Hearing of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the House Committee on Armed Forces - Mark-up of FY11 NDAA (H.R. 5136)
Interview
"Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to begin by saying it has been a pleasure shaping this mark with my friend, the Ranking Member, Mr. Turner. While we don't agree on everything, we have forged significant common ground in this mark, and I deeply appreciate his help in this endeavor.
"The Strategic Forces Subcommittee has jurisdiction over some of the most controversial issues that come before the committee, including nuclear weapons, missile defenses, space and intelligence. In summary, the mark we reported to the full committee includes:
* $15 billion for the Department of Energy's Atomic Energy Defense Activities, not including the nonproliferation programs;
* $10.3 billion for ballistic missile defense programs, $361.6 million above the President's request; and
* Approximately $9.7 billion for unclassified national security space programs.
"The subcommittee mark contains three important initiatives that will enhance our national security:
"First, reflecting the President's commitment to provide a strong and sustained investment in our nuclear deterrent, the mark includes a significant increase for the activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration to sustain a safe, secure, and reliable arsenal without nuclear testing.
"Second, the mark includes a significant increase above the President's request for ballistic missile defense systems that counter the most pressing and likely threats to the United States, our deployed troops, and our allies and friends.
"Third, the mark provides additional research and development funding for key space technologies, including Operationally Responsive Space programs and the sustainment of advanced military satellite communications technology.
"For the Department of Energy's national security programs, our mark includes $7 billion for nuclear weapons activities, a 10 percent increase over last year's funding, and $5.6 billion for environmental and other defense activities.
"The mark provides a robust foundation for implementing the Administration's Nuclear Posture Review and moving forward with the New Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty.
"Combined with the funding contained in the Chairman's full committee mark for nonproliferation programs, our committee's bill supports President Obama's historic efforts to reduce the nuclear dangers that he outlined last year in the Czech Republic.
"The mark also directly reflects the recommendations made last year by the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States. Chaired by Dr. William Perry and Dr. James Schlesinger, the commission noted that we are at a moment of urgency: "internationally, from the danger that we may be close to a tipping point in nuclear proliferation and, domestically, from an accumulation of delayed decisions about the nuclear weapon program.'
"In that regard, I believe the increases in our combined marks will both strengthen our nation's nuclear deterrent and expand urgent efforts to prevent nuclear materials from falling into the wrong hands, like "two sides of the same walnut.'
"President Truman first used this analogy at the beginning of the Cold War to explain his strategy for stopping the spread of communism by reviving Europe's economy through the Marshall Plan and strengthening containment of the Soviet Union through the Truman Doctrine.
"Similarly, today, we face the urgent task of winning the race against time to secure vulnerable fissile material and prevent the nuclear catastrophe that could occur if a terrorist were to gain access to this material. At the same time, we must ensure the continued credibility of our nuclear deterrent to discourage others from seeking nuclear weapons while allowing the United States to responsibly reduce its arsenal.
"By adopting this mark today, we can advance both of these objectives.
"The mark also makes funding adjustments in the NNSA's weapons activities account:
* It adds $11 million for Directed Stockpile Work at Pantex in Amarillo, Texas to ensure that the Life Extension Programs, stockpile surveillance, and critical weapons dismantlements stay on schedule;
* And it adds $85 million for Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities to avoid unnecessary disruption at Pantex and the Y-12 facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
"The committee is concerned that unnecessary disruptions in production and employment have occurred over the past few years as a result of the NNSA not properly budgeting for the important activities at these facilities.
"The mark offsets these increases by taking advantage of prior-year uncosted balances and denying the $50.2 million funding request for the Tritium Readiness program due to technical problems.
"Also based on recommendations from the Perry-Schlesinger commission and the JASON report, the mark directs the NNSA Administrator to strengthen the stockpile surveillance program.
"The mark fully supports the funding request for Environmental and other Defense Activities, including the important work of the Defense Environmental Cleanup.
"The committee is supportive of the progress achieved using the additional funding made available by the economic stimulus package. This effort is on track and will significantly reduce the cleanup footprint, accelerate the disposition of nuclear waste and cleanup, and create or retain thousands of jobs at cleanup sites nationwide.
"Turning to missile defense programs, the mark authorizes $361.6 million over the budget request of $9.9 billion to strengthen our defenses against the most immediate threats from nations such as Iran and North Korea.
"About a third of this increase, $133.6 million, is provided in response to an unfunded request by the Army Chief of Staff. This increase will speed up the repair and recertification of PAC-3 Patriot missiles, and upgrade 24 additional launchers to the improved PAC-3 configuration.
