Opening Statement (As Prepared)
Click here to stream the hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to welcome our witnesses for our hearing today, Mr. Joseph Humire, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas Security Affairs, General Francis Donovan, Commander, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), and General Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
The SOUTHCOM region has seen significant military activity over the past year, from Operation Southern Spear to Operation Absolute Resolve. In last year’s posture hearing, discussion centered around what Admiral Holsey described as his main levers in the region – security cooperation and security assistance. Since that time, the region has seen boat strikes since September on individuals affiliated with what the administration deems designated terrorist organizations, Admiral Holsey resigned in December, and then, this January, U.S. forces participated in an operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power.
We are left with many questions following these activities. This administration has still not shared the costs of these operations with this committee both in dollars and readiness as some assets like the U.S.S. Ford have now been deployed to CENTCOM, extending deployment to nearly a year. It also remains unclear whether these operations made significant gains in stopping drugs from reaching the United States, compared to prior years, particularly fentanyl. Further, have drug traffickers stopped in response or, instead, adjusted their tactics? I’d like to know today what levels of U.S. military engagement in the region we should expect to see going forward.
In this vein, I’d like to know more about the recently released 2026 National Defense Strategy and “key terrain” within the Western Hemisphere. The document notes that the Department of Defense (DoD) will provide “credible options” to ensure access to such terrain, citing Panama, Greenland, and the “Gulf of the Americas.” What exactly does this entail and what planning has been done for the future of Greenland and the Panama Canal? Further, how has our cooperation with Canada shifted in light of comments regarding annexation. I remain deeply concerned about the impact this has on the willingness of allies and partners to continue to embrace engagement with the United States.
In NORTHCOM’s area of operations, DoD has been ordered to deploy troops to U.S. cities for questionable reasons and, frequently, over the objections of local officials. In the past year, we have witnessed service members deployed, raising significant concerns and threatening the trust that Americans generally have in the National Guard and the DoD. We have also seen an unnecessary deployment to Washington DC, which, prior to the deployment, was experiencing a 30-year low in crime. In that context, Guardsmen are frequently tasked with chores like picking up trash and raking leaves to stay “busy.” I’d like to know why this is a mission worth continuing, especially in light of threat to the public’s trust in the Armed Forces.
We have also seen a significant rise in requests for DoD resources by law enforcement, particularly from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), despite DHS receiving over $190 billion in the reconciliation bill last July. That is almost triple the $64.4 billion DHS is allocated in the FY 2026 DHS bill, which is roughly in line with historical funding for DHS. But it’s not just the money. Readiness and capacity to deal with defense threats to the United States can be affected by overuse of DoD resources. I’d like to better understand how the Department is ensuring that immigration enforcement support is not becoming its job in a classic case of mission creep.
But even more important than the money, in any administration, DoD support to law enforcement inherently risks troops directly enforcing the law against Americans, something generally prohibited by the law and contrary to national values and principles.
NORTHCOM is also the most relevant command relating to changes to counter unmanned aircraft system authorities passed in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last year. These changes seem to have had an effect, likely leading directly to the closure of El Paso international airport and the DoD shoot-down of a Customs & Border Protection drone in Texas earlier this year. No one on this committee is, or should be, satisfied with the lack of candor and information passed to Congress about these incidents and reaction to them, both of which throw into doubt the competence and honesty of DoD and administration leadership and the safety of civilian aviation in this country.
Further, NORTHCOM is the primary Combatant Command responsible for US missile defense – which up until this point has correctly been focused on defeating threats from rogue states, such as North Korea and Iran. More than a year after the President’s announcement on Golden Dome, this committee has no more detail on what exactly the architecture will be, how much it will cost, or how this effort will impact strategic stability.
The defense of the United States and operations across the Western Hemisphere are critical roles of the Department of Defense. The oversight role that this committee plays in ensuring that these missions are successful, spend Americans’ tax dollars appropriately and defend their liberties is no less critical, especially with this administration and this president. I expect the Department to respect the rule of law and keep Congress informed and look forward to hearing from our witnesses today about how they plan to cooperate with us in that effort.
Thank you to the witnesses for being here today.