▶ 0:27:37>> I welcome the nominees and their families and want to express my gratitude for that willingness to serve our nation. The united states is up to eight threat. I'm grateful to see these stepping up to serve. Mr. richard anderson has been nominated to the position of assistant secretary of the air force for manpower and reserve affairs. He will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of policies related to the recruiting and readiness.
▶ 0:28:06This includes ensuring both active duty and reserve personnel are effectively managed. It includes supporting the training and career progression of air force members. The air force has seen improvements in recruitment and retention rates and Mr. anderson must sustain and build on this. Mr. anderson is a retired air force colonel and brings valuable experience.
▶ 0:28:33I look forward to hearing his vision for the services workforce and enhancing its ability to meet future challenges. Mr. matthew napoli nominated to be deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation national nuclear security administration.
▶ 0:28:58The doctor will support the administrator as they both worked to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons technologies and to reduce the global threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism. He will have a lot of work to do. The danger from nuclear weapons is growing more complex by the day.
▶ 0:29:23Over the past several years we have watched as russia, china and north korea have rapidly expanded nuclear arsenals in developing new types of weapons, weapons for which we are not fully prepared. Iran may be weeks away from achieving its goal. I applied president trumps recent comments and the efforts. He has made it clear that the ayatollah nuclear weapons program must be totally dismantled.
▶ 0:29:53As we work to expand our defenses, we must keep focus in the right place. The real objective is to reduce nuclear danger by whatever means available. When we prevent those who would do us harm from assessing nuclear material and technology, we are protecting america and americans and we protect americans by defeating those threats once they become a reality. I look forward to hearing how Dr.
▶ 0:30:20Napoli will help reduce the dangerous array against our community. Some of our key allies have begun to question the reliability of U.S. extended deterrence. They need not do this. Both the president and the united states congress have been clear about our continuing resolve to use the full range of capabilities to meet our alliance commitments. Dr.
▶ 0:30:49Napoli, Dr. napoli would do well to make that clear today. Mr. adam telle has been to be deputy administrator for defense nominated deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation national nuclear security administration.
▶ 0:31:21The civil works program including policy direction and supervision for all department of the army functions relating to the civil works of the united states army corps of engineers. A significant part of the civil works involves the conservation and development of natural water resources, including flood and coastal storm risk management, river and harbor navigation and the management of water supply and hydroelectric power
▶ 0:31:52Resources. I look forward to hearing how Mr. telle, Mr. telle plans to handle the demands of these projects that communities across the nation depend on. With that, I turned to my friend and colleague, ranking member reed.
▶ 0:32:08Sen. Reed: Thank you Mr. chairman. Congratulations on your nomination and welcome to you and specifically to your families who will be serving with you. I would like to welcome senator hagy. -- haggerty.
▶ 0:32:25Sen. Hagerty: , you have been nominated to be assistant secretary of the air force for manpower and reserve affairs. You are well qualified as a long time air force officer. If confirmed, you will face challenges overseeing all military and civilian personnel within the department at the air force, including the space force.
▶ 0:32:47Sen. Hagerty: You will need to manage the impact from the administration senior military officers and defense civilians throughout the department of the air force. Workforce has been shaken by several months of chaos at the pentagon, especially in light of the indiscriminate laughs and pending 8% cut to the entire department.
▶ 0:33:08Sen. Hagerty: Just last week, guidance was issued to reduce 10% of general and flag officers in the military including 20% of four-star generals. I would like to know how you would plan to oversee such reductions while minimizing the adduction and making sure all our treated with the respect they have earned. Mr.
▶ 0:33:36Sen. Hagerty: Telle, you have been nominated to be assistant secretary of the army for civil works. You have experience. If confirmed you will be responsible for overseeing the civil functions of the army to include the army corps of engineers and various others. This committee has long been concerned the slow rate of army construction project and the army must find ways to streamline and compressed timelines.
▶ 0:34:04Sen. Hagerty: I would ask you share how you will improve these processes. Catastrophic natural disasters continue to be one of the most dangerous threats to our national security infrastructure. Given the increasing importance of environmental resiliency, I would like to know your ideas in the planning and design of civil works projects. Dr. napoli, you have been nominated to be deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation national nuclear security administration.
▶ 0:34:36Sen. Hagerty: You are well qualified for this role as a former U.S. navy nuclear officer with considerable experience in schooling in a nuclear technologies and international relations. If confirmed, you will be responsible for leading nonproliferation efforts across a broad portfolio that includes future arms treaties, securing loose nuclear material around the world and safeguarding the sale of nuclear technologies overseas.
▶ 0:35:06Sen. Hagerty: On the international stage, you will be charged with supporting the U.S. inter-agency for future nokia 8 -- negotiations with iran for the nuclear capabilities, leading efforts for any nuclear weapons agreements with russia after the new start which will expire and coordinate efforts to verify north korea's nuclear capabilities. These are complex challenges and I would ask that you assess how you would address them.
▶ 0:35:35Sen. Hagerty: I want to thank the nominees for the willingness to serve and look forward to testimonies.
▶ 0:35:39Chair Wicker: Thank you senator reed. I understand you have a strong opinion about one of the nominees and that you will be introducing Mr. telle. >> I would like to address the staff sitting behind you. He has been serving for 20 years .
▶ 0:36:10Chair Wicker: He has let a distinguished career in the senate and moving on to do something even greater. I hope that you will take adam's presence here as a point. I know you work hard on the weekends overnight but know that you are making a difference and will be in a position to make more of a difference thanks to all of you. I would like to turn to my good friend adam telle. I have known him for years and he is the nomination to be the assistant secretary of the army for civil works.
▶ 0:36:42Chair Wicker: A range of important responsibilities including oversight of the army corps of engineers. The 2600 civilian -- 26,000 civilian and military personnel play a vital role for the united states, not just for the department of defense but for the safety, security and prosperity of many americans that were from the forts -- ports and waterways and flood mitigation.
▶ 0:37:09Chair Wicker: When you consider his background and expertise, not surprised why president trump pick him for this position. It is a graduate in computer science and communications from mississippi state college of engineering, he hails from some of the very states that depend greatly on the critical civil works he is now called to lead.
▶ 0:37:33Chair Wicker: He knows firsthand how the work of the army corps of engineers will impact the lives of those in the united states and around the world. And it is a true patriot and served in the U.S. government faithfully and with great distinction for the past 20 years. He began his senate career in the office of senator richard shelby in 2005. Work for the office of the late senator from mississippi and rose to deputy chief of staff and legislative director.
▶ 0:38:02Chair Wicker: He then worked as the chief deaf member of the senate appropriations committee homeland security subcommittee and he served under the chairmanship and in this role he served as the point person in the senate for an organization comprised of 20 agencies, two hundred 60,000 personnel and an annual budget of approximately $70 billion.
▶ 0:38:31Chair Wicker: From 2019 to 2021, he led the senate team of the office of legislative affairs, including managing all national security and appropriations matters. He played a critical role in helping to implement the historic abrahams accords, brought peace and prosperity to israel in four arab nations and played an outside role in working with the armed services committee with the establishment of the space force, the first new branch of the military to be authorized in more than 70 years .
▶ 0:39:01Chair Wicker: He is now my chief of staff were eryday I rely on his expertise, experience and judgment. I have seen him bring people together to solve problems. His has matured and grown my staff and provided thoughtful and effective leadership and strategic direction and subtly toughest goblins that face our nation. He is just the leader of our nation needs in the pentagon. His roots, ethic and intelligence become more than qualified.
▶ 0:39:28Chair Wicker: The kindness, mentoring and heart will make him an inspirational leader of this critical organization. I urge this committee to move quickly on his nomination and please conservative -- confirm them as quickly as possible.
▶ 0:39:43Chair Wicker: Thank your senator hagerty and we would welcome you here for the entire hearing but I know you have a full schedule creosote thank you very much. We will now begin with opening statements. Mr. telle, your opening statement is first.
▶ 0:40:05Mr. Telle: Thank you chairman wicker, ranking member reid, the committee and the step of the armed services committee. It is an honor to be nominated to serve as the fourth assistant. I want to thank president trump who I had the honor to serve in the first administration and I would like to thank secretary hegseth, jusco, a life shall be, my children who are here, my mother and my father.
