ICYMI: Shaheen Secures Exemption to Protect Jobs at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Committee-Passed Annual Defense Bill

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, secured a provision exempting Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees from the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) deferred resignation program for federal employees, the Department of Defense’s (DOD) current civilian hiring freeze and any future hiring freezes in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was advanced out of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC). The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is a key economic driver in the region, supporting thousands of jobs integral to America’s national security.

“The administration’s ill-considered hiring freeze and layoffs created uncertainty that swept through shipyards across the country and resulted in real damage to an essential component of our national defense and preparedness,” said Senator Shaheen. “My provision rights this wrong and prevents further hiring delays by taking OPM out of the equation so that public shipyards jobs, which are vital to national security, are exempt from current and future hiring freezes. I’m pleased that the amendment received bipartisan support and I look forward to its passage by the full Senate.”

After calls from Shaheen and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the U.S. Department of Defense exempted the shipyard workforce from the civilian hiring freeze – but issues persist in its implementation. Shaheen, Collins and Angus King (I-ME) recently visited Portsmouth Shipyard with Navy Secretary Phelan, and subsequently sent a letter to OPM urging the agency to process personnel that have been hired and are awaiting onboarding into jobs. Shaheen secured Secretary Hegseth’s commitment to investigate these hiring delays at a recent SASC hearing.

Senator Shaheen has long advocated for New England’s shipbuilding industry and workforce, including through authorizing funding and workforce development for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. In the Committee-approved FY26 NDAA, Shaheen secured full authorization for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) investments at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. She also secured a number of other provisions to increase capacity at the Shipyard and improve quality of life.

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