Senator Ted Kennedy said, "My father worked here. The Fore River Shipyard will once again be a symbol of our leadership. And I will do all I can to insure that this leadership continues to thrive. The shipbuilding industry has been struggling in this country as a whole. Employment has dropped to a 40 year low. American-built ships carry less than one percent of world trade. That is unacceptable."

Senator John McCain said, "We have an obligation to protect the taxpayers' dollars by ensuring that this is a viable project. It is my desire that the Quincy shipyard, into which the state of Massachusetts and the city of Quincy have invested significant resources, will be a successful venture."

President Clinton said about shipbuilding and the Quincy yard in particular, "Shipbuilding is one of the keys to America's national defense and helping our shipbuilders succeed commercially is an important goal of defense conversion. This administration is committed to preserving highly skilled American jobs and we believe that American shipbuilding can compete and win in world markets."

What happened...? SHIPBUILDING USED TO BE ONE OF THE TOP FIVE INDUSTRIES IN THE U.S.A.