House Armed Services Committee Chair Buck McKeon spoke about the U.S. military since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In his comments he talked about the special committee created in the recently-passed debt ceiling bill. Automatic spending cuts would be triggered if Congress failed to act on the recommendations of the committee by December 23, 2011. Representative McKeon said he would choose tax increases over defense reductions, warning of dire consequences if further Defense Department cuts were made.