July 30, 2009
Washington, D.C. – To provide our service members and their families with the benefits they deserve, and to ensure our military is equipped and in a proper state of readiness to deal with 21st century challenges, Congressman Joe Sestak (PA – 07) supported the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which passed the House by a 400 to 30 margin. In total, HR 3326 appropriates $636.3 billion for the Department of Defense in Fiscal Year 2010, including funding for the ongoing contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It provides a 3.4% pay increase for service members and includes $8.3 million to pay troops $500 for every month their term of service will be involuntarily extended in 2010 under the policy known as “stop loss.” Additionally, it includes $29.9 billion, $2 billion above the President’s request, to provide health care for our troops, including $500 million, $128 million above the request, for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and psychological health.
“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a retired Admiral, providing our military with the funding it needs each year is one of my most sacred duties,” the Congressman said on Thursday. “I was proud to support this reform budget, which mostly conforms with Secretary Gates’s desire to focus on giving our service members the tools and support they need in the field and cut wasteful spending on cold war-era weaponry, such as the F-22, that we don’t need to address the asymmetrical threats we face in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The bill contains $1.5 million for Villanova University and $23 million to fund 10 different projects, which area companies will be bidding for. In order to further reform the earmark process, this year no funding will go directly to for-profit companies. Instead, these projects will go out to bid and companies will have to compete for the funding.
"This funding will launch and continue many vital research efforts in equipment technology, bio-terrorism, wireless technologies and software in Pennsylvania that assist our men and women in uniform," stated Congressman Sestak. "I am proud to have gotten funding for these critical programs. Such investments in defense technologies and research will not only benefit our military but will also continue to drive our local and national economy forward."
Along with the projects submitted by Congressman Sestak, the bill boosts support for our troops and their families and makes strategic investments in modernizing our military. Of particular local interest is $2.6 billion for 30 MV-22s for the Marine Corps and five CV-22s for the Air Force. The Osprey is made at the Boeing facility in Ridley.
Projects included:
$1 million for Carbide Derived Carbon for Treatment of Combat Related Sepsis - The project is to develop an advanced treatment of sepsis, which would reduce battlefield complications from blood loss and improve survivability.
Y-Carbon, Inc. of King of Prussia will be competing for that project.
$2 million for Quiet Drive Advanced Rotary Actuator - The immediate application will be used on submarines (such as bow planes and other structures employing actuator technology). Actuators convert energy from hydraulic, air, or electric power to achieve mechanical movement and control of heavy or remote devices. Current Navy ships have between 100 to 3,000 actuators each. At present, these actuators typically use old style hydraulic technology. Successful completion of the technology will reduce shipboard personnel and reduce repair and maintenance costs. Environmental hazards associated with hydraulic systems will also be eliminated by moving to an electric actuator. Under prior funding, there has been constructed an electric motor which is currently being evaluated. The present design does not meet the strict acoustic requirements of the US Navy. The company, using internal funding, will analyze the prototype, correcting these and other technical issues. Alternate design concepts will be developed and analyzed with the best proposed as the system solution.
Moog Inc. will be competing to have these actuators manufactured at Moog's facility in Springfield, Delaware County.
$1.5 million for Miniature Day Night Sight for Crew Served Weapons – This project provides Warfighters with a light with visible illumination for 3000m, IR illumination 1200m, non-lethal weapon, and a remote control with variable zoom. It increases safety of operator and effectiveness of the weapon.
Peak Beam Systems, Inc. of Edgmont will be competing for this project.
$ 2 million for Chemical and Biological Resistant Clothing - Funds for this project would be used to create a material capable of being simultaneously lightweight, robust, breathable, and resistant to chemical and biological agents. Chemical and biological agents unquestionably represent one of the most challenging terrorist-driven threats faced by our soldiers and civilians. This project would help enhance the protective clothing that represents a first line of defense to protect an individual at risk of exposure.
Arkema, Inc. of King of Prussia plans on bidding on this project.
$1 million for the Beneficial Infrastructure for Rotorcraft Risk Reduction (BIRRRD) program. The BIRRRD Program will deliver aircraft and test infrastructure to the Army Research Lab (ARL) where ARL will use the test infrastructure to help develop the aircraft to emerging Army and FAA certification standards. The Unmanned Aircraft System will demonstrate technologies that can be transitioned to meet existing military requirements, including the $240 million Navy Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS), USMC Tier II, USCG National Security Cutter, Navy Maritime Domain Awareness, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC). The funding will help address the unmet DoD requirements for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) systems.
Dragonfly Pictures, Inc. of Essington will bid for this project.
