Bipartisan Congressional Letter Urges President-Elect To Make Robust Investments In Shipbuilding

A bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress recently sent a letter to President-elect Barack Obama urging his Administration to support robust shipbuilding policies to re-energize commercial ship construction in the United States. "Such policies and funding," the letter states, "would create and sustain highly skilled jobs, strengthen our national and homeland security, and modernize and expand our domestic marine transportation highway."

The letter states that while military leaders have documented a minimum national requirement of 313 ships to support America's Navy and Marine Corps, the Navy's fleet has declined to 284 ships. In order to attain 313 ships, 12 ships need to be budgeted annually.

The Senators also highlighted the national security benefits to increasing America's shipbuilding.

"While America's naval fleet is in decline, the navies of potential adversaries are on the rise," the letter reads. "Russia has made rebuilding its naval power a priority, and the navy of China is expanding rapidly. By 2015 the Chinese Navy is projected to be larger than ours, and Russia has stated its intention to have the second largest Navy in the world by 2022. These countries may be building their naval forces to deny America access to critical regions and to limit America's influence around the world."

The Senate letter was signed by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Mel Martinez (R-FL), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), David Vitter (R-LA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Bill Nelson (D-FL), John Kerry (D-MA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Chris Dodd (D-CT).

A similar letter from Members of the House of Representatives was signed by Gene Taylor (D-MS), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Steve Kagen (D-WI), Robert Brady (D-PA), Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Susan Davis (D-CA), Rodney Alexander (R-LA), Henry Brown (R-SC), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Jim Langevin (D-RI), James McGovern (D-MA), Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), John Carter (R-TX), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Randy Forbes (R-VA), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Bart Stupak (D-MI), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), Betty Sutton (D-OH), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Steve Scalise (R-LA), Travis Childers (D-MS), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Bob Latta (R-OH), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Bob Filner (D-CA), Walter Jones (R-NC), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Gene Green (D-TX), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jo Bonner (R-AL), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Pete Visclosky (D-IN), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Timothy Bishop (D-NY).