Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – The Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus today welcomed United States Navy Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), as its honored guest speaker before the meeting of Members of Congress, shipbuilding industry partners and military servicemembers, to discuss shipbuilding issues as he settles in to his new position as CNO. Representative Rob Wittman (VA-01), a Co-Chair of the Caucus and member of the House Armed Services Committee, welcomed Admiral Greenert, along with Caucus Co-Chair Joe Courtney (CT-02). Admiral Greenert discussed the current status of our fleet capabilities, challenges facing the fleet, the future of Naval shipbuilding, and the area of responsibilities that our fleet will operate in throughout the 21^st century.

“As Congress continues to debate funding for defense over the next ten years, shipbuilding and the capabilities of our fleet is an especially critical area that we must consider to ensure the strategic objectives of our Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard,” Wittman said. “The Department of Defense budget will shrink over the next ten years and the process by which we build and maintain our fleet must become more efficient. The demand by our combatant commanders for an agile, expeditious, powerful fleet packing capabilities, ranging from combat operations to humanitarian assistance, remains high in order to project power and presence around the globe. These demands require a strategic balance of resources, and we will continue to work together to meet these needs in these times of austerity.”

The Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus is a venue for Members to discuss shipbuilding issues that impact their districts, to work together to support increased shipbuilding efforts for the United States Navy that will enhance our national security, and to improve awareness regarding shipbuilding matters across Capitol Hill. Our Caucus provides a forum for Members of Congress, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers, and industry leaders to exchange views on the current and future states of domestic shipbuilding.

Congressman Rob Wittman represents the First District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee where he is the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

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