19:54.853
require those kinds of drastic measures ,

01:19:55.220 --> 01:19:57.340
they take them . But I know they're

01:19:57.340 --> 01:20:00.600
conscious of them . Well , look , I

01:20:00.600 --> 01:20:02.711
appreciate that . What ? What one day

01:20:02.711 --> 01:20:04.890
I'll just say here is is open

01:20:04.890 --> 01:20:06.834
communication and and just kind of

01:20:06.834 --> 01:20:09.150
transparency on that front goes a long

01:20:09.150 --> 01:20:10.928
way , I think . Ah , lot of the

01:20:10.928 --> 01:20:13.094
problems here . I mean , I'll tell you

01:20:13.094 --> 01:20:15.317
I get more calls about this than almost

01:20:15.317 --> 01:20:17.206
any other issue from the veterans

01:20:17.206 --> 01:20:19.372
community right now . And I think just

01:20:19.372 --> 01:20:21.372
some open communication about , you

01:20:21.372 --> 01:20:23.483
know , about the timing or the reason

01:20:23.483 --> 01:20:25.706
for the restrictions at my base as well

01:20:25.706 --> 01:20:25.610
as around the country , I'm sure , will

01:20:25.610 --> 01:20:29.240
be helpful . Last question here , just

01:20:29.240 --> 01:20:31.240
kind of on a different side of this

01:20:31.240 --> 01:20:33.610
coin . I've talked to the number of

01:20:33.620 --> 01:20:36.140
service members in my district there

01:20:36.140 --> 01:20:38.210
young parents , they got little kids

01:20:38.220 --> 01:20:40.220
like I did . I got three year old a

01:20:40.220 --> 01:20:42.387
five year old . I know the struggle is

01:20:42.387 --> 01:20:45.530
about child care right now , and I know

01:20:45.530 --> 01:20:47.586
that a number of our service members

01:20:47.586 --> 01:20:49.752
have struggled with this . It's put an

01:20:49.752 --> 01:20:51.752
enormous burden upon them and their

01:20:51.752 --> 01:20:53.752
ability to do their work as well as

01:20:53.752 --> 01:20:53.700
their spouse is . And we already put

01:20:53.700 --> 01:20:55.820
way too much burden upon military

01:20:55.820 --> 01:20:57.542
spouse is as well as we know ,

01:20:57.542 --> 01:20:59.598
unemployment for them is through the

01:20:59.598 --> 01:21:01.653
roof . I wanted to just kind of hear

01:21:01.653 --> 01:21:03.764
from you . Just what is your thinking

01:21:03.764 --> 01:21:05.709
about what it is that we can do to

01:21:05.709 --> 01:21:07.487
support service members , their

01:21:07.487 --> 01:21:09.431
families , their spouse is when it

01:21:09.431 --> 01:21:11.598
comes to child care and other elements

01:21:11.598 --> 01:21:13.820
for their Children ? Is there more that

01:21:13.820 --> 01:21:15.764
we can do is I know many childcare

01:21:15.764 --> 01:21:17.987
centers have been closed on or have big

01:21:17.987 --> 01:21:20.264
restrictions on that front . So do you .

01:21:21.410 --> 01:21:23.690
Congressman , this is Bob . Salis is so

01:21:23.690 --> 01:21:25.690
in the Defense Department , we have

01:21:25.690 --> 01:21:29.230
over 200 child development centers and

01:21:29.240 --> 01:21:31.530
currently have about 180 open .

01:21:31.910 --> 01:21:33.966
Obviously , they're not open at full

01:21:33.966 --> 01:21:36.470
capacity , but we're always looking at

01:21:36.470 --> 01:21:38.526
the kind of mitigation measures that

01:21:38.526 --> 01:21:41.050
could be put in place to ensure that we

01:21:41.050 --> 01:21:44.320
can maximize those child development

01:21:44.320 --> 01:21:46.320
centers . I think the broader issue

01:21:46.320 --> 01:21:48.920
within the community is the same thing .

01:21:48.930 --> 01:21:51.097
There's a lot of good work that's been

01:21:51.097 --> 01:21:53.440
done within the Defense Department , um ,

01:21:53.450 --> 01:21:55.617
to come up with the procedures so that

01:21:55.617 --> 01:21:57.672
we can have safe and effective child

01:21:57.672 --> 01:21:59.728
development centers open . Certainly

01:21:59.728 --> 01:22:01.394
willing to share that kind of

01:22:01.394 --> 01:22:03.339
information with the community and

01:22:03.339 --> 01:22:05.390
others . I think that's the key to

01:22:05.390 --> 01:22:07.850
success is is working together both

01:22:07.850 --> 01:22:10.480
inside the community and with the

01:22:10.480 --> 01:22:12.036
installations , those local

01:22:12.036 --> 01:22:14.420
installations , uh , to gain a better

01:22:14.420 --> 01:22:16.642
knowledge and understanding of the best

01:22:16.642 --> 01:22:18.753
practices that we could share amongst

01:22:18.753 --> 01:22:20.753
each other to make sure that we can

01:22:20.753 --> 01:22:23.020
maximize the childcare capabilities

01:22:23.300 --> 01:22:25.522
both on the D . O . D installations and

01:22:25.522 --> 01:22:27.689
outside the D o d installation . Thank

01:22:27.689 --> 01:22:29.800
you , Germans . Time has expired . Mr

01:22:29.800 --> 01:22:30.730
DesJarlais .

01:22:34.100 --> 01:22:37.060
Uh , good afternoon . And thanks to the

01:22:37.060 --> 01:22:39.920
panel for the great test money today

01:22:39.930 --> 01:22:43.670
for any of those who are at the capital ,

01:22:43.670 --> 01:22:45.726
I think most of you are You probably

01:22:45.726 --> 01:22:49.170
experienced a much different city .

01:22:49.170 --> 01:22:51.170
Then you're used to as you tried to

01:22:51.170 --> 01:22:53.230
enter through one way lanes through

01:22:53.230 --> 01:22:56.100
razor wires and gates . And so Mr

01:22:56.100 --> 01:22:58.100
Sallis says , I wanted to reference

01:22:58.100 --> 01:23:01.110
your internal email data January 20th

01:23:01.110 --> 01:23:03.054
and 21 where you're discussing the

01:23:03.054 --> 01:23:05.410
National Guards President , D C . At

01:23:05.410 --> 01:23:08.870
least through the fall of 2021 first .

01:23:08.880 --> 01:23:11.700
How Maney Guardsmen nationally are

01:23:11.710 --> 01:23:14.300
responding for the covert effort right

01:23:14.300 --> 01:23:18.210
now . So , Congressman ,

01:23:18.210 --> 01:23:22.160
it's 23 . 24,000 for

01:23:22.160 --> 01:23:25.910
Covic . For Cove , it is 28,000 . 430 .

01:23:27.600 --> 01:23:30.120
Okay , Thank you . And so , uh ,

01:23:31.400 --> 01:23:33.622
the extended role of the capital . With

01:23:33.622 --> 01:23:35.400
that , in your opinion , divert

01:23:35.400 --> 01:23:37.567
valuable personnel in resource is away

01:23:37.567 --> 01:23:39.289
providing further Kobe related

01:23:39.289 --> 01:23:42.450
assistance . Um , congressman , that

01:23:42.460 --> 01:23:44.660
that would depend on what level of

01:23:44.670 --> 01:23:46.820
National Guard was needed . Thio

01:23:47.400 --> 01:23:50.620
support the Capitol security . Right .

01:23:51.000 --> 01:23:54.330
Uh , what is the roughly about 6200

01:23:54.330 --> 01:23:57.710
still deployed within the NCR ? That's

01:23:57.710 --> 01:23:59.877
about the right number . Congressman ,

01:23:59.877 --> 01:24:02.520
we have about 4900 on the Capitol

01:24:02.520 --> 01:24:04.850
grounds . We also have National Guard

01:24:04.850 --> 01:24:07.540
members supporting Secret Service and

01:24:07.550 --> 01:24:09.330
currently supporting MPD , the

01:24:09.330 --> 01:24:12.290
Metropolitan Police Department . And

01:24:12.300 --> 01:24:14.189
and we certainly appreciate their

01:24:14.189 --> 01:24:16.300
service . I've had the opportunity to

01:24:16.300 --> 01:24:18.300
talk to many , um , and and they're

01:24:18.300 --> 01:24:20.522
they're doing it in Admiral . Admirable

01:24:20.522 --> 01:24:22.578
job . Uh , major General North House

01:24:22.578 --> 01:24:24.689
mentioned in his opening remarks that

01:24:24.689 --> 01:24:26.856
we have not seen National Guard called

01:24:26.856 --> 01:24:26.780
upon to serve in such number since

01:24:26.780 --> 01:24:28.720
World War Two , and that military

01:24:28.720 --> 01:24:30.831
officials have already estimated that

01:24:30.831 --> 01:24:32.942
the cost of the capital deployment on

01:24:32.942 --> 01:24:34.831
their half a billion dollars just

01:24:34.831 --> 01:24:36.887
through mid March . So now more than

01:24:36.887 --> 01:24:38.998
ever , is it important to continue to

01:24:38.998 --> 01:24:41.480
the to devote these resource is or can

01:24:41.480 --> 01:24:43.960
you share with the committee Some

01:24:43.970 --> 01:24:46.081
incredible threats that would require

01:24:46.081 --> 01:24:48.430
us continuing toe have such a presence

01:24:48.430 --> 01:24:49.874
in the nation's capital .

01:24:57.290 --> 01:25:01.080
Right , sir , if that question

01:25:01.080 --> 01:25:03.350
was Major General Nordhaus , uh , sir ,

01:25:03.350 --> 01:25:05.690
right now we're We are scheduled Thio

01:25:05.700 --> 01:25:09.000
end the National Guard on roughly 12 on

01:25:09.000 --> 01:25:12.690
12 March and depending any other

01:25:12.690 --> 01:25:14.420
information will work with our

01:25:14.420 --> 01:25:16.698
interagency partners like we always do .

01:25:16.698 --> 01:25:19.100
The office of Secretary of Defense , um ,

01:25:19.110 --> 01:25:21.680
to continue thio , uh , support if

01:25:21.690 --> 01:25:24.970
things change . Okay , So as of now ,

01:25:24.980 --> 01:25:27.147
you can't share with the committee any

01:25:27.147 --> 01:25:28.924
credible threats that have been

01:25:28.924 --> 01:25:31.258
identified . So you're planning on , uh ,

01:25:31.258 --> 01:25:33.510
sending the 5000 Guardsmen home ?

01:25:36.090 --> 01:25:38.201
But , congressman , we obviously work

01:25:38.201 --> 01:25:40.420
with our law enforcement partners thio

01:25:40.430 --> 01:25:43.110
to determine that threat . Um , and

01:25:43.120 --> 01:25:45.342
that's obviously continuing to evolve .

01:25:45.342 --> 01:25:48.590
Um , and at this time , I'm not aware

01:25:48.590 --> 01:25:51.570
of ah , threat . That , uh , is out

01:25:51.570 --> 01:25:53.830
there . Uh , but that evolves all the

01:25:53.830 --> 01:25:56.380
time , Congressman . So we have to work

01:25:56.380 --> 01:25:57.991
closely with our federal law

01:25:57.991 --> 01:26:01.490
enforcement partners to understand it ,

01:26:01.580 --> 01:26:04.500
But some have dubbed Fort Pelosi . It's

01:26:04.500 --> 01:26:06.580
really discouraging to see the razor

01:26:06.580 --> 01:26:08.747
wire , the fencing , the image that it

01:26:08.747 --> 01:26:11.024
sends to the world . So if that's read ,

01:26:11.024 --> 01:26:13.247
it no longer exists . I would hope that

01:26:13.247 --> 01:26:15.413
we can return to normal and that these

01:26:15.413 --> 01:26:17.636
guardsmen who served so admirably could

01:26:17.636 --> 01:26:19.802
possibly be utilized in other in other

01:26:19.802 --> 01:26:21.691
ways and and help with the covert

01:26:21.691 --> 01:26:25.300
effort . Oh ,

01:26:26.380 --> 01:26:28.436
if anyone has the for the response ,

01:26:28.436 --> 01:26:30.602
that's great . If not , I yield back .

01:26:31.280 --> 01:26:34.470
Thank you . I dio wanna emphasize that

01:26:34.470 --> 01:26:36.581
point . I mean , I have some sympathy

01:26:36.780 --> 01:26:38.947
other than the unnecessary shot at our

01:26:38.947 --> 01:26:41.113
speaker . I have some sympathy for the

01:26:41.113 --> 01:26:43.280
concern that's being explained there ,

01:26:43.280 --> 01:26:45.730
Um , that I that I hope you gentlemen

01:26:45.730 --> 01:26:47.841
will take seriously and I have raised

01:26:47.841 --> 01:26:49.952
this issue with Pentagon as well as I

01:26:49.952 --> 01:26:51.952
understand the threat environment .

01:26:51.952 --> 01:26:54.119
Right now , it is very hard to justify

01:26:54.119 --> 01:26:56.174
the current security presence around

01:26:56.174 --> 01:26:55.640
the capital based on the threat

01:26:55.640 --> 01:26:57.696
environment that we now see . And my

01:26:57.696 --> 01:27:00.080
great fear is that this becomes

01:27:00.080 --> 01:27:02.670
permanent because there is always a

01:27:02.680 --> 01:27:05.360
threat . I mean , I've been here for 24

01:27:05.360 --> 01:27:07.249
years and certain bad things have

01:27:07.249 --> 01:27:09.360
happened . Certainly the insurrection

01:27:09.360 --> 01:27:11.582
took that to a whole another concerning

01:27:11.582 --> 01:27:13.638
level . Andi , I know you guys don't

01:27:13.638 --> 01:27:15.860
make the decision on this . I just want

01:27:15.860 --> 01:27:17.916
to amplify Mr Days Charlie's point ,

01:27:17.916 --> 01:27:20.082
the United States Capitol . People are

01:27:20.082 --> 01:27:22.138
supposed to be able to come here and

01:27:22.138 --> 01:27:24.471
petitioned their government , All right ?

01:27:24.471 --> 01:27:26.804
And I could barely get in at this point ,

01:27:26.804 --> 01:27:29.920
S o . I just hope we balance the risk

01:27:29.930 --> 01:27:31.986
with with the job . It is that we're

01:27:31.986 --> 01:27:34.041
all supposed to be performing here ,

01:27:34.041 --> 01:27:36.152
understanding that cove it is part of

01:27:36.152 --> 01:27:38.208
this is Well , um , you know , and I

01:27:38.208 --> 01:27:40.430
have had conversations with the speaker

01:27:40.430 --> 01:27:42.319
about this and conversations with

01:27:42.319 --> 01:27:44.541
general honorary about this , um I hope

01:27:44.541 --> 01:27:46.652
we we we think about the balance . If

01:27:46.652 --> 01:27:48.763
you look at it from the standpoint of

01:27:48.763 --> 01:27:50.930
Well , let's just eliminate all risk ,

01:27:50.930 --> 01:27:53.041
okay ? If we were gonna eliminate our

01:27:53.041 --> 01:27:54.986
risk or individual members , we do

01:27:54.986 --> 01:27:57.041
everything remotely . We never leave

01:27:57.041 --> 01:27:59.440
the house . Okay ? We cannot be afraid

01:27:59.450 --> 01:28:01.600
of our constituents and do our job .

01:28:02.170 --> 01:28:04.590
Eso I hope we'll figure out a better

01:28:04.590 --> 01:28:07.200
balance and how to make that work with

01:28:07.200 --> 01:28:09.500
that . This Hoolahan is recognized .

01:28:11.170 --> 01:28:13.281
Thank you , chairman . And I guess my

01:28:13.281 --> 01:28:15.392
question might be a good follow up to

01:28:15.392 --> 01:28:17.440
that . Which is that uh , in an

01:28:17.440 --> 01:28:19.551
alternative world where we deploy our

01:28:19.551 --> 01:28:21.773
National guard in a different way other

01:28:21.773 --> 01:28:23.940
than at the capital . Um , some states

01:28:23.940 --> 01:28:26.051
have been successful in getting their

01:28:26.051 --> 01:28:28.107
national guard to be able to support

01:28:28.107 --> 01:28:30.273
vaccine deployment efforts , and I was

01:28:30.273 --> 01:28:32.273
wondering if I might be able to ask

01:28:32.273 --> 01:28:34.496
Major General Lord House . I think that

01:28:34.496 --> 01:28:33.940
probably is the most appropriate person

01:28:33.940 --> 01:28:35.996
asked . Are there any obstacles that

01:28:35.996 --> 01:28:38.162
you're aware of the scaling up the use

01:28:38.162 --> 01:28:40.162
of the garden this way ? What would

01:28:40.162 --> 01:28:42.384
that look like if we did that in a in a

01:28:42.384 --> 01:28:44.607
larger scale effort and has the d o . D

01:28:44.607 --> 01:28:46.662
considered how they plan to scale of

01:28:46.662 --> 01:28:48.662
the vaccination efforts when and if

01:28:48.662 --> 01:28:50.773
other vaccine candidates are approved

01:28:50.773 --> 01:28:53.590
for use ? Congresswoman , thank you

01:28:53.590 --> 01:28:56.000
very much for the question . I know of

01:28:56.000 --> 01:28:58.480
no impediments right now , Um , we've

01:28:58.480 --> 01:29:01.980
seen the number of guardsmen on 502 f ,

01:29:01.990 --> 01:29:04.850
uh , increase over the last , uh , 3 to

01:29:04.850 --> 01:29:08.710
4 weeks . We're now up to 28,430 .

