NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) hosted Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Bobby Scott, D-Va., on Monday for a tour of the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.
Domestic manufacturing is one of Hoyer’s key platforms. He led the development of the “Make It In America” jobs plan, which aims to create optimal conditions for American businesses to innovate, manufacture and create jobs in the United States.
“Today I had the opportunity to see another example of why it is so important that we promote American manufacturing,” Hoyer said. “The work being done at Newport News Shipbuilding is critically important, and it demonstrates the work ethic and domestic capability we have here in the United States. I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned today with my colleagues in Washington as we continue our efforts to improve the Make It In America jobs plan.”
Hoyer and Scott toured the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and learned about best practices that Newport News shipbuilders use to build Ford-class aircraft carriers and Virginia-class submarines, including how shipbuilders are implementing thousands of lessons learned from the first-of-class CVN 78 to increase efficiencies in the construction of the next aircraft carrier, John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).
A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://newsroom.huntingtoningalls.com/file?fid=57692a312cfac21e76b00942.
“Hampton Roads is home to generations of shipbuilders who build the most technologically advanced ships in the world for our Navy,” Scott said. “In order to ensure that we’re able to continue to recruit and train a workforce ready and able to do this complex work, Congress must make the necessary investments in shipbuilding, workforce development and other critical components of our domestic manufacturing base. I was honored to welcome my friend and colleague, Steny Hoyer, to Newport News, and I look forward to working with him on this important issue.”
As minority whip, Hoyer is the second highest-ranking member of the Democratic leadership in the House. He previously served as House majority leader from 2007 to 2011 and as House minority whip from 2003 to 2007. Prior to serving his first term as whip, Hoyer served as chair of the Democratic Caucus from 1989 to 1995. He is former co-chair (and a current member) of the Democratic Steering Committee, and he served as the chief candidate recruiter for House Democrats from 1995 to 2000. Hoyer also served as deputy majority whip from 1987 to 1989.
“We take great pride in our 130-year shipbuilding legacy and recognize that we would not be where we are today without the innovation and dedication of our American shipbuilders and the strong support of our industrial base, which spans 49 states,” said Ken Mahler, Newport News’ vice president of Navy programs. “We appreciate Congressman Hoyer’s time and attention today and applaud his efforts to renew manufacturing as a top priority in our country.”
Huntington Ingalls Industries is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of engineering, manufacturing and management services to the nuclear energy, oil and gas markets. For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs nearly 35,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit:
- HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com
- HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries
- HII on Twitter: twitter.com/hiindustries