Conference Report on H.R. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 2019 John McCain Defense Authorization bill.

First, I would like to extend my congratulations to Chairman Thornberry and Ranking Member Smith for their steady, bipartisan leadership as this bill was crafted--the 58th consecutive year in a row that Congress has produced an NDAA, a testament to their superb legislating and the constructive dialogue that results from following regular order.

I also want to salute the hard work of my colleague Rob Wittman, at the helm of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and our professional staff--Phil MacNaughton, Dave Sienicki, and Bruce Johnson--for their talent, expertise, and follow-through for all our members.

Our subcommittee mark accelerates the timeline toward achieving a Navy fleet of 355 ships, the size needed to meet global requirements according to the Navy's 2016 force structure assessment.

Our work authorizes funding for 13 battle force ships, three more than President Trump's request. In particular, at a time when rising adversaries are recapitalizing or expanding their undersea fleets, this year's NDAA provides $7.6 billion for the Virginia-class program and nearly $4 billion for the Columbia-class development and advance procurement.

The bill authorizes two Virginia-class attack submarines in 2019 and requires the next Block V Virginia contract currently under negotiation to include priced options for additional third submarines in years 2022 and `23. This provision will maintain the option for the next Congress to take advantage of industrial-base capacity that the Navy last February told us is available to increase submarine construction in the future.

Tragically, 2017 was a very difficult year for the U.S. Navy. Our country lost 17 sailors in the fatal collisions involving the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John McCain.

This bill directs the Navy to assess the checks and balances in its chain of command so operational demands are appropriately balanced with ship training, certification, and maintenance. It limits to 10 years the period in which ships may be forward deployed and requires that ship readiness inspections be conducted on a no-notice basis, with results made available for the public to see.

These changes are critical. We owe it to our sailors, and we can't afford to have our naval assets out of commission with so much at stake as competitors seek to counter time-honored norms, such as the right to transit international waters freely.

Mr. Speaker, the important provisions of this bill showcase what we in Congress can accomplish when we collectively choose to work with our colleagues across the aisle and trust the committee process to produce a fair and balanced result.

Even more impressive is the fact that passage of this NDAA is the earliest it has come in 20 years. This defies the constant narrative of a dysfunctional Congress. Again, I commend the skillful leadership of Mr. Thornberry and Mr. Smith, as well as Senators McCain and Reed across the Capitol, in helping shepherd this legislation to the point where it is today.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge all Members to vote for passage of this measure.

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