Collins, Golden Host Chief of Naval Operations at Bath Iron Works

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Bath, ME – U.S. Senator Susan Collins and Representative Jared Golden hosted Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday at Bath Iron Works (BIW) to review the shipyard as well as meet with employees.  The visit included tours of several manufacturing areas, such as the outfit facility, post-blast paint shop, and Pier 4.  Additionally, Admiral Gilday, Senator Collins, and Representative Golden met the commander of the future USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120).

Today’s visit marked Admiral Gilday’s second trip to BIW.  Last year, Senator Collins and Representative Golden welcomed the CNO to BIW to tour the shipyard and meet with leadership and employees.

“It was a pleasure to welcome back Admiral Gilday to Bath Iron Works, where he had the opportunity to see firsthand the tremendous skill and dedication of employees who are building the Navy’s most capable ships.  We also met with the commander of the future USS Carl M. Levin.  It is reassuring to know that the brave men and women of the Navy will crew a ship built by the world’s best shipbuilders,” said Senator Collins.  “Increasing the size of our Navy fleet is imperative to our national security in order to counter the rising aggression by Russia and China.  As a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I will continue to work to ensure that BIW has the resources it needs to support our Navy.”

“Admiral Gilday’s visit today was a welcome opportunity to showcase the skill and dedication of the shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works and the importance to our national security of maintaining the defense industrial base,” said Congressman Golden.  “I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Collins and the rest of the congressional delegation to ensure our country has a well-equipped Navy and to support good-paying jobs at the shipyard.”

As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Collins recently secured funding in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus to construct two DDG-51 destroyers, restoring funding for a second ship that had been cut in the Navy’s budget request.  Last year, Senator Collins also hosted Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro and Former-Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Harker in Maine so that they could see the important work being done at Bath Iron Works.

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