{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/speeches/reed-discusses-fy-2017-ndaa-on-the-senate-floor", "Reed Discusses FY 2017 NDAA on the Senate Floor", "2016-12-07", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/07/2016\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\r\nMr. REED - Madam President, I rise to discuss the National Defense\u00a0  Authorization Act. After several months of debate and negotiation, the\u00a0  House and Senate Armed Services Committees have arrived at a completed\u00a0  conference agreement. This will be the 55th consecutive time that we\u00a0  pass a National Defense Authorization Act, which sets national security\u00a0  policy and provides important authorities to the Department of Defense.  I want to begin by thanking Chairman McCain for his leadership during\u00a0  the course of this year. At his direction, the Senate Armed Services\u00a0  Committee undertook a robust review of how the Department develops\u00a0  strategic guidance and executes their business processes to help the\u00a0  Department operate more effectively and efficiently. I commend the\u00a0  chairman for making this effort a priority for the committee, and I\u00a0  appreciate his willingness to work in a bipartisan fashion on this\u00a0  important endeavor.\r\nThe conference report we are considering today includes many Senate\u00a0  reforms, including efforts to improve the defense strategy documents\u00a0  produced by the Department and reorganizing the Office of Acquisition,\u00a0  Technology and Logistics to ensure that the Pentagon emphasizes\u00a0  research and innovation in support of our warfighters.\r\nIn particular, one of the most important reform efforts included in\u00a0  the final conference agreement is a Senate provision that would create\u00a0  cross-functional teams. This is a new tool for the Secretary of Defense\u00a0  to manage the formation and implementation of policies and solutions\u00a0  for complex problems that inherently cut across the many stovepiped\u00a0  functional organizations in the Department of Defense. The private\u00a0  sector has pioneered and mastered this highly effective integration\u00a0  mechanism for a generation, and business schools and business\u00a0  consultancies have championed its use for decades. I consider this\u00a0  provision to be one of the most important reform initiatives in this\u00a0  bill. None of this would have happened without the leadership,\u00a0  guidance, and constant urging of the chairman, Senator McCain. Once\u00a0  again, I commend him for his extraordinary efforts.\r\nAs these reforms are introduced, it is imperative that we continue to\u00a0  collaborate with the Department of Defense to ensure that these reforms\u00a0  contribute to our national security and do not create unnecessary and\u00a0  detrimental consequences. This will be a partnership going forward to\u00a0  ensure that these reforms are adequate, appropriate, and work for the\u00a0  benefit of the men and women in uniform, and that is a process in which\u00a0  we will all be engaged.\r\nWith respect to the budget, the conference agreement we are\u00a0  considering today authorizes a total of $619 billion, which includes\u00a0  $543.4 billion in base budget funding for the Department of Defense and\u00a0  certain security activities of the Department of Energy and $67.8\u00a0  billion in overseas contingency operations, or OCO, funding.  This OCO amount includes $5.8 billion in supplemental funding\u00a0  requested by President Obama for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and\u00a0  Syria, as well as an additional $3.2 billion above President Obama's\u00a0  budget request for base budget requirements primarily devoted to\u00a0  increased end strength. I have serious concerns about increasing OCO\u00a0  funding above the President's budget request without a corresponding\u00a0  increase in domestic spending. While the OCO account is exempt from\u00a0  budget caps, the purpose of the Budget Control Act was to establish\u00a0  proportionately equal caps on defense and nondefense discretionary\u00a0  spending to force a bipartisan compromise on the budget.\r\nDuring consideration of the NDAA, the House and Senate had different\u00a0  approaches on how best to fund these base budget requirements and\u00a0  ongoing military operations. However, after a robust debate, we reached\u00a0  an agreement on a modest increase in OCO to fund increased end strength\u00a0  and to replenish depleted munitions inventories.\r\nWith respect to Afghanistan, the conference agreement supports our\u00a0  military operations. Specifically, the bill authorizes approximately\u00a0  8,400 troops in Afghanistan in 2017, including fully funding the Afghan\u00a0  Security Forces Fund at $4.26 billion to continue support to the Afghan\u00a0  National Defense and Security Forces. Likewise, the bill contains $814\u00a0  million to enhance the capabilities of the Afghan Air Force and begin a\u00a0  transition from Mi-17 to the UH-60 helicopters.\r\nAlso--and this is an issue that I support very strongly after a\u00a0  recent trip to Afghanistan--it accelerates the Afghan Aviation\u00a0  Initiative, which is designed to build greater rotary wing capability\u00a0  and fixed-wing capabilities in the Afghan Air Force. This is a critical\u00a0  battlefield advantage that the Afghan forces will have over the\u00a0  Taliban.