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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1132 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1132

   Honoring the USS New Mexico as the sixth Virginia-class submarine 
 commissioned by the U.S. Navy to protect and defend the United States.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 2, 2010

  Mr. Heinrich (for himself, Mr. Teague, and Mr. Lujan) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Honoring the USS New Mexico as the sixth Virginia-class submarine 
 commissioned by the U.S. Navy to protect and defend the United States.

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 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 submarine that will 
        help fulfill the U.S. Navy's 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 submarines;
Whereas the Commanding Officer of the USS New Mexico, Commander Mark Prokopius, 
        has made an earnest effort with the crew to incorporate a 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 is to be 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--
            (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) recognizes the hard work of the individuals and 
        organizations who contributed to the construction of the USS 
        New Mexico; and
            (4) honors the U.S. Navy and the crew of the USS New Mexico 
        for their commitment to helping maintain the United States 
        supremacy of the seas.
                                 <all>
```