Democrats demand USS Lincoln probe after record 260-day deployment
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US lawmakers have renewed calls for a probe into conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln after the carrier broke the Navy's record with more than 260 days at sea without a port call. Three separate Democratic appeals, including letters from 22 members of Congress and a group of senators, question Navy readiness and accuse the administration of poor planning. The appeals come as the carrier prepares to navigate home.
Key Facts
- The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego in November and has been involved in military operations against Venezuela and the US-Israel war on Iran.
- The carrier has spent more than 260 days at sea without a port call, breaking the US Navy's record for the longest deployment without a stop.
- Representative Pat Ryan's August 14 letter to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, signed by 22 members of Congress, said lengthy deployments 'have become a pattern' in the administration's Iran war handling.
- A delegation of California lawmakers including Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla sent a letter to the Pentagon calling for an inquiry.
- A group of Democratic senators addressed a letter dated August 15 to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers and calling the Iran war decision 'deeply unsound'.
Congressional Demands for Inquiry
US lawmakers have renewed calls for answers about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. In at least three separate appeals, Democrats sought more information about how the Navy prepared for the carrier's record-breaking deployment. Representative Pat Ryan published a letter to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao signed by 22 members of Congress. Ryan's August 14 letter said the lengthy deployments 'have become a pattern' in the administration's handling of the Iran war. A delegation of California lawmakers, including Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, sent a letter to the Pentagon calling for an inquiry.
Deployment Strain and Record
The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego, California, in November and has been involved in military operations against Venezuela as well as the US-Israel war on Iran. The ship has yet to dock for a port call since then, spending more than 260 days at sea. That stretch broke the US Navy's record for the longest deployment without a stop. Reports emerged in recent weeks about crew members attempting to jump overboard amid shortages of food and other supplies. The USS Gerald Ford also broke deployment length records during the Iran war and was the subject of reports about strain on sailors' health before returning to the US in April.
Accountability Demands in Senate
A group of Democratic senators addressed a letter dated August 15 to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. That letter demanded answers and called for accountability, saying open-ended deployments driven by an open-ended war have real consequences for service members. The senators wrote that the reported conditions were 'a symptom of poor planning by both you and the President' and were exacerbated by the decision to start a war with Iran. The Iran war, which began on February 28, shows no sign of ending.
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Democrats demand USS Lincoln probe after record 260-day deployment
