Bill to Fund Key Defense Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee
Bill passes Committee by a vote of 27-1
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Defense, announced that she secured key funding for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
The measure, which was advanced by a bipartisan vote of 27-1 provides $831.3 billion in discretionary funding—an increase of $5.1 billion more than the President’s FY24 request for the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community. The bill includes key funding in support of shipbuilding, public shipyards, research and development, and the defense industrial base in Maine.
"Helping to ensure the safety of communities in Maine and throughout the country, this bipartisan bill provides America’s armed services with the resources needed to protect our nation from proliferating threats worldwide,” said Senator Collins. “This legislation supports the brave men and women of our armed forces as well as the hardworking Mainers at BIW, PNSY, Pratt & Whitney, and elsewhere across the State who make invaluable contributions to our nation’s defense. As the Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advance this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Bill Highlights:
Pay increase: The bill supports a 5.2 percent pay increase for servicemembers and DOD civilian employees in Maine.
Bath Iron Works (BIW) Workforce:
- $4.2 billion for two DDG-51’s, and an additional $1.3 billion above the President’s budget request in advanced procurement for an additional DDG-51 in fiscal year 2025.
- $300 million for shipyard infrastructure to assist BIW and other large surface combatant shipyards in making productivity improvements.
- $60 million for a multi-use facility at BIW to support quality of life initiatives.
- $43.2 million above the President’s budget request to accelerate development of the ship design tool for DDG(X) that will enable a more collaborative and modern method for designing the Navy’s next-generation destroyer.
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) Workforce: The bill maintains a requirement that the Navy induct no fewer than 100 apprentices at PNSY and each of the other shipyards, and it provides $11.2 billion to fund all executable ship depot maintenance operations and our nation’s public shipyards.
- $50 million above the President’s budget request to support the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, which supports infrastructure investments at PNSY.
- $110 million above the President’s budget request to address deferred modernization projects at PNSY and other shipyards.
- $470 million for Virginia-class submarine spares and repair parts to assist in efficient submarine maintenance at PNSY.
Pratt & Whitney Workforce:
- Funding for the production of 83 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which is six more than last year.
- $497 million for the development of the F-135 engine core upgrade in order to upgrade the current F-35 engine.
- $264 million above the President’s budget request for F-135 engine spares and repair parts.
- Bill language prohibiting the integration of any alternative engine into the F-35.
University of Maine (UMaine) Defense Research: $76 million in basic and applied Department of Defense research that will benefit research efforts at UMaine.
General Dynamics Saco: $40 million to fund the procurement of additional Active Protection System, which are assembled in Saco, for the Army’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
New Balance: $10 million in funding to support improvements in the domestic footwear manufacturing base, which will benefit Skowhegan’s New Balance factory.
101st Air National Guard Wing: Report language noting the importance of the Air Force fielding new platforms proportionally within the Air National Guard, such as KC-46A tankers that could eventually replace the KC-135s of the 101st Air Refueling Wing in Bangor.
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