[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 21 (Tuesday, March 1, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E314-E315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          AIR FORCE VACANCIES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 1, 2005

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, as the United States fights the war against 
terrorism, some members af the Senate have put politics above the needs 
of our men and women in uniform by not acting on the nominations of a 
number of high level Air Force positions. The Air Force continues to 
play a central role in winning the war on terrorism. Yet, on December 
8, 2004, the Senate returned four Presidential nominations to the Air 
Force without action.
  The nominations included two nominations for promotion to the rank of 
lieutenant general as commanders of Numbered Air Forces, one lieutenant 
general nomination to a key position in the USAF Headquarters Staff, 
and one nomination to the rank of general as Commander of the Air 
Combat Command, the largest Air Force combatant command. I call upon 
the Senate to immediately act on these nominees.
  I also ask for unanimous consent to include in the Record a letter 
from the Air Force Association to President Bush urging leadership of 
the Executive and Legislative branches to resolve these issues at once. 
Our fighting men and women deserve no less.


                                        Air Force Association,

                                  Arlington, VA, January 25, 2005.
     The President,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. President: We are a nation at war . . . a war 
     against global terrorism. On December 8, 2004, the Senate 
     returned four Presidential nominations to the United States 
     Air Force without action. The nominations included two 
     nominations for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general 
     as commanders of Numbered Air Forces, one lieutenant general 
     nomination to a key position in the USAF Headquarters Staff, 
     and one nomination to the rank of general as Commander of the 
     Air Combat Command, the largest Air Force combatant command. 
     Today, the leadership of this four star command is 
     temporarily being provided by a lieutenant general at a time 
     when our Air Force is heavily engaged in the Global War on 
     Terrorism. The acting commander is scheduled to take command 
     of a key Numbered Air Force in the Pacific, but this move has 
     also been delayed pending Senate confirmation of the original 
     nominee.
       It is reported that the Senate Allied Services Committee 
     has vowed to keep holding nominations of Air Force senior 
     officers until the Pentagon cooperates more fully in regard 
     to the recent issues surrounding the procurement of air 
     refueling aircraft, which now average 43 years of service. 
     These procurement activities resulted from the Air Force 
     implementation of the refueling replacement acquisition 
     strategy directed by the House Armed Services, House 
     Appropriations, and Senate Appropriations Committees.
       Despite the fact that the Secretary of the Air Force and 
     the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition have 
     tendered their resignations in order to remove the 
     accountability argument, we still find no action on the 
     general officer nominations. In addition, the USAF is now 
     being led by an Acting Secretary--and on an equally serious 
     note, the Acting Secretary wears three other critically 
     important hats: that of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, 
     the OSD Space Acquisition Chief, and the Director of the 
     National Reconnaissance Office. He will soon add a fifth 
     critical hat as he takes on the responsibilities of the 
     Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.
       This vacuum in senior civilian and uniformed leadership has 
     a deleterious impact on our Air Force and the morale of those 
     who serve, and it is adversely impacting the many fine 
     leaders who are committed to serving their nation. Leaving 
     key positions unfilled for lengthy periods can have a 
     significant impact on the ability of the Air Force to execute 
     its mission. Lack of consistent senior leadership and 
     supervision, which led to criminal prosecution, was cited 
     recently in the case of an acquiition official who served 
     approximately 50% of her time without confirmed appointed 
     leaders above her.
       Our Air Force faces not only the demands of today's Global 
     War on Terrorism, but is now entering a critical period where 
     the Military Services are engaged in the Quadrennial Defense 
     Review, planning for the future force, and supporting the 
     Base Realignment and Closure efforts in shaping our 
     infrastructure. These activities will result in key decisions 
     that will directly affect the efficiencies and effectiveness 
     of our U.S. Military. The Air Force and its sister services 
     must also address Presidential Budget Decision 753--a 
     critical decision document which will have significant impact 
     on our current and long term force structure and weapons 
     systems effectiveness. These activities require full-time, 
     focused leadership.,
       It is imperative that we move forward on nominating and 
     confirming the required civilian and uniformed leadership of 
     our Air Force in this especially critical time. We 
     respectfully urge the leadership of the Executive and 
     Legislative Branches to come together to resolve these issues 
     without delay. The leadership requirements of our Air Force 
     must be addressed now so that it can meet its 
     responsibilities in addressing today's critical challenges. 
     Our nation and those who serve it deserve no less, and our 
     future security requires it.
           Respectfully,
                                                Stephen P. Condon,
                                            Chairman of the Board.

[[Page E315]]



                          ____________________