H. Res. 1132 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

May 4, 2010. 

Whereas the mission statement of the United States Navy is 

to ‘‘maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces 

capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas’’; 

Whereas the Virginia-class submarine is the first U.S. Navy 

attack submarine to be designed for post-Cold War missions and is capable of operating in the open ocean as 

well as close to shore; 

Whereas the Virginia-class submarine is capable of submerged speeds of more than 25 knots and can stay submerged for extended periods at sea; 

Whereas the Secretary of the Navy has named the U.S. 

Navy’s sixth Virginia-class fast-attack nuclear powered 

submarine the USS New Mexico (SSN 779); 

Whereas this submarine honors the legacy of the battleship 

USS New Mexico (BB–40), which served in both the Pacific and Atlantic theaters during World War II; 

Whereas the USS New Mexico was constructed 4 months 

ahead of schedule, achieving the shortest construction period of any Virginia-class submarine; 

Whereas the USS New Mexico is a state-of-the-art, nuclear 

powered submarine that will help fulfill the U.S. Navy’s 
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•HRES 1132 EH 

mission to deter aggression and maintain freedom of the 

seas; 

Whereas the State of New Mexico and its two national security laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories and Los 

Alamos National Laboratory, have made significant contributions to the Nation’s nuclear development, including 

the advancement of nuclear powered submarines; 

Whereas the Commanding Officer of the USS New Mexico 

embraced the sense of New Mexican culture within the 

submarine including naming the ship’s galley ‘‘La Posta’’ 

after a restaurant in Mesilla, New Mexico; 

Whereas Ms. Emilee Sena of Albuquerque, New Mexico, submitted the winning design for the USS New Mexico’s 

crest, which symbolizes the beauty of New Mexico as well 

as the inscription ‘‘We Defend Our Land’’ in the Spanish 

language; 

Whereas the USS New Mexico Commissioning Committee of 

the Navy League’s New Mexico Council led a dedicated 

5-year statewide grassroots initiative to have the sixth 

Virginia-class submarine named New Mexico and has 

played a tremendous role in planning construction milestone ceremonies and supporting crew activities throughout the vessel’s development; 

Whereas the USS New Mexico was commissioned by the U.S. 

Navy on March 27, 2010, at the Norfolk Naval Base in 

Norfolk, Virginia; and 

Whereas New Mexico, ‘‘The Land of Enchantment’’, is proud 

to be honored with the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, providing undersea supremacy well into the 21st century: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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(1) honors the USS New Mexico (SSN 779) as one 

of the most advanced submarines in the history of the 

U.S. Navy; 

(2) commends the diligence of the New Mexico 

Council, Navy league of the United States, and the USS 

New Mexico Commissioning Committee who contributed 

to the support of the USS New Mexico; 

(3) commends the dedicated craftsman, designers, 

engineers, and support staff of the Navy-industry team 

who contributed so vitally to the construction, testing, 

and trials of USS New Mexico; and 

(4) honors Commander Mark Prokopius, United 

States Navy, the ships first Commanding Officer, Senior 

Chief Petty Officer Eric Murphy, United States Navy, 

the ships first Chief of the Boat, the commissioning 

crew, and the sailors who will man this ship for the next 

three decades maintaining an ever present silent presence throughout the oceans of the world ensuring the 

peace and safety of the United States. 

Attest: 

Clerk.