Ranking Member Courtney's Statement On 2017 NDAA

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), the ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, released the following statement on the filing of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act:

“As the ranking member for the Seapower subcommittee, I am pleased by the outcome of this year’s conference negotiations,” said Courtney. “This agreement reflects the hard bipartisan work our subcommittee did over the last year to make the key investments in our seapower and projection force capabilities that are needed now and for the future. As we transition to a new administration, this measure makes a solid down payment on growing the fleet and meeting our security challenges on, below, and above the seas.

“In particular, this report maintains two critical elements that I fought to retain from the House bill passed last May, but were not in the Senate bill: the expansion of the National Sea-based Deterrence Fund to authorize continuous production of components on the Ohio-class Replacement Program, and the restoration of advanced procurement funding for future Virginia-class submarines that will keep the program on track. I have worked closely with Chairman Forbes in advancing these initiatives, and I am proud that this agreement retains our hard work.”

Seapower Priorities included in the Agreement:

• The report fully authorizes the $1.9 billion budget request for the Ohio Replacement, and retains a provision included in the House version by Courtney and Forbes to expand the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund to allow for the continuous production of components related to the missile compartment on the new submarines. Navy estimates have found that continuous production would save 25 percent of the cost of procuring missile tubes alone by buying them in a cost efficient and level loaded approach. Courtney is a lead author and advocate of the NSBDF to ensure that the Navy can produce the new fleet while also meeting other critical shipbuilding priorities.
• Authorizes two Virginia class submarines for 2017, and advanced procurement for sustaining the two a year build rate in 2018 and 2019.

That includes $85 million more than the budget request, reflecting funding Courtney secured in the House version of the bill to ensure that the industrial base can properly plan for and support the incorporation of the Virginia Payload Module in Block V submarines.

• Authorizes $36 million for the construction of a National Security Multi- Mission Vessel to replace the aging fleet of training ships for the nation’s State Maritime Academies, and requires that a design be completed on the new vessel in 2018. Courtney has prioritized replacement of these training assets in order to ensure that tour nation continues to meet future maritime workforce needs.
• Includes $1.36 billion for B-21 Long-Range Strike Bomber (Raider) development, the level requested in the President's budget.
• Includes $2.88 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, the level requested in the President's budget.