Saturday, June 10, 2023
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

House Unanimously Approves Weapons Acquisition Reform

by USGovernment
May 22, 2009
in Defense Geopolitics News
3 min read
0
14
VIEWS

WASHINGTON, DC: House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) delivered the following remarks during House debate on the conference report to S. 454, the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the conference report on a vote of 411 to 0:

“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring before the House the conference report on S. 454, the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009. Last week, the House overwhelmingly approved H.R. 2101, the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the bill, on a vote of 428-0 and sent us to conference with the Senate.

“Our conference concluded on Tuesday, and I can report that we reached agreement on strong legislation that will reflect well on the Congress as a whole. Every member attending the conference committee, House and Senate, on a bipartisan basis, signed the conference report. It passed the Senate last night on a vote of 95-0.

“It is tempting to conclude that a bill so unanimously supported must not do anything. How often are we able to agree unanimously on issues real substance? However, in this instance, Congress will speak with a single voice and will at the same time adopt tough medicine for the acquisition system. This bill is landmark legislation: the strongest effort to reform the acquisition of weapon systems since the days of Les Aspen. In fact, I strongly believe this bill will be much more successful than earlier reform efforts. The consensus on this legislation is simply the result of a problem that has become so obvious, and so urgent, that every member has concluded that strong action is required.

“Too often under our current acquisition system, we end up with too few weapons that cost us too much and arrive too late. GAO tells us that DOD will exceed its original cost estimates on 96 major weapon systems by $296 billion. That is more than two years of pay and health care for all of our troops. We can no longer tolerate this state of affairs. To those who oppose change, the vote yesterday in the Senate, and the vote today in the House, will send the message that the Congress means business. That maintaining the status quo of indiscipline and inefficiency in acquisition is no longer an option.

“Let me briefly summarize the bill’s provisions. It establishes a new Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation who will ensure that in the future DOD uses realistic cost estimates as the basis for its decisions. The bill re-establishes a Director of Developmental Test and Evaluation, who will coordinate closely with a Director of Systems Engineering, to ensure that we rebuild the technical expertise to oversee complex weapon programs.

“To ensure that the Department follows through on these measures, the bill requires DOD to make an official responsible for performance assessment. It also assigns additional responsibility to the Director of Defense Research and Engineering for assessing technological maturity and to the unified combatant commanders, those leading the fight, for helping to set requirements.

“In the area of policy, we require DOD to balance its desire for cutting edge capabilities with the limits of its resources in setting military requirements. We require competitive acquisition strategies. We require DOD to get programs right in the early stages, when problems can be solved at low cost. We also require DOD to put intense management focus on problem programs until they are either healed, or terminated. We strengthen the Nunn-McCurdy process. And we ask DOD to eliminate or mitigate organizational conflicts of interests among its contractors.

“I know many members of the House have a deep interest in acquisition reform. Let me assure you that with the passage of this bill, the House Armed Services Committee has no intention of resting on its laurels. S. 454 deals almost exclusively with major weapon systems acquisition, which is only 20% of the total that DOD spends on acquisition on an annual basis. There are also serious problems with the other 80% of the acquisition system, and as a result, the House Armed Services Committee established the Panel on Defense Acquisition Reform, led by Rob Andrews and Mike Conaway to investigate further improvements to the acquisition system.

“My colleagues, I ask that you vote for the conference report on S. 454, move this legislation to the President’s desk for his signature this week, and continue to work with us on acquisition reform in this Congress.”

Tags: acquisitionhousereformweapon systemsWeapons
Previous Post

Gates Outlines Details of Reform Budget for House Subcommittee

Next Post

Video: The Mathematics of War

Related Posts

china third aircraft carrier PLAN

China sends warships and aircraft around Taiwan for second day

April 8, 2023

China sent warships and aircraft near Taiwan for a second day on Friday and insisted the island remains "an inseparable...

Japan defence ministry seeks $50 billion budget

Japan changes rules to allow aid to foreign militaries

April 6, 2023

Japan will begin offering aid to the militaries of "like-minded countries" under new rules announced Wednesday, as Tokyo builds a...

Next Post

Video: The Mathematics of War

Latest Defense News

China made third-largest air incursion this year, says Taiwan

China would gain swift air superiority over Taiwan, US leaks show

April 19, 2023
china third aircraft carrier PLAN

China sends warships and aircraft around Taiwan for second day

April 8, 2023
Japan defence ministry seeks $50 billion budget

Japan changes rules to allow aid to foreign militaries

April 6, 2023
Trump order targets Chinese internet giants TikTok, WeChat

TikTok hit with UK fine, Australia government ban

April 6, 2023
Finland gears up for historic NATO decision

Long NATO delay spells trouble for Sweden and alliance: experts

April 6, 2023
Russia says fired anti-ship missiles at mock target in Sea of Japan

Russia says fired anti-ship missiles at mock target in Sea of Japan

March 28, 2023

Defense Forum Discussions

  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • Future Energy Pathways
  • Italian Navy Discussions and Updates
  • Republic of Korea AF (ROKAF)
  • RMAF Future; need opinions
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • European Union, member states and Agencies
  • Ukrainian - Russian War Memes.
  • South Korean Navy
  • Germany
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com