U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) is scheduled to chair a Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday at 2:30 pm focusing on best practices at public and private shipyards. As Chair, Ayotte invited Paul O'Connor, President of the Metal Trades Council at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) to testify about shipyard best practices at PNSY, how they affect performance, and how they can be effectively shared with other shipyards. The hearing is particularly focused on new training techniques, efficiency initiatives, management and labor cooperation, apprentice programs, and the role of shipyards in sustaining naval readiness.
Mr. O'Connor's career spans 40 years as a federal employee at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, where he worked 25 years in the trades as a journeyman electrician performing maintenance and modernization work on submarines. For the past 12 years, he has served as President of the Metal Trades Council, representing the 2,500 tradesmen and women at the shipyard.
"Portsmouth Naval Shipyard's innovative practices have improved performance and reinforced the shipyard's reputation as the Navy's center of excellence for fast attack submarine maintenance, modernization, and repair. Based on his decades of experience, Paul has played a key role in that effort, and I look forward to hearing his testimony," Ayotte said. "This hearing provides a valuable opportunity to highlight the shipyard's value to our naval readiness and to identify the impressive initiatives developed there that can serve as a model for DoD to emulate. I will continue to use my position on the Senate Armed Services Committee to advocate for Portsmouth as an irreplaceable national security asset."
As Chair of the Senate Armed Services Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee which oversees shipyards, Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC), and military construction, Senator Ayotte has been a steadfast advocate for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and its dedicated workforce. In addition to playing a major role in authorizing funding for necessary infrastructure projects at the shipyard, Senator Ayotte has used her position on the Armed Services Committee to push for the acquisition of two Virginia Class Submarines each year, instead of only one. Her successful efforts will help mitigate a looming shortfall in attack submarines that threatens our national security and will ensure the workers at Portsmouth are fully utilized for years to come-making the shipyard less susceptible to a future Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, which she has consistently opposed and successfully blocked for 2017 in the Senate-passed defense bill.
In order to highlight PNSY's top performance and secure the shipyard's future, Ayotte has also led successful efforts in recent years to bring senior DoD officials to the shipyard - including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, in July 2013; now-Admiral and Vice Chief of Naval Operations Michelle Howard in April 2014; and the Commander of Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris, in April 2015.
WHAT:
Ayotte to Chair Readiness Subcommittee Hearing Highlighting Best Practices at PNSY
WHO:
U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
Mr. Paul O'Connor, President, Metal Trades Council, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
WHEN:
Wednesday, July 29, at 2:30 PM
WHERE:
SR-232A, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
NOTE:
Ayotte and O'Connor will hold a conference call with reporters on Wednesday afternoon following the hearing.