[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 178 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6320-S6322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   National Defense Authorization Act

  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, in July, the Senate passed the fiscal 
year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, with 86 Senators from 
both sides of the aisle voting in support of it.
  I am glad that we had such a strong vote because I believe--and I 
have always believed--it is the most important vote, most important 
bill that we do all year. The NDAA, as we call it--that stands for 
National Defense Authorization Act--is how Congress provides the policy 
and resources for our national defense for the ensuing year, and it 
always passes by a bipartisan bill. And it has now for 60 years in a 
row. Well, not quite 60. It is 59 years. It will be 60 when this bill 
is concluded.
  There is not much we do around here anymore on a bipartisan basis for 
this long, but the NDAA is special. Here is why: Because each and every 
American benefits from the bill--each family, each community in each 
State. Oklahoma is no exception to this rule. What makes Oklahoma 
special is this. Just as much as this bill takes care of Oklahoma, 
Oklahoma takes care of the country by the very nature of those things, 
those functions that we perform each year, militarily.
  As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have already 
been down here a lot talking about the NDAA and how this bill protects 
all Americans, how it cares for our military families, and how it gives 
our military the resources needed to defend this Nation.
  Confession is good for the soul. I have to admit, as chairman, I made 
certain that the NDAA did the maximum benefit possible for Oklahoma. I 
want to talk a little bit about what the NDAA does for Oklahoma and how 
what we do in Oklahoma makes the rest of the country more secure--
because it does.
  Oklahoma is home to some of the Department of Defense's most valuable 
installations and assets, and it has been this way for the better part 
of a century. It is also the epicenter of public-private collaboration, 
where industry partners and universities and others work in close 
coordination with our military.
  The defense programs based in Oklahoma protect our military 
advantage, making sure that we stay ahead--or, I should say, even 
better and more accurately now, get ahead of our competitors, 
especially China and Russia. I think we all understand now China and 
Russia are the greatest threat facing this Nation. We allowed them to--
I don't say this critically of the previous administration, but during 
the previous administration, a lot of our military actually suffered 
some 25 percent, in terms of appropriations, during the last 5 years. 
That would have been from fiscal year 2000 to fiscal year 2015, and so 
we, in some areas, are not ahead of China and Russia.
  I have been around for a long time. I am a lot older than some of the 
other people in here, and I remember the administrations since World 
War II. I always prided ourselves in that we had the very best of 
everything. We learned the hard way in World War II that that would be 
necessary.
  Oklahomans know the importance of these programs that we have in 
Oklahoma, not just to our economy but to our national security. Not all 
Americans may know, so here are a few examples. When our planes fly 
long distances, sometimes they need to refuel, of course, and this can 
be in midair. Right now, the KC-135 has been the refueler of choice now 
for 60 years. It has done a great job. It is one that has lasted and 
has worked hard since 1956.
  I remember back during the last administration--the Obama 
administration--I am a conservative Republican, and I wasn't real fond 
of the previous administration, but there is one person I really liked, 
and that was Deborah Lee James. She was the Secretary of the Air Force 
in the previous administration. She and I worked hard with the idea 
that we were going to have to do something about the KC-135; it had 
been around 60 years.
  I remember, I said, when we were at Altus Air Force Base--that was 
where we were going to be delivering--that is the first KC-46 to 
replace the 135. And I remember saying that 60 years ago two wonderful 
things happened: No. 1, my wife Kay and I got married. And No. 2, the 
first KC-135 was delivered to Altus Air Force Base. Where is the KC-135 
training and the maintenance base? It is in Oklahoma.

[[Page S6321]]

