National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, 14 hours and 16 minutes--after considering over 1,000 amendments, that is the amount of time that it took to mark up the National Defense Authorization Act late last month in committee. The final vote was a resounding 58-1 to favorably report the bill.

Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith should be rightly congratulated on delivering this bipartisan bill to the floor today. I hope that we can similarly send to the Senate a bill that is equally bipartisan.

As to our national security, there is a quiet urgency demanded of us to move expeditiously on the passage of this bill. The Davidson Window of potential conflict with China in the late 2020s marks a day even closer.

Unfortunately, I am not convinced that our Nation fully understands this future peril. When we send servicemembers in harm's way, should we not also provide them with the best equipment and technology that our Nation can offer?

This NDAA provides that necessary assurance and a message to dissuade potential aggressors from future conflict.

As to the committee mark, it is worthy of support and includes advances in F-35 modernization and accelerates the fourth offset offered by the collaborative combat aircraft. It invests in the long- range precision fires that our military needs for the Indo-Pacific.

It aligns the Next Generation Air Domestic aircraft with its propulsion engine and, finally, accelerates Army ground modernization. I am confident that our Nation is better served with the passage of the tactical air and land forces mark.

Mr. Chairman, before I conclude, I specifically recognize Ranking Member Norcross for his partnership and leadership. He is dedicated to supporting our servicemembers, has the vision to see our national security perils, and the political fortitude to respond to our most serious threats. I truly appreciate his counsel and advice in delivering our bipartisan subcommittee mark.

My friends, the hour is late, we need to consider our constitutional responsibility required by the Davidson Window and respond with the urgency it demands.

Mr. Chairman, I encourage my fellow Members to answer the bell and support this bill.

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