Discussion · House of Representatives
Mike Rogers Republican
“I want Congress to pass this defense bill. Our military factories cannot make weapons and ships fast enough, while China is outproducing us. This bill spends $1.15 trillion to rebuild our factories and supply chains, raise pay for service members, and improve their housing and childcare. It also cuts $30 billion in waste and pushes the military to pass a financial audit.”
“Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, throughout our committee’s oversight hearings this year, we have heard a consistent theme: The defense industrial base, the foundation of our military power, is in deep trouble. Over the last 30 years, the defense industrial base has atrophied significantly. We are no longer capable of manufacturing for our warfighters at scale and speed. In the 1990s, America had 51 prime defense contractors. Today only six remain. Skilled talent has left the workforce, leaving hundreds of thousands of defense manufacturing jobs unfilled. Excessive regulation pushed small businesses, startups, and private capital out of the defense business. Inconsistent demand signals discouraged prime contractors from investing in production capacity. As a result, our stockpiles of critical defense articles have fallen to dangerously low levels. That includes critical minerals, which we have very little capacity to mine, refine, or process. While America allowed vital manufacturing capability to erode, China did not. China’s shipbuilding capacity dwarfs ours. They are outproducing us on ships, drones, and munitions. They control over 90 percent of the world’s critical mineral refining and processing capacity, and they have embedded themselves deep within our defense supply chains. The consequences are clear. There are growing doubts about our ability to sustain a protracted conflict against China and our other adversaries, and that is unacceptable. We must take action to address these problems before American deterrence erodes any further. The FY27 NDAA, takes that action. This year’s bill is focused on revitalizing the defense industrial base. We are giving industry the certainty it needs to invest, expand, and produce faster. We are cutting needless regulations that prevent innovative businesses from working with the Pentagon. We are reviving our organic industrial base by improving conditions at our depots, arsenals, and shipyards. We are securing our supply chain by giving the Department authorities to better identify vulnerabilities and then replace them with domestic or allied sources, and we are creating new jobs and helping Americans build advanced technical skills. In addition to revitalizing the defense industrial base, the NDAA meets our other crucial needs. We are raising pay for servicemembers and improving housing, education, and childcare for military families. We are strengthening our nuclear deterrence and missile defense, while maintaining a strong posture to deter our adversaries, and we are prioritizing the development of innovative technologies that will give our warfighters the edge in future conflicts. To support these policies, we are authorizing $1.15 trillion in discretionary funds to match President Trump’s historic budget request. For the first time in 40 years, we have been presented a budget that accounts for the true cost of American deterrence. This top line begins to reverse the damage caused by decades of underinvestment in the U.S. military. However, we understand that with this historic investment comes an even more urgent need to guard against waste, fraud, and abuse. The bill does so by cutting nearly $30 billion in wasteful spending, reducing fraudulent payments, and providing new authorities to ensure the Pentagon achieves a full, clean audit within 24 months. Peace through strength doesn’t begin on the battlefield. It begins in our factories, our depots, and our shipyards. This bill reflects our commitment to rebuilding that foundation. It will build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force we need to deter China and other adversaries. Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, throughout our committee’s oversight hearings this year, we have heard a consistent theme: The defense industrial base, the foundation of our military power, is in deep trouble. Over the last 30 years, the defense industrial base has atrophied significantly. We are no longer capable of manufacturing for our warfighters at scale and speed. In the 1990s, America had 51 prime defense contractors. Today only six remain. Skilled talent has left the workforce, leaving hundreds of thousands of defense manufacturing jobs unfilled. Excessive regulation pushed small businesses, startups, and private capital out of the defense business. Inconsistent demand signals discouraged prime contractors from investing in production capacity. As a result, our stockpiles of critical defense articles have fallen to dangerously low levels. That includes critical minerals, which we have very little capacity to mine, refine, or process. While America allowed vital manufacturing capability to erode, China did not. China’s shipbuilding capacity dwarfs ours. They are outproducing us on ships, drones, and munitions. They control over 90 percent of the world’s critical mineral refining and processing capacity, and they have embedded themselves deep within our defense supply chains. The consequences are clear. There are growing doubts about our ability to sustain a protracted conflict against China and our other adversaries, and that is unacceptable. We must take action to address these problems before American deterrence erodes any further. The FY27 NDAA, takes that action. This year’s bill is focused on revitalizing the defense industrial base. We are giving industry the certainty it needs to invest, expand, and produce faster. We are cutting needless regulations that prevent innovative businesses from working with the Pentagon. We are reviving our organic industrial base by improving conditions at our depots, arsenals, and shipyards. We are securing our supply chain by giving the Department authorities to better identify vulnerabilities and then replace them with domestic or allied sources, and we are creating new jobs and helping Americans build advanced technical skills. In addition to revitalizing the defense industrial base, the NDAA meets our other crucial needs. We are raising pay for servicemembers and improving housing, education, and childcare for military families. We are strengthening our nuclear deterrence and missile defense, while maintaining a strong posture to deter our adversaries, and we are prioritizing the development of innovative technologies that will give our warfighters the edge in future conflicts. To support these policies, we are authorizing $1.15 trillion in discretionary funds to match President Trump’s historic budget request. For the first time in 40 years, we have been presented a budget that accounts for the true cost of American deterrence. This top line begins to reverse the damage caused by decades of underinvestment in the U.S. military. However, we understand that with this historic investment comes an even more urgent need to guard against waste, fraud, and abuse. The bill does so by cutting nearly $30 billion in wasteful spending, reducing fraudulent payments, and providing new authorities to ensure the Pentagon achieves a full, clean audit within 24 months. Peace through strength doesn’t begin on the battlefield. It begins in our factories, our depots, and our shipyards. This bill reflects our commitment to rebuilding that foundation. It will build the ready, capable, and lethal fighting force we need to deter China and other adversaries. Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.