WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King urged the Department of Defense (DoD) to commit significantly more attention to advancements in technology that reduce costs and win wars. In a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), King also pressed the DoD on what it is doing to combat brain trauma experienced by military service members and veterans.

More specifically, King asked Mr. Michael Duffey, the nominee to be Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, if he would support research and development into new technology.

King began the exchange, “Technology wins wars. The side that has the new technology prevails. Genghis Khan and the stirrup, the long-bow at Agincourt, the tank in World War I, the atomic weapon in World War II. My concern is we missed two of the major technologies of the 21st century. This isn’t a criticism of the current administration; it goes back 10 or 15 years. Hypersonics and directed energy. We have to catch up. The prior administration cut the budget for directed energy in half, which to me does not make sense. We’re spending $2 or $3 million per missile to knock $20,000 drones out in the Red Sea. Directed energy certainly ought to be an answer and I know there is work going on, but it should be accelerated. My request is you try and think ahead about acquiring the next technology, not just what we've always done. My most hated words in the English language are, ‘we have never done it that way before.’ I hope you’ll subscribe to a philosophy of trying to look to the future. Your thoughts? 

Duffy responded, “Senator, thank you for the question. I’m thrilled to be sitting next to not only Dr. Meink, but Mr. Michael who will be at the cutting edge of the next generation of technology. I look forward to a partnership with both gentlemen on how do we advance that technology, how do we leapfrog our adversaries? I see my responsibility as how do we accelerate that and get it into the hands of the war fighter at a reasonable cost?”

“One way to do that is smaller businesses,” King continued, “We’ve had testimony at this committee by smaller businesses and they have given up on the Pentagon acquisition process: too complex, too much red tape, too long. I hope in your administration you don't turn away from fostering small businesses where a lot of innovation takes place.”

Duffy replied, “I agree with that, Senator.”

King then asked Mr. Keith Bass, the nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, about his support for military service members that have experienced brain traumas and what the DoD can do to prevent these injuries.

“I want to be sure that one of your priorities is brain health. The signature issue from the war on terror has been problems with blast overpressure and brain health long-term effects and I hope that is something you will pay significant attention to. There are ongoing studies in the department, but I want to also emphasize implementation of the results of those studies are important. I hope you will commit to me that brain health is something you will tend to in this position?” King asked.  “It is one of the most important maladies affecting our troops.”

Bass replied, “Thank you, Senator, for your commitment to this issue. DoD is a leader in this space, and I will commit we will continue to look at ways and devote research to this issue and make sure we continue to make progress.”

Following the Lewiston shooting, Senator King has been working with his colleagues to increase mental health funding and address brain injuries. He has introduced several pieces of legislation — some of which have become law — including the Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025 and the Blast Overpressure Safety Act. This past summer, he wrote a letter to the Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin urging the Department to expedite protection of servicemembers from weapon blasts and TBIs. Senator King has also consistently urged leaders of the Appropriations Committee to support the strongest possible funding for the Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health Research program within the DoD Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDRMP).

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