Kaine Statement on Awarding of Virginia-Class Submarines Contract to Newport News Shipbuilding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, released the following statement after the Department of the Navy awarded a contract to Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding to start construction on two Virginia-class submarines, which Kaine successfully pushed to get additional funding for last year:

“I’m thrilled the Navy has awarded two additional Virginia-class submarines to Newport News Shipbuilding. This is a testament to the hard work and leadership of Virginia’s shipbuilders and defense industry. I was proud to secure funding for these submarines in legislation we passed last year. This funding is critical to ensuring the Navy has the resources it needs to provide competitive wages for shipbuilders and advance the AUKUS agreement that will help ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress to get our shipbuilding programs back on track.”

Kaine has played a key role in securing more resources for the submarine industrial base, including additional funding for the Virginia-class submarine program that is currently facing significant delays because of workforce challenges and supply chain disruptions. The on-time completion of Virginia-class submarines, which are built in Virginia and Connecticut, is critical to fulfill the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, through which the U.S. will sell at least two Virginia-class submarines to Australia to boost security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, and counter Chinese military aggression in the region. Kaine has been a strong champion of AUKUS in Congress and has helped get signed into law provisions to implement and strengthen AUKUS.

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