Lawmakers speak out on
carrier move

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Virginia's most prominent lawmakers joined forces this morning to oppose the Navy's plan to move a carrier from Norfolk to Mayport, Fla.

"We believe it [the move] is ill timed, ill advised, not supplied by economic logic or strategic logic," Sen. Jim Webb said. "There is no economic logic to this proposal particularly at a time right now when we are in such an economic crisis in this country."

Webb, Sen. John Warner, Senator-elect Mark Warner and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine all spoke out against the move, which was described as bad planning motivated by politics.

The idea of dispersing ships to avoid attack "has no validity today," Webb said.

They also have the support of newly elected 2nd District Representative Glenn Nye.

"I've signed my name onto a bipartisan letter from the entire Hampton Roads congressional delegation to President-elect Obama," said Nye, who is following the story from Washington, where he's attending orientation for new members of Congress.

"We have a lot of challenges right now with rebuilding our military forces and what we don't need to be doing is pouring money into a new port facility when we have a great port facility already ready to go," said Nye.

Nye wouldn't speculate on whether or not the Navy's decision was politically motivated.

He doesn't believe having all East Coast-based carriers homeported in Norfolk is a threat to national security.

"The fact is, those carriers are very rarely in the port at the same time," he said.