  It is time to update that aircraft. The KC-46 is the next-generation 
tanker, and Oklahoma is going to play a key role in this aircraft as 
well, thanks to the NDAA. All training for this new aircraft is 
conducted at Altus Air Force Base, in Altus, OK; and all depot 
maintenance will be performed at Tinker Air Force Base, in Oklahoma 
City; the same as the KC-135 maintenance has taken place for the last 
60 years.
  We will also conduct depot maintenance on the B-21 bomber at Tinker. 
The B-21, which is still in the development phase, is going to be vital 
to our Air Force. It will be a critical part of our deterrence posture: 
a strong military that lets our enemies know that they can't escape us.
  This is cutting-edge technology, designed to replace a few types of 
bomber aircraft that have lived in Oklahoma for the last half century.
  What this year's NDAA means is the Air Force will be guaranteeing 
Tinker's workload for the next 50 years and beyond. You know, I have 
talked a lot on the floor about the NDAA and about a lot of issues, not 
always just military but primarily. But I have never really talked much 
about what we in Oklahoma do and the great contribution we make. That 
is kind of what I am doing right now. The third kind of aircraft we 
have in Oklahoma are the planes that help our Air Force pilots become 
the best in the world. We are talking about our training aircraft.
  Many of the pilots in our Air Force conduct their pilot training at 
Vance Air Force Base, using aircraft like the T-38. T-38--that plane 
has been around since 1962, and it is still being used right now as a 
trainer, but it has outlived its usefulness in terms of training for 
modern aircraft. We can have all the modern aircraft in the world, but 
if we are training with vehicles that are 50, 60 years old, it doesn't 
train them as well as they should be trained. We have had the T-38 
around for that long period of time.
  The T-7 is going to be that newest aircraft. In this year's NDAA--the 
National Defense Authorization Act--we ensure that we continue to 
progress on developing this new aircraft. That is the T-7. It will be 
flying in the skies over Oklahoma for at least probably the next six 
decades.
  Right here, Oklahoma is home to aircraft that support three critical 
prongs of our national defense, making sure that we have the skills and 
the equipment and the reach needed to deter and defeat our adversaries 
for the foreseeable future. But the Air Force is not the only service 
with a large footprint in Oklahoma. The Army is also a rich part of our 
military heritage, and Oklahoma's military installations help support 
the Army's No. 1 modernization priority, which is long-range precision 
fires. That is the No. 1 priority of the U.S. Army right now.
  These are munitions that will be able to reach across hundreds, if 
not thousands, of miles and strike targets. They can be used on land; 
they can be used in the skies; and they can be used at sea and beyond. 
Unfortunately, this is an area where we have already fallen behind our 
competitors like China and Russia, but Oklahoma is going to help us 
catch up.
  The Paladin Integrated Management System--it is called PIM--is a 
critical piece of this Army modernization effort, and it is based at 
Fort Sill, at our very own Fires Center of Excellence. It is assembled 
in Elgin, OK.
  This is really important, especially when you know the history. We 
have been working to build a modern artillery system for decades. 
First, starting back in 1994, we were then working to build the 
Crusader. The Crusader was going to be our artillery system. That was 
going to be the best one around. We worked, and we invested money in 
it. The Crusader was going to be our new, modern system that would set 
us up above Russia and China. This was in 1994.
  We spent $2 billion on the Crusader. What happened to it? It was 
nixed, prematurely, in 2002 because it was over budget, and we thought 
the needs of warfare were changing. I never did believe that. I think 
that Crusader was a good vehicle and was what we needed for the next 
decades to come. But it was gone. And then some of the same mistakes 
were repeated in the Army's Future Combat Systems.
  The Future Combat Systems--called the FCS--was cut in 2009, but it 
wasn't $2 billion that we had spent on that before we cut it, it was 
$20 billion. We actually used $22 billion for an artillery system, and 
we still didn't have one. Billions and billions were wasted. That is 
how China and Russia got ahead of us--but not for long because we are 
catching up.
  There are more than just DOD programs based in Oklahoma. Our 
countless industry partners work there as well and help us make sure 
our forces are on the cutting edge of innovation. The XQ-58A Valkyrie 
is an unmanned aerial system that does not need a runway to take off. 
It will accompany the next-generation aircraft, like the world-class F-
35 on its missions. It will perform an escort function. It is one that 
takes off vertically, and it is one without a pilot.
  This is one of the Air Force's top priorities. It is what they call a 
Vanguard Program. It is what the future of air superiority looks like, 
and it is assembled in--you guessed it--Oklahoma.
  That is just one example of the amazing technologies we are building 
across the State, but it is not just our military installations and 
industries supporting America's national defense. In Oklahoma, we work 
well together across the State--military, industry, and even 
educational universities.
  In Lawton, just outside of Fort Sill, we have something called FISTA, 
where we try to get all of these stakeholders together in one building. 
It is a private sector. I have to say this about the private sector in 
Oklahoma. We have gone through five different efforts to change our 
military. And in each one of the five--these are called BRAC rounds. A 
BRAC round is the Base Realignment and Closure Commission--they meet 
and evaluate all of the military installations in the country, in 
America, and evaluate which ones should be expanded and which ones 
should be done away with and which ones should be reduced. I would say, 
in the State of Oklahoma, we have five major military installations, 
and we are the only State that has increased with each one of the five 
BRAC rounds since 1987.
  You might say that is political influence. It is not. It is community 
support. That is what we have always done. For example, even in our 
universities, the University of Oklahoma is working on research that 
will accelerate the work of the Long-Range Precision Fires Air Missile 
Defense Cross-Functional Team at Fort Sill--top modernization 
priorities for the Army. The FISTA is just one piece of this research 
and innovation done in Oklahoma. It is really happening all around the 
State. Oklahoma State University is also conducting critical research 
on drones, unmanned systems, where our military has growing needs. We 
are leaders in Oklahoma. This will support operations where traditional 
methods are not sufficient for takeoffs and landings and ensure our 
military can penetrate any environment. We have made sure that we have 
committed funding especially for this kind of research, and Oklahoma 
State University is the perfect candidate because of the successful 
work it has already done on these systems. We are ahead of others.

