The Virginia congressional delegation has sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy James Guerts expressing strong support for the shipbuilding and ship maintenance industrial base.
The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, and Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Don Beyer (D-VA), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA), Ben Cline (R-VA), Elaine Luria (D-VA), Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA).
“We believe that the private shipbuilding and ship maintenance industrial base is performing a vital public function during this pandemic and should remain open for business, sustaining employment and providing products and services which contribute to our Navy’s recapitalization and readiness,” they wrote. “During these challenging times, we are particularly concerned about the shipbuilding and ship repair enterprise and safety of our ship workers.”
The entire Virginia delegation requested that the Navy ensure that safety of shipworkers remain the highest priority.
They also requested the Navy’s support with:
- expeditious contractual adjustments between Navy and industry to ensure a healthy partnership that fully alleviates the negative impacts, to both workers and shipyards, associated with COVID-19 relief.
- for the Navy’s support in expediting access to loans and loan guarantees provided that could be used to assist the shipbuilding and ship maintenance industrial base.
- for the Navy to ensure small business participation in ship repair.
- for the Navy to ensure a sustained industrial base, development of the LHA-9 acquisition effort and use of the FY19 LHA-9 Advanced Procurement monies to accelerate construction of an additional large deck amphibious ship.
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