NAMING OF TRIDENT SUBMARINE THE USS. MELVIN PRICE

SEC. 1221. NAMING OF TRIDENT SUBMARINE THE USS. MELVIN PRICE (a) Findings.—The Congress finds that— (1) the late Honorable Melvin Price served the people of the United States and the 21st Congressional District of Illinois as a Member of the House of Representatives for 44 consecutive years with loyalty, dedication, and warm personal friendship until his death on April 22, 1988; (2) Melvin Price served as a member of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives for 40 years and did so with total dedication to the goal of maintaining a strong national defense; (3) in 1964, Melvin Price became the first chairman of the Research and Development Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, and in 1975 became the first military veteran to serve as chairman of that committee, a position he held for 10 years; (4) Melvin Price was a member of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy from its establishment in 1946 until 1977 and served as the first chairman of that committee; (5) Melvin Price played a major role in successfully advocating the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the military application of nuclear power for Navy ships and submarines; and (6) Melvin Price has left an indelible mark on the history of the Nation as a result of his 44 years of unselfish efforts to maintain the strength and readiness of the Armed Forces. (b) Sense of Congress.—In light of the findings expressed in subsection (a), it is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Navy should name the next Trident ballistic missile submarine to be named after the enactment of this Act the U.S.S. Melvin Price.