in 2015y there was an award of lacoda helicopters. a contract dispute ensued and those helicopters are being held up pending the court case. in 2017, the appropriations committee appropriated for 28 lacodas, a separate matter entirely and gave clear directive language for the army to purchase the 28 lacodas. i brought this up in a previous hearing with acting secretary of the army as to why this clear language had passed by the congress had not been followed. he said something to the effect, it's all involved in a court case. well, that's not true. there are 16 lacodas in 2016 involved in a court case. subsequent to that, this congress ordered the army to purchase 28 lacodas. that is not being held up in a court case. it sounds like an excuse to me. i wanted you to be aware of the detrimental impacts this situation is having on the industrial base but also on army pilot training. i want to ask you, do you believe the army secretary is required to follow clear and directive language expressed in legislation? >> yes, senator, i do. >> a

in 2015y there was an award of lacoda helicopters. a contract dispute ensued and those helicopters are being held up pending the court case. in 2017, the appropriations committee appropriated for 28 lacodas, a separate matter entirely and gave clear directive language for the army to purchase the 28 lacodas. i brought this up in a previous hearing with acting secretary of the army as to why this clear language had passed by the congress had not been followed. he said something to the effect, it's all involved in a court case. well, that's not true. there are 16 lacodas in 2016 involved in a court case. subsequent to that, this congress ordered the army to purchase 28 lacodas. that is not being held up in a court case. it sounds like an excuse to me. i wanted you to be aware of the detrimental impacts this situation is having on the industrial base but also on army pilot training. i want to ask you, do you believe the army secretary is required to follow clear and directive language expressed in legislation? >> yes, senator, i do. >> a