Conference Report on S. 2943, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer my strong support for the 2017 defense bill conference report.

This bill is the result of extraordinary work by Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith, who, despite the extremely polarized environment of the 114th Congress, have managed to produce two bipartisan defense bills this year and last. The degree of difficulty accomplishing that feat cannot be overstated. I congratulate them both.

As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, I am particularly pleased with the final bill. Working together, the members of our subcommittee produced a strong mark that makes important investments in new shipbuilding as well as introducing new acquisition reform that will strengthen our Navy. Nine new ships are authorized in the final bill, continuing to boost the numbers of our fleet that is on a path to 308 ships by 2021. As the Secretary of the Navy has publicly stated, the Department is on the verge of releasing a new naval force structure assessment that will call for raising that target even higher. Today's bill provides a sound footing to take on that task with enough work in the shipyards that produce amphibs, destroyers, and submarines to go to a higher level in short order.

To be clear, our subcommittee did not just rubberstamp the administration's budget. For example, the agreement pluses up critical advanced procurement funding for the Virginia class submarine program to ensure that the two-a-year build rate continues on its current pace. Given the important role that our submarines play in our Nation's defense, we cannot let that build rate slip by underfunding advanced procurement.

This agreement also authorizes a new national security multimission vessel that will replace the aging training ships at our Nation's maritime academies. This program is vital to ensuring that we retain a maritime workforce in the future, and this agreement puts us on that path.

I am particularly pleased that the measure also includes language that I helped to author with Chairman Forbes in the House bill to enhance the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund. Our language adds new authorities to the fund that will help reduce costs in the Ohio Replacement Submarine by procuring and building key components in an efficient level-loaded manner.

The Navy estimates that we could save as much as 25 percent of the total cost of the missile compartment alone with this new authority. At a time when we are looking to grow the fleet while also meeting the multigenerational commitment of Ohio replacement, this approach to reducing costs in shipbuilding is absolutely vital.

I want to conclude by saluting Chairman Forbes as he begins a new chapter in his life. I have seen firsthand the impact that he has made on our fleet, our shipbuilding industry, and, most importantly, the lives of sailors, marines, airmen, and mariners touched by his work, which has always been conducted in a bipartisan manner. I thank him for his service and express my hope that we will see him continue his work in these areas in whatever opportunity comes his way next.

I also want to salute the staff, and in particular Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Cebik, who is a Navy fellow in my office who is finishing up his duties in the next few days or so. He did great work in terms of advising not just my office, but also the subcommittee.

I thank all the Members of our panel for their hard work on this year's defense bill, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this agreement.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source