WASHINGTON, DC - The Senate Armed Services Committee today passed legislation to authorize $196 million in defense and military construction funding for Rhode Island that U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) requested as part of the Department of Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal year 2009. These resources are in addition to the funds proposed under the Department of Defense's budget.

"This funding will provide our brave men and women in uniform with the tools they need to remain the world's greatest fighting force," said Reed, a senior member of the committee and the Chairman of the Emerging Threats Subcommittee. "It will also help create manufacturing and technology jobs in Rhode Island and ensure that Rhode Island's defense industry remains on the cutting edge. This funding acknowledges the valuable contribution Rhode Island companies and workers make towards keeping our national defense strong."

Rhode Island's defense industry employs about 16,000 people throughout the state and contributes $1.6 billion annually to the local economy.

The defense authorization bill would: provide a 3.9 percent across-the-board pay raise for all uniformed personnel, a half a percent more than President Bush requested; add more than $120 million for various nonproliferation efforts; and include legislative provisions to improve our ability to reduce or respond to threats of WMD both abroad and at home.

Now that the bill has been approved by the Armed Services Committee, it goes to the full Senate for consideration. Under the Congressional budget process, once the authorizations are in place, funding for the agencies, programs, or activities is then provided separately in annual appropriation spending bills.

The 2009 Defense Authorization Bill includes:

$79 Million
Virginia Class Submarine Advance Procurement
Electric Boat Corporation, North Kingstown, RI

This bill contains $79 million for Electric Boat, which employs thousands of Rhode Islanders, for procurement of parts for the Virginia Class Submarine.

$29.9 Million
Fitness Facility
Naval Station Newport, Newport, RI

This bill contains $29.9 million for the Naval Station Newport to replace two obsolete World War II-era fitness facilities.

$15 Million
Sea Based Strategic Deterrent/Undersea Launched Missile Study (SBSD/ULMS)
General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT

This bill contains $15 million for Electric Boat for the Sea Based Strategic Deterrent/Undersea Launched Missile Study (SBSD/ULMS). The Undersea Launched Missile Study will help define the next generation of Sea Based Strategic Deterrent. This new proposed submarine class will serve as the replacement for the Ohio class which will begin going out of service in 2029.

$8 Million
Laser Collective Combat Advanced Training System (LCCATS)
MPRI/L-3 Communications, Middletown, RI

This bill contains $8 million for MPRI/L-3 Communications to provide for fielding of additional Laser Collective Combat Advanced Training System (LCCATS) units. LCCATS is a comprehensive laser-based marksmanship training system engaging various types of laser sensitive targets using a soldier's own assigned weapon without the use of live ammunition.

$8 Million
Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR)
Rhode Island Companies and Universities

This bill contains $8 million for Rhode Island companies and universities under the Defense Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) program.

$7 Million
Construct Air Traffic Control Tower
Rhode Island Air National Guard, North Kingstown, RI

This bill contains $7 million for the Rhode Island Air National Guard to support the 143rd operations. The tower will also support many other transient aircraft missions as well as other DOD aircraft departing and arriving from various CONUS and OCONUS locations.

$5 Million
Army Aviation Support Facility
Rhode Island Army National Guard, North Kingstown, RI

This bill contains $5 million for the Rhode Island Army National Guard to aide in the completion of the Army Aviation Support Facility.

$5 Million
High Energy Laser- Directed Energy Weapon
Textron Systems, Providence, RI

This bill contains $5 million for Textron Systems to develop a High Energy Laser-Directed Energy Weapon.

$5 Million
DOD Supplement to Impact Aid Funding
Schools in Newport, Portsmouth, and Middletown, RI

This bill contains $5 million for a national grant program that also funds schools in Newport, Portsmouth, and Middletown to provide additional funding to help offset costs of schooling children with severe disabilities.

$4.1 Million
Improved Submarine Towed Thin-Line Array Handler and Array Reliability
BAE Systems, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI

This bill contains $4.1 million to BAE Systems to conduct work at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center to provide further development of the Improved Submarine Towed Thin-Line Array Handler and Array Reliability and testing of a prototype.

$3.8 Million
Standardized Metrics Assessment of Readiness and Training (SMART)MIKEL, Inc., Middletown, RI

This bill contains $3.8 Million for MIKEL, Inc. to provide completion of SMART metrics and algorithm implementation and installation of hardware and software on training sites.

$3.5 Million
Harbor Shield
Battelle, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI

This bill contains $3.5 million for Battelle to conduct work at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center to provide for further development and a demonstration at a location chosen by the U.S. Navy.

$3 Million
Rugged Electronic Textile Vital Signs Monitoring
Northeast Knitting, Inc., Pawtucket, RI

This bill contains $3 million for Northeast Knitting, Inc., to conduct additional data collection, field testing, and base medical algorithm development and prototype knitting which involves the integration of electronics and textiles.

$3 Million
Manufacturing Metrology for Weapon System Production and Sustainment (M2WSPS)
Independent Quality Labs, Rockville, RI

This bill contains $3 million for Independent Quality Labs to provide for the continued development of a Windows compatible advanced metrology machine tool performance evaluation software package, along with hardware and methods to upgrade the manufacturing methods and skills at FCS manufacturers, Air Force logistic centers, Navy shipyard, and Army depots and arsenals.

$2.7 Million
Engineered Biological Detectors for Biological Warfare
BCR Diagnostics, Inc., Jamestown, RI

This bill contains $2.7 million for BCR Diagnostics Inc. will enable the Army's Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center to test and evaluate pre-prototype and prototype biosensors and provide feedback for biosensor development to meet U.S. Army requirements.

$2.5 Million
Wideband Digital Airborne Electronic Sensing Array
Applied Radar, Quonset Point, North Kingstown, RI

This bill contains $2.5 million for Applied Radar to provide additional development, integration, and testing of various system components including a wideband antenna, wideband digital receivers, and a real time digital beamformer and processor.

$2.5 Million
Towed Array System Reliability Modeling and Simulation
Alion Science and Technology, Middletown, RI

This bill contains $2.5 million for Alion Science and Technology to develop comprehensive modeling and simulation tools to increase towed array system reliability.

$2.5 Million
Diamond Substrate for Cooling of Micro-Electronics
Group 4 Labs, RI

This bill contains $2.5 million for Group 4 Labs to further develop and produce a diamond-semiconductor wafer. Production will take place in Rhode Island.

$2 Million
Armor Ready Composite Cab Transition Program
TPI Composites, Warren, RI

This bill contains $2 million for TPI Composites to provide funding to create an infrastructure necessary to support production of the Armor Ready Composite Cab.

$2 Million
Unique Item Identification (UII) Data Management Systems
A2B Tracking Solutions, RI

This bill contains $2 million to A2B Tracking Solutions to design and develop an enterprise-wide software application to support all programs in the U.S. Army that need to meet the UII policy mandate.

$1.5 Million
N-STAR
N-STAR, Newport, RI

This bill contains $1.5 million for N-STAR to expand its program to Newport, Rhode Island. This program aims to enhance the math and science curriculum and teacher training to improve teachers' knowledge and skills and inspire students to complete science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees.

$1 Million
Rapid Repair Structural Adhesives
Epoxies Etc, Inc., Cranston, RI

This bill contains $1 million for Epoxies Etc, Inc., to develop rapid repair UV curable structural adhesives, using promising new highly flexible an low temperature performance modified urethane chemistries to repair damaged military aircraft and radomes.

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Zumwalt Class Destroyer Program (DDG-1000)
Raytheon IDS, Portsmouth, RI

This bill contains funding for the continuation of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class Destroyer Program, the Navy's next generation surface combatant.