Contact: Josh Holly-202.226.3988
Everett Opening Statement for Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request for America’s Space Activities
Washington, D.C. – Today, Strategic Forces Subcommittee Ranking Republican Terry Everett (R-AL) released the following opening statement for the subcommittee’s hearing on the Fiscal Year 2009 budget request for space activities:
“I also want to extend a warm welcome to our witnesses for appearing before us today. Welcome back General Kehler and congratulations on your new position. I am privileged to welcome Mr. Payton and Mr. Large in your first appearances before this subcommittee.
“Let me start by congratulating our witnesses for their efforts in successfully intercepting a disabled NRO satellite. This mission was not one you had envisioned or had much time to prepare for, yet you did the job well and safeguarded the public from potential harm. I commend the transparent manner in which your plans were conducted.
“This will continue to be a challenging budget year. We have immense budget pressures and competing defense priorities. However, I cannot stress the point enough that our modern military force is dependent on space and our investment in space cannot be shortchanged.
“A case in point; TSAT is the only SATCOM system planned to provide wideband, protected communications. Over the next few years, more than 200 Army and Marine units will be reliant on unprotected communications, as will all of the Army’s FCS brigades once they come on-line. Each Predator, Reaper, Warrior and Global Hawk UAV fielded by the services will use unprotected communications.
“These forces are the most susceptible to jamming. Yet, the Department has chosen to cut $4 billion from TSAT. I don’t want to take away from WGS. It is a great capability. But I do want to know why protected communications isn’t a priority requirement?
“I understand the Department is revisiting this. I would ask that you come back and brief this committee once your analysis is complete.
“We are now a year out from the Chinese ASAT test. Last year, this committee asked for a comprehensive space protection strategy to guide investments. This year’s budget should be the Department’s first opportunity to make changes to its space situational awareness and space protection budgets. I hope you can discuss efforts in this area. In addition to capability investments, I also remain concerned about how our military would operate in a space threat environment.
“For example, do war games and exercises include space denial scenarios? And, has there been a deliberate, hard look at how redundancies are built into our war plans?
“As General Kehler said last week at a congressional breakfast, if you take away space from the fight, the impact on our forces is a ‘reverse time machine.’
“Under the Chairman’s leadership, our committee has continued its strong oversight of space acquisition. I’d appreciate your assessment of the current state of space acquisition and the status of some key programs in this year’s budget: GPS-III, SBIRS, Space Radar, and ORS.
“Before closing, I want to thank you again for your service and leadership in the space community. I think space and in particular, national security space, is one of the most exciting things our nation does.
“Thank you, Chairman, for calling this important hearing and for your leadership. I look forward to our witnesses’ testimonies.”
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