U.S. Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, delivered the following opening statement at the full committee markup for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.
Rep. Kelly's remarks as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Seapower and Projection forces mark is a strong, bipartisan mark. This mark reflects tireless effort and dedication from Members and staff to reaffirm our commitment to a strong and capable naval force.
At this critical juncture, we find ourselves confronted with a rapidly advancing and aggressive China. China's rising Naval strength is a direct threat to international peace and security. Beijing understands that a strong Navy is critical for power projection and maritime dominance. Long-term American command of the sea requires that we grow and enhance our Navy's capabilities now or risk losing maritime dominance to an oppressive, hostile, and undemocratic foreign adversary.
The President's budget, however, proposed to build 9 ships in FY24, and only 7 in 2025. The administration also chose to divest 8 ships before the end of their expected service life. China is on pace to build a 500-ship fleet by 2030, while this administration plans to shrink our naval fleet in the near term, leaving our sailors to fight a war without all the tools to win. These concerning facts demand a decisive response, and yet our Navy has failed to keep up. The Navy recently delivered another 30-year shipbuilding plan that fails to meet statutory requirements enacted by Congress. Of the three plans they proposed, only one would grow our fleet to meet to our 355-ship mandate, and even then, it would take two decades to get there.
This mark sets a better course for U.S. Sea Power by building on our naval strength, strengthening our industrial base, countering China and providing critical oversight. It prevents the early retirement of two cruisers and three amphibious ships, modernizes two legs of our nuclear triad, continues oversight of the KC-46A and recapitalization of the KC-135 aircraft, supports robust funding for the Maritime Administration, and advances the recapitalization of our sealift fleet.
Today's En Bloc package adds to the strength of our subcommittee mark thanks to the valuable input from all our Members. It includes provisions to incrementally fund a new Submarine Tender and new San Antonio Class Amphibious ship, which increases the overall number of battle force ships requested by the President's budget to 10.
The package improves the C-130J program, increases naval readiness, prioritizes China as our pacing threat and builds on important oversight initiatives. It also institutes reporting mandates on combatting Chinese technology in the U.S., mitigating UAS threats, and watercraft programs to support the INDOPACOM theater.
Lastly, I want to thank my friend and Ranking Member Joe Courtney for his leadership throughout this process, the committee staff Ian, Kyle, Kelly, Ethan and Phil as well as my personal staff Reed and Marcel. I'd also like to thank all our Members from both sides for their constructive input to bring this mark forward. This mark presents us with a unique opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to a strong and capable naval force. I urge Members of this committee to support this mark and vote in favor of this En Bloc.
With that, I yield back.
