HASC HEARING ON WAIVER TO ALLOW GEN. LLOYD AUSTIN III (RET.) TO SERVE AS SECDEF

Update, January 19:  Defense News reports that the public hearing has been cancelled and replaced by a closed door meeting because all the members of the committee will not have been named by the time it was supposed to take place.  The House will vote on the waiver on Thursday, it says.

Update, January 17:  The HASC website still does not list the hearing, but it is included in National Journal’s Daybook as a full committee hearing on civilian control of the military. The time is TBA.  Daybook also lists an organizational meeting of the committee at 1:00 pm ET.

Original Entry: House Armed Services Committee (HASC) chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) said on January 8 that he plans to hold a hearing on January 21, 2021 on the question of granting a waiver to allow Gen. Lloyd Austin III (Ret.) to serve as Secretary of Defense (SecDef) even though he has been retired for only three years, not the required seven years.

President-elect Joe Biden intends to nominate Austin for the position, which is subject to Senate confirmation, but since it requires this waiver, it must also be considered by the House.

Smith did not provide other details about when/where the hearing will take place, but HASC’s hearings are webcast on the committee’s website.  The Capitol Complex remains closed to the general public because of COVID-19.

SASC plans to hold its confirmation hearing for Austin on January 19. It held a hearing on civilian control of the military   on January 12.