Key DOD nomination hearing next week

The Senate Armed Services Committee is slated to meet May 11 to consider nominations for two senior Pentagon jobs.

The committee will hear testimony from Michael McCord, nominated to be Pentagon comptroller, and Ronald Moultrie, nominated to be under secretary of defense for intelligence and security.

McCord previously served as Pentagon comptroller during the Obama administration. Moultrie, who served on President Biden's Pentagon transition team, is currently president and CEO of Oceanus Security Strategies. He previously served as the National Security Agency's director of operations.

Thus far, Biden has sent only three Senate-confirmed officials to the Pentagon: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) said last week the panel will use the month of May to consider 23 presidential nominations.

"Getting these nominations confirmed as quickly as possible will require many hearings," he said during a hearing last week. "I ask everyone to be as patient and cooperative as possible."

Meanwhile, the committee, he said, has made the "difficult decision" to delay the mark-up of the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill because of the "uncertainty" of the White House budget submission timing.