Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) on Monday said her “frank conversations” with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth have led to progress on issues such auditing the Pentagon, women in combat, and combatting sexual assault in the military.
Ernst spoke during Tuesday’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing regarding Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Defense Department.
The Iowa senator asked for unanimous consent to submit for the record a letter from Mark Lucas, who succeeded Hegseth as the leader of Concerned Veterans for America. The letter reportedly said, “Hegseth laid a strong foundation that postured Concerned Veterans for America for long-term success.”
It was submitted for the record.
The Iowa senator said that there have been “very frank conversations” with Hegseth, and that she does not pull any punches.
“I do appreciate you sitting down and allowing me the opportunity to question you thoroughly on those issues that are of great importance to me,” Ernst said.
Ernst was one of the Senate Republicans more hesitant to back Hegseth.
The Hawkeye State senator pressed Hegseth about auditing the Defense Department, keeping women in the military, and stopping sexual assault in the military.
“Like me, a lot of Iowans are really, really concerned and upset about the wasteful Washington spending, and course, in our Pentagon. It’s an issue that I have been combatting for years,” she said.
She added, “The DOD is the only federal agency that has not passed an audit. As the Senate DOGE Caucus chair and founder that’s unacceptable to me.”
The senator has long called for a thorough audit of the Pentagon and offered legislation to allow the Defense Department to permit the Pentagon to consolidate unneeded and underutilized warehouses and storage centers to reduce costs and improve the effectiveness of supply chains.
When Congress brought back earmarks in 2021, Ernst noted that earmarks are “particularly bad and wasteful in defense legislation.”
Ernst asked Hegseth if he would commit to a clean audit by 2028, to which Hegseth said he has long supported a thorough an audit of the Pentagon. He noted that as far back as 2013, he wrote an op-ed calling for an audit of the Pentagon.
Hegseth said, “An audit is an issue of national security, and frankly, respect to American taxpayers. We give over $850 billion over to the Defense Department and we expect that we’d know where that money goes.”
“You have my word it will be a priority,” he told Ernst.
“It is incredibly important that I stress and I hope that, if confirmed, you continue to stress that every man and woman has opportunity to serve their country in uniform and do so at any level as long as they are meeting the standards that are set forward,” Ernst said about the need to keep women in combat roles.
He responded, “Yes, exactly the way that you have caveated it. Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, given the standards remain high.”
She then said, “A priority of mine is combatting sexual assault in the military and making sure that all of our servicemembers are treated with dignity and respect.” Hegseth also committed to appointing a senior level official dedicated to preventing sexual assault.
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on X @SeanMoran3.
Read the full article here