Ayotte Pushes Navy to Save Money by Advancing Shipyard Project

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today pushed the Navy to move up funding for a project to consolidate structural workshops at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard -- which Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead told Ayotte stands to save taxpayers $8 million if implemented properly. The exchange occurred during a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which Ayotte is a member.

"The project to consolidate structural workshops at Portsmouth will improve the efficiency of shipyard operations, delivering savings to taxpayers by reducing the cost and duration of submarine maintenance," said Ayotte, commenting after the hearing. "Although this initiative is scheduled for fiscal year 2015, I was pleased to hear Admiral Roughead testify that he would consider moving the project up in order to achieve the efficiencies and cost savings sooner."

At today's Armed Services Committee hearing, Ayotte asked Admiral Roughead to advance funding for the structural workshops consolidation project to FY 2012 -- which Roughead told Ayotte he has instructed his staff to consider. Roughead testified that savings could be found by consolidating the phases of this project -- rather than completing it over several segments. In response to Ayotte's question about how much could be saved, Admiral Roughead indicated an extra $8 million would be spent if the project were not consolidated.

Source