$4.5 million for X-49A Envelope Expansion Mods - Funding for this project is to modify the X-49A VTDP Compound Helicopter Technology Demonstrator to enable full flight envelope expansion to demonstrate significant improvements in rotorcraft performance, survivability, and life cycle cost. These modifications incorporate the Adaptive Digital Automated Pilot Technology (ADAPT) and Supplementary Power Unit (SPU) system into the X-49A to enable exploration of flying qualities, performance, and flight loads beyond the current baseline SH-60F NATOPS flight envelope limits in the FY11 timeframe. These tests are necessary to evaluate the potential of this technology to meet the Department of Defense's objective capabilities, while at the same time expanding the technology base for future rotorcraft. This project is a valuable use for taxpayer dollars because it may lead to the validation of the VTDP technology as an affordable means of (i) upgrading our existing helicopters’ speed, range, payload, altitude, survivability, and reliability, and (ii) expanding the technology base for future rotorcraft development.
Piasecki Aircraft Corporation of Essington plans to compete for these funds.
$4 million for Distribution Mission Interoperability Toolkit (DMIT) - DMIT is a suite of tools that enables an enterprise architecture for on-demand, trusted, interoperability among and between mission-oriented Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) systems based on lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Additional spending will allow DMIT to be extended to Joint and coalition requirements, as well as address current strategic weaknesses in Air Force AOC management years ahead of current schedules. This project is a valuable use for taxpayer dollars because DMIT provides the Air Force with an adaptable process and rich toolkit for increasing interoperability at an enterprise level without major impact to existing systems. It provides the ability to incorporate network-centric processes and missions using today’s C4I programs providing an early beacon on successful application before billions are spent in the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Joint Forces. The toolkit leverages best practices from the commercial sector to positively impact the DoD C4I programs.
Accenture National Security Services of King of Prussia will be competing for a part of that funding.
$1.5 million for the Intelligent Remote Sensing for Urban Warfare Operations II National Applied Software Engineering Center (NASEC) - The Urban Sensing project will develop radio frequency (RF) technology for sensors to be deployed on ground and autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). These sensors will collect data for imaging of city canyons and building interiors, combined with tracking and localization of targets in urban settings and underground areas. This project is a valuable use for taxpayer dollars because the face of battle changing daily, and with hostile situations being managed by rotating forces, decision cycles are shorter than ever. These reduced decision cycles require situation awareness tools applicable to urban settings. The project will combine new technologies for (1) airborne collection of urban situation data with (2) the ability to visualize that urban data and rapidly plan a response. These interlinked technologies will efficiently convey critical situation analyses and decision support to the commanders in those situations and to their superiors.
Villanova University will be receiving these funds.
$3 million for the Portable Mobile Emergency Broadband System. Currently available portable wireless communication systems have bandwidth limitations and force compromises that are unacceptable for high quality video and other information sources necessary for military situational awareness. Direct benefits of this work are improved operational efficiencies and lowered costs for military units due to the network's ability to carry comprehensive maintenance and health monitoring applications that will dramatically reduce the maintenance cycle for vehicles, and the equivalent of placing more vehicles in production roles. This project is a valuable use for taxpayer dollars because situational awareness and operational efficiency of military forces on the battlefield will continue to be greatly improved with the PMEBS project. This in turn will cut operational costs, save, time, resources and most importantly the lives of military personnel.
Rajant Corporation of Malvern will compete for this funding to continue their work in this area.
$3 million for 3D Bias Woven Preform Development to develop a bias woven preform manufacturing capability to enhance the performance, while lowering the cost and weight of the structures under consideration for the Joint Strike Fighter, sustainment of the F-16, the unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) operational system (UOS), space operations vehicles (SOVs), the ACCA program, the Vulture program, and other advanced weapon systems. This is to address the primary limiting factor in applying composites in airframe structure, the poor damage tolerance and ballistic survivability of conventional 2D joints.
V Systems of Chester will be one of the first competing for part of this contract.
$ 1 million for Mismatch Repair Derived Antibody Medicines to Treat Staphylococcus-derived Bioweapons. The funding will be used to develop new therapies to treat patients against exposure to biowarfare agents. Staphylococcal-based bioweapons are considered one of the highest risk to our national security and protection of our military personnel due to ease of development by terrorist groups and rogue nations. New potent medicines are needed to reduce this threat and make their use as agents of terror or weapons minimal. Medicines appear effective in animal studies and require additional development for final validation before use in the field.
Morphotek, Inc. of Exton will be bidding for the contract.
