Navy Ship Names: Background For Congress

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the
Navy. Congress in recent years has proposed, and sometimes passed, legislation regarding the
naming of specific ships. This report will be updated when events warrant.

Who Names Navy Ships?................................................................................................................1
What Is the Navy’s Process for Selecting Names?..........................................................................1
Are There Naming Rules for Ship Types?.......................................................................................2
Can Ships Be Named for Living Persons?......................................................................................3
What Is the Public’s Role in Naming Ships?...................................................................................4
What Is Congress’s Role in Naming Ships?....................................................................................4
What Past Legislation Has There Been on the Issue?.....................................................................5
Table 1. Ships Named for Persons Who Were Living at the Time..................................................3
Table 2. Recent Enacted Provisions................................................................................................5
Table 3. Examples of Proposed Bills and Amendments..................................................................6
Author Contact Information............................................................................................................7

Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the
Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress. ^th
For most of the 19 century, U.S. law included language explicitly assigning the Secretary of the ¹
Navy the task of naming new Navy ships. The reference to the Secretary of the Navy ²
disappeared from the U.S. Code in 1925. The Code today (10 USC §7292) is silent on the issue ³
of who has the authority to name new Navy ships, but the Secretary of the Navy arguably retains
implicit authority, given the location of §7292 in subtitle C of Title 10, which covers the Navy
and Marine Corps.

In discussing its name-selection process, the Navy cites the above-mentioned laws and states:
^As^w^ith^m^a^ny^oth^e^r^t^h^ing^s^,^t^h^e^procedu^r^es^an^d^practicesⁱⁿ^v^o^l^v^e^dⁱⁿ^N^a^v^y^s^hⁱ^pⁿ^a^mⁱⁿ^g^a^r^e^a^s
^m^u^c^h^{, i}^fⁿ^o^t^m^o^r^e^{, p}^r^o^d^u^{cts o}^f^ev^o^l^u^tioⁿ^aⁿ^d^tr^ad^itioⁿ^t^h^aⁿ^o^f^legⁱ^s^l^atioⁿ^.^As^w^e^h^a^v^e^seen^,
^th^{e n}^a^m^e^s^f^o^{r n}^e^w^s^h^ips^{are pers}^on^all^y^{decided b}^y^th^e^Secret^ary^o^f^th^e^Navy^{. T}^h^{e Secretar}^y
^can^rel^y^oⁿ^m^a^ny^s^o^u^r^ce^s^{to help h}ⁱ^m^reac^h^his^decisⁱ^oⁿ^s^.^E^ach^y^{ear, t}^h^{e Nav}^a^{l His}^t^orical
^C^eⁿ^t^er^co^m^p^ile^s^pri^m^ar^y^an^d^a^ltern^ate^s^hⁱ^pⁿ^a^m^e^r^e^c^o^m^m^eⁿ^d^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^s^aⁿ^d^f^o^rw^a^r^d^s^t^h^es^e^t^o^t^h^e
^C^hⁱ^e^{f o}^f^N^a^va^l^O^p^e^r^a^tⁱ^o^ns^b^y^wa^y^o^f^t^h^e^c^h^aⁱ^{n o}^f^c^o^mma^nd^.^T^h^e^s^e^recom^m^eⁿ^d^atioⁿ^s^are^the
^r^e^su^lt^o^f^r^e^sear^chⁱⁿ^to^t^h^e^hⁱ^s^t^o^r^y^o^f^th^e^Na^v^y^aⁿ^d^b^y^s^u^g^g^estioⁿ^s^s^u^b^mⁱ^tted^b^y^ser^v^ice
^m^e^m^b^ers^,^Navy^v^e^terans^{, an}^{d t}^h^{e pu}^{blic. S}^h^ipⁿ^a^m^e^s^o^u^r^{ce re}^cords^{at th}^{e His}^t^{orical C}^eⁿ^t^er
^ref^l^{ect th}^e^wⁱ^{de v}^a^riet^y^o^fⁿ^a^m^e^s^o^u^r^ces^t^h^{at h}^a^v^e^been^u^s^e^dⁱⁿ^th^{e pas}^t^{, particu}^l^arl^y^sⁱⁿ^c^e
^W^o^r^l^d^W^a^r^I^.^Sh^ipⁿ^a^m^e^r^eco^m^m^en^d^a^tioⁿ^s^ar^{e co}ⁿ^d^itioⁿ^e^d^b^y^s^u^ch^f^acto^r^{s as th}^eⁿ^a^m^e
^categ^o^r^ies^f^o^r^sh^ip^t^y^p^e^sⁿ^o^{w b}^eⁱⁿ^g^b^u^{ilt, a}^s^ap^p^r^o^v^ed^b^y^t^h^{e Secr}^etar^y^o^f^t^h^{e Na}^v^y^{; t}^h^e
^di^s^t^ri^bu^tⁱ^oⁿ^of^g^e^og^raphⁱ^cⁿ^a^m^e^s^of^s^hⁱ^p^s^o^f^t^h^{e F}^l^eet^;ⁿ^a^m^e^s^born^e^by^prevⁱ^o^u^s^shⁱ^p^s^w^hⁱ^c^h

