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Working For Maine
Rep. Tom Allen: US Navy Moves Forward on Granting BIW a Contract Award for the DDG 51 Line
Tuesday October 21, 2008
Washington, D.C. (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)—U.S. Representative Tom Allen issued the following statement in response to a recent article in Inside the Navy that the Navy is giving serious consideration a contract award to General Dynamics' Bath Iron Works (BIW) for most of the new destroyers the service plans to buy when it reopens the DDG 51 production line. This move breaks with the earlier practice of evenly distributing the construction of surface combatants between BIW and Northrop Grumman Ingalls in Pascagoula, MS.
"During my meeting with Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, I urged him to award future construction of six DDG 51s to BIW. And so, I was pleased to hear that the Navy is giving serious consideration to my proposal. This is hopeful news for BIW and clear recognition that the men and women at BIW are the finest shipbuilders in the world. This action demonstrates the commitment of both the Navy, and of Congress, to a vigorous, sustainable shipbuilding program that will ensure a steady workflow and maintain employment levels at BIW. I have sent a letter to the Navy advocating not only my support for this decision, but my assurance that BIW could capably build all eight ships of this class, should the service so choose to award the contract in that manner. Know that I will continue to work with Maine’s congressional delegation and others in Congress to secure funding for the ships that BIW will build.”
"During my meeting with Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, I urged him to award future construction of six DDG 51s to BIW. And so, I was pleased to hear that the Navy is giving serious consideration to my proposal. This is hopeful news for BIW and clear recognition that the men and women at BIW are the finest shipbuilders in the world. This action demonstrates the commitment of both the Navy, and of Congress, to a vigorous, sustainable shipbuilding program that will ensure a steady workflow and maintain employment levels at BIW. I have sent a letter to the Navy advocating not only my support for this decision, but my assurance that BIW could capably build all eight ships of this class, should the service so choose to award the contract in that manner. Know that I will continue to work with Maine’s congressional delegation and others in Congress to secure funding for the ships that BIW will build.”
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