Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Chair, I rise today to urge you and all of our colleagues to support amendment No. 57 to the FY 2026 Department of Defense appropriations bill.

This amendment strikes section 8072, a misguided rider that prohibits the Navy from decommissioning littoral class combat ships.

The state of shipbuilding in the United States is nothing we would hope to have. It is broken. This program maybe represents the pinnacle of its brokenness. The ship doesn't accomplish what it was designed for. I am encouraged when I speak to the chairman to know that it is being put to use elsewhere, but it is not accomplishing the mission that the Navy needs it for.

This provision ties the Navy's hands, forcing it to retain a deeply flawed, costly, and ineffective class of ships that undermines our national security, endangers our sailors, and wastes taxpayer dollars, when we could move forward and build a ship that could accomplish the mission.

President Trump is trying to take leadership over this and fix it, and this ties his hands in a way that prevents options. We should leave the Commander in Chief that decision.

The littoral combat ship program, costing over $30 billion, with each ship priced at roughly $500 million, is a textbook example of Pentagon inefficiency and contractor-driven bloat. Designed as a light, fast, customizable vessel for near-shore warfare, the LCS has instead become a symbol of our flawed procurement system.

Mr. Chair, since its inception, the program has been plagued by persistent propulsion system failures, weapons system integration issues, hull problems, and rampant cost overruns.

A 2022 GAO report exposed the LCS's shortcomings. It has not demonstrated the operational capabilities needed for its Navy mission.

Operational testing revealed significant challenges including the ship's inability to defend itself, if attacked, and frequent failures of mission-essential equipment on the ships. Deployments have been marred by breakdowns and setbacks, rendering these ships unreliable at best.

Mr. Chair, forcing the Navy to maintain a fleet of broken and expensive ships is simply irresponsible. I think it is wrong to take our Commander in Chief's hands. Our sailors deserve the best and most reliable vessels to defend our Nation. Every dollar spent on the LCS is a dollar diverted from building a stronger, more capable fleet. Retaining these ships compromises readiness, squanders limited resources, and puts lives at risk.

My amendment restores the Navy's authority to make strategic decisions about its fleet and frees up resources for platforms that actually enhance our national security.

Mr. Chair, I urge our colleagues to put the safety of our sailors and the strength of our Navy first, and I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on amendment 57.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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