Document wq4mqxB0QeGdGEV8q7Xm1Xxq3

Congrm of tbe niteb Vacibington, 73C 20515 The Honorable Sean Duffy Secretary U.S. Department of Transportation June 27, 2025 tate5 Secretary Duffy, I am pleased to support Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding's (FBS) application for Small Shipyard Grant Program funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration. If awarded, funding would allow the shipyard to acquire new, U.S.-built equipment to modernize its operations and utilize more efficient equipment to help support the Great Lakes fleet as well as next-generation Navy vessels. Specifically, FBS's project includes the acquisition of a state-of-the-art profile cutter for its fabrication shop, modernizing its equipment, and significantly enhancing its shipbuilding and repair capabilities. Currently, three different machines are needed to perform the tasks that this new single-profile cutter can accomplish. The shipyard indicates that a recent new construction project required an average of 41 minutes of labor per part using these machines, for each of more than 14,000 pieces of structural steel. Further, it states that the new equipment will help reduce this average by 75 percent, creating significant production efficiencies. I strongly support proposals that help modernize the U.S. maritime industrial base, benefiting our military, our economy, and our workers. For this reason, I respectfully request that full and fair consideration be given to FBS's application. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this request. Sincerely, .ony Wed Member of Congress OST-2025-1200 Page 01307 Sierra Club v. Dept. of Transp. - 3:25-cv-06221 SC_EVERSPLIT0024494