Congress returns from a two-week break with a full slate of budget hearings in advance of appropriations and authorization bill drafts expected in coming weeks.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will all testify before congressional committees this week to answer questions about the president’s fiscal 2023 budget request.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made his appearances on Capitol Hill before the break, but the House and Senate Armed Services Committees have multiple hearings with service leaders to outline their needs and wants for next year.
Lawmakers have said they hope to get their appropriations and authorization work finished ahead of the mid-term elections this November.
Tuesday, April 26
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Defense industrial base
Ellen Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for acquisition and sustainment, and other outside experts will testify on the defense industrial base.
Senate Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — 342 Dirksen
Military privatized housing
Military family members and housing officials will testify on problems with privatized military housing operations.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10 a.m. — 106 Dirksen
State Department budget
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — Visitors Center H210
VA electronic health records
Veterans Affairs officials will discuss the latest steps in their electronic health record modernization effort.
Wednesday, April 27
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Air Force budget
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown and Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Transportation — 10 a.m. — 2167 Rayburn
Coast Guard budget
Coast Guard officials will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
Homeland Security budget
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Budget Committee — 10:30 a.m. — 210 Cannon
Defense budget
Defense Comptroller Michael McCord will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Appropriations — 2 p.m. — 2358-A Rayburn
Veterans' support services
Veterans Affairs officials will testify on programs focused on medical needs and related support services.
House Homeland Security — 2 p.m. — 310 Cannon
Homeland Security budget
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — Visitors Center H210
Veteran benefit claims
Veterans Affairs officials will testify on available representation for veterans in disability claims cases.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Fixed-wing aircraft budget
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Andrew Hunter and other military officials will testify on fixed-wing tactical and training aircraft programs.
Senate Armed Services — 3 p.m. — 232-A Russell
Special Operations Command
Leaders from the four services special operation command offices will testify on current challenges and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Senate Veterans' Affairs — 3 p.m. — 418 Russell
Pending nominations
The committee will consider nominations of Shereef Elnahal to be VA undersecretary for health and Ray Jefferson to be undersecretary for benefits.
House Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Navy seapower and projection forces
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. Scott Conn and other service officials will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Nuclear weapons programs
Officials from the Departments of Defense and Energy will testify on atomic energy defense activities and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Thursday, April 28
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — online hearing
State Department budget
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Veterans Affairs budget
VA Secretary Denis McDonough will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Member day
Members of Congress will offer their legislative suggestions for inclusion in the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — 2358-A Rayburn
Air Force quality of life
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass and other service officials will testify on Air Force quality of life issues and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 1 p.m. — 2172 Rayburn
State Department budget
State Department officials will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
F-35 sustainment
Officials from the F-35 Joint Program Office will testify on current program operations.
House Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Special operations forces budget
Assistant Secretary of Defense Christopher Maier and Gen. Richard Clarke, head of Special Operations Command, will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Friday, April 29
House Armed Services — 11 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Cybersecurity
Defense department cybersecurity officials will testify on current operations and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 2:30 p.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Defense industrial base
Ellen Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for acquisition and sustainment, and other outside experts will testify on the defense industrial base.
Senate Homeland Security — 10 a.m. — 342 Dirksen
Military privatized housing
Military family members and housing officials will testify on problems with privatized military housing operations.
Senate Foreign Relations — 10 a.m. — 106 Dirksen
State Department budget
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — Visitors Center H210
VA electronic health records
Veterans Affairs officials will discuss the latest steps in their electronic health record modernization effort.
Wednesday, April 27
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Air Force budget
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown and Chief of Space Operations Gen. John Raymond will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Transportation — 10 a.m. — 2167 Rayburn
Coast Guard budget
Coast Guard officials will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — 2359 Rayburn
Homeland Security budget
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Budget Committee — 10:30 a.m. — 210 Cannon
Defense budget
Defense Comptroller Michael McCord will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Appropriations — 2 p.m. — 2358-A Rayburn
Veterans' support services
Veterans Affairs officials will testify on programs focused on medical needs and related support services.
House Homeland Security — 2 p.m. — 310 Cannon
Homeland Security budget
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 2 p.m. — Visitors Center H210
Veteran benefit claims
Veterans Affairs officials will testify on available representation for veterans in disability claims cases.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Fixed-wing aircraft budget
Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition Andrew Hunter and other military officials will testify on fixed-wing tactical and training aircraft programs.
Senate Armed Services — 3 p.m. — 232-A Russell
Special Operations Command
Leaders from the four services special operation command offices will testify on current challenges and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Senate Veterans' Affairs — 3 p.m. — 418 Russell
Pending nominations
The committee will consider nominations of Shereef Elnahal to be VA undersecretary for health and Ray Jefferson to be undersecretary for benefits.
House Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Navy seapower and projection forces
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. Scott Conn and other service officials will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Senate Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — G-50 Dirksen
Nuclear weapons programs
Officials from the Departments of Defense and Energy will testify on atomic energy defense activities and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Thursday, April 28
House Appropriations — 10 a.m. — online hearing
State Department budget
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Veterans' Affairs — 10 a.m. — Visitors Center H210
Veterans Affairs budget
VA Secretary Denis McDonough will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Armed Services — 10 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Member day
Members of Congress will offer their legislative suggestions for inclusion in the fiscal 2023 defense authorization bill.
House Appropriations — 10:30 a.m. — 2358-A Rayburn
Air Force quality of life
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass and other service officials will testify on Air Force quality of life issues and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Foreign Affairs — 1 p.m. — 2172 Rayburn
State Department budget
State Department officials will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
House Armed Services — 2 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
F-35 sustainment
Officials from the F-35 Joint Program Office will testify on current program operations.
House Armed Services — 4:30 p.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Special operations forces budget
Assistant Secretary of Defense Christopher Maier and Gen. Richard Clarke, head of Special Operations Command, will testify on the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Friday, April 29
House Armed Services — 11 a.m. — 2118 Rayburn
Cybersecurity
Defense department cybersecurity officials will testify on current operations and the fiscal 2023 budget request.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
