Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015

Floor Speech

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank Chairman MCKEON and the Members of the House Armed Services Committee for the Committee's work on the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act. As the Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, I know very well that efforts of this magnitude take leadership, thoughtfulness and compromise. I support the final bill, and thank the Committee for continuing to make our Nation's security a top priority.

I want to draw attention to a key priority that the Committee helped address this year. Earlier this year, United States Navy offered to the Committee its ``unfunded priority'' request of additional EA-18G Growlers, an electronic attack aircraft. Specifically, the Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Jonathan Greenert testified that there is an emerging requirement for more electronic attack, and he asked for 22 Growlers. The Growler is the only aircraft that can provide the full spectrum electronic attack that are needed for future operations.

In addition to a specific warfighting capability that the Growler provides, the men and women that work on the aircraft are part of America's aerospace industry that has undergone significant change over the last several decades. A vital part of this industry are the small businesses that have kept our military force on the cutting edge, armed with technologies and programs no other nation can match. The production of the Growler is no exception to this rule as there are 340 small businesses that are located across 32 states, including in my home state of Missouri, which support the program.

At a time when the small business sector is regaining its footing in the recovering economy, there should be a way to preserve the military industrial base. This bill supports that effort by adding 5 Growlers above the President's Budget Request and encouraging the Navy to keep the manufacturing line open. Closing the line would not only upend many small businesses that sustain the program, but would also lead to less competition and fewer innovative technology breakthroughs in tactical aviation. The Committee bill represents a good first step at meeting the dual needs of the Navy's requirements and the defense industrial base.

As the Fiscal Year 2015 bills move through the process, I look forward to working with the Committee to meet the needs of the warfighter and to protect the small businesses interests in our Nation.

Source