The House Armed Services Committee is engaging in a comprehensive dialogue with security experts from the intelligence, academic, and think-tank communities to examine which U.S. military tools can best protect our interests at home and abroad.

The goal of this process is to produce a focused, well-researched report that reflects a bipartisan committee view of the military capabilities we need for the future.

Committee members will be better prepared in February 2006 to assess the analytical strengths and weaknesses of the Department of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), a comprehensive study of strategy, force structure, and resources that Congress has required the Department to conduct.

The CDR is not an alternative to the QDR - it is meant to complement the QDR, educate Members concerning threats and capabilities, and provide for enhanced oversight of our national security.

Some hearing transcripts are available. Note: electronic transcripts are not complete transcripts for the record, as they may not contain questions and answers for the record and other printed material submitted to the committee.  For a listing of all available transcripts, go here.

Fact Sheet (pdf)

NEWS RELEASES

Hunter and Skelton Announce Membership of Defense Review Threat Panel - Reps. Tauscher and Turner to Co-Chair Bipartisan Process to Identify Potential Strategic Threats to United States National Security (pdf)

HEARINGS

Wednesday, November 9 - 1:45pm - 2212 Rayburn - Open  (Notice the time change from 1:00pm to 1:45pm)

The Regional Powers Panel met to receive testimony on regional powers' threats to the United States' interests.

Witnesses:

• Vice Admiral Albert H. Konetzni, Jr., United States Navy (ret.), Former Deputy and Chief of Staff, Atlantic Fleet, Former Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet (pdf)
• Rear Admiral James F. Sigler, United States Navy (ret.), Former Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, Former Director of Plans and Policy, United States Central Command (pdf)

Tuesday, November 1 - 3:00pm - 2212 Rayburn - Open

The Asymmetric and Unconventional Threats Gap Panel met to receive testimony on space security.

Witnesses:

• Dr. Ed Taylor, Head of Communications and Information Technology Division, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lincoln Technology
• Michael E. O'Hanlon, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution
• Dr. James Lewis, Senior Fellow and Director, Technology and Public Policy Programs, Center for Strategic and International Studies
• Mr. David E. Mosher, Senior Policy Analyst, RAND Corporation

Thursday, November 3 - 3:00pm - 2118 Rayburn - Open

The Terrorism and Radical Islam Gap Panel met to receive testimony on Understanding Aspirations of Radical Islam: Why Mainstream Islam is Radically Different.

Witnesses:

• Dr. Mary R. Habeck, Associate Professor of Strategic Studies, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
• Dr. Angel M. Rabasa, Senior Policy Analyst, RAND Corporation
• Professor Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, University of Maryland

Friday, November 4 - 1:00pm - 2118 Rayburn - Open (Note time change from 12:00 to 1:00pm)

The Regional Powers Gap Panel met to receive testimony on U.S. response to regional powers and interagency planning capabilities.

Witnesses:

• Dr. Hans Binnendijk (pdf)
• Dr. Bernard Cole (pdf)
• Mr. Roy Kamphausen, Director of National Security Affairs, National Bureau of Asian Research (pdf)

Wednesday, October 26 - 1:00pm - 2212 Rayburn - Open

The Regional Powers Panel met to receive testimony on an overview of regional powers' military capabilities and threats to United States interests.

Witnesses:

• James R. Lilley, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Former Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and to the Republic of Korea

• Michael E. O’Hanlon, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, Brookings Institution

• Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, The Lexington Institute

Wednesday, October 26 - 4:00pm - 2212 Rayburn - Open

The Terrorism and Radical Islam Gap Panel met to receive testimony on responding to the radical Islamic terrorist threat - the Department of Defense's roles, missions and capabilities in the Global War on Terrorism.  Audio is in two parts due to technical difficulty.

Witnesses:

• Mr. Michael Vickers, Director of Strategic Studies, Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
• Major General Robert H. Scales, Jr., United States Army (ret.), Former Commandant, United States Army War College

Thursday, October 27 - 9:00am - 2118 Rayburn - Open

The Asymmetric and Unconventional Threats Panel met to receive testimony on Cyber Security, Information Assurance and Information Superiority.

Witnesses:

• Eugene Spafford, Ph.D., Professor, Purdue University, Member, President's Information Technology Advisory Committee

• Mr. David Grawrock, Principle Engineer and Security Architect, Intel Corporation

• Mr. Paul B. Kurtz, Executive Director, Cyber Security Industry Alliance

Wednesday, September 28 - 10:00am - 2118 Rayburn - Open

The Committee Defense Review Threat Panel met to receive testimony on threats in Middle East and Africa. Tauscher opening statement: (pdf)

Witnesses:

• Dr. Anthony H. Cordesman (pdf)
• Dr. Daniel Byman, Director, Center for Peace and Security Studies (pdf)
• Ambassador Edward Walker, Jr., President, Middle East Institute (pdf)

Tuesday, September 27 - 10:00am - 2118 Rayburn - Open

The Committee Defense Review Threat Panel met to receive testimony on threats in Asia. Tauscher opening statement: (pdf)

Witnesses:

• Mr. Peter Brookes, Senior Fellow, National Security Affairs and Director of the Asian Studies Center, The Heritage Foundation (pdf)
• Dr. Kurt Campbell, Senior Vice President, Henry A. Kissinger Chair in National Security, Director of International Security Programs, Center for Strategic and International Studies (pdf)
• Dr. Steven P. Cohen, Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program, The Brookings Institution (pdf)

Thursday, September 22 - 10:00am - 2118 Rayburn - Open

The CDR Threat Panel met to receive testimony on threats in Eurasia. Tauscher opening statement: (pdf)  (The second icon is part two of the audio.)

Witnesses:

• Dr. Leon Aron, Resident Scholar and Director of Russian Studies, American Enterprise Institute (pdf)
• Dr. Fiona Hill, Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program, The Brookings Institution (pdf)
• Dr. Martha Brill Olcott, Senior Associate in the Russian and Eurasian Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (pdf)

Wednesday, September 21 - 10:00am - 2212 Rayburn - Open

The CDR Threat Panel met to receive testimony on threats in Latin America.  Tauscher opening statement: (pdf)

Witnesses:

• Mr. William Edgar, Director, Jane's Strategic Advisory Services, Jane's Information Group (pdf)
• Mr. Stephen Johnson, Senior Policy Analyst, The Heritage Foundation (pdf)
• Dr. William M. LeoGrande, Dean, School of Public Affairs, American University (pdf)

Wednesday, September 14 - 10:00am - 2118 Rayburn - Open

The House Armed Services Committee met to receive testimony on the Quadrennial Defense Review: Goals and Principles. Hunter statement: (pdf)

Witnesses:

• Honorable Dov S. Zakheim (pdf)
• Ms. Michele Flournoy, Center for Strategic and International Studies (pdf)
• Dr. Daniel Goure, Lexington Institute (pdf)
• Dr. Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr., Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (pdf)