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November 13, 2007

Bush signs bill boosting submarine production

WASHINGTON -- President Bush signed a defense spending bill today that would double Virginia-class submarine production to two boats per year, capping a long battle by Connecticut and Rhode Island lawmakers eager to protect home-state jobs.

The lawmakers won House and Senate approval of the measure last week. They have been pressing the Navy for several years to accelerate plans to double production of the high-tech attack submarine. Boosting production could help safeguard jobs at Electric Boat, the submarine-maker with facilities in both states.

The bill includes $588 million to allow the Navy to begin building two boats per year as early as 2010, lawmakers said.

About 7,600 people work at Electric Boat's shipyard in Groton while about 2,000 are employed at the company's Quonset Point facility in Rhode Island. Electric Boat, a division of General Dynamics Corp., and Northrop Grumman Newport News in Virginia together produce one $2.5 billion submarine a year.

The Navy has said it opposes moving up its plans for a second sub before 2012.

Connecticut and Rhode Island officials are concerned that the Navy seems determined to pull back from submarines in favor of other weaponry. They say building one submarine per year is not enough to replace the nation's aging nuclear submarine fleet, a concern that has taken on new urgency because of homeland security issues.

"This is a great day for southeastern Connecticut and an important victory for our nation's defense infrastructure," said Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., whose district includes the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton and the nearby Electric Boat shipyard. "This victory seemed elusive a year ago and just a dream for many years, but I am pleased to be able to announce that this part of the fight is now over."

Courtney spearheaded the House fight for submarine funding along with colleagues from both states.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 5:31 PM | Permalink

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