Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee

“The President’s shipbuilding budget is not a 355-ship Navy budget. As Chair of the Seapower Subcommittee, I can say with complete certainty that, like so much of the rest of the President’s budget, it is dead on arrival."

Good Afternoon, today’s joint subcommittee hearing is the fifth in a continuation of joint subcommittee oversight since 2017 that have specifically examined maritime mishaps in the Pacific and the underlying systemic readiness issues that were a major contributory cause of those catastrophic events.

“This bipartisan and bicameral agreement sends a clear and powerful message that the House is getting its work done,” Courtney said

“The long-awaited contract awarded today – the largest ever awarded by the Navy – provides stability and certainty to our submarine shipbuilders, greater deterrent capability to our combatant commanders, and increased workload for the industrial base,” Courtney said.

“This new report underscores what we already know – Connecticut’s defense and manufacturing sector punches well above its weight,” Congressman Courtney said.

“Today’s news that the Block V contract is reaching the final backstretch with a framework that will be built around a minimum of nine subs and an option for a tenth to maintain the program of record shows real progress in terms of getting a stable workload for this critical program."

Finally, it is a pleasure to welcome back to Groton the ship’s sponsor and Oregon native Dana Richardson and former Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson. The Admiral and Mrs. Richardson were stationed here when he commanded DEVRON 12, and most recently attended the USS Illinois christening. I can’t think of a ship sponsor better prepared to take on the solemn duty to support the ship and its crew over the lifetime of Oregon than Mrs. Richardson.

“Jeff has been a tireless advocate for the workforce at EB since he became president in 2013. I hold him in the highest regard based on his breadth of knowledge and experience as a shipbuilder, and his accessible, ethical approach to leadership. I wish Jeff and his wife all the best."