Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank Chairman McKeon and the Members of the House Armed Services Committee for the Committee's work on the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. I support the final bill; it is crafted thoughtfully and carefully to reflect the needs of the warfighter while enjoying bipartisan support from this body. Its passage is a testament to the Committee's leadership and hard work to support our men and women in uniform.

I am particularly thankful for the support of the United States Navy's ``unfunded priority'' request of additional EA-18G Growlers. Early in the budget cycle, following the release of the Administration's Department of Defense budget, the Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Jonathan Greenert testified that there is a growing demand for electronic attack capabilities. Specifically, he requested 22 additional EA-18G Growlers above the President's Budget request to meet that demand.

The EA-18G Growler provides the Navy and all Department of Defense forces with the ability to control the entire electromagnetic spectrum, the only aircraft in the entire inventory with that capability. With warfare increasingly operating within the cyber, information and electronic domains, there is increasing importance in not just understanding, but dominating the electromagnetic spectrum. For this reason, CNO Greenert testified why he believes that the Growler is essential to the warfighter. From the Committee's work, we also understand that the Navy is undertaking further analysis this year to determine the final requirement for the airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability.

Without additional aircraft, the EA-18G Growler manufacturing line is likely to be shuttered before the Navy can fulfill its requirements for additional electronic attack. If this scenario is allowed to occur, the Department of Defense would also lose its ability to produce F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters, which are manufactured alongside the Growler in the same production line. Such a loss would affect our Nation's ability to surge strike fighters, meet increasing demand in electronic warfare, and provide competition in tactical aviation. The Growler program has been a model defense acquisition program, meeting all of its cost targets and delivering ahead of the Navy's schedule deadlines. Moreover, the F/A-18 and EA-18G production lines support 60,000 jobs, including 13,000 jobs in my home state of Missouri.
I am pleased that the Committee included support for 5 EA-18G Growlers above the President's Budget Request. While this overall increase will not meet the Navy's total unfunded priority, it demonstrates the Committee's position that the Growler is an essential resource that our Nation requires. Further, the Committee urged the Navy to take steps to keep the manufacturing line solvent until the Department can meet the basic needs of the warfighter in electronic attack. I will continue my work with the House Appropriations Committee to ensure that the Navy receives a sufficient number of Growlers to meet its emerging requirements and keep the manufacturing line open throughout Fiscal Year 2015.

My voice is not alone in trying to support the Navy unfunded priority for additional Growlers. The request has strong support across Congress, as evidenced by a letter circulated earlier in the year that collected 109 House signatures in support of the Growler. This is a strong showing for any program, and one that received significant bipartisan validation. That letter is attached at the conclusion of my remarks.
In closing, the Nation faces many challenges as we send our sons and daughters into harm's way to defend our freedom and liberty. The Committee's bill is always a statement about its judgment on how best to serve those warfighters. I am glad that they have made EA-18G Growlers a high priority, and I look forward to working with them over the course of Fiscal Year 2015.

Additionally, I have included a support letter for the EA-18G Growler that I authored with Representative Lacy Clay that is signed by 109 Members of Congress.

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