¹^A^law^a^ppr^ov^e^dⁱⁿ¹⁸¹⁹⁽^R^e^s^{. of}^Ma^r^c^{h 3,}¹⁸¹⁹^{, §}¹^,^{3 S}^t^a^t^.⁵³^{8, N}^o^{. 7}⁾^s^t^a^t^e^d^“^T^ha^{t a}^{ll of}^the^s^h^ips^of^the^na^v^y^o^f^the
^Uⁿ^ite^{d S}^t^a^t^e^s^{, now}^b^u^ildiⁿ^g^,^o^r^h^e^re^af^te^{r to be}^b^u^ilt,^s^h^a^ll^be^na^m^e^{d by}^the^Se^c^r^e^t^a^r^y^of^the^N^a^vy^{, unde}^{r t}^h^e^dire^c^tⁱ^on^of
^t^h^e^P^r^esi^d^en^t^o^f^t^h^{e Uni}^t^e^d^S^t^at^{es” i}ⁿ^acco^rd^an^{ce w}ⁱ^t^h^ru^l^e^{s s}^p^eci^fyiⁿ^{g t}^h^at^shi^p^s^o^f^t^h^{e f}ⁱ^rst^cl^ass^w^e^{re t}^o^b^eⁿ^a^m^e^d
^af^t^e^{r st}^at^{es o}^f^t^h^{e Un}ⁱ^o^n,^and^secon^d^and^t^hⁱ^r^d^cl^{ass sh}ⁱ^p^{s w}^e^{re t}^o^{be n}^a^m^e^d^,^resp^ectⁱ^v^el^y,^a^f^t^e^{r ri}^vers^an^d^p^rⁱⁿ^ci^p^a^l
^c^itie^{s a}^{nd t}^o^wⁿ^{s. A}^la^w^a^pprov^e^d^{in 1}⁸⁵⁸^(A^c^t^of^June¹²^,¹⁸^58,^c^.¹⁵³^{, §}⁵^,¹¹^Sta^t^.³¹⁹⁾^prov^ide^d^a^sim^ila^{r rule}^f^o^r
^“^s^te^a^m^s^h^ips^of^the^na^vy^{... ,”}^e^x^c^e^{pt t}^h^a^t^th^ird-c^l^a^s^s^v^e^s^s^e^ls^(thos^e^w^{ith f}^e^w^e^{r tha}ⁿ^tw^eⁿ^t^y^g^uns^{) w}^e^r^e^{to be}^na^m^e^{d by}
^t^h^{e S}^ecret^ar^y^o^f^t^h^{e Nav}^y^a^s^t^h^e^P^r^esi^d^en^t^m^a^y^dⁱ^rect^,^t^a^kiⁿ^g^{care t}^h^atⁿ^o^t^w^o^vessel^sⁱⁿ^t^h^{e Nav}^y^sh^al^l^b^{ear t}^h^{e sam}^e
^na^m^e^.”^Sec^tion¹⁵³¹^of^the^R^e^vⁱ^s^e^{d Sta}^t^ute^s^of¹⁸⁷^3-¹⁸⁷⁴^{, c}ⁱ^tⁱ^ng^t^h^e¹⁸¹⁹^aⁿ^d¹⁸⁵⁸^la^w^s^{, s}^t^a^t^e^s^{: “}^T^he^v^e^s^s^e^ls^of^the
^N^a^vy^s^h^a^{ll be}^na^m^e^{d by}^the^Se^c^r^eta^r^y^of^the^N^a^vy^{, unde}^r^the^dir^e^c^tⁱ^on^of^the^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^t^...^”ⁱⁿ^acco^rd^an^{ce w}ⁱ^t^h^ru^l^e^s
^sim^ila^{r to those}^a^bov^e^,^v^a^ry^ing^sli^g^htly^de^pe^nding^oⁿ^w^h^e^t^he^{r the}^v^e^sse^l^w^a^{s a}^sa^iling^sh^{ip or a}^ste^a^m^{ship. I}ⁿ¹⁸^98,
^C^ong^r^e^s^s^pa^s^s^e^{d a}^la^w⁽^A^c^t^of^M^a^y^{4, 18}⁹⁸^{, c}^.²³^4,³⁰^Sta^t^.³⁹⁰^[^a^ppr^opr^ia^ti^ons^f^o^r^t^h^e^na^v^a^{l s}^e^r^v^ice^s^]⁾^pr^e^s^c^r^ibiⁿ^g
^rule^{s f}^o^{r the}^na^mⁱ^ng^of^“^f^irst-c^l^a^s^s^ba^ttle^shi^p^{s a}ⁿ^d^m^onitors,”^w^h^ic^{h spe}^cⁱ^fⁱ^e^d^tha^t^t^h^e^s^e^w^e^r^e^{to be}ⁿ^a^m^e^{d a}^f^t^e^{r Sta}^t^e^s
^an^d^“sh^a^llⁿ^o^t^b^eⁿ^a^m^e^d^f^o^{r an}^y^c^ity^{, p}^l^{ace, o}^r^p^e^rsoⁿ^s^uⁿ^{til t}^h^{e n}^a^{mes o}^f^th^{e States, sh}^{all h}^a^v^e^b^een^ex^h^a^u^s^ted^.^{” T}^h^e
^prov^isio^{n d}ⁱ^d^not^e^x^plic^itly^sta^t^e^w^hose^dut^y^{it w}^{ould be}^t^o^a^ssigⁿ^na^m^e^{s to v}^e^sse^ls^{. Cong}^re^{ss re}^pe^a^l^e^d^this^prov^isio^{n i}ⁿ
¹⁹⁰^{8 a}^s^it^pe^rtaⁱ^ne^{d to}^m^onitors,^pe^rm^itting^those^v^e^sse^{ls to}^be^na^m^e^{d “}^a^s^the^Pre^s^ideⁿ^{t m}^a^y^dire^c^t^.”^(A^c^t^o^f^Ma^y^13,
¹⁹⁰^{8, c}^.¹^66,³⁵^Sta^t^.¹^59.)
²^T^h^e^r^e^f^e^r^e^nc^e^{to the}^Se^c^r^e^t^a^r^y^o^f^the^N^a^vy^f^oundⁱⁿ^§¹⁵³¹^of^the^R^e^vⁱ^s^e^{d Sta}^t^ute^s^of¹⁸^73-¹⁸^{74 (}^s^e^e^pr^e^v^ious
^f^ootnote⁾^is^a^b^se^{nt f}^r^om^the^U.S.^Code^of¹⁹²⁵^{, w}^h^ic^{h c}^o^v^e^{rs Na}^v^y^v^e^ss^e^l^na^m^e^{s in T}^itle^34,^§4^61-⁴⁶³^.
³^{34 U}^S^C^§⁴⁶¹^-⁴⁶³^of^the¹⁹²⁵^U^.^{S. C}^o^de⁽^s^e^e^pr^e^v^ious^f^oot^note⁾^w^e^r^e^la^te^r^r^e^c^odifⁱ^e^d^a^s^{10 U}^S^C^§7²⁹²^{. 1}⁰^U^S^C
^§72⁹²^pr^ov^ide^s^tha^t^ba^ttle^shi^p^{s a}^r^e^{to be}^“ⁿ^a^m^e^d^f^o^{r a}^Sta^t^e^.^How^e^v^e^{r, if}^the^na^m^e^{s of}^a^{ll the}^Sta^t^e^s^a^r^e^{in use}^,^a
^b^a^ttlesh^ip^m^a^y^b^eⁿ^a^m^e^d^f^o^{r a cit}^y^{, p}^l^{ace, o}^r^p^e^rsoⁿ^.^{” It}^sp^ecifⁱ^cally^au^th^o^r^{izes th}^e^Secretar^y^o^f^th^{e Nav}^y^to^“ch^an^g^e^th^e
^na^m^e^o^f^aⁿ^y^v^e^s^s^e^l^boug^{ht f}^o^{r t}^h^e^N^a^vy^,”^§7292(c⁾^,^b^u^t^doe^sⁿ^o^{t e}^x^plic^itly^a^s^sⁱ^gⁿ^re^s^pons^ibili^ty^f^o^{r e}ⁿ^s^u^ring^t^h^a^t^no
^tw^{o v}^e^ss^e^l^{s ha}^v^e^the^sa^m^e^na^m^e^{, §72}⁹²^(a^{), or}^f^o^{r na}^mⁱ^ng^ba^ttle^{ships, §}⁷²⁹²⁽^b).

