WASHINGTON — The White House has highlighted a "priority" legislative proposal that would authorize the U.S. Navy to contract to build two combat ships and two non-combat auxiliary vessels in foreign shipyards, according to a recent document sent to Congress. Its Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pointed out the proposal in a policy statement that it sent to the House of Representatives on July 21 to explain its position on the House version of an annual defense policy bill for fiscal year 2027, called the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In the statement, the OMB made clear its opposition to a section of the House bill that would prohibit the use of defense funds for procuring "battle force" ships to be built in a foreign shipyard. "The prohibition ... is inconsistent with the administration's priority legislative proposal, which would authorize the Navy to contract to construct two surface combatant vessels and two non-combat auxiliary vessels in foreign shipyards for the purpose of driving significant and direct foreign investment into our domestic shipyards," it said