About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

LOG IN
LOG IN


1 (2009)

handle is hein.cbhear/fdsysaqwq0001 and id is 1 raw text is: AUT-ENTICATED US. GOVERNMENT INFORMATION GP DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010 THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met at 10:30 a.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Daniel K. Inouye (chairman) pre- siding. Present: Senators Inouye and Cochran. NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES STATEMENT OF ALEC PETKOFF, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SECU- RITY COMMISSION, THE AMERICAN LEGION OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR DANIEL K. INOUYE Chairman INOUYE. I'm pleased to welcome all of you to this hear- ing, where we'll receive public testimony pertaining to various issues related to the fiscal year 2010 Defense appropriations re- quest. Because we have so many witnesses who wish to present testi- mony, I'd like to remind each witness that, unfortunately, they'll have to be limited to 3 minutes. Like to have this all day, but I have a supplemental appropriations pending on the floor. So at this point, I'd like to recognize the first witness, Mr. Alec Petkoff, deputy director of the-national security of The American Legion. Mr. PETKOFF. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you for inviting The American Legion to share its views on defense appropriations for fiscal year 2010. Since its founding in 1919, The American Legion remains stead- fast in support of a strong national defense. The United States is a Nation at war, still battling against extremist Islamists all over the world. The United States also must be prepared for any num- ber of threats to our national security, whether they arise from powerful nation states, rogue nation states, nonstate violent ex- tremists, natural disasters, or instability resulting from economic downturns in the world economy. Our need for a ready and robust military is clear. Now is not the time to slow down or reduce the level of spending required to keep our country safe from this spectrum of threats. From quality-of-life issues, to force structure, to military healthcare, to procurement, (1)