Hearings to examine the nominations of John Noh, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary, Charles Young III, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Army, and William Lane III, of Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force, all of the Department of Defense, and David Beck, of Tennessee, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

Armed Services Committee

2025-10-07

Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting served as a confirmation hearing for four nominees to key defense positions: John Noe for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, Charles Young for General Counsel of the Department of the Army, William Lane for General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force, and David Beck for Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)[ 00:22:12 ]

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. The hearing began with solemn acknowledgements of the second anniversary of the October 7th attacks [ 00:21:13 ]

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, followed by welcoming remarks for the nominees and their families [ 00:21:48 ]

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.

Themes

Indo-Pacific Security and China

Discussions highlighted the critical importance of deterring China and maintaining a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region [ 00:22:22-00:22:58 ]

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. Senators expressed concern over China's aggressive expansion of its military, economic, and political influence . The need to strengthen alliances with partners like Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines was emphasized, along with concerns that the current administration might be undermining these relationships . The nominees were questioned about the effectiveness of U.S. security assistance to Taiwan and the necessity for Taiwan to increase its own defense spending . The AUKUS security cooperation initiative was also discussed, particularly regarding the U.S. submarine industrial base capacity . Concerns were raised about China's rapid advancements in AI, hypersonics, space capabilities, and its nuclear arsenal . The debate extended to reducing U.S. military dependence on Chinese products, including food, drugs, and technology . There was also discussion about a rumored shift in the new National Defense Strategy, potentially moving focus away from the Indo-Pacific to the Western Hemisphere .

Rule of Law, Executive Authority, and Military Deployments

A significant portion of the hearing focused on controversial decisions and policies of the current administration, particularly challenging Mr. Young's legal advice as Acting General Counsel . Specific instances included the deployment of Marine Corps and National Guard forces to Los Angeles against the governor's wishes, which was deemed a violation of federal law . Mr. Young also faced questions about approving a military flight that transported migrants from Guantanamo Bay to El Salvador without civilian oversight, an action that reportedly violated immigration law and judicial orders . His role in advising on military strikes off Venezuela's coast also drew scrutiny, with senators expressing skepticism about compliance with international law . Both Mr. Young and Mr. Lane affirmed their commitment to upholding the Constitution and providing candid legal advice, even if unpopular with their superiors [ 01:38:15-01:38:41 ]

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. Debate ensued over the President's Article II authority to unilaterally deploy troops domestically and conduct kinetic strikes against drug cartels without Congressional authorization [ 01:16:06-01:16:12 ]

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. Additionally, concerns were voiced about changes to military equal opportunity processes, particularly the shift from anonymous to confidential reporting . Discussions touched on freedom of the press and potential restrictions by the Department of Defense, with Mr. Young clarifying that criticizing the administration would not be grounds for revoking press credentials . Questions were also raised about domestic terrorism designations and the potential for military action within the U.S. against political opponents .

Nuclear Deterrence and Modernization

Mr. Beck's nomination brought focus to the essential task of rebuilding and modernizing the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile [ 00:26:13-00:26:23 ]

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. Senators voiced concerns about the rapid expansion of nuclear arsenals by Russia, China, and North Korea, contrasting it with the U.S.'s perceived inadequate progress [ 00:26:29-00:26:36 ]

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. The importance of this modernization for strategic deterrence and national security was underscored . Challenges facing the NNSA include updating warhead programs, rebuilding aging infrastructure (some dating back to the Manhattan Project), and addressing morale issues stemming from employee disruptions . The need for leadership and skill to relentlessly pursue results and deliver the necessary stockpile was emphasized . Discussions also explored adopting commercial industry practices to accelerate new facility construction and instill a greater sense of urgency . A strong emphasis was placed on maintaining the Stockpile Stewardship Program, including the PULSE facility for subcritical experiments, and avoiding a return to explosive nuclear testing .

