Senator Collins Secures Additional Funding For Third DDG-51 In FY13 Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee today approved the Fiscal Year 2013 defense funding bill that, with the support of Senator Susan Collins, includes an additional $1 billion for a third DDG-51 destroyer in FY13; a ship for which Bath Iron Works would compete to build.  The bill also includes $150 million to help pay for the repairs of the USS MIAMI which was severely damaged by arson in May while drydocked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.

            "This bipartisan effort shows the importance that the Senate has placed on shipbuilding programs and making sure the Navy is prepared to meet its national security commitments around the globe," said Senator Collins, who is a member of both the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee.  "I have always stressed the importance of the Navy and of shipbuilding to our national defense, and I am grateful to Chairman Inouye and Vice Chairman Cochran for their leadership on this issue.

             "I am also pleased to see an initial commitment of funds to repair the USS MIAMI.  I have met personally with the Chief of Naval Operations and urged the Navy to move forward with repairing this submarine and to undertake the repairs in Kittery at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  The PNSY does the best repair work in the Navy, and it means so much to the workforce to be able to fix the ship in Kittery after the tragic events of May."

     The Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense favorably reported the bill to the full Appropriations Committee today.  The full Appropriations Committee will consider the bill on Thursday.