J.C. Watts: “today the House passed the FY 2001 Defense Appropriation Bill. Included in this important legislation was the funding…”

“today the House passed the FY 2001 Defense Appropriation Bill. Included in this important legislation was the funding for the Crusader Program at the level requested by the President. The President's Budget requests includes $355.5 million for the continued development of the Crusader advanced field artillery system. Artillery is the one combat capability where the United States significantly lags behind its allies and potential adversaries. Without Crusader this unacceptable situation will worsen and endanger our military personnel who are sent in harm's way. Furthermore, the major reason the Army felt it could accept the risk of the 1996 decision to reduce the combat power of its heavy divisions was that Crusader would be fielded with its increased capabilities. The Army leadership staunchly supports the need for this system and the unified commanders have likewise voiced their support. The Army has restructured the program to ensure it fits within the overall transformation effort of the operational forces. The number of howitzers intended to be procured is 480. The Crusader is being modified to support the Army's transition initiatives and Objective Force across the full spectrum of missions. Crusader is the cannon system for the Army's one remaining counterattack corps. It will be providing continuous, all-weather fire support to the corps well into the fourth decade of the new century, a time when the corps transitions to the Objective Force.”