^di^s^tⁱ^nguⁱ^s^h^e^{d t}^h^e^m^s^e^l^v^esⁱⁿ^s^e^rvⁱ^ce;ⁿ^a^m^e^s^reco^m^m^eⁿ^d^{ed by}ⁱⁿ^di^vⁱ^d^u^al^s^aⁿ^d^g^r^ou^ps^;^aⁿ^d
ⁿ^a^m^e^s^ofⁿ^a^v^a^{l leaders}^,ⁿ^a^tioⁿ^a^{l f}ⁱ^gu^res^,^an^{d deceas}^ed^m^e^m^b^er^s^of^th^{e Na}^vy^aⁿ^{d Marine}
^C^o^r^p^s^who^ha^ve^b^e^eⁿ^ho^no^r^e^d^fo^r^he^r^oⁱ^s^mⁱⁿ^wa^r^o^r^fo^r^e^x^t^r^ao^r^dⁱⁿ^a^r^y^a^c^hi^ev^e^m^eⁿ^tⁱⁿ^peace.
^Iⁿ^{its f}ⁱⁿ^a^{l f}^o^r^m^{, af}^ter^coⁿ^s^id^e^r^atioⁿ^{at th}^{e v}^a^rⁱ^o^u^{s le}^v^e^{ls o}^f^co^m^m^aⁿ^d^{, th}^{e C}^h^ie^f^o^f^Nav^a^l
^Operation^s^sⁱ^gn^s^t^h^e^m^e^m^o^raⁿ^dum^reco^m^m^eⁿ^dⁱⁿ^gⁿ^a^m^e^s^{for th}^{e cu}^rren^t^y^ear’s^bu^ildiⁿ^g
^prog^ram^aⁿ^{d s}^eⁿ^d^s^{it to t}^h^{e Secretary}^o^f^th^{e Na}^vy^{. T}^h^{e Secretar}^y^cons^iders^th^e^s^e
ⁿ^o^mⁱⁿ^a^tioⁿ^s^{, alo}ⁿ^g^wⁱ^t^h^ot^h^e^r^s^h^e^receiv^e^s^a^s^w^e^l^l^as^hⁱ^{s ow}^{n t}^h^ough^{ts i}ⁿ^t^h^is^m^a^tter.^A^t
^appro^p^{riate tim}^e^s^{, h}^e^s^e^lects^na^m^e^s^f^o^{r s}^p^ecifⁱ^{c s}^h^ips^aⁿ^{d ann}^oun^ces^t^h^e^m^.
^W^h^{ile th}^er^{e is n}^o^{set ti}^m^e^f^o^r^assigⁿⁱⁿ^g^{a n}^a^m^e^{, it is cu}^sto^m^ar^il^y^d^oⁿ^{e b}^e^f^o^r^e^th^{e sh}^ip^is⁴
^ch^ris^t^eⁿ^ed.

