In Big Win for Bath Shipbuilders, Golden Announces Authorization for Three DDG-51 Destroyers in Final Defense Bill

WASHINGTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) announced today that a provision he fought for and guided through Congress to authorize the construction of three new DDG-51 destroyers has been included in the final version of the annual defense bill, the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). DDG-51 destroyers, the workhorses of America's naval fleet, are the ships built at Bath Iron Works (BIW).

"Eight months ago, the idea that we would be able to secure three ships in this year's defense bill seemed impossible. The Biden Administration had proposed just one destroyer next year, breaking their multi-year procurement contract with the shipyard and leaving BIW without certainty they'd get even a single ship," said Golden. "It could have led to significant layoffs at BIW. In the House Armed Services Committee, we not only reversed the administration's harmful cuts, we added a third destroyer next year. Now our provision is included in the final bill, which is great news for American national security and the Maine shipbuilders I'm proud to represent."

Golden's announcement follows eight months of uncertainty for the shipyard and marks a significant reversal of fortunes from earlier this year. In May, the Biden Administration proposed cuts to DDG-51 shipbuilding, requesting the construction of just one ship in FY2022 and breaching the contract the Department of Defense had signed with the shipyard. Golden and the Maine delegation raised the alarm about the impacts the cuts would have on the shipbuilding workforce and national security, and Golden went on to use his position on the House Armed Services Committee, including as Vice Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, to ensure that the NDAA went beyond reversing the Biden proposal to add a third ship that BIW can compete to build.

The House passed its version of the NDAA months ago, including the provision authorizing construction of the three DDG-51s. On the other side of the Capitol, the Senate Armed Services Committee authorized construction of two destroyers; however, their legislation never passed the Senate. Since the Senate did not pass their version of the NDAA, House and Senate defense leaders were forced to negotiate a last-minute compromise measure to ensure the bill passed before the end of the year. The House passed that compromise bill last night and the Senate is expected to take it up in the coming days without modifications.

Congressman Golden also worked to include a number of other Maine priorities in the FY2022 NDAA, including:

• Passage of legislation necessary to begin construction of a Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall.
• A 2.7 percent pay raise for American servicemembers;
• A provision directing the Department of Defense to detail and certify the cost savings associated with a multi-year procurement contract for the DDG-51. This certification is a necessary step to achieving a multi-year procurement provision in future NDAA legislation;
• Authorization for critical land-based tests for the DDG(X) destroyer program. The DDG(X) is expected to succeed the DDG-51 later this decade and the tests should result in schedule and budget savings for the program;
• Maintaining the priority training and funding status of the KC-135, the principal aircraft of the Maine National Guard; and
• Funding for innovative research projects at the UMaine Advanced Composites Center.

For a summary of the final bill, click here.

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