Senate Proceeding on Jul 23rd, 2009 :: 1:10:15 to 1:24:10
Total video length: 13 hours 40 minutes Stream Tools: Stream Overview | Edit Time

Note: MetaVid video transcripts may contain inaccuracies, help us build a more perfect archive

Views:87 Duration: 0:13:55 Discussion

Previous speech:

Next speech:

1:10:12 to 1:10:34( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: i thank the i yield the floor. the pres senator from mr. bayh: i ask unanimous consent to call up my ame number the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from

1:10:15 to 1:24:10( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Evan Bayh

1:10:35 to 1:10:56( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: number mr. bayh: i ask unanimous consent further reading be dispensed. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. bayh: madam president, i would like to begin thanking my colleague from connecticut and my friend, joe lieberman. we working to on so many things and so well i find this to be an odd set of circumstances today where we have a difference of opinion on this issue but even here we have worked to call up

1:10:57 to 1:11:18( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: our timely manner an order o was changed because i know you had arranged for some speakers to speak on behalf of your approach to this issue, as had i. i wish their voices could be heard. i am grateful that senator levin will be speaking shortly in support of this -- approach. the fact that he is the chairman

1:11:19 to 1:11:39( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: of the armed services committee leadedleads some credence to our approach. i thank you and senator for working together on many different things and i thank senator mccain for his courtcy in respecting the time of various members who planned to speak here. so i thank you, senator

1:11:40 to 1:12:03( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: lieberman for all of that. difference of opinion on this important issue. madam president, this amendment will restore funding for marine corps helicopters and strike fighter management reserves. let me repeat for my colleagues who are concerned about funding for the marine corps helicopters or the number of join join that

1:12:04 to 1:12:25( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: will b -- or thejoint strike fighter that will be purchased, this amendment deals with this. the statements about the marine corps and helicopters and testimony in favor of the helicopters, that is no longer relevant. under my amendment the heli many of the comments about the need for the joint strike fighters and their removal of the number of tails, the number of planes, those commends are no longer relevant.

1:12:26 to 1:12:48( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: we have full funding for the number of joint strike fighters so i know this debate proceeded rapidly but the comments fighter has been taken care of but my amendment and no longer relevant to the consideration of the underlying issue, the importance of competion and

1:12:49 to 1:13:10( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: how best to save must program. what is on the table -- and i also say, a number of statements were read to the president and his points of it is important for my colleagues who care about the comments from the president's staff of a recommendation of a veto to point out that in those comments they were speaking directly to the number of planes which is now taken care of. that has been addressed.

1:13:11 to 1:13:31( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: they we not referring to the underlying opinion of the g.a.o. and the whole fiscal aspect which is legitimate debate but those comments were not raised as legitimate grounds for veto threat by the president of the united states. so that haseen taken care of, as well. what is on the table, madam president, is preserving competition in the joint strik

1:13:32 to 1:13:53( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: fighter engine program. my friend and colleagues' amendment number 16 27, strikes funding for the commonsense program and i to set the record straight by preserving this competion. the joint strike massive acquisition program. by 2030 the fighter will make up the vast majority of our tactical air fleet.

1:13:54 to 1:14:15( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: ensuring competion now over the life of this government. and sound management practice. understanding this my colleagues in the armed services committee prudently included $439 million to continue development of the competitive engine. at most colleagues know i am very concerned wit growing deficit. i've consistently opposed bills that spend too much including

1:14:16 to 1:14:40( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: the omnibus spending bi the recent budget. because of my -- and i supported amendments to strike wasteful spending. i understand the respose of restraint and i would not be here believe this competive engine strategy will save the taxpayers money. i am not alone in this

1:14:41 to 1:15:01( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: in 1996 congress initiated f-136 because we knew then as we know now competion results in lower cost, improved performance, increed reliability, and greater contractor responsiveness. since then congress has maintained unwavering support for this program for 13 consecutive years, 13 consecutive year, madam president.

1:15:02 to 1:15:23( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: i want to be clear that the was never a competion since the g.s.f. engine development. i have heard the word "competition" used repeatedly by my friend and colleague. i hold in my hand copies of the contract, the contracts for the engine that has just been alleged to have been let competitively.

1:15:24 to 1:15:44( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: january 23 of 1997 to pratt & whitney in the sum of $804 million, and it says in bold print, madam chairwoman, "this contract was not competitively procured." let me repeat that. in plain english, this contract for the engine program which was just stated repeatedly for which

1:15:45 to 1:16:05( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: there was a competition was in fact not competitively let. it is in plain a federal government document refutes that contention. the second contract dated october 26, 2001, once again to pratt & whitney in the sum of $4,830,000,000. this contract was not

1:16:06 to 1:16:26( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: competitively procured, not competitively procured. there was no engine program. it is a matter of public record, in plain black and white. so if you care about competition, you will support my approach to dealing with this issue.

1:16:27 to 1:16:48( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: this engine totally $8000 the general accounting office, g.a.o., has consistently supported funding a second engine as a fiscallyesponsible approach that will yield long-term cost savings for taxpayers. often may 20 of this year -- on

1:16:49 to 1:17:09( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: may 20 of this year, the g.a.o. reaffirmed this view when discussion the cost to completing the second engi stating, and i quote, "a competitive strategy has the potential for savings equal to or exceeding the amount across the life cycle "prior experience indicates that it is reasonable to assume that

1:17:10 to 1:17:31( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: competition on the program as a result, we remain confident -- confident -- the competive pressures could yield enough savings to offset the costs for competition over the g.s.f. program's life." g.a.o. went on to elaborate on the nonfinancial benefits of

1:17:32 to 1:17:52( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: procuring a second engine, an i quote again, "our prior work along with studied by the department of defense and others, indicate there are a number of nonfinancial benefits that may result from competition, including performance, increased reliability, and imp contractor responsiveness.

