"This bill includes a number of important projects that are critical to helping the U.S. maintain a strong national defense. I am particularly pleased that the bill fully funds the DD(X) program at BIW. The DD(X) Destroyer Program is important to maintaining our highly skilled industrial base and meeting our future national security challenges," Senator Collins said. "I am proud that institutions and employees throughout Maine are making such significant contributions to our defense needs."
The bill passed by the Senate fully funds the budget request for the DD(X) destroyer program and provides an additional $50 million in advance procurement for Bath Iron Works. This is particularly important given the House attempts to cut the Navy's DD(X) destroyer program by over half, or a total of about $1 billion.
Included in the bill is an amendment offered by Senator McCain that Senator Collins cosponsored requiring a standard set of detainee treatment procedures to be followed by all branches of the military and would prohibiting any cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of detainees in U.S. custody.
"The vast majority of American troops have performed their duties with compassion, fairness, and courage. To them, the actions of a few are demoralizing and make the difficult task they have been assigned immeasurably more difficult. But it is unacceptable for any detainees to be abused or treated in inhumane or degrading manners," said Senator Collins.
Further, the bill includes an amendment co-authored by Senator Collins to provide up to $40 million for the Department of Defense "SMART" scholarship program that supports highly qualified students seeking technical degrees in disciplines of particular national security interest. This funding will further accelerate the education and training of scientists and engineers that are important to maintaining U.S. defense technological superiority.
Highlights of the Defense Appropriations bill include:
• $100 million for the DD(X) Destroyer Program at Bath Iron Works for ongoing design and advance procurement requirements associated with the DD(X) destroyer program''s second ship to be constructed at BIW. This provision was included in the bill at the request of Senator Collins. Earlier this year, Senator Collins authorized this $100 million for BIW as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• $30 million for Pratt and Whitney of North Berwick for new engines for F16s for the Air National Guard. $15.5 million for Pratt & Whitney of North Berwick for EC-8 (JointSTARS) Re-Engine Initiative.
• $13.164 million for the Maine EPSCor Program at UMaine for a Department of Defense experimental program to stimulate competitive research. $3 million to the University of Maine at Orono to continue development of advanced structures and composites in construction for protective structures.
• $9.2 million for General Dynamics in Saco for M2HB enhanced .50 caliber machine gun kits for soldiers engaged in combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. $1 million for General Dynamics in Saco to manufacture modification kits to support the Marine Corps' use of the MK19 Grenade Machine Gun.
• $3 million to Telford Aviation of Bangor to continue work on a Small Airship Surveillance System for the Army.
• $3 million to Applied Thermal Sciences (ATS) of Sanford for a small, rapid response Watercraft Propulsion Demonstrator for the Navy.
• $3 million for Sensor Research Development Corporation (SRD) of Orono to develop technologies for protecting Navy water supplies.
• $3 million for BiODE Corporation of Westbrook to develop an Integrated Oil Debris and Condition Sensor in order to enhance Condition-Based Maintenance for the Army.
• $2.5 million for FMI/Kennebunk to begin Integrated Composite Missile Structures, used to initiate THAAD airframe design development.
• $2 million to Technology Systems, Inc. (TSI) for continued work on a visual integrated bridge system for demonstrations aboard Navy craft. • $1 million for TSI to implement high performance sandwich panel construction techniques.
• $2 million for Vicus to demonstrate a low cost avionics program for the Army.
• $1 million for Brunswick Naval Air Station for the Personal Digital Assistant Maintenance Application Project.
• Multiyear Procurement authority for the Air Force to purchase additional C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Some of the work on this aircraft will be completed at Pratt and Whitney's North Berwick plant.
• $300 million for the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.
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