Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should continue to support the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program.
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program (a next-generation jet fighter program) and finds that the program is imperative to national security.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 177 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






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        gotten smaller and increasingly outdated;
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 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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) finds that the continued support for the F-35 Joint 
        Strike Fighter Program is imperative to national security; and
            (2) affirms that Congress should continue to support the F-
        35 Joint Strike Fighter Program in future fiscal years because 
        the United States cannot afford to risk its security or the 
        security of its allies by allowing such program to fall short 
        of its mission.
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