Peace Garden News

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) joined 12 of their colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) in sending a letter to Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro demanding he uphold his commitment to provide an updated 30-year shipbuilding plan to the committee and abide by the Navy’s statutory requirement to maintain a minimum of 31 amphibious warfare ships.

“At this time, you have not yet contacted the Committee to follow through on your commitment. As we reiterated during the hearing, the statutory requirement for the Navy to maintain 31 amphibious warfare ships is not a suggestion, but a requirement based on the assessed needs of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Navy’s current plan not only violates the statutory requirement, but also jeopardizes the future effectiveness of the Joint Force, especially as we consider national security threats in the Indo-Pacific. We request that you provide the Committee an updated shipbuilding plan no later than June 19, 2023. Alternatively, we request that you submit a plan to adhere to the statutory requirement before that date,” wrote the senators.

Joining Senators Cramer and Sullivan are Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Rick Scott (R-FL), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Deb Fischer (R-NE).

Click here to read the letter.

Original source can be found here.