Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment, which would add $1 billion in advanced procurement for two additional Virginia-class submarines in FY 2022/23.

The Navy has a substantial plan for submarines. It achieves the mission of a 355-ship Navy by 2050 and does it in a way that is fiscally responsible and provides for stability of the industrial base.

In a letter from the Secretary of the Navy to Chairman Frelinghuysen, the Secretary states: ``The FY 2019 President's budget provides sufficient funding to procure the ships included in the FY19-FY23 Future Years Defense Program.''

An advanced procurement amendment of $1 billion in FY19 and, by the way, an additional $6 billion tail, would take from much-needed programs that have already been considered by the committee. Additionally, it would jeopardize the future programs and assume risk in other areas.

Mr. Chair, I certainly urge a ``no'' vote on this, and I will remind my Members, as my friend from Indiana mentioned, we have a cliff coming in 2020. Making a commitment to spend an additional $7 billion, which we don't have, is not a good idea. We ought to be working on trying to resolve that cliff issue.

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