Sen. Dan Sullivan on Tuesday tore into Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro for putting forward a budget that calls for a reduction of amphibious ships below the level mandated by Congress last year, and demanded that Del Toro return to Congress soon with a plan that doesn’t violate that law.
At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sullivan, R-Alaska, noted that the defense policy bill passed last year requires the Navy to maintain a minimum of 31 operational amphibious ships to transport Marines and equipment. The Marines have also said they see 31 amphibious ships is the bare minimum needed to carry out their mission.
But the Navy’s budget plan released this year would see that number drop to as low as 24 amphibious ships over the coming years, and the Navy’s latest shipbuilding plan makes no move to make up the difference. The Navy’s decision to ignore the will of Congress infuriated Sullivan, who repeatedly asked why the Navy would purposefully ignore federal law.
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