When he was director of central intelligence, Leon Panetta earned a reputation as an energetic advocate for his agency. When he replaced Robert Gates at the Pentagon, it was reasonable to hope that Panetta would continue to play the role of a senior statesman.

In this keynote address, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, will reflect on the state of America’s armed forces, including strategic goals; force posture; and, in this environment of fiscal strain, funding needs.

The Administration’s growing gap between the newest defense strategy and budget makes more sense when viewed in the context of the administration’s domestic priorities. Just as President Obama wants to raise taxes on some Americans in order to pay for others, the administration is weakening America’s military strength in order to pay for expansive domestic federal programs.

Immediate 23% cuts in weapons programs and military construction projects would require not just reductions in expenditures that could be ramped back up late, but wholesale cancellations of vital projects.

While the Pentagon is being told to shut down programs, the Obama team is encouraging the rest of government to spend like drunken sailors.

There is so muchpromise for effective cooperation in Congress, especially in the committee structure.

The investigative oversight we have seen so far, which has dominated the early stages of the 110th Congress, still has to be matched by more garden variety oversight of programs.

Duncan Hunter and James Sensenbrenner have blocked the headlong rush to intelligence "reform" legislation that puts current military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan at risk.