▶ 0:40:30Mr. Telle: I would like to thank the senators with till I have worked the closest over the last 20 years including chairman wicker, senator bozeman, senator shelby, senator capri -- cochran. Senator haggerty, you have given me incredible perspective during my time together and I am fortunate to have a front row seat.
▶ 0:40:58Mr. Telle: As thomas jefferson was contemplating how to expand our nation western -- westward, he knew the waterways would be key. He turned to the academy of west point who was producing the best engineers. We would no longer rely on european engineers. The army corps of engineers was born. The america we know today is a result of the work of that corp . Flood control and preservation of natural resources.
▶ 0:41:29Mr. Telle: Some of the earliest memories as a young child are writing it with my father and him pointing out the window as we crossed the waterways, the mississippi river and others. He was always teaching and would turn my attention to the tugboats pushing the big barges brimming with natural resources opening access for the small communities to the rest of the country and world. 20 years later I moved to washington because I believed I could make a difference.
▶ 0:42:00Mr. Telle: Helping the americans I grow up with who often felt ignored by important people in washington. One month into my time working in the senate, hurricane katrina made landfall. I stayed up all night that night and didn't go to sleep watching katrina, short could at 28 foot storm surge, 1800 american lives lost and hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. Senator cochran asked me to run point on hurricane katrina.
▶ 0:42:29Mr. Telle: My years of experience securing resources and untangling bureaucratic messes prepared me for the top staffer on the senate appropriations committee where I was also given the top role advising all senate republicans on disaster response and recovery. These experiences as a child and young professional are emblematic of why my personal background and passion match the depth and breadth of the core of civil engineers.
▶ 0:42:54Mr. Telle: Mitigating floods, respond to disasters, most recently by removing debris from hurricane helene and some wildfires. The american citizens, landowners, states, job creators and representatives in washington with real missions and outcomes that matter deeply to americans in places that are often. I will tackle the issues.
▶ 0:43:24Mr. Telle: In permitting, we are at a point in america where they crave certainty. Navigation was the original mission of the poor. Today, maintenance and construction of coastal ports and inland waterways will define how competitive and resilient we are in the 21st century. Flood control, we must maintain investment you have made and complete new projects as soon as feasible to mitigate floods and fight them when we must.
▶ 0:43:55Mr. Telle: Coordination, issues related across authorities like no other for getting it right for the american public will require an outsize focus on coordination on the dozens of entities in the government that do with water. I will devote significant attention to these partner agencies. When it comes to being a member of a broader team, engineers are delivering on president trump's mission.
▶ 0:44:21Mr. Telle: As a nation, we are fortunate to have a nation at the ready to support civil and national security missions across the globe at a moments notice. We are fortunate that during peacetime these projects are spread out in communities across america making a safer, more competitive and prouder as a nation. I am honored to be before you. I commit to be responsive to our leaders, the president, members of this committee and members of the senate and house of representatives.
▶ 0:44:51Mr. Telle: I look forward to answering your questions.
▶ 0:44:53Chair Wicker: Colonel anderson. Mr. anderson, good morning, chairman and ranking senator reid in this committee. I'm honored to be before you being nominated for assistant secretary of the air force for manpower and reserve affairs.
▶ 0:45:20Chair Wicker: Most of my adult life has been spent in the country and I find myself before you today is something I never expected to happen when I hung up my uniform for the final time 16 years ago. I am joined today by my wife ruth, a retired air force career nurse and senior medical commander.
▶ 0:45:43Chair Wicker: It is almost identical to the one you heard from the doctor in his opening statement when he acknowledged his wife, also a retired air force nurse. The andersons got off to a rocky start, shall we say with a disagreement will meet met during my visit to an air force hospital emergency room some 40 years ago. Louis was meitner nurse that night and you probably can figure out the rest of that story.
▶ 0:46:14Chair Wicker: The future it misses anderson found me to be, somewhat of a nerd. Ruth and I celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary days ago and we come to the greatest achievement to be the great kids we have raised together and heard of world-class grandchildren, two of whom are here today, felix, age 10, jasper, aged nine and the four siblings watching at home today.
▶ 0:46:43Chair Wicker: I begin my air force career in 1979 after graduating from virginia tech and the corps of cadets. As for the first half of my military career in the intercontinental ballistic career field focused on the strategic defense of the country. I spent the second half of my career in the air force international affairs career field focused on building durable relationships with the 43 air forces in countries throughout asia and the pacific.
▶ 0:47:12Chair Wicker: I spent 30 years in uniform, retiring from active duty in 2009 after eight years at the pentagon on the air staff and osd. After the air force, I spent the better part of the decade representing prince william county virginia in the virginia general assembly chairing the joint house senate military veterans caucus and touching every piece of legislation that passed through our body affecting 800,000 virginia veterans.
▶ 0:47:38Chair Wicker: Your outline life, my focus has been on people and in that spirit I relish this opportunity if confirmed by this committee for a position of trust to lead the air force organization that focuses exclusively on the great airmen and guardians who serve our nation and if confirmed, I pledge to you that people will continue to be the central focus of my every waking hour.
▶ 0:48:06Chair Wicker: I strongly feel that we must allow the flight plan that has been articulated by the air force chief of staff and spatial operations for more air force, more space force. We must invest in a 21st-century weapons systems to deter aggression and if family gnats, we need to be able to fly, fight, and when the nation's wars.
▶ 0:48:32Chair Wicker: New warriors will be needed to operate the platforms to ensure workforce readiness and that is where I wish to be should I be fortunate enough to be confirmed as sick -- assistant secretary to the air force. Thank you for the privilege of being before you today. I would work with you and ensure that americans airmen and guardians are fully ready to provide for the common defense of the nation. Thank you.
▶ 0:49:05Chair Wicker: Thank you, colonel anderson. It seems that the future Mrs. anderson learned how you dealt with adversity and tolerance to pain. Is that correct?
▶ 0:49:16Mr. Anderson: I would say so, senator.
▶ 0:49:19Chair Wicker: Now Dr. napoli, you are recognized.
▶ 0:49:24Dr. Napoli: Chairman wicker, ranking member of -- ranking member reid and this committee, I appear before you for confirmation for my service as deputy administrator for defense nuclear nonproliferation within the national nuclear security administration. Before I begin, I'd like to think president trump and secretary of energy chris wright for their confidence. I would like to recognize my family in attendance today, my wife, nicole, who is foundation of our family.
▶ 0:49:54Dr. Napoli: Our two daughters eleanor, an avid fencer and abigail, is a ballplayer. My mother and my brother are here from louisiana. My brother mike is here from california and my sister, soon to be Dr. mary napoli is watching from home.
▶ 0:50:21Dr. Napoli: I was born and raised in north louisiana. My father, a local navy veteran watching from above, taught me and my whole family the importance of community and importance of service to this great nation. I spent my entire adult life serving this nation through my military and federal service.
▶ 0:50:43Dr. Napoli: My educational background, including engineering degrees from louisiana tech diversity and postgraduate school, a doctorate in public policy administration, concentrating in technology policy from george washington university, a fellowship in national security and the massachusetts institute of technology and lifetime member on the council of foreign relations have given me the foundation for a career spent bridging the gap between policy and the technical fields of engineering and science.
▶ 0:51:16Dr. Napoli: Might military and federal civilian career spanning 20 years has been dedicated to an elite organization, the U.S. naval nuclear propulsion program, also known to this committee as naval reactors, the joint front of navy, energy organization. Naval reactors has afforded the navy with an unmatched advantage in warfare.
▶ 0:51:37Dr. Napoli: This advantage has manifested in the nuclear power attack submarine, the ballistic nuclear powered submarine, the backbone of american strategic deterrence and the nuclear powered aircraft carrier, 100,000 tons of sovereign territory in the oceans at any time. I am proud to have served on this team.
▶ 0:51:59Dr. Napoli: During my tenure at naval reactors, I achieved broad experience starting as a design engineer as the propulsion plans in tradition to the lead for foreign policy interagency and public affairs. I managed and expanded port access for the nuclear powered fleet to 150 ports in 150 countries and personally involved in the training of nuclear powered submarine and aircraft commanding officers and foreign policy matters as they came through people reactors.
