On the recordMay 17, 2012
I agree with my good friend and colleague from Hawaii that there is no need for large vessel repairs. Those are being presently performed in Honolulu, Hawaii, or on Guam. Actually, the letter to Ms. Bordallo from Guam shipyard actually says this. It says the water depth and other physical constraints of the harbor of Saipan would not permit its use to overhaul, repair, and maintain large Navy ships, which form the bulk of work at Guam shipyard. So there is no disagreement with my good friend from Hawaii on this. Thus, the shipyard we contemplate opening in Saipan would not compete with Guam shipyard for the work it currently performs for the Navy. We're not asking for anything here. We're just asking for the authorization. It may not happen. But then again, it may. And we're not asking for money here. We're asking for authorization so that private businesses who want to do it, who find some capacity to do it, can come in and establish a shipyard or a small repair yard on Saipan in the Northern Marianas and do the work and compete for the business. And that's what we need to do here. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. McKEON. How much time do we each have? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from California has 3 minutes. The gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands has 1\3/4\ minutes. Mr. McKEON. And we have the right to close? The Acting CHAIR. That is correct. Mr. McKEON. We just have one more speaker, so I will reserve the balance of my time.
