WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today released the following statement in response to the Huntington Ingalls announcement that it plans to reopen shipbuilding facilities on the east bank of the Pascagoula River.  The site was the home of the original Ingalls shipyard and was heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina. 

“This is great news for our state, the Gulf Coast, and the many men and women of Ingalls who make a living building some of the finest ships in the world,” Wicker said. “When this facility is restored, Ingalls Shipbuilding will be equipped to maximize its construction capacity. This comes at a critical point for the U.S. military, as Congress recommits to building up our naval fleet and meeting emergent security challenges.”

Senator Wicker met with Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias on Wednesday. Cuccias authored this op-ed in March highlighting Ingalls progress towards meeting the Navy’s 355-ship requirement.