Legislation from U.S. Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) would exempt public shipyard workforces from federal hiring freezes and mass layoffs.
The legislation, the Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act, would protect the workforce responsible for repairing and retrofitting the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers and submarines. Passing the legislation would ensure American overhauling of its nuclear-powered submarine fleet will continue uninterrupted by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense to exempt certain positions from workforce reductions.
“As a Navy veteran and representative of thousands of shipyard workers in Hampton Roads, I know firsthand that America’s public shipyards are the backbone of our fleet readiness. The men and women who maintain and modernize our subs and ships should never be caught up in bureaucratic hiring freezes that jeopardize national security. I’m glad to see bipartisan efforts in the Senate to codify exemptions for shipyard workers, and I’ll continue fighting in the House to ensure our shipyards have the skilled workforce they need to keep our Navy strong,” Kiggans said.
Recent guidelines limit Navy hiring to no more than 1,550 external personnel across all naval institutions for each month – a number of law makers said was too small to meet shipyard demands. The proposed legislation would prohibit shipyard workforce reductions, protect positions that support nuclear maintenance and refueling; infrastructure operations and the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program; and ensure the DOD retains the authority to fire for cause.
The legislation is led by U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME).
“The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a critical component of our national defense and is an economic engine for New Hampshire’s Seacoast. The men and women of our Shipyard work every day with skill and patriotism to ensure our nation’s readiness and support our military for any battle that lies ahead. Their work is essential for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to meet its mission, and their job security should not be in question,” Pappas said. “The Department of Defense must fully exempt our public shipyards from further job cuts and hiring freezes, and I will continue fighting to ensure they provide the resources our shipyards need to ensure our country is strong and prepared for the future.”