WASHINGTON - U.S. Navy shipbuilders Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc and General Dynamics Corp on Tuesday said they were keen to build new icebreakers for the Coast Guard, after President Barack Obama pushed for quicker work on the program. Obama on Tuesday proposed buying a heavy icebreaker by 2020 instead of 2022, the previous goal, given that quickly melting sea ice has spurred more maritime traffic in the Arctic and the United States has fallen far behind Russian resources. The initiative faces an uphill battle in Congress, which has been politically divided for years over mandatory budget cuts and where many Republicans remain skeptical about climate change. Huntington Ingalls built the newest icebreaker in the U.S. fleet, the USCG Healy, which was delivered in November 1999. Huntington Ingalls spokesman Bill Glenn said his company had responded to a request for information from the Coast Guard on icebreaker design and construction in January as the service began developing a formal acquisition plan for the program. “HII has the capability and capacity to build both heavy and medium icebreakers and welcomes the opportunity to expand discussion on that subject with the U.S. Coast Guard or other government agencies supporting an icebreaker requirement,” Glenn said. General Dynamics also welcomed Obama’s announcement. “General Dynamics NASSCO is very interested in supporting a new icebreaker program. We have extensive experience in manufacturing heavy- and medium-weight steel commercial ships, and the manufacturing skills and methods needed to build modern polar icebreakers,” spokeswoman Lucy Ryan said. She said NASSCO was currently building 10 commercial ships, including the world’s first series of energy efficient container ships powered by liquefied natural gas. The Coast Guard, which has long sought funding for a new icebreaker, had no immediate comment. Coast Guard officials argue that increasing commerce and traffic in the Arctic Ocean, including petrochemical exploration and fisheries, require the United States to maintain robust polar icebreaking capability to ensure year-round Coast Guard presence in the region.