; Whereas the number of SSNs will continue to decline to a projected minimum of 42 in 2028; Whereas the Navy will not reach the stated inventory SSN requirement of 66 until 2048; Whereas according to the fiscal year 2019 shipbuilding plan, to reach the goal of 66 SSNs, the Navy will begin to purchase the SSN(X) far in the future, in 2034; Whereas according to the Congressional Budget Office, the projected cost of each SSN(X) according to certain requirements will be $5,500,000,000 per submarine; Whereas Congress supports the Navy’s design goal in the Tactical Submarine Evolution Plan of a fast, lethal, next-generation attack submarine ; Whereas Congress has significant concerns regarding declining SSN inventory numbers and its adverse implication for national security; Whereas Congress has significant concerns regarding SSN(X)’s future cost projections and the impact on other Navy budget programs; Whereas to fill a growing national security need, Congress believes new, innovative ideas must be pursued in order to offset SSN costs and build constraints while growing the SSN fleet to adequate numbers; Whereas the Navy is developing a nascent extended range unmanned vehicle and plans to award a contract for the first five vessels in fiscal year 2019; Whereas a key objective of the National Defense Strategy is defending allies from military aggression and bolstering partners against coercion, and fairly sharing responsibilities for common defense ; and Whereas the National Defense Strategy states mutually beneficial alliances and partnerships are crucial to our strategy, providing a durable, asymmetric strategic advantage that no competitor or rival can match : Now, therefore, be it