Mobile Courant

In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Senator Tommy Tuberville questioned President Biden's nominees for various positions in the Pentagon. Tuberville asked Dr. Aprille Ericsson and Dr. Douglas Schmidt about defense spending, small business programs, the southern border, and funding for Israel and Ukraine.

Speaking to Dr. Ericsson, Tuberville highlighted the importance of small businesses in Huntsville, Alabama, and their contribution to the defense industry. Ericsson acknowledged the critical role of small businesses and expressed her support for them. She stated, "I believe that America is built on the back of small businesses. We don't get to big [businesses] without small [businesses], right?"

Tuberville then turned his attention to Secretary Dalton, expressing his frustration with the border wall and the high cost associated with it. He emphasized the need to protect taxpayers and ensure responsible spending. Tuberville urged Dalton, who would be responsible for controlling $200 billion in Air Force funds if confirmed, to do a better job in managing expenses.

When addressing Dr. Schmidt, Tuberville inquired about the effectiveness of the defense systems provided to Ukraine and Israel. Schmidt, who had not yet been confirmed, promised to carefully assess the systems and ensure their suitability and efficacy. He expressed willingness to meet with Tuberville and his staff to discuss the matter further.

Tuberville also raised concerns about the cost of shooting down drones with expensive missiles. He stressed the importance of finding cost-effective solutions to protect the warfighters and suggested exploring lighter-weight, cheaper yet still effective weapon systems, such as directed energy.

Additionally, Tuberville mentioned the ongoing challenges with the KC-46, a long-range tanker project. He urged Secretary Dalton and Dr. Schmidt, once in their positions, to consider alternative options and not give the same company multiple chances to deliver a product they cannot build.

Senator Tommy Tuberville, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, Veterans' Affairs Committee, and HELP Committee, voiced his concerns and sought clarification from the nominees on various defense-related issues.

The hearing provided an opportunity for Tuberville to engage with the nominees and express his views on defense spending, small business support, border security, and international partnerships. While the nominees offered initial insights, their responses were contingent on confirmation and further evaluation of the respective positions.