National Defense Authorization Act For Fiscal Year 2010

Floor Speech

NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010

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Mr. TAYLOR. I very much want to thank our outstanding chairman, Mr. Skelton for giving me this opportunity.

I rise in support of H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act. As chairman of the Sea Power and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee, I am pleased to report to the House that this bill strengthens our Navy and Marine Corps by providing the necessary equipment for the brave young sailors and marines to carry out the tasks that our Nation requests of them. In all, this bill authorizes $38 billion for Navy and Marine Corps procurement, $19.6 billion for Navy and Marine Corps research and development efforts, $3.2 billion for Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Contingency Operations, and $401.9 million for maintaining a robust United States merchant fleet.

I believe that the balance between quality, capability, and affordability is met head on with the bill before the House tonight. The bill provides authorization for the correct number of ships, planes and ground vehicles with the right capability to meet the threat, but with the recognition that unless equipment can be procured affordably, we will never be able to build our fleet or our air wings. That's why, working in a bipartisan manner, the subcommittee recommended and the full committee adopted our recommendation to grant multiyear procurement authority for the construction of DDG 51 destroyer programs, the world's best destroyer, and multiyear procurement authority to realize significant cost savings in the procurement of F/A 18 Strike Fighters to repopulate our air wings on the decks of our carriers.

In particular, the bill would authorize construction of eight new battle force vessels to include a Virginia Class submarine, three Littoral Combat Ships, one DDG 51 Burke Class Destroyer, two T-AKE Dry Cargo Ammunition Ships and one Joint High Speed Vessel. In addition to new construction, the bill would authorize procurement of long lead material construction for seven additional vessels in coming years, most importantly, two submarines per year starting next year.

The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Navy to enter into multiyear contracts for the purchase of additional F/A 18 Superhornets and E/A 18 Growlers. The bill contains over $100 million in additional funding to buy long-lead equipment and materiel necessary to continue production of these aircraft.

These are the finest aircraft in the world today, save our own Air Force F22 Raptor. Since it's unlikely that our Navy and Air Force will go to battle against themselves, that means the Superhornet is unmatched by any other strike fighter in the world.

We must always remember that the Navy and the Marine Corps are our Nation's 9-1-1 force; they can arrive anywhere in the world quickly with full combat power. They do not need weeks or months to ship and stage equipment. This is why the expeditionary force desperately needs more of these strike fighters. The bill will provide that capability.

This bill would also continue vital research and development efforts to ensure that our fleet maintains the technology and the superiority necessary to defeat all threats.

The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. SKELTON. I yield an additional minute to the gentleman.

Mr. TAYLOR. Most notably, advanced missile and advanced submarine threats. The bill would fund the design and development of the next class of missile submarine, the next class of nuclear powered cruiser, and the next class of aircraft carriers.

Finally, the bill authorizes the resources necessary to maintain a robust United States Merchant Marine and authorizes $60 billion for the Title XI program.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Captain Will Ebbs, Ms. Jeaness Simlar, Heath Pope, Doug Bush, and Jesse Tollson for their work in putting together this portion of the bill. I recommend it to the full House for its passage.

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