01:29:08.710 --> 01:29:12.090
As as I discussed earlier , I believe

01:29:12.100 --> 01:29:14.690
what we're seeing is that increased .

01:29:14.690 --> 01:29:16.579
So we started out with just a few

01:29:16.579 --> 01:29:18.660
vaccination sites of our guardsmen ,

01:29:18.660 --> 01:29:20.890
vaccinating civilians uh , in early

01:29:20.890 --> 01:29:23.480
January and , uh , as a brief today ,

01:29:23.480 --> 01:29:26.230
it's 3 50 I know those numbers continue

01:29:26.230 --> 01:29:28.540
to climb a Z . We're supporting those

01:29:28.540 --> 01:29:31.080
vaccines . Uh , some states air using

01:29:31.080 --> 01:29:33.247
like in Washington , I know is doing a

01:29:33.247 --> 01:29:35.136
great job . They have 150 service

01:29:35.136 --> 01:29:37.358
members out there . They have 30 person

01:29:37.358 --> 01:29:39.358
teams . They have four static teams

01:29:39.358 --> 01:29:41.302
that are at specific locations and

01:29:41.302 --> 01:29:43.524
another mobile team that's going around

01:29:43.524 --> 01:29:45.358
to long term care facilities and

01:29:45.358 --> 01:29:47.524
vaccinating those members , um , other

01:29:47.524 --> 01:29:49.747
states air using smaller teams that are

01:29:49.747 --> 01:29:51.840
going out thio very rural areas that

01:29:51.840 --> 01:29:54.070
are some underserved population to make

01:29:54.070 --> 01:29:56.348
sure that vaccines available out there .

01:29:56.470 --> 01:29:58.660
But as I think we'll continue to see ,

01:29:58.660 --> 01:30:01.110
the states will utilize the Guardsmen ,

01:30:01.120 --> 01:30:03.064
uh , to be able to get after these

01:30:03.064 --> 01:30:07.040
vaccination efforts what anybody else

01:30:07.040 --> 01:30:09.040
like to add to that before I ask my

01:30:09.040 --> 01:30:11.151
next question . Congressman , this is

01:30:11.151 --> 01:30:13.151
Bob . Say , listen , I think it's a

01:30:13.151 --> 01:30:15.096
combination of things . What we're

01:30:15.096 --> 01:30:17.373
seeing is obviously across the country ,

01:30:17.373 --> 01:30:19.207
there's roughly 30,000 points of

01:30:19.207 --> 01:30:21.262
administration . Ah , lot of those a

01:30:21.262 --> 01:30:23.360
community based state based , As you

01:30:23.360 --> 01:30:25.460
pointed out , D . O . D . Is working

01:30:25.460 --> 01:30:27.530
very closely with FEMA on these mega

01:30:27.530 --> 01:30:30.030
and large centers that would provide a

01:30:30.040 --> 01:30:32.580
tremendous throughput on on vaccines .

01:30:32.590 --> 01:30:34.590
Thea other thing that's going on is

01:30:34.590 --> 01:30:36.590
obviously the work with the private

01:30:36.590 --> 01:30:39.080
sector , in particular with

01:30:39.090 --> 01:30:41.610
organizations like CVS and Walgreens

01:30:41.610 --> 01:30:43.860
and many others . That is an

01:30:43.860 --> 01:30:47.260
opportunity again to expand vaccine

01:30:47.260 --> 01:30:49.420
administration community . And we

01:30:49.420 --> 01:30:52.190
believe that moving ahead that that ,

01:30:52.190 --> 01:30:54.246
along with the community based , the

01:30:54.246 --> 01:30:56.357
state based , the federally supported

01:30:56.357 --> 01:30:58.640
and the private sector will expand that

01:30:58.640 --> 01:31:00.900
capability to deliver the vaccine .

01:31:00.910 --> 01:31:03.580
This is , Ah , very positive

01:31:03.590 --> 01:31:06.650
development with the increased level of

01:31:06.650 --> 01:31:08.880
vaccination that's gonna be available

01:31:09.160 --> 01:31:11.860
and the increased number of locations

01:31:11.860 --> 01:31:13.693
that will be available . And the

01:31:13.693 --> 01:31:15.916
Department of Defense is a role in this

01:31:15.916 --> 01:31:18.027
is again , uh , to support these mega

01:31:18.027 --> 01:31:20.082
centers and obviously to support the

01:31:20.082 --> 01:31:21.971
National Guard and supporting the

01:31:21.971 --> 01:31:25.030
states and what they're doing . So how

01:31:25.030 --> 01:31:27.252
are you ? And I don't know which one of

01:31:27.252 --> 01:31:29.308
you might be the most appropriate to

01:31:29.308 --> 01:31:31.419
answer this , but you spoke about the

01:31:31.419 --> 01:31:33.641
different ways that we're deploying our

01:31:33.641 --> 01:31:35.808
guard and the different kinds of rural

01:31:35.808 --> 01:31:38.520
areas or our mobile areas . How are you

01:31:38.520 --> 01:31:40.520
choosing the locations in which you

01:31:40.520 --> 01:31:42.464
offer to support the non D . O . D

01:31:42.464 --> 01:31:45.890
efforts so So for the d o . D

01:31:45.890 --> 01:31:48.880
support , we work through FEMA . FEMA

01:31:48.880 --> 01:31:50.713
works with the state to make the

01:31:50.713 --> 01:31:52.870
determination of where those

01:31:52.880 --> 01:31:56.050
vaccination centers will go . I'll turn

01:31:56.050 --> 01:31:58.050
it over to General Nordhaus to talk

01:31:58.050 --> 01:32:00.400
about how the state works . Uh , with

01:32:00.400 --> 01:32:04.000
the guard Thio support that . Yes ,

01:32:04.000 --> 01:32:06.830
ma'am . Major Bill Nordhaus here , uh ,

01:32:06.840 --> 01:32:08.840
with the state health departments .

01:32:08.840 --> 01:32:11.062
They really work with FEMA and with the

01:32:11.062 --> 01:32:13.173
National Guard and the other agencies

01:32:13.173 --> 01:32:15.118
within the in the state . And they

01:32:15.118 --> 01:32:17.284
determine the best places to make sure

01:32:17.284 --> 01:32:19.451
that they could get the vaccine across

01:32:19.451 --> 01:32:21.562
their state with the allocations that

01:32:21.562 --> 01:32:24.190
they receive . Thank you . I appreciate

01:32:24.190 --> 01:32:26.412
that . I have , uh , less than a minute

01:32:26.412 --> 01:32:28.579
and hoping that maybe I could ask Mr .

01:32:28.579 --> 01:32:30.634
Salis is I hope I'm pronouncing that

01:32:30.634 --> 01:32:32.634
correctly . Ah , question regarding

01:32:32.634 --> 01:32:34.857
pregnant , active duty members . Um , I

01:32:34.857 --> 01:32:37.140
understand that we've been talking a

01:32:37.140 --> 01:32:38.940
lot about our military and our

01:32:38.940 --> 01:32:40.940
vaccination process for the general

01:32:40.940 --> 01:32:42.718
population . But people who are

01:32:42.718 --> 01:32:44.607
pregnant or would be in the one a

01:32:44.607 --> 01:32:46.640
vaccination . How is the d o . D ?

01:32:46.650 --> 01:32:49.080
Factoring in pregnancy status into

01:32:49.080 --> 01:32:50.969
vaccine prioritization across the

01:32:50.969 --> 01:32:53.510
active and reserve forces . Some of our

01:32:53.510 --> 01:32:55.510
colleagues have mentioned that they

01:32:55.510 --> 01:32:57.788
have concerns about getting vaccinated .

01:32:57.788 --> 01:32:59.732
But what guidance are we giving to

01:32:59.732 --> 01:33:01.954
health care personnel about providing ,

01:33:01.954 --> 01:33:03.843
uh , information to women who are

01:33:03.843 --> 01:33:05.899
pregnant to make this decision about

01:33:05.899 --> 01:33:08.232
getting vaccinated or not ? Congressman ,

01:33:08.232 --> 01:33:07.870
this is Brigadier General Friedrichs ,

01:33:07.870 --> 01:33:10.350
and we are very closely following the c .

01:33:10.350 --> 01:33:12.840
D . C . Recommendations on that and

01:33:12.840 --> 01:33:14.870
providing the same evidence based

01:33:14.870 --> 01:33:17.070
advice that the Centers for Disease

01:33:17.070 --> 01:33:20.920
Control has provided on the safety

01:33:20.930 --> 01:33:22.874
of the vaccines across the general

01:33:22.874 --> 01:33:25.480
population and in particular for those

01:33:25.480 --> 01:33:27.647
who are pregnant or have other medical

01:33:27.647 --> 01:33:29.702
conditions . Thank you . Thank you .

01:33:29.702 --> 01:33:32.036
And I yield back . I've run out of time .

01:33:32.036 --> 01:33:34.240
Thank you . Mr . Kelly is recognized

01:33:34.240 --> 01:33:37.710
for five minutes . Thank you , Mr

01:33:37.710 --> 01:33:40.480
Chairman . Uh , my first question has

01:33:40.480 --> 01:33:44.100
to do with 502 f orders for folks who

01:33:44.100 --> 01:33:46.500
are on cove it our service members who

01:33:46.500 --> 01:33:49.960
are on covitz support . And while it's

01:33:49.960 --> 01:33:51.849
very important that we be able to

01:33:51.849 --> 01:33:54.180
respond to this , it's also very

01:33:54.180 --> 01:33:55.902
important that we maintain our

01:33:55.902 --> 01:33:58.013
operational readiness in the National

01:33:58.013 --> 01:34:00.440
Guard and Reserves and Capo Two and

01:34:00.440 --> 01:34:03.590
Campo three currently under D . O D .

01:34:03.590 --> 01:34:05.950
Policy . When a service member is on

01:34:05.950 --> 01:34:07.839
covert orders and they have an 80

01:34:07.839 --> 01:34:09.950
period annual training period we have

01:34:09.950 --> 01:34:12.006
the one 55th Brigade that is getting

01:34:12.006 --> 01:34:14.061
ready to go to the National Training

01:34:14.061 --> 01:34:16.228
Center for a rotation . Uh , they have

01:34:16.228 --> 01:34:19.690
to come off 502 f orders , which means

01:34:19.690 --> 01:34:21.801
they go back into National Guard said

01:34:21.801 --> 01:34:23.857
if they lose their tri care benefits

01:34:23.857 --> 01:34:26.023
for them and their families , and then

01:34:26.023 --> 01:34:28.023
three weeks later , they go back on

01:34:28.023 --> 01:34:30.190
Toby orders with the stroke of a pen .

01:34:30.190 --> 01:34:32.412
We can change that so that it is either

01:34:32.412 --> 01:34:34.357
wave and they can stay on tri Care

01:34:34.357 --> 01:34:36.468
where they go on those other orders ,

01:34:36.468 --> 01:34:38.440
or we can just allow them to do 80

01:34:38.440 --> 01:34:40.960
status during that . Uh , any of you

01:34:40.960 --> 01:34:43.071
have any response if anyone's looking

01:34:43.071 --> 01:34:45.349
at this ? Because this is gonna impact ,

01:34:45.349 --> 01:34:48.530
uh , up to 3500 members of the

01:34:48.530 --> 01:34:50.697
Mississippi National Guard this year ,

01:34:50.697 --> 01:34:52.863
and it's affecting soldiers all across

01:34:52.863 --> 01:34:55.220
the nation . Congressman Major ,

01:34:55.220 --> 01:34:57.387
General Nordhaus here . I believe that

01:34:57.387 --> 01:34:59.331
has been resolved through the FEMA

01:34:59.331 --> 01:35:01.610
Emma's , um , and that all the state

01:35:01.620 --> 01:35:03.760
needs to do is , uh , let them know

01:35:03.760 --> 01:35:05.649
which days that they're on , uh ,

01:35:05.649 --> 01:35:08.430
military and not performing , uh , in

01:35:08.430 --> 01:35:10.652
support of the mission assignments from

01:35:10.652 --> 01:35:12.874
FEMA , and then they stay on the orders

01:35:12.874 --> 01:35:15.208
and they just complete the reimbursable ,

01:35:15.208 --> 01:35:17.390
um , difference between those days .

01:35:19.940 --> 01:35:21.970
That is great . Just make sure that

01:35:21.970 --> 01:35:24.081
we're following through in all states

01:35:24.081 --> 01:35:26.081
to understand this because I know I

01:35:26.081 --> 01:35:28.303
dealt with this , I think , last week ,

01:35:28.303 --> 01:35:30.359
and that was in the initial stages .

01:35:30.359 --> 01:35:32.581
And I knew we set up an r f i on that ,

01:35:32.581 --> 01:35:34.690
uh , second , uh , what ? What what

01:35:34.690 --> 01:35:37.510
amount of our special operation forces

01:35:37.520 --> 01:35:40.410
have been vaccinated ? Those who are

01:35:40.420 --> 01:35:43.010
currently we had our Austin Scott talk

01:35:43.010 --> 01:35:44.960
about those guys down range . What

01:35:44.960 --> 01:35:46.960
percentage of our special operation

01:35:46.960 --> 01:35:48.960
forces have been vaccinated at this

01:35:48.960 --> 01:35:50.960
point , or do we have that number ?

01:35:52.840 --> 01:35:54.896
So , Congressman , we don't We don't

01:35:54.896 --> 01:35:57.118
have that specific number with us , But

01:35:57.118 --> 01:36:00.250
we , uh , each each area is working

01:36:00.250 --> 01:36:03.440
through allocations both at the service

01:36:03.440 --> 01:36:05.662
level . The combat command level in the

01:36:05.662 --> 01:36:09.400
installation level toe work down the

01:36:09.410 --> 01:36:12.890
population scheme of priorities . So

01:36:12.890 --> 01:36:15.550
as they reach critical national

01:36:15.550 --> 01:36:18.890
capabilities , those , um , national

01:36:18.890 --> 01:36:21.640
response forces would be , um ,

01:36:22.030 --> 01:36:23.650
vaccinated at that time .

01:36:26.130 --> 01:36:28.760
And finally , Mr Chairman , and and

01:36:28.760 --> 01:36:32.030
also the members I wanna ask them the

01:36:32.030 --> 01:36:34.430
emergency use of the vaccine on service

01:36:34.430 --> 01:36:36.541
members and not being allowed them to

01:36:36.541 --> 01:36:38.652
be mandatory . That just doesn't make

01:36:38.652 --> 01:36:40.819
sense . If we're saying the process is

01:36:40.819 --> 01:36:43.950
safe , we need to portray that in are

01:36:43.950 --> 01:36:47.660
use on our d o D employees to set the

01:36:47.660 --> 01:36:50.840
standard and to set an example . So

01:36:51.230 --> 01:36:53.860
do you guys on the panel ? Do you think

01:36:53.860 --> 01:36:55.971
it would be helpful if we change that

01:36:55.971 --> 01:36:57.860
in Congress so that emergency use

01:36:57.860 --> 01:37:00.930
vaccines that they can be not shall be

01:37:00.940 --> 01:37:03.780
can be mandatory ? The service members ,

01:37:03.780 --> 01:37:05.502
Would that be helpful to you ?

01:37:10.030 --> 01:37:12.270
Let me pass that , General Friedrichs

01:37:14.730 --> 01:37:16.570
by Congressman Brigadier General

01:37:16.570 --> 01:37:19.020
Friedrichs . Thank you very much . E

01:37:19.020 --> 01:37:21.131
think that that would be a discussion

01:37:21.131 --> 01:37:23.076
that we would need tohave with the

01:37:23.076 --> 01:37:25.110
Centers for Disease Control , the

01:37:25.110 --> 01:37:27.332
Department of Health and Human Services

01:37:27.332 --> 01:37:29.499
as well as the Department of Defense .

01:37:29.499 --> 01:37:31.760
It is going to depend on the specifics

01:37:31.770 --> 01:37:35.410
of the vaccine in question and very

01:37:35.410 --> 01:37:37.670
much appreciate the continued concern

01:37:37.680 --> 01:37:41.280
about this issue . Uh , no one is more

01:37:41.280 --> 01:37:43.280
interested . I think that Aziz , we

01:37:43.280 --> 01:37:45.460
know you and members of this thing .

01:37:45.480 --> 01:37:49.010
Let me let me interrupt real

01:37:49.010 --> 01:37:52.230
quickly . My point is , if we say it

01:37:52.230 --> 01:37:55.550
can be , it allows d o d to look at

01:37:55.550 --> 01:37:57.550
different diseases . Currently , we

01:37:57.550 --> 01:37:59.780
can't make it mandatory . And I'm not

01:37:59.780 --> 01:38:01.947
just talking about this pandemic , but

01:38:01.947 --> 01:38:04.058
the next one and the next one . Would

01:38:04.058 --> 01:38:06.940
it be helpful if we said d o T d o d

01:38:06.940 --> 01:38:10.380
can not shall make mandatory can make

01:38:10.380 --> 01:38:12.213
mandatory so that we can use the

01:38:12.213 --> 01:38:14.550
science and the CDC as each specific

01:38:14.550 --> 01:38:16.494
disease rather than now having our

01:38:16.494 --> 01:38:19.910
hands tied ? Congressman speaking a za

01:38:19.910 --> 01:38:21.910
physician , It is always helpful to

01:38:21.910 --> 01:38:23.577
partner with you and with our

01:38:23.577 --> 01:38:26.540
colleagues in the 500 HHS and crafting

01:38:26.920 --> 01:38:29.560
language that allows us to respond to

01:38:29.570 --> 01:38:32.170
each pandemic or biological threat as

01:38:32.170 --> 01:38:35.770
it occurs . A zoo said they will each

01:38:35.770 --> 01:38:38.150
be different . It will be difficult to

01:38:38.150 --> 01:38:39.872
write language that will cover

01:38:39.872 --> 01:38:41.872
everything . But we look forward to

01:38:41.872 --> 01:38:44.039
working with you on that , sir . Thank

01:38:44.039 --> 01:38:46.261
you , Germans . Time has expired back .

