VA senators call for protecting Carrier Replacement Program funding

Virginia Democratic Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are calling on the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee leadership to protect funding for the Carrier Replacement Program during the fiscal year 2017 appropriations process.

If the Defense Department is funded temporarily through a continuing resolution longer than Dec. 9 (when the current CR runs out), advance procurement funding for the program would continue at FY-16 levels and delay shipbuilding unless the legislation includes an exception for the Navy to move forward with the program at funding levels requested in the president's FY-17 budget.

In a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, Warner and Kaine write:

"As you know, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier fleet is already stretched thin, and as a result, the Navy has required a waiver to have one fewer operational carrier than the 11 required by Congress. The current fleet of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers is being utilized at unprecedented rates because of a complex security environment and a delayed procurement of additional ships.  This over-utilization is resulting in extended deployments, deferred maintenance, reduced operational availability, increased ownership costs and potentially shortened life spans for these strategic assets. Ensuring stable and adequate funding for the Carrier Replacement Program is one of the foremost steps Congress can take to allay the risks associated with the current shortfall in available aircraft carriers."

View the full letter here.