The White House’s request to Congress for exemptions to be included in a likely stopgap spending measure covers procurement of two Columbia-class submarines and development of the W93 submarine-launched nuclear warhead, according to documents.
The list of “anomalies” for a continuing resolution arrives as the administration and congressional leadership have agreed on a tentative deal to avoid a government shutdown, as fiscal 2021 appropriations packages are unlikely to be approved before the end of the month.
The next federal budget year begins on Oct. 1. The House has passed defense budget legislation for fiscal 2021, while the Senate has yet to even release appropriations bills for any federal agencies.
While a CR would halt new programs from starting and locks in spending at fiscal 2020 levels, the list of proposed anomalies would provide an exemption for select requests.
The request calls for allowing the Navy to procure the first two Columbia-class submarines, as well as granting authorities to fund the new subs incrementally.
“Without the anomaly, DOD would be unable to begin design and construction activities for these ships and the Navy would be unable to meet U.S. Strategic Command requirements,” the White House wrote in its request.
The Navy’s top acquisition official told reporters recently that an anomaly in the CR for the submarines would be required to keep the program on schedule.
In June, the Navy awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat [GD] an $869 million modification for continued Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) procurement work with an added price option for the first two submarines that would increase the total contract value to $9.5 billion.
For the W93 submarine-launched nuclear warhead, the White House is requesting the anomaly to start development, adding that a CR may lead to “risking misalignment with the schedules of the U.S. Navy and the United Kingdom.”
