Today, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Chairwoman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, on the Subcommittee's Markup. For information and to watch the markup click here.
"I am very pleased to welcome everyone here today for the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities Mark Up for the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.
I would like to begin by thanking all of the members of the subcommittee for their contributions and enthusiastic participation in the hearings, briefings, and congressional delegations that we have held during the past several months.
We have taken a deliberate look at some very significant issues within the subcommittee's purview, and we have done so in a united and bipartisan manner. I thank each of my colleagues on the subcommittee for their hard work and support.
The Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee mark this year focuses on ensuring our technological superiority by providing the policies and programs that will:
• Energize our Science and Technology enterprise
• Infuse the Department with a culture of innovation
• Strengthen our cyber warfare capabilities
• Safeguard our critical infrastructure
• Provide support for our Special Operations Forces at home and abroad
• Provide resources and authorities to counter terrorism
• Review and advance our preparedness to counter weapons of mass destruction.
I am especially proud of what the subcommittee has been able to achieve this year in reviewing and understanding adversarial threats, most notably from China and Russia, while also maintaining our focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, directed energy, hypersonics, synthetic biology, and robotics. Our emphasis on science and technology carries two broad themes:
First, the Mark better organizes the Department of Defense to oversee, accelerate, and integrate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning across the defense enterprise. The mark will establish an AI policy and oversight council, and conduct a thorough review of the wide-ranging military applications of this decisive technology.
These provisions carry many of the themes of the stand-alone Artificial Intelligence legislation, H.R. 5356, that would establish a National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, a bill introduced by myself, and co-sponsored by Ranking Member Langevin and several members of the subcommittee.
Second, the Mark builds upon previous NDAA's and advances prototyping and testing of directed energy weapons and hypersonic vehicles, and accelerates the operational employment of these technologies. These steps will ensure our competitive advantage against near-peer and peer adversaries, and maintain our superiority in these fields.
In addition to the science and technology provisions, the Mark strengthens our whole of government cybersecurity posture by establishing a pilot program that allows for improved coordination between the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to prevent and respond to cyber-attacks against our critical infrastructure.
The Mark also reinforces international partnerships in cyber warfare to counter aggressive adversaries such as Russia, China, and North Korea. This includes support for our NATO partners to enhance partnered cyber capabilities and information sharing. The Mark also recommends fully resourcing US. Cyber Command and service cyber programs and activities, and tightening the Department of Defense requirement to notify congress in the event of cyber intrusions that expose the personal information of our service members.
The Mark before our members today also authorizes U.S. Special Operations Command's programs and activities, including ongoing efforts in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and Eastern Europe. We extend authority for critical personnel recovery programs and strengthen congressional oversight of ongoing counterterrorism and sensitive activities. The mark will also streamline the Department's oversight of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction by creating a single, principle advisor to the Secretary of Defense for these activities.
To build upon the success of Family Support and Mental and Behavioral Health programs within U.S. Special Operations Command, which this subcommittee has championed in previous years, we are encouraging the Department of Defense to examine how the most successful elements of the programs can be scaled to the broader force to ensure our service members and their families are receiving the best care possible.
We are also directing the Secretary to review professionalism and ethics programs across the Special Operations Forces, to better understand any impact from the very high op tempo after nearly 17 years of war. We recognize much of this burden has been carried by our SOF warriors.
Before moving along, I would like to take a moment to extend my sincere appreciation to the Ranking Member, Congressman Jim Langevin of Rhode Island. Jim, it has been a true honor working with you on these vital issues, and I look forward to continuing our bipartisan efforts together.
I would also like to thank the committee staff who have worked so diligently on this Mark, including Staff Lead Peter Villano, Professional Staff Members Eric Snelgrove, Katie Sutton, Lindsay Kavanaugh, and Jamie Jackson, our Clerk Nevada Schadler, and our Fellow Dr. Mark Pepple."
