Washington, D.C. – Today, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20) announced Scott O’Neil of Ridgecrest, California as his appointee to the Commission on the Future of the Navy.
Speaker McCarthy released the following statement on this appointment:
“With a career that spanned over 40 years with the U.S. Navy, including serving as the Executive Director of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at NAWS China Lake, Scott has made countless contributions to advancing our warfighters and protecting our nation. As a thoughtful mentor and industry leader, he is exceptionally qualified to take on this role, and his wisdom, innovation, and leadership style will be an asset when making recommendations to Congress on how to make the Navy of tomorrow even stronger and more effective.”
Background
As noted in Section 1092 of the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 117-263), the Speaker of the House shall appoint one member to the Commission on the Future of the Navy. The purpose of the Commission is to develop a report by July 1, 2024 that recommends a force structure for the Navy, outlining the number and class of ships and aircraft needed. This Commission will also provide recommendations on how to improve the shipbuilding enterprise, including on what technologies should be incorporated. The report will be submitted to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.