National Pulse Memorial

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, which is before us this evening.

As chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, this bill is proof that our panel upheld its duty under Article 1, Section 8 ``to provide and maintain a Navy.''

Our bill authorizes 13 new ships, continuing our tradition to independently scrub the budget and augment our Navy fleet responsibly. Within that total, we authorize three destroyers and two additional Fast Transport ships to support the rapid deployment of equipment and personnel.

The agreement also reflects our panel's ongoing efforts to recapitalize our aging sealift. The bill fully authorizes the new sealift Tanker Security Program, an initiative our panel started last year to meet gaps in our at-sea refueling capabilities.

It also authorizes the fifth National Security Multi-Mission Vessel, another initiative our subcommittee led to boost maritime training and sealift capacity. Later this week, the historic Philly Shipyard will lay keel for the first in a series of NSMVs, which is tangible proof that our Nation can rebuild its decrepit sealift fleet with our domestic shipbuilding industrial base. To that end, this agreement rejects a request to further our reliance on used foreign-built sealift ships.

Madam Speaker, of particular note, is the mark on undersea capabilities, which at the end of the day is the most effective path to deter the pacing threat of China. For proof of this, look no further than AUKUS, the recent security agreement between the U.S., U.K., and Australia, whose centerpiece is building a new fleet of Aussie nuclear- powered submarines. This NDAA funds two per year Virginia-class subs and full production of the Columbia program. It also includes House provisions of $200 million for a new facility, $130 million for supplier development, and $20 million for workforce development. Altogether, this will increase production capacity to help both our allies and our Navy to maintain dominance in the undersea domain.

Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Rob Wittman and all the members on the subcommittee for their great bipartisan work building the NDAA this year, as well as Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Rogers.

I also thank Phil McNaughton, Dave Sienicki, and Kelly Goggin for their great staff work, and Lieutenant Commander Matt Harmon, my Navy fellow, who is sadly leaving us soon. His really solid contribution as a SWO really was instrumental in terms of the work that our subcommittee was able to produce.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source