,,iv  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #hgi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #b1 #bjbj,mrs4   
,kirkpatrick 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,simpson1  
,mr4 ,gallego1 ,mr4 ,ful*]1 ,mr4        
,rupp]sb]g]1 ,mrs4 ,h>tzl]1 & ,mr4      
,mit*ell7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,arm$   
,s]vices  ,,resolution  ,express+ ! s5se
 ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives t ,congress
 %\ld cont9ue to support ! ,a-#aj       
,?und]bolt ,,ii attack aircraft1 also   
kn[n z ! ,w>?og & ,a-#aj;,c or          
,,oa-#aj;,c1 program4  ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj  
,?und]bolt ,,ii attack aircraft         
7h]e9aft] ref]r$ to z ! ,a-#aj7 has se5 
action 9 e major ,unit$ ,/ates conflict 
s9ce ! fir/ production ,a-#aj 0 deliv]$ 
to ,davis-,mon?an ,air ,=ce ,base 9     
,octob]1 #aige1 & has receiv$ sev]al    
upgrades = ! #bha ,a-#ajs rema9+ 9      
s]vice2 ,:]eas s9ce ,op]ation ,des]t    
,/orm 9 #aiia1 ! ,a-#aj has become a    
pref]r$ close air support plat=m = gr\nd
 troops2 ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj has be5 !      

backbone ( ! close air support mission =
 m ?an #dj ye>s & has prov5 to be a     
highly accurate & durable               
weapons-deliv]y plat=m t c be us$ aga9/ 
all gr\nd t>gets2 ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj       
supports close air support ) a v>iety ( 
=w>d-fir+1 free-fall1 & precision-guid$ 
munitions1 & p]=ms combat se>* & rescue1
 air int]diction1 arm$ reconnaissance1  
suppression ( enemy air def5ses1 special
 op]ations =ces support1 & c\nt]sea     
op]ations 9 ei!r l[- or high-?reat      
environm5ts1 day or night2 ,:]eas !     
,a-#aj provides ! ,air ,=ce an ext5sive 
ability to survey ! battlefield & !n    
fix1 engage1 t>get1 & de/roy a wide     
range ( bo? mobile & fix$ t>gets1       
includ+ tanks & o!r armor$ vehicles 9   
quantity1 z an ars5al aircraft2 ,:]eas !
 ,a-#aj gets pilots back to base despite
 heavy damage f gr\nd fire2 ,:]eas !    
,a-#aj has ! l[e/ rate ( fri5dly fire   
incid5ts ( any combat fight] or bomb]2  
,:]eas ! close air support z provid$ by 
! ,a-#aj has prov5 invaluable on !      

battlefield1 & x is bett] ?an any o!r   
fight] aircraft = close air support z x 
is simple1 effective1 & has excell5t    
maneuv]ability at l[ air spe$s &        
altitude2 ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj is ! lea/     
exp5sive combat plane 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 
ars5al to op]ate & buy2 ,:]eas :ile !   
,a-#aj flew only #cj p]c5t ( ! ,unit$   
,/ates ,air ,=ce's total sorties dur+   
,op]ation ,des]t ,/orm 9 #aiia1 ^!      
aircraft a*iev$ m ?an half ( ! confirm$ 
,iraqi equipm5t losses & fir$ #ij p]c5t 
( ! precision-guid$ ,mav]ick missiles2  
,:]eas dur+ ,op]ation ,alli$ ,=ce 9     
#aiii1 ,a-#ajs de/roy$ m field-deploy$  
,s]bian weaponry ?an any o!r alli$      
weapon sy/em1 & combat se>* & rescue    
support f ! ,a-#aj 0 #ajj p]c5t         
effective1 successfully rescu+ "o       
,f-#aag pilot & "o ,f-#af;,,cg pilot2   
,:]eas dur+ ,op]ation ,iraqi ,fre$om 9  
#bjjc & ,op]ation ,endur+ ,fre$om 9     
#bjja1 ! ,a-#aj flew #cb p]c5t ( !      
combat sorties 9 bo? !at]s1 & f #bjjf to
 late #bjac1 flew #ai p]c5t ( close air 

op]ations 9 ,iraq & ,afghani/an2 ,:]eas 
! ,a-#aj is an effective close air      
support plat=m to c\nt] viol5t extremi/ 
organizations su* z ! ,islamic ,/ate 9  
,iraq & ,syria1 hav+ fl[n #aa p]c5t (   
,air ,=ce sorties aga9/ t organization2 
,:]eas ! dem&s = close air support 9    
,iraq & ,afghani/an keep ! ,a-#aj a     
relevant plat=m t requires upgrades2    
,:]eas if ! ,a-#aj is remov$ f s]vice1  
c]ta9 gaps 9 responsive close air       
support1 =w>d air controll]1 air        
int]diction1 /rike control &            
reconnaissance1 & combat se>* & rescue  
support c\ld wid52 ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj c be 
s]vic$ & op]at$ ) high sortie rates f   
au/]e bases ) limit$ facilities ne>     
battle areas1 includ+ unprep>$ dirt1    
grass1 & n>r[ road runways1 & f         
airfields t are too %ort or r\gh to h&le
 fa/ jets2 ,:]eas to cont9ue provid+    
unmat*$ airp[]1 ga9 & ma9ta9 air        
sup]iority1 & ext5d global rea*1 global 
p[] is ess5tial to pres]v+ global       
security & /ability2 ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj    

program w support ! ,air ,=ce1 includ+ !
 ,air ,national ,gu>d & ,air ,=ce       
,res]ve2 ,:]eas ! ,a-#aj is curr5tly    
fly+ 9 op]ational combat squadrons at   
,g[5 ,field ,air ,national ,gu>d ,base1 
,idaho1 ,selfridge ,air ,national ,gu>d 
,base1 ,mi*igan1 ,w>field ,air ,national
 ,gu>d ,base1 ,m>yl&1 ,=t ,wayne ,air   
,national ,gu>d ,/ation1 ,indiana1      
,:iteman ,air ,=ce ,base1 ,miss\ri1     
,davis-,mon?an ,air ,=ce ,base1         
,arizona1 ,nellis ,air ,=ce ,base1      
,nevada1 ,egl9 ,air ,=ce ,base1         
,florida1 ,moody ,air ,=ce ,base1       
,georgia1 & ,osan ,air ,base1 ,s\?      
,korea2 & ,:]eas ! #cee? ,w+ at         
,davis-,mon?an ,air ,=ce ,base1 ) !     
inv5tory ( #hd ,a-#ajs1 is responsible =
 tra9+ & deploy+ ,a-#aj pilots1 ^:      
prim>y role is to support troops on !   
gr\nd3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se (    
,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 f9ds t ! cont9u$ 
support = ! ,a-#aj ,?und]bolt ,,ii      
program is imp]ative to national        
security2 &  7#b7 affirms t ,congress   

%\ld cont9ue to support ! ,a-#aj        
,?und]bolt ,,ii program 9 future fiscal 
ye>s because ! ,unit$ ,/ates _c af=d to 
risk its security or ! security ( its   
allies by all[+ t program to fall %ort (
 its mission4