Press Release
☷Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H Hicks and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Christopher W Grady Opening Remarks on the Department of Defense F Y 2025 Budget Request
U.S. Department of Defense ( By Press Release office)
Mar 15,2024
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DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE KATHLEEN HICKS: Awesome . Thanks , Eric , and good afternoon , everyone . It ' s great to be here today with Admiral Grady to talk about President Biden ' s defense budget request for Fiscal Year ' 25 . Before we dive in , I want to acknowledge that Congress hasn ' t passed the F . Y . ' 24 defense budget yet . This is a big problem for our national defense and global security . Last year , we put together a budget that aligned perfectly with our defense priorities and strategies . We worked hard to strengthen our national defense against emerging threats . The F . Y . ' 24 budget focuses on countering the People ' s Republic of China and ensuring a strong and capable Joint Force . It also invests in our amazing personnel , making sure they have what they need to fulfill their mission . But unfortunately , Congress ' s failure to pass the budget has really hindered our ability to execute our strategy . We ' ve been stuck with Continuing Resolutions , which limit our progress and make it difficult to address new security challenges . We can ' t keep going through this cycle of Continuing Resolutions . And we can ' t keep putting off the funding request to support Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression . STAFF: Hey everyone , good afternoon . Thanks for joining us for this kickoff event as we introduce President Biden ' s F . Y . ' 25 budget request for the Department of Defense . Today , we have Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Christopher Grady with us . Deputy Secretary Hicks will start off with some opening comments , followed by Admiral Grady . After that , we ' ll open up for questions from the audience . So , I ' ll hand it over to Deputy Secretary Hicks now . We can ' t keep delaying approved funding for Israel and humanitarian aid in Gaza , or overlook the opportunity to support our allies in the Indo - Pacific . Congress needs to come together , as the world is watching our actions . It ' s important that we make progress in strengthening our national security and democracy , as our adversaries are watching closely . We must continue to invest in our military capabilities and ensure our forces are well - equipped to deter threats . The budget for fiscal year 2025 focuses on readiness and taking care of our personnel , but we need to increase defense spending in the future to meet the goals of our National Defense Strategy . Our budget reflects our priorities and was determined through a rigorous process involving input from all levels of the Department of Defense . Together , we are focused on meeting the needs of our warfighters and investing in the future . We ' re also increasing our investments in manufacturing and improving our supply chains to make sure we can deliver what our troops need on time . The F . Y . ' 25 budget request includes a big investment in the submarine industry to boost production and reduce backlogs . We ' re working with Congress to get the authorities we need to get the right capabilities to our troops and allies . Multiyear procurement is a key tool for this , and we ' ve already awarded some contracts for it . Our investments also focus on strengthening relationships with our allies and partners , and supporting our servicemembers , military families , and civilians . As Secretary Austin mentioned , their success is crucial to our success in defending the nation . That ' s super important because Secretary Austin and I have been stressing the need to be innovative from day one . A big part of innovation is figuring out how to overcome the challenges that slow us down in getting important capabilities to our troops quickly and efficiently . That ' s where Replicator comes in , with its focus on developing autonomous systems for all domains . We ' re also continuing to invest in research , technology , AI , and space capabilities , even with budget limitations . For example , we ' re putting a lot of money into space to keep it safe for military , civilian , and commercial uses . That ' s why this budget is all about making sure our servicemembers and their families are taken care of . It includes things like pay raises for our troops , improvements to housing and childcare , and efforts to combat issues like sexual assault and suicide . We also recently achieved a clean audit in the Marine Corps , showing our commitment to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars . It ' s important that we continue to improve our processes and systems to effectively support our warfighters . But in order to do all of this , we need consistent and timely funding . We can ' t afford to waste any more time . We ' re asking Congress to pass this budget request , as well as last year ' s and the national security supplemental , with the urgency needed to prioritize our nation ' s defense . With the right resources , we can meet our defense priorities and stay ahead of our competitors . Thank you . ADMIRAL CHRIS GRADY: Thank you for your leadership , Secretary Hicks . It ' s an honor to represent the 2 . 