WASHINGTON, DC - Congress last night approved $459 billion for defense spending, including $49.4 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 Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2008. The bill includes funding to purchase new military equipment, submarines, and other defense technology that is manufactured by a number of Rhode Island companies. The measure also includes a 3.5 percent pay raise for U.S. military personnel.

"This bill provides critical funding for our brave men and women in uniform and gives them a much needed pay raise," said Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee. "Rhode Island is a leader in the defense industry and this spending bill recognizes the valuable contribution our workers make to our national defense."

Reed noted that the bill includes $588 million for advanced procurement of additional equipment and materials for a second Virginia class submarine as early as fiscal year 2010. $7 million will be used for labor costs at Quonset Point. It is expected that the workload at Quonset Point will increase significantly in future years.

"The $588 million will allow the Navy to double its production rate of the Virginia class submarine from one submarine a year to two. I am proud that Rhode Island will play such a vital role in its construction," said Reed. "The Virginia class submarine is an essential component of our nation's defense capabilities. This funding pays tribute to the strength of our workforce and is an acknowledgment of Rhode Island's critical role in safeguarding national security."

The House of Representatives approved the legislation Thursday afternoon and the Senate passed it Thursday night. Now that the bill has been approved by Congress it must be sent to the President to be signed into law.

The bill includes:

$588 Million
Virginia Class Submarine Advance Procurement
Electric Boat - North Kingstown, Rhode Island and Groton, Connecticut

This bill contains $588 million for Electric Boat, which employs thousands of Rhode Islanders, to begin construction of another $2 billion Virginia Class submarine. The funds will be used in part at Electric Boat's manufacturing facilities, including $7 million worth of payroll at Quonset Point, as well as to purchase parts and materials such as the submarine's nuclear propulsion system.

$5 Million
Aspen Aerogels - East Providence, Rhode Island
Flexible Aerogel Materials Supplier Initiative

This bill contains $5 million for Aspen Aerogel of East Providence to develop affordable production methods and a domestic supplier for military and commercial aerogel materials.

$4 Million
MPRI - Middletown, Rhode Island
Laser Collective Combat Training System (LCCATS) for the Army National Guard

This bill contains $4 million for MPRI of Middletown to procure 250 additional LCCATSs for the Army National Guard.

$4 Million
Epoxies, Etc., Inc. - Cranston, Rhode Island
Rapid Repair UV Curable Structural Adhesives

This bill contains $4 million for Epoxies, Etc., Inc. of Cranston to develop and demonstrate rapid repair, room temperature cure, curable structural adhesives for aircraft applications.

$3.2 Million
Mikel Inc. - Middletown, Rhode Island
Advanced Intercept Ranging System (AIRS)

This bill contains $3.2 million for Mikel Inc. of Middletown to complete the final research and development, at-sea testing, implementation of real-time algorithms and in-board electronics, and installation on existing and future submarine classes.

$3.2 Million
Improved Submarine Towed Thin-Line Array Handler and Array Reliability
Naval Undersea Warfare Center of Newport

This bill contains $3.2 million for completion of the program's initial three-year phase to complete the design, and then develop and test prototype system changes to improve thin-line towed array system reliability. This work will be preformed at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center of Newport.

$3 Million
TPI Composites - Warren, Rhode Island
Armor Ready Composite Cab Transition

This bill contains $3 million for TPI composites of Warren to build several dozen armor ready composite cabs and create necessary infrastructure for LRIP for FMTV program and other platforms.

$2.8 Million
Variety of RI Companies
Undersea Perimeter Security Integrated Defense Environment (UPSIDE)

This bill contains $2.8 million for a variety of Rhode Island companies for the final funding request, which will transition a prototype undersea detection/classification/response system to a fully integrated, functional, and deployable shorefront infrastructure protection system.

$2.8 Million
Seacorps - Middletown, Rhode Island
Organic Submarine Airborne ISRT Demonstration

This bill contains $2.8 million for Sea Corp of Middletown to demonstrate submarine ISRT functionality, supported by the Scan Eagle Compressed Carriage and Stealthy Affordable Capsul System technologies.

$2.4 Million
Rite Solutions - Middletown, Rhode Island
Artificial Intelligence-Based Combat System (AI-BCS) Kernel

This bill contains $2.4 million for Rite Solutions of Middletown to enable the rapid transition of an artificial intelligence-based combat system technology in support of existing and future submarines in order to reduce manning an assist in avoiding collisions.

$2 Million
Applied Radar - North Kingstown, Rhode Island
X-band Interferometric Radar (XBIR)

This bill contains $2 million for Applied Radar of North Kingstown to improve and optimize newly developed radar hardware and enhance software for improved target detection and tracking.

$2 Million
Castings for Improved Defense Readiness Program

This bill contains $2 million for several foundries across the nation including Cumberland Foundry Co., Inc. of Cumberland to support the continuation of the Castings for Improved Defense Readiness (CIDR) program which works to ensure that cast spare are replacement parts are available quickly and more reliably for theaters of operation.

$1.6 Million
Northeast Knitting - Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Rugged Electronic Textile Vital Signs Monitoring

This bill contains $1.6 million for Northeast Knitting of Pawtucket for additional data collection, field testing, base medical algorithm development and prototype knitting which involves the integration of electronics and textiles.

$1.6 Million
Paramount Solutions - Middletown, Rhode Island
Combat Control for Distributed Netted Systems (CCDNS)

This bill contains $1.6 million for Paramount Solutions of Middletown to design and develop a prototype submarine war fighter command and control supporting Distributed Netted Systems.

$1.6 Million
ASFT, Inc. - Middletown, Rhode Island
Automated Submarine Command and Control Center (ASCCC)

This bill contains $1.6 million for ASFT, Inc. of Middletown to continue development of the automation technologies, hardware and software necessary to integrate present and future capabilities and reduce manning requirements in submarine attack center operations.

$1.6 Million
Seacorps - Middletown, Rhode IslandImproved Surface Vessel Torpedo Launcher

This bill contains $1.6 million for Sea Corp of Middletown to continue fabrication and testing of two Advanced Development Models, which will produce a torpedo launcher option for launching Mk 54 torpedoes from an unmanned surface vessel.

$1.6 Million Smith Detection - Middletown, Rhode Island Maritime Mobile Force Protection Program

This bill contains $1.6 million for Smith Detection - Livewave of Middletown to integrate underwater sensors, both cameras and radars, with above water information to create complete situational awareness for a vessel.