\r\nWith respect to Europe, we have fully funded the President's request\u00a0  of $3.4 billion for the European Reassurance Initiative. This funding\u00a0  will support critical investments that will increase rotational U.S.\u00a0  military presence in Europe, improve key infrastructure, and enhance\u00a0  allied and partner military capabilities to respond to external\u00a0  aggression and preserve regional stability. The agreement also includes\u00a0  an authorization of $350 million for the Ukraine training assistance\u00a0  initiative, to continue and expand security assistance and intelligence\u00a0  support to the Ukrainian security forces to protect their sovereignty\u00a0  and encourage a continued focus on robust defense reform efforts.\r\nWith regard to our special operations forces, they are at the\u00a0  forefront of our fight against ISIL, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist\u00a0  groups. The bill also includes important reforms designed to improve\u00a0  the oversight and advocacy for their important efforts by enhancing the\u00a0  role of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and\u00a0  Low Intensity Conflict. I think those reforms will be something we\u00a0  watch and encourage.\r\nWith respect to other aspects of our security programs, the\u00a0  conference agreement includes a comprehensive reform of Defense\u00a0  Department security cooperation programs. This is the first time such a\u00a0  reform has been undertaken, and it is an effort to ensure there is\u00a0  unity of effort across our government in the security assistance arena.  Likewise, the conference agreement includes a provision that would\u00a0  enhance the scope and authority of the Global Engagement Center. For\u00a0  too long we have been losing the information space to our adversaries--  both state and nonstate actors. It is my hope that by providing this\u00a0  critical center at the State Department with a powerful mandate, we can\u00a0  begin to improve our efforts in the information space.\r\nThe bill also supports modernization efforts of many different\u00a0  weapons platforms. I am particularly pleased to see that we are\u00a0  continuing two-per-year construction of the Virginia-class submarine.\u00a0  It also supports additional requests for advance procurement to keep\u00a0  this production on track. Furthermore, it authorizes $1.9 billion for\u00a0  the Ohio-class replacement, including the first strategic nuclear\u00a0  submarine procurement funds, to begin the process of reinvigorating and\u00a0  rebuilding our underwater nuclear deterrence through the Ohio-class\u00a0  replacement.\r\nIn addition to modernization of our underwater forces, we are also\u00a0  looking at modernizing our triad of air, sea, and ground delivery\u00a0  platforms for strategic deterrence. This is the beginning of a multi-  decade effort involving three major acquisition programs: our ballistic\u00a0  missile submarines--as I have mentioned, the Ohio-class replacement--  long-range penetrating bombers, and also the land-based\u00a0  intercontinental ballistic missiles. Most importantly, we will be\u00a0  modernizing their command and control systems to ensure that our\u00a0  President always has positive control of these forces. As I have stated\u00a0  many times, modernization is critical in light of the increasingly\u00a0  belligerent actions by Russia, which conducted a nuclear exercise\u00a0  immediately after invading Crimea as a form of nuclear intimidation.  In the area of technology and acquisition, I am pleased the\u00a0  conference report takes a number of important steps to help DOD\u00a0  maintain its technological superiority. We continue to build on past\u00a0  work on acquisition reform undertaken by the committee, as well as the\u00a0  successes of Defense Secretary Carter and his colleagues, including\u00a0  Under Secretary Kendall, in controlling the costs of major weapons\u00a0  systems procurement programs.\r\nThe agreement includes a number of steps to improve defense\u00a0  acquisition processes, including strengthening the acquisition\u00a0  workforce, simplifying and streamlining regulatory and bureaucratic\u00a0  burdens on the government and industry, making it easier for DOD to\u00a0  work with innovative small businesses and commercial companies, and\u00a0  promoting the use of prototyping and rapid fielding to speed the\u00a0  development and deployment of advanced new systems.  In the area of technological innovation, I hope that reconstituting\u00a0  the position of Under Secretary of Research and Engineering will help\u00a0  promote connections with innovators both inside and outside of the\u00a0  government and ensure that the policies and practices governing our R&D\u00a0  programs, our defense labs, and our engagements with universities and\u00a0  industry are optimized to promote the most efficient and effective\u00a0  development of new systems and technologies.\r\nFinally, I think the conference report includes important provisions\u00a0  designed to streamline and modernize Pentagon management processes. The\u00a0  bill supports efforts to develop and execute the modern management\u00a0  techniques and practices modeled on private sector best practices,\u00a0  including the use of big data to improve Pentagon business processes. I\u00a0  believe that refining Pentagon management practices will result in cost\u00a0  savings and efficiencies, freeing up funds for other critical needs.  