WASHINGTON, DC – In a joint letter to Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, Chief of Naval Operations, Florida Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, and Congressman Ander Crenshaw strongly urged him to advance the Navy’s decision to homeport a nuclear aircraft carrier at Naval Station Mayport from FY 2019 to FY 2016.

“You may hear from a few persistent critics of the project, but as you know the decision to disperse the East Coast carrier  fleet has been examined and re-examined by the Navy, Department of Defense, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). Every study affirmed and reaffirmed, as in the case of the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, what the Navy has maintained all along - that dispersing our capital ships is in our best national security interest,” wrote Nelson, Rubio, and Crenshaw.

“Rather than belaboring a validated decision, we ask that you consider our April 4 request to Secretary Ray Mabus to advance the carrier move from FY 19 to FY 16. We believe this would reduce the risk to our carrier fleet from a possible terrorist attack or natural disaster, and once and for all put this issue to rest,” they further stated.

A full, signed copy of the letter can be found in the attachment.

###