Courtney Statement On House Armed Services Committee Passage Of Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Authorization Bill And Third Submarine Funding

Statement

Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, made the following statement today after voting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in the House Armed Services Committee. The FY20 NDAA was passed out of committee by a vote of 33-24.

"It's been an honor to lead the Seapower Subcommittee this year and assemble my first mark as leader of this bipartisan and productive panel," Courtney said. "The bill we passed this morning includes a broad range of priorities important not just to eastern Connecticut but to our nation's defense. In particular, I'm proud that the bill provides strong support for our submarine programs -- particularly the third Virginia class submarine that helps close the looming gap in our undersea fleet. It was the Seapower subcommittee that first embarked on the path to the third submarine two years ago and it's been a sometimes-difficult path to get this point. This bill is another critical step, along with the Senate Armed Services Committee's NDAA and House defense appropriations bill, to put the third submarine in as strong a position as possible in this year's budget debate."

"This bill makes important investments in Connecticut's defense manufacturing and aerospace industry, recognizing that our state punches well above its weight when it comes to giving our servicemembers the tools they need to protect our national security. The bill authorizes significant funds for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter, and VH-92A presidential helicopter -- all of which have been awarded significant contracts in recent weeks and will ensure that Connecticut and its manufacturing sector will continue to play a key role in our national defense and our state's growth in high-quality manufacturing jobs for years to come."

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