Vicky Hartzler: “Each year Congress considers one of the most important pieces of legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act. I…”

“Each year Congress considers one of the most important pieces of legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act. I applaud the bipartisan leadership of Chairman Adam Smith and Ranking Member Mike Rogers. And as the ranking member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, I want to thank our subcommittee chairman, Donald Norcross, for his collaborative, bipartisan efforts. I am pleased the committee approved a bipartisan amendment in markup to increase the top line by $23.9 billion. This increase is needed to continue the progress we have made in rebuilding readiness and will facilitate modernization programs necessary to prepare our military forces to compete with, deter, and win against peer challengers and adversaries. Under the subcommittee's jurisdiction, this bill continues critical oversight of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps' strike-fighter force structure and inventory management, setting better conditions for ensuring the right mix of fourth and fifth generation fighters, and managing operational risk. Specifically, this legislation authorizes funding for 80 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, 24 F-15EX aircraft, and 12 F/A-18 Super Hornets. The legislation also reverses several proposed cuts, including procurement for the Army's small caliber ammunition accounts.…”