Reps. Jerry Carl and Mike Rogers tour Alabama shipyards
U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl hosted colleague Rep. Mike Rogers, Lead Republican of the House Armed Services Committee, on a tour of Austal USA and Master Boat Builders. In a press release, Carl stated, “It was an honor to host my colleague, Rep. Mike Rogers, on tours of Austal USA and Master Boat Builders right here in my district. South Alabama is home to many world-class shipbuilding facilities, and the work they do is critical to our local economy and to the defense footprint of the United States. I’m proud to sit on the House Armed Services Committee, where I’m fighting for their continued success each and every day.” Rogers acknowledged the economic impact the shipbuilders bring to Alabama and to the nation. “Continuing to invest in and build our maritime fleet is critical for our nation’s future. I was glad to join Rep. Jerry Carl to see the hard work being done right here in Alabama at Austal USA and Master Boat Builders. The people of Austal USA and Master Boat Builders are building a better America,” said Rogers. Austal USA president Rusty Murdaugh thanked both congressmen for their support. Murdaugh stated, “It was a privilege hosting Congressman Rogers and Congressman Carl today. Congressman Rogers has been a champion of advancing our Nation’s military readiness throughout his career, and his support of Austal shipbuilding has been unwavering. Congressman Carl, from day one, has been a staunch advocate of national defense and Austal, our incredibly skilled workforce, and our families. We can’t thank them enough for all their support.” Master Boat Builder president Garrett Rice also thanked the congressmen for their support and emphasized the impact the companies bring to national security. “Master Boat Builders was honored to host U.S. Representatives Jerry Carl and Mike Rogers to see the high-quality workboats and vessels being built right here in Alabama by our hardworking employees. As leading members of the House Armed Services Committee, we greatly appreciate Representatives Carl and Rogers’ commitment to Alabama shipbuilding and shipyards across the country, which are critical to our economy and national security,” said Rice.
Mobile’s Austal USA awarded contract to build two more LCS’s for US Navy
Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., was awarded a contract modification by the U.S. Navy to build two additional Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), LCS 32 and 34, its sixteenth and seventeenth ships in the class. The specific value of each contract is under the congressional cost cap of $584 million per ship. The contracts were announced Tuesday by the Department of Defense. “To be awarded these Independence-variant contracts in such a highly competitive environment is a great honor,” said Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. “This is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our talented employees and dedicated supplier network, and further evidence of the important role Austal plays in building the Navy’s 355-ship fleet.” Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, who represents Mobile in Congress, called the contract award “another indication of the high quality work being performed” in Mobile. “The fact that Austal received two of the three contracts from Fiscal Year 2018 for Littoral Combat Ships is yet another indication of the high quality work being performed at our shipyard in Mobile,” Byrne said in a statement. “This marks the third straight year that Austal has received two of the three contracts – a testament to the fact we are delivering capable ships on time and on budget. Congratulations to the almost 4,000 men and women who work at the shipyard and help equip the Navy with warships.” Austal USA is scheduled to begin construction on the ships in 2019. “This amazing team effort highlights the value and importance of the American industrial base, and these awards will keep Austal busy building ships into 2023” said Perciavalle. Austal delivered the future USS Charleston (LCS 18) to the Navy last month and is scheduled to deliver USNS Burlington (EPF 10) before the end of the year. With eight LCS and nine EPFs already delivered, Austal-built ships are impacting worldwide operations. “It’s exciting to hear the positive feedback from the fleet commanders on how well our ships match their mission requirements as they operate globally,” added Perciavalle. “We will continue to build these ships in a safe and timely manner with the quality and craftsmanship that Austal has come to be known for.”
