What Happened?

Two nominees who could oversee how the Navy builds and buys its ships will face Senate questions Nov. 19. According to a Legis1 review of the hearing notice, the nominees are William Toti and Richard Breckenridge. ​

The hearing is before the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services (SASC). Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) chairs the committee, and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is its top Democrat.

  • Toti: Nominated to be undersecretary of the Navy, he has been performing the duties of that position since May, according to USNI News.
  • Breckenridge: Nominated to be assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, he became senior adviser for shipbuilding in June, according to a Navy announcement described by USNI News.
  • Nomination date: The White House sent both nominations to the Senate in September, USNI News reported Sept. 15.

Why Does it Matter to Me?

Navy construction delays affect the size of the fleet, according to a Nov. 5 UPI report citing Congressional Budget Office analyst Eric J. Labs.

Breckenridge's prospective position oversees research, development and acquisition, including the Navy's purchases of ships and the technology they carry. USNI News reported that both nominees have held Navy shipbuilding advisory roles. The hearing gives SASC senators an opportunity to examine both men's qualifications and experience.

Both Sides, Now

The White House selected both nominees, and the Senate must decide whether to confirm them. The committee hearing is the next scheduled step in that review.

The case for close questioning rests on the Navy's ship delivery record. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress' auditing agency, reported Aug. 27 that both Virginia-class submarines delivered to the Navy in 2025 were more than three years late. GAO cited late material deliveries from suppliers and a shortage of experienced workers as contributing factors.

In a March 11, 2025 report, GAO found that Navy shipbuilding practices had consistently contributed to cost growth, delivery delays, and ships that did not perform as expected. In April 22 testimony, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the gap between the Navy's actual fleet size and the fleet it could have built using historical construction times would average approximately 20 ships from 2026 through 2030, mostly destroyers and submarines.

What Happens Next?

SASC will hold its hearing on Toti and Breckenridge on Nov. 19. Both nominations remain pending Senate consideration, and the committee can recommend whether the full Senate should confirm them. The committee has separately scheduled a Nov. 17 hearing on Hung Cao's nomination to be secretary of the Navy. Both hearings fall during Congress' lame-duck session.

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