Elfreth Questions Hegseth On Sexual Assault Prevention, Support for Ukraine & Global Cooperation

WASHINGTON, DC - Yesterday, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, questioned Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine during the Committee Hearing on the Department of Defense's Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request. Elfreth focused her questions on funding for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR), $400 million Congressionally authorized funding for Ukraine, and support for our NATO allies.

"Every base I go to internationally - and every military base I go to in Maryland - I insist on meeting with servicemembers and hearing what we can all do better. Mr. Secretary, I insist on those meetings," " said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth. "There's a whole lot we can talk about today: war in Iran, boat strikes in the Caribbean and East Pacific, the firing of a number of people we all respect here on this dais 61 days into this war, but I want to start with quality of life issues."

Elfreth's first question on SAPR funding was a follow-up from her line of questioning of Secretary Hegseth last year. The Department has stated a commitment to driving sexual assault in the military to zero and maintaining a strong SAPR program. Hegseth committed to a 5% increase in SAPR funding.

Elfreth was also the first member to press the Secretary on the $400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which Republican majorities on both Senate and House Armed Services Committees had authorized. Hegseth announced the release of that funding in response to the Congresswoman's line of questioning.

Finally, following this Administration's threats against our NATO allies, Elfreth questioned the Secretary and Chairman on the specific requests the United States has made to our NATO allies and European partners for operations in the Strait and the President's war in Iran.

CLICK HERE or the image below to view Elfreth's full remarks.

Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth

Remarks as Delivered

House Armed Services Committee Hearing

April 29th, 2026

ELFRETH: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to start by thanking SEAC Isam and General Caine for inviting a number of us to the Pentagon last week to talk about the 1.8 million enlisted servicemembers we have, the challenges, and opportunities that we can work together. Every base that I go to internationally, and every single major military base in Maryland over the last year, I insist on meeting with servicemembers and hearing what we can all do better. Mr. Secretary, I want to assure you, I insist on those meetings.

There's a whole lot we can talk about today, war in Iran - and I, too, want to thank the families of the 14 servicemembers we have lost in this war so far - boat strikes in the Caribbean and the East Pacific, firing of a number of people we all respect on this dais, on both sides, 61 days into this war. But I want to start with those quality of life issues, Mr. Secretary.

A number of members of this committee met with survivors of sexual assault at Fort Hood, enlisted members, and family members. You sat here last year, and you said, "I applaud Congress for the efforts that have been ongoing to address sexual assaults, which we do need to drive down to zero, that funding has not been reduced."

I appreciate that, but the budget we have before us is level-funded from last year, which you would agree is a realized cut year-over-year. So I want to give you the opportunity to talk about how you're still going to drive those sexual assault numbers down to zero, via flat funding.

HEGSETH: I'm told we've added 5% so it's actually not flat, but we remain committed to that, and I think you've seen throughout the force reductions, not enough, we want more, we want to go to zero, but we remain committed.

ELFRETH: We're going to hold you accountable for that. Thank you. I want to move on to Ukraine. I don't normally agree with Mitch McConnell, but as you know, the Department is withholding approximately $400 million in appropriated security assistance to Ukraine.

Despite some public belittling, Ukraine has stepped up perhaps more than any other ally for us in the Middle East. They're harnessing the superiority that they have generated from a hard fought war with Russia, they are intercepting Iranian drones that threaten U.S. and partner forces in the Middle East, but Mr. Secretary, I'm very concerned about that $400 million dollars.

Can you please let this Committee know, folks watching at home, the Ukrainian people, when they can expect that $400 million in Ukraine support passed by Congress bipartisanly last year to be released and put on contract for its congressionally intended purpose, the defense of Ukraine?

HEGSETH: So the department recognizes that $400 million was allocated for European capacity building, and as of yesterday, it has been released.

ELFRETH: As in released and under contract, released as of yesterday?

HEGSETH: How would you describe it, Jay?

HURST: Not under contract, but released to be put under contract.

ELFRETH: Let me ask you a different way, Mr. Hurst. When will it actually be on the ground in Ukraine?

HURST: That depends on what they buy with the money. We're going to take the advice of the EUCOM commanders who employ those funds for best use.

ELFRETH: Okay, we're going to keep on that, because it's incredibly important, as we heard from everybody, including the King of England, yesterday.

I'm going to stay on our allies here. It's clear that the President didn't account for the Strait of Hormuz being closed, global market, oil market disruption, gas prices skyrocketing. Mr. Secretary, gas in my district in Maryland, not California: $4.11.

The President did not notify allies abroad or Congress before he went to war. He has repeatedly berated and belittled our NATO allies, and I am not interested in Twitter diplomacy; I'm interested in our actual exit strategy from this war. So I'm actually going to pose it to General Caine if I could.

HEGSETH: Well, the President did understand the risks and had the courage to undertake the endeavor, nonetheless, which the American people voted for that kind of courage in taking on that Iranian nuclear threat.

ELFRETH: General Cain, have you or what have you formally and specifically requested of our NATO allies and European partners for operations in the Strait? Can you tell me - escort duties, air defense, peace enforcement - specific requests of our NATO allies?

CAINE: Both us and State have reached out through a variety of mechanisms to pulse our international partners, not just in Europe, but in the Pacific as well, to see what capabilities could be brought to bear down there, as this is largely, we don't move much trade through there. I'll defer to Energy, Commerce, and Treasury to comment.

ELFRETH: But we've been specific with our allies about what we need?

CAINE: We have.

ELFRETH: Ok. Can I ask you for specificity on another issue that's been brought up today? From a military perspective, not a policy perspective, what will it require of our servicemembers to actually eradicate any Iranian nuclear threat? Can you help us understand that?

CAINE: There's such a wide range, ma'am, of options in there, all of which are classified. It would be out of my swim lane, but we always deliver the full range of options, the associated risks and advice, to go do the things that we would be asked to do. There's many.

ELFRETH: I can't speak for everybody on this Committee.

CHAIR: The gentlewoman's time has expired.

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