Wisconsin lawmaker wants LCS amendment stripped from defense bill

A Wisconsin lawmaker whose district includes the shipyard where one of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) variants is produced is taking issue with charges in Congress that the Navy has shown a “lack of transparency” over problems with the LCS.

Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) sent a letter to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) on Thursday asking him to strip an amendment from the defense authorization bill that would require a “comprehensive briefing” to Congress on the LCS program.

The LCS program has come under renewed scrutiny over problems with the USS Freedom, the first Lockheed Martin variant of the ship, which was produced in Marinette Marine shipyard, in Ribble’s district.

Hunter’s amendment says that the Navy has not “adequately informed Congress to the full extent possible on [LCS] program deficiencies, including mechanical and structural failures.”

But Ribble disagreed, complaining in the letter that the amendment offered by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) was a “last-minute” addition to the Seapower subcommittee bill, which was marked up last week.

“In contrast to the language in the amendment, I believe the Navy has been forthcoming regarding Littoral Combat Ship deficiencies and the corrective actions taken on behalf of the Navy and its industry partners,” Ribble wrote.

“I believe the committee has received all pertinent information relative to the performance of LCS 1,” he said.

Ribble is not a member of the House Armed Services Committee, so he won’t be able to offer amendments to the bill when it’s marked up in full committee next week. He could offer amendments when the bill gets to the House floor, however.

Ribble did not testify at the House Armed Services hearing in April for members not on the committee to offer their priorities for the bill.

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