In the House of Representatives of the United States

Representative Eric Smith, for himself and Mr. Troutman, Mr. Garwood, Mr. Thayner, Mr. Linde, Mr. Harper, Mr. Laverone, Mr. Littwin, and Mr. Carpenter offers

A Bill

To expand the United States Navy to ensure success in any mission.

I. Name

(A) This bill shall be named the `Naval Rebuilding Act of 2004'

II. Aircraft Carriers
(A) The department of the Navy shall maintain a minimum of 17 battle-ready aircraft carriers.
(B ) Each aircraft carrier shall be able to transport and deploy a minimum of 70 battle-ready aircraft.
(D) Each main battle carrier to be built for the US Navy will be nuclear powered.
� The United States Navy will deploy carriers to the Second (Atlantic), Third (Eastern Pacific), Fifth (Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean), Sixth (Mediterranean), and Seventh (Western Pacific) Fleet�s as the Department of Defense sees fit.

III. Other Ships of War
(A) In order to provide for adequate defense of capitol ships like the Carrier, the minimum standard battle group shall consist of:
1. 1 Capitol Ship, such as the Carrier
2. 1 Anti-Surface specializing vessel, such as the Ticonderoga (CG-47)
3. 1 Anti-Air specializing vessel, such as the Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)
4. 2 Anti-Submarine specializing vessels, such as the Spruance (DD-963) and the Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)
5. 1 Nuclear Submarine, such as the Los Angeles (SSN-688) or the Sea Wolf (SSN-21) or the Virginia (SSN-774)
6. Indirect combat vessels, non-combat vessels, refueling tankers and support ships as the United States Navy deems necessary.
(B ) All aircraft carriers shall be assigned a battle group.

IV. New Construction
(A) The Department of Navy shall immediately on enactment of this law begin construction of all vessels needed to bring the navy up to the 17 carrier battle group level.
(B ) All parts and components in any naval vessel must be produced in America.
(C ) All raw materials used in a naval vessel must originate in the United States, with the exception of necessary materials that are not available in the US.
(D ) All labor used to produce US Naval vessels shall be from US Citizens.
(E) No contactor who maintains more than 20% of their operations in foreign nations may be used to construct any Naval Vessel.
(F) The contracts to build the ships necessary will be given to the best bidders.

V. Research Provisions for New Vessels
(A) The Department of the Navy shall be funded for the research of new vessels to begin replacing older specialized vessels, such as the Spruance (DD-963) and the Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7) and the Ticonderoga (CG-47) classes, within the next decade.
1. The US Navy shall begin construction of the specialized vessels after adequate research time and trial time to be determined by the US Navy.
2. Research shall also fund better fund close-in-weapons-systems (CIWS) research, and other missile-protection systems.

VI. Provisions for Construction of the Proposed Mackensen BBGN(X) Class
(A) The Department of the Navy shall also begin funding for building of a large missile platform to be placed in each fleet to provide for superior anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-missile role.
1. This vessel shall be designated a battleship.
2. This vessel shall also be designated a capitol ship and issued a partnership role as a battle group command vessel.
(B ) Upon completion of these vessels, a battleship will be placed in each of the five fleets.
(C ) The US Navy shall Complete construction of six of these vessels following the provisions in Section III.
1. The US Navy shall also assign a battle group with each battleship
(a) A battleship may be assigned to a carrier battle group in order to increase defense and strike platforms for the group.