Media Center

This hearing and this budget comes at a critical time for our Navy and Marine Corps. As recent events around the world clearly demonstrate, the presence and capabilities of our forces on, below and above the seas are in higher demand than at any other time in recent history. Yet, as this subcommittee knows all too well, these forces are under significant pressure in meeting growing operational needs and keeping pace with developments around the world in the face of limited resources. I believe that we need to ensure that we make the right investments in the capabilities of our seapower forces while also ensuring that they have the capacity to utilize them. In my view, the 2017 budget request makes important strides to towards this goal – but there are areas where I look forward to working on a bipartisan basis to make further progress.

“The VA’s recent decision to continue to deny care and benefits to “Blue Water” Vietnam Veterans makes clear that Congress must take action to finally fix this problem,” wrote Courtney. “That is why I urge you to pass the bipartisan Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (HR 969), of which I am an original cosponsor, to ensure that all those who served on naval ships in the waters surrounding Vietnam – and exposed to Agent Orange – get the care and support they deserve.”

“I was struck this evening by the sincerity and earnestness of the families that came to share their personal experiences dealing with addiction and loss in their lives,” said Courtney. “As we continue to hear about the increasing number of overdoses and deaths attributed to opioid and heroin abuse, it is important that we do not forget that the people being struck down have families and friends who love them. It is beyond unacceptable that we are now losing 74 people per day on average to overdoses caused by prescription painkillers and heroin. This has flat-out become a public health emergency and we need to start treating it that way at the highest levels of government. I am grateful to Director Botticelli for taking the time to travel to eastern Connecticut to meet with our constituents and hear about the specific issues with addiction and drug abuse that our region is confronting. I will continue to work with the Director once he returns to Washington to make sure that we are providing states and local communities with the resources they need to turn the tide of this epidemic before even more lives are lost.”

“Losing 74 Americans every single day to this epidemic is unacceptable. As such, we strongly encourage you to declare the opioid and heroin epidemic a crisis immediately, and to look into a mechanism by which to make emergency funds available to states to combat the issue today. We stand ready to support your efforts to combat the epidemic that so many Americans are already fighting every day. We request your immediate attention to this serious matter and look forward to your response.”

Over the years, we have seen the carrier air wing evolve from one with a large mix of aircraft to one composed of multi-mission aircraft capable of performing a variety of missions. Looking ahead, it is clear that the air wing will be remain a key part of our nation’s security and ability to project power well into the future – but only if we make the right investments in its composition, capabilities and reach.

“On balance, the 2017 budget appears to make significant investments in order to enhance the capabilities of the naval and projection forces platforms overseen by our panel,” said Courtney. “From expanding the reach and punch of our surface and subsurface forces, to strengthening our ability to project power through long range strike and refueling capabilities, I am pleased with many of the decisions reflected in this budget.”

“While we understand that the FRA is still in the project planning stages of NEC FUTURE and many more steps remain ahead in this process, we believe consistent community involvement will serve as the most important tool for finding agreeable alternatives, increasing local buy-in, and instilling a sense of trust among affected residents,” wrote Courtney, Blumenthal, and Murphy. “As the planning process moves forward, we request that the FRA host listening sessions along the Connecticut shoreline where the proposed Alternative 1 new track segment will be constructed in order to hear the views and concerns of the communities in this area.”