Congress resumes its budget work Monday after a week off for the Memorial Day holiday, and faces a blitz of hearings in coming weeks on the administration’s fiscal 2022 spending plans.
Defense and Veterans Affairs leaders are scheduled to make frequent appearances before congressional committees over the next month, as lawmakers aim for a mid-summer adoption of broad budget guidelines. That work is usually finished in late spring, but the White House’s delayed release of the budget until May 28 postponed that normal schedule.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley appeared before the House Appropriations Committee just before the holiday break, and will return to Capitol Hill this Thursday for further budget discussions with the Senate Armed Services Committee.
The pair are expected back a week later to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee, and then later in the month to speak with House Armed Services Committee members.
House Foreign Affairs — 10 a.m. — online hearing
State Department budget
Secretary of State Tony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2022 budget request.
House Appropriations — 2:30 p.m. — online hearing
State Department budget
Secretary of State Tony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2022 budget request.
House Armed Services — 3 p.m. — online hearing
Army/Marines ground systems
Service officials will testify on ground systems modernization programs and the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Tuesday, June 8
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
China
Outside experts will testify on strategic competition challenges with China.
Senate Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 106 Dirksen
State Department budget
Secretary of State Tony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2022 budget request.
House Veterans’ Affairs — 10 a.m. — online hearing
VA budget
Department officials will testify on the fiscal 2022 budget request.
House Armed Services — 11 a.m. — online hearing
Air Force projection forces
Service officials will testify on current aviation programs and the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Senate Appropriations — 2 p.m. — 192 Dirksen
Air Force/Space Force budget
Acting Air Force Secretary John Roth, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown Jr., and Chief of Space Operations John Raymond will testify on the president’s fiscal 2022 budget request.
Senate Foreign Relations — 2:15 p.m. — 216 Hart
State Department budget
Secretary of State Tony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — 222 Russell
Navy/Marine Corps investment
Service officials will testify on seapower goals and long-term investment planning related to the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Wednesday, June 9
Senate Foreign Relations — 10 a.m. — 106 Dirksen
Belarus
State Department officials will testify on current challenges in Belarus.
House Foreign Affairs — 11 a.m. — online hearing
Indo-Pacific issues
State Department officials will testify on current threats and challenges in the Ido-Pacific region.
Senate Foreign Relations — 2:30 p.m. — online hearing
Nominations
The committee will consider five nominations, including new ambassadorships for Somalia and Algeria.
House Armed Services — 3 p.m. — online hearing
Military readiness
The service vice chiefs will testify on military readiness issues and the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Senate Veterans’ Affairs — 3 p.m. — 301 Russell
VA infrastructure
VA officials will testify on infrastructure needs and challenges, and how they relate to the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — 232A Russell
Missile defense strategy
Vice Adm Jon Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency, and other defense officials will testify on missile defense strategy and the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Thursday, June 10
Senate Armed Services — 9:30 a.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Defense budget
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley will testify on the president’s fiscal 2022 budget request.
House Armed Services — 11 a.m. — online hearing
Nuclear forces budget
Defense officials will testify on nuclear weapon and warhead modernization sustainment plans and the fiscal 2022 budget request.
Friday, June 11
House Armed Services — 11 a.m. — online hearing
Defense intelligence
Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency, and Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, will testify on current intelligence programs and national security threats.