The House Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee has approved its version of the fiscal year 2009 Defense Authorization bill that includes a provision that would completely eliminate funding for construction of the third DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyer. In contrast, the Senate version of the same bill includes a provision backed by Senator Collins that fully funds the third DDG-1000 and would benefit BIW, while also helping the Navy reach its long term force structure goals.
Senator Collins, who is a Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released this statement about the House defense authorization bill:
“The House Defense Authorization bill is ill advised. The cuts to the DDG-1000 proposed by the House Armed Services Committee would be devastating to the skilled workers at BIW, detrimental to our national security, and is not consistent with the Navy’s goal of a 313 ship fleet.
“I will continue to work to ensure that the Senate version of the bill prevails.”