01:38:46.261 --> 01:38:48.261
Mr . Morelli is recognized for five

01:38:48.261 --> 01:38:47.970
minutes .

01:38:52.820 --> 01:38:54.653
Mr . Morelli , are you with us ?

01:39:00.920 --> 01:39:03.940
Okay , I think we just lost him . So ,

01:39:03.950 --> 01:39:07.850
um , I think Miss Jacobs , are

01:39:07.850 --> 01:39:11.590
you online ? I'm here and thank

01:39:11.590 --> 01:39:15.520
you , Mr Chairman . Thank you .

01:39:15.530 --> 01:39:17.641
Thank you , everyone , for being here

01:39:17.641 --> 01:39:20.550
today on this critical top , Um , to

01:39:20.550 --> 01:39:23.480
follow up on Mr Brown's questioning . I

01:39:23.480 --> 01:39:25.369
want to thank you for offering to

01:39:25.369 --> 01:39:27.313
provide us with the specific legal

01:39:27.313 --> 01:39:29.313
authority that you , in conjunction

01:39:29.313 --> 01:39:31.480
with the Office of Legal Counsel , are

01:39:31.480 --> 01:39:33.702
relying on to assess whether or not you

01:39:33.702 --> 01:39:33.460
can mandate service members to be

01:39:33.460 --> 01:39:35.520
vaccinated . And I just want to say

01:39:35.520 --> 01:39:37.742
that , too , and very eager to see that

01:39:37.742 --> 01:39:39.742
specific legal analysis , and we'll

01:39:39.742 --> 01:39:41.820
look forward to you sending it , um

01:39:41.830 --> 01:39:44.540
next , I represent a district in San

01:39:44.540 --> 01:39:46.596
Diego , which , as you know , is the

01:39:46.596 --> 01:39:48.762
home port of the Mercy . And while the

01:39:48.762 --> 01:39:50.651
mercy was deployed to Los Angeles

01:39:50.651 --> 01:39:52.762
earlier during the pandemic , it's my

01:39:52.762 --> 01:39:54.762
understanding that the ship was not

01:39:54.762 --> 01:39:56.873
heavily utilized . The ship's mission

01:39:56.873 --> 01:39:59.040
was to treat patients other than those

01:39:59.040 --> 01:40:01.207
with Kobe freeing up hospitals to deal

01:40:01.207 --> 01:40:03.429
with the virus . But it seems as though

01:40:03.429 --> 01:40:05.651
few medical providers actually made use

01:40:05.651 --> 01:40:07.762
of the facilities aboard the ship . I

01:40:07.762 --> 01:40:09.707
was just wondering if you have any

01:40:09.707 --> 01:40:11.818
insight as to why this was the case .

01:40:11.818 --> 01:40:13.873
Is the department looking at ways to

01:40:13.873 --> 01:40:15.984
make it easier for both the mercy and

01:40:15.984 --> 01:40:15.710
the comfort to better assist the

01:40:15.710 --> 01:40:18.180
homeland ? Should that need arise again

01:40:18.190 --> 01:40:21.860
in the future ? Congresswoman is

01:40:21.860 --> 01:40:24.082
General Tolliver . I could address that

01:40:24.082 --> 01:40:27.330
the , uh , most of our fielded medical

01:40:27.330 --> 01:40:29.970
capabilities air designed thio deploy

01:40:29.970 --> 01:40:32.490
to a wartime environment and do trauma

01:40:32.500 --> 01:40:35.670
care that does not maketh , um ,

01:40:35.750 --> 01:40:39.740
perfectly equipped for , uh , disease

01:40:39.740 --> 01:40:41.920
control as is needed during the

01:40:41.920 --> 01:40:45.530
pandemic . But moreover , we found that

01:40:45.910 --> 01:40:48.680
as as we , uh , due to the low

01:40:48.680 --> 01:40:50.291
utilization of some of these

01:40:50.291 --> 01:40:51.902
traditional field of medical

01:40:51.902 --> 01:40:54.280
capabilities , we found it much more

01:40:54.280 --> 01:40:56.680
effective to deploy our personnel to

01:40:56.680 --> 01:40:59.390
existing infrastructure , whether that

01:40:59.400 --> 01:41:01.540
be existing hospitals or medical

01:41:01.540 --> 01:41:04.900
centers . Uh , because largely we found

01:41:04.900 --> 01:41:07.570
that those hospitals and centers were

01:41:07.570 --> 01:41:10.180
not short on physical capacity . They

01:41:10.180 --> 01:41:12.750
were short on staff , the ability to

01:41:12.750 --> 01:41:15.110
staff more beds , the availability to

01:41:15.110 --> 01:41:17.870
utilize the equipment and capacity they

01:41:17.870 --> 01:41:21.120
had . And with the addition of D o D

01:41:21.120 --> 01:41:23.900
personnel medical personnel to expand

01:41:23.900 --> 01:41:26.750
their internal capacity , it actually

01:41:26.750 --> 01:41:28.861
allowed our personnel to be much more

01:41:28.861 --> 01:41:31.083
effective in the response allowed those

01:41:31.083 --> 01:41:33.760
hospitals to treat people where the

01:41:33.760 --> 01:41:37.270
people wanted to be treated . And that

01:41:37.270 --> 01:41:39.380
was an evolution that that made our

01:41:39.390 --> 01:41:41.040
forces much more capable .

01:41:44.510 --> 01:41:47.640
Uh , thank you for that . Um And then

01:41:47.640 --> 01:41:49.900
just last year , I wanna reiterate what

01:41:49.900 --> 01:41:52.220
some of my colleagues have said . I've

01:41:52.230 --> 01:41:54.286
been hearing from service members on

01:41:54.286 --> 01:41:56.380
the ground . Uh , just how difficult

01:41:56.380 --> 01:41:58.436
the child care options have been for

01:41:58.436 --> 01:42:00.890
them during this crisis . And , uh ,

01:42:00.900 --> 01:42:03.122
even potentially more concerning that .

01:42:03.122 --> 01:42:05.067
Even the childcare facilities that

01:42:05.067 --> 01:42:06.844
remain open they don't feel are

01:42:06.844 --> 01:42:09.080
necessarily upholding Kobe protocols

01:42:09.080 --> 01:42:10.930
and keeping the staff and their

01:42:10.930 --> 01:42:13.730
Children safe . So I look forward to

01:42:13.740 --> 01:42:15.962
continuing to work with you all to make

01:42:15.962 --> 01:42:18.330
sure that we address that issue . With

01:42:18.330 --> 01:42:21.080
that I yield back . Thank you . Mr .

01:42:21.080 --> 01:42:23.191
Green is recognized for five months .

01:42:28.300 --> 01:42:30.910
Thank you , Mr Chairman . Uh , I'd like

01:42:30.910 --> 01:42:33.420
to thank you and ranking member Rogers

01:42:33.420 --> 01:42:35.531
for the opportunity to serve together

01:42:35.531 --> 01:42:37.753
and to continue the great work that you

01:42:37.753 --> 01:42:39.864
guys have done . Caring for our brave

01:42:39.864 --> 01:42:41.864
men and women in uniform . I'd also

01:42:41.864 --> 01:42:44.198
like to say the ranking member , Rogers ,

01:42:44.198 --> 01:42:43.690
I've got no him personally while

01:42:43.690 --> 01:42:45.912
working under his leadership . Homeland

01:42:45.912 --> 01:42:47.912
Security . Sir , it's been great to

01:42:47.912 --> 01:42:50.079
work with you there and I look forward

01:42:50.079 --> 01:42:50.030
to , and I'm proud to serve with you

01:42:50.030 --> 01:42:53.220
Now . My time as an airborne ranger and

01:42:53.220 --> 01:42:55.276
Army physician assigned with some of

01:42:55.276 --> 01:42:58.470
our tier one Special Forces units gave

01:42:58.470 --> 01:43:00.303
me a love for those who stand in

01:43:00.303 --> 01:43:02.359
defense of our freedoms . They would

01:43:02.359 --> 01:43:05.040
die for us . And I believe every member

01:43:05.040 --> 01:43:06.818
of this committee has a similar

01:43:06.818 --> 01:43:08.873
devotion and dedication to them . So

01:43:08.873 --> 01:43:11.040
it's ah really honor for me to be here

01:43:11.040 --> 01:43:13.207
and also the chance to take care of in

01:43:13.207 --> 01:43:15.373
my district . For Campbell and the men

01:43:15.373 --> 01:43:17.930
and women who are , uh , serving from

01:43:17.930 --> 01:43:19.986
that base , kicking doors and taking

01:43:19.986 --> 01:43:22.050
names across the globe to defend our

01:43:22.050 --> 01:43:24.920
freedom is a really , really honor . Um ,

01:43:24.930 --> 01:43:27.041
as an Army physician who did research

01:43:27.041 --> 01:43:28.986
both at Walter Reed , you Sandra ,

01:43:28.986 --> 01:43:32.310
during medical school and research with

01:43:32.310 --> 01:43:34.588
soldiers and on soldiers and residency .

01:43:34.588 --> 01:43:36.754
I'd like to put to bed this issue that

01:43:36.754 --> 01:43:39.000
I keep hearing about using research

01:43:39.000 --> 01:43:41.000
medications on that duty soldiers .

01:43:41.000 --> 01:43:43.100
There is statute passed by Congress

01:43:43.100 --> 01:43:44.900
previously in National Defense

01:43:44.900 --> 01:43:47.122
Authorization acts that prevent because

01:43:47.122 --> 01:43:49.730
of Tuskegee Airman and what happened

01:43:49.730 --> 01:43:52.270
there . Legislation was passed to

01:43:52.270 --> 01:43:54.350
prevent the use of any experimental

01:43:54.350 --> 01:43:56.517
medication on an active duty soldier .

01:43:56.800 --> 01:43:59.330
We did research myself on pain

01:43:59.330 --> 01:44:01.497
management residency and were not able

01:44:01.497 --> 01:44:03.497
to use anything but an FDA approved

01:44:03.497 --> 01:44:06.920
drug for that it is written into law .

01:44:06.930 --> 01:44:09.320
I think it's a bad idea to change it in

01:44:09.320 --> 01:44:12.230
a blanket statement because are a

01:44:12.230 --> 01:44:16.050
blanket law because way just we need

01:44:16.050 --> 01:44:18.217
the full blown research done before we

01:44:18.217 --> 01:44:21.040
before we saddle our warriors with with

01:44:21.040 --> 01:44:24.090
an experimental medication . Um , and I

01:44:24.090 --> 01:44:26.760
can help the committee find that N d a .

01:44:26.770 --> 01:44:30.200
On the witnesses find that N d a . If

01:44:30.200 --> 01:44:33.030
it's necessary . Um , I do have some

01:44:33.030 --> 01:44:35.030
questions for our witnesses , and I

01:44:35.030 --> 01:44:37.740
appreciate you being here . Can either

01:44:37.740 --> 01:44:40.290
of you kind of share ? You know , the

01:44:40.300 --> 01:44:43.970
impact of , um , the

01:44:43.980 --> 01:44:46.210
covering the cove , it , uh ,

01:44:46.790 --> 01:44:49.068
requirements on training and readiness .

01:44:49.068 --> 01:44:51.290
And specifically , were there any J r T

01:44:51.290 --> 01:44:53.401
C rotations that were canceled ? Were

01:44:53.401 --> 01:44:55.610
there NTC cycles that were canceled ?

01:44:55.620 --> 01:44:57.830
What are some of the specific examples

01:44:57.830 --> 01:45:00.320
of the impact ? And when we make this

01:45:00.320 --> 01:45:02.431
training up , what's the impact gonna

01:45:02.431 --> 01:45:06.190
be on up tempo ? Yeah , Congressman is

01:45:06.190 --> 01:45:08.412
General Tolliver . I can address that .

01:45:08.420 --> 01:45:10.950
Uh , in the early days of the pandemic ,

01:45:10.950 --> 01:45:14.180
the services did cancel or delay some

01:45:14.180 --> 01:45:17.030
of the large force exercises like you

01:45:17.030 --> 01:45:19.620
mentioned . Whether that's a national

01:45:19.620 --> 01:45:23.000
training center , rotation or red flag

01:45:23.010 --> 01:45:26.340
or or the like . Overseas

01:45:26.350 --> 01:45:30.290
are , uh , joint exercises

01:45:30.300 --> 01:45:32.500
executed by the combatant commands .

01:45:32.510 --> 01:45:35.980
Over the last year , 99 exercises have

01:45:35.980 --> 01:45:37.850
been canceled . That would have

01:45:37.850 --> 01:45:40.900
included about 40,000 US and partner

01:45:40.900 --> 01:45:44.220
forces , partnering with 46 different

01:45:44.220 --> 01:45:47.600
countries . and 37 exercises were

01:45:47.600 --> 01:45:50.840
postponed with almost 50,000 US and

01:45:50.840 --> 01:45:53.800
partners that would have included 27

01:45:53.800 --> 01:45:56.480
countries . And I think

01:45:57.290 --> 01:46:00.980
the overseas training

01:46:00.980 --> 01:46:03.500
and the large force exercise training

01:46:03.980 --> 01:46:06.350
in the United States air similar . But

01:46:06.350 --> 01:46:08.540
there are some key differences . The

01:46:08.540 --> 01:46:10.540
large force exercises in the United

01:46:10.540 --> 01:46:14.130
States provide that that

01:46:14.140 --> 01:46:17.650
infrequent opportunity to have a very ,

01:46:17.660 --> 01:46:20.810
um , complicated , realistic training

01:46:20.810 --> 01:46:24.160
scenario that only occurs a few times

01:46:24.160 --> 01:46:26.350
in the service members career . And

01:46:26.350 --> 01:46:30.020
that's the quality . I really hate to

01:46:30.020 --> 01:46:32.290
interrupt you , especially having

01:46:32.290 --> 01:46:34.346
served in the military , and I don't

01:46:34.346 --> 01:46:36.512
like interrupting a two star general .

01:46:36.512 --> 01:46:38.780
But what what is the time it's going to

01:46:38.780 --> 01:46:42.370
take to return to the level of

01:46:42.370 --> 01:46:44.481
training when we make all this up ? I

01:46:44.481 --> 01:46:46.648
mean , how long is it going to take us

01:46:46.648 --> 01:46:48.703
to make all this up ? And what's the

01:46:48.703 --> 01:46:50.703
impact on the Optempo ? I only have

01:46:50.703 --> 01:46:52.814
about a minute left , So that's why I

01:46:52.814 --> 01:46:54.970
jumped in interrupted eso Congressman

01:46:54.980 --> 01:46:58.100
Um , in most cases it won't be made up .

01:46:58.110 --> 01:47:00.720
It will be an opportunity lost for that

01:47:00.730 --> 01:47:03.130
large force training and that the

01:47:03.130 --> 01:47:05.290
services have been an outstanding job

01:47:05.290 --> 01:47:08.400
adapting and substituting small force

01:47:08.400 --> 01:47:10.710
elements during that space .

01:47:12.780 --> 01:47:16.020
Okay , Um , I only have 20 seconds .

01:47:16.020 --> 01:47:18.298
Jeff left . So , Chairman , I'll yield .

01:47:19.180 --> 01:47:21.410
Thank you , Mr Key . Healy is

01:47:21.410 --> 01:47:24.620
recognized for five minutes . All right .

01:47:24.620 --> 01:47:26.676
Thank you . Thank you . Chair . This

01:47:26.676 --> 01:47:29.350
question is for General Nordhaus . Um ,

01:47:29.360 --> 01:47:31.416
good morning , gentlemen . Thank you

01:47:31.416 --> 01:47:33.360
for all the participants are on on

01:47:33.360 --> 01:47:35.027
today's call . My My question

01:47:35.027 --> 01:47:37.082
specifically has to do with National

01:47:37.082 --> 01:47:39.138
Guardsmen who are entitled 32 5 Oh ,

01:47:39.138 --> 01:47:41.490
two f . I suspect this is an issue that

01:47:41.500 --> 01:47:44.590
is existing in the other 49 states .

01:47:44.980 --> 01:47:48.530
But as you are well aware , Section 733

01:47:48.530 --> 01:47:51.110
of the most recently passed nd a

01:47:51.110 --> 01:47:53.220
provided for transitional health

01:47:53.220 --> 01:47:55.220
benefits for certain members of the

01:47:55.220 --> 01:47:57.331
National Guard that are serving under

01:47:57.331 --> 01:48:00.100
orders in response to Kobe 19 . Um ,

01:48:00.110 --> 01:48:03.000
what has happened is National Guardsmen ,

01:48:03.010 --> 01:48:06.190
uh , currently that are coming off ,

01:48:06.570 --> 01:48:08.940
uh , and are eligible because they've

01:48:08.940 --> 01:48:11.300
been entitled TORITO for the last least

01:48:11.300 --> 01:48:15.300
30 days are unable to get Tamp or

01:48:15.300 --> 01:48:17.467
the Transitional Assistance Management

01:48:17.467 --> 01:48:19.689
program , which allows them to continue

01:48:19.689 --> 01:48:22.160
their Tricare for longer for up to 180

01:48:22.160 --> 01:48:24.440
days , as as described in the most

01:48:24.440 --> 01:48:27.760
recently passed n d a . Now , after

01:48:27.760 --> 01:48:29.930
researching it , it seems there's a

01:48:29.930 --> 01:48:32.440
disconnect between the inability for

01:48:32.440 --> 01:48:34.500
Tricare to manually activate those

01:48:34.500 --> 01:48:36.667
service Manders those eligible service

01:48:36.667 --> 01:48:39.160
members into Tampa . Uh oh . SD has

01:48:39.160 --> 01:48:41.330
been working with the M D C toe .

