Lawmakers call on House appropriators to add Virginia-class sub to Navy budget

A bipartisan delegation of lawmakers sent a letter this week to the chairman and ranking member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee urging them to add a Virginia-class submarine to the Navy’s fiscal year 2021 budget.

"The proposal to request one attack submarine is contrary to the National Defense Strategy, the needs of our combatant commanders, and a decade of congressional action in support of a steady two-a-year build rate to support our national security and ensure stability in the industrial base," according to the March 16 letter signed by Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Jim Langevin (D-RI).

"To that end, we respectfully request your strong support for two Virginia-class submarines" in FY-21, the document continues.

The congressmen also urged the committee to fully support the Navy’s request for the Columbia-class submarine program.

The letter was sent on behalf of more than 100 other lawmakers.

Reps. Peter Visclosky (D-IN) and Ken Calvert (R-CA) are the chairman and ranking member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, respectively.