May 08 2013

McKeon Statement on DoD Denial of Vital Benghazi Oversight Information

WASHINGTON- Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, today released a letter from The Honorable Elizabeth King, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs. The letter (below) responds to Chairman McKeon's April 17th request to Secretary Hagel, that the Department of Defense provide a classified timeline of the events that transpired on September 11-12, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya. In her response, Assistant Secretary King denied the Chairman's request, pointed out that an unclassified timeline has been released, and asserted that no formal classified timeline exists. Chairman McKeon made the following statement in response:

“As Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, I believe that I have an obligation to provide robust oversight of the administration’s conduct in matters of national security. This is a responsibility that I take very seriously and the Committee’s oversight of the terrorist attack in Benghazi is no exception. I am well aware of the unclassified interagency timeline Ms. King refers to in her letter. I find it insufficient, which is why I requested additional information from the Department of Defense. DoD's explanation that no further information is available is equally insufficient and unacceptable. "

"The Department has been generally cooperative with this committee in getting to the bottom of what went wrong in Benghazi. They have supported a number of classified and unclassified exchanges with Members and staff. That does not mean that the process now comes to an end, or that the wealth of potential information has been exhausted. I am deeply disappointed in the Department’s response and am committed to continuing the Armed Services Committee's oversight into the tragedy at Benghazi."

Permalink: http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/2013/5/mckeon-statement-on-dod-denial-of-vital-benghazi-oversight-information

Related Files

• Letter from the Honorable Elizabeth King, to Chairman McKeon

  Benghazi_OSD.pdf (537.3 KBs)
  
  
  
  

  May 15 2013

  McKeon, Smith Begin FY 2014 Defense Authorization Process

  Introduce "by request bill" to Start NDAA Legislation

  WASHINGTON- House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA), took an important step today to begin the legislative process for crafting the FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, by introducing HR 1960, the "by request" version of the bill.
  
  This procedural measure is traditionally the first step in the legislative process for the NDAA. The legislation filed today does not reflect any substantive work by the Armed Services Committee. Rather, provisions contained in the bill reflect legislative proposals submitted by the Department of Defense. On June 5th, when the Committee meets to consider the FY14 NDAA the content of HR 1960 will be struck and replaced with subcommittee and full committee proposals. Those proposals will begin to be released next week as the subcommittees begin the markup process. The full NDAA schedule can be found here: FY14 NDAA Markup Schedule.
  
  In introducing the "by request" bill, Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member Smith said:
  
  "Today the Armed Services Committee officially begins the legislative work for crafting the next defense authorization act, though we have been working on the substance of the bill for months. This will be the fifty-second year in which Congress has come together in a bi-partisan manner to provide the resources and authorities our men and women in uniform need to keep us all safe and free. The weeks ahead will be filled with heated debates, considered compromise, and hard work. At the end of the process, we have every confidence that the work of the Republicans and Democrats on the Armed Services Committee will produce a bill that this House can proudly support."
  
  Permalink: http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/2013/5/mckeon-smith-begin-fy-2014-defense-authorization-process
   
   

  May 21 2013

  Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee Mark Released

  H.R. 1960 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014

  WASHINGTON- The House Armed Services Committee today released legislative language scheduled to be considered by the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities at their markup tomorrow. By releasing the legislative language, Chairman McKeon is complying with House disclosure rules and overseeing the most transparent process in Congress for composing national security legislation. >>View the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Emerging Threats and Capabilities Mark. (Link corrected)
  
  Led by subcommittee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX), the proposal is a vital portion of the larger National Defense Authorization Act, and is responsible for overseeing counter-terrorism programs and initiatives and counterproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as defense intelligence activities, U.S. Special Operations Forces, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), information technology and programs, and force protection policy and oversight. Specifically, the Chairman’s Mark will:
  

  • Limit funding for Air Force logistics information technology pending submission of a modernization strategy after the failure of Expeditionary Combat Support System.
  • Require the Secretary of Defense to create a policy that governs defense intelligence priorities.
  • Require an assessment by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding DOD input into the National Intelligence Priorities Framework.
  • Limit funding for the Defense Clandestine Service (DCS) until the Secretary of Defense certifies that the program primarily fulfills Department of Defense requirements. Also requires quarterly DCS briefings to Congress.
  • Require the Secretary of Defense to submit a plan related to the drawdown of defense intelligence assets in Afghanistan.
  • Require the Department to conduct a mission analysis for cyber operations and examine the proper balance of cyber capabilities across national security organizations.
  • Require a report from the Department of Defense that addresses coordination of cyber and electronic warfare activities and creates standards for cyber operations training.
  • Require creation of a Cryptographic Modernization advisory board to review and assess DoD efforts for cryptographic modernization.
  • Extend authorities to provide for the exchange of Information Technology personnel between private industry and the Department of Defense.
  • Fully fund and supports U.S. Special Operations Command, and supports efforts in Afghanistan and other areas. 
  • Reauthorize Department of Defense personnel recovery programs and capabilities.Fully funds Department-wide Science and Technology investments, including provisions supporting workforce development for the defense labs, and defense-wide directed energy programs.
  • Direct the Secretary of Defense to review the future role of Special Operations Forces and requires a report that would inform the congressional defense committees in preparation for fiscal year 2015.
  • Direct the Comptroller to review and assess Department of Defense capabilities with respect to non-traditional chemical agents and bio-terrorism threats.
  • Direct additional reporting requirements for humanitarian mine action to also include Counter-Improvised Explosive Device technology.

  The legislative text, descriptive section-by-section analysis, and directive report language can be found on the Committee Repository or on the NDAA Subcommittee Marks page.

  Permalink: http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/2013/5/intelligence-emerging-threats-and-capabilities-subcommittee-mark-released