Senator Baldwin Will Oppose Cuts To Combat Ship Orders From Marinette Marine

A proposal to cut military spending that would dramatically reduce the number of combat vessels built at the Marinette shipyard in Wisconsin will be opposed by at least one of the state’s senators.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is proposing cuts to every branch of the Armed Services, bringing it more in line with fighting today’s world threats and budget realities. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., said it’s a change of strategy from fighting land wars to attacking terrorist cells.

“It’s the responsibility of our secretary of defense to prepare us for conflicts of the future, not the conflicts of the past,” said Baldwin. “That said, there are a lot of details he has discussed that I intend to dig in to quite a bit deeper.”

Specifically, Baldwin will oppose cutting the fast, shallow water combat boats contracted to be built at Marinette Marine.

“I do not regard that battle over before it’s even begun,” said Baldwin.

Baldwin says the littoral combat vessels are made for quick strike situations and create hundreds of jobs in Wisconsin.

“That was a huge victory for the state of Wisconsin and shipbuilding’s return to the Great Lakes,” said Baldwin. “It’s shortsighted to propose cutting back the order of ships from a total of 52 to 32 because this particular ship is part of that preparation for the future rather than the past.”

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said the defense budget should be cut, but only after the United States can “accurately assess the threats our nation faces, then structure our forces to meet and prevail over those threats. Congress and the Obama Administration should then budget appropriately to ensure those challenges are met.”