▶ 0:52:31Dr. Napoli: I oversaw partnerships with some closest allies including the united kingdom for the mutual defense agreement, the government of japan, hosting the other nuclear submarines in the in the design of the operation agreement.
▶ 0:52:49Dr. Napoli: I let strategic and emergency communications for an totaling 100,000 strong, including nuclear trained sailors, shipyard workers, procurement specialists, schoolhouse instructors and department of energy laboratory engineers. I served as a lead spokesperson for the enterprise. I am not seeking a confirmation to become deputy administrator for defense nonproliferation.
▶ 0:53:16Dr. Napoli: The responsibilities of a nonproliferation team are profound, scientists, engineers, laboratory researchers and technicians, first responders and many others work arduously to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and technologies into combat the existential threat to the national security these weapons pose.
▶ 0:53:36Dr. Napoli: To coordinate the activities with partners and allies including the international atomic agency to disturb -- deter state and non-state actors and ready to respond in the event of nuclear or radiologic weapons uses. Our nation faces complex challenges in nuclear nonproliferation. If confirmed, I'm ready to take on these responsibilities with the utmost urgency. Thank you.
▶ 0:53:59Chair Wicker: Nicely done. Thank you for staying within the time limitation. We now have standard questions that we ask our civilian nominees and I just need a verbal yes or no from each of you simultaneously.
▶ 0:54:30Chair Wicker: Have you adhere to laws regarding conflicts of interest? >> yes. >> have you taken any actions that would appear to presume the outcome of the confirmation process? >> no.
▶ 0:54:44Chair Wicker: It makes it important that this committee and subcommittees and other committees received testimony, briefings reports, records and other information from the executive branch on a timely basis. You agree, if confirmed, to appear and testify before this committee when requested? >> yes.
▶ 0:55:03Chair Wicker: You agree to provide records and documents and electronic communications in a timely manner when requested by this committee and subcommittees are other appropriate committees of congress and regarding the basis of any good faith delay or denial and provide such records? >> yes.
▶ 0:55:24Chair Wicker: Will you ensure that your staff pose deadlines for records, and other information including motions for the record? >> yes.
▶ 0:55:35Chair Wicker: We'll cooperate in providing witnesses for question no four requests? >> yes.
▶ 0:55:44Chair Wicker: Will those be protected from reprisal? >> yes.
▶ 0:55:51Chair Wicker: And that concludes our standard questions. It is now time for us to begin the five minute rounds and I hope members will be as observant of the five minute time limit as our distinguished nominees are.
▶ 0:56:18Chair Wicker: First of all, a quick yes or no from all of you, much of the funding in the defense reconciliation bill is unspecific because of the rules and will technically be at the discretion of the department of defense, the we will write recommendations for them. A quick yes or no, do you commit to follow the congress spending recommendations in defense reconciliation unequivocally? >> yes.
▶ 0:56:44Chair Wicker: Yes from all three. Let me begin with you, colonel anderson. There is an air force pilot shortage. How big of a challenge is that and what are the reasons for it and does that mean civilian pilots are getting higher pay,
▶ 0:57:16Chair Wicker: More regular schedulesnd more time at home and what can we in the congress and new in the administration do about this.
▶ 0:57:28Col. Anderson: I hung up the uniform 16 years ago and we were talking about shortages and other issues. We have embarked on this in a vigorous way and they have and are limited, based on a night rating, a $50,000 bonus, but monetary compensation is not the only incentive that keeps our pilots in the cockpit.
▶ 0:57:58Col. Anderson: It is such things as the quality of their service, to have challenges, to be able to step up and exercise their leadership skills, to do any number of things.
▶ 0:58:09Chair Wicker: How can we approve -- improve on that?
▶ 0:58:13Col. Anderson: One thing I just read about in the air and space forces magazine, which I was unfamiliar with, the education and training command has just begun a new initiative this year with the commander beginning a pilot program to test out initial pilot ipt which will be done in civilian flying schools and then to feed those graduates into traditional undergraduate
▶ 0:58:45Col. Anderson: Pilot training. Based on the reading in that article, it can be done without requiring additional financial resources, and they believe they can generate an additional 1500 pilots a year.
▶ 0:58:56Chair Wicker: Ipt before you pt.
▶ 0:59:00Col. Anderson: That is correct.
▶ 0:59:02Chair Wicker: We could spend the entire time of the hearing on that. Dr. napoli, we know where the president is right now. And we know their discussions about the iranian nuclear program. We are also very aware of the challenges under the defunct dcpa.
▶ 0:59:28Chair Wicker: In your view, what steps should be consider in verifying possible future agreements with iran, and do you think there's any point in trying that?
▶ 0:59:38Dr. Napoli: Thank you, senator wicker. The complexity and seriousness of the iranian nuclear issue is obviously very recognized. At this time, I am not privy to U.S. government detailed matters regarding our nation's discussion with the government of iran.
▶ 0:59:58Dr. Napoli: However, if confirmed, I will commit to working with the state department diplomatically, the department of defense and the broader department of energy to ensure the office of defense nuclear nonproliferation can bring the tools and expertise.
▶ 1:00:17Chair Wicker: But you know from open sources in the news media at that verification was difficult under the jcp a.
▶ 1:00:25Col. Anderson: I support the safeguards agreement and the goals and protocols. Verification is at the heart of nonproliferation and I think we should make those.
▶ 1:00:41Chair Wicker: Mr. telle, how are we going to move past the bureaucratic displays?
▶ 1:00:54Mr. Telle: Thank you for an opinion. The supreme court gave the decision providing clarity to the question about the regulatory regime related to wetlands and waterways.
▶ 1:01:12Mr. Telle: It is my understanding of the environmental protection agency in coordination with the army corps of engineers is currently working to provide additional clarity about the impacts of that decision and the goal would be to provide clarity to stakeholders across the country so they understand where the regulatory regime of the federal government stops and starts.
▶ 1:01:30Mr. Telle: With regard to the various flood control and navigation projects across the country, the congress is very interested in these projects and has been involved in directing the executive branch to execute them. It is a comment upon the army corps of engineers to provide transparency to the congress and public about the projects and what may be impeding them.
▶ 1:01:56Mr. Telle: It may be that a local nonfederal entity has paperwork that it still needs to complete. Or it another agency's regime that is a barrier to progress.
▶ 1:02:10Chair Wicker: It might very well be pretty senator reed?
▶ 1:02:14Sen. Reed: Thank you very much, Mr. chairman and thank you for your testimony gentleman. Recruiting has always been a challenge and the chairman referred to it. There has been a vast increase in resources. It appears to be coming up. We have seen progress with measurable by 2024, but to declare victory would be able from the state.
▶ 1:02:41Sen. Reed: Is there one thing you would emphasize in the recruiting process to accelerate it or maintain it?
▶ 1:02:49Mr. Anderson: Thank you senator reid. They are on a trajectory and completing recruiting goals this year. I read an article that as of may 1, the air force had already completed 75% of its recruiting goals and the space force historically has been effective at doing that. Our job is to number one go to where individuals are that we can attract in this exciting career in the service of our air force and space force.
▶ 1:03:21Mr. Anderson: Another thing, and this is purely something that I have thought about, and that is that our recruiting force, the men and women who interface with young people in america to bring them into the uniform of the country, they are in a special duty assignment, not in a career field as defined by an air force specialty code. Perhaps we need to grow a career field so we put experts in the field.
▶ 1:03:45Sen. Reed: Thank you very much anderson. Dr. napoli, one of the problems I am beginning to observe, and this also applies to all of the services, is that these authors to senior people to retire could have a devastating effect on our technical civilians and civilians. One of them is the naval center in newport.
▶ 1:04:19Sen. Reed: But the department of the air force has many centers of excellence in technology and frankly it is my understanding that it is usually the people that are the best that leave because they have tremendous opportunities outside. Would you be very conscious of that attrition in our laboratories by a skilled engineers?
▶ 1:04:44Dr. Napoli: Thank you for this important question. The father of the nuclear navy was once quoted as saying "people, not organizations get things done." this is a core value at naval reactors and has for the last 20 years. If confirmed, I will continue to amplify that throughout the national nuclear security administration.
