House Armed Services Leaders Warn Pentagon Against Altering CVN-81 Naming Charter

WASHINGTON, DC — Bipartisan leaders on the House Armed Services Committee issued a formal statement late Thursday night cautioning Department of Defense leadership against administrative proposals to rename the future Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller (CVN-81).

Naval Heritage and Statutory Naming Traditions

Named in honor of Navy Cross recipient Doris 'Dorie' Miller for extraordinary heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor, CVN-81 represents the first American supercarrier named after an enlisted sailor and an African American. Lawmakers responded to reports of preliminary Pentagon discussions regarding renaming future naval vessels, emphasizing that ship naming decisions authorized by the Secretary of the Navy and codified in congressional defense authorizations reflect enduring national gratitude for military heroism that must remain above partisan politics.

Descendants of Doris Miller and veterans' organizations across Texas expressed profound shock at rumors of naming revisions, urging the Navy to honor its solemn commitment to naval history.

Congressional Appropriations Authority

House lawmakers noted that under Article I of the Constitution, Congress holds statutory authority over naval procurement and vessel designations in annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) statutory language.

Defense analysts in Washington affirmed that preserving established ship naming conventions protects military morale and public trust across the armed services.

Navy Public Affairs Statement

A spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary of the Navy confirmed that CVN-81 remains officially designated as the USS Doris Miller under all active shipyard construction contracts.