Gulfport, Miss.—Today, Congressman Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) announced that at his request Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has agreed to send Sean Stackley, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, to Mississippi to discuss ongoing shipbuilding contract negotiations between the Navy and Northrop Grumman.

"Congress has authorized and appropriated full funding for two ships that will be built at Ingalls, DDG 113 and LPD 26, but those contracts have not yet been signed," Taylor said. "We also have approved advance procurement funding for engineering design and materiel procurement for three more ships, LPD 27, LHA 7, and DDG 114. Our nation and the Navy need these ships as soon as possible. I welcome the opportunity to work with the Navy and Northrop Grumman to speed up the negotiations to get these contracts signed."

Taylor is the Chairman of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.

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