Rules for giving certain types of names to certain types of Navy ships have evolved over time.
Attack submarines, for example, were once named for fish, then later for cities, and most recently
for states, while cruisers were once named for cities, then later for states, and most recently for
battles. The Navy states that while it “has attempted to be systematic in naming its ships, like all
institutions it has been subject to evolutionary change, and the name sources of the Navy’s ships ⁵
have not been immune to this change.”
There have been exceptions to the Navy’s ship-naming rules, particularly for the purpose of
naming a ship for a person when the rule for that type of ship would have called for it to be ⁶
named for something else. Some observers in recent years have perceived a breakdown in, or ⁷
corruption of, the rules for naming Navy ships. For example, the three-ship Seawolf (SSN-21)
class of attack submarines—Seawolf (SSN-21), Connecticut (SSN-22), and Jimmy Carter (SSN-
23)—were named for a fish, a state, and a president, respectively, reflecting no apparent rule. For
ship types now being procured for the Navy, current naming practices can be summarized as
follows:
• The 10 most recently named aircraft carriers have been named for U.S.
presidents (8 ships) and Members of Congress (2 ships).
• Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines are being named for states. An
exception occurred on January 8, 2009, when the Secretary of the Navy ^th
announced that SSN-785, the 12 ship in the class, would be named for former
Virginia Senator John Warner. Warner served as a sailor in World War II, as a
Marine in the Korean War, as Under Secretary of the Navy in 1969-1972, and as

