U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-1st, and Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., vice-chair and
chair respectively of the Congressional Steel Caucus, are urging Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta to clarify the Navy’s future shipbuilding plans.
In a letter to Panetta, Murphy and Visclosky indicated that certainty
regarding the Navy’s long-term acquisition strategy would help the nation’s
steelmakers, which are “key players in the defense industrial base,” to grow
and create jobs, according to a statement released on Thursday.
“As our economy continues to emerge from recession, America’s steelworkers
and their families deserve to have the certainty that they are trusted to
build the finest warships in the world,” Visclosky said. “I urge Secretary
Panetta to remember the crucial relationship between the steel industry and
the United States Navy as he develops our long-term shipbuilding strategy.”
“Our Navy’s ability to protect our shores and promote global peace depends
on a robust domestic steel industry capable of producing the millions of
tons needed by all branches of the Armed Forces,” Murphy said. “And with
nearly 1 million American jobs tied to steelmaking, the Department of
Defense must act swiftly to give manufacturers the certainty and stability
necessary to plan and grow in this economy.”
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