Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, delivered the following opening remarks at a hearing on the state of U.S. shipbuilding.
 
Rep. Kelly’s remarks as prepared for delivery: 
 
Good morning and welcome everyone to the first hearing for the Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee this Congress. We have many familiar faces on the subcommittee as well as some new ones. I look forward to working with everyone to address pressing national security issues within our jurisdiction. Perhaps the biggest issue is the one we are discussing today, which is our struggles with designing and building ships. 
 
The United States is a maritime nation, and we cannot fulfil our historical role in the maritime domain without our surface ship and submarine fleet. Unfortunately, China and our peer competitors have also studied Mahan’s work.
 
They know the value of maritime strength and have made significant leaps in the size of their commercial fleet as well as their naval strength. If we expect to deter or defeat any peer adversary, we must maintain America’s command of the world’s oceans. 
 
We have a requirement for 381 ships based on the most recent Battle Force Ship Assessment and Requirement report from 2023. Unfortunately, the most recent 30-year shipbuilding plan lays out a path where we wouldn’t meet that mark until 2050.  That plan also makes assumptions on procurement costs and the rate of ship delivery that may no longer be viable.
 
The results of last year’s 45-day shipbuilding review showed many programs were significantly behind schedule. Some of the expected delays are alarming. For example, delivery of the Constellation class frigate is expected to be delayed by 3 years. However, it is unclear what lessons we have learned from that review, and President Trump is right to order another.
 
These problems are why I am so excited about the President's plan to stand up a dedicated shipbuilding office in the White House. This is a critical step toward ensuring that shipbuilding remains a national priority and that we take a whole-of-government approach to strengthening our industrial base. Inaction is not an option because our shipbuilding struggles are more than just schedule delays. 
 
Our witnesses from GAO and CBO have published several reports detailing severe cost overruns and extreme increases in unit costs for many programs. If this trend continues, we may not be able to recapitalize our fleet without sacrificing other budget priorities.
 
To address these challenges, we need more than just small adjustments; we need a bold and comprehensive commitment to rebuilding our shipbuilding industrial base. That is why I introduced the bipartisan SHIPS Act in the 118th Congress and am working to reintroduce it this Congress. 
 
Investments in modernizing shipyards, strengthening workforce development, and stabilizing supply chains, as outlined in the SHIPS Act, will be key to ensuring that we can sustain a modern, capable Navy while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers. It will also create thousands of good-paying American jobs and strengthen communities.
 
To say this plainly: we must act now. Whether through changes to our procurement processes, stronger industrial base investments, or cultural shifts within shipbuilding program offices, we need to make these decisions sooner rather than later.
 
I look forward to having a frank conversation today and hope that we will be able to examine our current problem through real transparency. 
 
Thank you to our witnesses for your participation in this hearing, and I look forward to your testimony.