Transcription
Miss Hulahan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, Mr. Secretary, I've been looking forward, uh, very much to our time together. My name is Chrissy Hulahan. I, in addition to representing a part of Pennsylvania, the sixth district, I also am a veteran. I come from a family of veterans and service members. Uh, and it's very deeply personal to me this conversation that we're having, as I know it is to you as well.
Over the last several days, I've had the opportunity to watch a bit of the hearings that you have testified at this week, and I can see and know that you have quite a bit to say. But since I only have five minutes, I'm going to try and focus my time on a concept that you talk about very frequently, and that is lethality. By definition, lethality simply means being capable of causing death. Secretary Hegsth, I have a couple of clarifying questions that I'd like very much to get through. So in the interest of time and efficiency, I would ask just simply for a yes or no from you for the answers to these questions, uh, in advance, and I thank you.
So given that definition of lethality, would it be fair to say that both men and women are generally speaking capable of causing death? Uh, it depends. Yes or no, sir. Depends on the context. Yes or no? Yes or no. Are men and women capable of causing death? It depends on the context. Yes or no? It depends on the context. It's unbelievable to me that you can't come up with an answer to whether or not a man or a woman can cause death. That's an obvious yes.
Would it be fair to say that the US military trains our soldiers in multiple ways to be capable of causing death, whether they are men or women? That's a big part of our job. Yes. Would it be fair to say that both men and women are capable of pulling a trigger of a rifle to cause death? Yes or no? Sure. And would it be fair to say that both men and women are capable of operating an unmanned combat drone or maybe pushing a button to launch a missile to cause death again? Yes or no? I know what you're getting at, ma'am. Yes. Uh, but it is men and women carry equipment differently. A 5-round sack differently. Reclaiming my time. I asked about missiles and drones. Reclaiming my time. It is the gentle lady's time.
Would it be fair finally to say that both men and women are capable of piloting a jet or a helicopter to combat people and to cause death as a consequence? A lot of wonderful female pilots or no. So while I agree with you that physical fitness, as you were mentioning, is a very strong and important component of lethality, the war fighter that you have written about in your books and talked about on various podcasts is but a very, very small piece of the overall lethality picture. In fact, we estimate only about 10% of our military personnel are directly involved in the kind of combat that you're referring to. Rather, 90%, that's the math, of our troops are doing other jobs that support and enable those 10%.
So, to put it simply, lethality cannot be measured solely by the damage that a 6'3", 225 lb Christian male with a rifle can do to the enemy anymore. Sure, I agree he's part of that solution, but it is an incomplete and at best very dangerous and very homogeneous description of that lethality. It is equal parts technical skills, tactical experience, cognitive problem-solving, and physical fitness. It's not about one person, but it's about many. It's not about blue or red. It's not about liberal or conservative, Christian, Jewish or agnostic. It's not about north and south.
Here are some statements that you have said previously about women in service. This is 2024, sir, not when you were a 19-year-old. You have said that women are lifegivers, that dads push us to take risks, and that moms put the training wheels on our bikes, that we need moms, but not in the military. Secondly, you have said, "I am straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn't made us more effective and it hasn't made us more lethal." With what's left of my time, sir, I will say to you that women have served our country for 200 plus years in our militaries and in service and protection of our nation. We are they are watching you, what you do and what you say, and we deserve better from you. Women can and do serve with lethality today. We can and do all of the jobs that are required of us. Yes or no? Do you believe military women should be in all roles in the military? Women have joined our military in record numbers under this administration in all roles in the military. Standards should be high and equal for all positions or no sir, we agree. Should they be in all roles in the military? My job is that 10% stays as sharp as standards should be high and equal. Reclaiming my time. Will you agree that all women that women should be able to perform in all combat roles assuming they assume they meet the standards? Generally, time's expired. It's all about standards. Before we move,