1:17:53 to 1:18:13( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: the long --" end of quote. "the long history in the department of defense is that when you award sole-source, noncompetive contracts to single provider, responsiveness goes down, the taxyers suffer. that is what my amendment will avoid. further, in light of the increased investment secretary gates and the

1:18:14 to 1:18:35( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: administration have make in the g.s.f. program, limiting it to a single has serious considerations. if we have problems with the prim alternative. there will be no second provider with the ability to produce a comparable e engine failures could prove

1:18:36 to 1:18:58( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: catastrophic for an already-thin tactical air fleet. anybody who thinks that a large contract to a single vendor without com i reiterate, as the contracts specifically indicate, they were not competively bid. noin thinks that's a good way for the government to do business -- anyone who thinks that's a good way fo for the government to do business should

1:18:59 to 1:19:20( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: support the lieberman amendment. some contend ma my amendment is wasteful. many have supported this as good public policy in the past. they were right then. i am right today. we need keep in mind the primary contractors honest and the only way to do that is through competion. flofs competition in the award of -- there was no competition in the award of these we now maintain that competion

1:19:21 to 1:19:41( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: through the adoption of this amendment. madam president, there were intending to speak on behalf of this amendment. because of the change in schedule, they may 0 not be able to be with us. we'll have to wait and see about that. but again i thank senator mccain for his courtesy in attempting to ensure that they could speak heemplet i know there were some in opposition to my approach that wanted to speak as well.

1:19:42 to 1:20:02( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: it would be good if we could accommodate them. senator kennedy cosponsors nigh amendment but because of health care concerns, he could not be here today. but i do want to colleagues a statement he made -- he issued on june 24 as part of the armed services committee markup in support of my approach.

1:20:03 to 1:20:23( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: i would like to ask that this be entered into the i ask unanimous consent. the presiding officer: without objection. b.i.a. let me share with you the -- mr. bayh: let me share with you the thoughts of senator kennedy, a long standing member of the armed services committee. "for the fourth year in a roarks the department of defense continues to ignore the will of congress on the production of an alternative joint strike fighter engine in order to protect

1:20:24 to 1:20:44( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: against cost overruns, preserve the u.s. industrial base and support our international partners." dwheas our amendment is designed to accomplish. that's why he supports he goes on to say, "i remember well the great engine wars of the 1980's and thevestment an acquisition strategy considered

1:20:45 to 1:21:06( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: controversial that delivered stronger and more cost-effective fighter airaft to our nation. that began a decade earlier when the decision to sole-source the f-15's f-100 engine resulted in inadequate

1:21:07 to 1:21:28( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: inability to address these discrepancies. ultimately, the air force, navy, an congress agreed that the short-term and long-term benefits of industrial competition would meet these challenges and deliver results. that experience is as relevant today as it was then because we face a similar challenge. the joint strike fighter is one of the programs in history,

1:21:29 to 1:21:49( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: billion allocated for engines alone. in light of recent defense acquisition challenges and the growing fighter gap in our air forces, these decisions would not be more important or the results more far-reaching. critics emphasize the short-term cost savings and the sole-source procurement strategy and reports showing different time lines to

1:21:50 to 1:22:10( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: recoup program costs. but dramatic long-term opportunity costs are missing from this debate and are conspicuous in their absence." that's what the g.a.o g.a.o. is referring to in the study i cite "competion for the joint strike fighter engine has compelling advantages and avoids past pitfalls.

1:22:11 to 1:22:33( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: dual sourcing will build redundancy into the fleet -- with other fleetwide groundings. competition delivers an inherent incentive for manufacturers to absorb and contain costs even as it encourages responsiveness by contractors. all of these factors are less

1:22:34 to 1:22:54( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: evident in sole-source contract the alternative engine program appropriately diversifies capability and capacity across the u.s. industrial base and ensures that sustained production, maintenance and availability of crucial components are not concentrated in a single provider. in addition, the f-136 alternative engine program considers t

1:22:55 to 1:23:15( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: of key international partners n. as stakeholders, especially in the united king drnlings australia, canada, denmark, italy, norway and turkey as well. their commitment is important to the future of the joint strike fighter program, and our basic security relationships. for these reasons, i strongly support the additional $438

1:23:16 to 1:23:36( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: million in the fy 2010 national defense authorization sustain the alternative joint strike fighter program." those are the words of senator kennedy, madam chairwoman. by way of summary, the marine corps helicopter issue has been taken care of. that is no longer an issue. we fully provide for that. allegations about the reductions in the number of procurements

1:23:37 to 1:24:01( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: for the joint strike fighter has been taken care of. that is no longer an issue. statements by the president's staff with regard to a possible presidential veto to the potential reduction in the number of fighters, that issue to be taken care as i mentioned, the contracts for the engines themselves in black and white, given to

1:24:02 to 1:24:10( Edit History Discussion )

Evan Bayh: & white kne not competively procured." that is a matter of public record. this debate is about competition, the benefits of