“Two important goals I had when I came to Washington were to increase our national and economic security,” added the Congressman, “I never forget who sent me here and what my job is. I worked hard to ensure this bill goes a long way towards achieving those two goals: improve our military and encourage economic development.”
KEY INVESTMENTS
Keeping Our Commitments to Our Troops and Their Families
Military Pay: The bill provides a 3.4% military pay increase, 0.5% above the request; and $122.4 billion, $7.9 billion above 2009, to fully fund the requested end strength levels for active duty and Selected Reserve personnel.
Compensation for Stop Loss: The bill continues efforts to end the practice of “stop loss” and includes $8.3 million, not requested, to pay troops $500 for every month their term of service will be involuntarily and arbitrarily extended in 2010.
First Class Medical Care: $29.9 billion, $4.1 billion above 2009 and $2 billion above the request, to provide our troops top of the line medical care. This includes $500 million, $128 million above the request, for traumatic brain injury and psychological health.
The bill also includes a total of $2.2 billion for the wounded, ill and injured programs. The bill includes $636 million for peer-reviewed research programs: $150 million for breast cancer research; $80 million for prostate cancer research; $30 million for orthopedic research; $25 million for ovarian cancer research; $15 million for spinal cord research; and $10 million for ALS research.
Supporting Military Families: The bill includes $472.4 million for Family Advocacy programs and fully funds Family Support and Yellow Ribbon programs. In addition, the bill includes $20 million for Army National Guard Family Assistance Centers and reintegration.
Readiness Training: $11 billion, $76 million above the request, for critical readiness training so that our troops are prepared to successfully perform their missions.
Military Equipment:
Stryker Combat Vehicles: $613.6 million, $225 million above the request, to procure additional Stryker vehicles, and safety and survivability equipment for the Stryker fleet.
Medium & Heavy Tactical Vehicles: $965.5 million, $193 million below the request, for Medium Tactical Vehicles, and $786.6 million, $26.4 million below the request, for Heavy Tactical Vehicles.
E-2D Hawkeye: $649 million, $142 million above the request, for 3 E-2D Hawkeyes, one above the request, and $362.5 million for the continued development of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft.
F-18 Super Hornet: $1.7 billion for 18 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, nine aircraft above the request - this amount also includes $108 million above the request for a future multi-year procurement of F-18 aircraft - and $1.6 billion, matching the request, for 22 EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.
V-22 Osprey: $2.6 billion, matching the request, for 30 MV-22s for the Marine Corps and five CV-22s for the Air Force.
F-35 JSF: $5.6 billion, $532 million below the request, to procure 28 F-35 Lightning Aircraft: 14 Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing variants for the Marine Corps, 4 Carrier variants for the Navy, and 10 conventional variants for the Air Force. The bill also includes $4 billion, $430 million above the request, for the continued development of the F-35 and $560 million, not requested, to continue development and initial procurement of the Alternative Engine for the Joint Strike Fighter.
Air Force Cargo Aircraft: $674 million, not requested, for three additional C-17s; $903 million for five C/HC/MC-130Js and advance procurement of 20 C/HC/MC-130s; $319 million for eight C-27Js; $199.2 million for three C-37s, an increase of $132.8 million and two aircraft above the request; and $354 million for three C-40s, an increase of $200 million and two aircraft above the request.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): $275 million, $282 million below the request, for two RQ-4 Global Hawks; and $489 million for 24 MQ-9 Reapers.
Military Helicopters: $326 million, as requested, for 54 Light Utility Helicopters, an increase of 10 helicopters above 2009; $1.26 billion, as requested, for 79 UH-60s; $847 million, $35 million below the request, for 26 CH-47s; $610 million, $100 million below the request, for 24 UH-1Y/AH-1Zs; $241 million, $227 million above the request, for five HH-60M helicopters and modifications to the existing HH-60G fleet; and $485 million, $400 million above the request, to make five VH-71s operational.
Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft: $1.2 billion, $20 million above the request, for the continued development of the Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft.
Next Generation Aerial Refueling Aircraft: $439.6 million for the development of the Next Generation Aerial Refueling Aircraft.
Shipbuilding: $15.8 billion for the procurement of 10 Navy ships including: one DDG-51 Guided Missile Destroyer; one SSN-774 Attack Submarine; four Littoral Combat Ships; two Intra-theater Connector Ships; and two T-AKE Auxiliary Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships.
The bill also provides $387.5 million, matching the request, to start development of the replacement for the Ohio class ballistic missile submarine; $539 million, matching the request, for the continued development of the DDG-1000 Guided Missile Destroyer; and the final increments of funding for the CVN-78 Aircraft Carrier, the third DDG-1000 Guided Missile Destroyer, and the tenth LPD-17 Amphibious Transport Dock.
