Defense hearings: Ash Carter defends the DOD budget ask

Defense Secretary Ash Carter's trip before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday headlines a busy slate of military budget hearings on Capitol Hill this week.

Both Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford will likely face questions not just on the fiscal 2017 budget request but a host of other national security topics under scrutiny from the committee, including military operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

A day earlier, the civilian and military heads of the four services will appear before the House Armed Services Committee to justify their individual budget priorities and field similar broad security questions.

Both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs committees will tackle the issue of employee accountability again this week, with possible legislation to force senior VA executives into new hiring and promotion rules.

Member requests

The defense subcommittee will hear from other House members on their wish lists for the annual military budget.

Military Readiness

The subcommittee on readiness will hear from service officials on training and equipping plans for the armed forces and how it relates to the fiscal 2017 budget request.

Coast Guard

Coast Guard officials will before the committee to testify about their fiscal 2017 budget request.

Ukraine

State Department officials will appear before the committee to discuss Ukrainian reforms two years after Russian incursions into that country.

Visa programs

Committee members will hear from State Department and Homeland Security officials on risks and challenges with U.S. visa programs.

Foreign assistance

Committee members will hear from USAID officials and outside experts on U.S. priorities and goals for foreign assistance programs.

Transportation Command

The subcommittee on readiness will hear from U.S. Transportation Command head Gen. Darren McDew on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

Gulf war

The subcommittee on disability assistance will discuss veterans disability claims 25 years after the end of the first Gulf War.

NASA

Committee members will hear from NASA officials about the agency's fiscal 2017 budget request.

Cuba

The subcommittee on trade will hear from outside experts on U.S. relations with Cuba and the potential for trade opportunities.

Pending legislation

Committee members will discuss several pieces of pending legislation, including measures to speed up the benefits appeals process and new employment rules for senior VA executives.

Navy/Marine Corps posture

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Richardson and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller testify before the committee on the fiscal 2017 budget request.

Overseas movements

Outside experts will testify before the subcommittee on emerging threats about U.S. policy towards national self-determination movements.

Space

Defense Department officials will appear before the committee to discuss space programs and the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

Service officials

The three service secretaries and four military chiefs will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

Legislative presentations

Committees will hear about annual legislative priorities from a host of veterans organizations, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Military Officers Association of America and the Fleet Reserve Association.

Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Security officials will testify before the committee on their fiscal 2017 budget request.

National Guard

Committee members will hear from Guard and Reserve officials on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

US AID

The subcommittee on foreign operations will review the fiscal 2017 budget request for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Cyber threats

The subcommittee on emerging threats will hear from U.S. Cyber Command officials on future threats and the fiscal 2017 budget request.

Employment rules

The subcommittee on economic opportunity will review proposed changes to VA senior executive employment rules and workplace policies for medical hirees.

VA cybersecurity

The subcommittee on information technology will hear from VA officials on cybersecurity and oversight efforts.

Closed hearing

Defense Department officials will brief committee members on global counterterrorism strategy.

Unmanned aircraft

The subcommittee on airland will hear from service officials on unmanned aircraft procurement and the fiscal 2017 budget request.

Rotorcraft modernization

The subcommittee on tactical air forces will hear from service officials about rotorcraft modernization plans in the fiscal 2017 budget request.

Afghanistan

The subcommittee on investigations will review military investments in Afghanistan and hear about weapons sustainment efforts for allies there.

DOD budget

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

Navy operations

The subcommittee on readiness will hear from Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michelle Howard and other service officials on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

NASA

The subcommittee on space will hear from National Aeronautics and Space Administration on their fiscal 2017 defense budget request.

Nuclear strategy

State Department officials will testify before the committee on the administration's nuclear strategy and agenda.

Closed hearing

The subcommittee on defense will hear from U.S. Central Command officials on the fiscal 2017 budget request.

Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com.

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