Defense & National Security

“It has been both a pleasure and an honor working with Rear Admiral Trussler during his time as the first commanding officer of the Undersea Warfighting Development Center,” said Courtney. “Admiral Trussler had a huge challenge coming into the role, both in starting up the UWDC and bringing a flag officer back to Submarine Base New London. He succeeded on all accounts, making the UWDC a recognized force throughout the Navy and in further emphasizing the key role that the base plays in meeting our nation’s top national security challenges. I truly appreciate all he has done for us here in eastern Connecticut and the contributions he will continue to make in his new role in Washington."

“The modernization and recapitalization of our nation’s fighters, bombers, tankers, and airlift platforms has been an ongoing area of interest and concern for this panel. These aircraft perform vital missions essential to national security and support our military’s operations around the globe. However, these legacy aircraft are now more frequently having their lifetimes extended, flying much longer than original designs intended -- and are often older than the crews and pilots who operate and maintain them. Consequently, the Air Force must be prepared to confront a growing number of challenges in ensuring that these platforms remain airborne despite their age."

"I appreciate the work the Navy is doing to harness the capacity in the submarine industrial base to build additional attacks submarines. Thanks to the in-depth look that the Navy has taken at the industrial base as it prepares to meet the challenge of building attack submarines in addition to the new Ohio Replacement Submarine, we know that there is capacity to add a second submarine in 2021. The addition of this boat alone reduces the attack submarine shortfall by nearly 30 percent, as measured against current requirements. Our subcommittee made clear its firm support of this plan in our mark of the 2017 defense authorization, and we are eager to see this plan put into action."

“This ruling makes clear what the United States and its allies in the region already know – that China’s excessive maritime claims and reclamation activity in the South China Sea are not only inconsistent with international law but also highly disruptive to stability of the region,” Courtney said. “In reclaiming more than 3,000 acres of land from the seafloor, militarizing the majority of it, and attempting to partner with landlocked states to write a false narrative justifying their actions, it ought to be clear that China’s actions are jeopardizing the international rules-based order. In light of this binding decision today, China and other stakeholders in the region must work cooperatively and constructively to uphold the rights and responsibilities affirmed under international law."

"I am proud to once again serve as a member of the conference committee tasked with finalizing the annual defense authorization bill. In this capacity, I will continue to build on the strong support I secured for Connecticut’s defense priorities in the House-passed bill -- including full support for robust submarine production, restoration of critical gaps in aircraft production levels, and further modernization of the C-130 aircraft assigned to the 'Flying Yankees' of Connecticut’s Air National Guard. There are many challenging issues on the agenda for these negotiations, but I remain confident that we will continue to find a bipartisan approach to ensuring that our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines have the support they deserve.”

“Defense related manufacturing is a central part of our region’s economic recovery and future, and the funding bill passed today invests the resources needed to keep the current trends on track. Coupled with the defense authorization bill I helped craft and pass in the House in May, this bill supports Virginia class submarines, the Ohio Replacement, and a range of other programs vital not just to Connecticut, but to the nation. It is a testament to the exceptional workers who supply and build the most advanced submarines in the world that we are continuing to prioritize these programs, even while making tough budgetary decisions about how to allocate limited resources.”