With the support of Senator Susan Collins, the Senate Armed Services Committee has approved the fiscal year 2012 Defense Authorization bill, which authorizes funding for the Department of Defense (DoD). The bill includes opportunities for funding for shipbuilding at Bath Iron Works, and other defense projects at Pratt & Whitney, Maine Military Authority in Limestone, General Dynamics Armament Technical Products in Saco, and other Maine companies.
“I am pleased that the committee was able to make fiscally responsible decisions that will support not only for our brave military men, women and their families and provide for the continued development of technologies to counter existing and emerging threats,” said Senator Collins, who is a member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
The FY 2012 Defense Authorization bill also includes an amendment, authored by Senator Collins, that would help keep politics out of the federal procurement process by prohibiting the Defense Department from collecting information about political contributions made by businesses that wish to do business with the federal government.
Among the other amendments sponsored by Senator Collins that the Committee adopted were measures to expand mental health coverage for veterans and service members; strengthen protections for service members who are victims of sexual assault; an amendment to require the DoD to conduct market research to assess the ability of U.S. manufacturers to meet service men and women’s requirements for athletic shoes; and
a provision requiring the Navy to provide a plan to fund infrastructure improvements at the nation’s four public shipyards, including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard no later than March 1, 2012.
In addition, Senator Collins was able to successfully authorize funding for the following projects:
• $2 billion for the DDG-51 program and $458 million for Navy’s the DDG-1000 program.
• Authorizes full funding for $3.2 billion for the Navy and $3.7 billion for the Air Force for Joint Strike Fighter procurement. The F-35 has components built at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick and at General Dynamics’ facility at Saco Defense.
• Authorizes $112.5 million for M2 .50 caliber machine guns and modifications, and lightweight .50 caliber machine guns built in Saco.
• Authorizes full funding for $14.89 million for the Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station (CROWS) built by Vingtech which has a facility in Biddeford.
• Authorizes full funding for $161.6 million for the High-Mobility Multipurposed Wheeled Vehicle recapitalization program competition in which Maine Military Authority in Limestone could participate.
• Authorizes full funding for Maine military construction investments including;
1. Bangor Readiness Center: $15.6 million, and
2. Brunswick Armed Forces Reserve Center: $23 million.
• Authorizes full funding for research and development for the CH-53K marine helicopter at the requested level of $629 million. Dearborn Precision in Fryeburg manufactures the rotor shaft for this helicopter.
• Includes an amendment that would require the Department of Defense to evaluate ways to provide coordinated and integrated health care, such as that provided by the Uniformed Services Family Health Plans including Martin's Point, in its health insurance programs known as TRICARE and TRICARE for life. The report would also require DoD to evaluate options to expand the number of under age 65 enrollees in USFHP.
• At the request of Senator Collins, each of the military services will review their non-tactical wheeled vehicles and base level equipment fleets to see if service life extension programs would produce cost savings. Maine Military Authority in Limestone could compete to perform the work required under such programs.
• Requires the Air Force to formalize its process for allocating National Guard and Reserve man-days, to provide stability and more awareness for National Guard units activated to support ongoing operations, such as the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor. The measure also includes, at the request of Senator Collins, a requirement for the Air Force to evaluate its strategic basing process and ensure it considers operational costs. The 101st Air Refueling Wing’s proximity to two of the most heavily used refueling tracks reduces the operational cost for aircraft that would otherwise be required to travel from bases from greater distances.
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