William Perry and Stephen Hadley testified on the final report of the independent panel's assessment of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). Among the topics they addressed were recapitalization of military hardware, strengthening naval and air-strike capabilities, current Army and Marine Corps troop strength, U.S. military presence in the Far East, and countering the threats of terrorism. They also spoke about the scope of the QDR, recommending that future reports focus on long-term outlooks rather than the next 4 to 5 year period.

The QDR is a legislatively mandated review of Department of Defense strategy and priorities.