Bradley Byrne: Two big things you may have missed
I understand why people are so frustrated with politics these days. The American people want action, and it may not seem like much is actually getting accomplished. I share those concerns, but my frustration is not connected to my work in the House of Representatives. Despite the media’s infatuation with relitigating the 2016 election, there are very substantive bills that pass out of the House almost every week. In fact, two very important bills passed out of the House the week before Thanksgiving, and the national news media did not give either the attention they deserved. I want to quickly bring you up to speed. First, the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a strong bipartisan vote of 356 to 70. The same bill then passed out of the Senate on a unanimous voice vote. As some of you may remember, the NDAA is the bill Congress must pass each year to set policy and authorize funding for the entire U.S. military. It almost always earns bipartisan support because, believe it or not, there is strong bipartisan support in Congress for a strong national defense. This year’s NDAA makes important progress toward rebuilding our military by calling for more service members, better equipment, and additional resources. The bill also authorizes the largest pay raise for our troops in eight years and includes a number of important provisions related to our nuclear weapon program in light of continued threats from North Korea The NDAA is important to Southwest Alabama because it authorizes the construction of three additional Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). These are the Navy ships that are built by Austal USA in Mobile. I pushed hard to ensure adequate support for the LCS program in an effort to make our Navy stronger and to protect thousands of jobs at the Mobile shipyard. Second, on November 16th, the House passed landmark tax reform legislation that will cut taxes and help grow the American economy. The bill, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, is a key part of President Donald Trump’s agenda. The benefits of this bill aren’t abstract. Just consider the median family of four in Southwest Alabama. That family earns a little over $77,000 a year. If that family takes the standard deduction, as most do, they will see a tax cut of $1,739.16. That comes out to almost $150 extra dollars a month. That’s just as it relates to the individual tax code. When you add in additional reforms to the business and corporate code, studies have shown that the American economy will really take off, resulting in more jobs and higher wages. President Trump has predicted a “Middle Class Miracle.” These are just two of the most recent examples of the over 350 bills that have passed out of the House this year. The vast majority of those bills passed with bipartisan support, much like the NDAA. Despite roadblocks in the Senate, the House is doing our job and actively working to follow through on the agenda we all ran on in 2016. If you have a hard time cutting through the noise of the national news media, I invite you to sign up for my weekly e-newsletter to help keep up with what is happening in Washington and how it impacts Southwest Alabama. You can sign up online at Byrne.House.Gov. At the end of the day, I am going to keep doing the job you elected me to do: fighting each and every day for our shared values and for the hardworking people in Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, Monroe, Escambia, and Washington counties. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Austal USA lands US Navy contract to build additional ship in Mobile
Austal USA has been awarded a construction contract to build an additional Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship, its fifteenth ship in the class, for the U.S. Navy. The contract is an economic boon for the Yellowhammer State as Austal USA will build the ship at its Mobile, Ala. headquarters and manufacturing facility, which employs 4,000 people and includes a supplier network of over 2,200 businesses across 43 states. “When Alabama’s businesses succeed, Alabamians succeed,” said Gov. Kay Ivey of the newly awarded contract. “Austal USA is a 21st-Century, technology-driven, employer which provides good wages and good opportunities for its employees. Austal is critical to our state’s high-tech military and aerospace manufacturing sector. Ivey continued, “By adding to its ship order, the U.S. Navy is signaling its confidence in Austal’s products and the employees who build it. Alabama has a skilled workforce that is known for producing high-quality goods. I look forward to more announcements like this one from Austral, as well as other companies that do business in Alabama, because of our trained workforce and our positive business environment.” Austal would not reveal the value of the contract, but confirmed the value is under the congressional cost cap of $584 million per ship. “We’re honored to be awarded this contract in such a highly competitive environment,” said Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. “This further supports the Navy’s recognition of Austal as a key component in building their 355-ship fleet, which is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our talented employees and dedicated supplier network.” The littoral combat ship has been identified as a key component to the Navy’s ability to gain sea control through distributed lethality. Austal is the fifth largest shipbuilder in the United States
Bradley Byrne: Defense bill blocks attempt to cut Mobile shipyard
