Chairman Richard Shelby Opening Statement Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Hearing to Review the FY2020 Budget Request for the U S Department of Defense May 8 2019 As prepared for delivery The Subcommittee will come to order I am pleased to welcome to the Committee Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford to review the budget request for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2020 This Committee has already hosted hearings with the individual military services and we have heard much about the implementation of the National Defense Strategy It has been repeatedly emphasized that the Department is implementing a deliberate plan to address the changing and in some ways new threats and challenges that are posed to our national security including from near peer adversaries However I remain convinced that we must maintain a rate of progress that will protect the comparative military advantages that have underpinned our global military strategy for years The world continues to be a complex and dangerous place as we are reminded when we read the news whether it is the ongoing humanitarian crisis at our Southwest border short range missile launches from North Korea or the movement of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group towards the U S Central Command region in response to recent Iranian actions I know that you both understand the magnitude of the challenges and I look forward to your testimony this morning as we as we consider the appropriate funding level for the Department in fiscal year 2020 I now turn to the Vice Chairman Senator Durbin for his opening remarks Senator Durbin ###