01:48:41.330 --> 01:48:43.720
Actively fix it , but they're expected

01:48:43.730 --> 01:48:45.930
Implementation date is not until March

01:48:45.930 --> 01:48:49.070
20th 2021 . I find that

01:48:49.080 --> 01:48:52.230
unacceptable . For are eligible

01:48:52.230 --> 01:48:54.397
National Guard soldiers and airman and

01:48:54.397 --> 01:48:56.650
their families who , since the passage

01:48:56.650 --> 01:48:58.761
of the n b A . I don't know if it was

01:48:58.761 --> 01:49:00.872
retroactive to National Guardsmen who

01:49:00.872 --> 01:49:02.950
have been on title 30 to 502 x since

01:49:02.950 --> 01:49:06.500
last March . Um , but for the National

01:49:06.500 --> 01:49:08.920
Guardsmen that have been on 502 F

01:49:08.930 --> 01:49:12.780
orders since the , um , passage off the

01:49:12.790 --> 01:49:15.270
N . D . A . Who have been on orders for

01:49:15.270 --> 01:49:17.670
the last 30 days and have come off

01:49:17.670 --> 01:49:19.510
those orders , they should be

01:49:19.520 --> 01:49:21.631
transitioned right into Tampa and not

01:49:21.631 --> 01:49:24.590
have to wait until March 20th 2021 .

01:49:24.600 --> 01:49:26.711
There should be no break in their tri

01:49:26.711 --> 01:49:28.933
care prime healthcare benefits , and my

01:49:28.933 --> 01:49:31.156
questions are , What are we going to do

01:49:31.156 --> 01:49:33.322
to address this ? Why is the N . D . C

01:49:33.322 --> 01:49:35.270
unable to implement this today for

01:49:35.270 --> 01:49:37.300
eligible service members ? What is

01:49:37.300 --> 01:49:39.300
always D currently doing to address

01:49:39.300 --> 01:49:41.610
this situation immediately . And why is

01:49:41.610 --> 01:49:43.388
there not a process to manually

01:49:43.388 --> 01:49:46.130
activate Tamp for eligible soldiers and

01:49:46.130 --> 01:49:49.000
airman who have been on title 32 5 or

01:49:49.000 --> 01:49:51.360
to have ordered since the passage of

01:49:51.360 --> 01:49:53.638
the National Defense Authorization Act ?

01:49:53.638 --> 01:49:56.690
Um , today . That's my question , sir .

01:50:00.460 --> 01:50:03.140
Congressman , First of all , I want to

01:50:03.140 --> 01:50:05.362
start off by Thank you for your service

01:50:05.362 --> 01:50:07.710
in , uh , Cove in 19 in Hawaii . E no ,

01:50:07.710 --> 01:50:09.990
you served on state active duty . And ,

01:50:09.990 --> 01:50:12.680
uh um , this issue that you have just

01:50:12.680 --> 01:50:15.140
brought up to me , I will have to look

01:50:15.140 --> 01:50:17.251
more into it , and we'll have to make

01:50:17.251 --> 01:50:19.473
sure that we do everything we can tow .

01:50:19.473 --> 01:50:21.584
Follow the law that was passed , uh ,

01:50:21.584 --> 01:50:23.696
to make sure that we can take care of

01:50:23.696 --> 01:50:25.918
our service members through tamp . Um ,

01:50:25.918 --> 01:50:28.130
I'll yield to anyone else on the panel

01:50:28.130 --> 01:50:30.297
That has further information than I do

01:50:37.860 --> 01:50:40.330
on and we could follow . We could

01:50:40.330 --> 01:50:42.810
follow up , sir , if way don't have

01:50:42.810 --> 01:50:44.754
those answers . I'm just concerned

01:50:44.754 --> 01:50:46.850
because we have I know at least 21

01:50:46.850 --> 01:50:48.920
National Guardsmen here in Hawaii .

01:50:48.930 --> 01:50:52.030
Soldiers and airman who have performed

01:50:52.030 --> 01:50:55.570
at least 30 days of title 32 have since

01:50:55.570 --> 01:50:58.270
the end A has passed that are being

01:50:58.270 --> 01:51:00.900
told that they cannot . Aziz , you will

01:51:00.900 --> 01:51:03.011
know the day you come off active duty

01:51:03.011 --> 01:51:05.233
orders is the day you drop out of gears

01:51:05.233 --> 01:51:07.178
and you are no longer eligible for

01:51:07.178 --> 01:51:09.511
Tricare prime for you and your families .

01:51:09.511 --> 01:51:11.567
And they should roll right over into

01:51:11.567 --> 01:51:13.678
temp and and it's not happening . And

01:51:13.678 --> 01:51:15.733
they're being told they need to wait

01:51:15.733 --> 01:51:17.950
for at least five weeks before that's

01:51:17.950 --> 01:51:20.006
gonna happen . And that's that's one

01:51:20.006 --> 01:51:22.590
month without these service members on

01:51:22.590 --> 01:51:24.479
their families , you know , being

01:51:24.479 --> 01:51:26.980
covered by Tricare . So that zone

01:51:26.980 --> 01:51:29.202
immediate concern for me because that's

01:51:29.202 --> 01:51:31.313
a really , really situation happening

01:51:31.313 --> 01:51:33.369
here in Hawaii today . And I suspect

01:51:33.369 --> 01:51:35.424
it's happening , uh , in every other

01:51:35.424 --> 01:51:37.647
state in the country , like Congressman

01:51:37.647 --> 01:51:39.980
Kelly and Mississippi mentioned earlier .

01:51:39.980 --> 01:51:41.813
Um , uh , you know , these these

01:51:41.813 --> 01:51:43.980
benefits are not are not transitioning

01:51:43.980 --> 01:51:46.036
to the service member who has earned

01:51:46.036 --> 01:51:48.036
them . Congressman , I'll look into

01:51:48.036 --> 01:51:50.258
that today with our , uh , um , surgeon

01:51:50.258 --> 01:51:53.390
General and R J one , um , to make sure

01:51:53.390 --> 01:51:56.610
that we figure out what the issue is

01:51:56.620 --> 01:51:58.564
and will provide a response back .

01:52:00.450 --> 01:52:02.394
Great . Thank you . And thanks for

01:52:02.394 --> 01:52:04.506
acknowledging my service . I was also

01:52:04.506 --> 01:52:06.672
entitled 32 5 , a Bible to have orders

01:52:06.672 --> 01:52:09.730
for almost 120 days from April to

01:52:09.730 --> 01:52:12.940
August and and , you know , it was a

01:52:12.940 --> 01:52:15.107
great service to the state of Hawaii .

01:52:15.107 --> 01:52:17.420
Um , to do that . So thank you . Thank

01:52:17.420 --> 01:52:19.670
you . Mr . Waltz is recognized for five

01:52:19.670 --> 01:52:20.380
minutes .

01:52:27.450 --> 01:52:29.500
Mr Waltz . So , you with us ? Yes .

01:52:29.730 --> 01:52:32.008
Thank you , Mr Chairman . I'm with you .

01:52:32.008 --> 01:52:34.341
Can you hear me ? OK , Yes , we got you .

01:52:34.341 --> 01:52:36.508
Go ahead . Yeah , I just on . And this

01:52:36.508 --> 01:52:38.452
is open to anyone on the panel . I

01:52:38.452 --> 01:52:40.341
wanted to follow up on the , uh ,

01:52:40.341 --> 01:52:42.619
congressman days . Our latest question ,

01:52:42.850 --> 01:52:45.510
Uh , in terms of the analysis that's

01:52:45.510 --> 01:52:49.390
going on on MGB how we got

01:52:49.400 --> 01:52:51.511
to the current number of guardsmen in

01:52:51.511 --> 01:52:53.456
the capital , the threat that then

01:53:01.650 --> 01:53:05.020
we don't have you anymore . We're not

01:53:05.020 --> 01:53:07.131
hearing you , Mr Waltz . I don't know

01:53:07.131 --> 01:53:09.353
if you accidentally hit mute or we just

01:53:09.353 --> 01:53:11.687
got a connection of that . A canoe . No ,

01:53:11.687 --> 01:53:13.853
no , you're okay . We got you now . We

01:53:13.853 --> 01:53:17.220
lost you for about 20 seconds . You

01:53:17.220 --> 01:53:20.770
might want to start our Hmm .

01:53:21.650 --> 01:53:24.520
Well , now you're completely lost .

01:53:24.820 --> 01:53:27.042
Well , there we go . We got a picture .

01:53:27.550 --> 01:53:31.270
Yeah . Okay . Right .

01:53:32.450 --> 01:53:35.180
Um , how about now , Mr . Chairman ?

01:53:35.180 --> 01:53:38.170
Apologies . Yeah . Way Here . You now

01:53:38.180 --> 01:53:40.458
So way could do this all day long . OK ?

01:53:40.458 --> 01:53:43.150
One more shot . Go ahead . One more

01:53:43.150 --> 01:53:46.450
shot . I hope I got it all out . The

01:53:46.450 --> 01:53:48.394
analysis that's driving number the

01:53:48.394 --> 01:53:50.394
capital and the opportunity cost of

01:53:50.394 --> 01:53:52.394
other disk , other domestic support

01:53:52.394 --> 01:53:54.672
missions . We'll play . I got that out .

01:53:54.672 --> 01:53:56.783
I think his question is , what are we

01:53:56.783 --> 01:53:58.783
doing Because of what's happening .

01:53:58.783 --> 01:54:00.728
What ? The guard being used at the

01:54:00.728 --> 01:54:04.270
Capitol . Right . Uh ,

01:54:04.280 --> 01:54:07.170
Congressman , um , copy your question ,

01:54:07.540 --> 01:54:10.200
uh , from our guardsmen that have

01:54:10.200 --> 01:54:12.490
responded , uh , to the request for

01:54:12.490 --> 01:54:15.130
assistance by lead federal agencies .

01:54:15.140 --> 01:54:17.450
Um , our guardsmen , uh , you know ,

01:54:17.450 --> 01:54:19.680
have left their left their jobs , and ,

01:54:19.680 --> 01:54:22.080
uh , and what they were doing back in

01:54:22.080 --> 01:54:24.080
their states , uh , to support this

01:54:24.080 --> 01:54:26.920
mission set . Um , there's additional

01:54:26.920 --> 01:54:29.730
training , uh , that they could be

01:54:29.730 --> 01:54:31.897
doing . Obviously . And then there's ,

01:54:31.897 --> 01:54:35.740
uh , preparations for any co vid ,

01:54:35.750 --> 01:54:37.830
uh , response that is within their

01:54:37.830 --> 01:54:39.997
state that they might be missing out ,

01:54:39.997 --> 01:54:42.430
uh , to the exact specific for each

01:54:42.430 --> 01:54:44.530
state and each individual . I can't

01:54:44.530 --> 01:54:46.990
speak toe exactly what they're missing

01:54:46.990 --> 01:54:49.360
out on . Thank you . Thank you , Mr

01:54:49.360 --> 01:54:51.200
Chairman . I'm looking at what's

01:54:51.200 --> 01:54:54.780
driving the number that's there . The 5

01:54:54.780 --> 01:54:57.130
to 7000 number and then What's the plan

01:54:57.130 --> 01:54:59.630
going forward ? I could tell you also

01:54:59.630 --> 01:55:01.760
serving as a guardsman . The forces

01:55:01.760 --> 01:55:05.430
exhausted , uh , between co vid on

01:55:05.430 --> 01:55:07.610
going overseas requirements , the

01:55:07.610 --> 01:55:09.554
training that's required for those

01:55:09.554 --> 01:55:11.560
requirements . Natural disaster ,

01:55:11.560 --> 01:55:13.671
particularly in states like Florida ,

01:55:13.671 --> 01:55:16.680
Texas , California Um , I worry a

01:55:16.680 --> 01:55:18.513
lagging indicator is going to be

01:55:18.513 --> 01:55:20.820
retention . So again the opportunity

01:55:20.820 --> 01:55:22.820
costs What's driving that number of

01:55:22.820 --> 01:55:24.876
7000 . And then what is the plan for

01:55:24.876 --> 01:55:26.987
the foreseeable future so that we can

01:55:26.987 --> 01:55:28.987
get those men and women back to the

01:55:28.987 --> 01:55:31.042
states ? Congressman Waltz . This is

01:55:31.042 --> 01:55:33.240
Bob's analysis . Uh , what drives the

01:55:33.240 --> 01:55:35.790
requirement is is really the agency

01:55:35.790 --> 01:55:37.930
department federal law enforcement

01:55:37.930 --> 01:55:40.460
entity that provides the request to the

01:55:40.460 --> 01:55:42.571
department for , for example , Secret

01:55:42.571 --> 01:55:44.793
Service . We're providing support right

01:55:44.793 --> 01:55:46.904
now . We're also providing support to

01:55:46.904 --> 01:55:49.016
the Metropolitan Police provided that

01:55:49.016 --> 01:55:51.349
park police specifically to the capital .

01:55:51.349 --> 01:55:53.627
The Capitol Police set the requirement ,

01:55:53.627 --> 01:55:55.682
uh , for the number . The number was

01:55:55.682 --> 01:55:57.940
based on different missions that they

01:55:57.940 --> 01:55:59.884
would . The National Guard members

01:55:59.884 --> 01:56:01.940
would be supporting response for its

01:56:01.940 --> 01:56:04.410
perimeter security . Those kinds of

01:56:04.410 --> 01:56:06.950
mission sets , um , again , we're

01:56:06.950 --> 01:56:10.170
working with them a Z . You know , the

01:56:10.180 --> 01:56:12.350
current requests ends on march 12th .

01:56:12.530 --> 01:56:14.641
What ? We're trying to determine with

01:56:14.641 --> 01:56:16.586
them is what is the right level of

01:56:16.586 --> 01:56:18.419
security that they need from the

01:56:18.419 --> 01:56:20.530
National Guard . Considering that the

01:56:20.530 --> 01:56:22.697
circumstances have changed again , the

01:56:22.697 --> 01:56:24.974
Defense Department , as you know , two ,

01:56:24.974 --> 01:56:27.030
is highly dependent upon federal law

01:56:27.030 --> 01:56:29.141
enforcement to provide us the insight

01:56:29.141 --> 01:56:31.308
into what , the threat , Maybe because

01:56:31.308 --> 01:56:33.474
obviously , department doesn't do that

01:56:33.474 --> 01:56:35.363
domestically . Eso We worked very

01:56:35.363 --> 01:56:37.586
closely with the FBI and Secret Service

01:56:37.586 --> 01:56:39.641
and others and the Capitol Police to

01:56:39.641 --> 01:56:41.863
try to determine what they believe that

01:56:41.863 --> 01:56:44.086
threat is and then looking at what they

01:56:44.086 --> 01:56:46.141
believe is the need for the National

01:56:46.141 --> 01:56:48.363
Guard or the types of mission sets that

01:56:48.363 --> 01:56:51.200
they need support from . We worked very

01:56:51.200 --> 01:56:53.367
closely with them to try to understand

01:56:53.367 --> 01:56:55.422
what that is . Obviously , 4900 is a

01:56:55.422 --> 01:56:57.644
very large number here on the Capitol .

01:56:58.930 --> 01:57:01.152
Thank you . Thank you . And chairman of

01:57:01.152 --> 01:57:03.430
fact , just one quick follow up . Look ,

01:57:03.430 --> 01:57:05.486
the Air Force is probably one of the

01:57:05.486 --> 01:57:07.541
best of this . Uh , when it comes to

01:57:07.541 --> 01:57:09.708
requirements , you know , saying don't

01:57:09.708 --> 01:57:11.763
tell us what platform to use or what

01:57:11.763 --> 01:57:13.990
weapon to use . Tell us what effect you

01:57:13.990 --> 01:57:17.280
want , us toe have . I know you're you

01:57:17.280 --> 01:57:19.391
can't permanently be in a position of

01:57:19.391 --> 01:57:21.447
just giving every number that you're

01:57:21.447 --> 01:57:23.502
asked for . There's some analysis on

01:57:23.502 --> 01:57:25.613
the Guard and on the Pentagon's in of

01:57:25.613 --> 01:57:27.724
what takes to actually have that have

01:57:27.724 --> 01:57:29.891
that effect on . I would be interested

01:57:29.891 --> 01:57:32.410
if I could ask for a response on the

01:57:32.410 --> 01:57:34.360
record or what is the plan going

01:57:34.370 --> 01:57:36.920
forward past March 12 ? Thank you so

01:57:36.920 --> 01:57:39.150
much , Mr Chairman . Thank you . He by

01:57:39.150 --> 01:57:41.261
on the record , he means submitted in

01:57:41.261 --> 01:57:43.317
writing . Correct . I just like that

01:57:43.317 --> 01:57:46.060
one things Thio Congressman Waltz's

01:57:46.430 --> 01:57:48.770
question there and and simply we

01:57:48.770 --> 01:57:51.103
realized that personnel is part of this .

