Legislation to Strengthen National Defense to be Signed into Law with Provisions Championed by Senator Collins

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that the fiscal year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $817 billion for the Department of Defense and $30 billion for Department of Energy national security programs, passed the Senate by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 83-11 today.   The House of Representatives previously passed this legislation, and the bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. 

“Every year for more than six decades, Members of Congress have fulfilled one of their most important responsibilities—ensuring our national security—by passing the NDAA and setting the policy for our nation’s military priorities,” said Senator Collins.  “This legislation will support the brave men and women of our armed forces as well as the hardworking Mainers at BIW, PNSY, Pratt & Whitney, and elsewhere across our state who make invaluable contributions to our defense.  With increased threats from Russia, China, and other hotspots around the globe, the Senate’s passage of this bill comes at a critical time for our national defense.”  

The NDAA includes a number of provisions Senator Collins strongly advocated for: 

• Support for BIW. The NDAA authorizes $32.6 billion for 11 new ships, including three DDGs.  It also authorizes a new FY23-FY27 multiyear procurement for up to 15 DDGs and mandates the inclusion of workforce development special incentives in new Navy shipbuilding contracts. To help further protect BIW from the Administration’s attempts to reduce the construction of destroyers, the NDAA includes an amendment Senator Collins authored requiring the Department of Defense to include a detailed explanation in future budget requests in which the Pentagon proposes breaking a multiyear procurement contract.

• Support for PNSY.  The NDAA authorizes $503 million for the next increment of the Dry Dock #1 modernization project.  It also authorizes $2.5 million for initial planning and design of a new child development center for PNSY, a provision that Senator Collins secured in the draft Senate funding bill that is expected to be included in the final funding bill next week.

• Support for Defense Contractors in Maine.  The NDAA authorizes funding to procure a total of 69 F-35 jets.  It also authorizes the procurement of 12 CH-53K helicopters.  Pratt & Whitney’s North Berwick factory manufactures the F-35’s top-of-line F-135 engine, and Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg has been making important contributions to both the F-35 and CH-53K programs for years.   

• Support for U.S. Troops.  The NDAA supports a 4.6% raise for servicemembers and DOD civilians. 

• Support for Ukraine.  The NDAA authorizes $800 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.

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