National Security Supplemental Submarine Industrial Base and Aukus

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the bipartisan national security package that passed out of the Senate Tuesday which will deliver critical security assistance to our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, and provide historic investments in the U.S. submarine industrial base to dramatically increase capacity in support of our own Navy and the historic trilateral AUKUS security agreement with Australia and the U.K. that Congress last December enacted in the National Defense Authorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, an overlooked item in this package is the $3.3 billion for the U.S. submarine industrial base for workforce development, to stabilize the nationwide supply chain, upgrade shipyard infrastructure, and advance mature technology opportunities like additive manufacturing. I would note, as part of AUKUS, Australia has agreed to match that sum and invest $3 billion into our economy and our industrial base for the same objectives.

Make no mistake, failure to pass this legislation is a vote against AUKUS and limits the outstanding progress that our nations have already made. I implore Speaker Johnson to bring the bill to the floor. We know that there are over 300 votes today to get this package through to help our friends who are desperately looking to America for global and national security leadership.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source