Mr. President, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by Senator Levin, because it provides the Army with the opportunity to fully analyze options to provide organic indirect fire support. I am concerned by the manner in which the Department of Defense has handled the decision to terminate the Crusader program because it is apparent to me that the Army's views were not appropriately considered in this decision.

I have long supported the Army's efforts to transform itself into a lighter, more lethal force to meet the threats of the 21st century. I believe the Army is making considerable progress in its efforts and trust in the positions that have been advocated for the type of technology and weapons necessary to sustain both the legacy force and the objective force.

In most situations, I consider the Secretary of Defense to be the expert on the needs of the men and women serving in the Armed Forces. I rely on his advice and direction for what the Department needs to execute its mission of preserving our national security. A lot of my trust in his expertise and the recommendations of his staff is based on my belief that he relies upon those in the Department, both uniform and civilian, to determine what is best for the Department of Defense.

I am having a very difficult time with this issue because it seems apparent to me that the Army is not being heard on this issue. It is disturbing to consider that decisions on Army modernization and transformation are apparently being made without timely input from the Army.

I believe it is imperative for the Army to be provided with the necessary time to complete its study of the full range of options available to provide organic indirect fire support. For this reason, I support Senator Levin's amendment.