NDAA includes Peters’ amendments to bolster local ship repair industry and jobs

Washington, DC – Today, Representative Scott Peters (CA-50) voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, which includes substantial wins for San Diego servicemembers and San Diego’s shipbuilding and repair industry. These wins include funds to build new health and dental centers for our troops and their families, electrical grid improvements at MCAS Miramar and Naval Base San Diego, funding for a Naval Special Warfare Command Operations Support Facility at Naval Base Coronado, and Rep. Peters’ amendments to bolster the ship repair industry in San Diego, which employs over 4,000 San Diegans.

“This bill advances our national security and supports San Diego’s enduring role in our national defense,” said Rep Peters. “For 63 years, this annual bipartisan agreement has allowed us to keep up with the challenges of our times. For FY 2024, this means continuing pay raises for servicemembers, investing in critical military construction in San Diego, and bolstering San Diego’s ship-repair industry and the thousands of good jobs it supports.”  

The FY 24 NDAA includes the bulk of Rep. Peters’ Smart Ship Repair Act (SSRA) of 2023. This bill promotes healthy market competition, transparency, and the Navy’s continued access to world-class private ship repair facilities on the West Coast. Currently, the Navy can use its service-owned dock in San Diego to perform maintenance on ships even when openings exist in private yards. This practice disincentivizes private sector investment in the ship repair market and threatens the labor force needed to support the Navy’s future fleet goals. The SSRA addresses this challenge by requiring the Navy to only use its dock if there is insufficient private sector dock space. The bill also requires the Secretary of the Navy to report to Congress when the Navy uses government docks when capacity in private yards exists and why.

“As a critical component of the Navy’s operational presence in the Pacific, General Dynamics NASSCO is grateful for Congressman Scott Peters’ continued support to San Diego’s ship repair industry,” said Dave Carver, President, General Dynamics NASSCO. “His hard work on this year’s NDAA will help sustain our waterfront capabilities while providing increased investment and job opportunities for maintenance work here in the Navy’s largest Pacific home port.”

“BAE Systems is pleased to see Congressman Peters’ hard work result in strong support for private industry in the FY-2024 NDAA bill,” said Eric Icke, VPGM San Diego Ship Repair. “The Defense bill includes Congressman Peters’ key provisions that promote healthy competition and encourage continued industry investment in their drydocks for the repair, maintenance, and modernization of the U.S. Navy’s surface force in San Diego. The passed measure sustains the strong partnership between the Navy and its maritime repair partners, as well as enhances usage of key components within San Diego’s infrastructure and economy.”

“We greatly appreciate the leadership and tireless efforts of Congressman Peters in passing this legislation that strengthens the critical ship repair infrastructure and workforce in San Diego,” said Lawrence Ryder, Vice President, Business Development and External Affairs. “This important legislation will foster competition while ensuring the Nation has the drydock capacity it needs to meet both current and future surge capacity needs.”

The FY 24 NDAA also includes:

1. $18.2 billion for military construction and housing, including:
1. Over $36 million for Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s microgrid;
2. $31.6 million for an ambulatory care center and dental clinic replacement at Naval Base San Diego; and
3. $51 million for Naval Special Warfare Command Operations Support Facility at Naval Base Coronado
2. 5.2 percent pay raise for all military personnel;
3. $32.9 billion for the procurement of 10 Navy ships;
4. $14.7 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative to optimize U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific to counter China;
5. $4 billion to bolster U.S. and allied forces in Europe against Russian aggression.

This version of the NDAA does not include the far-right attacks on books, LGBTQ rights, and women’s healthcare that led Rep. Peters to vote against the House legislation earlier this year.

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