WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, visited Gulf Coast shipyards with senior leaders from the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Specifically, Senator Wicker travelled to Huntington Ingalls and Bollinger Shipyards in Pascagoula, Mississippi, as well as Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, with Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa M. Franchetti and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps General Christopher J. Mahoney.

“I will always showcase our skilled Gulf Coast shipbuilders and the impressive work they do. The Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and world benefit from what comes out of our shipyards. As one of Mississippi’s U.S. Senators and the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I look for every opportunity to advance our region’s national defense contributions. This visit was worthwhile,” Senator Wicker said.

Senator Wicker received updates on national security efforts and initiatives underway at all three shipyards, including the need for increased investment in workforce expansion to meet the growing workload for shipbuilding requirements.

Austal USA is a lead manufacturer of a variety of Navy vessels, Coast Guard cutters, and Virginia-class submarine modules. Bollinger Shipbuilding does work on Coast Guard programs such as the Polar Security Cutter, and Navy support ships such as T-AGS and APL vessels. Ingalls builds Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and amphibious warships, while also supporting the Zumwalt warship program and U.S. Coast Guard work.

As the lead Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Wicker has repeatedly advocated for destroyer, amphibious warship, submarine, and Coast Guard vessel construction.