Duval Times

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and a group of bipartisan colleagues have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd Austin, urging the department to prioritize funding and address the challenges highlighted in the recently released National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS).

The NDIS emphasizes the erosion of the U.S. defense industrial base since the end of the Cold War, and the need for a resilient industrial base to meet the threat posed by the People's Republic of China (PRC). In the letter, the senators state that reforms are necessary to ensure the country is prepared for the competition that will define the 21st century.

"The NDIS confirms what many observers have warned: since the end of the Cold War, our military's ability to produce critical materiel, including commodities, basic munitions, and advanced weapons systems, has eroded," the letter reads. "This erosion has many causes, including consolidation in the defense industrial base, historically low defense spending as a share of the economy, and a decades-long shift in strategy from great-power competition to lower-intensity counter-insurgency."

The decline of the U.S. defense industrial base has coincided with the deterioration of the broader commercial industrial base, due to a failure to prioritize manufacturing and protect businesses from the aggressive policies of adversaries like the PRC, according to the senators. They highlight the importance of economic security in maintaining national security, as stated in the NDIS.

The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed and worsened the challenges facing the industrial base. The senators point out the lack of skilled personnel and investment in the submarine industrial base, as well as reliance on raw materials produced in the PRC for advanced jets. The NDIS also acknowledges the extent of the country's dependence on the PRC for vital materials.

"The NDIS outlines several worthwhile ideas to restore the defense industrial base, many of which will require additional or altered budget authority," the letter states. These ideas include diversifying the supplier base, investing in new production methods, and targeting the development of critical skill sets in the domestic workforce. The NDIS also emphasizes the need for a cost-effective industrial ecosystem and flexible acquisition planning.

The senators express their commitment to working with the DoD to accomplish these priorities and request answers to specific questions regarding funding tracking, mobilization planning, supply-chain dependencies on the PRC, forecasting materiel needs, stockpiling commodities and spare parts, and addressing risks of components with single suppliers.

"As we consider the DoD's FY25 budget request, the NDIS should serve as a rallying cry for Congress and the DoD to enact changes to the defense industrial base with urgency," the letter concludes. The senators expect the DoD's policy and funding requests to reflect the challenges outlined in the NDIS.

The letter was signed by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Boozman (R-AR), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ).

The full text of the letter can be found below.