On the recordMay 17, 2012
Mr. Chairman, the V 22 was a troubled program. Certainly before it was finally developed, it went through a number of difficulties. But as the gentleman mentioned in offering the amendment, it has gotten over those difficulties; and, in fact, has been deployed in Afghanistan for a very long time. I was in Afghanistan, and I rode on a V 22. And so it obviously can perform in desert environments. I was down in the Helmand province, and it is a very capable plane. Again it has to do with the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps' capabilities. They are an expeditionary force. The vertical takeoff and landing ability of the V 22 is critical to what they do. As Mr. Bartlett pointed out, it has longer range and greater capacity, and properly deployed and properly used, can actually make it cheaper than buying more helicopters that are necessary to accomplish that mission. It is a necessary program, certainly necessary for the Marine Corps. I would urge opposition to the amendment.