01:57:51.103 --> 01:57:52.659
But we also understand that

01:57:52.659 --> 01:57:54.603
infrastructure and technology is a

01:57:54.603 --> 01:57:56.437
large part of this that that can

01:57:56.437 --> 01:57:58.381
potentially provide the additional

01:57:58.381 --> 01:58:00.603
security . So it's it's the combination

01:58:00.603 --> 01:58:02.270
of those things that is , the

01:58:02.270 --> 01:58:04.381
congressman rightly points out , it's

01:58:04.381 --> 01:58:06.603
that kind of analysis that will help us

01:58:06.603 --> 01:58:08.548
understand what the real personnel

01:58:08.548 --> 01:58:10.603
requirements are understood . Having

01:58:10.603 --> 01:58:12.603
piped up earlier in the subject , I

01:58:12.603 --> 01:58:12.250
don't want to follow up in just a

01:58:12.260 --> 01:58:14.480
couple of crucial points . One . You

01:58:14.480 --> 01:58:16.702
said this , but I want to make it clear

01:58:16.702 --> 01:58:19.110
you are responding toe what The Capitol

01:58:19.110 --> 01:58:21.960
Police and the City of Washington , D .

01:58:21.960 --> 01:58:25.560
C . And the Speaker's office in the

01:58:25.560 --> 01:58:27.727
majority leader's office in the Senate

01:58:27.727 --> 01:58:30.190
is asking you to do , Um , this is not

01:58:30.190 --> 01:58:32.280
your independent assessment . You're

01:58:32.290 --> 01:58:34.457
responding to that request . So So the

01:58:34.457 --> 01:58:36.679
decision is making on this or not being

01:58:36.679 --> 01:58:38.770
100% made by you taking Mr Walters

01:58:38.770 --> 01:58:40.659
Point that you do have to sort of

01:58:40.659 --> 01:58:42.770
figure out how to achieve that effect

01:58:42.770 --> 01:58:44.659
is being driven locally . And the

01:58:44.659 --> 01:58:46.826
second thing I would say is , in terms

01:58:46.826 --> 01:58:49.048
of the threat environment , I've looked

01:58:49.048 --> 01:58:51.048
at it , and I agree that the threat

01:58:51.048 --> 01:58:53.159
environment is less . But if you want

01:58:53.159 --> 01:58:55.048
to know what's driving the threat

01:58:55.048 --> 01:58:57.103
environment , it would be helpful if

01:58:57.103 --> 01:58:59.326
every single elected official in person

01:58:59.326 --> 01:59:01.492
in a position of power in this country

01:59:01.492 --> 01:59:03.548
publicly acknowledged that Joe Biden

01:59:03.548 --> 01:59:05.548
was the duly elected president in a

01:59:05.548 --> 01:59:07.714
free and fair election , the degree to

01:59:07.714 --> 01:59:09.714
which people are still driving that

01:59:09.714 --> 01:59:11.770
narrative . That narrative then gets

01:59:11.770 --> 01:59:15.330
taken and put into really whacky sets

01:59:15.330 --> 01:59:17.410
of arguments that motivate people to

01:59:17.410 --> 01:59:19.466
say things . And I'm sure everyone's

01:59:19.466 --> 01:59:21.688
aware of this right now . March 4th and

01:59:21.688 --> 01:59:23.854
I love this , by the way . So I have a

01:59:23.854 --> 01:59:25.632
sense of humor about absolutely

01:59:25.632 --> 01:59:27.354
everything , regardless of the

01:59:27.354 --> 01:59:29.466
circumstances . So apparently some of

01:59:29.466 --> 01:59:31.577
These people have figured out that 75

01:59:31.577 --> 01:59:33.632
years ago , the president used to be

01:59:33.632 --> 01:59:35.743
inaugurated on March 4th . Okay , now

01:59:35.743 --> 01:59:37.966
why ? That's relevant , God knows , but

01:59:37.966 --> 01:59:40.077
at any rate , so now they're thinking

01:59:40.077 --> 01:59:41.910
maybe we should gather again and

01:59:41.910 --> 01:59:44.243
storing the capital on March 4th . Okay ,

01:59:44.243 --> 01:59:46.521
that is circulating online . All right ?

01:59:46.521 --> 01:59:48.688
Yeah . You know , it's stuff like that

01:59:48.688 --> 01:59:50.854
circulates all the time . Doesn't mean

01:59:50.854 --> 01:59:53.021
it's gonna happen . Probably not . But

01:59:53.021 --> 01:59:55.188
if you want to help , tell them not to

01:59:55.188 --> 01:59:57.299
do that . Tell them that the election

01:59:57.299 --> 01:59:59.521
is over . Joe Biden won . It was a free

01:59:59.521 --> 01:59:59.230
and fair election . And let's get the

01:59:59.230 --> 02:00:02.110
work . That , too , would help reduce

02:00:02.330 --> 02:00:05.120
the well . I don't know , fear slash

02:00:05.120 --> 02:00:07.342
paranoia that people feel that requires

02:00:07.342 --> 02:00:09.342
everything that we're seeing around

02:00:09.342 --> 02:00:11.453
here . So both sides could be helpful

02:00:11.453 --> 02:00:13.676
in getting our capital back to normal ,

02:00:13.676 --> 02:00:15.676
I guess . Is what I would say . All

02:00:15.676 --> 02:00:17.842
right . I think Mr Morelli is now with

02:00:17.842 --> 02:00:20.176
us . Mr . Chairman , you certainly have ,

02:00:20.176 --> 02:00:22.342
uh , commitment from May . Thank you .

02:00:22.342 --> 02:00:24.287
I appreciate that , Mr Morelli . I

02:00:24.287 --> 02:00:26.398
think we're going to give you another

02:00:26.398 --> 02:00:29.790
shot here . You with us ? I am ,

02:00:30.090 --> 02:00:33.760
Uh , five minutes . Yes . Thank you ,

02:00:33.760 --> 02:00:35.816
sir . I I will be very brief , but I

02:00:35.816 --> 02:00:37.560
just wanted to thank the the

02:00:37.560 --> 02:00:39.790
individuals who are testifying . Thank

02:00:39.790 --> 02:00:41.512
you , Mr Chairman , for a very

02:00:41.512 --> 02:00:43.630
important and lightning hearing . And

02:00:43.630 --> 02:00:45.741
as I am brand new to this committee ,

02:00:45.741 --> 02:00:47.930
I'm gonna stop talking yield back and

02:00:47.930 --> 02:00:50.600
observe my colleagues , uh , in this ,

02:00:50.600 --> 02:00:52.711
but I do want to thank people . And I

02:00:52.711 --> 02:00:54.656
also to the National Guard General

02:00:54.656 --> 02:00:58.150
Kelly fro We lost three guards men , uh ,

02:00:58.160 --> 02:00:59.938
in in Rochester , new York , my

02:00:59.938 --> 02:01:02.160
hometown with a helicopter crash just a

02:01:02.160 --> 02:01:04.382
couple weeks ago . And I wanted express

02:01:04.382 --> 02:01:06.493
my condolences to you into , uh , the

02:01:06.493 --> 02:01:06.410
members of the guard who do

02:01:06.410 --> 02:01:08.466
extraordinary service , as do all of

02:01:08.466 --> 02:01:10.521
our active personnel . With that , I

02:01:10.521 --> 02:01:12.743
yield back . Mr Chair . Thank you . I'm

02:01:12.743 --> 02:01:12.130
sorry , Mike . Did you have some

02:01:12.610 --> 02:01:15.610
brother ? Yes . I'm sorry . Mr . Rogers

02:01:15.610 --> 02:01:17.777
made the comment that Mr Morelli has a

02:01:17.777 --> 02:01:20.054
bright future on this committee . Andi ,

02:01:20.054 --> 02:01:22.150
I heartily agree . Mr Bice . Sorry ,

02:01:22.150 --> 02:01:24.372
miss . Mrs . Bice , You're recognized .

02:01:25.410 --> 02:01:27.800
Thank you , Mr Chairman . My question

02:01:27.800 --> 02:01:30.110
is really directed specifically , um as

02:01:30.110 --> 02:01:32.660
it relates to my congressional district .

02:01:32.670 --> 02:01:36.560
I am near Tinker Air Force Base and

02:01:36.560 --> 02:01:40.010
there are approximately 3 3000 military

02:01:40.010 --> 02:01:42.232
personnel that work on base . But there

02:01:42.232 --> 02:01:44.990
are 25,000 civilians that work on base .

02:01:45.000 --> 02:01:47.390
What is the process that Diaz is using

02:01:47.390 --> 02:01:50.740
to make sure that those civilian based

02:01:50.740 --> 02:01:53.990
employees are accessing the vaccine ?

02:01:54.000 --> 02:01:55.944
Is that being left up to the local

02:01:55.944 --> 02:01:58.167
community ? Or is that something that D

02:01:58.167 --> 02:02:00.111
o . D is working ? Actively , Thio

02:02:00.111 --> 02:02:02.222
assistant making sure that this folks

02:02:02.222 --> 02:02:04.490
have access to the vaccine so that

02:02:04.500 --> 02:02:06.700
they're not , um , you know ,

02:02:06.710 --> 02:02:10.190
potentially exposing the military

02:02:10.190 --> 02:02:12.830
personnel that are working on base . Ah ,

02:02:13.300 --> 02:02:15.467
uh , Congresswoman , I'm gonna turn it

02:02:15.467 --> 02:02:17.522
over to General Friedrichs , but the

02:02:17.522 --> 02:02:19.870
the D o d civilians air in our vaccine

02:02:19.870 --> 02:02:22.110
schema and depending on what jobs

02:02:22.110 --> 02:02:23.999
they're performing and what their

02:02:23.999 --> 02:02:26.490
health conditions are , Well , uh ,

02:02:26.500 --> 02:02:28.770
will guide exactly when they get the

02:02:28.770 --> 02:02:30.992
vaccine . But let me turn it over toe .

02:02:30.992 --> 02:02:33.103
General Friedrichs . Dr . Friedrich .

02:02:33.103 --> 02:02:35.159
Uh , thank you , congresswoman . And

02:02:35.159 --> 02:02:37.381
thank you . Uh , SD sales is and , uh ,

02:02:37.381 --> 02:02:39.437
that's exactly right . So as we have

02:02:39.437 --> 02:02:41.326
bought through our prioritization

02:02:41.326 --> 02:02:43.381
following those CDC criteria , we've

02:02:43.381 --> 02:02:45.492
identified those on our bases who are

02:02:45.492 --> 02:02:47.630
at increased risk , whether by age or

02:02:47.640 --> 02:02:49.810
reason of other medical conditions .

02:02:49.820 --> 02:02:51.653
And that includes those critical

02:02:51.653 --> 02:02:53.820
infrastructure personnel that you just

02:02:53.820 --> 02:02:55.931
mentioned who work on our bases there

02:02:55.931 --> 02:02:58.260
so they are part of our schema . And as

02:02:58.260 --> 02:03:01.710
the vaccine allegations continue over

02:03:01.710 --> 02:03:03.766
the weeks and months ahead , we will

02:03:03.766 --> 02:03:05.877
continue to vaccinate those personnel

02:03:07.600 --> 02:03:11.540
on and follow up . How How much

02:03:11.550 --> 02:03:15.220
headway are you able to get on ?

02:03:15.230 --> 02:03:17.880
How much of the vaccine is being sent

02:03:17.880 --> 02:03:20.047
to specific areas ? Specific community

02:03:20.047 --> 02:03:22.269
To be able to vaccinate this . And what

02:03:22.269 --> 02:03:24.436
I'm trying to figure out is , how long

02:03:24.436 --> 02:03:26.602
is it gonna take you to actually offer

02:03:26.602 --> 02:03:28.547
that vaccine to the third ? Almost

02:03:28.547 --> 02:03:30.800
30,000 , um , employees that work on

02:03:30.810 --> 02:03:32.977
bases . This are we looking at several

02:03:32.977 --> 02:03:34.866
months down the road . How is the

02:03:34.866 --> 02:03:36.366
delivery process working ,

02:03:36.366 --> 02:03:38.254
Congresswoman , This is Brigadier

02:03:38.254 --> 02:03:40.366
General Friedrichs again . So we work

02:03:40.366 --> 02:03:42.421
closely with the Centers for Disease

02:03:42.421 --> 02:03:44.588
Control . Our Defense Health Agency is

02:03:44.588 --> 02:03:46.754
the lead for this effort . And so they

02:03:46.754 --> 02:03:48.810
worked with Operation Warp Speed and

02:03:48.810 --> 02:03:50.977
the Centers for Disease Control On our

02:03:50.977 --> 02:03:53.032
allocation based on the population's

02:03:53.032 --> 02:03:55.370
that we've identified for which we are

02:03:55.370 --> 02:03:57.880
responsible , as was mentioned earlier

02:03:57.880 --> 02:04:01.630
in this brief , based on the purchases

02:04:01.630 --> 02:04:03.797
that the department excuse me that the

02:04:03.797 --> 02:04:06.230
country has made we anticipate having

02:04:06.240 --> 02:04:09.710
600 million doses by the end of July .

02:04:09.720 --> 02:04:12.100
And so that would allow us to vaccinate

02:04:12.110 --> 02:04:13.943
all of the adults who wish to be

02:04:13.943 --> 02:04:16.520
vaccinated over the next several months .

02:04:18.490 --> 02:04:21.500
Thank you for that follow up question .

02:04:21.510 --> 02:04:24.730
Um , there certainly

02:04:24.740 --> 02:04:27.120
have many , many parts of the world .

02:04:27.120 --> 02:04:29.287
We're relying on our allies , partners

02:04:29.287 --> 02:04:32.230
on the ground for operational support ,

02:04:32.240 --> 02:04:34.462
intelligence sharing and other critical

02:04:34.462 --> 02:04:36.720
functions . How is the pandemic

02:04:36.730 --> 02:04:39.610
impacted those relationships ? And what

02:04:39.620 --> 02:04:42.810
going thio mitigate the impact ?

02:04:45.090 --> 02:04:47.490
Congresswoman is General Tolliver . I'd

02:04:47.490 --> 02:04:50.860
say our combatant commands are heavily

02:04:50.860 --> 02:04:54.670
focused on maintaining those critical

02:04:54.670 --> 02:04:57.160
international relationships . Whether

02:04:57.160 --> 02:04:59.670
that's through exercises , key leader

02:04:59.670 --> 02:05:02.700
engagements , and they deliberately do

02:05:02.700 --> 02:05:04.730
so to maintain awareness of what's

02:05:04.730 --> 02:05:07.590
going on in the region . Maintain

02:05:08.590 --> 02:05:11.390
access , basing and overflight during a

02:05:11.390 --> 02:05:12.910
crisis and so on .

02:05:16.490 --> 02:05:19.040
I just want to say thank you for your

02:05:19.040 --> 02:05:21.207
service . Thank you for taking care of

02:05:21.207 --> 02:05:23.262
our men and women in the military in

02:05:23.262 --> 02:05:24.984
Oklahoma are National Guard is

02:05:24.984 --> 02:05:27.207
currently activated not only for covert

02:05:27.207 --> 02:05:29.262
relief , but also for weather issues

02:05:29.262 --> 02:05:31.151
that we're experiencing here . So

02:05:31.151 --> 02:05:33.373
grateful for the men and women not only

02:05:33.373 --> 02:05:35.550
serving in our , uh , Air force and

02:05:35.560 --> 02:05:37.616
Navy that air here in Oklahoma , but

02:05:37.616 --> 02:05:39.560
also our National Guard to play an

02:05:39.560 --> 02:05:41.393
important role I yield back . Mr

02:05:41.393 --> 02:05:43.616
Chairman thank Thank you . Mr . Panetta

02:05:43.616 --> 02:05:45.449
is recognized for five minutes .

02:05:48.090 --> 02:05:49.979
Thank you , Mr Chairman . Ranking

02:05:49.979 --> 02:05:51.923
member Rogers on all the gentleman

02:05:51.923 --> 02:05:53.923
there . Appreciate your service and

02:05:53.923 --> 02:05:55.979
appreciate your time and preparation

02:05:55.979 --> 02:05:57.812
today to be here to answer these

02:05:57.812 --> 02:05:59.923
questions . Um , obviously , uh , you

02:05:59.923 --> 02:06:02.034
know , we're dealing I agree with the

02:06:02.034 --> 02:06:04.201
president of the United States that we

02:06:04.201 --> 02:06:04.090
are dealing with the wartime effort .

02:06:04.100 --> 02:06:06.850
So I appreciate all of the involvement

02:06:06.860 --> 02:06:08.940
that the Department of Defense is

02:06:08.950 --> 02:06:11.006
currently undergoing with this right

02:06:11.006 --> 02:06:13.117
now , especially when it comes to the

02:06:13.117 --> 02:06:15.117
National Guard . I agree with you ,

02:06:15.117 --> 02:06:17.117
General Nordhaus , especially on my

02:06:17.117 --> 02:06:16.870
district on the central coast to

02:06:16.870 --> 02:06:19.037
California National Guard has played a

02:06:19.037 --> 02:06:21.259
huge role with in the last year dealing

02:06:21.259 --> 02:06:23.426
with wildfires , dealing with storms ,

02:06:23.426 --> 02:06:25.481
yes , dealing with co vid , but then

02:06:25.481 --> 02:06:27.537
obviously national dealing , dealing

02:06:27.537 --> 02:06:29.759
with the attacks on our democracy , but

02:06:29.759 --> 02:06:31.703
also bolstering our democracy with

02:06:31.703 --> 02:06:33.759
getting involved in securing many of

02:06:33.759 --> 02:06:35.870
the election sites around our country

02:06:35.870 --> 02:06:37.870
back in November . So thank you for

02:06:37.870 --> 02:06:39.759
that . Another area that was very

02:06:39.759 --> 02:06:41.814
beneficial are the food banks that I

02:06:41.814 --> 02:06:41.350
have in my district . I'm sure

02:06:41.350 --> 02:06:43.072
throughout many of the members

02:06:43.072 --> 02:06:45.590
district's on this panel , um , every

02:06:45.590 --> 02:06:47.757
week to get out to a food bank . And I

02:06:47.757 --> 02:06:49.868
could tell you the ones that have the

02:06:49.868 --> 02:06:52.034
National Guard members helping out are

02:06:52.034 --> 02:06:54.312
the ones that run the most efficiently ,

02:06:54.312 --> 02:06:56.368
considering how long these lines are

02:06:56.368 --> 02:06:58.590
getting at our food bank . So thank you

02:06:58.590 --> 02:07:00.757
very much . Now , I read recently that

02:07:00.757 --> 02:07:02.534
the National Guard has , ah 100

02:07:02.534 --> 02:07:04.701
National Guard teams in 29 states with

02:07:04.701 --> 02:07:07.540
the ability of 200 additional teams for

02:07:07.540 --> 02:07:09.596
vaccine distribution . At least that

02:07:09.596 --> 02:07:11.630
was said by General Hawkinson Thea

02:07:11.630 --> 02:07:13.797
other day . Um and so what ? I kind of

02:07:13.797 --> 02:07:15.963
wanna break down here . Is that Okay ?

