[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 78 (Thursday, May 22, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL 
                               YEAR 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. SAM GRAVES

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4435) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2015 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. 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.

                          ____________________