{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/federal-funding-bill-supports-maines-defense-industry-and-jobs", "Federal Funding Bill Supports Maine’s Defense Industry and Jobs", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Independent", "House", "ME", "Angus King", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Federal Funding Bill Supports Maine\u2019s Defense Industry and Jobs\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 With the support of U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees have reached an agreement on the Fiscal Year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill that provides $554 billion in funds for the Department of Defense (DoD) and the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DoE).\u00a0 The bill includes more than $3 billion for the U.S. Navy destroyer programs, including $2.66 billion for two Arleigh Burke-class DDG-51 destroyers, one of which will be built at Bath Iron Works, and $419 million for construction of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers.\u00a0 The bill also included funding for many other investments in Maine.\r\n\u201cI am pleased that this bill will continue to fully fund the DDG-51 and DDG-1000 programs which are essential to the future of our surface fleet and the jobs for the hard-working shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works,\u201d said Senator Collins who is a member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee that drafted the bill.\u00a0 \u201cThe renewed focus in the Asia-Pacific region as an area of the highest strategic interest, as well as instability in other areas of the world, require the maintenance and growth of a strong Navy fleet.\u201d\r\n\u201cThousands of Mainers, like those at BIW, work hard day in and day out to support our country\u2019s national security and defense mission,\u201d said Senator King, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. \u201cThis bill is a continued investment in their work as well as a recognition that they will play a fundamental role as our armed forces confront threats across the globe and protect our interests at home.\u201d\r\nAs a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins worked to fund, and as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King worked to authorize funding for, these critical defense programs and other provisions important to Maine:\r\n \r\n$6 billion for procurement of 38 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.\u00a0 Components for the F-35 are built at Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Saco, Hunting Dearborn Inc. in Fryeburg, and Fairchild Semiconductor in South Portland.\r\n \r\n \r\nThe bill eliminates funding for the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round proposed by the Obama Administration.\r\n \r\n \r\nThe bill includes $1.6 billion for Navy facility maintenance and modernization, including projects at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.\u00a0 This funding is $148 million more than the President\u2019s budget request.\r\n \r\n \r\nThe report accompanying the bill also includes language proposed by Senator Collins to ensure the Navy funds the capital investment for the Navy\u2019s four public shipyards, including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, at the level required by law.\u00a0\r\n \r\n \r\n$498 million for military engines that power F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft, which is $111 million more than the President's budget request.\u00a0 Twenty-five percent of the parts for these engines will be built at the Pratt & Whitney plant in Maine.\u00a0 The F100-PW-229 production line would have closed without new orders.\r\n \r\n \r\nNeither the bill nor the report includes an unnecessary and costly study of an extra engine for the F-35 fighter, which would have competed with the existing engine produced by Pratt & Whitney.\r\n \r\n \r\n$25.3 million for M2 .50 caliber machine gun modifications performed at General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Saco.\r\n \r\n \r\n$13.4 million for procurement of the Common Remotely Operated Weapons System (CROWS). Vingtech in Biddeford produce components for the CROWS.\r\n \r\n \r\n$27.4 million to support important Civil Air Patrol operations and maintenance nationwide, which is $2.4 million more than the President's budget request. The Civil Air Patrol has nine stations in Maine.\r\n \r\n \r\n$560 million for research and development for the CH-53K helicopter.\u00a0 Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg manufactures the rotor shaft for this helicopter.\r\n \r\n \r\n$225 million in Rapid Innovation Program funding to increase investment in small businesses and developing technologies that benefit DoD.\r\n \r\nThe Fiscal Year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill is being considered by the House of Representatives before it can be sent to the Senate and signed into law by the President.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/federal-funding-bill-supports-maines-defense-industry-and-jobs"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6697016544640064, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}