WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Senate today authorized nearly $100 million in defense and military construction project funding for Rhode Island that U.S. Senator Jack Reed requested as part of the Department of Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal year 2007. Reed supported the legislation, which passed unanimously by a vote of 96-0."Our military men and women put their lives on the line every day to defend our country and protect our national interests.  It is our duty to provide support for their missions at home and abroad.  This bill will help provide the equipment and resources our military needs so they can continue to be the world's greatest fighting force," said Reed.The bill also authorizes $75 million for submarine research and development and design; $50 million more than was originally included. Reed and Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) offered the successful amendment which includes $40 million for research and development of the Virginia class submarine, and $10 million to begin design on the successor to the Ohio class SSBN."Continued research and development on the Virginia class and starting work on a new submarine design are vital to our sub fleet and our nation's defense capabilities," said Reed.  "My colleagues and I will continue working together on a bipartisan basis to increase sub funding from its current levels, but this will be a tough fight."The bill also included an amendment proposed by Reed to provide $3 million for an X-Band Interferometric Radar (XBIR) radar system to help protect U.S. troops from rocket and mortar attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan and create high-technology jobs in Rhode Island.During debate on the legislation Reed offered an amendment along with Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) calling for the phased redeployment of U.S. troops in Iraq. While the amendment garnered broad support among Democrats, it was ultimately defeated by a vote of 39-60. Rather than impose a specific date for redeployment of U.S. troops, the Levin-Reed amendment sought to require the President to begin to formulate a plan in Iraq and require the government of Iraq to take responsibility for their own situation. The bill includes: Additional $50 Million: Electric BoatVirginia Class Submarine Research and Development and New Sub Design - North Kingstown, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes an additional $50 million over the original $25 million included in the bill for Virginia class submarine research and development and to begin design to the successor Ohio class SSBN. $3 Million: Applied Radar, Inc. X-Band Interferometric Radar (XBIR) - North Kingstown, RIThe bill authorized $3 million for Applied Radar, Inc. to develop the X-Ban Interferometric Radar (XBIR) radar system to help protect troops from rocket and mortar attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, and will create many new high-technology jobs in Rhode Island. $3.4 Million: Naval Station Newport Hazardous Materials Storage Building - Newport, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $3.4 million to construct a hazardous materials storage facility at the Naval Station in Newport. The new facility will ensure proper storage of hazardous materials for the 40 tenant commands at Newport and correct environmental, safety, and operational deficiencies. $2 Million: Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Undersea Perimeter Security Integrated Defense Environment (UPSIDE)The bill authorizes $2 million for the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation to develop a prototype undersea detection/classification/response system to help protect shorefront infrastructure. $2 Million: Brown University Neurotechnology Center - Providence, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $2 million for Brown University to develop new technology to aid with the restoration of motor function and the treatment of neurological disorders. The program will work with the Providence VA Medical Centers Center for Restorative and Regenerative Medicine. $6.6 Million: BAE Systems and Navel Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Improved Submarine Towed Array Handler and Array Reliability - Newport, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $6.6 million for BAE Systems and NUWC to improve towed array handlers and reliability. The current towed array handling system places high stress on the system, and fleet experience has demonstrated that the low system reliability is impacting the fleet's ability to conduct submarine operations. $6.5 Million: Raytheon Project Athena - Portsmouth, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $6.5 million for Raytheons Project Athena, a multi-domain awareness system that provides a Common Operational Picture (COP) for global, regional, and local situational awareness using live feeds from a multitude of long-range surveillance sensors, information data bases and intelligence sources. $3 Million: Marine AcousticsHandheld Phraselator Improvement Project - Middletown, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $3 million for Marine Acoustics of Middletown for a Voice Activated Handheld Translator which allows Special Operations Forces to communicate with local populations when they do not speak the local language or have a reliable linguist with them. $3 Million: TPI Composites Composite Armored Cab Program - Warren, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $3 million for TPI Composites in Warren to complete testing on three composite armored cabs and to build and test additional cabs that will be lighter and more mobile than current vehicles.$3 Million: Rite Solutions Improved Shipboard Combat Information Center (CIC) - Middletown, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $3 million for Rite Solutions of Middletowns Improved Shipboard Combat Information Center. This Center will enhance combat operations while reducing the number of CICs by allowing watch standers to better receive, comprehend, and respond to incoming data during combat operations.$3 Million: Matrix Packaging and interconnection technology - East Providence, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $3 million for Matrix of East Providence for packaging technology to reduce the cost and weight of electronic and optoelectronic subsystems. $3 Million: Cumberland Foundry, New England Union Co., and Fielding Manufacturing-Zinc Diecasting, Inc. Castings for Improved Defense Readiness - Cumberland, West Warwick, Cranston, Rhode Island The bill authorizes $3 million to be used for foundries across the nation including those in Cumberland, West Warwick, and Cranston, for the Castings for Improved Defense Readiness program to improve efficiency and quality for increased weapon reliability.$3 Million: New England Supply ChainThe bill authorizes $3 million for the New England Supply Chain to support the New England Defense Manufacturing Supply Chain efforts to assist small and medium manufacturers in New England with supplying equipment and products to the Department of Defense. Additional $1.47 Million: Army National Guard, Camp Fogarty Combined Support Maintenance Shop (CSMS) - East Greenwich, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes an additional $1.47 million to fully fund a project to build a combined support maintenance facility at Camp Fogarty in East Greenwich to support field maintenance, reduce redundancy of like spaces, and increase the efficiency of personnel and facility usage. The Presidents budget includes $27.5 million for the project.Aquidneck Island School Districts (National Program) DoD Supplement to Impact Aid - Aquidneck Island, Rhode IslandThe bill authorizes $5 million for the DoD supplement to the Impact Aid program. This program provides assistance to school districts with a large military presence to meet the costs of special needs programs and will aid schools on Aquidneck Island.