WASHINGTON—Last week, Heritage Foundation experts joined defense industry experts and Congressman John Carter (R-TX) in Taylor, Texas, to survey the current state of the U.S. defense industrial base (DIB). The DIB is a network of people, organizations, facilities, and resources supporting the Department of Defense (DOD). Since the end of the Cold War in 1989, the DIB’s decline has jeopardized U.S. national security.   

Heritage Director of the Allison Center for National Security  Robert Greenway stated:  

“For decades, the U.S. defense industrial base has been in decline, plagued by insufficient investment and neglect. Our lack of capacity and ineffective leadership have damaged our ability to effectively deter our adversaries and have contributed to the proliferation of national security crises we currently see around the globe.  
 
“I applaud Congressman Carter’s leadership on legislation aimed at increasing capital investment and workforce training in critical industries that could help reverse this trend. These efforts that bolster national security and create well-paid jobs should serve as a model to the rest of the country.”  

Heritage Director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget  Richard Stern added:  

“Congressman Carter and his staff graciously organized a trip that allowed us to see, firsthand, the magnificent work of the people of Texas to restore our industrial base—especially related to semiconductors. Texas has created an environment that facilitates investment in new businesses and workers in a way that can ensure access to the middle class. This model illuminates a path back towards national prosperity and serves as a reminder of the federal barriers we must overcome to do so.

“Decades of punitive federal tax policy, abusive federal regulations, and devaluing of the dollar have wreaked havoc on our economy and the workers and families caught in between. However, the Texas model is proof that if we focus on removing these disastrous federal policies, we can unleash the American people to do what we do best and restore our nation.”  

Congressman John Carter (R-TX) and chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Appropriations concluded:  

“Central Texas should be a model for the United States on how we bolster our supply chain to strengthen national defense. With the addition of Army Futures Command in Austin, and utilizing public-private partnerships effectively, our region has created workforce development training and investments to keep a strong economy locally and help support our national security industry. 
 
“I appreciate the Heritage Foundation for their willingness to come visit Central Texas and study the work we’ve done so this model can be replicated across the nation.” 

Background:  

The defense industrial base (DIB)-focused trip took place on August 27th and August 28th.  

Heritage experts surveyed DIB facilities and educational institutions in the region. They also participated in a business roundtable with industry experts and Congressman Carter.  

Photos from the trip may be viewed here: