,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #ida  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,febru>y #g1 #bjag,mr4
 ,conaway introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,arm$        
,s]vices  ,a ,,bill  ,to increase !     
numb] ( op]ational aircraft c>ri]s ( !  
,navy1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort     
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! #ab     
,c>ri] ,act4  #b4 ,s5se ( ,congress  7a7
 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7  
,! aircraft c>ri] c fulfill ! ,navy's   
core missions ( =w>d pres5ce1 sea       
control1 ensur+ safe sea lanes1 & p[]   
projection z well z provid+ flexibility 
& v]satility to execute a wide range (  
additional missions4  7#b7 ,=w>d airp[] 
is integral to ! security & jo9t =ces   
op]ations ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,c>ri]s    
play a c5tral role 9 deliv]+ =w>d airp[]
 f sov]eign t]ritory ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9
 bo? p]missive & nonp]missive           
environm5ts4  7#c7 ,aircraft c>ri]s     
provide our ,nation ! ability to rapidly
 & decisively respond to national       

?reats1 z well z conduct+ worldwide1    
on-/ation diplomacy & provid+ det]r5ce  
aga9/ ?reats to ! ,unit$ ,/ates allies1 
p>tn]s1 & fri5ds4  7#d7 ,s9ce ! end ( ! 
cold w>1 aircraft c>ri] deploym5ts h    
increas$ :ile ! aircraft c>ri] =ce      
/ructure has decl9$4  7#e7 ,consid]+ !  
increas$ array ( complex ?reats across !
 globe1 ! ,navy aircraft c>ri] is op]at+
 at maximum capacity1 increas+ deploym5t
 l5g?s & decreas+ ma9t5ance p]iods 9    
ord] to meet op]ational requirem5ts4    
7#f7 ,to meet global peacetime & w>time 
requirem5ts1 ! ,navy has indicat$ a     
requirem5t to ma9ta9 two aircraft c>ri]s
 deploy$ ov]seas & h ?ree additional    
aircraft c>ri] capable ( deploy+ )9 #ij 
days4 ,h[ev]1 ! ,navy has indicat$ t !  
exi/+ aircraft c>ri] =ce /ructure _c    
support ^! milit>y requirem5ts4  7#g7   
,despite ! requirem5t to ma9ta9 an      
aircraft c>ri] /rike gr\p 9 bo? ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,c5tral ,comm& & ,unit$ ,/ates  
,pacific ,comm&1 ! ,navy has be5 unable 
to g5]ate suffici5t capacity to support 

our combatant comm&]s & has develop$    
significant c>ri] gaps 9 ^! critical    
areas4  7#h7 ,because ( cont9u+ use ( a 
dim9i%$ aircraft c>ri] =ce /ructure1    
ext5sive ma9t5ance availabilities result
 :i* typically exce$ program co/s &     
increase "t 9 %ipy>ds4 ,^! expansive    
ma9t5ance availabilities exac]bate exi/+
 c>ri] gaps4  7#i7 ,because ( ma9t5ance 
ov]haul ext5sions1 ! ,navy is truncat+  
basic aircraft c>ri] tra9+ to exp$ite ! 
deploym5t ( available aircraft c>ri]s4  
,limit+ aircraft c>ri] tra9+ decreases  
op]ational capabilities & increases     
sailor risk4  7#aj7 ,despite !          
objections ( ! ,navy1 ! ,"u ,secret>y ( 
,def5se = ,acquisition1 ,te*nology1 &   
,logi/ics direct$ ! ,navy on ,augu/ #g1 
#bjae1 to p]=m %ock trials on !         
,u4,s4,s4 ,g]ald ,r4 ,=d 7,,cvn-#gh74 ,!
 ,assi/ant ,deputy ,*ief ( ,naval       
,op]ations = ,op]ations1 ,plans &       
,/rategy indicat$ t ?is action c\ld     
delay ! introduction ( ! ,u4,s4,s4      
,g]ald ,r4 ,=d 7,,cvn-#gh7 to ! fleet by

 up to two ye>s1 exac]bat+ exi/+ c>ri]  
gaps4  7#aa7 ,! ,navy has adopt$ a      
two-phase acquisition /rategy = !       
,u4,s4,s4 ,john ,f4 ,k5n$y 7,,cvn-#gi71 
an action t w delay ! introduction ( ?is
 aircraft c>ri] by up to two ye>s1      
exac]bat+ exi/+ c>ri] gaps4  7#ab7      
,develop+ an alt]native design to !     
,=d-class aircraft c>ri] is n co/       
b5eficial4 ,a small] design is project$ 
to incur significant design & eng9e]+   
co/ :ile significantly r$uc+ magaz9e    
size1 c>ri] air w+ size1 sortie rate1 & 
on-/ation effectiv5ess among o!r vital  
factors :5 comp>$ to ! ,=d-class4       
,fur!rmore1 a new design w delay !      
introduction ( future aircraft c>ri]s1  
exac]bat+ exi/+ c>ri] gaps & ?reat5+ !  
national security ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4    
7#ac7 ,! #bjaf ,navy ,=ce ,/ructure     
,assessm5t /ates ,a m9imum ( #ab        
aircraft c>ri]s are requir$ to meet !   
increas$ w>fight+ response requirem5ts (
 ! ,def5se ,plann+ ,guidance            
,defeat_/,d5y =ce siz+ direction4  7b7  

,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (        
,congress t-- 7#a7 ! ,unit$ ,/ates %\ld 
exp$ite deliv]y ( #ab aircraft c>ri]s2  
7#b7 an aircraft c>ri] %\ld be au?oriz$ 
e ?ree ye>s2  7#c7 %ock trials %\ld be  
conduct$ on ! ,u4,s4,s4 ,john ,f4 ,k5n$y
 7,,cvn-#gi71 z initially propos$ by !  
,navy2  7#d7 con/ruction = ! ,u4,s4,s4  
,john ,f4 ,k5n$y 7,,cvn-#gi7 %\ld be    
accompli%$ 9 a s+le phase2  7#e7 !      
,unit$ ,/ates %\ld cont9ue ! ,=d-class  
design = ,,cvn-#ha2 &  7#f7 bulk        
procurem5t initiatives = ,,cvn-#hj &    
,,cvn-#ha %\ld be pursu$4  #c4 ,%ock    
trials = ,,cvn-#gh ,section #abh7;b77#a7
 ( ! ,national ,def5se ,au?orization    
,act = ,fiscal ,ye> #bjaf 7,public ,law 
#aad-ib2 #abi ,/at4 #gea7 is am5d$ by   
/rik+ prior to ! fir/ deploym5t ( su*   
%ip4  #d4 ,increase 9 numb] ( op]ational
 aircraft c>ri]s ( ! ,navy  7a7         
,increase ,section #ejfb7;b7 ( title    
#aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by   
/rik+ #aa op]ational aircraft c>ri]s &  
ins]t+ #ab op]ational aircraft c>ri]s4  

7b7 ,effective date ,! am5dm5t made by  
subsection 7a7 %all take effect on      
,septemb] #cj1 #bjbc4