Rep. Courtney Remarks (As Prepared) at Christening of the USS UTAH (SSN 801)

“It is a great honor for myself, Lieutenant Governor Bysiewicz, and my colleagues from Southern New England, to join Electric Boat in welcoming our many guests from Utah and around the country to “the submarine capitol of the world”.

 

“Just north up the Thames River is America’s oldest submarine base, where 15 attack submarines and 7,000 sailors and officers deploy heel-to-toe everyday protecting our nation. As we look around the vast crowd today with hundreds of Electric Boat workers and their families, supply chain companies from Connecticut, and Rhode Island, the submarine synergy of this region is in plain sight. For all of you, in particular Ms. Hannah Holman, the UTAH ships manager who quarterbacked construction of this technological marvel, and to Mark and Kari, heartiest congratulations on a job well done.

 

“Welcome and congratulations also to Utah’s new ship sponsors Dr. Sharon Lee and Mrs. Mary Kaye Huntsman as they take on the role of lifetime members of the crew, and advocates for team Utah for many years to come. USS Utah is a sacred name not just for your state, but our entire nation, and please know you will always have passionate supporters here for your mission in the years to come.

 

“The presence today of Senators Lee of Utah and Sheehy of Montana powerfully conveys the message that political support for the submarine fleet in our nation is broad and deep. As they all know, today’s Christening comes at a time when Congress’s demand signal for new submarines is at an all-time high. UTAH will be the 28th Virginia-class submarine in the fleet, and there are now 15 more under contract or construction, as well as 3 Columbia ballistic subs.

 

“In addition to modernizing the U.S. submarine force, our closest allies—Australia and the United Kingdom—are locking arms with us as never before, to strengthen and expand undersea supremacy to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. With us today are Annabelle Ransome-Williams representing the British Embassy and Commander Stuart O’Brien representing the Australian Embassy. I would ask them to please stand and be recognized. The welcome announcement this past Monday by the Trump Administration that the 4-year-old AUKUS security agreement will continue “full steam ahead” validates the billions Congress invested to grow our submarine industrial base over the last 6 years, including long overdue wage improvement funding passed last December. Since then, the wages of metal trades workers and the design workforce received a boost, and as a result hiring and retention has shown marked improvement.

 

“Last year, both Mark Reyha and Kari Wilkinson advocated to Congress to raise non-executive salaries, as did the Metal Trade Unions, who are represented today by Peter Baker, President of the New London Trades Council, and a 42-year EB employee. That type of labor-management collaboration is how America’s defense industrial base will ensure its legacy as freedom’s forge.

 

“To Commander Hornung and his crew, congratulations on today’s long-awaited milestone, and I wish you success on your sea trials and look forward to seeing you at final delivery and commissioning. All the best, thank you.”