▶ 1:05:05Sen. Reed: It would have to confront the morale issue. I was approached by a woman several months ago who said five days ago she got fired because she was probationary and then she had a call last night to get back as fast as possible because they couldn't assure the security of these weapons and also the operational capabilities without her coming back to be a part of the team.
▶ 1:05:34Sen. Reed: I'm sure that is still reverberating. That is a task you have to address immediately. Mr. telle, thank you for recognizing the father of west point. As a proud graduate, I must, for the record, include, I was never considered one of the best in the world. I will admit to that.
▶ 1:05:58Sen. Reed: But you are right, one of the factors we are seeing more and more is this extreme weather. There are reports that the hurricane season this year couldn't he wanted the most devastating in the future. How will you incorporate weather projections in order to change the structure of the mission, the organization of the corps of engineers?
▶ 1:06:30Sen. Reed: C1
▶ 1:06:35Mr. Telle: I don't have the benefit of all the data but the corps of engineers applies the latest data, hydrological models to its projects to develop projects that will withstand current demand and future ones based on data and science. It is my hope that I will be able to lead the organization in providing guidance for the best result for the public.
▶ 1:07:04Mr. Telle: As you mentioned, we have severe weather in this country and recurring disasters whether it is in line or coastal flooding and we have to get it right.
▶ 1:07:14Chair Reed: Thank you. I look forward to your service.
▶ 1:07:18Chair Wicker: Thank you. Senator fischer.
▶ 1:07:25Sen. Fischer: Dr. napoli, one of your responsibilities will be to coordinate with allies to deter state and nonstate actors from acquiring nuclear weapons. That is no easy task.
▶ 1:07:42Sen. Fischer: Iran continues to enrich far beyond the requirements for civilian use and the intelligence community that north korea -- has assessed that north korea can conduct nuclear tests in several years on short notice.
▶ 1:08:00Sen. Fischer: How would you work with allies and partners such as the iaea to deter countries from continuing their pursuit for nuclear weapons?
▶ 1:08:15Dr. Napoli: Thank you. Your issue rings true to the core office, to prevent and deter them from acquiring nuclear weapons. My experience working with the interagency and international partners provides me firm footing to address these challenges going forward. They are very difficult challenges.
▶ 1:08:43Dr. Napoli: I am confident in the office of nonproliferation and the toolset we bring to combat those issues.
▶ 1:08:54Sen. Fischer: Our country has a lot of threats. Can you give me an example of a threat that you would see with respect to nuclear proliferation besides what I mentioned?
▶ 1:09:06Dr. Napoli: Thank you. You highlight very primary examples. Today my efforts have been focused on propulsion. I have received briefings on additional threats you mentioned in excess of that. I would defer to my time coming into the office and allow the team to get me up to speed on the threats facing our nation. I will commit to working with the most urgency.
▶ 1:09:33Sen. Fischer: Given the importance of preventing nuclear conflict, do you concur that modernizing our nuclear deterrent is a national security priority?
▶ 1:09:46Dr. Napoli: I think nuclear deterrence is the backbone of american strategic defense policy. The mission of nnsa is to provide a reliable weapon to the department of defense. If confirmed, I will support the mission to provide that to the department.
▶ 1:10:08Sen. Fischer: The united states has the most effective processes in place for safeguarding our nuclear and radioactive materials. One that is underappreciated by many. It is nnsa's leadership in development of technologies to detect potential smuggling or illicit movement of radioactive materials.
▶ 1:10:35Sen. Fischer: If confirmed, how will you work with allies and partners to share our expertise in that area in detecting and also safeguarding those dangerous materials?
▶ 1:10:48Dr. Napoli: Thank you. Security is at the heart of the nuclear program in the united states. I have the pleasure of participating in that mission from the neighbor's perspective for the past 20 years and I look forward to carrying that forward to the office of nonproliferation. Your point rings home very true. Our business in this area to prevent the spread of nuclear material is incredibly important.
▶ 1:11:18Dr. Napoli: In my experience I will carry that forward and continue the movement to be sure that there is a broader approach both with our partners and with iea.
▶ 1:11:30Sen. Fischer: I look forward to working with you. Mr. telle, good to see you again. I appreciate you visiting with me to talk about how important water is to my state of nebraska. The surface water, the many miles of rivers and the aquifer, the high plains aquifer under our state. What a wonderful resource that is. What I wanted to ask you about is managing the missouri river.
▶ 1:11:58Sen. Fischer: Flood prevention and control along the missouri is of the utmost importance to the state of nebraska. Will you commit to ensuring that when it comes to managing the missouri river flood control and prevention, it will be a top priority?
▶ 1:12:12Mr. Telle: Thank you for the question and thank you for visiting with me in your office. The missouri river is the longest river in the united states.
▶ 1:12:22Sen. Fischer: It is one mile.
▶ 1:12:24Mr. Telle: It begins in senator sheehy's estate and runs right through your state. I will just say that flood control is one of the primary missions of the corps of engineers along with navigations. All these issues have to be managed and balance in your state.
▶ 1:12:44Mr. Telle: In 2019, with the missouri river flood, we saw strategic military installations under the threat of flooding. This is something we have to get right and it requires stakeholder input and balancing all interests from montana to missouri.
▶ 1:13:03Sen. Fischer: Thank you. I hope we can work on having flood control projects move faster. .
▶ 1:13:08Mr. Telle: I will work with you on that.
▶ 1:13:11Sen. Fischer: Thank you.
▶ 1:13:12Chair Wicker: One mile. Senator king.
▶ 1:13:18Sen. King: Mr. anderson, welcome to the committee. The interesting conclusion reached during discussion was that the principal desire of these pilots in terms of their retention was that they wanted to fly and that there were too many cases where they were
▶ 1:13:50Sen. King: Assigned and they did not get the time in the air. That was why they joined the air force. I hope you will take that into consideration. You mentioned the $50,000 bonus. We started thinking there would be bonuses and quality of life. But it was the fact that the air force had this process that took pilots out of the cockpit and that was one of the major reasons for the loss of the pilots from the air force. I hope that is something you will consider.
▶ 1:14:17Mr. Anderson: That is a very good question. When I was in uniform and I was not a pilot, I was in space operations and international affairs. That was a challenge. I think that is a legitimate issue that should be raised again because I have heard precisely the same thing from my colleagues both retired and on active duty.
▶ 1:14:40Sen. King: I appreciate that. Mr. telle, you mentioned your experience with katrina and disaster response. Does fema play an important role in disaster response in this country?
▶ 1:14:57Mr. Telle: Thank you for the question. Fema has played a role in disaster response. The U.S. army corps of engineers is charged with debris removal. The relationship with managers and the corps of engineers is important as we responded recently in north carolina and tennessee with hurricane hole.
▶ 1:15:23Sen. King: I don't see how we will turn disaster response to the states given the fact that disasters do not respect state borders. Resiliency planning. That has to be part of the responsibility when the corps is doing projects wherever they are, do you agree?
▶ 1:15:43Mr. Telle: Yes.
▶ 1:15:45Sen. King: Do you agree that we are facing more devastating storms than we have in the past?
▶ 1:15:49Mr. Telle: We have certainly face the devastating -- we have certainly faced devastating natural disasters. They are still happening and they have been happening throughout our nation's history and we have to make sure we are up-to-date with the latest data.
▶ 1:16:07Sen. King: Anecdotally, you don't notice any increase in storms?
▶ 1:16:13Mr. Telle: Certainly with hurricane katrina, that was a multibillion dollar storm. Hundreds of billions of dollars. Hurricane maria, superstorm sandy. There have been a number of storms over the last 20 years.
▶ 1:16:26Sen. King: In our lifetime.
▶ 1:16:27Mr. Telle: Absolutely.
▶ 1:16:29Sen. King: I hope that regardless of the position of the administration on climate change that the corps will take advantage of the science which I think you have committed to particularly in resiliency planning. The worst thing to do would be to build to 100 euros standards instead of 100 year from now standards, you agree?
▶ 1:16:53Mr. Telle: I agree. It is my understanding that we will continue to use the latest data that we can measure to make decisions about investments in the design of flood control infrastructure.
