On the recordJuly 23, 2013
It's not every day I get to stand up here in front of the House and talk about a government program that is actually doing well and running ahead of schedule, but that's what brings me here today. The Counter-electronics High Power Microwave Missile Project, or CHAMP for short, is an Air Force program to develop a capability to disrupt or eliminate an adversary's electronics without causing physical destruction to people or facilities. The only real question with CHAMP is what vehicle to use to deliver that microwave to the intended target. As it turns out, we have an available stockpile of cruise missiles which are expensive to build and for which we have no other use. Fitting CHAMP into our existing cruise missiles is far cheaper than trying to construct a new vehicle just for that purpose. My amendment, which is fully offset, would provide $10.5 million toward that end. By making this investment now, we can ensure that CHAMP will be able to put this weapon in the field years ahead of schedule and at a lower cost, while also continuing to develop a longer-term solution. It's a shame that fixing every government program isn't as simple as this. I reserve the balance of my time.
