House bill would increase sub production year early, The Day

House bill would increase sub production year early

By Jennifer Grogan

The Day

May 24, 2008

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a defense-spending plan Thursday that includes funding to increase Virginia-class submarine production ahead of schedule.

The Navy's current plan calls for an increase from one submarine per year to two in 2011, but U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney shifted $300 million in the budget authorization for buying Navy ships to pay for two submarines in 2010.

This would result in a staggered construction schedule - two submarines a year in 2010, one in 2011, two in 2012 and then continuing at two a year. Courtney represents the 2nd District, which includes submarine manufacturer Electric Boat in Groton.

Courtney then worked with Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, to further amend the authorization to add another $422 million, for a total of $722 million, for construction of two submarines a year in both in 2010 and 2011.

The House approved the plan by a vote of 384-23.

The Senate version has significantly less money for new construction on Virginia-class submarines, $79 million, and an additional $15 million for design work on the next generation ballistic-missile submarine.

The House version includes $10 million for design work and $15 million for the development of a large diameter weapons launch tube for Virginia-class submarines. The differences between the bills have to be worked out in conference and the authorization must be funded through the appropriations process.

”While this bill is a strong and bipartisan commitment to our submarine force, the authorization and appropriations process is a long and windy road,” Courtney said in a statement. “I will continue to work with my colleagues to advocate for this important investment in the future of our Navy and our submarine force.”

The House bill also authorizes $46 million to replace a pier at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, and requires any future Defense Base Closure and Realignment round to be conducted using a new process, instead of making decisions by a commission like the one used in 2005.

The Pentagon announced during the 2005 BRAC round that it would close the base in Groton and transfer the submarines and various commands to bases in Kings Bay, Ga., and Norfolk, Va. The base escaped that fate when the independent Base Closure and Realignment Commission overruled the Pentagon's proposal.