[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 13 (Wednesday, February 9, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1205-S1206]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOMENICI (for himself and Mr. Bingaman):
  S. 332. A bill to prohibit the retirement of F-117 Nighthawk stealth 
attack aircraft during fiscal year 2006; to the Committee on Armed 
Services.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise to introduce a bill prohibiting 
retirement of F-117 stealth fighter aircraft during fiscal year 2006. I 
am also pleased my colleague, Senator Bingaman, has joined me as a 
cosponsor. The Department of Defense budget proposed for next year 
reduces operations and maintenance funds for the stealth fighter. As a 
result, ten aircraft would be retired. I believe this would be 
detrimental to our national security and so I offer a very simple bill 
to maintain the current F-117 force structure.
  The mission of the stealth fighter is to strike highly important, 
highly defended enemy targets. Pilots from Holloman Air Force Base, NM 
have flown thousands of successful sorties while evading heavy air 
defenses because of the F-117's stealth capability. As I think most 
know, F-117s played a key role during operations in Serbia, in 
Operation Iraqi Freedom and in other dangerous theaters around the 
world. The F-117 has been this nation's preeminent first strike 
platform. And I would submit, that retiring nearly 20 percent of our 
proven stealth fighter fleet before new planes such as the F-22 and the 
Joint Strike Fighter enter the force is not prudent.
  Last year, a similar budget request was made to reduce the F-117 
fleet. I recommended that the Department of Defense delay such a 
decision until new stealth platforms enter the fleet. Both the Armed 
Services committee and the Defense Appropriations subcommittee agreed 
with my assessment and included language in their bills prohibiting the 
retirement. For fiscal year 2006 my goal remains the same: to retain 
the vital first-strike capability this Nation has come to rely upon for 
the immediate future.
  I recognize that this is a time when our military forces are 
transforming to a different kind of force--one that is more agile. I 
also recognize that this will require new kinds of platforms and 
different force structures. But at a time when the world presents a 
number of challenges that may require use of stealth capability, I am 
committed to maintaining the current configuration of the F-117 fleet 
and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 332

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page S1206]]

     SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON RETIREMENT OF F-117 NIGHTHAWK 
                   STEALTH ATTACK AIRCRAFT.

       No F-117 Nighthawk stealth attack aircraft in use by the 
     Air Force during fiscal year 2005 may be retired during 
     fiscal year 2006.
                                 ______