Daily Press: Forbes Pushes Ship Repair

Friend-

The Hampton Roads ship repair industrial base is truly a national asset. The men and women of our region have dedicated their lives to supporting our warfighters, and they are the best in the world.

I recently authored legislation that would ensure our ship repair industry is given the stability it needs to thrive by making sure that major repair availabilities are done domestically rather than abroad. My legislation is moving through the Armed Services Committee this week. You can read about my work advocating for this important economic and national security resource in the Daily Press this week.

Yours in service,

Randy

P.S. I will never stop working to make sure that equipping our men and women in uniform to successfully accomplish their missions and return safely home is our top priority.  

 

Virginia Politics: Forbes pushes ship repair measures
Daily Press
April 26, 2016

Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, wants to bar U.S. Navy ships deployed far from the United States from using foreign shipyards for major overhauls or repairs – that is, projects that take more than six months.

It's a move he says will help U.S. yards maintain themselves and that will insure work done on naval vessels meets U.S. standards.

Forbes' proposal is the latest in his series of ship repair initiatives, including measures already adopted by the House Armed Services. Those are: 

* a boost in funding for Navy Operations and Maintenance manpower intended to prevent inactivation of cruisers and deactivation of the Navy' 10^th carrier air wing

* an additional $1.3 billion for operations and maintenance that includes $158 million for readiness work on ships that are afloat, $308 million for ship depots and $275 million for Navy sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects.

* Tightening standards for doing repair work away from a vessel's homeport; while work that required more than six months can now be done at other parts, Forbes' proposal increases that threshold to 10 months. The move eases burdens on sailors and families and gives the Navy more flexibility to mitigate dips in shipyard workloads, he said. It also, of course, benefits Hampton Roads. 

 

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