⁴^Naval^Hi^st^o^rⁱ^cal^Cen^t^er,^“S^hⁱ^p^N^a^mⁱⁿ^gⁱⁿ^t^h^{e U}ⁿⁱ^t^e^d^S^t^at^{es Nav}^y^,^”^avai^l^a^b^l^{e o}ⁿ^lⁱⁿ^{e at}
^http:^//w^w^w^.his^tor^y^.na^v^y^.^m^il/^f^a^qs^/^f^a^q63-^1.h^t^m^.
⁵^Ibid^.
⁶^Ohio^(SSBN-7²⁶⁾^c^l^a^{ss ba}^llistic^mⁱ^s^s^ile^subm^a^r^ine^s^{, f}^o^r^e^x^a^m^ple^,^w^e^r^e^na^m^e^{d f}^o^{r sta}^t^e^s^{, but o}ⁿ^e^(S^SBN-73^{0) w}^a^s
^na^m^e^d^f^o^r^Se^na^tor^H^e^nr^y^“^S^c^oop^”^J^a^c^k^s^{on of}^W^a^s^h^ing^t^on,^w^{ho di}^e^dⁱⁿ^of^fⁱ^ce^{in 1}⁹⁸³^{. L}^o^s^Aⁿ^g^e^le^s⁽^SSN^-⁶⁸⁸⁾^c^l^a^s^s
^a^tta^c^k^subm^a^r^ine^s^we^re^na^m^e^{d f}^o^{r c}^itie^{s, bu}^{t o}ⁿ^e^(SSN-⁷⁰⁹^{) w}^a^{s na}^m^e^{d f}^o^r^A^d^mⁱ^r^a^{l H}^y^m^aⁿ^G^.^Ric^k^ov^e^r^{, the}^long^tim^e
^dire^c^t^or^of^the^N^a^vy^’s^nuc^le^a^r^pro^pulsⁱ^on^prog^ra^m^.^Tⁱ^c^onde^rog^a^(CG^-^{47) c}^l^a^s^s^c^r^uis^e^rs^w^e^re^nam^e^d^{for ba}^ttle^s^,^bu^{t o}ⁿ^e
^(CG^-⁵¹⁾^w^a^{s n}^a^med^f^o^{r T}^h^o^m^as^S^.^G^a^t^e^s,^a^f^o^{rmer S}^ecret^ar^y^o^f^t^h^{e Nav}^y^an^d^S^ecret^ary^o^f^De^f^eⁿ^s^e.
⁷^Se^e^,^f^o^r^e^x^am^ple^,^D^ona^{ld R}^.^B^o^u^c^houx^{, “}^T^he^N^a^m^e^G^a^m^e^,”^U.S^.^Na^va^{l I}ⁿ^stitu^{te Pro}^ceedⁱⁿ^g^s^{, Ma}^r^c^{h 20}⁰⁰^{: 1}^10-¹¹^1,
^an^d^No^rm^an^P^o^l^m^ar,^The^Nav^a^{l I}ⁿ^stitute^G^u^ide^{to t}^h^e^S^hⁱ^p^{s a}^nd^Ai^rc^{raft of t}^h^e^U.S^.^Fle^e^t^{, 18}^th^e^d^iti^oⁿ^{. A}^nna^p^o^lis
^{(MD), Na}^v^a^{l Institute}^Pre^{ss, 20}⁰⁵^{. p.}²⁴^1.

Secretary of the Navy in 1972-1974. Warner served as a Senator from January 2,
1979, to January 3, 2009. He was a longtime member of the Senate Armed
Services Committee, and was for several years the chairman of that committee.
• The first DDG-1000 class destroyer has been named for Admiral Elmo R. “Bud”
Zumwalt, Jr., who was the Chief of Naval Operations from 1970 to 1974. On
October 29, 2008, the Navy announced that the second ship in the class would be
named for Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL (i.e., a member of the Navy’s special
operations force) who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his
heroic actions in Iraq in September 2006. These two names are consistent with
past practice of naming U.S. Navy destroyers for U.S. naval leaders and heroes.
• Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) are being named for small and medium-sized
cities. The Navy has named the first two LCSs Freedom and Independence, after
multiple U.S. cities with these names.
• San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ships are being named for U.S. cities.
• The Navy announced on June 27, 2008, that the first LHA-6 class amphibious
assault ship would be named America, a name previously used for an aircraft
carrier (CV-66) that served in the Navy from 1965 to 1996. The previous eight
Wasp (LHD-1) class big deck amphibious assault ships were named for World
War II-era Navy aircraft carriers and earlier Navy ships.
• Lewis and Clark (TAKE-1) class cargo and ammunition ships are being named
for noted explorers.

