Kiggans and Pappas Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Shipyard Workforce, U.S. National Security

Washington, DC-Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02), alongside Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), introduced the bipartisan Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act. This legislation would exempt the workforces of America's four public shipyards, which are responsible for repairing and retrofitting the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers and submarines, from federal hiring freezes and mass layoffs. Passage of this legislation would ensure that the overhaul of America's nuclear-powered submarine fleet continues uninterrupted by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense to exempt certain positions at public shipyards from workforce reductions.

This bipartisan legislation is led in the U.S. Senate by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME).

"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," said Congresswoman Kiggans.

"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," said Congressman Pappas. "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."

Under the current administration's most recent guidelines, the Navy is limited to hiring no more than 1,550 external personnel across all naval institutions each month-far too few to meet the demand of America's public shipyards.

Specifically, the Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act would:

• Prohibit workforce reductions at the nation's four public shipyards caused by federal hiring freezes or budgetary cuts.
  
• Exempt critical skilled positions from any such reductions, including: welders, pipefitters, shipfitters, radiological technicians, engineers, mechanics, painters and blasters, apprentices, and workforce development pipeline positions.
  
• Protect positions that support nuclear maintenance and refueling, infrastructure operations, and the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program.
  
• Ensure that DoD retains authority to address cases of misconduct or poor performance while safeguarding the broader workforce from arbitrary cuts.

By protecting these jobs, this legislation ensures the uninterrupted maintenance and modernization of America's nuclear-powered fleet, strengthens national security, and provides stability for the thousands of skilled workers and their families who are the foundation of our Navy's readiness.