"It has been over 2 years since the AUKUS security agreement was formally announced, based on a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."
"David Ignatius described AUKUS as 'the most important strategic move by the United States in decades.'"
"I reiterate, as the chairman did, that it is critical that we get these proposals wrapped up and folded into NDAA and passed this year to implement those authorities."
"House Foreign Affairs Committee approved 48-0 for the submarine transfer."
"I think that really kind of foot-stomps the need for us to really, as we go into conference, do as much as we possibly can to get these through."
"If there is any perception that AUKUS is something that starts after passage of those legislative proposals, I want to address that right away."
"There is a case for urgency because we are deeply involved in execution today, and we need these authorities to be able to move forward."
"I think that is coming through with the industrial base funding over the last few years or so."
"There are 13 Virginia-class submarines in the queue that, again, are in various stages of production."
"Starting wage is $23 an hour. And, again, there is a really solid package in terms of retirement benefits and health."
"Following the Congressional Budget Office's report on the Navy's 30-year shipbuilding plan, there was reporting that AUKUS would cause a 10-year dip in attack submarine inventory."
"The Navy has leveraged the private shipyards to reduce pressure on the maintenance industrial base and has achieved success in this effort."