Maine's two U.S. Representatives were joined by House colleagues from both parties Friday at Bath Iron Works (BIW) to deliver a simple message: "we've got your back."
The visit came after news of a Pentagon proposal to make a significant cut in its ship-building plans. It's a move analysts said would be "devastating" for BIW, which is contracted to build Arleigh-Burke class Destroyers for the Navy.
"I think we all feel confident we'll be secure in the future, but we're not going to take anything for granted, and we're going to fight for every last dime," said U.S. Rep Chellie Pingree, who sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.
Pingree and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden last week sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Espy reminding him that Congress has mandated a 355-ship fleet.
In Maine Friday, they were backed by the Chair of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Sea Power and Projection Forces, and by its ranking member, U.S. Rep. Robert Whitman, a Virginia Republican.
"We understand how critical it is for this nation to have this industrial base, to have the talented shipbuilders that are here in Bath," Whitman said.
He agreed with Pingree that there is virtually "zero" chance that Congress would accept the Pentagon proposal. Under current authorization, the Pentagon will let contracts for at least three Arleigh-Burke destroyers in the next year.
Ingalls Construction in Mississippi is BIW's lone competitor capable of building the guided-missile destroyers.
