Cruiser Act

The Cruiser Act is a United States federal law passed by the U.S. Congress on February 13, 1929. It authorized the construction of 20 new United States Navy ships: 19 cruisers and 1 aircraft carrier.

Two Portland-class cruisers were laid down in 1930; original plans called for a class of six, but four were later altered into New Orleans-class cruisers shortly after being laid down in 1930 & 1931. Three more New Orleans-class were also laid down, in 1931, 1933 and 1934. The carrier was the USS Ranger (CV-4), laid down in 1931.

• 1929: No ships were laid down
• 1930: Two Portland-class and a New Orleans-class were laid down (CA-33, CA-34, and CA-35)
• 1931: Four New Orleans-class, and the Ranger, were laid down (CA-32, CA-36, CA-37, CA-38, and CV-4)
• 1932: No ships were laid down
• 1933: One New Orleans-class was laid down (CA-39)
• 1934: One New Orleans-class was laid down (CA-44)

This gives a total of ten ships constructed under the Act, far short of the twenty authorized.

Several factors could have affected construction; among them, the London Naval Conference in 1930. The most likely explanation for the delays, however, was the strict government economies related to the Great Depression; it is notable that in 1932-4, new construction almost stagnated. With the New Deal, and a willingness to spend money, this slowly turned around; the National Industrial Recovery Act of June 1933 was used to authorise the completion of various vessels, and following this the last two New Orleans-class were laid down.

In 1934, a new naval construction bill, the Vinson-Trammell Act was passed, providing a systematic program of ship replacement for the Navy throughout the decade and superseding the remnants of the Cruiser Act plans.