▶ 1:17:08Sen. King: Just follow the science, correct?
▶ 1:17:11Mr. Telle: We should follow the science and make sure any political ideology is not present as we examine the facts and build infrastructure to respond to the situation as we see it based on the data.
▶ 1:17:22Sen. King: Could not agree more. Thank you. Dr. napoli, I will follow up with a question for the record. The most underappreciated risk facing our country is nuclear materials following -- falling into the hands of a terrorist. We have talked about the terrence but it does not work on work on somebody who does not care about dying.
▶ 1:17:50Sen. King: I believe that nonproliferation with materials that can fall into the hands of terrorists is one of the most important responsibilities in our government right now. It is not very much talked about. But I hope this is something that you will take a close look at because there are many nuclear nations out there. There is a lot of nuclear material. If it falls into the hands of a terrorist, I can almost guarantee there is a terrorist group thinking about how to achieve a nuclear weapon.
▶ 1:18:16Sen. King: I hope this will be a focus of your attention as part of your nonproliferation responsibilities.
▶ 1:18:28Dr. Napoli: Thank you. Nonstate actors, this is a serious issue. I will work with that issue with the utmost urgency.
▶ 1:18:38Sen. King: Utmost urgency is the right term.
▶ 1:18:41Chair Wicker: Well said, senator king. Senator cotton.
▶ 1:18:45Sen. Cotton: Mr. anderson, you will be responsible for the guidance of the air reserve including the air national guard in arkansas, the national guard trains are allies on the f-35 and our own air crews outside of fort smith.
▶ 1:19:09Sen. Cotton: Can you commit to making sure that our arkansas air national guard has the resources it needs to continue delivering strong war fighting capabilities at home and abroad?
▶ 1:19:20Mr. Anderson: Absolutely. My first assignment was at little rock air force base. I knew a number of individuals in the air refueling wing at the base. Yes, I believe the proper resourcing for our air national guard and the people is absolutely crucial to the fight.
▶ 1:19:39Sen. Cotton: Thank you. Mr. telle, welcome to the committee. The army civil engineers are currently developing a comprehensive water resource management strategy for white river basin arkansas. This study is important to ensure the government provides sustainable water resource management while taking into consideration other priorities like power generation and agriculture.
▶ 1:20:03Sen. Cotton: Can you commit to working with the arkansas congressional delegation to ensure that this study and any follow-up actions are completed in a timely matter?
▶ 1:20:11Mr. Telle: Thanks for the question. It is important to your state. The mississippi of her and the right river runs into the mississippi or. It has to me managed -- it has to be managed properly. I will commit to working with you on that.
▶ 1:20:27Sen. Cotton: Thank you. The fy 25 ndaa has language that gives arkansas the option to work the army to determine the proper ownership and disposition of the former army navy general hospital in hot springs. Can you commit to working with me, this committee and the rest of the dilation -- of the delegation to work at a timely matter that best serves the interests of all parties involved?
▶ 1:20:52Mr. Telle: Yes. This will require coordination on installations. We have a shared workforce at the U.S. army corps of engineers and we will make sure we get that right.
▶ 1:21:04Sen. Cotton: Thank you. Congratulations on your nominations.
▶ 1:21:08Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. It seems that senator tuberville is next. Supper tuberville --
▶ 1:21:22Sen. Tuberville: We spoke recently in my office about alabama's inland water wa ys. Three of our locks have failed in the past year. That is unacceptable. They are expected to continue to break. Businesses depend on waterways to move goods all the way down the port of mobile.
▶ 1:21:50Sen. Tuberville: What is your plan to cut red tape and rapidly repair critical infrastructure across the system even though we just passed trillions of dollars worth of infrastructure money. We did not see any of that.
▶ 1:22:01Mr. Telle: Thank you for the question. In tuscaloosa county, one of your waterways, I understand their importance to the liver american commerce to the globe. It is true in alabama and throughout the country. It is unacceptable that our infrastructure is not meeting the current demands.
▶ 1:22:23Mr. Telle: We have to work across government agencies to make sure we coordinate with stakeholders in congress who have the ability to deliver these projects. I look forward to working with you on the locks and other navigation and flow control mitigation.
▶ 1:22:41Sen. Tuberville: Thank you. We have a lot of red tape within the U.S. army corps of engineers . I look forward to working with you. We have to get stuff done.
▶ 1:22:49Mr. Telle: I could not agree more.
▶ 1:22:52Sen. Tuberville: Thank you. Mr. anderson, thank you for your service. As a career officer in the air force, I'm sure you have had your share of good and bad. Base facilities, housing units, commissary. I believe that what happens outside of work is just as important as work itself. Quality of life, family, stability and all that goes along with it. Do you believe a lower quality of life leads to decreased morale?
▶ 1:23:20Mr. Anderson: Absolutely.
▶ 1:23:22Sen. Tuberville: Thank you. How do you plan on working with your colleagues to address these issues because we do have problems.
▶ 1:23:30Mr. Anderson: You are correct. If confirmed, I intend to dive into this issue immediately. My intention is to remain at the headquarters for a period of time in order to come up to speed on these issues and to get into the field and to see these things firsthand. I have read about them and I look forward if confirmed by this committee working with you and all members in addressing these.
▶ 1:23:57Sen. Tuberville: Thank you. Last week secretary hegseth signed a memorandum requiring all service academies to adapt a mission standard based solely on merit. Thank god. Is not only a member, I was recently put on the air force academy board. I am also chairman of the subcommittee on overseas academies -- the subcommittee that overseas academies.
▶ 1:24:32Sen. Tuberville: If confirmed, you will have oversight over the air force academy. How do you plan on ensuring that these -- that this memorandum is thoroughly put to our air force academy?
▶ 1:24:45Mr. Anderson: Based on my reading of the public media, the air force and specifically the organization that I hope to lead, if confirmed, has already moved aggressively on this. My understanding is that there is a certification requirement by the end of the month to the superintendent of the academy.
▶ 1:25:04Mr. Anderson: If confirmed, I intend to dive into this completely to ensure the fullest compliance with the executive orders, direction of the secretary of defense and the secretary of the air force as well as existing law.
▶ 1:25:16Sen. Tuberville: Thank you. I look forward to working with you. I have some things I have in mind for the academy that could be changed. Not looking to save money, but saving money but also enhancing leadership in the academy. I think we can all get together and make it better. It has not changed in years. We still go by the same old models. We are looking for leadership. That is what the air force academy and all of our academies represent for our military.
▶ 1:25:46Sen. Tuberville: I do have more questions. I'm out of time but I will give them to you for the record.
▶ 1:25:50Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator rounds.
▶ 1:25:57Sen. Rounds: Thank you for your continued service to our country. Mr. telle, state and local governments play a key role on flood prevention response. That collaboration is critical between the federal, state and local. There is another entity and that is the tribes. I want to focus on the tribal partnership program.
▶ 1:26:23Sen. Rounds: I want to know about your comfort with it in terms of the knowledge of it today and if confirmed, your support for the tpp authority in terms of making it an integral part of the response that we need in some of the poorest parts of the country.
▶ 1:26:41Mr. Telle: Thank you for the question. I enjoyed our visit in your office when we talked about the tribal partnership program which you had a key role in helping to establish. This is the reason I am honored to have been nominated. This is an agency and part of government that reaches into every corner of the U.S.. It affects each part of the country, big cities, small towns and tribal communities as well.
▶ 1:27:12Mr. Telle: These folks need to be heard by their government. U.S. army corps of engineers needs to be responsive. You have gone a long way making sure the capacity of local sponsors is augmented by federal help when necessary. I look forward to working with you on this program.
▶ 1:27:27Sen. Rounds: We will be moving in the right direction. The corps has done a good job responding and I want to see that continue. It sounds like you would commit to working with us to see that it happens.
▶ 1:27:39Mr. Telle: We must listen to all stakeholders that are affected by the work of the U.S. army corps of engineers to make sure we balance the different mission sets appropriately.
▶ 1:27:48Sen. Rounds: Thank you. Mr. anderson, both chair wicker and senator king have talked about the air force's persistent pilot shortage. From this committee's oversight perspective, what systemic or disruptive changes should the department be exploring to address not just recruitment, but long-term retention of these highly skilled aviators.
