Hearing of the Emerging Threats

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Thank you Mr. Chairman, and thanks to each of you for appearing today before the subcommittee. There's obviously little doubt that strong science and technology programs are critical to the true transformation of the armed services, and I enjoyed coming by the demonstration the other day and experiencing the pain, I guess, victims of directed energy weapons can feel. Although fortunately it was on a small scale. But my state plays an important role in research and development in this area, and so I have really just quick areas I want to just cover. One involves Small Business Innovation Research Programs. As you know, this program's critical to supporting much cutting edge research currently being conducted by small businesses throughout the country.

I understand that while phase one and phase two funding appear to be working relatively well, that they are some problems when it comes to phase three funding, which I guess requires private sector or other than the Department of Defense funding. And I wondered if each of you might take the opportunity, if you have something to add on this, to comment about what you're doing to improve opportunities for small businesses to receive phase three funding.

SEN. CORNYN: That's very encouraging. My second question has to do with the decrease in 6.1 funding for primary research, and I noticed in looking at the various charts reflecting the direction of this research, everybody seems to be heading south. And could you explain your reasons for cutting back on 6.1 funding, and do you think this is going to impact our current transformation efforts, cutting back on expenditures for primary research?