Announcement By the Acting Chair

Floor Speech

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Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic and ask my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic helps the United States and its NATO allies counter Russia and China through the accelerated development of innovative technologies to defend the U.S. and our NATO allies.

These innovative technologies include artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and hypersonic missiles and defense, all valuable tools to give the U.S. and its NATO allies leverage over Russia and China.

Continued U.S. leadership and collaboration with NATO allies on emerging technologies will lead to greater innovation and ensure the U.S. will have a direct influence on the modernization of the NATO alliance.

Earlier this year, an American was elected chair of the board of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, and two Americans currently serve on the board. The U.S. will lead this new, necessary NATO national security effort, and Americans will continue to work alongside its allies to build a stronger alliance and a safer world.

In addition, the language that is in the underlying bill is actually the language to authorize the U.S. to begin funding its part. That is why the U.S. doesn't currently fund its part. We had to write legislation to get the U.S., the DOD, to get its authorization to fund its part in DIANA.

In addition to that, in the next 5 years, the U.S. commitment is about $47 million, while NATO allies will contribute about $1.1 billion, so I would say we are going to get our money's worth, Mr. Chair.

The U.S. must continue to support the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this effort, support U.S. participation in NATO, and to oppose this amendment.

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