▶ 1:28:17Sen. Rounds: We are talking about folks who are fighter pilots, bomber pilots, mobility platforms themselves. At what point do we acknowledge that the legacy approaches we are taking are not working?
▶ 1:28:31Mr. Anderson: Thank you for the question, senator. This is an enduring, evasive, elusive problem that we have tried to address for many years. I believe that the current program with increased compensation bonuses for these pilots is insufficient. We can see it in the numbers.
▶ 1:29:00Mr. Anderson: I already cited the initiative from the area education training command for initial pilot training. But also it is all about quality of life and I do believe the previous question about affording pilots the opportunity to remain in the cockpit for the duration of their careers is a valid one but one that has not been embraced by the U.S. air force.
▶ 1:29:23Sen. Rounds: I think you hit it on the head. These guys want to stay and they want to fly. I appreciate you recognizing that. In terms of this committee's responsibility, we should be looking at what disruptive approaches have to be considered and we look forward to learning more about your thoughts in the near future. Also Mr.
▶ 1:29:47Sen. Rounds: Anderson, recruiting and retaining talent in highly technical areas such as cyber, ai and space systems remains a challenge due to private-sector competition. Very similar to what we have in our pilot shortage. What strategies do you see as the most effective for strengthening the department of the air force's civilian and uniform talent pipeline in these critical domains?
▶ 1:30:09Mr. Anderson: Thank you. That is a crucial question that confronts us today. We must go to the place where the talent resides and it must be in places where there are younger people. There are a number of programs that generate the right young people with the scientific and technical mindsets that can feed into these career fields very capably. The air force association is a very durable cyber patriot program.
▶ 1:30:37Mr. Anderson: Junior rotc conducts a number of cyber activities for their young people. We must go and explore these fertile grounds in order to bring people with the right talent and the right mindset into these positions.
▶ 1:30:52Sen. Rounds: My time has expired. Dr. napoli, I have one question for the record that I will submit. Thank you.
▶ 1:31:00Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator scott.
▶ 1:31:05Rep. Scott: Thank you. Congratulations on your nominations. I know you will do a great job. Mr. telle, do you have any friends in florida?
▶ 1:31:18Mr. Telle: I do.
▶ 1:31:21Sen. Scott: I wish you the best of luck. The corps reputation, not the people, but the reputation in florida is horrible. You cannot get an answer. It is like a black hole of information. No one will tell you the time process, where a permit is, why did it get turned down. Can you fix it? Do you want to keep your friends in florida?
▶ 1:31:49Mr. Telle: Certainly. You raised a very important issue. Your state is surrounded on three sides by water. Water is important to the state of florida both inland and on the coasts. It is unacceptable that we cannot give answers. Your state has as much capacity as any state in terms of dealing with these issues and has taken on a leadership role and we are working in a competitive and complimentary way with florida.
▶ 1:32:20Mr. Telle: I hope we can visit the jacksonville district office together.
▶ 1:32:23Sen. Scott: You think at the end of this you will have friends in florida? Your family will talk to you?
▶ 1:32:28Mr. Telle: I hope so. I will do the best I can for the nation. I will do the best I can for florida.
▶ 1:32:33Sen. Scott: Do you have any friends on the beach in florida?
▶ 1:32:36Mr. Telle: I do often visit the beaches when I'm visiting in-laws. We have major issues related to beach nourishment. There has been a large challenge.
▶ 1:32:46Sen. Scott: It is actually all the way down to naples. They changed how we look at it. A fed on private land, -- you have private land and the beach is public land. During high tide, the state owns it. The corps gives you a form that says we will give you a temporary easement forever.
▶ 1:33:17Sen. Scott: It is a forever easement to go on private land. Does that make any sense? To you? ?
▶ 1:33:21Mr. Telle: Certainly, their protection of the citizens is of critical importance. There is a challenge related to land ownership and access here. It seems we ought to be able to find a creative solution that serves the interest of landowners and the public all the way down to naples.
▶ 1:33:48Sen. Scott: If you think you can solve this so we can get the beach re-nourishment done?
▶ 1:33:52Mr. Telle: I look forward to working on that nine given more details about the challenges. I know they are extensive and they have been wrangled over the years pilot -- but I look forward to work with you to provide this critical protection to pinellas county and other parts of florida.
▶ 1:34:12Sen. Scott: Pinellas, it has had an unbelievable impact on the value of homes, not being able to get the beach re-nourishment done. We had three bad storm surges in the last to play five years. It has had a pretty big impact.
▶ 1:34:28Mr. Telle: I agree. My family was affected by those storms there. I look forward to working with you on it.
▶ 1:34:35Sen. Scott: I am a business guy. In business you get frustrated with government. The permitting process, the stupid licenses you have to have and then the regulatory environment. Then you say, I already got the permit, the state government does the same thing the federal government does.
▶ 1:34:55Sen. Scott: Why cant we delegate -- if you have a good state, why cant you delegate some of the responsibly to the state and allow them to do the permitting as long as they do a good job?
▶ 1:35:06Mr. Telle: I agree with you. We will be able to deliver services to the public better if we do it closer to the public and to the people who understand the environment. You have done a good job as governor to unlock florida's capacity and allow the state to take on the burden that the federal government was taking on. That's good for florida, good for the public, good for the american taxpayer because it is relieving the federal government of its duties.
▶ 1:35:35Mr. Telle: I am looking forward to working with you to delegate as much authority as we possibly can.
▶ 1:35:39Sen. Scott: I just hope at the end of your time here that your relatives continue to talk to you. Thank you.
▶ 1:35:45Mr. Telle: Thank you.
▶ 1:35:47Chair Wicker: Senator scott, I would share that hope. These bureaucrats who awarded a temporary easement forever perhaps should stop by the english department at their local community college. Senator rosen.
▶ 1:36:08Rep. Rosen: Thank you to our witnesses, your families and your willingness to serve. I want to change it from the beaches of florida to talk about something that you don't get to see which is classified locations. I want to talk about documenting exposure in classified locations. Mr.
▶ 1:36:30Rep. Rosen: Anderson, I asked about documenting exposure and data mass locations where the duty station and its existence are classified. We have a lot of those around the country. Service members records accurately reflect the service-connected injuries at these classified locations.
▶ 1:36:54Rep. Rosen: I have heard from constituents who serve at such locations within a nevada test and training range who believe they were exposed to radiation from our days of conducting explosive nuclear weapons testing from toxins and burn pits that disposal classified waste. However d.o.d. Does not classify the range as a place where exposure has occurred despite the department of energy providing a presumption of exposure for their personnel who served at the same exact location within the range.
▶ 1:37:23Rep. Rosen: And because their service records are data amassed, these veterans cannot improve that they actually were ever stationed there. One such facility that is covered is the test range which is a d.o.e. And air force installation. Portions of the range are still fenced off today due to contamination. The arab men who served there were never told about the contamination.
▶ 1:37:52Rep. Rosen: They do not have a presumption of exposure like the counterparts they served alongside with and they cannot even prove they were there again because their records are data amassed -- data masked. When you commit to working with me to find a solution that provides a presumption of exposure at such air force locations and provides those who served and are currently serving at this location with sufficient
▶ 1:38:25Rep. Rosen: Documentation so that when they become veterans, they can submit claims on health-related related issues without compromising the security of their service details?
▶ 1:38:34Mr. Anderson: Absolutely. If confirmed, I will certainly do that. We owe the care and diligence to individuals who have won the cloth of the country and have served at a masked location. We take care of our people and I will commit to working with my counterparts at the department of veterans affairs and with this committee.
▶ 1:39:00Sen. Rosen: It is extremely important. I want to continue on this a little bit talking about the nnsa equities that we have. Dr. napoli, the nevada national security site has a test of the the valuation complex, the largest facility for open air testing of hazardous materials and biological stimulants in the world.
▶ 1:39:25Sen. Rosen: It is where first responders trained for nuclear for catastrophes -- nuclear catastrophes. If confirmed, the remote-sensing laboratory will fall under your direction. There are two in the country. They provide radiological emergency response teams along the west coast and the east coast respectively and stand ready to provide emergency radiological response anywhere in the world with deployable teams of experts.
