{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/12/warner-kaine-call-for-block-buy-of-future-aircraft-carriers", "Warner & Kaine Call for Block Buy of Future Aircraft Carriers", "2017-12-14", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "VA", "Mark Warner", "W000805", "www.warner.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Tim Kaine (D-VA), were joined today by Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and 14 Senators in sending a letter to Department of Defense Secretary James Mattis expressing their support for the Pentagon\u2019s pursuit to block buy two Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers in FY2019.\r\n\u201cCommitting to a block-buy for the newest generation of aircraft carriers would save us both time and money while offering much needed stability to our shipbuilders in Hampton Roads and suppliers across the Commonwealth as they build the ships to meet our nation\u2019s national security needs,\u201dKaine\u00a0said. \u201cIt is critical that we ensure tomorrow\u2019s Navy has the next-generation of warships necessary to meet challenges around the world, and this procurement strategy will ensure that our flexible force continues to be ready and agile.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt is the official policy of the United States government \u2013 and in the interest of our national security \u2013 to meet the Navy\u2019s requirement for 355 ships,\u201dWicker said.\u00a0\u201cThat requirement includes having a total of 12 aircraft carriers, which are the centerpieces of American power on the seas.\u00a0 Attaining this goal is going to require better procurement strategies and use of taxpayer dollars. Secretary Mattis has my full support to move forward with a block buy for the next two Ford-class carriers.\u201d\u00a0\r\nIn addition to Wicker, Kaine, and Warner, the letter was signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Luther Strange (R-AL), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).\u00a0\r\nThe letter reads in full:\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Secretary Mattis,\r\nAs you continue preparation of the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for the Department of Defense, we write to express our support for the block buy of Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers.\u00a0 It is our understanding that the Navy and industry have been evaluating the feasibility of block-buy for CVN-80 and CVN-81, as well as the potential cost savings from such a procurement strategy.\u00a0 We applaud the Department of Defense\u2019s efforts to examine smarter and more efficient acquisition approaches and would actively support the Department\u2019s pursuit of a block buy of Ford-class aircraft carriers in Fiscal Year 2019.\r\nPrevious block-buys have yielded savings of several percent of the total cost of the ships when compared to annual procurements, which could be in excess of $1 billion for two Ford-class carriers. Total savings could grow to something closer to $2 billion if the procurement intervals between the ships are additionally shortened from five-year centers to three- or four-year centers, which would be consistent with the Navy's goal of achieving and maintaining the 12-carrier force called for in the Navy's 355-ship requirement.\r\nIn light of the increased budgetary demands placed on the Department, we believe that revisiting a proven acquisition method, one that could be executed without reducing funding for other vital shipbuilding programs, is not only warranted, but a sound investment.\u00a0\r\nAs recent events in the Pacific have shown, our nation's carrier fleet is under considerable demand, with 3 of 11 deployed and 7 of 11 carriers underway in recent weeks.\u00a0 A block-buy of Ford-class will help the Navy achieve its objective of 12 carriers that better meets combatant commander requirements and readiness goals to sustain worldwide operations.\u00a0 Additionally, a block-buy would continue to signal to the shipbuilding industrial base about our nation\u2019s resolve to field a 355-ship fleet.\u00a0 Over the past 25 years, our shipbuilding industrial base has undergone a massive consolidation.\u00a0 The community, which used to tap into more than 17,000 suppliers now relies on fewer than 3,000 across the country. These remaining suppliers would significantly benefit from the predictability and stability of a known future workload.\u00a0 We believe the stability offered by a block-buy approach would enable suppliers to develop greater efficiencies and invest in their own businesses, which would further benefit other Navy shipbuilding programs as well.\r\nAt the forefront of today\u2019s Navy is the Nimitz class carrier and Virginia-class submarine, both of which are successful products of block-buy type initiatives.\u00a0 As we look to the next 50 years, we believe a wise investment of our precious defense dollars would be in the time-proven acquisition method of block-buy for our next generation of aircraft carrier. Thank you for your consideration and service to our country.\u00a0\r\nClick here to view a copy of the signed letter.\r\n\u00a0\r\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2017/12/warner-kaine-call-for-block-buy-of-future-aircraft-carriers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4244550839066505, "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"}