Senator Young Meets with Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson

Young Advocates for Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane with Navy’s Most Senior Military Officer

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Todd Young met with the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John Richardson, yesterday to discuss Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane and its critical support for our warfighters and national defense. During the meeting, Young urged Admiral Richardson to ensure that NSWC Crane is exempt from the hiring freeze so that it can continue its important work.

After the meeting, Young said, “I was pleased to meet with Admiral Richardson to discuss U.S. naval readiness and the important work of Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane. NSWC Crane provides critical support for our nation’s special operators, electronic warfare missions, and strategic deterrent, and that is why I urged the Chief of Naval Operations to ensure that NSWC Crane receives a waiver from the hiring freeze.”

Young’s meeting with Admiral Richardson yesterday to discuss NSWC Crane follows Young’s letter to Secretary of Defense Mattis on January 27. On January 23, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum ordering a “freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees to be applied across the board in the executive branch.” The Presidential Memorandum explicitly said that “the head of any executive department or agency may exempt from the hiring freeze any positions that it deems necessary to meet national security or public safety responsibilities.” On February 1, Deputy Secretary of Defense Work issued a memorandum detailing exemptions, as well as the criteria for additional exemptions.

The Secretary of Defense previously announced that 91 jobs that are part of Crane’s Army Ammunition Activity would be exempted. However, an additional 100 jobs at the NSWC have not yet been exempted.