1 million soldiers , sailors , airmen , Marines , and Guardians as we discuss the Department of Defense ' s fiscal year 2025 budget request . Our budget focuses on national security through deterrence , campaigning , and building lasting advantages to defend the homeland and deter aggression . We ' re also modernizing the Joint Force to meet future challenges . Our budget prioritizes investments in nuclear and missile defense , space capabilities , and cyber activities . It also supports readiness initiatives , exercises , and innovation to strengthen our alliances and support critical theaters like INDOPACOM and Europe . Lastly , we ' re investing in our people and supporting the defense industrial base to maintain our advantage . STAFF: Now , let ' s move on to questions . Tara Copp from A . P . , go ahead . Q: Hi , Secretary Hicks . First , I wanted to ask about Ukraine . A senior defense official mentioned that the DOD is about $10 billion short when it comes to supporting Ukraine . How do you plan to replenish that and get the necessary munition stocks without a supplemental budget or another continuing resolution ( C . R . ) ? And Admiral Grady , could you talk about the impact of another C . R . on ship availability and readiness for the forces? As we wait for the FY ' 24 appropriations , I just want to remind everyone that it ' s crucial for the Joint Force to receive sufficient , timely , sustained , and predictable funding in order to maintain and improve our advantages . Having a predictable and routine budget will ensure that we can meet the nation ' s national security needs . While we currently have a strategic advantage , our competitors and adversaries are still advancing their capabilities , so we need to continue adapting , advancing , and innovating , with a focus on China and Russia . Our budget aligns with our strategy , investing in key areas to deter our strategic competitors . With the necessary resources and investments , the Joint Force will remain the most capable force in the world . Thank you for joining us today , and thank you , Madam Secretary , for your leadership . It ' s an honor to represent the commitment and dedication of our entire Joint Force . DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: Thank you for bringing up the supplemental and the $10 billion replenishment for Ukraine . We don ' t have an alternative plan at the moment , other than securing the supplemental funding or including that money in an appropriation bill . Right now , our focus is on making a strong case to the American people about the importance of the supplemental , which supports the U . S . economy and our warfighters . It ' s crucial for timely munitions availability in times of crisis . STAFF: Sure . Next question from Mike Stone at Reuters . Q: So , what happens if we don ' t get the replenishment? We don ' t get the $10 billion . ADM . GRADY: I think any adversary should take note of a few things in this budget . Firstly , the continued funding for the nuclear enterprise and the modernization of the Nuclear Triad . It shows our strong commitment to this mission area . Secondly , the focus on space . As we look to the future and where we can gain an advantage , space will be one of our key strengths along with the undersea domain . So , I think we need to take a good look at what we ' re doing in space . And also , the readiness aspect is important - with 147 billion out of 849 being allocated to it , we ' re definitely prepared for any fight that may come our way . As for the $500 million for Taiwan in the budget , it ' s a first and it ' s meant to support our authority for a Presidential drawdown . It ' s a reasonable amount that fits within our budget cap . And in terms of lessons from the Ukraine war , we ' re looking at investments in both manned and unmanned systems , particularly focusing on delivering effects on the battlefield . The Joint Requirements Oversight Council is constantly assessing capability gaps and making recommendations based on those . And the work of the Joint Counter UAS Office is also reflecting the evolving situation in the Middle East . STAFF: We ' re almost out of time , so let ' s wrap it up there . DEPUTY SECRETARY HICKS: So , the Fiscal Responsibility Act is the law and we see it as an opportunity to get timely appropriations . Our priority is to have on time , adequate , and appropriate appropriations . The debate over the budget will inevitably happen in Congress , and we look forward to engaging with them . But what ' s most important to us is reaching a bipartisan agreement that produces appropriations . If that means following the FRA , then we ' re okay with that . We also believe we need growth in future years to make our strategy work , especially for long - term investments beyond 2030 . I just want to say thanks to everyone for coming , including Deputy Secretary Hicks and Vice Chairman Grady . Really appreciate it , guys .
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