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Today, Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, made the following remarks on the subcommittee's markup. For the text of the mark and to watch the markup click here.

"Today we meet to present and discuss the Seapower and Projection Forces mark to the subcommittee.

I am pleased with everything that the members and staff of this Subcommittee have done to make this mark successful. I truly believe that this is the most bipartisan subcommittee of the most bipartisan committee in Congress, and I am particularly pleased with the support and dedication of my Ranking Member, Mr. Joe Courtney of Connecticut.

When I talk about national defense, the threats we face, and the capability and capacity of our armed forces, I often talk about trend lines.

For many years, those lines have been heading in the wrong direction. But I think that with this mark, in particular, we are starting to bend those curve lines in the right direction. Although in recent months we have heard talk of a tradeoff between the capability and capacity of our Navy, I firmly believe that is a false choice and that the indisputable reality is that we need more of both. This mark, I am pleased to say, provides that.

Between shipbuilding and the National Sea Based Deterrence Fund, this mark authorizes a total of $20.6 billion for shipbuilding programs. That is $2.3 billion more than what the President requested for this fiscal year. And, it is the largest amount that Congress has authorized for shipbuilding since the end of the Cold War.

With that funding we are building the seven ships requested in the President’s budget—along with three more. These additions include one Arleigh Burke class destroyer, one amphibious ship, and one Littoral Combat Ship, along with a number of landing craft. This mark also fully funds the construction of destroyers, LCS, carriers, amphibs, and attack submarines requested in the President’s budget, and increases investment in new combat systems and munitions.

While adding new forces to the fleet, we are also preventing the administration from inactivating half of the Navy’s cruisers and deactivating one of ten carrier air wings. I think it is important to note that, in close cooperation with the rest of the committee, we are not just prohibiting divestment of this force structure, but also providing the Navy with the additional O&M and manpower funding it needs to keep it operational.

We need to prevent our force from shrinking, but we also need to prevent it from being hollowed out, and I am pleased that this subcommittee is doing both. By increasing new construction and retaining existing force structure, I believe we are taking the first steps toward the 350 ship Navy that our country truly needs for national defense.

While I am pleased to see the top line for defense moving in a positive direction, I believe we must also work to make the most of every dollar available to us. I believe this mark does that by authorizing bulk purchases, maintaining steady production rates, and achieving economies of scale. I am pleased that we are authorizing the advance procurement and block buy of components for two aircraft carriers, CVN-80 and 81.

I am also pleased that in this year’s mark we are transferring the first funds for the procurement of Ohio Replacement submarines into the National Sea Based Deterrence Fund, a fund that this subcommittee has given special authorities that could reduce the costs of this vital program by billions of dollars. I am also pleased that rather than resting on its laurels, this subcommittee is going further in this mark by adding yet another cost-saving authority to the NSBDF in the form of continuous production authority.

With regards to the Air Force, this mark supports the modernization and recapitalization of our aging aerial refueling and bomber forces. Specifically, the mark continues investments in the KC-46A and B-21 bomber programs. These programs are critical enablers of our nation’s ability to project power around the globe. While these programs have had some execution challenges this year, I believe that we are moving in the right direction, and remain steadfast in support of both programs.

With regards to airlift, this mark supports the modernization and recapitalization of the tactical mobility fleet. This mark fully supports C-130H AMP increments 1 and 2, as well as propulsion system and propeller upgrades that will ensure the viability of Air National Guard and Reserve aircraft through 2040. Lastly, this mark accelerates recapitalization by funding additional C-130J and C-40 aircraft on the services’ unfunded requirements list.

Overall, I think that this mark moves America’s seapower and projection forces in the right direction and I would urge the members of this committee, and the rest of the House, to support it."