WASHINGTON, D.C.- A bill was agreed upon by Senators and Representatives in Washington to increase spending for new ships for the U.S. Navy. A portion of those ships will be built in Mississippi.
The Senate Appropriations Committee and a Subcommittee on Defense worked together to decide on a spending budget for the FY2017 for the Department of Defense.
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran serves as the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and said, “I am optimistic that Congress will approve this agreement and give the Department of Defense what it requires to keep our nation safe and meet the needs of our servicemen and women.”
The agreement gave $1.8 billion for advance procurement of the LHA-8 amphibious assault ship, and $3.6 billion for the construction of three DDG-51 destroyers.
One of those machines will be build in Pascagoula at Ingalls Shipyard.
In total the bill would provide $21.1 billion to Navy shipbuilding programs. That’s $2.8 billion more than the budget request for the three new ships. This would allow for two other submarines to be built in Virginia, along with three DDG-51 destroyers, three Littoral Combat Ships, one LHA amphibious assault ship and one LPD amphibious transport dock.
The House will take up the defense funding measure this week.
