Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
BRUNSWICK, ME — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today toured Bath Iron Works (BIW) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) with Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to highlight the importance of the shipyards to America’s national security and Maine communities. During the tour, Senator King and Senator Tester, the Chair of the Senate’s Defense Appropriations subcommittee, viewed some of the work being done at the facilities. Throughout the visit, Senator King stressed the importance of providing the shipyards with the stable funding and resources they need to support our national defense.
“Maine’s shipyards have long been a cornerstone of our national security, building the workhorses of our Navy and providing critical support to keep our sailors safe. Today, it was a privilege to show Chairman Tester the excellent work being done by the men and women at these shipyards, the importance of both facilities to our Naval readiness, and their significant and longstanding impact on Maine’s economy,” said Senator King. “I’m grateful that Jon made the trip today to get a firsthand look at the invaluable efforts of Maine’s skilled shipbuilders. Chairman Tester has long been a leader in supporting America’s national defense, and I look forward to our continued partnership to protect the American public and ensure that our soldiers and sailors have the best-possible tools to complete their missions.”
“Maine’s shipyards play a critical role in supporting our brave men and women in the Navy as they protect our nation,” said Senator Tester. “The ships produced in these yards are state of the art. It was a privilege to talk with some of Maine’s hard working ship builders, and I appreciate Senator King showing me his state’s critical contributions to our national defense.”
At Bath Iron Works (BIW), the Senators toured the shipyard’s construction facilities and met with the shipbuilders who make the world-class vessels. The tour included stops at the Assembly Building, Unit Integration Hall, and the Land Level Transfer Facility.
Later, at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY), the Senators received a briefing from top PNSY officials on the work of the shipyard, and saw the important modernization efforts at Dry Dock #1 that will allow PNSY to service next generation submarines. Senator King has long championed this modernization project – in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act King secured $160 million for the project, and in September, he took part in the Dry Dock’s groundbreaking.
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has championed funding for both Bath Iron Works (BIW) and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). In the recent 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, Senator King secured authorization of $4.9 billion for the procurement of 3 DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers which BIW can compete to build. Last year, Senator King hosted Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro at BIW where they took part in a similar tour, and earlier in 2021, he hosted Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker at both BIW and PNSY.
Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) serves as the Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which is responsible for providing nearly $700 billion annually to the Department of Defense and related agencies. This is more than 95 percent of the military’s yearly budget, and includes matters ranging from pay and benefits for millions of service members and civilians to the development of advanced technologies and next-generation weapons. The Subcommittee also oversees funding for nearly all major U.S. intelligence agencies. Tester previously served as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee for Appropriations, whose jurisdiction included all homeland and border security, cybersecurity, the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), and the Coast Guard.