▶ 1:39:54Sen. Rosen: Rsl has been up going -- undergoing a number of upgrades. I have had the great pleasure of touring their facility. I'm glad to bring you there. It is quite remarkable. Dr.
▶ 1:40:09Sen. Rosen: Napoli, if confirmed, what additional investments in the nevada national security site and remote-sensing laboratory do you think would be prudent to ensure that they continue to continue their missions in the years ahead?
▶ 1:40:27Dr. Napoli: Thank you. The missions you outlined within the office of nuclear nonproliferation are important. I look forward to learning more about the response teams and their actions in nevada. I have not been briefed on the details associated with those programs but I look forward to working on that quickly upon entering the position.
▶ 1:40:51Dr. Napoli: My experience with the propulsion program, I have experience in emergency planning and emergency response. I look forward to bringing those skill sets and moving the team forward.
▶ 1:41:03Sen. Rosen: I welcome you to nevada. We will give you a great tour.
▶ 1:41:08Chair Wicker: Senator mullin.
▶ 1:41:11Rep. Mullin: Thank you all for being here. Mr. telle, I want to talk to you about the port of catoosa, a 400 45 mile channel that runs from mississippi to the port of catoosa which is the largest inland water poured west of the mississippi and in the gulf of america.
▶ 1:41:37Rep. Mullin: It provides 50% of agricultural products that flow in and out of the midwest. Just outside of tulsa, from there it gets on trucks and his truck to the rest of the way. It was opened in 1971. We have talked about increasing the depth because of the amount of traffic. Right now it is at nine feet depth.
▶ 1:42:04Rep. Mullin: It also has a critical backlog which means that any of the levees could shut down at any given time. Almost $1 billion of critical backlog needs. This is not politically correct, but we are seen as the redheaded stepchild. And other projects in the ohio or mississippi or other waterways seem to get more attention.
▶ 1:42:34Rep. Mullin: However, the midwest feeds the united states and many parts around the world. Yet, we are in a critical situation where we need to increase the depth of the channel from nine feet to 12 feet. The study has been going on since the 1990's. An additional study started in 2005 and expired in 2014.
▶ 1:42:57Rep. Mullin: We could see a 40% increase in cargo influx into the port and out of the port for every foot that we increase it. 40% increase of cargo, which would be drastically an improvement to what we deal with today. Not to mention the timing and the cost to get products in and out of the midwest because as we hit the mississippi, we actually change out of one barge to another barge that is obviously deeper and bigger for us to navigate through the channel with.
▶ 1:43:29Rep. Mullin: My concern is that since the cor ps has overlooked this, I am looking for a commitment from you to take a hard look at this and understand that the heartbeat of america which is our agricultural products is in dire straits of being able to get products in and out and if this navigation channel goes down, the cost is going to bring to all americans tables because it will increase in cargo. Would you commit to helping us with this channel?
▶ 1:43:57Mr. Telle: Absolutely I will. This is enigmatic, the situation you described, providing access for oklahoma's farmers and ranchers to the rest of the world is the mission will be using our waterways for the benefit of the american public. It is critical getting their products from your state to the world. Opposite of that, getting the world's products to you is critically important.
▶ 1:44:27Mr. Telle: I understand this issue has been going on for a long time. It affects arkansas as well. Certainly as traffic changes, the types of traffic change based on commercial patterns. We need to make sure that our infrastructure is up-to-date. I look forward to doing everything we can to take a very hard look at this critical asset and make sure that we modernize it to the degree that we can.
▶ 1:44:50Mr. Telle: I would also as you describe, the critical role that it plays in flood protection in that area as well and the dredge material can have a beneficial use of terms of building flood control infrastructure, levees and otherwise. I look forward to working with you on that.
▶ 1:45:08Sen. Mullin: I look forward to hosting you. Mr. anderson, as you know the air national guard performs roughly 30% of military space operations staffed by highly skilled professional personnel across the country.
▶ 1:45:30Sen. Mullin: As a directive issue that the president expressed his intent to create a space national guard, I would ask your commitment to see this through. There are a lot of concerns in the national guard about these individuals who are highly skilled that want to be in the guard, being transferred out and forced to either reserve or full-time units which as you can see, that would be a major brain drain within the space force because these guys will not give
▶ 1:46:02Sen. Mullin: Up their careers to move someplace else. They are in the national guard because they want to be.
▶ 1:46:06Mr. Anderson: Senator, the state of play at the present time as I understand it from the media is that determination has been made to transfer basic space functions that are performed in the national guard to the space force. That is the policy that exists now.
▶ 1:46:35Mr. Anderson: When I find myself inside if confirmed, I would like to address this. However, I will commit to following the existing law as defined in a number of areas and in direction from the president and the secretary of defense.
▶ 1:46:51Sen. Mullin: The president expressed his intent to create a space national guard. That was his intent.
▶ 1:46:58Mr. Anderson: Thank you.
▶ 1:46:59Chair Wicker: Senator kelly.
▶ 1:47:02Rep. Kelly: Thank you. Mr. telle, good to see you. Thank you to all of our witnesses for being here today. Thanks for taking time to meet with me last week. I will see you tomorrow again at our ep w hearing. We will talk about some areas in the civil works projects then.
▶ 1:47:30Rep. Kelly: In this setting I want to ask you about the army corps and some formerly utilized defense sites. Arizona has long hosted test sites for the army and the air force. We have several sites in the state that are no longer actively used but have unexploded ordinance or some other hazards that require remediation.
▶ 1:47:59Rep. Kelly: The corps program is what we rely on for that remediation. For example, in southern arizona we have a site next to the town high school. Town leaders have expressed significant safety concerns. It is next to the high school. There are signs that say do not go in this area. What do you think high school students do? They go into the area anyway.
▶ 1:48:30Rep. Kelly: Also, there are unexploded ordinance that have prevented a local drive from constructing new water infrastructure. If confirmed, will you commit to working with my office to accelerate the site assessment and remediation processes for these sites?
▶ 1:48:52Mr. Telle: I look forward to working with you on that. It will require close coordination with the assistant secretary for army installation, energy and the environment. That person has oversight of the corps mission when it comes to formerly used defense sites. The army civil works program, both of those missions fall under U.S. army corps of engineers.
▶ 1:49:22Mr. Telle: It will require close collaboration between the two offices. The implications as I understand it as it relates to water, I will have a specific focus in that regard working closely with the assistant secretary.
▶ 1:49:37Sen. Kelly: Thank you. If confirmed, how will you ensure that communities with these sites are not left waiting for years or decades for th for years or decades for the corps to address these problems?
▶ 1:49:52Mr. Telle: Congress has charged the corps with cleanup at formerly used defense sites as well as former department of energy sites. The assistant secretary of the army for installation has primary responsibility over the department of defense sites. The assistant secretary for the army for civil works has jurisdiction. We share worksites with the U.S.
▶ 1:50:19Mr. Telle: Army corps of engineers and we will coordinate closely to solve the problems like the ones you are bringing up which are important to the local community and the country.
▶ 1:50:29Sen. Kelly: Thank you. Dr. napoli, with new countries pursuing nuclear power, there are growing concerns about safeguards in nuclear fuel cycle risks. How will you ensure that the nnsa's work on securing materials and promote responsible nuclear expansion continues?
▶ 1:50:52Dr. Napoli: Thank you. Working with the international community is a core mission of the office of defense nuclear non-proliferation. To secure all nuclear materials and ensure the protection as well as promoting comprehensive safeguards for nations to preclude them from seeking nuclear weapons. If confirmed, I look forward to working with our broader U.S. government and our international partners to ensure that our nation is protected in that regard.
▶ 1:51:20Sen. Kelly: Thank you. I yield back.
▶ 1:51:23Chair Wicker: Thank you very much. Senator budd.
▶ 1:51:28Sen. Budd: Congratulations to all of you for your nomination. Mr. telle if confirmed,, you will oversee the army corps of engineers predominantly focused on critical infrastructure. I am from a lot of military leaders in north carolina that sometimes they are required to go through the U.S.
