IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 177 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should 

continue to support the F–35 Joint Strike Fighter Program. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 5, 2019 

Mrs. LESKO (for herself, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. COLE, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, 

Mr. GOSAR, Mr. BIGGS, Mr. SCHWEIKERT, Mr. OLSON, Mr. GAETZ, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. BYRNE, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. 

GALLEGO, Mr. COLLINS of New York, Mr. VELA, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. 

BANKS, Mr. STAUBER, Mrs. ROBY, Mr. DUNN, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, 

Mr. WRIGHT, Mr. WILLIAMS, Mr. TURNER, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. CARSON

of Indiana, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. YOUNG, 

Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. HICE of Georgia, Mr. STEWART, Mr. FLORES, Ms. HILL of California, Ms. KENDRA S. HORN of 

Oklahoma, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. BRADY, Mr. GOODEN, and Mr. 

BROWN of Maryland) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

Congress should continue to support the F–35 Joint 

Strike Fighter Program. 

Whereas in recent years, the United States and its allied 

fighter fleets have gotten smaller and increasingly outdated; 


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•HRES 177 IH 

Whereas during the past two decades, the United States Air 

Force fighter inventory was cut in half and most current 

Air Force fighter aircraft are more than 25 years old; 

Whereas the allies of the United States need to recapitalize 

their aging fighter fleets with new and more capable aircraft; 

Whereas maintaining air superiority is essential to preserving 

global security and stability; 

Whereas the F–35 program will support the United States 

Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Marine Corps; 

Whereas through global partnerships, the F–35 Lightning II 

offers unprecedented capability and supportability across 

the spectrum of military operations; 

Whereas the F–35 Lightning II is better than any other 

fighter aircraft for air-to-ground strike missions; 

Whereas the F–35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, 

combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment; 

Whereas the Department of Defense has announced that the 

price of the conventional version of the F–35 has dropped 

more than 60 percent and will drop more than another 

5 percent in the next lot; 

Whereas the most recent national security strategy emphasizes building a more lethal and survivable force and 

strengthening alliances; 

Whereas Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, Eglin Air Force 

Base, Florida, and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, 

South Carolina, are succeeding in their missions to build 


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•HRES 177 IH 

the future of airpower and leading the Armed Forces in 

developing airmen and training fighter pilots; 

Whereas Luke Air Force Base, Eglin Air Force Base, and 

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, play significant roles 

in the F–35 program and provide invaluable training 

grounds for military pilots and pilots of allies of the 

United States to learn how to operate and maintain the 

stealth fighter jet; 

Whereas the F–35B squadron at Marine Corps Air Station 

Beaufort is the only location in the world where pilots 

train to fly the F–35B; 

Whereas the F–35 is currently flying in operational combat 

squadrons at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Marine Corps 

Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Naval Air Station Lemoore, 

California, and in overseas locations and will soon be flying at Eilson Air Force Base, Arkansas, Burlington Air 

National Guard Base, Vermont, Truax Air National 

Guard Base, Wisconsin, Dannely Air National Guard 

Base, Alabama, and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve 

Base Fort Worth, Texas; and 

Whereas Luke Air Force Base has welcomed and trained pilots and maintainers from countries such as Australia, 

Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Israel, South 

Korea, and Japan: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) finds that the continued support for the F– 

3 35 Joint Strike Fighter Program is imperative to 

4 national security; and 

5 (2) affirms that Congress should continue to 

6 support the F–35 Joint Strike Fighter Program in 


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•HRES 177 IH 

1 future fiscal years because the United States cannot 

2 afford to risk its security or the security of its allies 

3 by allowing such program to fall short of its mission. 

Æ 


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