The following is the Sept. 12, 2024, letter from Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro to Congress on the potential effects to the Department of the Navy if the government is funded by a six-month continuing resolution.
From the Letter:
I write today to express my concern about the six-month continuing resolution (CR) and its impact on the Navy and Marine Corps. This lengthy delay in new funding would force the Department of the Navy (DON) to operate at last year’s funding levels with the negative consequences lasting far beyond the time frame of the CR, impeding our ability to field the force needed to defend our nation while imposing unnecessary stress on our Sailors, Marines, Civilians, and their families.
Our FY 2025 budget request included significant investments in recruiting, quality of life, and the ships, submarines, and aircraft the DON requires to enhance maritime dominance.
Enclosed with this letter is a detailed list articulating the impacts of a six-month and year-long
CR on the DON, but here are some of the most consequential:
• Delays in the Virginia Class submarine will impact submarine deliveries and future force structure availabilities, which are already running over cost and behind schedule. A CR risks setting back the program even further.
• Further delaying delivery of Columbia Class submarine due to postponed construction, and result in future cost increases.
• A six-month CR risks delaying critical investments in the submarine industrial base and the Australia, United Kingdom, and United States (AUKUS) partnership.
• Restriction of Cost-to-Complete funding for prior year shipbuilding programs including CVN-74 refueling resulting in maintenance delays and potential cost increases.
• Profound negative impacts on the Marine Corps Force Design efforts, slowing key acquisition programs.
• Uncertainty in recruiting budget would lead to challenges in attracting new talent to the force.
• Negative impacts to Quality of Service efforts including the Marine Corps Barracks 2030 initiative.
• Other limitations include delays to ongoing and planned Nuclear Command, Control and Communications engineering activities supporting STRA TCOM, construction projects, continued development of conventional munitions, and delays in procurement of munitions.
• Delay key investments in making critical infrastructure like roadways, ranges, and utility systems resilient to extreme weather and climate change. It will also cause serious delays in developing and fielding the Hybrid Medium Tactical Truck program.
Additionally, a long-term CR would impact a multitude of programs within the Department, having a lasting impact on industry stabilization efforts for both shipbuilding and munitions. These include twenty construction projects, five research and development projects, up to fifty-eight ship maintenance availabilities, procurement of five ships, aircraft programs and munitions critical for our warfighters. Finally, due to the pay raises for both military and civilian not being funded under a year-long CR, additional programs would be negatively impacted to accommodate the increases in payroll along with other inflationary impacts.
The Department of the Navy stands ready to assist Congress in any way possible to ensure it has the information and resources to pass this essential legislation. This is the best thing to do to support our Nation’s defense.
A copy of this letter is being sent to the other Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Carlos Del Toro
Download the document here,
