Senator Reed delivered the keynote address at the 2016 Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance (SENEDIA) Defense Innovation Days event, a gathering in Newport between companies in the defense industry and policymakers to discuss the future of innovation and technology in the defense industry and its impact on the New England economy. 300 attendees are expected at the three-day event, with 25 companies showcasing their recent innovations. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Reed helped include a number of Rhode Island-focused priorities in the Senate-passed FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including $5 billion for the Virginia-class submarine program, $1.5 billion to fully support the Ohio-class Replacement Program, $136.3 million to accelerate undersea warfare applied research, and $20 million for the construction of a new headquarters facility for the Rhode Island Army and Air National Guard.