The Navy historically has only rarely named ships for living persons. As shown in Table 1, at
least 11 U.S. military ships since the 1970s have been named for persons who were living at the
time the name was announced.
Table 1. Ships Named for Persons Who Were Living at the Time
^{Ship type}^{Hull number}^{Ship name}^Procu^red^{In service}
^{Aircraft carrier}^CVN-70^{Carl Vinson}^FY1974¹⁹⁸²
^{Attack su}^bmarine^SSN-709^Hyman^{G. Rickover}^FY1974¹⁹⁸⁴
^{Destroyer DDG-51}^Arleigh^Burke^FY1985¹⁹⁹¹
^{Aircraft carrier}^CVN-74^{John C. Stennis}^FY1988¹⁹⁹⁵
^{Sealift ship}^{TAKR-300 Bob}^Hope^FY1993¹⁹⁹⁸
^{Aircraft carrier}^CVN-76^{Ronald Reagan}^FY1995²⁰⁰³
^{Destroyer DDG-94}^Nitze^FY1999²⁰⁰⁵
^{Attack su}^bmarine^SSN-23^{Jimmy Carter}^FY199⁶²⁰⁰⁵
^{Aircraft carrier}^CVN-77^{George H.W. Bush}^FY2001²⁰⁰⁸
^Destroyer^DDG-108^{Wayne E. Me}^yer^FY2004²⁰⁰⁹
^{Attack su}^bmarine^SSN-785^{John War}^ner^{FY2010 ~2015}
^Source:^{Compiled by CRS. SSN-}^{23 was originally procu}^{red in FY1}^{992. It}^{s p}^rocureme^{nt was}^sus^pen^{ded, and}
^then^{reinstated in FY1}⁹⁹^6.

Members of the public are sometimes interested in having Navy ships named for their own states
or cities, for older U.S. Navy ships (particularly those on which they or their relatives served), for
battles in which they or their relatives participated, or for people they admire. Citizens with such
an interest sometimes contact the Navy, the Department of Defense, or Congress seeking support
for their proposals. An October 2008 news report suggested that a letter-writing campaign by
New Hampshire elementary school students that began in January 2004 was instrumental in the ⁸
Navy’s decision in August 2004 to name a Virginia-class submarine after the state.

Congress has long maintained an interest in how Navy ships are named,⁹ and has influenced the
naming of certain Navy ships. For example, one source states that “[the aircraft carriers] CVN 72
and CVN 73 were named prior to their start [of construction], in part to preempt potential
congressional pressure to name one of those ships for Admiral H.G. Rickover ([instead,] the ¹⁰
[attack submarine] SSN 709 was named for the admiral).” Another example was a rivalry of
sorts in Congress between those who supported naming the aircraft carrier CVN-76 for president
Truman and those who supported naming it for president Reagan; the issue was effectively
resolved by a decision announced by President Clinton in February 1995 to name one carrier ¹¹
(CVN-75) for Truman and another (CVN-76) for Reagan. One press report suggests that the
decision to name CVN-77 for President George H. W. Bush may have been influenced by a ¹²
congressional suggestion. Section 1012 of the FY2007 defense authorization act (H.R.
5122/P.L. 109-364 of October 17, 2006), expressed the sense of the Congress that the aircraft
carrier CVN-78 should be named for President Gerald R. Ford, and the Navy announced on
January 16, 2007, that CVN-78 would be so named. The Navy suggests that Congressional
offices wishing to express support for proposals to name a Navy ship for a specific person, place,
or thing contact the office of the Secretary of the Navy to make their support known. Congress
may also pass legislation relating to ship names.

