OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

Date: June 27, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chair, the chairwoman, the ranking member, and I wholly support the U.S. Navy and, also, the Navy's plan to get to the 355-ship number.

This bill already supports the purchase of 12 new ships, including two new Virginia-class attack submarines. However, this amendment for an additional two more Virginia-class subs will wind up cutting, as you heard, much-needed money from other vital programs. The Department of Defense estimates that it would cut $7 billion from other programs over the next 5 years, by the way, impacting military readiness and other vital equipment procurement.

So, again, while we must obviously pursue an aggressive shipbuilding program, it must be balanced. The Virginia-class sub is absolutely a critical national security capability, but we do not want to sacrifice other equally critical capabilities while we do that.

Mr. Chair, I would respectfully urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment.

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