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FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

House Armed Services Committee Hearing: U.S. Military Strategy Regarding China

Original title: [H.A.S.C. No. 116-56] Department of Defense's Role In Competing With China

January 1, 2020

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing establishes the strategic framework for how the U.S. Department of Defense allocates resources and develops military policy to counter China's influence in global trade, territorial disputes, and international security.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Department of Defense

The agency is subject to the committee's oversight and potential policy directives resulting from this hearing.

U.S. Military Personnel

Strategic shifts in how the U.S. approaches competition with China directly impact military operations and deployment priorities.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2020.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Armed Services Committee held a public hearing on January 15, 2020, to examine the role of the Department of Defense in addressing national security challenges posed by China. Experts provided testimony on how the U.S. military can effectively deter China's influence and protect international norms.

Key Facts

  • The hearing took place on January 15, 2020, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
  • The committee focused on the Department of Defense's role in competing with China.
  • Chairman Adam Smith identified China's actions regarding intellectual property theft and territorial claims as primary concerns.
  • Three expert witnesses provided testimony: Michele A. Flournoy, Andrew Philip Hunter, and Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt.
  • The committee maintains jurisdiction over the Department of Defense and military strategy.
  • The hearing included the submission of prepared statements from all three witnesses into the official record.
  • Post-hearing questions were submitted by members including Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Waltz.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?
The hearing was held to discuss the threat China poses to international order and to determine the appropriate role for the U.S. Department of Defense in countering that threat.
Who testified at the hearing?
The witnesses were Michele A. Flournoy (former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy), Andrew Philip Hunter (Director of Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group at CSIS), and Rear Admiral Michael McDevitt (USN Ret., Senior Fellow at CNA).

Why It Matters

This hearing establishes the strategic framework for how the U.S. Department of Defense allocates resources and develops military policy to counter China's influence in global trade, territorial disputes, and international security.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Great Power Competition

The hearing marks a formal shift in committee focus toward long-term strategic competition with China as a primary military priority.

Connected Entities

personMichele A. FlournoyWitness, former Under Secretary of Defense for PolicyMap →
personAndrew Philip HunterWitness, Director of Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group at CSISMap →
organizationHouse Committee on Armed ServicesCongressional committee overseeing the Department of DefenseMap →
personMichael McDevittWitness, Rear Admiral USN (Ret.), Senior Fellow at CNAMap →
personAdam SmithChairman of the House Committee on Armed ServicesMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance80
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz20
    Current news / social attention level

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