02:07:15.963 --> 02:07:18.297
So you've got these FEMA national sites ,

02:07:18.297 --> 02:07:20.241
those we're gonna have active duty

02:07:20.241 --> 02:07:22.352
members . And then you have the state

02:07:22.352 --> 02:07:24.519
and local government sites . Those are

02:07:24.519 --> 02:07:26.797
gonna be run by National Guard members .

02:07:26.797 --> 02:07:28.797
Um , I correct . And coming to that

02:07:28.797 --> 02:07:31.810
simple conclusion , Congressman , this

02:07:31.810 --> 02:07:34.032
is Bob . Salis is Yes . Yes . Yes , you

02:07:34.032 --> 02:07:37.340
are . Okay . Great . And so right now

02:07:37.340 --> 02:07:40.810
you have FEMA has 1100 troops are there

02:07:40.810 --> 02:07:42.810
asking they have 1100 troops . That

02:07:42.810 --> 02:07:44.532
five vaccination centers . The

02:07:44.532 --> 02:07:46.421
president has called for 100 mawr

02:07:46.421 --> 02:07:49.000
vaccination centers That could lead up

02:07:49.000 --> 02:07:51.780
to 10,000 more service members is what

02:07:51.780 --> 02:07:54.060
I'm reading . Do you expect all of

02:07:54.060 --> 02:07:56.000
those to be active duty members ,

02:07:57.580 --> 02:07:59.691
Congressman , that's the current plan

02:07:59.691 --> 02:08:02.130
is to use active duty members to source

02:08:02.140 --> 02:08:05.720
the 100 mega and large centers . But

02:08:05.720 --> 02:08:08.370
that will depend based on obviously ,

02:08:08.370 --> 02:08:10.259
as we start to provide additional

02:08:10.259 --> 02:08:12.370
forces . Uh , the joint staff and the

02:08:12.370 --> 02:08:15.010
services will look at how best to do

02:08:15.010 --> 02:08:17.520
that . And there's the original , or at

02:08:17.520 --> 02:08:19.700
least the initial look is to use the

02:08:19.700 --> 02:08:21.922
active component forces . It could then

02:08:21.922 --> 02:08:24.270
lead Thio Title 10 Reserve forces ,

02:08:24.270 --> 02:08:26.780
potentially to support those centers .

02:08:28.870 --> 02:08:31.390
Understood . General Nordhaus going

02:08:31.400 --> 02:08:33.511
focusing on the National Guard at the

02:08:33.511 --> 02:08:36.520
state and local level . Obviously , we

02:08:36.520 --> 02:08:38.742
understand the priority of getting more

02:08:38.742 --> 02:08:40.853
vaccinations out there , especially ,

02:08:40.853 --> 02:08:42.964
uh , to rural sites . If you're gonna

02:08:42.964 --> 02:08:44.853
have FEMA at the major population

02:08:44.853 --> 02:08:46.909
centers and maybe you help the state

02:08:46.909 --> 02:08:49.320
and local governments , you use

02:08:49.320 --> 02:08:51.020
National Guard thio . Get the

02:08:51.020 --> 02:08:53.076
vaccination out there to those areas

02:08:53.076 --> 02:08:55.076
that aren't in the major population

02:08:55.076 --> 02:08:57.076
areas . Do you see that taking away

02:08:57.076 --> 02:08:59.370
from the food banks are you able toe up

02:08:59.380 --> 02:09:02.040
as general , Hawkinson said , use those

02:09:02.040 --> 02:09:04.760
200 additional teams for that type of

02:09:04.760 --> 02:09:06.871
vaccinate those types of vaccinations

02:09:06.871 --> 02:09:08.316
in those types of areas .

02:09:10.170 --> 02:09:12.392
Congressman , thanks for the question .

02:09:12.392 --> 02:09:14.392
I don't see it taken away right now

02:09:14.392 --> 02:09:17.000
within the states on territories due to

02:09:17.000 --> 02:09:20.420
the , uh , um , mission assignment from

02:09:20.420 --> 02:09:22.309
FEMA . Right now , we're at about

02:09:22.309 --> 02:09:24.430
28,000 , But there's room to grow

02:09:24.430 --> 02:09:26.374
within each of the states . It's a

02:09:26.374 --> 02:09:28.541
little bit different . Up to 56,000 is

02:09:28.541 --> 02:09:30.763
the authority . So each state will look

02:09:30.763 --> 02:09:33.370
at what they need , what their critical

02:09:33.380 --> 02:09:35.920
requirements are . I know everyone is

02:09:35.920 --> 02:09:39.180
prioritizing vaccine a distribution and

02:09:39.180 --> 02:09:42.080
vaccine shots to the population . Um ,

02:09:42.080 --> 02:09:44.191
and so that will be within each state

02:09:44.191 --> 02:09:46.358
to make sure they have the resource is

02:09:46.358 --> 02:09:48.469
And , uh , the guardsmen there ableto

02:09:48.469 --> 02:09:50.580
perform each of those duties and make

02:09:50.580 --> 02:09:52.913
sure they cover them . Okay . Thank you .

02:09:52.913 --> 02:09:55.080
Completely switching gears right now .

02:09:55.080 --> 02:09:57.080
Obviously , the unfortunately , the

02:09:57.080 --> 02:09:59.080
Roosevelt has been back in the news

02:09:59.080 --> 02:10:01.980
lately . Three , uh , members of the

02:10:01.980 --> 02:10:04.720
Roosevelt came down with the

02:10:04.720 --> 02:10:07.090
coronavirus . Um , and I know the

02:10:07.090 --> 02:10:09.423
Roosevelt is on a double bump right now .

02:10:09.423 --> 02:10:11.646
Basically doing a second tour . Uh , my

02:10:11.646 --> 02:10:14.000
question to you is where the hell How

02:10:14.000 --> 02:10:15.833
the hell are these three members

02:10:15.833 --> 02:10:17.944
contracting the coronavirus ? Is that

02:10:17.950 --> 02:10:19.290
being investigated ?

02:10:21.560 --> 02:10:24.170
So , Congressman is General Tolliver .

02:10:24.180 --> 02:10:26.860
I'm sure the I'm sure the command team

02:10:26.860 --> 02:10:29.590
is looking into the individual cases .

02:10:29.600 --> 02:10:33.300
I think the broader messages how

02:10:33.300 --> 02:10:35.810
much improvement the Navy is made over

02:10:35.810 --> 02:10:37.921
the last year and their procedures on

02:10:37.921 --> 02:10:40.190
their ships , the way they've

02:10:40.560 --> 02:10:43.770
identified preplanned responses , the

02:10:43.770 --> 02:10:45.492
way they've changed . Flows of

02:10:45.492 --> 02:10:47.610
personnel , one way corridors ,

02:10:47.610 --> 02:10:49.166
different things , sleeping

02:10:49.166 --> 02:10:51.221
arrangements , segregating personnel

02:10:51.221 --> 02:10:53.680
into cohorts of the fact that there

02:10:53.680 --> 02:10:55.736
could be three infected personnel on

02:10:55.736 --> 02:10:58.220
the Roosevelt and it's stay at three

02:10:58.220 --> 02:11:01.110
until they're evacuated is a credit to

02:11:01.110 --> 02:11:03.221
the work they've done that would keep

02:11:03.221 --> 02:11:06.870
it from getting to 1200 . Over . Thank

02:11:06.870 --> 02:11:08.926
you . My time is up . I yield back .

02:11:08.926 --> 02:11:11.037
Thank you , Mr Chairman . Thank you .

02:11:11.037 --> 02:11:13.148
Mr . Panetta . Mr . Franklin Europe .

02:11:13.960 --> 02:11:16.071
Thank you , Mr Chairman . Thank you .

02:11:16.071 --> 02:11:18.293
Panel . I appreciate your time that you

02:11:18.293 --> 02:11:18.220
spent here with us this afternoon has

02:11:18.220 --> 02:11:20.164
been very enlightening as a junior

02:11:20.164 --> 02:11:22.276
member of the committee . By the time

02:11:22.276 --> 02:11:22.240
we get to this point , a lot of the

02:11:22.240 --> 02:11:24.129
questions that I've had have been

02:11:24.129 --> 02:11:26.310
already answered . But I do appreciate

02:11:26.310 --> 02:11:28.421
that we've touched several folks have

02:11:28.421 --> 02:11:30.532
asked questions about the opportunity

02:11:30.532 --> 02:11:32.643
cost of miss training opportunities ,

02:11:32.643 --> 02:11:34.960
the impact on readiness . As a former

02:11:34.970 --> 02:11:37.192
career naval officer , I've been on the

02:11:37.192 --> 02:11:38.970
receiving end of a lot of these

02:11:38.970 --> 02:11:40.970
missions that come above and beyond

02:11:40.970 --> 02:11:42.914
your regular optempo . My question

02:11:42.914 --> 02:11:44.748
really to follow along , uh , to

02:11:44.748 --> 02:11:46.914
continue on some of the others is just

02:11:46.914 --> 02:11:48.526
dealing with retention . I'm

02:11:48.526 --> 02:11:50.692
specifically curious to know , Have we

02:11:50.692 --> 02:11:52.692
seen any drop in retention over the

02:11:52.692 --> 02:11:54.748
build up in the up tempo in the last

02:11:54.748 --> 02:11:56.692
year or so ? And are we taking any

02:11:56.692 --> 02:11:58.914
proactive , proactive measures to be on

02:11:58.914 --> 02:12:01.030
guard against that ? Just in talking

02:12:01.030 --> 02:12:03.197
recently with senior leadership of our

02:12:03.197 --> 02:12:04.919
Florida guard ? I know we have

02:12:04.919 --> 02:12:06.974
concerned about a lack of manning to

02:12:06.974 --> 02:12:09.141
begin with , and then on top of that ,

02:12:09.141 --> 02:12:09.000
just the tempo and the impact that is

02:12:09.000 --> 02:12:11.056
gonna have on our difference . But I

02:12:11.056 --> 02:12:13.278
guess the question would be for general

02:12:13.278 --> 02:12:12.080
workhouse .

02:12:17.650 --> 02:12:20.090
Uh , sir . Major General Nordhaus . Uh ,

02:12:20.100 --> 02:12:22.360
right now , we haven't seen any , uh ,

02:12:22.370 --> 02:12:24.648
any dip in the retention at this point ?

02:12:24.750 --> 02:12:27.860
Um , I did , uh , here numbers about

02:12:27.860 --> 02:12:30.380
our retention are recruiting throughout

02:12:30.380 --> 02:12:32.380
the end of the year . And right now

02:12:32.380 --> 02:12:34.560
we're on one part to be able to meet

02:12:34.570 --> 02:12:36.650
our end strength numbers through a

02:12:36.650 --> 02:12:38.800
recruiting efforts from both the Army

02:12:38.800 --> 02:12:40.800
National Guard and the Air National

02:12:40.800 --> 02:12:43.610
Guard . And I yield thio any Major .

02:12:43.610 --> 02:12:46.170
General Tolliver . Congressman is

02:12:46.170 --> 02:12:48.114
General Tolliver . I'd say for the

02:12:48.114 --> 02:12:51.370
active component , retention and

02:12:51.370 --> 02:12:53.710
recruiting has has still been a very

02:12:53.710 --> 02:12:55.654
high levels . And as you know , it

02:12:55.654 --> 02:12:59.350
generally follows the economy . And s o

02:12:59.350 --> 02:13:01.990
I think this will bear watching as the

02:13:01.990 --> 02:13:04.030
economy picks up . But right now ,

02:13:04.040 --> 02:13:06.207
retention and recruiting are very high

02:13:06.207 --> 02:13:10.090
levels . Great . Thank you , gentlemen .

02:13:10.090 --> 02:13:13.580
Are you back ? Thank you ,

02:13:14.950 --> 02:13:16.380
Mr Vase . A Europe ,

02:13:19.850 --> 02:13:23.140
Thank you very much . I wanted to ask

02:13:23.140 --> 02:13:26.160
General Nordhaus of question , uh , in

02:13:26.160 --> 02:13:28.160
my district here in the Dallas Fort

02:13:28.160 --> 02:13:30.050
Worth area . Uh , there was an

02:13:30.050 --> 02:13:32.272
announcement that they were going to be

02:13:32.272 --> 02:13:34.970
two openings of Kobe vaccine sites .

02:13:35.050 --> 02:13:36.883
One was going to be in a T and T

02:13:36.883 --> 02:13:39.050
Stadium Dallas Cowboys Stadium , which

02:13:39.050 --> 02:13:41.272
is in my district , that another one on

02:13:41.272 --> 02:13:43.410
fairpark , which is near my district

02:13:43.420 --> 02:13:45.770
with the capacity to perhaps serve up

02:13:45.770 --> 02:13:49.070
to about 10,000 people a day . Uh ,

02:13:49.750 --> 02:13:51.917
and I know that the guard was supposed

02:13:51.917 --> 02:13:54.139
to be assisting in that effort . Aziz ,

02:13:54.139 --> 02:13:56.194
you know , right now in this part of

02:13:56.194 --> 02:13:58.194
the world , we're having record low

02:13:58.194 --> 02:14:00.760
temperatures are grid has been , uh ,

02:14:00.770 --> 02:14:03.340
just , you know , not not completely

02:14:03.340 --> 02:14:05.830
incapacitated , but has been downgraded

02:14:05.830 --> 02:14:07.900
severely . We have people just

02:14:07.900 --> 02:14:10.570
literally blocks away from me that , uh ,

02:14:10.580 --> 02:14:13.910
that have had , uh , power sometimes .

02:14:13.910 --> 02:14:16.770
And other times , they haven't eyes .

02:14:16.770 --> 02:14:19.070
This going to affect the guards effort

02:14:19.070 --> 02:14:21.950
to be ableto mobilizing , helping these

02:14:21.950 --> 02:14:24.061
efforts because I would imagine their

02:14:24.061 --> 02:14:26.230
gardens . That air also affected by

02:14:26.230 --> 02:14:28.680
these storms is or will you still be

02:14:28.680 --> 02:14:32.420
able to help in this mission ? A soon

02:14:32.420 --> 02:14:34.476
as we're able to get past this Or do

02:14:34.476 --> 02:14:36.476
you see there being some problems ?

02:14:36.940 --> 02:14:39.162
Congressman , Thanks for the question .

02:14:39.162 --> 02:14:41.107
I'll pass it quickly over to Major

02:14:41.107 --> 02:14:43.051
General Tolliver . I will say that

02:14:43.051 --> 02:14:45.107
across the states that are receiving

02:14:45.107 --> 02:14:47.162
the weather right now , our guard is

02:14:47.162 --> 02:14:48.884
helping with , uh , you know ,

02:14:48.884 --> 02:14:51.107
incidents within weather , But then the

02:14:51.107 --> 02:14:52.996
right back as fast as possible to

02:14:52.996 --> 02:14:55.170
supporting the vaccination efforts and

02:14:55.170 --> 02:14:57.337
the Dallas area . I believe that's one

02:14:57.337 --> 02:14:59.559
of the title 10 efforts , and I'll turn

02:14:59.559 --> 02:15:01.670
that over to Major General Tolliver .

02:15:01.670 --> 02:15:03.337
Thanks , Cheryl . Thank you ,

02:15:03.337 --> 02:15:05.503
Congressman . Those those two sites in

02:15:05.503 --> 02:15:07.880
the Dallas area , one at 18 T stadium

02:15:07.880 --> 02:15:10.750
and then one at the Cotton Bowl . We

02:15:10.750 --> 02:15:13.000
both expect to be operational a week

02:15:13.000 --> 02:15:15.470
from today . Although I just discussed

02:15:15.470 --> 02:15:17.692
this with Northern Command this morning

02:15:17.692 --> 02:15:20.410
It's not yet clear whether the weather

02:15:20.420 --> 02:15:22.700
will create any delays , but they're

02:15:22.700 --> 02:15:25.190
working through that with FEMA and the

02:15:25.190 --> 02:15:28.990
state . Okay . Okay , Good .

02:15:28.990 --> 02:15:32.720
What ? What sort of , um , delays might ,

02:15:32.730 --> 02:15:34.897
uh , what would happen that would make

02:15:34.897 --> 02:15:37.260
it harder for you to mobilize and be

02:15:37.260 --> 02:15:40.220
able Thio , have your guys and women

02:15:40.220 --> 02:15:42.498
ready at those particular sites ? Like ,

02:15:42.498 --> 02:15:45.140
what would be some of the some of the

02:15:45.150 --> 02:15:48.160
issues that might come up ? So ,

02:15:48.160 --> 02:15:50.327
Congressman , I don't believe it would

02:15:50.327 --> 02:15:52.549
be the issues with our force . It would

02:15:52.549 --> 02:15:54.604
be issues surrounding the facility ,

02:15:54.604 --> 02:15:58.420
access to the facility , Onda . All

02:15:58.420 --> 02:16:00.750
the other supporting agencies are

02:16:00.750 --> 02:16:04.620
forces . Um , we'll move and

02:16:04.630 --> 02:16:06.640
be there in time . Over .

