Contact: Josh Holly (HASC), 202-226-3988
March 13, 2008 George Rasley (Thornberry), 202-225-3706
Opening Statement of Ranking Member Mac Thornberry
Subcommittee Hearing on Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request for Science & Technology
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), the Ranking Republican on the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, delivered the following opening statement regarding the Department of Defense’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget request for science and technology:
“Thank you Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the witnesses being here today as well. This is always a little bit of a frustrating hearing for me when we have it because there are so many witnesses and some many issues. We have so much to learn and we have such limited time that it just doesn’t all seem to fit together.
“It sounds like a cliché to say that tomorrow’s national security is dependent upon today’s science and technology, but just because it sounds like a cliché doesn’t mean it’s not true. And, I think it is. I also think it’s one of the easiest areas of the budget to shortchange. I’m not very pleased with a four percent increase either. As you mentioned, the rate of change in the world today is extraordinary. And, we are facing new means of warfare. To even hope to keep up with an understanding of what’s happening—much less to do something about it—requires significant investments in science and technology.
“I know the organizations represented here are all doing great things. I’ll just say that I’m most interested in hearing about the problems and the obstacles that you have. Everybody has things to brag about justifiably, but I think we’re here to help the country and we have to understand the problems and the obstacles that we face as much as the things that are going well for you.”
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