Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Nearly $75 Million for Three Projects at PNSY in Kittery

 WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee, announced today that the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bill included $74.9 million for three projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery, Maine.  Senator Collins is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee.

During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing last week, Senator Collins expressed her appreciation that this funding was included in the President’s FY 2017 budget request and urged the Committee to approve the request.  Earlier this year, Senator Collins sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee advocating for these crucial investments.

            “The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery is critical to southern Maine’s economy.  Due to the efforts of the thousands of hardworking and highly-trained employees, PNSY is considered the gold standard and is the most productive of our nation’s four public shipyards,” said Senator Collins.  “I have long advocated for the Navy to address modernization needs at the shipyard and am so pleased that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved funding for these three very important project requests.”

The three projects approved for PNSY by the Appropriations Committee and supported by Senator Collins include:

• Unaccompanied Housing at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  $17.8 million for the consolidation of unaccompanied housing.

• Utility Improvements for Nuclear Platforms at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. $30.1 million for utility improvements for nuclear platforms.

• Portsmouth Navy Shipyard Medical/Dental Clinic Replacement.  $27 million to construct a replacement medical/dental clinic.

“I am particularly pleased to see that $27 million has been approved to replace the medical and dental clinic,” said Senator Collins.  “That facility is over 100 years old and it does not meet standards for safety or accessibility, nor does it allow a smooth and efficient delivery of services.”

The funding for these projects was approved during the Committee’s consideration of the FY 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bill, which provides resources for veterans’ benefits and programs and makes funding available for military construction projects. Senator Collins voted in favor of the bill, which was approved unanimously and now awaits final consideration by the full Senate.

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