'Presence In Our Backyard': Mike Rogers Warns About Russian And Chinese Military Activity Near Alaska

2 days ago

During last week's House Armed Services Committee hearing, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) warned about China and Russia working together on a joint bomber patrol.

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Transcript

00:00It will come to order. Today we begin our fiscal year 2026 posture hearings with U.S. northern

00:07and southern commands. I want to thank our witnesses for their service and for joining

00:11us today and for the time it took to prepare for this hearing. It's very helpful. I appreciate y'all.

00:16We know that border security is national security. Over the past four years we've learned that the

00:22hard way. President Biden's open border policies triggered historic levels of illegal immigration.

00:28They also emboldened cartels that flooded our streets with fentanyl and other drugs made mostly

00:35with Chinese precursor chemicals. The human cost has been staggering. In the 12 months ending October

00:442024 over 52,000 Americans died from fentanyl overdoses. Republicans have been unequivocal.

00:52The real fix had to come from the top and President Trump delivered. Through decisive executive action

00:59including authorizing the deployment of 7,500 additional active duty troops to the border

01:05illegal crossings have plummeted. In February apprehensions were down 94 percent compared to

01:12the year before and dangerous criminals and gang members are being removed from our communities.

01:20But the job isn't done. I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues on reconciliation

01:26package that provides the DOD the resources it needs to support civilian authorities in sealing the

01:34borders. Meanwhile, America's adversaries are developing and fielding more advanced air and missile

01:41capabilities. It is clear the homeland is no longer a sanctuary. Chinese and Russian aircraft have ramped up

01:49activity around Alaska including their first ever joint bomber patrol. North Korea keeps testing its

01:57long-range missiles and there are signs Russia may be helping them. And China and Russia's strategic missile

02:04capabilities including hypersonic weapons continue to evolve rapidly. Amid these threats it is alarming there is

02:11an effort afoot to auction off parts of the spectrum of DOD and DOD needs to track incoming missiles. This spectrum

02:22supports most of our military radar systems including our early warning and homeland missile defense. Losing it would put

02:28President Trump's Golden Dome initiative at serious risk and undermine our security. Turning to Southcom, China's growing

02:37presence in our backyard is a direct threat to the United States. Through its Belt and Road Initiative, China is expanding its

02:44control over ports, space facilities and 5G telecommunications in that region. It's also snapping up copper, lithium and other

02:53critical minerals essential to its military modernization. These are not business deals. They're beachheads. In a conflict, these assets would be

03:03weaponized against us. That's why I support efforts to roll back Chinese influence in our hemisphere, especially in the Panama Canal.

03:11Thanks to this administration, U.S. investors are potentially set to take control of the Chinese-run ports on either side of this vital

03:21waterway. Panama has also quit the Belt and Road Initiative. Russia remains active in the region too, providing training and arms to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, as well as the

03:31spreading anti-U.S. propaganda. And the Kremlin is flexing its military muscle.

03:39Last summer, Russian warships conducted missile drills in the Atlantic before making a port call in Havana.

03:45It is critical the United States wins the strategic competition with China and Russia in the Western Hemisphere.

03:51I look forward to hearing from our witnesses and gathering their best military judgment on how we meet these growing challenges head on.

03:58And with that, I yield to my friend, the ranking member for any opening comments he may have.

'Presence In Our Backyard': Mike Rogers Warns About Russian And Chinese Military Activity Near Alaska

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