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Opening Statements of Chairman
Jim Saxton
Hearing on Defense Science and Technology
Policy and Programs
Today, the
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional
Threats and Capabilities will hear testimony
on the fiscal year 2005 budget request for the
Department of Defense's science and technology
program and plans and priorities for the
future. We will discuss with Director of
Defense Research and Engineering Ron Sega, the
military departments' science and technology
chiefs and the Director, Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, how the program
supports the Global War on Terrorism and what
needs to be done to accelerate the
identification, development, and transition of
advanced technologies that are critical to
Defense transformation.
In 1983, then
Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger said:
"We face the
danger of losing our edge because we have not
adequately replenished the reservoir of
scientific concepts and knowledge to nourish
future technologies..., we must systematically
replenish the scientific reservoir, using the
unique and diverse strength of the United
States scientific community . Given the
relatively long lead time between fundamental
discovery and applying such knowledge to
defense systems, the true measure of our
success . may not be apparent for several
decades. When the 'moment of truth' arrives,
we cannot afford to be found wanting."
President Harry
Truman summarized the issue more succinctly in
1945, when he said, "No aspect of military
preparedness is more important than scientific
research."
President
Truman's and Secretary Weinberger's statements
are no less true today. Technological
superiority over our adversaries is a
cornerstone of the U.S. national military
strategy. Historically, a robust Defense
science and technology program has been key to
meeting the known needs for military
capabilities, providing a technology bridge to
new weapons systems during periods of reduced
funding for development and acquisition, and
enabling the development of totally new
operational concepts and capabilities that are
as yet unforeseen.
For the past
two decades, previous Administrations and the
Congress have faced the issues raised by
President Truman's and Secretary Weinberger's
statements. These issues confront the Bush
Administration and the Congress today:
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What should
be the role of the federal government and
the Department of Defense in supporting
science and technology research and
development?
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On what
technologies should the Defense S&T program
focus?
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What is the
appropriate level of funding for the
program?
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How are we
changing the program to support the Global
War on Terrorism and Defense transformation?
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How do we
accelerate the transition of technology from
the laboratory to the military user in the
field?
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What is the
importance of the DOD laboratories to the
program?
And, perhaps
among the most important, what is needed to
ensure the development of the "best and
brightest" young scientists and engineers who
will provide our country and its armed forces
the advances in science, technology, and
advanced systems and capabilities that will
ensure our national security?
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