Washington, Sept. 24 -- Rep. Mark Messmer issued the following press release:

Rep. Mark Messmer (R-IN), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today introduced the Ready Reserve Force Modernization Accountability Act. The bill directs the Navy and Maritime Administration to prioritize finalizing design requirements for new sealift vessels and brief Congress on plans to build and fund them.

The Ready Reserve Force (RRF) is a fleet of approximately around 50 vessels that can carry troops, equipment, fuel, and supplies across oceans during a crisis. It provides nearly half of the federal government's surge sealift capacity. Its ships are more than 45 years old on average.

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