I note that the conferees did not include several provisions\u00a0  regarding the application of Obama administration Executive orders\u00a0  related to labor, safe workplace, and LGBT issues. Many of these are\u00a0  very problematic. I hope we continue to work to ensure the Department\u00a0  engages with fiscally and socially responsible and effective\u00a0  contractors to the best benefit of warfighters and taxpayers alike.  Of course, one of the key issues for the committee was the readiness\u00a0  of troops. I am pleased the conference report includes significant\u00a0  resources for the military services' unfunded requirements, with the\u00a0  goal of restoring full-spectrum readiness as soon as possible. For\u00a0  example, the bill includes additional funding for Army units to conduct\u00a0  additional home station training in order to prepare them for future\u00a0  combat training center rotations, as well as additional flight training\u00a0  for the other services.\r\nWe have also included significant resources in order to provide\u00a0  additional depot maintenance to repair our military aircraft, ships,\u00a0  and combat vehicles. There is also additional funding to better sustain\u00a0  our military installations, specifically in the facilities restoration\u00a0  and modernization accounts.\r\nIn the area of military personnel, the conference agreement\u00a0  accomplishes much on behalf of our servicemembers and the Department of\u00a0  Defense because we owe them much. It authorizes a 2.1 percent pay raise\u00a0  for all servicemembers, supports requested increases in the housing\u00a0  benefit, and reauthorizes a number of expiring bonus and special pay\u00a0  authorities to encourage enlistment, reenlistment, and continued\u00a0  service by Active-Duty and Reserve component military personnel.\r\nUnfortunately, the bill does not include the provision in the Senate-  passed bill that would have required women to register for the draft to\u00a0  the same extent men are required. I continue to believe this is the\u00a0  right policy for the Nation and the military. If we are going to have a\u00a0  draft, women must share equally the burden and privilege of service. We\u00a0  must be able to take advantage of their extraordinary talents because\u00a0  without those talents our military today could not function as it does.  However, the bill does establish an independent national commission\u00a0  on military, national, and public service to study the need for a\u00a0  military selective service process, including whether the Nation\u00a0  continues to need a mechanism designed to draft large numbers of\u00a0  replacement combat troops; whether women should be required to\u00a0  participate equally in the process; the means\u00a0by which to foster a greater attitude and ethos of service among the\u00a0United States' young men and women, including an increased propensity\u00a0for military service; and how to obtain military, national, and public\u00a0service individuals with skills for which the Nation has a critical\u00a0need. This commission could provide valuable insight on how we should\u00a0proceed, particularly in a state of national emergency, in pulling\u00a0together the best of our young people to serve the Nation.\r\nWith respect to health care, the bill contains a robust package of\u00a0  health care reforms that will bring the military health care program in\u00a0  line with the best practices in the civilian health care industry. This\u00a0  is something we have to continue to emphasize--the ability to care and\u00a0  treat all of our personnel and retirees with respect to their health\u00a0  care.\r\nI think we have done a lot of important work in this legislation.  Let me conclude, as I began, by thanking Chairman McCain and my\u00a0  Senate colleagues on the committee for their thoughtful contributions\u00a0  to this process. I also thank my colleagues on the House Armed Services\u00a0  Committee, Chairman Mac Thornberry and Ranking Member Adam Smith. They\u00a0  did a superb job, along with their staffs. This was truly a thoughtful,\u00a0  bipartisan process that resulted in a bill that I believe will receive\u00a0  overwhelming support on the floor of the Senate, as it did in the\u00a0  House.\r\nFinally, of course, this agreement would not have been possible\u00a0  without the extraordinary work of the staff. I thank so many, but I\u00a0  particularly thank Chris Brose, Steve Barney, and all the majority\u00a0  committee staff for their hard work.\u00a0On the Democratic side, I thank my staff director, Elizabeth King. I\u00a0  also thank Gary Leeling, Creighton Greene, Carolyn Chuhta, Maggie\u00a0  McNamara, Jonathan Clark, Jonathan Epstein, Ozge Guzelsu, Jody Bennett,\u00a0  Mike Kuiken, Kirk McConnell, Mike Noblet, John Quirk, Arun Seraphin,\u00a0  and Jon Green.\r\nI deeply appreciate all of their efforts. They have made this bill\u00a0  possible.\u00a0With that, I yield the floor.\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/speeches/reed-discusses-fy-2017-ndaa-on-the-senate-floor"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9110488463193178, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}