Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Representative Forbes and myself that would strike section 8055, a provision that prohibits modifying the command and control relationships between U.S. Fleet Forces Command and the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Importantly, this amendment directly aligns with guidance provided by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson, in his ``A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority,'' released just 5 months ago. In that guidance, Admiral Richardson advocated for examining the organization of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and their subordinate commands, with the end goal of clearly defining operational and wartime demands and generating ready forces to meet these demands. Further, this amendment would allow our Navy to conduct an internal review and amend its organization and direction as needed to create organizational effectiveness. The Navy has advocated for this opportunity, and granting their request would streamline processes and support the Navy's efforts to become a greater fighting force than ever before. Finally, this amendment eliminates redundant expenditures on Naval organizational structure and provides opportunities to redirect funds toward bolstering fleet readiness. This amendment is consistent with the FY 2017 NDAA that passed the House by a vote of 277-147.…”