Providing for Further Consideration of H.R. 4435, Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015; And Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3361, USA FREEDOM Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rule.

This legislation would authorize over $520 billion to the Department of Defense, not including over $79 billion in war funding, which I oppose; yet, for such a large bill, there are many amendments that my colleagues wanted to offer that will never see the House floor because of this very limited rule.

One issue that, I think, deserves discussion is the inclusion of an $800 million authorization for an unbudgeted 12th LPD-17 class ship. While we are still addressing the effects of the sequester, which I voted against, I have concerns about this provision.

In particular, I am concerned that the committee does not address the fact that there is a Navy shipbuilding agreement in place regarding the DDG-51s and the LPDs.

This agreement requires that the Navy obligate funding and support for another DDG-51 destroyer if another LPD is awarded. Under a different rule, we may have been able to have had an open discussion about this issue and about so many others.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this rule.

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