{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413340", "U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle Smith delivers remarks at ceremony to commission new submarine named after New Jersey", "2024-09-14", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) joined high-ranking Navy officers and sailors today at U.S. Naval Weapons Station Earle in Middletown to commission the USS New Jersey\u2014the branch\u2019s newest submarine and the third naval vessel named after the state of New Jersey.\n\n\u201cToday is a special day for the United States Navy and our country,\u201d said Smith, who has represented three Navy installations during his tenure in Congress\u2014including Naval Weapons Station Earle, Naval Air Warfare Center Trenton and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst (now part of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst).\n\n\u201cOnce again, a vessel named after the great state of New Jersey will take to sea flying the flag of the United States, venturing to the darkest depths of the ocean to protect the homeland, deter aggression, and safeguard the American way of life,\u201d Smith, the Dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, said delivered remarks at the ceremony.\n\nA highly advanced and lethal fast attack submarine, the USS New Jersey measures 377 feet long, weighs 7,800 tons, and can remain submerged under water for up to three months.\n\nSmith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, noted that threats to U.S. national security are ubiquitous and said, \u201cthe importance of this submarine\u2019s capability and decisiveness in battle cannot be overstated in a world with escalated existential threats from Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un and Iran.\u201d\n\n\u201cDeployment of the USS New Jersey and other submarines\u2014especially this Virginia class of nuclear-powered, cruise missile, fast-attack sub\u2014provide the extra level of deterrence and long-range capability to dissuade our enemies,\u201d said Smith.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not lost on us that this ceremony is taking place in the shadow of the Freedom Tower where 23 years ago this week, terrorists unleashed a deadly, coordinated attack on our country and everything we hold dear,\u201d Smith said.\n\nSmith\u2014who recognized the significant contributions of Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the submarine\u2019s sponsor Dr. Susan DiMarco, and members of the Commissioning Committee who organized the special occasion\u2014especially thanked the submarine\u2019s skipper, Commander Steven Halle, and the crew who would serve in the years to come on the newly commissioned USS New Jersey.\n\n\u201cTo the \u2018Devils of the Deep,\u2019 the USS New Jersey\u2019s dedicated crew of plankowners\u2014you represent the best America has to offer,\u201d said Smith. \u201cYou have answered the nation\u2019s call to serve at a time of distinct and present threat to the U.S. and our allies.\u201d\n\n\u201cKnow that the people of New Jersey and all Americans are grateful for your tenacity, courage and commitment to our nation, and your commitment to this vessel and its mission,\u201d Smith added.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:43:57Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=413340"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9569711983203888, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}