1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am deeply concerned about the USS Abraham Lincoln’s extraordinarily long deployment and reports of worsening crew conditions. Congress should investigate those conditions, ensure prompt relief, and establish safeguards against excessive future deployments. AN EXTRAORDINARY DEPLOYMENT IS TAKING A TOLL The Lincoln left San Diego in November 2025 and has now been deployed for more than 260 days, including more than 200 days without a port call. REPORTED CONDITIONS RAISE SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS Families and lawmakers have raised concerns about shortages of basic supplies, food and water problems, plumbing difficulties, severe fatigue and declining morale. Particularly alarming are family reports of serious mental-health crises and sailors attempting to go overboard. The Pentagon disputes some descriptions of deteriorating conditions, making congressional scrutiny essential. EXHAUSTION UNDERMINES MILITARY READINESS This is not just a matter of comfort. Prolonged service without shore leave, inadequate rest and declining morale can affect judgment, performance and readiness. The Navy needs resilient sailors as well as capable ships. EXTENDED SERVICE STILL REQUIRES SAFEGUARDS Military service requires sacrifice, and emergencies sometimes require longer deployments. But military necessity does not eliminate the government’s responsibility to protect service members or justify avoidable extensions once relief becomes possible. The men and women aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have already carried an extraordinary burden. Military necessity should not become an excuse for avoidable hardship or prolonged separation from their families. CONGRESS CANNOT TREAT THIS AS NORMAL The deployment may have been required by military circumstances, but the welfare of those carrying out that mission is also a national responsibility. Please use your oversight authority to determine what conditions developed and why, ensure prompt relief for the Lincoln’s crew, and prevent these conditions from becoming an accepted cost of future deployments. I urge you to take these actions: (1) INVESTIGATE CONDITIONS. Require the Navy to provide Congress with a full accounting of the deployment, living conditions, supply problems, crew fatigue, mental-health incidents and available medical and counseling resources aboard the Lincoln. (2) ENSURE RELIEF. Require a clear timetable for the USS George Washington to relieve the Lincoln and press the Navy to return its crew home without further avoidable extension once relief is available. (3) REVIEW SAFEGUARDS. Review Navy policies governing unusually long deployments, consecutive days at sea, port calls, crew rest and family notification, and require reforms where safeguards prove inadequate. (4) PROTECT MENTAL HEALTH. Require the Navy to report on mental-health staffing, confidential access to care and barriers preventing sailors from seeking help during prolonged deployments. Thank you.