I include in the Record letters from Admiral Greenert, Admiral Roughead, and the two most recent CNOs, Admiral Natter and Vice Admiral Connor. June 2018. Hon. Mac Thornberry, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee. Hon. Robert Wittman, Chairman, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. Hon. Adam Smith, Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee. Hon. Joe Courtney. Ranking Member, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommitee. Dear Chairmen Thornberry and Wittman, and Ranking Members Smith and Courtney, Thank you for your leadership in passing another timely and insightful NDAA for 2019. In my opinion your respective committees have led the way in Congress in proposing strategic and coherent defense related legislation. I want to pass along my belief in the importance of this bill's provision regarding the expansion of our undersea capabilities--particularly the submarine fleet. During my 40-year career, including my tenure as CNO, our Navy ``owned'' the Undersea domain. Navy's superiority in the undersea domain has been unchallenged, predominantly due to the excellence of the submarine force. This is no longer assured. Real threats are emerging--fast. Our industrial base builds the finest submarines in the world. Combatant Commanders consistently request a robust submarine presence. And, the demand for submarine presence has grown even more since I retired in 2015.…
Share
More from Joe Courtney
As ranking member of Seapower, I thank all of its members for their input crafting this year's National Defense Authorization Act. I also salute my friend and outstanding chairman of the subcommittee, Trent Kelly, for his work crafting our…
this week, Congress will have an opportunity to assert its constitutional role when we vote for the second time on a War Powers Act resolution to force President Trump to seek legal authority for his unilateral military campaign in Iran…
Project 2025, which is the document generated by the Heritage Foundation, with dozens of former Trump officials, Russell Vought, the former budget director of the Trump administration
in 2025, with growing global maritime threats, it is particularly important for Congress to exercise its constitutional mandate to ``provide and maintain a Navy.'' The Seapower portion of this bill accomplished that goal. For example, the…





