Hampton Roads Lawmakers Call on New Chief of Naval Operations to Reassess Mayport in Light of Budgetary Constraints
House of Representatives Passes Defense Authorization Bill Without Funding for Mayport Carrier Move
Coverage: MSNBC
Past Articles and Press Releases:
House Armed Services Committee Tables Proposed Carrier Move (Press release)
VIDEO: Rep. Rigell Speaks at the end of the Full Committee Consideration of the Readiness Subcommittee Mark
Rigell asks Secretary Gates to Cut Funding to Move Carrier from Norfolk (May 24)
McDonnell Comments on Cut Funding for Aircraft Carrier Move (WHSV.com, May 13)
House panel axes funding to move Norfolk carrier to Fla. (Virginian-Pilot, May 11)
Rigell Keeps Carrier in VA (FrumForum, May 12)
House votes to end Obama Moratorium on Offshore Drilling (Bearing Drift, May 12)
Lawmakers vote to cut carrier move fund (WAVY, May 12)
Armed Services Frosh in Balancing Act (Politico, May 9)
Panel OKs budget without $30M for Mayport carrier move (Virginian-Pilot, May 6)
Funding for Carrier Move to Mayport Struck in Subcommittee Markup (May 5)
--
Background:
Earlier this year, I submitted a request to the House Armed Services Committee to remove the unnecessary funding of military construction as well as planning and design funds that would have permitted the move of a nuclear aircraft carrier from Norfolk to Naval Station Mayport.
The Department of Defense is under tremendous budgetary constraints, and the total cost of this plan may easily exceed one billion dollars. Moving a carrier from Norfolk to Mayport is both fiscally irresponsible and strategically unnecessary. In the face of so many unfunded, critical requirements for shipbuilding, aircraft procurement, and maintenance of ships and shore installations, the President and the Department of the Navy should defer the Mayport homeporting scheme and invest in areas where real risk exists today.
Learn more about our efforts to Keep the Carrier in Norfolk with the links below.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012
Markup Schedule
Amendments
Subcommittee Marks
Full Committee Mark
Legislative Action Blog In Rep. Rigell's Words:
My Blog: Keeping the Carrier, Part I
Additional Resources:
House Armed Services Committee
The Defense Drum Beat Blog
|