[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 63 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1995

                                 ______


                               speech of

                      HON. WILLIAM H. ZELIFF, JR.

                            of new hampshire

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 18, 1994

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4301), to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1995 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 1995, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. ZELIFF. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the 
Porter-Penny amendment to H.R. 4301, Department of Defense 
Authorization for Fiscal Year 1995, cap spending on the first two 
Seawolf submarines, SSN-21 and SSN-22, at $4.673 billion.
  The Seawolf program has been plagued by documented production 
problems, delays, and cost overruns. What began as $4.4 billion for two 
subs is now estimated to cost $4.7 billion; $300 million more than 
planned.
  Our Nation is struggling to meet national defense needs with a 
drastically reduced budget. Our guiding philosophy has been to make our 
Armed Forces leaner, more efficient, more mobile, and more effective.
  How building a large, incredibly expensive new class of submarine 
fits into this overall scheme is beyond me. In the meantime, we are 
forging ahead to put a number of highly capable Los Angeles class 
attack submarines into early retirement.
  This is clearly a case of misplaced priorities. Simply put, the 
Seawolf is a luxury that we cannot afford in the age of $200 billion 
budget deficits, and with an administration looking to cut $156 billion 
from the defense budget over 5 years.
  Continuing to pour money into the Seawolf sinkhole is a bad deal for 
the taxpayers and for our national defense. Finally, while I am glad to 
support the spending cap in the Porter-Penny amendment, I am dismayed 
that this will only affect the two Seawolfs already in production.
  We need to stop the administration's plan to purchase a third 
Seawolf, SSN-23, a move that will save taxpayers another $2.5 billion. 
I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 4100, which would cap the Seawolf 
Program at two subs. This bill has been endorsed by Citizens Against 
Government Waste, the National Taxpayers Union, and Citizens for a 
Sound Economy.
  For the cost of one Seawolf, we can repair and overhaul 10 Los 
Angeles class attack submarines. This approach provides our Armed 
Forces with the flexibility needed to address numerous regional 
conflicts. I believe this is a far better use of our limited resources 
given the world situation today.
  I urge the Rules Committee to make in order an amendment to limit 
Seawolf production to two submarines. Let this proposal come to the 
floor for a full and open debate.

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