02:16:08.730 --> 02:16:11.008
Okay , well , no , thank you very much .

02:16:11.008 --> 02:16:13.063
That that's very important to know ,

02:16:13.063 --> 02:16:15.174
because obviously , as soon as we get

02:16:15.174 --> 02:16:17.230
past the storms , I know that people

02:16:17.230 --> 02:16:19.341
are going to really be anxious to get

02:16:19.341 --> 02:16:21.119
back on , start receiving their

02:16:21.119 --> 02:16:23.600
vaccines again . So I appreciate your

02:16:23.600 --> 02:16:26.160
time and and answering those questions .

02:16:26.160 --> 02:16:28.382
Are you back ? The balance of my time .

02:16:28.382 --> 02:16:30.493
Thank you . Thank you . Mr . Vaizey .

02:16:30.550 --> 02:16:34.360
Ms . Maclaine . Thank you ,

02:16:34.360 --> 02:16:36.550
Mr Chairman . Um , as we all know ,

02:16:36.550 --> 02:16:39.010
China has become an ever increasing

02:16:39.010 --> 02:16:42.000
threat . Not only to the Pacific region .

02:16:42.000 --> 02:16:44.111
But globally , they've built up their

02:16:44.111 --> 02:16:46.320
armed forces to threaten our allies in

02:16:46.320 --> 02:16:48.470
the Pacific . Use their belt and road

02:16:48.470 --> 02:16:51.020
initiative initiatives to bring poorer

02:16:51.020 --> 02:16:52.909
nations under their thumb and now

02:16:52.909 --> 02:16:55.750
released viral epidemic upon the world .

02:16:55.930 --> 02:16:58.390
My question is , for major General tell

02:16:58.390 --> 02:17:02.020
a pharaoh is has our ability thio to

02:17:02.020 --> 02:17:04.990
deter aggressive actions by China

02:17:05.000 --> 02:17:07.310
related to the construction of the

02:17:07.310 --> 02:17:10.140
islands in the Pacific region Has it

02:17:10.141 --> 02:17:13.210
been reduced because of the necessity

02:17:13.250 --> 02:17:15.440
to protect our forces during this

02:17:15.440 --> 02:17:19.340
pandemic ? So , Congresswoman , I'd

02:17:19.340 --> 02:17:23.190
say absolutely has not been reduced .

02:17:23.199 --> 02:17:25.810
Our forces are very active in the

02:17:25.810 --> 02:17:29.310
Pacific , uh , in that region , whether ,

02:17:29.319 --> 02:17:31.940
uh , conducting freedom of navigation

02:17:31.940 --> 02:17:34.480
operations , we have deployed bomber

02:17:34.480 --> 02:17:36.850
task force to the region and continue

02:17:36.850 --> 02:17:40.240
to project power into that area . And

02:17:40.250 --> 02:17:43.900
last spring , the combatant commands

02:17:43.900 --> 02:17:46.140
and the services worked very

02:17:46.140 --> 02:17:48.670
deliberately to ensure that we were

02:17:48.670 --> 02:17:50.690
able to operate within a covert

02:17:50.690 --> 02:17:53.960
environment to perform our defense role

02:17:54.330 --> 02:17:56.560
on . Certainly we've been active in the

02:17:56.561 --> 02:17:57.940
Pacific ever since .

02:18:00.320 --> 02:18:02.153
Thank you . I yield back my time

02:18:04.720 --> 02:18:07.010
this decline . Sperm .

02:18:17.420 --> 02:18:18.976
Miss Murphy . Europe next .

02:18:21.020 --> 02:18:23.950
Thank you . Um , and thank you all for

02:18:23.950 --> 02:18:26.283
being here today and for your testimony .

02:18:26.283 --> 02:18:28.394
and also thank you to all the service

02:18:28.394 --> 02:18:30.506
members for what they do every day to

02:18:30.506 --> 02:18:32.728
keep our country safe . You know , um ,

02:18:32.728 --> 02:18:34.617
I represent a district in Central

02:18:34.617 --> 02:18:36.617
Florida and I had a chance to visit

02:18:36.617 --> 02:18:38.839
with some of the Florida National Guard

02:18:38.839 --> 02:18:41.006
that were deployed to D . C . And also

02:18:41.006 --> 02:18:43.228
to have had some conversations with the

02:18:43.228 --> 02:18:45.450
Florida National Guard leadership . And

02:18:45.450 --> 02:18:47.617
I think a few things stand out to me .

02:18:47.617 --> 02:18:49.839
Um , one . It's clear that the multiple

02:18:49.839 --> 02:18:52.190
deployments and high optempo has had an

02:18:52.190 --> 02:18:54.090
effect on morale and , you know ,

02:18:54.101 --> 02:18:56.990
possibly on retention , as some of the

02:18:56.990 --> 02:18:59.212
previous questioners talked a bit about

02:18:59.212 --> 02:19:01.490
that . And I think it may be too early .

02:19:01.490 --> 02:19:03.712
Um , toe have the data just say exactly

02:19:03.712 --> 02:19:05.934
what um , impact that will have . But I

02:19:05.934 --> 02:19:08.046
think that's that's something that we

02:19:08.046 --> 02:19:10.212
should watch for . But , you know , we

02:19:10.212 --> 02:19:12.268
have to understand these Air citizen

02:19:12.268 --> 02:19:11.910
soldiers who have been repeatedly

02:19:11.910 --> 02:19:13.910
called away from their families and

02:19:13.910 --> 02:19:16.077
their jobs and put in fairly stressful

02:19:16.077 --> 02:19:18.840
situations . And I think in Florida

02:19:18.851 --> 02:19:21.230
this strain has been , um , really

02:19:21.230 --> 02:19:23.540
amplified because despite having one of

02:19:23.540 --> 02:19:25.390
the largest states , we have a

02:19:25.400 --> 02:19:27.820
relatively smaller guard . We are

02:19:27.820 --> 02:19:31.590
number 53 of 54 Guardsmen to Citizens

02:19:31.601 --> 02:19:35.200
Ratio and , um , during a pandemic ,

02:19:35.200 --> 02:19:37.422
it's It's not really feasible to borrow

02:19:37.422 --> 02:19:39.422
guardsmen from other states , as we

02:19:39.422 --> 02:19:42.280
would normally do in a in responding to

02:19:42.280 --> 02:19:44.113
a geographically focused natural

02:19:44.113 --> 02:19:46.920
disaster . And I think on top of this ,

02:19:46.930 --> 02:19:50.210
um , for Florida , the pandemic has

02:19:50.210 --> 02:19:52.530
disproportionately impacted us because

02:19:52.540 --> 02:19:54.707
we have one of the highest percentages

02:19:54.707 --> 02:19:56.990
of more mature Americans as a part of

02:19:56.990 --> 02:19:59.280
our state population . And those are

02:19:59.280 --> 02:20:01.391
the Americans who are more vulnerable

02:20:01.391 --> 02:20:03.502
to the negative impacts of co vid and

02:20:03.502 --> 02:20:05.558
most in need of vaccinations , along

02:20:05.558 --> 02:20:07.502
with our front line in the Central

02:20:07.502 --> 02:20:11.250
workers . And then , um , in the

02:20:11.260 --> 02:20:13.482
nature of being a superlative were also

02:20:13.482 --> 02:20:15.371
one of the states with one of the

02:20:15.371 --> 02:20:17.704
greatest incidents of natural disasters .

02:20:17.704 --> 02:20:19.760
So I look at all of this and I see a

02:20:19.760 --> 02:20:21.982
lot of risk here going into this coming

02:20:21.982 --> 02:20:23.927
year , Andi , into the summer when

02:20:23.927 --> 02:20:25.982
hurricane season starts for us . I'm

02:20:25.982 --> 02:20:27.982
really worried about the ability to

02:20:27.982 --> 02:20:30.038
respond to the requirements and then

02:20:30.038 --> 02:20:32.038
the impact on the men and women who

02:20:32.038 --> 02:20:33.927
serve in our guard . So , General

02:20:33.927 --> 02:20:35.982
Morehouse , two questions for you in

02:20:35.982 --> 02:20:38.330
the near term . As we look out on this

02:20:38.330 --> 02:20:40.810
year and Florida's natural disaster

02:20:40.810 --> 02:20:43.170
season . Um , it's gonna put additional

02:20:43.180 --> 02:20:45.291
operational pressures on our National

02:20:45.291 --> 02:20:47.236
Guard force . How is this gonna be

02:20:47.236 --> 02:20:49.458
balanced with the increased vaccination

02:20:49.458 --> 02:20:51.458
paste this summer ? And then in the

02:20:51.458 --> 02:20:53.569
long term , what efforts are underway

02:20:53.569 --> 02:20:55.791
to study the proportion of guardsmen to

02:20:55.791 --> 02:20:57.569
citizens to ensure that we have

02:20:57.569 --> 02:21:00.430
sufficient forces to support the whole

02:21:00.430 --> 02:21:03.320
range of needs from disaster response

02:21:03.320 --> 02:21:05.300
to emerging challenges like covert

02:21:05.300 --> 02:21:09.220
support ? Congresswoman , thank you for

02:21:09.221 --> 02:21:11.770
the question on the first side as we

02:21:11.771 --> 02:21:13.938
get to the summer , hopefully with the

02:21:13.938 --> 02:21:15.938
number of vaccinations that will be

02:21:15.938 --> 02:21:17.993
available by June and July , that we

02:21:17.993 --> 02:21:20.215
get really close toe have in all of our

02:21:20.215 --> 02:21:22.490
service members of vaccinated . And

02:21:22.500 --> 02:21:24.389
that will help is we go into that

02:21:24.389 --> 02:21:26.880
season every year we do get together ,

02:21:26.890 --> 02:21:30.470
and we have workshops that bring all

02:21:30.470 --> 02:21:32.750
54 together for domestic operations .

02:21:32.750 --> 02:21:35.060
And we look at , uh , the IMAX

02:21:35.070 --> 02:21:37.292
emergency management assistant compacts

02:21:37.292 --> 02:21:39.514
between states to help assist in things

02:21:39.514 --> 02:21:41.626
like hurricanes that Florida might be

02:21:41.626 --> 02:21:43.780
undergoing from other states Nearby .

02:21:43.780 --> 02:21:46.090
As you know , Florida has helped out in

02:21:46.100 --> 02:21:48.730
other states through hurricanes over

02:21:48.730 --> 02:21:51.000
the last couple of years . Uh , mus

02:21:51.000 --> 02:21:53.900
faras the force structure per civilian

02:21:53.910 --> 02:21:56.970
ratio within the state . Uh , Major

02:21:56.971 --> 02:21:59.193
General Eifert , the adjutant general ,

02:21:59.193 --> 02:22:00.971
will work that through the Army

02:22:00.971 --> 02:22:03.082
National Guard on the force structure

02:22:03.082 --> 02:22:05.082
committees . Uh , thio , you know ,

02:22:05.082 --> 02:22:07.193
push that forward and then have any ,

02:22:07.193 --> 02:22:09.249
uh , decisions through the service .

02:22:11.200 --> 02:22:13.290
Well , um , as he does that , he has

02:22:13.290 --> 02:22:15.450
the support , my support for sure for

02:22:15.450 --> 02:22:17.617
us to take another look at making sure

02:22:17.617 --> 02:22:19.783
that our guard is appropriately scaled

02:22:19.783 --> 02:22:22.230
for the size of our state . Um , just

02:22:22.230 --> 02:22:24.452
visiting to another question , a little

02:22:24.452 --> 02:22:27.580
unrelated . Um , What ? I know that

02:22:27.580 --> 02:22:30.550
duty has been looking at the impact of

02:22:30.550 --> 02:22:32.717
right wing extremist ideologies on the

02:22:32.717 --> 02:22:35.440
ability of d o d toe carry out its

02:22:35.440 --> 02:22:37.790
duties . Has there been a similar

02:22:37.800 --> 02:22:41.060
effort within the guard ? And how ? How

02:22:41.060 --> 02:22:44.460
have some of these early analysis ,

02:22:44.470 --> 02:22:46.720
uh , come out ,

02:22:49.560 --> 02:22:51.490
Congresswoman , we fall right

02:22:51.500 --> 02:22:53.611
underneath . The secretary of defense

02:22:53.611 --> 02:22:57.340
is , uh , new thing that he just pushed

02:22:57.340 --> 02:23:01.290
out . It's not tolerated across the

02:23:01.290 --> 02:23:03.401
National Guard or anywhere within our

02:23:03.401 --> 02:23:05.770
organization . Uh , it goes against our

02:23:05.770 --> 02:23:08.100
fundamental principle of the oath that

02:23:08.100 --> 02:23:10.378
we take , and so it can't be tolerated .

02:23:10.378 --> 02:23:12.656
And we're working through our services .

02:23:12.656 --> 02:23:14.822
Both the Air National Guard , the Army

02:23:14.822 --> 02:23:14.710
National guard through the service

02:23:14.710 --> 02:23:16.543
programs that come down from the

02:23:16.543 --> 02:23:18.710
Secretary of Defense and to stand down

02:23:18.710 --> 02:23:20.710
within the next 60 days . And we'll

02:23:20.710 --> 02:23:22.710
implement those all going forward .

02:23:24.700 --> 02:23:26.422
Thank you . And I yield back .

02:23:29.500 --> 02:23:32.610
Thank you , Mr Jackson . You're next .

02:23:34.600 --> 02:23:36.680
Thank you , Chairman . Thank you .

02:23:36.680 --> 02:23:38.847
Ranking member Rogers and thank you to

02:23:38.847 --> 02:23:40.958
our witnesses air here today . I want

02:23:40.958 --> 02:23:42.958
to start by telling the witnesses I

02:23:42.958 --> 02:23:45.236
appreciate your service to our country .

02:23:45.236 --> 02:23:44.060
Thank you for everything that you've

02:23:44.060 --> 02:23:47.190
done . And I just wanna start by saying

02:23:47.190 --> 02:23:49.190
that , uh , you know , ever since a

02:23:49.190 --> 02:23:51.412
Kobe 19 has started , this pandemic has

02:23:51.412 --> 02:23:53.523
affected our military in a variety of

02:23:53.523 --> 02:23:55.357
ways . And I do believe that the

02:23:55.357 --> 02:23:57.579
response from the Department of Defense

02:23:57.579 --> 02:23:59.690
has not only saved countless civilian

02:23:59.690 --> 02:24:01.801
lives , but has also been really good

02:24:01.801 --> 02:24:04.023
in in regards to ensuring that we we've

02:24:04.023 --> 02:24:06.190
been safe all over the globe from from

02:24:06.190 --> 02:24:08.301
threats elsewhere simultaneously . So

02:24:08.301 --> 02:24:10.468
thank you for everything you've done .

02:24:10.468 --> 02:24:12.634
I want to just state a few facts . And

02:24:12.634 --> 02:24:14.690
then I wanna ask you a question that

02:24:14.690 --> 02:24:17.023
that I've received on several occasions ,

02:24:17.023 --> 02:24:15.850
that I don't feel like I have a good

02:24:15.850 --> 02:24:17.850
answer for , and I'll just start by

02:24:17.850 --> 02:24:20.072
saying that I think with regards to D o

02:24:20.072 --> 02:24:22.400
d The response to coronavirus began

02:24:22.400 --> 02:24:24.400
almost immediately . D o d provided

02:24:24.400 --> 02:24:26.400
approximately 200 beds at March Air

02:24:26.400 --> 02:24:28.178
Force Base for State Department

02:24:28.178 --> 02:24:30.400
officials who were evacuating from Asia

02:24:30.400 --> 02:24:33.340
Uh , Trans Transcom work to bring home

02:24:33.341 --> 02:24:35.341
nearly 4000 U . S citizens who were

02:24:35.341 --> 02:24:37.174
stranded overseas . It started a

02:24:37.174 --> 02:24:38.952
pandemic . Uh , this incredible

02:24:38.952 --> 02:24:41.174
response continued as the hospital ship

02:24:41.174 --> 02:24:43.119
comfort in the hospital ship Mercy

02:24:43.119 --> 02:24:45.230
provided humanitarian aid in New York

02:24:45.230 --> 02:24:47.230
and Los Angeles . As cases begin to

02:24:47.230 --> 02:24:49.180
surge later , we faced critical

02:24:49.180 --> 02:24:52.040
shortfalls in P p e d o d Once again

02:24:52.040 --> 02:24:54.970
answered the call by providing over

02:24:54.970 --> 02:24:57.900
2000 ventilators over five million in

02:24:57.900 --> 02:25:01.260
95 mask and other critical PPE on

02:25:01.261 --> 02:25:03.483
another well known aspect that I'd like

02:25:03.483 --> 02:25:05.720
to ask about with regards to d o D .

02:25:05.721 --> 02:25:07.990
Was operation warp speed D o d played

02:25:07.990 --> 02:25:10.212
an absolute critical role in developing

02:25:10.212 --> 02:25:12.320
the Kobe 19 response . As it is , it

02:25:12.320 --> 02:25:15.040
relates thio operation warp speed . Um ,

02:25:15.051 --> 02:25:17.560
these efforts continue . Uh , we

02:25:17.561 --> 02:25:19.672
continue with these types of effort .

