[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 87 (Thursday, June 5, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SEC. 217 OF H.R. 4435, WHICH PLACES COSTLY AND 
  UNNECESSARY LIMITATIONS ON MODERNIZATION INITIATIVES FOR THE SPACE-
                         BASED INFRARED SYSTEMS

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                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 5, 2014

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to 
Sec. 217 of H.R. 4435, the `Buck' McKeon National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2015. During the committee markup of this bill, 
language was added that limits the availability of funding for the 
modernization initiatives for the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) 
program.
  This provision fences off 50 percent of the funds for the SBIRS SMI 
Hosted Payloads and Wide Field of View Testbed projects until the 
ongoing analysis of alternatives for the SBIRS is completed and 
reported to the congressional defense committees.
  I am concerned that restricting funding for these initiatives will 
derail important efforts to develop future architecture concepts for 
the missile warning platform. Fencing funds for those projects will 
likely ensure that alternative architectures will not be viable or 
informative when the major acquisition milestone decision on the next 
SBIRS is made in the 2017-2018 timeframe.
  The Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center estimates that the 
50 percent restriction will delay the launch of the demonstration by 
seven months, pushing the project completion date to April 2018 and 
incurring about $10 million in cost growth.
  It is my understanding that the intent of the bill's language is not 
to damage or derail these important modernization efforts, but rather 
to compel the timely completion of the Department's ongoing Analysis of 
Alternatives for the missile warning architecture. I support that goal, 
but I believe it should be achieved without limiting funds for the 
modernization initiatives for the SBIRS program.

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