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House Armed Services Committe
Subcommittee Chairman Taylor's Opening Statement --May 03, 2007

"The subcommittee will come to order. Today we meet in open session to markup H.R. 1585, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.

"Before I proceed, I would like to thank my good friend the Ranking Member of this subcommittee, Mr. Roscoe Bartlett, for his support in bringing together this mark. Many of the subcommittee initiatives in this mark are the direct result of Mr. Bartlett's leadership and guidance during his tenure as Chairman of this subcommittee. I would also like to thank the other Members of the subcommittee for their efforts and recommendations into this process.

"The subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Navy and Marine Corps procurement and research and development programs. This jurisdiction represents approximately $60 billion dollars in the fiscal year 2008 budget request.

"The mark increases several major programs:

• Increases funding for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAP) to $4.1 billion dollars, in coordination with Chairman Abercrombie and the Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. This fully funds the joint service requirement for 7,700 new vehicles.
• Adds $1.7 billion in Navy procurement for a second San Antonio class LPD in fiscal year 2008.
• Adds $456 million for a second T-AKE dry cargo ship in fiscal year 2008. This funding is carried in Title III of the bill under the National Defense Sealift fund.
• Adds $588 million in Navy advance procurement for an additional ship-set of reactor plant heavy components and main propulsion components for the Virginia class submarine program. This additional ship-set of equipment will give the committee flexibility to increase production of the Virginia class submarine program to two per year prior to the Navy's current goal of 2012.
• Adds $480 million for the competitive engine initiative for the Joint Strike Fighter, in coordination with Chairman Abercrombie and the Air and Land Forces Subcommittee.

"The mark authorizes the Department's budget request for the following major ship programs:

• $2.724 billion for authorization and the first increment of funding for the next generation aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford CVN 78.
• Funding, including advance procurement, of a Virginia Class submarine. $2.65 billion and $702.7 million respectively.
• $1.4 billion for a San Antonio class LPD.
• $2.8 billion for the 2nd and final increment of two DDG-1000 class destroyers
• $456 million for a T-AKE dry cargo vessel.
• $210 million for the first Joint High Speed Vessel.
• $710.5 million for two Littoral Combat Ships, a change to the original budget request based upon recommendation by the Secretary of the Navy.

"The mark authorizes the full budget request for the following aviation programs:

• EA 18G $1.3 billion
• F/A 18 E/F $2.1 billion
• F35B $1.1 billion
• MV 22 $1.76 billion
• UH-1Y/AH $518.5 million
• MH60S $423.5 million
• MH60R $844.7 million
• KC 130J $222.5 million

"For the first time this subcommittee has jurisdiction over programs of the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation. This mark authorizes the budget request for the Maritime Administration and reaffirms the authorization of the Maritime Security Program and the Maritime Guaranteed Loan Program which have multiple year authorizations contained in the Maritime Security Act of 2003.

"The mark reduces the funding for the Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle program by $200 million. This reduction is based on significant schedule delays and program uncertainty. The subcommittee is aware that a major decision by the Department of Defense is anticipated in early June on the future direction of this program and the subcommittee will carefully review that decision at that time.

"The mark reduces the budget request for the Littoral Combat Ship by $200 million. This action is taken in light of the Secretary of the Navy's request to only authorize two, rather than three vessels, in fiscal year 2008, as was submitted with the budget request.

"The mark contains a number of legislative provisions, including:

• A requirement that new classes of major surface combatants are designed and constructed with integrated nuclear power systems.
• An initiative to allow the Secretary of the Navy to use procurement funding for capital investment in shipyards or shipyard contractor facilities, if the investment can be shown to result in overall cost savings to the government.
• Authority for the Secretary of the Navy to enter into a multiyear procurement contract for Virginia class submarines beginning with fiscal year 2009.
• Authority for the Secretary of Defense to transfer up to $20 million for emergent repairs or maintenance identified during aircraft carrier complex refueling overhauls and submarine engineered refueling overhauls.
• Authority to transfer up to three vessels of the nonretention fleet maintained by the Maritime Administration to the Secretary of the Navy for disposal.

"I would now like to recognize my former Chairman the current Ranking Member of this subcommittee for any remarks he may wish to make."