Bordallo Advocates for ‘Repair American’ for U.S. Navy Ships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—April 11, 2006—Washington, D.C.—

Fresh on the heels of a Congressional Delegation that visited the Guam Shipyard on March 26, 2006, a hearing was held in Washington on Navy transformation held by the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.  The Readiness Subcommittee, chaired by Congressman Joel Hefley (CO), has oversight of Naval ship maintenance policies and practices. The hearing included consideration of the impact on ship maintenance practices of the planned shift to the Pacific of increased Naval forces as outlined in the recently released Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR).

During the hearing, Congresswoman Bordallo, joined by several of her Congressional colleagues, questioned officials from the Navy and the U.S. Department of Transportation on the practice of sending U.S. vessels overseas, most notably to Singapore, for repair. The Congresswoman challenged this practice when there exists excess capacity in shipyards on Guam, Hawaii and the U.S. west coast. Congresswoman Bordallo took the opportunity to emphasize that these shipyards employ skilled American workers, are facing decreased workload and provide secure locations to host American ships. She further noted that there is need for increased work in these shipyards to sustain the ship repair workforce.

“The Guam Shipyard is an important small business employer on Guam.  As the Commander of the Pacific Fleet has certified, the Guam Shipyard is of vital strategic importance to the U.S. Navy,” Bordallo stated. 

Testifying before the Readiness Subcommittee on Thursday, April 6, 2006, were:  Vice Admiral Justin D. McCarthy, Director for Material Readiness and Logistics, U.S. Navy; and Mr. John Jamian, Acting Director, Maritime Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.

Rear Admiral Donald K. Bullard, Commander of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, and Mr. Christopher D. Thayer, Director of Strategic Planning for the Military Sealift Command, were also in attendance and fielded questions from the committee. 

During the hearing Congresswoman Bordallo noted that nine Congressional Delegations (CODELs) have visited Guam since she took office in 2003.  She particularly highlighted the recent visit Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (MD) and Congressman Gene Taylor (MS) made to the Guam Shipyard where they saw first-hand the value of the ship repair capability that the Guam shipyard provides to the U.S. Pacific fleet.

“The Members of Congress who have visited Guam understand the value of our island to U.S. national security.  They also recognize the importance of the Guam Shipyard and its skilled workforce to the U.S. Navy and to our Maritime Ready Reserve Fleet,” Bordallo said.  “These are the workers that performed the initial repairs on the USS SAN FRANCISCO after its underwater accident in the Pacific Ocean in 2005.  The Guam Shipyard proved invaluable to saving this submarine and we can be sure the shipyard will be invaluable to the Navy in other ways for many years into the future.”

Bordallo also emphasized the need to safeguard our national security interests.  “During times of war, America will have to rely on secure American shipyards.  That is why this Congress has emphasized that America will not outsource our national security. We must sustain our ship repair industrial base,” Bordallo concluded.

Congresswoman Bordallo testifies at the April 6, 2006, hearing of the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Readiness on Navy transformation.  Congressman John Hostettler (IN) and Chairman Joel Hefley (CO) listen intently.

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Contact:  Alicia Chon in Washington, D.C. at (202) 225-1188 or Joseph E. Duenas at (671) 477-4272/4.

www.house.gov/bordallo

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