SENATE APPROPRIATIONS BILL PREVENTS ONE SHIPYARD DD(X) ACQUISITION STRATEGY

Washington, DC – Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have successfully included a provision in the Supplemental Appropriations bill that would prevent the Navy from proceeding with a one shipyard acquisition strategy for the DD(X) program this year. The provision is in opposition to a Navy proposal that would result in only one shipyard building all of the DD(X) destroyers. The legislative language preserves the current system for this year that provides for two shipyards, including Bath Iron Works, to construct DD(X) destroyers.

The provision that Senators Snowe and Collins worked to have included in the appropriations bill prevents any federal funds from being used to change the acquisition strategy that the Pentagon currently uses for DD(X) contracts. The legislative language is included in the Supplemental Appropriations legislation that was approved today by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"We are so pleased to have the support of our Senate colleagues to preserve the multiple shipyard acquisition strategy for the DD(X) program. This sends a strong message to the Pentagon that it should not proceed with its one shipyard proposal," said the Senators in a joint statement. "It is vital to the national security requirements of our country that we maintain two working shipyards with the capability to build major surface combatants for our naval fleet. Two shipyards ensure greater competition in the long run – both in the development of cutting edge technology and in ensuring the best price for the taxpayer. It also ensures that we can ramp up production if necessary to meet future defense needs.

"The Navy's proposed strategy is short-sighted and threatens the industrial base and skilled workforce that has proven essential to our nation's defense," Senators Snowe and Collins added. "We will continue to press Navy and Pentagon leaders to rethink this misguided strategy. Given the threats we continue to face around the world, now is not the time to undermine our ability to continue to build destroyers." The Supplemental Appropriations bill must now be approved by the Senate.

Last month, the Senate approved a resolution that expressed the Senate's opposition to the Department of Defense pursuing a one shipyard acquisition strategy for the DD(X) destroyer contracts. The Senate approved the resolution by unanimous consent, with the support of Senators Snowe and Collins.

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