02:25:19.672 --> 02:25:21.839
President Biden has now released a 200

02:25:21.839 --> 02:25:24.320
page national strategy for 19 response

02:25:24.590 --> 02:25:27.120
and pandemic preparedness . However , I

02:25:27.120 --> 02:25:29.300
think this plan to me looks looks

02:25:29.300 --> 02:25:31.467
familiar to what I've seen . A product

02:25:31.467 --> 02:25:33.689
of the Biden administration , the Biden

02:25:33.689 --> 02:25:35.860
plan aims to feel supply shortfalls by

02:25:35.860 --> 02:25:37.971
invoking the Defense Production Act ,

02:25:37.971 --> 02:25:40.193
which we've talked about briefly here .

02:25:40.193 --> 02:25:42.193
And I believe that's something that

02:25:42.193 --> 02:25:41.540
President Trump had already done is

02:25:41.540 --> 02:25:44.000
well . The Biden plan says that the D .

02:25:44.000 --> 02:25:46.111
O . D will bring logistical expertise

02:25:46.111 --> 02:25:47.944
and staff to support the Kobe 19

02:25:47.944 --> 02:25:49.778
response , which I think is also

02:25:49.778 --> 02:25:51.722
something that President Trump was

02:25:51.722 --> 02:25:54.056
quick to do . The Biden plan says the D .

02:25:54.056 --> 02:25:56.278
O . D . Will support State's efforts to

02:25:56.278 --> 02:25:58.611
provide DRD , Resource Is and personnel .

02:25:58.611 --> 02:26:00.500
And once again , I believe that's

02:26:00.500 --> 02:26:02.722
something that I've heard President say

02:26:02.722 --> 02:26:04.778
early on that was enacted quickly by

02:26:04.778 --> 02:26:06.778
President Trump as well . President

02:26:06.778 --> 02:26:09.000
Biden has rolled out his groundbreaking

02:26:09.000 --> 02:26:11.600
plan on his . He rolled this out on his

02:26:11.600 --> 02:26:13.850
first full day in office , Uh , but

02:26:13.850 --> 02:26:16.128
with reference to D . O D . Once again ,

02:26:16.128 --> 02:26:18.420
it sounded to me like the president

02:26:18.420 --> 02:26:20.860
Biden's plan was building on a lot of

02:26:20.860 --> 02:26:23.082
the great work that happened during the

02:26:23.082 --> 02:26:25.304
Trump administration . I think the good

02:26:25.304 --> 02:26:27.416
work should be acknowledged . I think

02:26:27.416 --> 02:26:26.970
it's become clear that President Trump

02:26:26.971 --> 02:26:28.804
and his administration responded

02:26:28.804 --> 02:26:30.971
effectively and decisively in the face

02:26:30.971 --> 02:26:33.138
of this pandemic . And I'm glad to see

02:26:33.138 --> 02:26:35.415
that Biden administration , in my mind ,

02:26:35.415 --> 02:26:37.582
is building on the on the successes of

02:26:37.582 --> 02:26:37.490
the Trump administration with regards

02:26:37.490 --> 02:26:39.657
to D . O . D s approach to this . Uh ,

02:26:39.657 --> 02:26:41.823
the question I have for you is I would

02:26:41.823 --> 02:26:43.768
like to ask each of you and we can

02:26:43.768 --> 02:26:45.768
start with Mr say say less If you'd

02:26:45.768 --> 02:26:48.680
like . I'd like Thio No , with regards

02:26:48.689 --> 02:26:51.870
to D o D . How are the operations in

02:26:51.870 --> 02:26:53.926
the Department of Defense ? How have

02:26:53.926 --> 02:26:55.537
they shifted under the Biden

02:26:55.537 --> 02:26:57.703
administration ? And could you outline

02:26:57.703 --> 02:26:59.814
what actions are now being taken that

02:26:59.814 --> 02:27:02.092
there were not being taken before ? Uh ,

02:27:02.092 --> 02:27:04.259
specifically with regards to d o . D .

02:27:04.259 --> 02:27:06.426
Under the Trump administration . Thank

02:27:06.426 --> 02:27:08.480
you , Congressman . Thanks for the

02:27:08.480 --> 02:27:10.290
question . Uh , the department

02:27:10.290 --> 02:27:12.068
obviously has a long history of

02:27:12.068 --> 02:27:13.957
supporting civil authorities . We

02:27:13.957 --> 02:27:16.068
continue to do that . A number of the

02:27:16.068 --> 02:27:18.123
initiatives under President Biden to

02:27:18.123 --> 02:27:20.068
include , uh , the initiative Thio

02:27:20.068 --> 02:27:22.390
established the mega and large vaccine

02:27:22.390 --> 02:27:24.612
centers to make sure that we're out the

02:27:24.612 --> 02:27:26.580
department as we already discussed

02:27:26.580 --> 02:27:29.030
today . There's community based support

02:27:29.030 --> 02:27:31.086
is being provided by the Guard , but

02:27:31.086 --> 02:27:33.086
the new mega and large centers will

02:27:33.086 --> 02:27:35.610
produce . Ah , lot of vaccine shots at

02:27:35.610 --> 02:27:38.520
the community level . We've also got

02:27:38.520 --> 02:27:40.950
initiatives underway , uh , with the

02:27:40.950 --> 02:27:43.006
new administration to make sure that

02:27:43.006 --> 02:27:45.061
all the mitigation measures the mask

02:27:45.061 --> 02:27:47.460
wearing the workforce protections and

02:27:47.460 --> 02:27:50.090
those types of activities are are being

02:27:50.100 --> 02:27:51.710
implemented effectively .

02:27:55.380 --> 02:27:57.491
Thank you , sir . I don't know if any

02:27:57.491 --> 02:27:59.713
other witnesses have anything to add to

02:27:59.713 --> 02:27:59.700
that . If not , I'll close up here .

02:28:02.070 --> 02:28:04.237
Well , I just I'll close , then . I'll

02:28:04.237 --> 02:28:06.459
just say I do want to thank you . Thank

02:28:06.459 --> 02:28:08.459
you all for what you've done . I do

02:28:08.459 --> 02:28:08.450
think that the Department of Defense

02:28:08.450 --> 02:28:10.690
has done an outstanding job in

02:28:10.690 --> 02:28:12.746
supporting the covert efforts across

02:28:12.746 --> 02:28:14.968
the country since the very beginning of

02:28:14.968 --> 02:28:17.079
this . I have full confidence that we

02:28:17.079 --> 02:28:19.246
will continue to do an outstanding job

02:28:19.246 --> 02:28:21.579
for our country and take care of us all .

02:28:21.579 --> 02:28:21.440
I appreciate everything you've done .

02:28:21.450 --> 02:28:23.450
And with that Mr Chairman , I yield

02:28:23.450 --> 02:28:26.490
back . Thank you , Mr Jackson . Mr .

02:28:26.490 --> 02:28:27.490
Moore .

02:28:31.870 --> 02:28:34.390
Thank you , Chairman . Um , many of the

02:28:34.400 --> 02:28:36.233
many of the questions I had were

02:28:36.233 --> 02:28:38.289
related to training and it's largely

02:28:38.289 --> 02:28:41.030
been addressed , so I will just briefly

02:28:41.030 --> 02:28:42.974
say thank you to the Department of

02:28:42.974 --> 02:28:44.970
Defense . I yesterday I had the

02:28:44.970 --> 02:28:47.150
opportunity to do an emergent or in my

02:28:47.150 --> 02:28:49.870
district with Hill Air Force Base . Um ,

02:28:49.870 --> 02:28:52.330
Kobe 19 . Response was their top item

02:28:52.330 --> 02:28:54.900
that they briefed me on and just had an

02:28:54.900 --> 02:28:57.170
incredible experiencing the breath of

02:28:57.170 --> 02:29:00.640
what goes on there . Um , the the the

02:29:00.650 --> 02:29:03.620
as we we explored and discussed the

02:29:03.620 --> 02:29:05.731
Copa 19 response and where things are

02:29:05.731 --> 02:29:07.953
at now , I'll just say that I'm hopeful

02:29:07.953 --> 02:29:10.120
that we can have a really strong focus

02:29:10.120 --> 02:29:13.110
on getting back to training on making

02:29:13.110 --> 02:29:15.480
sure that we make up for lost time with

02:29:15.489 --> 02:29:17.600
with the Wii that was required during

02:29:17.600 --> 02:29:20.640
the pandemic . Um , tiu build on that .

02:29:20.649 --> 02:29:22.649
It's a crucial part . It helps with

02:29:22.649 --> 02:29:24.820
morale on so many different factors ,

02:29:24.829 --> 02:29:27.051
especially interacting with our foreign

02:29:27.051 --> 02:29:29.107
partners as well . On DSO that's the

02:29:29.107 --> 02:29:31.162
That's the piece that I would , uh I

02:29:31.162 --> 02:29:33.710
would just wanna highlight , but also

02:29:33.720 --> 02:29:35.720
just comment on , you know how well

02:29:35.720 --> 02:29:37.998
they responded are deep our depot work .

02:29:38.470 --> 02:29:40.870
They were essential workers . They

02:29:40.880 --> 02:29:42.547
powered through and they kept

02:29:42.547 --> 02:29:44.658
operations going . I know that wasn't

02:29:44.658 --> 02:29:46.880
the case everywhere and been able to do

02:29:46.880 --> 02:29:46.520
it , but I was just really proud of

02:29:46.529 --> 02:29:48.751
Hillary for Space . Brand would do it .

02:29:48.751 --> 02:29:50.973
And across the department , um , did an

02:29:50.973 --> 02:29:53.029
exceptional job handling covitz . So

02:29:53.029 --> 02:29:55.251
thank you for all your good work and to

02:29:55.251 --> 02:29:57.307
the committee with that I yield back

02:30:00.460 --> 02:30:04.080
works . Thank you , Mr Moore . Mr .

02:30:04.080 --> 02:30:05.680
Fallon , Your turn .

02:30:08.560 --> 02:30:10.782
Thank you , Mr . Chairman , when we get

02:30:10.782 --> 02:30:14.770
down Thio this , uh , level all the

02:30:14.770 --> 02:30:16.714
good questions have been asked and

02:30:16.714 --> 02:30:18.437
answered . I want to thank the

02:30:18.437 --> 02:30:20.492
witnesses for their testimony . I do

02:30:20.492 --> 02:30:22.437
have to say an echo . What Admiral

02:30:22.437 --> 02:30:24.770
Jackson said Ronnie Jackson said , What ?

02:30:24.770 --> 02:30:27.330
I really do believe , um , the legacy

02:30:27.330 --> 02:30:29.330
of the Trump administration . Their

02:30:29.330 --> 02:30:31.274
finest hour will be warp speed . I

02:30:31.274 --> 02:30:33.274
think this will get us through this

02:30:33.274 --> 02:30:35.950
pandemic and be stronger as a nation

02:30:35.950 --> 02:30:38.117
because of it . And sometimes you just

02:30:38.117 --> 02:30:40.394
have to give credit where credit's due ,

02:30:40.394 --> 02:30:42.561
regardless of whether or not you agree

02:30:42.561 --> 02:30:43.950
or disagree with certain

02:30:43.950 --> 02:30:45.839
administration's policy . I think

02:30:45.839 --> 02:30:45.680
President Trump's administration did a

02:30:45.680 --> 02:30:47.920
fantastic job , and you have one quick

02:30:47.920 --> 02:30:51.210
question . Um , and it it was touched

02:30:51.210 --> 02:30:53.266
upon . But I just want to get a more

02:30:53.266 --> 02:30:55.430
specific answer . How is the

02:30:55.440 --> 02:30:57.720
contaminant A and or the cancelations

02:30:57.720 --> 02:30:59.887
of some of the exercises that we would

02:30:59.887 --> 02:31:01.942
have had with our foreign powers and

02:31:01.942 --> 02:31:03.831
allies , our foreign partners and

02:31:03.831 --> 02:31:05.860
friends rather have affected our

02:31:05.869 --> 02:31:08.260
efforts to strengthen the alliances and

02:31:08.270 --> 02:31:11.130
build our readiness both between it and

02:31:11.130 --> 02:31:13.890
really are efficacy and synergy with

02:31:13.900 --> 02:31:16.710
our allies . And I just wanted to ask

02:31:16.710 --> 02:31:20.290
the witnesses how the pandemic is

02:31:20.290 --> 02:31:23.860
affected . Thanks , Congressman . Is

02:31:23.860 --> 02:31:27.430
General Tolliver in the in the exercise

02:31:27.439 --> 02:31:29.950
overseas exercises the Joint force

02:31:29.950 --> 02:31:32.860
exercise program we talked about of the

02:31:32.860 --> 02:31:35.720
exercises that have been canceled or

02:31:35.721 --> 02:31:39.570
delayed and in those opportunities ,

02:31:39.570 --> 02:31:41.681
those training opportunities , we can

02:31:41.681 --> 02:31:43.970
further develop our partners . We can

02:31:43.971 --> 02:31:47.710
facilitate interoperability on DWI

02:31:47.710 --> 02:31:50.040
Kenbrell and strengthen relationships

02:31:50.040 --> 02:31:51.762
with our partners that , as we

02:31:51.762 --> 02:31:53.780
mentioned , have a wide variety of

02:31:53.780 --> 02:31:56.540
advantages . So we need to stay engaged

02:31:56.540 --> 02:31:59.520
with our partners going forward and

02:31:59.520 --> 02:32:01.687
strengthen those relationships through

02:32:01.687 --> 02:32:04.530
a variety of mechanisms . Congressman ,

02:32:04.530 --> 02:32:06.930
this is part of thank you , Bob Sayles .

02:32:06.931 --> 02:32:09.153
I just like to point out , although the

02:32:09.153 --> 02:32:12.270
the you know the physical engagement

02:32:12.280 --> 02:32:15.210
with our partners has been limited Ah ,

02:32:15.210 --> 02:32:17.400
lot of activity continues with our

02:32:17.410 --> 02:32:19.410
international partners through a

02:32:19.410 --> 02:32:21.400
combatant commands through the OSD

02:32:21.400 --> 02:32:24.360
staff with the with the allies and

02:32:24.360 --> 02:32:26.800
partners on a daily basis so that that

02:32:26.800 --> 02:32:28.578
contact is always there working

02:32:28.578 --> 02:32:30.890
together in that regard eso that is

02:32:30.890 --> 02:32:33.610
still very strong commitment from one

02:32:33.610 --> 02:32:36.820
another and congressman Major General

02:32:36.820 --> 02:32:39.170
Nordhaus , I'd also like to comment the

02:32:39.750 --> 02:32:41.861
state partnership program , which has

02:32:41.861 --> 02:32:44.040
are 54 states , partnered up with the

02:32:44.040 --> 02:32:46.450
other nations throughout the last year .

02:32:46.460 --> 02:32:48.640
Those nations have reached out Thio

02:32:48.650 --> 02:32:52.620
State , uh , to country and talk cove

02:32:52.620 --> 02:32:55.210
it and learn from each other s . Oh ,

02:32:55.210 --> 02:32:57.321
that's been very productive as well .

02:32:59.750 --> 02:33:01.972
It would be . Would it be fair to say ,

02:33:01.972 --> 02:33:04.810
once we have our troops vaccinated , it

02:33:04.810 --> 02:33:07.032
looks like from testimony that would be

02:33:07.032 --> 02:33:10.210
around July that come come the fall ,

02:33:10.210 --> 02:33:13.460
we're gonna be back up to , uh , pre co

02:33:13.460 --> 02:33:15.970
vid levels as faras training . And will

02:33:15.971 --> 02:33:18.193
this largely be in the rear view mirror

02:33:18.193 --> 02:33:21.340
and your professional opinion ? The

02:33:21.351 --> 02:33:23.462
congressman is General Tolliver , I'd

02:33:23.462 --> 02:33:25.518
say , certainly . Here in the United

02:33:25.518 --> 02:33:27.670
States , the services have already

02:33:27.681 --> 02:33:30.180
adapted and have returned a large

02:33:30.181 --> 02:33:33.200
training venues . Right now , today

02:33:33.200 --> 02:33:35.430
there's 3000 Marines training together

02:33:35.430 --> 02:33:38.840
down to 29 palms . Um , large force

02:33:38.840 --> 02:33:41.820
exercises and training is happening in

02:33:41.820 --> 02:33:44.280
the United States . Are overseas

02:33:44.280 --> 02:33:47.450
exercises frequently or dependent on

02:33:47.450 --> 02:33:49.990
the participation of our partners and

02:33:49.990 --> 02:33:52.430
whether they're able to attend whether

02:33:52.431 --> 02:33:55.130
they're able to participate . But even

02:33:55.141 --> 02:33:57.197
in opportunities where they're not ,

02:33:57.197 --> 02:33:59.450
our forces will continue to train and

02:33:59.450 --> 02:34:01.617
take advantage . Best weekend of those

02:34:01.617 --> 02:34:02.617
opportunities .

02:34:06.250 --> 02:34:08.528
Thank you , Mr Chairman . I yield back .

02:34:08.950 --> 02:34:10.810
Thank you . Uh , there are as I

02:34:10.811 --> 02:34:13.033
understand it . No further requests for

02:34:13.033 --> 02:34:15.200
time . I know we and also we went past

02:34:15.200 --> 02:34:17.422
the 1 30 hard stuff a little bit that I

02:34:17.422 --> 02:34:19.422
know some of you gentlemen had . So

02:34:19.422 --> 02:34:21.589
with that , I want to say thank you to

02:34:21.589 --> 02:34:21.440
the witnesses . Thanks for the

02:34:21.450 --> 02:34:23.561
questions , according continuing this

02:34:23.561 --> 02:34:25.783
discussion . And I appreciate you being

02:34:25.783 --> 02:34:27.660
here , and we are adjourned . Well .