The U.S. House of Representatives approved a defense spending bill that could increase the production of Virginia-class submarines by Connecticut-based Electric Boat. But funding for the extra submarines remains uncertain.
Representative Joe Courtney, D-CT2, voted against the bill. Speaking before the vote on Thursday evening, Courtney said Republicans designed the bill in a way that gives Secretary of Defense James Mattis too much discretion on how the money will be spent.
“Personally I feel that’s like a total abdication by Congress to give that much discretion to one man, even though I have you know, a great deal of respect for Secretary Mattis. Article I powers says Congress has power of the purse, and we really should be making those decisions.”
Earlier this week Courtney sponsored two amendments to the spending bill. One added the contract to increase the production of the Virginia-class submarine to the bill, which was approved. The second would have allocated more than $900 million to fund the extra submarines. That amendment was rejected.
The bill now goes to the Senate for action.
