WASHINGTON – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) today supported passage of H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2016, through the full House Armed Services Committee. The annual authorization bill provides policy guidance and authorization for the Department of Defense.
“Our men and women in uniform have been forced to make difficult choices in light of decreasing defense dollars and consistent budget uncertainty,” Wittman said. “These tradeoffs are deeply concerning, but I believe that this legislation can help us make meaningful progress in restoring and enhancing military readiness.
“Today’s debate has been full of acronyms, jargon, and seemingly arbitrary figures, but the decisions this Committee and this Congress make have direct impacts on those who serve this nation each and every day,” Wittman continued. “We want our men and women in uniform to enter any confrontation with nothing less than overwhelming superiority. I am pleased with how today’s bill positions our military, but work remains to restore lost readiness and preserve the fragile gains we have made in the ongoing recovery from previous sequestration cuts and other senseless budget reductions.”
Wittman, the Readiness Subcommittee chairman, has been a leader in pushing for a strong defense funding level and for smart use of Department of Defense resources to effectively position the Department to manage budget strains, as well as the risks presented by potential cuts from sequestration later this year. Wittman championed a number of provisions in the legislation, including a rejection of the administration’s request for an additional Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round. At the same time, a Readiness Subcommittee provision requests an assessment of excess capacity to better understand those areas DOD believes need to be streamlined in order to achieve efficiencies.
“We cannot forget that the 2005 BRAC round has not yet resulted in savings,” Wittman added. “The support for an additional BRAC round to date has been full of rhetoric rather than fact. This assessment can allow Congress to make informed decisions with up-to-date figures on existing resources and the potential ramifications of BRAC. Simply initiating a BRAC round without up-to-date figures, especially while our force structure is not set and our threat profile is on the rise, would be completely irresponsible.”
Wittman, a member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, also supported various authorizations for a number of ship construction projects, including efficiency initiatives for CVN-80 and 81, continued funding authorizations for the refueling and overhaul of CVN-73, and continued construction authorization for CVN-79 and 80. Wittman also championed provisions to support advance procurement of the LX(R) amphibious ship, sustained funding for the Virginia Class submarines program, and continued progress for the LPD-28.
Wittman said, “The sea power provisions in today’s bill, from the continued support for restoring CVN-73 as a viable fleet asset to boosting our capabilities with two Arleigh Burke class destroyers and three Littoral Combat Ships, show the Committee’s strong commitment to maintaining a robust Navy and strengthening the military’s ability to project power and advance American interests around the globe.”
The proposal from Wittman’s Readiness Subcommittee included provisions to:
· Reject the request for an additional Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round;
· Request an assessment of excess capacity to better understand those areas the Department of Defense believes need to be streamlined to achieve efficiencies;
· Require the Department to assess single points of failure within the Defense supply system;
· Enhance property accountability by requiring a strategic plan for excess defense articles;
· Codify a prohibition on the Department’s purchase of bulk alternative fuels for operational use unless cost-competitive with traditional fuels;
· Direct several assessments of the military departments’ plans to rebuild readiness, enhance exercises, and modernize training requirements; and,
· Provide an increased military construction program above FY15 enacted levels.
Summary: Committee Summary of FY16 NDAA
Release: Wittman Applauds Readiness Subcommittee Language in NDAA
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee.
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