▶ 1:51:47Sen. Budd: Army corps of engineers for certain things that don't make sense like building repairs, road repairs that causes long waits and leads to substandard conditions for our troops unfortunately. If confirmed, would you be willing to look at such policies? I have heard them referred to by my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. A few moments ago I heard them called black holes, redtape, bureaucratic nightmares.
▶ 1:52:16Sen. Budd: Would you take a look a these policies and potentially grant more authorities to local personnel to work on their own infrastructure?
▶ 1:52:24Mr. Telle: Thank you for the question. You have addressed a problem that is of critical importance to our nation for our competitiveness which has to do with permitting and making sure that we are streamlining the permitting process to ensure that interested parties both in the economy and national security are able to do the work to complete their missions.
▶ 1:52:51Mr. Telle: We have a patchwork of permitting requirements at the federal level that is confusing. We need to be taking processes that are currently being performed in series, a process does not move from one desk to another until the work is completed. We need to be doing those things in parallel instead of in series. Need to be transparent about the holdups.
▶ 1:53:18Mr. Telle: We need to communicate with stakeholders across the board in a clear way even if it is not the answer they want to hear so they can do what is necessary to move forward in regard to our economy and national security.
▶ 1:53:32Sen. Budd: I want to continue. The army corps has played a huge role in the cleanup of hurricane helene. In western north carolina we are familiar with that. I appreciate you addressing it. Will you commit to furthering the army corps's role in helping communities recover from national disasters and specifically for north carolina and hurricane helene?
▶ 1:53:56Mr. Telle: Absolutely. As you acknowledged, this is a project that is of critical importance to western north carolina but also tennessee and other areas, south carolina and southwest virginia. The storm affected a large part of the country. It devastated communities with floods that they could not believe were happening.
▶ 1:54:18Mr. Telle: The corps of engineer's primary response ability is to be there which wound up being a huge issue as meditation and personal property were watched into the waterways, further exacerbating the problem. I am pleased to say that the U.S. army corps of engineers was one of the first federal agencies on the same. I am disappointed that other agencies were not as responsive as the people of north carolina deserve.
▶ 1:54:47Mr. Telle: I look forward to working with you to make sure they recover from this disaster.
▶ 1:54:50Sen. Budd: I look forward to working together to get western north carolina back on its feet.
▶ 1:54:54Mr. Telle: You have done an incredible job being there on the ground. We have noticed it. Thank you for your attention to this.
▶ 1:55:02Sen. Budd: Thank you. Mr. anderson, thanks for being here. As artificial intelligence becomes more common and unmanned collaborative on aircraft makes its way into the structure, do you see manpower requirements changing in the coming years?
▶ 1:55:20Mr. Anderson: Thank you for the question. As we develop new capabilities and new platforms, we will require a new generation of airmen and guardians in order to operate, maintain those systems. Yes, I see an increasing manpower requirement. If confirmed, my intention is to get on the inside of this vigorously and try to work with this committee.
▶ 1:55:47Sen. Budd: Thank you. Dr. napoli, since 9/11 the U.S. has made great strides in preventing terrorists from gaining nuclear material that can to used to attack the U.S. the threat still exists and I'm concerned that we let the pressure off of these terrorist organizations from gaining access to nuclear material. If confirmed, how will you address this challenge?
▶ 1:56:13Dr. Napoli: Thank you, senator. Nonstate actors seeking nuclear weapons and the associated technologies for those weapons is of the utmost importance. There is an incredible team at the office of defense nuclear nonproliferation here in washington and throughout the field offices addressing this issue. I have not been read into all the details and the toolsets at our disposal to address that issue.
▶ 1:56:42Dr. Napoli: But if confirmed, I look forward to addressing that issue with the utmost urgency.
▶ 1:56:46Sen. Budd: Thank you.
▶ 1:56:48Chair Wicker: Thank you. Mr. telle, I hope when you take office, you will give advice to what legislation you need to remove these bureaucratic roblox.
▶ 1:57:07Mr. Telle: I look forward to doing that. It is really important to our nation.
▶ 1:57:11Chair Wicker: Thank you.
▶ 1:57:13Sen. Kaine: Congratulations to our nominees. Mr. telle, I appreciated our visit about the work done by the corps in virginia. I look forward to working with you. Mr. anderson, congratulations. All my colleagues know that Mr. anderson was a longtime member of the virginia general assembly. I appreciate that service in addition to your military service. Dr. napoli, I want to talk about your past job.
▶ 1:57:43Sen. Kaine: In your current position, not the one for which you have been nominated, you have been very involved in aukus. I have been very involved as a member of the foreign relations committee. The position for which you are nominated deals with nuclear non-proliferation a different matter than helping australia develop capacity to use virginia-class subs. I want to draw a line between those two issues.
▶ 1:58:11Sen. Kaine: Having to do before us gives me the opportunity to ask you -- having you before us gives me the opportunity to ask you about aukus and the need to find important innovative projects that we can work together with australia and the u.k. On pillar two. You have been given awards for your work on aukus. I applaud you for that. Talk to me about your assessment of aukus as you transition into a different role.
▶ 1:58:38Dr. Napoli: I appreciate the question. Thank you for the recognition of my work with australia and the united kingdom to date. Aukus provides a new and unique element of defense cooperation with australia.
▶ 1:58:57Dr. Napoli: I was fortunate enough to be involved at the ground level as that agreement took shape and also passing forth the atomic energy act section 123 agreement with this body in congress as well. The cooperation with australia provides new asymmetric advantage minutes -- new advantages.
▶ 1:59:25Dr. Napoli: I applaud australia's efforts to invest most importantly the people into this endeavor. I have also had a personal role. If I tie the nonproliferation effort and aukus together, I have worked with iea to ensure that we are upholding high nonproliferation standards as australia seeks a new truly --
▶ 1:59:59Dr. Napoli: Conventionally armed submarine. I note that the the team at the department of defense is well-equipped to continue with the aukus endeavor.
▶ 2:00:09Sen. Kaine: I am a huge fan of this framework and the need to focus on the indo-pacific. We don't have the 70 years of nato in the indo-pacific. We need to rely on a more layered set of relationships, some bilateral, some multilateral to promote deterrence and stability. I view this as a positive. I want to thank the chair and the ranking member. The aukus framework had to go through the foreign relations committee because of jurisdiction issues.
▶ 2:00:38Sen. Kaine: Leadership worked hard to take that work product and bolt it onto an ndaa. They have been very supportive of it. Going forward, the two challenges are making sure that we can produce the virginia-class subs called for in pillar one in a timely fashion when we have challenge meeting our own needs. How do we meet our needs and the commitments we have made to australia? They have invested in us. We need to meet those commitments to show the world that we are good on the commitments we make.
▶ 2:01:09Sen. Kaine: On pillar two which is very open-ended, which is great, we probably need to find a finite number of deliverables where we can really achieve something and then we can look at more. There a lot of work to be done. The fact that you were on the ground floor and that you have helped get this off to a positive start is something that I commend and I commend senator wicker and senator reid for being such strong champions. I yield back.
▶ 2:01:37Chair Wicker: Thank you. That concludes our questions. Mr. anderson, when were you at little rock?
▶ 2:01:46Mr. Anderson: I was in little rock from 1979 to 1984. For the record, that is the base where I met my wife.
▶ 2:01:56Chair Wicker: From little rock. As a teenager, you were with the civil air patrol?
▶ 2:02:04Mr. Anderson: I was.
▶ 2:02:06Chair Wicker: That is a valuable citizenship builder. A real asset for young people. Do you agree?
▶ 2:02:16Mr. Anderson: I absolutely agree. I joined the civil air before -- civil air patrol in little rock at the age of 18 and it set the predicate for a 40 year air force career followed by a career in the virginia general assembly and followed by this opportunity, should be confirmed. Absolutely, yes. I also know that you have been a big supporter for junior reserve officer training corps.
▶ 2:02:45Mr. Anderson: It is an equally invaluable program. Those two programs are mutually supportive. I think we must do all we can to support them.
▶ 2:02:53Chair Wicker: This committee and this congress has told the pentagon that we need to do more in that regard and we intend for that to be enforced. I want to thank all the witnesses. Questions for the record will be due to the committee within two business days of the conclusion of this hearing. With that, we are adjourned.