Capitol Hill will see a parade of top military officials this week, led by a pair of appearances by the defense secretary and featuring top leaders from each of the services.
A dozen military budget posture hearings are scheduled between Tuesday and Thursday before the armed services and appropriations committees in both chambers. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Joint Chiefs Chairman will appear at two of them, following their testimony before the House Appropriations Committee last week.
The hearings blitz comes ahead of a scheduled two-week break starting April 1 for lawmakers in both chambers. When Congress returns, lawmakers will put the final touches on their own budget plans for fiscal 2024, expected to be released in late spring for the House and early summer for the Senate.
Congress has until Oct. 1 to pass a new budget for federal operations for next fiscal year, but lawmakers in both chambers have said they hope to start negotiations on the work much earlier, given the expected friction over plans put forth by the House Freedom Caucus in the Republican-led House and the ones to be offered by Democrats in the majority in the Senate.
House Armed Services — 9 a.m. — Rayburn 2212
Nuclear Forces
Defense and Energy Department officials will testify on U.S. nuclear weapon and warhead modernization and sustainment plans.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Defense Budget Request
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley will testify on the White House’s fiscal 2024 budget request for military operations.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Transportation Command
Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, head of Transportation Command, will testify on the fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — Capitol H-140
Air Force/Space Force Budget
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, and Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman will testify on the fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2362-A Rayburn
Cybersecurity Budget
Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, will testify on the fiscal 2024 budget request.
Senate Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 192 Dirksen
Navy/Marine Corps Budget
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger will testify on current operations and the fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Pending Legislation
The committee will consider several pending bills.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10:30 a.m. — 419 Dirksen
Human Rights
Outside experts will testify on global efforts to protect human rights.
House Appropriations — 2 p.m. — Capitol H-140
Army Budget
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville will testify on the Army’s fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Oversight — 2 p.m. — 2154 Rayburn
Progressivism in the Military
The committee will discuss force readiness and the impact of diversity initiatives on military training.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 232-A Russell
Navy/Marine Corps Investment
Federick Stephany, acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development, will testify on service investment goals and the fiscal 2024 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 4:45 p.m. — 222 Russell
Regional Nuclear Deterrence
Outside experts will testify on U.S. nuclear deterrence strategy and areas of potential improvements.
Wednesday, March 29
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — 222 Russell
Cybersecurity
John Sherman, Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense, and Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, director of the Defense Informations System Agency, will testify on department cybersecurity efforts.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Pending Legislation
The committee will consider several pending measures.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — Capitol H-140
Navy/Marine Corps Budget
Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger will testify on current operations and the fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2362-A Rayburn
Homeland Security Budget
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify on his department’s fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2007 Rayburn
VA Budget
VA Secretary Denis McDonough will testify on the White House’s fiscal 2024 request for his department.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Ukraine Assistance
Defense Department Inspector General Robert Storch will testify on oversight of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Defense Budget
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley will testify on the White House’s fiscal 2024 budget request for military operations.
House Veterans' Affairs — 1:30 p.m. — 2253 Rayburn
Pending Legislation
The committee will consider several pending measures.
Senate Appropriations — 1:30 p.m. — 192 Dirksen
Homeland Security Budget
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify on his department’s fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Armed Services — 3 p.m. — 2212 Rayburn
Personnel Posture
Service personnel officials will testify on quality of life issues and the fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Armed Services — 3:30 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Fixed-Wing Aircraft
F-35 Program Executive Officer Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt and other service officials will testify on fixed-wing tactical and training aircraft programs.
Thursday, March 30
House Armed Services — 8:30 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Cyberspace Operations
Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command, will testify on current operations and the fiscal 2024 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 9:30 a.m. — 390 Cannon
Pending Legislation
The committee will consider several pending measures.
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Army Posture
Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville will testify on the Army’s fiscal 2024 budget request.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10:30 a.m. — 419 Dirksen
Nominations
The committee will consider several pending nominations, including Nicole Theriot to be ambassador to Guyana.
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.
