Today, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the Subcommittee's hearing titled "Reviewing Department of Defense Strategy, Policy, and Programs for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction for Fiscal Year 2020."
"Thank you, Jim. And thank you to the witnesses for being here today.
"Inside the Department of Defense, and especially within Special Operations Command, we often hear of "no fail missions". And while I appreciate this mentality, I cannot think of a mission more appropriate for this type of resolve and determination than the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction problem set. While the Department of Defense faces urgent challenges on a daily basis, we can never afford to lose sight of, or be distracted from, the critically important mission of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction.
"In February, this committee received testimony from the Government Accountability Office and Intelligence Community on Long-Range Emerging Threats Facing the United States. One of the most alarming findings was the continuing trend of technological advances allowing a wider range of actors to acquire sophisticated capabilities that were once only within reach of well-resourced nation states. This democratization of technology has significantly increased the threat posed by advancements in gene editing and synthetic biology.
"We need only look to China to witness the risks posed by rogue gene editing scientists that lack the oversight and moral compass, but possess the expertise and technology to circumvent international guidelines and standards.
"I appreciate the daily focus that the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, U.S. Special Operations Command, OSD-Policy, Acquisition and Sustainment, and countless other organizations across the Department are providing to prevent, prepare, and respond to CWMD events across the globe. This is especially relevant in recent years, as Syria, North Korea, and Russia have all used chemical weapons to intimidate and devastate civilian populations or for calculated political assassinations. The pursuit, proliferation, and potential use of weapons of mass destruction remains a high-consequence threat that we must plan for.
"The Department has tools and resources at its disposal to help prevent the development, proliferation, use, and effects of weapons of mass destruction. I am pleased to see a five percent increase in the FY20 President's Budget for these activities, which include:
- Chemical and biological defense detection and protection capabilities,
- Chemical Demilitarization programs to reduce our own stockpiles and set a positive example on the world stage, and
- Cooperative Threat Reduction program which proactively partners with foreign countries to prevent proliferation of materials, technologies, and expertise that could pose a WMD threat.
"Finally, I am interested to hear from our witnesses today how recent efforts to streamline and provide additional leadership and accountability to this problem set have taken shape. Specifically, the establishment of the Unity of Effort Council, the maturation of U.S. Special Operations Command in the new role of Coordinating Authority, and DTRA's integration of the Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization.
"Thank you again to our witnesses, and I yield back to the Chairman."
