Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s trip before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday headlines a busy slate of military budget hearings on Capitol Hill this week.
Both Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford will likely face questions not just on the fiscal 2017 budget request but a host of other national security topics under scrutiny from the committee, including military operations in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
A day earlier, the civilian and military heads of the four services will appear before the House Armed Services Committee to justify their individual budget priorities and field similar broad security questions.
Both the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees will tackle the issue of employee accountability again this week, with possible legislation to force senior VA executives into new hiring and promotion rules.
TuesdayHouse Appropriations — 9 a.m. — Capitol HT2
Member requests
The defense subcommittee will hear from other House members on their wish lists for the annual military budget.
Senate Armed Services — 10 a.m. — Russell 222
Military Readiness
The subcommittee on readiness will hear from service officials on training and equipping plans for the armed forces and how it relates to the fiscal 2017 budget request.
House Transportation — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2167
Coast Guard
Coast Guard officials will before the committee to testify about their fiscal 2017 budget request.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10 a.m. — Dirksen 419
Ukraine
State Department officials will appear before the committee to discuss Ukrainian reforms two years after Russian incursions into that country.
Senate Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — Dirksen 342
Visa programs
Committee members will hear from State Department and Homeland Security officials on risks and challenges with U.S. visa programs.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2172
Foreign assistance
Committee members will hear from USAID officials and outside experts on U.S. priorities and goals for foreign assistance programs.
House Armed Services — 10:15 a.m. — Rayburn 2118
Transportation Command
The subcommittee on readiness will hear from U.S. Transportation Command head Gen. Darren McDew on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
House Veterans’ Affairs — 10:30 a.m. — Cannon 334
Gulf war
The subcommittee on disability assistance will discuss veterans disability claims 25 years after the end of the first Gulf War.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — Capitol H309
NASA
Committee members will hear from NASA officials about the agency’s fiscal 2017 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 1:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2255
Cuba
The subcommittee on trade will hear from outside experts on U.S. relations with Cuba and the potential for trade opportunities.
Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 2:15 p.m. — Russell 418
Pending legislation
Committee members will discuss several pieces of pending legislation, including measures to speed up the benefits appeals process and new employment rules for senior VA executives.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Hart 216
Navy/Marine Corps posture
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Richardson and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller testify before the committee on the fiscal 2017 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 2:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2200
Overseas movements
Outside experts will testify before the subcommittee on emerging threats about U.S. policy towards national self-determination movements.
House Armed Services — 3:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2118
Space
Defense Department officials will appear before the committee to discuss space programs and the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
WednesdayHouse Armed Services — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2118
Service officials
The three service secretaries and four military chiefs will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — Dirksen G50
Legislative presentations
Committees will hear about annual legislative priorities from a host of veterans organizations, including Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Military Officers Association of America and the Fleet Reserve Association.
House Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — Cannon 311
Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security officials will testify before the committee on their fiscal 2017 budget request.
Senate Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — Dirksen 192
National Guard
Committee members will hear from Guard and Reserve officials on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
House Appropriations — 1 p.m. — Rayburn 2359
US AID
The subcommittee on foreign operations will review the fiscal 2017 budget request for the U.S. Agency for International Development.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2212
Cyber threats
The subcommittee on emerging threats will hear from U.S. Cyber Command officials on future threats and the fiscal 2017 budget request.
House Veterans’ Affairs — 2 p.m. — Cannon 334
Employment rules
The subcommittee on economic opportunity will review proposed changes to VA senior executive employment rules and workplace policies for medical hirees.
House Government Reform — 2 p.m. — Rayburn 2247
VA cybersecurity
The subcommittee on information technology will hear from VA officials on cybersecurity and oversight efforts.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Visitors Center 217
Closed hearing
Defense Department officials will brief committee members on global counterterrorism strategy.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — Russell 222
Unmanned aircraft
The subcommittee on airland will hear from service officials on unmanned aircraft procurement and the fiscal 2017 budget request.
House Armed Services — 3:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2118
Rotorcraft modernization
The subcommittee on tactical air forces will hear from service officials about rotorcraft modernization plans in the fiscal 2017 budget request.
House Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — Rayburn 2212
Afghanistan
The subcommittee on investigations will review military investments in Afghanistan and hear about weapons sustainment efforts for allies there.
ThursdaySenate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Dirksen G50
DOD budget
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford will testify before the committee on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
House Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — Rayburn 2118
Navy operations
The subcommittee on readiness will hear from Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michelle Howard and other service officials on the fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
House Science and Technology — 10 a.m. — Rayburn 2318
NASA
The subcommittee on space will hear from National Aeronautics and Space Administration on their fiscal 2017 defense budget request.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10 a.m. — Dirksen 419
Nuclear strategy
State Department officials will testify before the committee on the administration’s nuclear strategy and agenda.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — Capitol H140
Closed hearing
The subcommittee on defense will hear from U.S. Central Command officials on the fiscal 2017 budget request.
Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com.
