Warner & Kaine commend Navy on USS George Washington overhaul

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine Tuesday applauded the U.S. Navy for moving forward to begin work on the refueling and complex overhaul of the aircraft carrier USS  George Washington.

Navy sources confirm that a 182 million contract could soon be awarded to Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding, according to Defense News. 

The Navy had previously decided to decommission the George Washington, but decided against it following push back from congress.

Three of the four Congressional oversight committees have provided funding for the GW in their 2015 defense bills.

“This is terrific news. When we learned that the Pentagon was considering de-funding the overhaul of the George Washington, we convened the whole Virginia congressional delegation and worked together to put the money back into the budget,” Sen. Warner said.

Senators Warner and Kaine have worked around the clock to urge the administration and their congressional colleagues to fully fund the carrier.

"I am very pleased that the Navy is moving forward with the refueling and complex overhaul of the USS George Washington," said Kaine, a member of the Armed Services Committee who spent months advocating funding for the CVN 73 refueling and complex overhaul in the Committee's defense bill, which passed out of Committee in May. "It's critical that we maintain the 11 aircraft carrier fleet to meet requirements around the globe."

###