Video transcript
My last job in the Navy was in the SEAL teams. My job was to train and coach SEALs on the West Coast on how to do VBSS, so a little bit of experience with what you guys are doing, and I appreciate, I know that's a very complicated mission set, and I appreciate all the hard work that you guys do. Admiral, I want to ask you if you believe that the President of the United States, the Commander-in-Chief, under Article II of the Constitution, has brought executive powers for maritime security. Do you recognize that, sir? Yes, yes, I recognize that. Do you recognize that the President may direct maritime interdictions when enforcing sanctions or national security measures, Admiral? Yes, I do, we follow that. Okay, so one of the things that's concerned me as a former service member myself is a video that was made by Senator Mark Kelly and several other senators who, just a couple months ago, they made a video to tell service members that they don't need to follow unlawful orders. Admiral, are you familiar with this video? I have not seen the video itself. I was following the news story, obviously, and the escalation of the-- It made national news, did it not, Admiral? It did, indeed. Did you or any of the other high-ranking Coast Guard officers that you work with fear that a video like that might undermine your chain of command? From my standpoint, I have found that our service members will follow lawful orders if they, you know, as given. I find it interesting, Admiral, that I didn't see any videos made like that from members of Congress during the Biden administration. I wanna submit an article for the record. This is from CNN. Biden finalizes new rules for U.S. drone strikes. President Joe Biden has signed a long-awaited classified policy tightening the rules for the CIA and Pentagon to carry out deadly drone strikes and commando raids conducted outside of traditional war zones, U.S. officials said on Friday. This was October 7th, 2022. Did you notice that no members of Congress, including Senator Kelly, made any videos during this time, Admiral? - I'm not familiar with that article. - 'Cause you didn't see any videos, did you? I didn't. - Not that I recall, no. - As service members, we tend to follow these types of things, right? - Yes. - Yeah. I found that very interesting that they weren't making videos during that timeframe about whether or not service members follow lawful orders or not. - And I think we all know that, right, Admiral? Don't we get that training and basic training that we're not supposed to follow unlawful orders? - Absolutely. And at all the session sources, that is what we train our personnel. - Yeah, so did you find that video a little bit odd knowing that we all know that? - I find that it's, you know, for me, as I reflect on it, I think it's unnecessary. I think our personnel will know to follow lawful orders and to question unlawful orders. - Yeah, that's what I thought too. Admiral, you guys, Congress delivered for you guys in a pretty big way during the reconciliation package, is that correct? - That is absolutely correct. - We gave you about $25 billion, is that correct? - Yes, generational change for the Coast Guard, Congressman. - And you guys had about seven billion in maintenance backlog for infrastructure, is that correct? - Yes, that's correct. - Do you, how do you see the Coast Guard deploying that money to make sure that the Coast Guard is ready to carry out the nation's national security and homeland security needs in the next couple of years? - We, under Force Design 28, Congressmen, we have reorganized to ensure that the Coast Guard can obligate all of those funds quickly. We're not waiting for the five years that they're available to us. We wanna spend those right away on maintenance, on shore infrastructure, to get after the problems that we have. - Thank you. My last question for you, Admiral, is do you feel in the last couple months with the boat strikes and everything else going on, do you feel like you have given orders to your men to carry out any of these strikes, any of these interdictions that have been deemed unlawful? - The Department of War has had the lead to these kinetic strikes. The Coast Guard has not been involved with them, so I can answer that we have not, I have not felt that way at all.
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