"The mark also provides increases for two key elements of the Administration's new Phased Adaptive Approach:
* First, it provides $65 million for advance procurement of AN/TPY-2 X-band radars to avoid obsolescence of key components and maintain the industrial base. This increase should help avoid schedule delays and reduce the unit cost of procuring this mature radar system.
* Second, it provides $50 million more for fielding of the Aegis Standard Missile-3 to stabilize SM-3 production. MDA faces a gap in production of SM-3 as it shifts from the Block 1A to the IB interceptor. This increase should help MDA maintain key production capabilities during this transition.
"Both of these additions are important good government efforts that should reduce total procurement costs to the American taxpayer in the long run.
"The mark also includes a $50 million increase for directed energy research and the Airborne Laser Test Bed to facilitate the testing and development of technologies that are most likely to yield operational capabilities in the future. In line with the Administration's priorities, this increase will NOT revive the ABL as an operational military system. What we are doing is providing the resources for MDA to evaluate the use of the 747 as a test platform and to implement any recommendations from the Director of Defense Research and Engineering for testing and developing directed energy technologies. I believe research into directed energy is vital to our national interest, and that we should responsibly grow these efforts where we can.
"Finally, the mark provides an increase of $88 million for the U.S. -- Israeli cooperative missile defense program. This increase brings the total authorization for FY 2011 to just above the current spending level for this important, long-standing cooperative activity.
"Last year, the subcommittee required the Department to establish an agreed schedule and knowledge points with the Israelis for the Arrow-3 program, and I'm pleased to report that good progress has been made on those benchmarks.
"The mark includes two legislative provisions relating to missile defense.
"First, the mark contains limits on deployment of missile defenses in Europe consistent with the provisions included in previous defense authorizations: the provision would limit the availability of funds for deployment of medium- or long-range missile defense until any host country has signed and ratified the necessary agreements authorizing deployment; and until 45 days after the committee receives the independent assessment required by the defense bill last year. It would also limit deployment until the Secretary certifies that the proposed system is operationally effective based on successful, operationally realistic flight testing.
"Second, at the request of the Administration, the mark would repeal the ban on contracting directly with a foreign government for missile defense activities to allow more direct collaboration with our friends and allies on missile defense.
"Turning to military space programs, the mark builds on the bipartisan approach of previous years. This should be an important year for the national security space community with a number of new systems set to launch, including the space-based surveillance system, the ORS-1 satellite, the Advanced EHF communications satellite and the Space Based Infra-red early warning system.
"Overall the mark recommends a $182.2 million decrease from the budget request of $9.9 billion for unclassified National Security Space Programs.
"The subcommittee continues to view sustaining the technology base for protected communications as a key priority after the cancellation of the TSAT program. The mark includes $50 million to enable the Air Force to continue developing communication technologies that could be used on future blocks of current communication satellites or, eventually, on next-generation communication satellites.
"Reflecting the subcommittee's continuing support of the Operationally Responsive Space -- or ORS -- program, the mark includes an increase of $40 million to acquire enabling technologies and to accelerate development of critical infrastructure for rapid replenishment.
"The mark also contains another unfunded request from the Army, an increase of $51.2 million for procurement of additional Defense Advanced GPS Receivers (DAGRs) to reduce the cost of each unit and increase the number of units available for deployment to soldiers.
"The mark provides an increase of $28 million for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program to achieve a common upper stage between the Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, enabling efficient use of the existing RL-10 rocket engine inventory.
"The mark includes $5 million to support mitigation measures by the Navy to augment the declining UHF narrow-band communications capacity used by forces on-the--move, in theatre and around the world. These measures are particularly important as the existing UHF capacity remains insufficient for the growing demand, forcing our troops to use less reliable line-of-sight radios.
"The mark includes a $300 million cut, leaving $52 million for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) program. This cut stems from the lack of a clear strategy for restructuring the weather program.
"Consistent with the Committee's position in the past three years, the mark denies the budget request of $40.9 million for the High-Integrity Global Positioning System (HIGPS) program.
"The mark also cuts $30 million from the budget request of $185.9 million for the Space Based Surveillance System (SBSS) based on revisions in the Air Force's acquisition plans and the recommendations of the Government Accountability Office.
"The mark includes one legislative provision related to space and counterspace intelligence analysis -- authorizing the National Air and Space Intelligence Center to conduct original intelligence analysis and production, and requiring congressional notification of any changes in the designation of the lead integrator for foreign space and counterspace intelligence analysis.
"In conclusion, I believe this mark advances prudent measures that enable the critical national security priorities within the jurisdiction of this subcommittee.
"It addresses important decisions in a bipartisan fashion and I strongly recommend that the mark be adopted today."
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