National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. GOLDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022.

This measure, which passed out of our committee with a strong bipartisan vote, reflects our commitment to strengthening our national security and serving those who serve all of us.

I am particularly proud of the efforts of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. This bill reflects the constructive input of members of the subcommittee from both sides of the aisle and makes a strong mark on our national security priorities on, above, and below the seas.

For shipbuilding, the bill expands on the budget request to authorize 13 battle force ships. This reflects our committee's focused effort to scrub the budget and our shipbuilding plans to augment our Navy fleet responsibly and consistently in a manner which our industrial base can support to respond to emerging threats around the world. This includes the sustained construction of two Virginia-class submarines a year and continued production of the Columbia-class submarine program. We augment our surface capabilities by authorizing three new DDG 51 destroyers, one of our most capable surface platforms, and authorizing the Navy to seek a new contract for up to 15 ships over the next 5 years.

This bill also continues the committee's efforts to provide the Navy and Defense Department with tools needed to concurrently build the new 12 sub Columbia class without suffocating the rest of the Navy's fleet. Specifically, the bill expands the authority of the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund to allow for multiyear, continuous production of key components. Recent data from the Navy shows that the use of this authority since our subcommittee enacted it in 2015 has already saved the Navy $1.4 billion in the Columbia program to the tune of over $100 million per boat. This bill will increase those cost savings by expanding the scope of those tools to other components of the platform.

The bill also includes full funding to start the new sealift Tanker Security Program, an initiative we passed last year to get more U.S.- built tankers to sea. The bill supports the budget request for the fifth planned National Security Multi-Mission Vessel, another initiative to boost maritime training and sealift capacity.

At every step of the way, our subcommittee and the full committee accommodated many bipartisan initiatives throughout this process. That is how the legislative process should work, and we are proud that our committee remains a place for constructive bipartisan collaboration.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of our Nation's security, I urge support for the bill.

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