Executive Session

Floor Speech

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Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I want to speak briefly about the National Defense Authorization Act, which will soon be our topic of business.

I compliment the Armed Services Committee for their diligence and their efforts to authorize appropriations for our Armed Forces in a very thoughtful and deliberative manner.

I have submitted several amendments. I want to talk about a particular one to that underlying bill, amendment No. 2269, which is cosponsored by the senior Senator from Kansas, Mr. Roberts, as well as Senator Gillibrand from New York and the Democratic leader, Senator Schumer from New York.

Our amendment takes the same approach that the committee takes by addressing the Army's internal process on force structure--to thoughtfully deliberate how and where the Army makes smart investments, which includes the stationing decisions for soldiers and families that have a consequence not only on those soldiers and families but also on the cost of defending our country for decades to come.

Fortunately, both the Department of Defense and the Army are now experiencing a much-needed period of time in which there is growth-- opportunities for us to spend additional dollars to defend our Nation. Our Armed Forces are modernizing, and they are increasing their readiness and lethality to be in a position to better deter, confront, and defeat adversaries in a security environment more complex and volatile than possibly anytime in our country's history, certainly within recent time. During this moment of growth, the Army ought not miss the opportunity to conduct due diligence in all of their decisions and invest wisely to pay down the cost in the future.

The Army is focusing on reform and seeking to maximize the value of every dollar, to operate transparently, and to appropriately use the resources that the Congress has entrusted to them. They are taxpayer dollars. With this focus on reform, transparency, and on using every dollar wisely, this amendment No. 2269 helps the Army maximize the value of every dollar, operate transparently with Congress, and appropriately use the resources entrusted to them.

I have been working with Army staff and senior leadership since February of this year to better understand their process, and I thank them for their efforts and the straightforward conversations we have had during this process.

Based upon our conversations and testimony, my amendment codifies the transparency they are seeking and updates to the Army's stationing process that will better ensure that the Army is making wiser decisions, more cost-effective decisions, and are making decisions that are beneficial in the long term.

Stationing decisions are long-term decisions. They will impact the Army for many years to come. If we have learned anything from recent budget cycles, as the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Neller, said before our Appropriations Defense Subcommittee several times, it is that the only certainty is uncertainty.

The Army has the benefit of a growing budget right now, but in future years, there will surely be periods of fiscal stress and uncertainty where smart investments today will be paid forward.

Our intent with the amendment is to support the Army in making decisions based on fair, open, and comprehensive data--particularly long-term cost factors--that will help the Army save dollars in future years. Those savings can be put where they are desperately needed-- toward training, supporting our soldiers and their families, sustaining our weapons, and increasing the Army's readiness and lethality.

I appreciate the help I have had from the Armed Services Committee, and I appreciate the chairman, Senator McCain, and his staff. I also appreciate very much my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Inhofe, for his efforts in this regard. I appreciate their interest in my amendment.

I will be happy to respond to any questions my colleagues may have on the merits of this amendment.

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