WASHINGTON – Congressman Rob Wittman, R-Va., and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today introduced bicameral, bipartisan legislation that would make it the policy of the United States to achieve the Navy’s requirement of 355 ships. Under the “Securing the Homeland by Increasing our Power on the Seas (SHIPS) Act,” the fleet would be comprised of the optimal mix of platforms, with funding levels subject to annual appropriations. Currently, only 276 ships are in the battle fleet. “My objective a...
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Friend, Secretary of Defense James Mattis testified yesterday before the House Armed Services Committee on the Department of Defense budget request. In his remarks, Secretary Mattis discussed the harmful effects of not passing a budget on time and the problems that creates for the DoD and members of our Armed Forces. “In the past, by failing to pass a budget on time or eliminate the threat of sequestration, Congress sidelined itself from its active constitutional oversight role,” Mattis said. “I...
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WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today released the following statements on President Trump's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018. On the budget: "This budget proposal rightly prioritizes defense, national security, and controlling spending on mandatory programs, which are the major drivers of our debt. And I support the efforts in this budget to reduce the deficit and debt. “It is now up to Congress to review this proposal and make decisions about future spending. I will be working...
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WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Gene Green (D-TX) introduced legislation (H.R. 2286) intended to advance the capabilities of two-year community and technical colleges to assist the federal government and industry in securing the talent pipeline for domestic maritime industry jobs. "A well-trained, skilled maritime workforce is critical for our nation's economy and national security," said Rep. Wittman. "Advancing the capabilities of community and techn...
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WASHINGTON -- With Saturday marking 100 days into the Trump Administration, Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) highlighted his constituent engagement efforts during that time in an email to First District residents. The email spotlighted the overall number of constituent contacts Rep. Wittman made during the first 100 days and also included figures for constituent correspondence received, responses sent, bills introduced, and forums held. "Listening to constituents is my top priority and helps me b...
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Dear Friends - It's spring time in Washington and that means you can count on two things: the cherry blossoms returning to bloom and Congress renewing the budget and appropriations process. The season always kicks off with the release of the president's budget, which serves as a recommendation to Congress. The House and Senate Budget Committees then produce budget resolutions of their own that, if passed, guide the Appropriations Committee in drafting the 12 actual spending bills that fund feder...
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WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, today released the following statement on the U.S. airstrikes in Syria. “Last evening, the United States launched 59 Tomahawk missiles from two United States Navy ships, striking Al Shayrat airfield in Syria. This airfield was used as the staging point for Tuesday's horrific chemical weapons attack perpetrated by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. I believe this Tomah...
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WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today released the following statement on the confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court. "The confirmation process made clear that Judge Neil Gorsuch is eminently qualified to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court. He will bring to the Court both the experience gained from his academic and judicial background and a legal philosophy that places life, liberty, and the words of the Constitution above all else. I a...
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Friends - Knowing of our shared interest in defense and maintaining national security, I wanted to share an article with you that highlights my efforts to grow the size of our Navy as chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. My goals for the subcommittee are to lay out a reasonable path to a 355 ship Navy, boost the base defense budget, and ensure our ship and submarine building industrial base can handle that increased capacity. A larger Navy will better allow our military t...
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WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01) today released the following statement on the House leadership’s decision to delay a vote on the American Health Care Act (H.R. 1628). "The American people want Obamacare repealed and replaced, as I have voted more than 60 times to do. What the American people don't want is a replacement that is only a slight improvement over the ACA. This legislation did not immediately reduce costs and left in place too many of the regulations responsible for drivin...
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