[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 112 (Thursday, June 29, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             12 CARRIER ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2017

  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that my bill, the 
12 Carrier Act, was included in last night's NDAA markup. This 
legislation will play a critical role in rebuilding our nation's 
military.
  With ongoing perils around the world, including increasing violence 
by ISIS and persistent threats by North Korea, it is vital to our 
nation's security that our Navy is fully equipped with the resources 
and capabilities to respond to these threats. By including my bill in 
the Committee's mark, we will be increasing the statutory limit for 
carriers from eleven to twelve. In doing so, this measure will empower 
the Navy with the tools they desperately need to meet Combatant 
Commander requirements, deter conflict, prolong the lives of our fleet, 
and send a message to potential adversaries that we will not allow our 
decisive advantage in worldwide maritime force projection to erode.
  Since the end of the Cold War, aircraft carrier requirements have 
increased while the aircraft carrier force structure has declined. The 
Navy has stated that the current forces cannot support global 
requirements. For years, this strain has caused our fleet to operate at 
maximum capacity, limiting aircraft carrier at-sea training, increasing 
deployment lengths and decreased time available for maintenance. To 
express the shortcomings of our carrier fleet, Navy Rear Admiral Thomas 
Moore has stated ``We're an 11-carrier Navy in a 15-carrier world''. 
President Trump also recently stressed the necessity of adding a 
twelfth carrier to our fleet.
  Maintaining the required operational tempo with 12 carriers relieves 
significant stress both in terms of manpower, as well as keeping the 
proper maintenance cycles of the carriers themselves. When the carrier 
fleet is at full strength of 12, regional combatant commanders will be 
able to rely on the imposing presence of U.S. forces and will be able 
to respond to threats in a more expedited manner.
  I am encouraged that my fellow members of the Armed Services 
Committee agree with my concerns about the shrinking size and 
capabilities of the United States Navy, and acted in a bipartisan 
fashion to include my ``12 Carrier Act'' into the markup. I thank 
Chairman Thornberry and Subcommittee Chairman Wittman for their support 
on this measure, and I look forward to seeing this measure passed by 
the House as part of the FY18 National Defense Authorization Act.

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