LIEBERMAN SECURES FUNDING FOR CT INDUSTRY IN DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Joe Lieberman today announced that Connecticut will receive major federal defense funding following the Senate’s approval of $550.2 in new budget authority for the Department of Defense and and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE).  The bill also authorizes $130 billion to support overseas contingency operations during fiscal year 2010.  The Defense Authorization conference report worked out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, which will now go to President Obama for his signature.

 

 

Lieberman said he is disappointed that the final version of the bill includes $560 million in funds for an alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, an engine that both the President and the nation’s military leadership said they do not need:

 

“The President has described the alternate engine as the singular example of programs that ‘do nothing to keep us safe – but rather prevent us from spending money on what does keep us safe.’  Although this earmark’s proponents claim that it will not disrupt the JSF program, it would saddle the program with an additional $4 to $6 billion in costs over just the next five years, resulting in the procurement of 53 fewer aircraft.” 

 

Lieberman pointed out that in a July 23 vote, the Senate decided by an overwhelming 59-38 majority to end this wasteful earmark:

 

“I call upon President Obama to clearly warn my colleagues on the Appropriations committee that he will veto their bill if it includes funds for this unnecessary program.  Fifty-nine members of this body stood with the President when he first called upon us to cancel the alternate engine earmark, and we will stand with him again.”

 

 

A major accomplishment in the bill was the full funding of the nation’s submarine programs, which rely on the skilled workforce based out of Groton, Connecticut:

 

“This bill authorizes $4.2 billion for Virginia-class submarines, which will be procured at the rate of two per year from 2011, and $495 million for the research and development of a replacement to our aging Ohio-class strategic deterrence submarines.  I am proud that the Navy relies on the workers of Connecticut to guarantee to send our submariners to sea in the finest boats in the world.” 

 

 

This bill will increase the authorized size, or end strength, of the active duty Army from 532,400 to 562,400 for fiscal year 2010, and further authorized the Secretary of Defense to increase the Army by an additional 30,000 soldiers in fiscal years 2011 and 2012.  As a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Lieberman has championed a larger Army for years, and first introduced an amendment to grow the force in the markup of this year’s defense authorization bill:

 

“This growth in the Army is essential – our soldiers are under incredible strain from multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, often times with little more than a year at home to rest and train for every year that they spend in theater.  We must ensure that our Army is large enough for all the missions we ask of it, and also give our soldiers the time they need at home to rest, train, and be with their friends and families.”

 

 

Groton (Electric Boat)

 

 

Hartford (Goodrich Engine Controls, United Technologies, University of Hartford)

 

 

Middletown (Pratt & Whitney)

 

Stratford (Sikorsky)

 

Stonington (Chesapeake Sciences)

 

·         $4 million to support the TB-33 Thinline Towed Array project led by L-3 Chesapeake Sciences of Stonington, CT.

Danbury (Fuel Cell Energy)

 

·         $3 million to support the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell Demonstrator project led by Fuel Cell Energy of Danbury, CT.

Simsbury (Ensign Bickford)

 

·         $3 million to support the Reactive Armor project led by Ensign Bickford Aerospace and Defense located in Simsbury, CT.

West Haven (NanoVirocides)

 

·         $1.6 million to support Dengue Fever research led by NanoVirocides of West Haven, CT.

Manchester (Timken)

 

·         $1 million to support the Hybrid Bearing project led by the Timken Company located in Manchester, CT.

 

Mystic (Alion Science and Technology)

·         $4.5 million to support the Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) for Torpedo DCL Systems project led by Alion Science and Technology of Mystic, CT.

 

Newtown

 

·         Authorization to construct an Armed Forces Reserve Center and Maintenance Facility "in the vicinity of Newtown, CT," which will facilitate rapid agreement to build this essential facility.

 

Bradley Locks

 

·         $9 million for the CT Air National Guard Total Force Integration new component Numbered Air Force (cNAF) Bed Down Facilities at Bradley National Airport.