Amid global unrest and uncertainty caused by wars in the Middle East, Ukraine and other countries supported by the United States, President Joe Biden has proposed a $849.8 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2025.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testified at a congressional budget hearing in support of the president’s request.
“The price of U.S. leadership is real, but it is far lower than the price of U.S. abdication,” Austin expressed in his opening remarks. “As the president has said, we are in a global struggle between democracy and autocracy. Our security in these turbulent times relies on Americans’ strength of purpose.”
He chronicled the need for interventions worldwide.
“Since my first day as secretary of defense, I have been guided by three priorities: defending our nation, taking care of our people and succeeding through teamwork,” shared Austin. “President Biden’s FY 2025 budget request will advance all three of these overarching priorities, providing the most lethal fighting force on Earth with the means to defend the American people in turbulent times.”
Austin’s testimony prioritized the mention of military human service efforts expounded upon under the 2025 budget, which dedicates $1.2 billion to sexual assault prevention and response efforts, including building a full-time workforce of over 2,500 dedicated prevention personnel.
“Doing right by our people is a readiness imperative. This budget request therefore will enable the department to invest in significant additional quality-of-life improvements, military pay raises, and benefits for our outstanding service members and their families,” said Austin. “Furthermore, it helps to implement historic military-justice reforms, counter the scourge of sexual assault, build positive command climates, and deepen our efforts to prevent suicide in our ranks.”
Suicide prevention strategies received a $547 million investment to reinforce and expand support initiatives. In addition to a $2.3 billion allotment for the construction of barracks, dormitories, medical clinics and child care facilities and $2 billion for family housing construction.
“This budget is threat-informed and built to ensure that our strategic planning, resource distribution, and capability development are responsive to current challenges as well as future threats,” said General Charles Q. Brown Jr. of the U.S. Air Force, who currently chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense.
Combating Global Threats, Cyber Hackers
Brown outlined the country’s commitment to modernizing technology and weaponry needed for homeland security to combat threats developing globally. In the process, four countries were highlighted as areas of extreme concern; the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia, North Korea and Iran.
“The PRC is the only state with the intent as well as the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to reshape its region and the global order,” Brown attested.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the country has been forced to take numerous actions against Chinese state-sponsored cyber hackers known as the Advanced Persistent Threat Group (APT) 31. The organization is connected to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and has allegedly targeted U.S officials, politicians and campaign officials, and various U.S. economic and defense entities.
“The PRC’s increasingly aggressive military actions in the South China Sea; actions to assist Russia, North Korea, and Iran; and increasing economic influence around the globe threaten to destabilize the global security environment,” Brown wrote, declaring that $14.8 billion would be devoted to improving cyber strategy. “The PRC continues to expand military capabilities across multiple domains. We are entering a decisive decade where the PRC is challenging the future of the international order and the United States’ place in the world.”
He went on to highlight Russia’s threat to European stability in pursuit of Ukraine, North Korea’s growing nuclear program and Iran’s backing of the Hamas terrorist group as an interconnected challenge requiring a strategic approach.
The FY 2025 budget allocates $167.5 billion towards procurement of defense materials across every domain.
“Our air power will be elevated through a fleet of advanced fighter aircraft, the B-21 bomber, and tanker aircraft. Our sea power is strengthened with the construction of six battle force ships as well as the continued production of Ford-class aircraft carriers and Columbia ballistic missile submarines,” Brown stated. “Our combat force in the land domain will be modernized and reinforced with the most advanced equipment available including the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, Amphibious Combat Vehicle, and the XM30 Combat Vehicle.”
Brown also mentioned autonomous systems would be developed and expanded upon so that uncrewed ships could advance operations and reach internationally while mitigating unforeseen risks. Precisely $143.2 billion of the FY 2025 budget will focus on research, development, tests and evaluation to promote positions of advantage.
Addressing Gaza, Looking Ahead
While the two leaders look to the year ahead with hope, it’s clear the perils of today are still ever pressing and prominent among civilians. Austin’s report was disrupted by pro-Palestinenan protesters with passionate calls for a cease-fire.
“How many children have to die for you to be satisfied,” shouted the demonstrator before being escorted out by Capitol Police. “Enough killing my people, stop bombing Gaza.”
Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ariz.) adamantly questioned Austin in response to the outburst, requesting a direct answer as to whether or not Israel “greenlit genocide in Gaza.”
Austin responded, saying, “We do not have any evidence of genocide to my knowledge.”
He also refused to denote the attacks by Hamas as genocide but instead agreed that it could be considered a “war crime.”
“If Israel wants to create lasting effects, then it must address the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. Not in a marginal way but in a meaningful way,” Austin said. “We continue to encourage Israeli leadership. I talk to my partner on a weekly basis.”
As it stands, a national security supplement would provide $60 billion in assistance to Ukraine and $14.1 billion to Israel. The bill passed in the Senate 70-29 and currently awaits approval from the House of Representatives.
“We committed to helping Israel in defending its territory and its people by providing security assistance,” Austin said. “What happened on October 7 was horrible, numbers of Israeli citizens killed and a couple of hundred or Israeli citizens taken hostage and Americans as well.”
On April 1, an Israeli airstrike killed 16 people and demolished an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria. In response, Iran launched an attack on Israel over the weekend, and Biden reportedly called Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D) to discuss the urgent need for the House of Representatives to pass the national security supplemental as soon as possible.
In conclusion, Austin shared, “The single greatest way that Congress can continue to support the Department of Defense is to pass predictable, sustained and timely appropriations.”