Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told lawmakers on Tuesday that President Biden’s $850 billion defense budget will keep the nation safe by tackling the country’s “pacing challenge,” an increasingly aggressive China and the threat posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

Mr. Austin said Mr. Biden’s request will invest in cutting-edge technology by setting aside more than $48 billion for naval shipbuilding to strengthen and modernize the fleet, $61 billion to reinforce dominance in the air and $13 billion to bolster the combat capabilities of the Army and Marine Corps.

As has become almost standard practice on Capitol Hill these days, the Pentagon chief’s opening statement to lawmakers Tuesday morning was interrupted three times by demonstrators protesting the Biden administration’s support for Israel in the brutal war with Hamas in Gaza.

When he could speak, Mr. Austin also said the proposed budget will address glaring quality-of-life issues for those in uniform.

“This budget request will support our outstanding troops and their families,” he said in his opening remarks. “That includes raising base pay and housing allowances; investing in better housing; and making child care more accessible and affordable. The request will also fund vital work to prevent sexual assault and suicide in the military.”

The Pentagon’s budget request also asks for more than $33 billion to strengthen the nation’s space architecture and almost $15 billion to develop and field advanced cybersecurity tools. It will direct almost $50 billion to modernize the land-, sea- and air-based legs of the country’s nuclear triad and more than $140 billion in research and development, Mr. Austin said.

Mr. Austin warned that Mr. Putin is closely watching the debate in Washington over future support for Kyiv. The defense secretary said the Kremlin is betting that U.S. resolve over Ukraine will falter more than two years after his tanks first rolled into the country, leaving Kyiv in mortal danger.

“If the Kremlin prevails in Ukraine, it would embolden would-be aggressors around the globe. The United States would be far less secure if Putin got his way,” he said. “… We know that China and others are watching and learning from what Putin does and how we respond.”

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.