  Also, Tulsa University has been designated by the National Security 
Agency as a cyber center of academic excellence. This year, in the NDAA 
that we will be passing, which is probably going to be in the later 
part of November, it directs the Army Corps of Engineers to form a 
partnership with an academic institution like Tulsa University to 
conduct critical cyber research that will support our national 
security. TU has a track record of success. It is certainly a go-to for 
just this type of research, and I anticipate that this is exactly what 
is going to happen.
  Our universities really are second to none in terms of this research, 
and their hard work and ingenuity are going to help us catch up to 
China and Russia and ensure our military superiority will be there for 
years to come.
  With the massive amount of work lined up for the State of Oklahoma, I 
knew our bill had to help communities across the State provide the 
number of workers that will be needed. One provision we included to 
address this allows for the appointment of recently retired members of 
the armed services--armed services members who have retired--to assume 
DOD positions at certain pay grades without their having to wait the 
requisite lengths of time. This ensures

[[Page S6322]]

more people will stay in Oklahoma. Skilled workers won't need to leave 
the State to find work. These are the people who know the programs 
best. It is what they have spent their careers doing, and they are 
going to be able to continue working on them even after they have 
transitioned out of Active Duty.
  This is all in this Defense authorization bill that we have under 
consideration today that we are going to pass. Our work ethic is just 
one of the trademarks of the Oklahomans I am lucky to represent.
  Another is what we call the Oklahoma standard. Oklahomans know how 
important it is to care for and support each other, especially our 
military families. Our military families don't have it easy. The nature 
of the job means frequent moves around the country and around the 
world. This means they make a lot of sacrifices. We can't ask military 
spouses to sacrifice as well. So what we have done is, actually, what 
we started in last year's Defense authorization bill. At that time, we 
put in a program to help spouses and families circumvent some of the 
time they waste but that they have to have when they move into new 
occupations. We have now done the same thing, but this was in last 
year's bill.
  One way we did it was by extending the DOD program to reimburse 
spouses for the costs of new professional licenses and credentials. 
This year, we have improved on that. We have made it easier to transfer 
those licenses across State lines, but you can't do that until after 
this bill has passed. We know that, when we improve family readiness, 
we improve overall military readiness.
  I have to say that there are a lot of people around here who don't 
think we need as strong a military as we need. They talk about it, and 
I have heard the statement. I have heard it a hundred times. They say 
we spend more on our military than China and Russia do put together. 
Well, there is a reason for that. In our military, we look after the 
troops, after the individuals. You know about the housing problems that 
we have had, and we have spent a lot of money to correct that problem. 
We are doing this at the current time. We also have schools for the 
kids of our troops and educational facilities. Now, in Russia and 
China--Communist countries--they give them guns and say: Go out and 
shoot people. That is it.
  The last thing I want to point out about this year's NDAA is also the 
readiness issue. This year, we made sure that we would not have a BRAC 
round. I mentioned a minute ago that a BRAC round is a Base Realignment 
and Closure Commission, and we are not going to have one. Now is not 
the time to reduce our military footprint any further, not when we face 
so many threats around the world and not when we have worked so hard 
with President Trump to rebuild and repair our readiness. It is easy to 
see how these provisions we fought so hard to include in this bill will 
help Oklahomans and, really, all Americans.
  That is why I think the NDAA is the most important bill of the year, 
not only for Oklahoma but for the rest of the Nation as well. Serving 
as chairman of the Committee on Armed Services and representing 
Oklahomans are the two things I am most proud of. I am proud that we 
can do right by our Armed Forces and Oklahomans with this year's NDAA.
  The next step is to make this bill law, and the next step is going to 
take place when our colleagues from the House have a conference report. 
I think most people know that, with a bill like this, the Senate passes 
a bill, and the House passes a bill. Then there is a conference report, 
and they have to get together and have a conference. It is not going to 
be easy because there are a lot of differences to iron out.
  For those who want to know when it is going to happen, as for the 
conference report, the House is not going to appoint its conferees 
until November 16, so it is going to be a while. It doesn't matter. The 
deadline is actually December 31, and that will happen. It has happened 
for 60 years in a row, and it is going to happen this time. No matter 
what, we are going to get it done. We have for the last 59 years, and 
we are going to do it again.
  I was talking to people at Tinker Air Force Base today, and they were 
talking about the things that they are needing to do. Tinker Air Force 
Base has turned into probably--I believe it is--the largest military 
complex in the country. People are doing incredible work there. I was 
talking to the whole team, and those on the team were talking about 
what they are preparing for in the next year. I can assure you it is 
all going to be good and that Oklahoma is going to fare well. We are 
going to fare well in our equipment and in our training. I am proud of 
Oklahoma's contribution to the safety of America, and we are doing a 
good job in Oklahoma.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Barrasso). The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I had the chance to hear Chairman 
Inhofe's remarks. I speak for many of us when I offer my appreciation 
for his chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee, for his 
commitment to our troops, and, in my case, particularly, for the great 
way he works with my senior Senator, Jack Reed, who is the ranking 
member on that committee, in order to get all of this work done. While 
he may have bragging rights over airbases in Oklahoma, Rhode Island has 
bragging rights on submarine construction, and it is very important to 
us. So I offer my appreciation to the chairman for all of his support 
for the submarine program that has meant so much to our Nation's 
security and to Rhode Island.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Pennsylvania.