<p class=ldtitle>Encouraging the United States Secretary of the Navy to name an active ship or submarine USS Yorktown by 2031.</p>
Senate Joint Resolution 48 is a commemorative resolution that urges the United States Secretary of the Navy to name an active ship or submarine USS Yorktown by 2031. The resolution explains the historical importance of the Yorktown name, citing the Revolutionary War victory at Yorktown and the long line of naval vessels that have carried the name, including ships that served in World War II, the Cold War, and later operations. It frames the request as a way to honor American military and maritime heritage and to mark the 250th anniversary of the Siege of Yorktown.
The resolution does not change Virginia law, create a new state program, or impose any regulatory or fiscal requirements. Its effect is limited to expressing the sense of the Virginia General Assembly and transmitting that sentiment to the Secretary of the Navy. Because it is a joint resolution directed at a federal naming decision, its practical impact depends entirely on whether the Navy chooses to act on the request.
SJ48 has no direct effect on the Virginia Code or state administrative law. It is a nonbinding memorializing resolution that asks a federal official to consider naming an active Navy ship or submarine USS Yorktown by 2031, and directs the Clerk of the Senate to transmit the resolution to the Secretary of the Navy. The only affected parties are the U.S. Navy and, indirectly, those interested in naval heritage and the Yorktown legacy.
The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and ceremonial. The bill’s text is celebratory and patriotic, emphasizing valor, tradition, and historical continuity, and there is no recorded committee debate or roll-call vote showing opposition. Its final disposition, passed by indefinitely in Rules by voice vote, suggests the resolution was not controversial but also did not advance to final enactment.
There is little visible contention in the available record. The main practical limitation is that the resolution can only encourage a federal naming decision; it cannot compel the Navy to name a ship or submarine USS Yorktown. Any disagreement would likely center on whether the General Assembly should devote attention to a symbolic federal request rather than state legislation, but no specific objections or opposing arguments are documented in the provided materials.