[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NATIONAL SECURITY SUPPLEMENTAL SUBMARINE INDUSTRIAL BASE AND AUKUS

  (Mr. COURTNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the 
bipartisan national security package that passed out of the Senate 
Tuesday which will deliver critical security assistance to our allies 
in Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, and provide historic investments in the 
U.S. submarine industrial base to dramatically increase capacity in 
support of our own Navy and the historic trilateral AUKUS security 
agreement with Australia and the U.K. that Congress last December 
enacted in the National Defense Authorization Act.
  Mr. Speaker, an overlooked item in this package is the $3.3 billion 
for the U.S. submarine industrial base for workforce development, to 
stabilize the nationwide supply chain, upgrade shipyard infrastructure, 
and advance mature technology opportunities like additive 
manufacturing. I would note, as part of AUKUS, Australia has agreed to 
match that sum and invest $3 billion into our economy and our 
industrial base for the same objectives.
  Make no mistake, failure to pass this legislation is a vote against 
AUKUS and limits the outstanding progress that our nations have already 
made. I implore Speaker Johnson to bring the bill to the floor. We know 
that there are over 300 votes today to get this package through to help 
our friends who are desperately looking to America for global and 
national security leadership.

                          ____________________