Mark Alford: “I offer this amendment to simply add ``Air Force Reserve'' in addition to ``Air National Guard'' to Mr. Bacon's language…”

“I offer this amendment to simply add ``Air Force Reserve'' in addition to ``Air National Guard'' to Mr. Bacon's language that he secured in our National Defense Authorization Act that directs the Secretary of the Air Force to not terminate fighter flying missions until the Secretary submits a modernization plan to the Armed Services Committee with options for replacement of aircraft with more capable aircraft. This is important not to just my district at Whiteman Air Force Base and the 442nd Fighter Wing but at several bases across our great Nation. As A-10s and other platforms are retired, we must ensure that our Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units have follow-on missions. This amendment will help provide clarity to Congress and Reserve and National Guard units on how the Air Force will modernize and replace our fighter squadrons. I think we all know that the world is changing. Our platforms are changing. The A-10 is a very lethal aircraft, as we have seen for the last 30 years. The 442nd at Whiteman Air Force Base, the men and women there have served proudly. I feel they and others deserve security in knowing that a replacement is going to be there at Whiteman Air Force Base, that they have some answers and security from the Secretary until those final decisions of modernization are made. Mr. Chair, I urge support of this amendment, I hope it gets bipartisan support, and I reserve the balance of my time.”