Contact: Josh Holly (HASC), 202-226-3988
November 8, 2007 Lisa Wright (Bartlett), 202-225-2721
Opening Statement of Ranking Member Roscoe Bartlett
Joint Hearing on the Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Program
Washington, D.C. – Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), senior Republican on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces, released the following opening statement for the Subcommittee’s joint hearing with the Air and Land Forces Subcommittee on the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle program:
“Mr. Chairman, I also want to thank our panels for being with us today. And Mr. Chairman, thank you for continuing to have these MRAP hearings. The information we learn is invaluable.
“During the last two MRAP hearings, I mentioned in my opening statements that I wanted to hear assurances from our witnesses that the industrial base was being positioned to support this critical MRAP requirement. Based on the increased requirement and the recent decision to down-select from five to three MRAP vendors, I still have questions about the industrial base and am very pleased that we have two distinguished panels before us today that can address my concerns.
“We need to gain a better understanding of any industrial base constraints and what mitigating measures are being pursued in order to remedy potential choke points.”
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