⁸^Dean^L^o^h^m^e^y^er,^“S^t^u^d^eⁿ^t^{s W}^h^o^Hel^p^ed^Nam^e^t^h^{e Na}^v^y^{’s Ne}^west^S^u^{b T}^o^u^r^S^t^at^{e’s Nam}^e^sa^ke,^”^Na^{vy News S}^e^rvice^,
^O^c^tobe^r²⁵^,²⁰^08.
⁹^For^e^x^a^m^ple^,^the¹⁸¹⁹^aⁿ^d¹⁸⁵⁸^la^w^s^c^ite^{d in f}^oot^note^{1 s}^e^{t f}^o^r^t^h^na^mⁱ^ng^r^u^le^s^f^o^r^c^e^r^ta^{in k}ⁱ^nds^of^s^h^ips^.^T^oda^y^,¹⁰
^{USC §}⁷²⁹²⁽^b⁾^{still re}^q^uⁱ^re^{s t}^h^a^t^b^a^ttle^sh^ip^{s (w}^hⁱ^c^h^t^h^e^Un^ite^d^Sta^t^e^s^h^a^{s n}^o^t^b^u^{ilt si}ⁿ^c^e^W^o^rld^W^a^{r II) b}^eⁿ^a^m^e^d^a^f^te^r
^st^at^es.
¹⁰^The^Nav^a^{l I}ⁿ^stitu^te^Guide^to^the^Shi^{ps a}^nd^Airc^raft^{of t}^h^e^U.S^.^Fle^e^t^,^op^c^{it, p. 11}^3.^Se^e^a^l^s^o^{p. 70}^a^{nd p. 86.}
¹¹
^P^a^tric^k^P^e^x^t^on^{, “}^C^lin^to^{n Com}^p^ro^mⁱ^s^e^{: Ca}^rrie^r^{s T}^r^u^m^aⁿ^And^Reagan^,^”^Na^{vy T}ⁱ^mes^{, Fe}^br^ua^r^y^{13, 1}⁹^95:¹⁹^{. Se}^e^a^l^s^o
^“^N^a^v^y^A^nnou^nc^e^s^Aⁱ^r^c^r^a^f^t^C^a^r^rⁱ^er^T^o^B^e^N^a^m^e^{d For}^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^{t T}^r^u^m^aⁿ^,”^A^sso^ci^a^t^ed^P^r^ess^{, Fe}^br^ua^r^y^2,¹⁹^95.^C^V^N^-⁷⁵
^ha^{d be}^eⁿ^pre^lim^ina^r^ily^na^m^e^{d the}^Unite^d^Sta^t^e^s^.
¹²^T^h^e^a^r^tic^le^{, w}^h^ic^{h re}^porte^d^on^th^e^ship’s^of^fⁱ^cⁱ^a^l^na^mⁱ^ng^c^e^re^m^ony^{, sta}^t^e^s^{: “}^[^Se^na^tor^]^W^a^rne^r^re^c^a^lle^{d tha}^t^he^fⁱ^rst
^s^u^g^g^e^s^t^e^d^namⁱ^ng^a^c^a^r^rⁱ^e^r^{in the}^s^e^nior^B^u^s^h^’^s^h^oⁿ^o^r^la^s^t^y^e^a^r^[ⁱ^.e^.^,ⁱⁿ²⁰⁰¹^]^,^d^u^rⁱ^ng^a^c^e^r^em^ony^{in N}^e^w^por^{t N}^e^w^s^to
^ch^ri^st^en^t^h^e^[p^revi^o^u^s^]^carri^{er Ron}^a^l^d^Reagan^.^”^(Dal^{e E}ⁱ^sm^an^{, “Na}^v^y^Na^{mes Ne}^w^Aⁱ^rcr^a^f^t^{Carrier Fo}^{r El}^d^e^{r Bu}^sh^,”
^Norfolk^Vir^gⁱⁿ^ia^n-Pil^o^t^,^Decem^b^e^{r 1}⁰^,²⁰⁰²^.⁾

Table 2 shows recent enacted provisions regarding the names of Navy ships. All of these
measures expressed the sense of the Congress about how a Navy ship should be named.
Table 2. Recent Enacted Provisions
^Fiscal^Public
^Year^{Law Bill}^Section^Ship^Name(s)
²⁰⁰^{7 P.L.}^109-^{H.R. 5122}¹⁰¹²^CVN-78^{Gerald R. Ford}
³⁶⁴
²⁰⁰^{1 P.L.}^106-^{H.R. 4205}¹⁰¹^{2 CVN-77}^Lexington
³⁹⁸
¹⁹⁹^{9 P.L.}^105-^{H.R. 3616}¹⁰¹⁴^{an LPD-17 class}^ship^{Clifton B. Cates}
²⁶¹
¹⁹⁹^{6 P.L.}^104-^{S. 1124}¹⁰¹^{8 LHD-7}^Iwo^Jima
¹⁰⁶
¹⁹⁹^{6 P.L.}^104-^{S. 1124}¹⁰¹^{8 LPD-17}^class^{Marine Corps}^{battles or me}^mber^{s of}
¹⁰⁶^{amphibious s}^hips^{Marine Corps}
¹⁹⁹^{6 P.L.}^104-^{S. 1124}¹⁰¹⁹^{an ap}^{propriate s}^hip^{Joseph Vittori}
¹⁰⁶
¹⁹⁹^{1 P.L.}^101-^{H.R. 4739}¹⁴²⁶^{the ne}^{xt DDG-5}¹^{Samuel S. Stratton}
⁵¹⁰
¹⁹⁸^{9 P.L.}^100-^{H.R. 4481}¹²²¹^{the ne}^{xt SSBN}^{Melvin Price}
⁴⁵⁶
¹⁹⁸^{9 P.L.}^100-^{H.R. 4481}¹²²²^{an ap}^{propriate s}^hip^{Bob Hope}
⁴⁵⁶
¹⁹⁸^{9 P.L.}^100-^H.J.Res.⁸¹³⁸^{CVN-74 or CVN-7}⁵^{John C. Stennis}
²⁰²³⁹⁵
^Source:^Prepa^{red by CRS. All of these}^{provisions exp}^{ressed t}^{he s}^{ense of th}^{e Congress}^about^how^{a Navy s}^hip
^{should be na}^med.
Table 3 shows examples of proposed bills and amendments regarding the names of Navy ships ^rd
going back to the 93 Congress. Some of these measures expressed the sense of the Congress
about how a Navy ship should be named, while others would mandate a certain name for a ship.
Although few of these measures were acted on after being referred to committee, they all signaled
congressional interest in how certain ships should be named, and thus may have influenced Navy
decisions on these matters.

