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Washington, D.C., May 13, 2009 - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) today called for full funding of the Navy’s shortfall in ship repair and maintenance by introducing an amendment to increase ship repair funding by $425.3 million in the 2009 defense supplemental spending bill. The funding would cover the Navy’s stated shortfall of $262 million for 2009 and funding to cover repairs for three recently damaged Navy ships, USS PORT ROYAL, the USS HARTFORD and the USS NEW ORLEANS.

“Inadequate ship repair funding jeopardizes the Navy’s 313-ship plan and our ability to deal with growing threats and instability around the world, whether it is off the coast of Somalia or in the Pacific,” said Forbes. “Unfortunately, now that the Pentagon has classified routine ship readiness reports, the public and many Members of Congress have been left in the dark regarding the state of our Navy’s surface fleet.  The fact is, defense industry sources have reported that at least six navy ships, including a nuclear submarine, have been rated as unfit for combat in the last year, but no one can talk about them because those reports are classified.”

In a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations last week, Forbes called attention to the shortfall in funding for the Navy's ship repair fund, and asked that the Committee fully fund the Navy's stated requirements for 2009. Last year, Congressman Forbes successfully added $120 million to cover the Navy’s expected ship repair shortfall in the 2009 defense policy bill, but the Senate rejected the change.

Congressman Forbes’ amendment did not receive an up or down vote on the House floor because the defense supplemental spending bill will be considered under a closed rule after one hour of debate tomorrow.

Congressman Forbes is Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee. For more information on his work on defense issues, visit http://forbes.house.gov/issues/defense.htm.