Southwest Alabama has a proud military tradition. Our area is home to a large number of veterans. The Coast Guard has a strong presence here. Important military vessels are constructed up and down the Gulf Coast. These are all things we take great pride in. That’s why it was so frustrating last December when Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced his plans to cut the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program from 52 total ships to just 40. The LCS is the Navy vessel built at Austal USA in Mobile. Over 4,000 men and women are directly employed by the shipyard. Two different versions of the LCS are currently built by Austal in Mobile and Marinette Marine in Wisconsin. The Secretary also proposed eliminating one of the versions entirely in a “downselect” to a single builder. Navy officials testified before Congress that this would result in one of the shipyards closing entirely. I immediately went to work to make sure his efforts would not be successful. When the President’s budget was released and included the proposed cuts, I doubled down in my efforts. Ultimately, it is the decision of Congress, not a lame-duck President and a lame-duck Secretary of Defense. Let me be clear up front: I don’t support the LCS program simply because it is built in our area. I support the program because the Navy has made clear time and time again they like the LCS, and they need the ship in order to fulfill their mission. If these ships weren’t critical to the Navy, then I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. So, I set out to stop these proposed cuts. In Congress, I serve on the House Armed Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over our nation’s entire military. Each year, the Committee must pass legislation known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This is the bill that sets policy and authorizes funding for military operations and programs. As part of his efforts to cut the program, President Obama’s budget only requested funding for two Littoral Combat Ships this year, instead of the required three ships. My goal was [to] make sure the NDAA included full funding for three ships while also stopping the cuts from moving forward. I’m pleased to report that our efforts were successful, and the NDAA includes funding for three ships. I also introduced an amendment to prevent the Pentagon from following through with their plans to eliminate one of the two builders. My amendment was adopted without any opposition. Ultimately, the NDAA passed the full Armed Services Committee early Thursday morning after more than fifteen hours of debate. In a sign of the truly bipartisan nature of our committee, the bill passed by a vote of 60 to 2. This was a resounding victory for all the men and women who work at the Austal shipyard in Mobile. This means both Republicans and Democrats agree that President Obama is wrong for trying to cut the LCS program, which is so important to the Navy. More challenges may arise, but I promise to keep fighting for the LCS, the Navy, and the people who work at that shipyard. Most importantly, I promise to keep fighting for Southwest Alabama and our proud military traditions. • • • Bradley Byrne is a member of U.S. Congress representing Alabama’s 1st Congressional District.
Business Council of Alabama announces 2016 manufacturers of the year
The Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network named their picks for 2016 award winning manufacturers in the state during an annual luncheon Tuesday, attended by business and political leaders. The gathering’s keynote speech was given by Carroll Thomas, director of Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the public-private partnership seeking to strengthen manufacturing in the United States. “Now in its 17th year, the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network are honored to salute Alabama’s best manufacturers for their valuable participation in not only the state’s economy but also the economies of their employees and the suppliers who do business with them,” said BCA president and CEO William J. Canary. “Since 2000 the Manufacturer of the Year Awards has been a premier event for the BCA, the Alabama Technology Network, the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, and the National Association of Manufacturers. The BCA is proud to be the exclusive affiliate in Alabama to the NAM and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.” Awards were given out in the categories of large (400 or more employees), medium (100-399 employees), and small (1-99 employees) manufacturers. Austal USA, the Mobile-based shipbuilders won large manufacturer of the year. Austal employs more than 4,000 to build and deliver twenty ships to the U.S. Navy, with four more currently in production.“Austal is involved in the community with financial and volunteer support,” said the BCA in a press release announcing the winners. “It participates in American Cancer Society and American Heart Association events, the annual Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, local schools, the United Way, chambers of commerce, professional baseball, and museums.” Winning medium manufacturer of the year was Revere Controls, based in Hoover. Employing 185 Alabamians to build custom-designed control panels“In more than 35 years since its founding, Revere Controls has demonstrated growth, financial performance, and a commitment to quality, safety, responsiveness, and doing what’s right for both its customers and employees,” said the BCA. Plasmine Technology based in Bay Minette won small manufacturer of the year for its work making and selling rosin to the paper industry, which has historically been a significant part of Alabama’s economy. “The private company’s focused organization competes against larger companies by emphasizing leadership, communication, data tracking and control, employee involvement, and accountability,” said the BCA. “It engages outside resources such as the Alabama Technology Network, parent-company research, membership associations, and vendors for knowledge, training, and ideas.”This is Plasmine Technology’s second time to win the honor, their first award being earned in 2008.