Table 3. Examples of Proposed Bills and Amendments
^[Cong^{ress] and}^Bill^Ship^Proposed^name(s)
^[109^th^]^{S. 27}⁶⁶^CVN-78^{Gerald R. Ford}
^[107^th^]^{H.Con.Res. 294}^{a new na}^{val vessel}^Bluejacket
^[106^th^]^{S.Con.Res. 84}^{CVN-77 Lexington}
^[105^th^]^{S.Amdt. 281}²^to^S.^{LPD-17 class ship}^{Clifton B. Cates}
²⁰⁵⁷
^[10⁴^th^]^{H.J.Res. 61}^CVN-76^{Ronald Reagan}
^[104^th^]^{H.R. 445}^CVN-76^{Harry Tr}^uman
^[104^th^]^{S.Con.Res. 62}^{SSN-774 South}^Dakota
^[104^th^]^{S.J.Res. 17}^{CVN-76 Ronald}^Reagan
^[104^th^]^{S.Amdt. 227}⁷^to^S.^{LHD-7 Iwo}^Jima
¹⁰²⁶
^[104^th^]^{S.Amdt. 227}⁷^to^S.^LPD-^{17 class ship}^s^{famous Ma}^{rine Corps}^{battles or}
¹⁰²⁶^heroes
^[104^th^]^{S.Amdt. 435}⁰^to^S.^{a SSN-774 class}^su^bmarine^{South Dakota}
¹⁷⁴⁵
^[103^rd^]^{H.R. 52}⁸³^{an ap}^{propriate s}^hip^{Joseph Vittori}
^[102^nd^]^{H.Con.Res. 354}^{a guided missile cruiser}^{Pearl Harbor}
^[102^nd^]^{H.R. 61}¹⁵^CVN-76^{Harry S Tr}^uman
^[100^th^]^{H.Amdt. 61}⁴^to^H.R.^{next SSBN-7}^{26 class s}^u^b^{marine d}^{eployed after}^{Melvin Price}
⁴²⁶⁴^enactment
^[100^th^]^{S.Amdt. 135}⁴^to^CVN-^{74 or CVN-7}⁵^{John C. Stennis}
^{H.J.Res. 395}
^[98^th^]^{H.Res. 99}^{an aircraft}^carrier^Wasp
^[97^th^]^{H.Con.Res. 312}^{a nonlethal naval vess}^el^a^Corpus^Ch^risti^a
^[97^th^]^{H.Res. 17}⁴^{an aircraft}^carrier^Wasp
^[97^th^]^{H.R. 497}⁷^CVN-72^Hyman^{G. Rickover}
^[93^rd^{] H.Con.Res. 386}^CVN-70^{Carl Vinson}
^[93^rd^{] H.Con.Res. 387}^CVN-70^{Carl Vinson}
^[93^rd^{] H.J.Res. 83}¹^CVN-70^{Carl Vinson}
^Source:^Prepa^{red by CRS.}
^a.^{The resolution ex}^{pressed t}^{he se}ⁿ^{se of Congress t}^{hat the}^{attack s}^u^{bmarine Cor}^{pus C}^{hristi (SSN-70}^{5) be}
^{renamed, and t}^{hat a nonlet}^{hal na}^{val vessel be na}^{med Corpus}^Chri^sti.

^Ro^na^l^d^O^'^Ro^ur^ke
^Sp^{ecialist i}ⁿ^Nav^a^l^A^f^f^a^ir^s
^rorou^r^k^e^@^c^rs^.l^oc.g^ov^{, 7-}⁷⁶¹⁰