Duckworth Demands Accountability for LCS Program in NDAA Markup

Press Release

Yesterday, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) introduced an amendment to restrict $1.07 billion of funding for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) during consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by the House Armed Services Committee. The amendment would fence off funding for the LCS program until the Navy can report its long term acquisition strategy and future for this troubled program. The LCS program has already had numerous testing issues and cost overruns in the millions of dollars. The program was estimated to cost $220 million per ship in Fiscal Year 2006 and ballooned to more than $480 million per ship by Fiscal Year 2010.

"My constituents have asked me, time and time again, to rein in wasteful spending and institute good governance practices in the Department of Defense," said Duckworth. "It is especially critical that we demand accountability at a time when the DOD is proposing a rise in TRICARE premiums for military families, as well as reaching into our retirees' pockets for part of their pension. If we can look at that, then we can certainly ask the Navy to give us their plan for the LCS before we spend another billion dollars."

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