Tone of the Meeting

The meeting's tone was serious and concerned, with speakers repeatedly highlighting an "increasingly dangerous threat environment" [ 00:22:06 ]

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, "existential dangers" [ 00:26:46 ]

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, and a "rapidly evolving threat landscape" . Senators actively questioned the nominees on controversial decisions and policies of the current administration, particularly regarding legal justifications and adherence to constitutional principles [ 01:08:01-01:08:12 ]

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. While there was broad agreement on external threats from China, Russia, and North Korea [ 00:23:22-00:23:32 ]

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, significant contention arose regarding the legality and wisdom of the President's actions on domestic military deployments and foreign kinetic strikes . Nominees were pressed on their commitment to the Constitution and providing independent legal advice [ 01:38:15-01:38:41 ]

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. Some senators expressed frustration over the inability to obtain certain legal opinions and lists of designated organizations .

Participants

Transcript

Thank you.
Today the committee will hear from and speak with four nominees.  Before we do, I want to mark this day, the second anniversary of the attacks of October 7, 2023.  We know well the horrors of that day when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel in acts of unspeakable brutality.   The terrorists killed 1,195 people, including 40 American citizens.  They took hostage 251 innocent people, among them 12 Americans.  It's my sincere hope that the president's peace efforts will bring the hostages home very soon and lead to a lasting peace.  And for my part, we stand fast with our ally, Israel.   I welcome our witnesses and their families today, and I thank them for being with us.  I'm grateful that these individuals have stepped up to serve.  We need people like them because we face an increasingly dangerous threat environment, the most dangerous we've faced since World War II.  Mr. John Noe has been nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.   We must do what it takes to ensure continued deterrence against the People's Republic of China because we are not where we need to be in that respect.  President Trump has rightly focused on achieving peace in Europe and the Middle East.  The U.S.  and our allies must also maintain a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.   and the Trump administration must have the tools it takes to do that job.  It will be Mr. No's responsibility, working alongside Congress, to ensure that the administration does have those tools.   The Chinese Communist Party, along with the nuclear-armed Russia and North Korea, pose a significant threat to the United States.
The scale and scope of that threat put a premium on our alliances.  In light of that, I'm disappointed with some of the decisions the department has made with respect to our allies in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Taiwan.   A few of these choices have left me scratching my head.  Perhaps we will talk through some of those today.  I hope to hear how Mr. Ngo will inject more diplomatic skill and mutually beneficial approaches into our conversations with our close allies.   Mr. Charles Young has been nominated to be the General Counsel of the Department of the Army.  He is currently serving as the DoD's Principal Deputy General Counsel, having been appointed by President Trump.  He previously served as the DoD Acting General Counsel.  In Mr. Young's long history of public and military service, he has served as the General Counsel of the National Guard Bureau and as the Bureau's Litigation and Employment Law Chief.   Mr. Young served in the Army and in the National Guard, both as an Apache attack helicopter pilot and later as a judge advocate.  He retired from the military service in 2009, and I commend Mr. Young for his lifelong commitment to public service.  I have no doubt that if confirmed, he will be of great benefit to the United States.   Mr. William Lane has been nominated to be the General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force.  He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and a partner in the Wiley Law Firm, where he practices administrative and constitutional law.  He has represented clients in matters before the United States Supreme Court.  In addition to his work in the private sector, Mr. Lane served in the Department of Justice and as special counsel on the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Notably, Mr. Lane is an Army veteran.   If he's confirmed, all these experiences will aid him in his position as the Air Force General Counsel.
I look forward to hearing from both Mr. Young and Mr. Lane.  I'd like to hear their views on what their prospective officers are doing right.   and what those officers might do differently.  And then Mr. David Beck has been nominated to be the Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs for the National Nuclear Security Administration.  If confirmed, he will be responsible for the essential task of rebuilding and modernizing our long-neglected nuclear weapons stockpile.   Over the past several years, we have watched as Russia, China, and North Korea have rapidly expanded their nuclear arsenals and developed new types of weapons, weapons for which we are solely unprepared.  These advances and our absurdly low progress in updating our own forces threaten the very foundation of our strategic deterrent.  They expose the American people to existential dangers.   We have not seen dangers like that since the Soviet Union could threaten us with annihilation every day during the Cold War.  The Congressional Strategic Posture Commission made clear that modernizing our country's nuclear deterrent is an absolute national imperative.  This position requires leadership and skill   and a clear unmistakable commitment to pursue results relentlessly and to deliver the stockpile we need to defend our nation and our allies.  With that, I turn to my friend and colleague, Ranking Member Reid.

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