[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 565 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 565

  Honoring the 40th anniversary of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in 
                          Kings Bay, Georgia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 28, 2018

 Mr. Perdue submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Honoring the 40th anniversary of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in 
                          Kings Bay, Georgia.

Whereas, in 1954, the Department of the Army began to acquire land at Kings Bay, 
        Georgia, to build a military ocean terminal to ship ammunition in case 
        of a national emergency;
Whereas the facility at Kings Bay, Georgia, was completed in 1958, but since 
        there was no immediate operational need for the installation, the base 
        was placed in an inactive ready status;
Whereas, in 1975, during treaty negotiations between the United States and 
        Spain, the countries agreed to move Submarine Squadron 16, the fleet 
        ballistic missile submarine squadron, from its operational base at Rota, 
        Spain;
Whereas, after evaluating more than 60 sites along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, 
        the Department of the Navy selected Kings Bay, Georgia, as the new home 
        of Submarine Squadron 16;
Whereas, from January to July 1978, the first group of sailors arrived at Kings 
        Bay, Georgia, to transfer the base from the Department of the Army to 
        the Department of the Navy;
Whereas the Naval Submarine Support Base Kings Bay was established in a 
        developmental status on July 1, 1978;
Whereas construction of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay was the largest peacetime 
        construction program ever undertaken by the Department of the Navy;
Whereas, in May 1979, the Department of the Navy selected Naval Submarine Base 
        Kings Bay as the preferred East Coast site for Ohio-class submarines;
Whereas, on October 23, 1980, the Secretary of the Navy announced Naval 
        Submarine Base Kings Bay as the future home of the new Ohio-class 
        submarine;
Whereas, on January 15, 1989, the first Trident ballistic missile submarine, the 
        USS Tennessee (SSBN 734), arrived at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay;
Whereas the Coast Guard commissioned the successful Maritime Force Protection 
        Unit, the first of its kind, on July 24, 2007, at Naval Submarine Base 
        Kings Bay to provide enhanced security for the SSBN fleet of the United 
        States within the homeport transit area;
Whereas Camden County, Georgia, is home to 1 of 6 Coast Guard Atlantic Area 
        Maritime Safety and Security Teams that conduct missions including 
        counter-drug and migrant interdiction boardings and escorts for high-
        capacity passenger vessels;
Whereas Marine Corps Security Force Battalion Kings Bay secures strategic assets 
        within the Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic area of responsibility in 
        order to prevent unauthorized access or loss of control;
Whereas Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay was named the top military installation 
        in the Department of Defense for 2007, receiving the Commander-in-
        Chief's Installation Excellence Award for its ability to sustain its 
        mission, increase productivity, and enhance quality of life;
Whereas Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is the state-of-the-art home to the 
        Trident II Submarines of the Atlantic Fleet in St. Marys, Georgia;
Whereas Submarine Group 10 exercises operational and administrative control of 
        Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines and guided missile submarines 
        stationed at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay;
Whereas 6 ballistic missile submarines make up Submarine Squadron 20 and are 
        currently assigned to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay: USS Maryland (SSBN 
        738), USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740), USS Tennessee (SSBN 734), USS West 
        Virginia (SSBN 736), USS Wyoming (SSBN 742), and USS Alaska (SSBN 732);
Whereas 2 guided missile submarines make up Submarine Squadron 16 and are 
        currently assigned to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay: USS Florida (SSGN 
        728) and USS Georgia (SSGN 729);
Whereas the Department of the Navy stores the strategic assets of the United 
        States at the Strategic Weapons Facilities at Kings Bay, Georgia, which 
        is 1 of only 2 remaining naval nuclear weapon storage sites in the 
        United States;
Whereas the Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic is responsible for assembling 
        the D-5 missile and processing missile guidance and launcher subsystem 
        components for the ballistic missile submarine fleet;
Whereas the Naval Submarine Support Center provides critical support services to 
        the submarines and staffs of Submarine Squadron 16, Submarine Squadron 
        20, and all visiting and other assigned units, which allows the team at 
        Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay to work efficiently and effectively;
Whereas the D-5 ballistic missile is the heart of the Trident weapons system of 
        the United States;
Whereas the D-5 Life Extension Program of the Department of the Navy will extend 
        the life of the D-5 missiles until 2040;
Whereas the Trident Refit Facility provides timely and top-quality industrial 
        and logistics support to Trident ballistic missile submarines of the 
        United States;
Whereas the Trident Training Facility trains sailors in the skills necessary to 
        operate and maintain Trident submarines and systems;
Whereas one of the largest covered dry docks of the Northern Hemisphere is 
        located at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay;
Whereas construction of not less than 12 Columbia-class submarines is scheduled 
        to begin in 2021, with the first submarine slated to be fully operable 
        by 2031;
Whereas Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is responsible for $1,142,000,000 in 
        total economic output to the Camden County area; and
Whereas The Camden Partnership has supported Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay 
        since its inception, and continues to promote the ability of the base to 
        conduct current and future missions, and the ability of the community to 
        provide a highly qualified workforce: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay on its 40th 
        anniversary;
            (2) commends the thousands of men and women who have worked 
        and trained at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay;
            (3) honors the people of Camden County and the Georgia 
        coastal communities for their continued support of Naval 
        Submarine Base Kings Bay; and
            (4) looks forward to Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay 
        continuing its instrumental role in the strategic deterrence 
        and national defense of the United States.
                                 <all>