March comes in like a lion for congressional military and veterans work, with nearly 30 hearings scheduled this week on a host of budget and policy topics.
Both Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie return to Capitol Hill this week to talk about their priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, this time before different lawmakers probing the same budget priorities.
Leaders from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force will also make appearances this week to talk about their service specific needs. Their hearings will take place both before the appropriators debating the fiscal 2021 totals and the policy lawmakers looking at what to include in the annual defense authorization bill.
Beyond the defense-specific hearings, lawmakers have also tentatively scheduled several hearings on the spread of the coronavirus, which has implications for military bases both abroad and domestically.
Tuesday, March 3
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — 216 Hart
Air Force Budget
Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Veteran retirees
Department officials will testify on preparations for increasing numbers of retiring veterans in America and their support needs.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
USAID Budget
Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Nuclear Nonproliferation Challenges
Outside experts will testify on nuclear challenges posed by Iran, North Korea and other foreign adversaries.
House Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — 310 Cannon
Homeland Security Budget
Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 10:30 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Army Budget
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — Capitol H-143
Military Housing
Private-sector housing contractors will testify on changes to military housing policy in the wake of maintenance and upkeep scandals last year.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Air Force/Space Force Budget
Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Shon Manasco, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson and Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 2 p.m. — Dirksen G50
VSO presentations
The committee will hear the legislative priorities for the year of numerous veterans groups, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Student Veterans of America.
House Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Nuclear Forces Budget
National Nuclear Security Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty and other defense officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 232-A Russell
Arctic Readiness
Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, head of U.S. Northern Command, will testify on challenges facing national Arctic readiness policy.
House Appropriations — 3 p.m. — Capitol H140
National Guard/Reserves
The leaders of the National Guard Bureau and service reserves will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Wednesday, March 4
Senate Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 222 Russell
Navy Shipbuilding
Navy officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget and their shipbuilding plans for upcoming years.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn Bldg.
Air Force/Space Force Budget
Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Shon Manasco, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson and Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 192 Dirksen
National Guard/Reserves
The leaders of the National Guard Bureau and service reserves will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 216 Hart
Foreign military students
Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, will testify on new vetting rules for international military students.
House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — Dirksen G50
VFW
The Veterans of Foreign Wars will testify on their legislative priorities for the upcoming year.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — 2362-B Rayburn
VA Budget
VA Secretary Robert Wilkie will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Appropriations — 11 a.m. — Capitol H140
Navy/Marine Corps Budget
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berge will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Appropriations — 2 p.m. — 2362-B Rayburn
National Nuclear Security
National Nuclear Security Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty and other defense officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Navy Force Projection Budget
Naval officials will testify on seapower and projection forces priorities in the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Cyber Command
Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command, will testify on cyber security issues and the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Hart 216
Defense budget
Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Appropriations — 3 p.m. — Capitol H-140
Space Force
Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson will testify on organizational plans for the new agency.
Thursday, March 5
House Veterans' Affairs — 9 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Health Record Modernization
VA officials will testify on delays in the new electronic health record program.
House Appropriations — 9 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
Military health
The service surgeon generals will testify on military health challenges and budget needs.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Dirksen G50
Navy budget
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berge will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Ground Modernization Programs
Army and Marine Corps officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget and ground forces’ modernization needs.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — 216 Hart
Air Force Budget
Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Veteran retirees
Department officials will testify on preparations for increasing numbers of retiring veterans in America and their support needs.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
USAID Budget
Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — 2172 Rayburn
Nuclear Nonproliferation Challenges
Outside experts will testify on nuclear challenges posed by Iran, North Korea and other foreign adversaries.
House Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — 310 Cannon
Homeland Security Budget
Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 10:30 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Army Budget
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — Capitol H-143
Military Housing
Private-sector housing contractors will testify on changes to military housing policy in the wake of maintenance and upkeep scandals last year.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Air Force/Space Force Budget
Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Shon Manasco, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson and Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 2 p.m. — Dirksen G50
VSO presentations
The committee will hear the legislative priorities for the year of numerous veterans groups, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Student Veterans of America.
House Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Nuclear Forces Budget
National Nuclear Security Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty and other defense officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 232-A Russell
Arctic Readiness
Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, head of U.S. Northern Command, will testify on challenges facing national Arctic readiness policy.
House Appropriations — 3 p.m. — Capitol H140
National Guard/Reserves
The leaders of the National Guard Bureau and service reserves will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Wednesday, March 4
Senate Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 222 Russell
Navy Shipbuilding
Navy officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget and their shipbuilding plans for upcoming years.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m., 2118 Rayburn Bldg.
Air Force/Space Force Budget
Acting Under Secretary of the Air Force Shon Manasco, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson and Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 192 Dirksen
National Guard/Reserves
The leaders of the National Guard Bureau and service reserves will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 216 Hart
Foreign military students
Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, will testify on new vetting rules for international military students.
House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — Dirksen G50
VFW
The Veterans of Foreign Wars will testify on their legislative priorities for the upcoming year.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — 2362-B Rayburn
VA Budget
VA Secretary Robert Wilkie will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Appropriations — 11 a.m. — Capitol H140
Navy/Marine Corps Budget
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berge will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Appropriations — 2 p.m. — 2362-B Rayburn
National Nuclear Security
National Nuclear Security Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty and other defense officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Navy Force Projection Budget
Naval officials will testify on seapower and projection forces priorities in the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Cyber Command
Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command, will testify on cyber security issues and the fiscal 2021 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Hart 216
Defense budget
Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Appropriations — 3 p.m. — Capitol H-140
Space Force
Space Force Vice Commander Lt. Gen. David Thompson will testify on organizational plans for the new agency.
Thursday, March 5
House Veterans' Affairs — 9 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Health Record Modernization
VA officials will testify on delays in the new electronic health record program.
House Appropriations — 9 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
Military health
The service surgeon generals will testify on military health challenges and budget needs.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Dirksen G50
Navy budget
Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berge will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget request.
House Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Ground Modernization Programs
Army and Marine Corps officials will testify on the fiscal 2021 budget and ground forces’ modernization needs.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
