"Navy Granted Exemption to Construct Nuclear Submarine in Funding Bill"
Congress is considering granting an exemption in a short-term funding bill that would allow the Navy to begin construction on a new ballistic missile submarine, the Columbia-class, before a full Pentagon budget is passed for fiscal 2024. Without this exemption, budget delays could push the program behind schedule, potentially creating a nuclear deterrence gap. Both the Senate and House versions of the stopgap funding bill include the exemption, but unrelated issues threaten to cause a government shutdown. The Navy's acquisition programs, including the Columbia-class, the Virginia-class attack submarine, the Constellation-class frigate, and a new submarine tender replacement program, would be disrupted by the shutdown. The Columbia-class program is already facing challenges, and any delays could result in a gap in at-sea nuclear deterrence by 2031.