[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 78 (Thursday, May 22, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       SUPPORTING CONTINUED PRODUCTION OF THE EA-18G ``GROWLER''

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM L. ENYART

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 22, 2014

  Mr. ENYART. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the House Armed 
Services Committee (HASC) and its Chairman, Buck McKeon, and Ranking 
Member Smith, on passage of the FY15 Defense Authorization Bill (H.R. 
4435) today that includes funding for additional Navy EA-18G 
``Growler'' aircraft as well as language to continue the EA-18G and F/
A-18 E/F lines in St. Louis, Missouri.
  During this year's deliberations of the President's budget request, 
the committee received a request from the Navy for an unfunded 
requirement for 22 additional airborne electronic attack (AEA) 
aircraft--the EA-18G Growler. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) 
Admiral Greenert outlined the growing need to control the 
electromagnetic spectrum to support the warfighter. The CNO indicated 
to the Committee that the current level of AEA aircraft in the Navy 
inventory was just meeting the operational needs in today's world. 
However, based on increasing demands and a projected difficult 
operational environments in the future, the Navy requested 22 
additional EA-18G Growlers. It is this Growler that can meet these 
expanding and stressing AEA operational requirements.
  I have a number of constituents that commute to work on the 
production line in St. Louis, and like many members have F/A-18 
suppliers in my district. Without additional funding for EA-18G 
aircraft, this important production line will shut down and we as a 
nation will lose a national asset--including thousands of dedicated and 
talented workers who make up this defense industrial base.
  But the EA-18G is about more than jobs--it is about supporting our 
warfighter. The Navy has clearly made its case before Congress that it 
has a growing operational requirement for additional EA-18G aircraft 
that are vital to current and future operations--both for the Navy and 
other services.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming weeks, 
especially on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, to help 
address this clear Navy requirement. We need to support our warfighter 
needs and the EA-18G Growler is key to operating and prevailing in the 
important airborne electronic attack environment.

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