Missile defense funding debate dominates panel's markup

The House Armed Services Committee defeated a slew of Republican amendments aimed at boosting missile defense funding during the panel's long markup Tuesday of the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill.

The committee planned to complete its consideration of the bill late Tuesday, but Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo., said the panel could resume the markup Wednesday, if necessary.

Citing threats from North Korea and Iran, Republicans attempted to boost the Obama administration's $9.3 billion request for missile defense programs by $1.2 billion, which would have put the funding on par with fiscal 2009 spending levels and saved several programs on the chopping blocks.

That amendment, sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., failed, 36-26, mostly along party lines as Democrats countered that the money authorized in the bill is adequate to deter current and future threats of ballistic missiles.

Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee Chairwoman Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., said the funding levels for missile defense demonstrate the prudence of an administration trying to balance its national security priorities.

And she cited increases over fiscal 2009 levels in proven technologies - including boosting Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense and Theater High Altitude Area Defense by a total of $900 million - as a demonstration of Democrats' commitment to missile defense.

Franks also sought to authorize $237 million for the Airborne Laser program, but that amendment likewise failed, 35-27. The administration wants to cancel the second Airborne Laser aircraft, essentially turning the platform into a technology test bed.

The committee also defeated another amendment that would have barred the Pentagon from canceling the Kinetic Energy Interceptor, as is now planned, until the completion of a National Academy of Sciences Review and a booster flight test scheduled for later this year.

Tauscher called the program a "poster child" for why defense acquisition reform is needed. KEI was intended to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles during their boost phase, but has been plagued by cost overruns, design problems and schedule delays.

Meanwhile, lawmakers agreed to put several restrictions on a revised cost cap for the Navy's Littoral Combat Ship in an effort to keep down costs on a program whose price tag has escalated in recent years.

In marking up its portion of the bill Friday, the Seapower Subcommittee gave the Navy breathing room in meeting the $460 million-per-ship cost ceiling by taking government costs out of the cap - a move that could increase total program costs by 15 percent to 20 percent, according to Republican talking points distributed at the markup.

Before the revised cost cap takes effect, the amendment requires the Navy to certify that the first two vessels completed sea trials successfully. The Navy also must certify it could not award any LCS contracts in fiscal 2010 without the adjusted cost cap.

Under the amendment, the Navy must also show that LCS ships awarded in fiscal 2009 are achieving cost and schedule goals and also demonstrate that the affordability and efficiency in the construction of the ships is improving. Meanwhile, the Navy secretary must conduct an analysis to determine if changing the requirements for LCS would reduce cost or capability.

Separate from the markup itself, the committee approved resolutions of inquiry, which are privileged resolutions directing the Defense secretary to submit 30-year shipbuilding and aviation plans by Sept. 15.

The Defense Department is required to submit those plans along with the budget, but Pentagon officials said they preferred to wait until after the results of the ongoing Quadrennial Defense Review before sending Congress information on long-term procurement plans.

Skelton said he understands the pressures the new administration is under, but said officials still should comply with the law and give lawmakers their "best thinking" on shipbuilding and aviation plans.