Why foreign talent is critical to national security: A conversation with Joseph Votel and Christine Fox

How does human capital impact America’s national security? In the face of unprecedented competition from China, more than four dozen former national security leaders wrote to Congress this spring urging political action to safeguard America’s competitive edge in attracting global STEM talent.

On July 7, two signatories of this letter, former Commander of the U.S. Central Command General (Ret.) Joseph Votel and former Acting Deputy Secretary of Defense Christine Fox, offered insight on the national security importance of STEM talent and high-skilled immigration. Co-hosted by the Brookings Institution and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), they drew from their own experiences at the highest levels of U.S. defense policymaking and military command to share their perspectives on the role of human talent as a national security asset. Brookings Senior Fellow Ryan Hass and CSIS Freeman Chair Jude Blanchette moderated the discussion.

Viewers submitted questions via e-mail to events@brookings.edu or on Twitter using the hashtag #HumanCapital.