Advanced Communications: $1.8 billion, matching the request, for a fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite; $880.9 million, matching the request, for continued development of the Joint Tactical Radio System; and $626.7 million, $425 million above the request, for the Wideband Global System.
Missile Defense: $589 million, matching the request, for the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3); $569 million, matching the request, to continue development of the Patriot/MEADS Combined Aggregate Program; $50.5 million, matching the request, for Ballistic Missile Defense European Capability; and $638.8 million, matching the request, for Ballistic Missile Defense Sensors Capability.
Future Combat Systems: $2.3 billion for the continued development of the restructured Future Combat Systems Program. This is $211 million below the President’s request, due to excessive termination liability, and $1 billion less than the fiscal year 2009 appropriated amount.
Space: $1.3 billion, $55.7 million above the request, for three Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles; $122 million, $55 million below the request, for development of the Space Based Space Surveillance System; $389.4 million, $97.4 million below the request; for development of the Global Positioning System III, operational control segment (OCX); and $39 million, $104 million below the request, for the Third Generation Infrared Satellite.
Overseas Deployments and Other Activities
Ongoing Military Operations
$104.2 billion, $1.5 billion above the request, for operations and maintenance, and military personnel requirements for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to support preparation to begin withdrawal from Iraq, consistent with President Obama’s plans; including:
$2.6 billion transferred from base DoD funding for military personnel due to the added burden of supporting contingencies in Iraq and Afghanistan; and
$14.6 billion provided for the Overseas Contingency Operations Transfer Fund, to allow DoD budget flexibility due to the highly variable nature of the costs to rebalance US forces between Iraq and Afghanistan, and to begin the redeployment from Iraq. This account carries protections so that the Congressional defense committees have the opportunity to review and approve any funding actions in this account.
$1.2 billion, as requested, for defense health programs to provide medical care to active forces as well as mobilized Reserve Components, and their families. This funding also provides care for combat injuries and other additional support requirements including communications, telemedicine, public health support, and post deployment health assessments.
Equipment and Force Structure: $20.4 billion, $1.8 billion below the request, for equipment used by our service members in Iraq and Afghanistan, including:
$3.6 billion, $1.8 billion below the request, for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle fund;
$250 million, as requested, for procurement of MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles;
$1.25 billion, as requested, for procurement of High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles;
$461.7 million, as requested, for procurement of Medium Tactical Vehicles; and
$520.8 million, $102.5 million below the request, for the procurement of Heavy Tactical Vehicles.
Improving Fiscal Responsibility
Reigning in Outsourcing: $5.1 billion, $104 million above the request, to allow defense personnel, not contractors, to perform critical department functions. Additionally, the bill reduces contracted advisory and assistance services by $51 million, and includes general provisions to stop further conversions by the Department of Defense from government functions to contractors.
Inspector General Oversight: $288 million, $17 million above the request, for the Inspector General to hire additional investigators to ensure proper oversight of DoD acquisition and contracting.
Undefinitzied Contracts: The bill contains a provision restricting the use of funds in certain aircraft programs until prior year contracts are fully negotiated and finalized; restoring much needed discipline to the contracting process and providing leverage for the department to achieve the best possible pricing for the taxpayer.
Important Policy Provisions
No Permanent Bases: Continues a general provision prohibiting the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Report on Iraq Withdrawal: Requires the Secretary of Defense to report on the status, goals and timeline for the redeployment of troops from Iraq.
Torture: Continues a general provision prohibiting the torture of detainees held in US custody.
“The annual consideration of this act provides an important opportunity to make sure our military will have the resources it needs to keep our country safe and that our troops and their families are taken care of,” said Congressman Sestak. “Inaction is not an option when it comes to ensuring our service members with PTSD get the best possible treatment, nor when considering ways in which our military can become more efficient and transform to best meet future threats to our security.”
Born and raised in Delaware County, former 3-star Admiral Joe Sestak served in the Navy for 31 years and now serves as the Representative from the 7th District of Pennsylvania. He led a series of operational commands at sea, including Commander of an aircraft carrier battle group of 30 U.S. and allied ships with over 15,000 sailors and 100 aircraft that conducted operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. After 9/11, Joe was the first Director of “Deep Blue,” the Navy’s anti-terrorism unit that established strategic and operations policies for the “Global War on Terrorism.” He served as President Clinton’s Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council in the White House, and holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University. According to the office of the House Historian, Joe is the highest-ranking former military officer ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Media Contact:
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