Manufacturing News July 8, 2005 Vol. 12, No. 13 812 Words Page 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Navy Is Removing Life Support For Shipbuilding Industry The United States shipbuilding industry is on the verge of losing most of its component suppliers due to severe cuts in naval shipbuilding budgets and Department of Defense procurement rules that encourage acquisition managers to buy products from the lowest-cost commercial suppliers overseas, claims the American Shipbuilding Association. Next year's proposed budget for naval ships is $3.2 billion less than the amount appropriated in 2005, says Cynthia Brown, president of the American Shipbuilding Association. Since 2001, defense...