Opening Statements

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, before the Subcommittee's hearing on the Fiscal Year 2021 science and technology posture:

"Thank you, Chairman Langevin. And thank you to the witnesses for being here today.

"I want to stress how important our investments in science and technology and the innovation ecosystem are to our national and economic security. The National Defense Science and Technology Strategy required by Congress, and submitted in October of 2019, rightly noted that 'technology will be the currency of future strategic competition.' This Strategy identified the major modernization priorities and set a course for continued investment, and most importantly, persistent focus and accountability inside the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and across the Services. I appreciate the Department's effort energizing the S&T enterprise around these critical technologies in order to enable our long-term preparedness for the future.

"There is recognition that the Department of Defense cannot meet this challenge alone. I applaud your efforts to bolster the defense innovation enterprise, through initiatives like the Defense Innovation Unit, AFWERX, Army Applications Lab, Army Open Campus, and Naval X. However, we must view the adoption and application of commercial technologies as the new normal, and not through the limited lens of a 'pilot program'. Many of the new technologies that are being adopted for military applications grew out of defense basic research, but were matured, commercialized, and fielded with private-sector investment. Disciplines like artificial intelligence, biotechology, autonomous systems, and additive manufacturing have advanced significantly because of the investment and collaboration across the innovation ecosystem, to include academia, industry, government, laboratories, and the venture capital community.

"I also firmly believe that science and technology is a team sport, and we must partner with our allies to develop the technologies and policies that will provide a Western, more responsible alternate to China's authoritarian approach. The Council of Foreign Relation's Task Force on Innovation concluded in their final report that, 'Slowing China down is not as effective as outpacing it.' With this challenge in mind, we must build the alliances and partnerships that will provide the investment, human capital, and shared research and development that can contest the goals of Made in China 2025.
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"However, I remain concerned that our S&T investments represent a small amount of our overall defense budget, and a decreasing percentage of our total RDT&E budget. In fact, last year this Congress added nearly $2 billion in science and technology funding to the FY20 defense appropriation to make up for the shortfall in the budget request. This Congress, and this committee particularly, recognize the importance of research and development to our long-term technological superiority. Any degradation in these investments places the U.S. at a competitive disadvantage, and more importantly, risks skipping a generation of domestic science and engineering expertise that is so desperately needed, and already in such short supply in disciplines like artificial intelligence, mathematics, computer science, and aerospace engineering.

"Finally, we cannot allow our own risk aversion or fear of failure to constrain our military from acquiring breakthrough technologies. Congress has made strides over the last several years to provide flexibility to the Department in experimentation, rapid innovation and acquisition, and outreach through public-private partnerships. I am particularly interested in understanding how these authorities are being utilized, and what more can be done to improve our defense innovation ecosystem.

"Thank you again to our witnesses, and I yield back to the Chairman."