Photo / Jim Neuger
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has 6,450 employees and a total economic impact of $751.8 million in 2017.
June 29, 2018
BIW, Kittery shipyards to benefit from defense funding bill
Courtesy / Bath Iron Works
An aerial view of BIW shows the Land Level Transfer Facility (foreground) the Outfitting Hall (left) and drydock (left foreground). U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, reported that the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved on Thursday a defense appropriations bill that includes critical funding for the Bath shipyard.
By Staff
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved on Thursday a 2019 Defense Appropriations Bill that includes critical funding for Bath Iron Works and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a senior member of that committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, said in support of the ongoing and future shipbuilding work at BIW, the committee-approved bill funds the construction of three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in fiscal year 2019. It also provides an additional $250 million in advanced procurement funding above the Trump administration’s request to build an additional destroyer in fiscal year 2020, which would bring the total number of ships in FY 2020 to three and fully funds the DDG-1000 shipbuilding program.
The FY 2019 Defense Appropriations Bill calls for a $675 billion military budget, an increase of $20.4 billion above the previous year’s enacted level. It provides a total of $24 billion for Navy shipbuilding and funds the largest pay increase for members of the armed forces in nearly a decade.
The funding bill now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
Here's what's in store for Kittery shipyard
Collins reported that the funding bill makes important investments in the country’s public shipyards, including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery.
Provisions that will improve the Kittery yard’s infrastructure as well as support the shipyard’s employees include:
- $9.8 billion for ship depot operations and maintenance. The legislation also provides $2.17 billion for ship depot operations support, which Collins advocated for in writing to the committee, stating that it is vital for the Kittery yard’s maintenance operations.
- $2.45 billion for facility sustainment, restoration and modernization. This funding, which Collins had advocated in writing to be increased, helps Kittery and the other shipyards address the current backlog of infrastructure projects.
- $176 million for shipyard investment acceleration. This funding is used to procure industrial plant equipment costing greater than $250,000 and would allow the Navy to purchase 15 items at the Kittery shipyard.
- $1.4 million for Joint Travel Regulation – Long Term Temporary Duty waivers. The committee’s report also includes language authored by Collins reinforcing opposition to what she characterized in the news release as “the Department of Defense’s misguided approach of reducing per diem rates.” This policy would be repealed through a provision Collins advocated for in the Senate’s fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act bill.
Collins also noted that the legislation contains a provision she authored urging the Secretary of the Navy to end hiring delays at public shipyards in order to avoid an impact on shipyard operations.
“At a time when threats to our nation seem to be increasing rather than decreasing, the value and importance of our naval assets to security and stability have never been greater,” Collins said in a news release. “This funding bill affirms the strategic importance of our Navy and shipbuilding programs by including funding for three destroyers while also including $250 million for an additional destroyer in fiscal year 2020. … I am proud of the continued investments this bill makes in our nation’s public shipyards. This funding will help Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the other public shipyards keep our nation’s submarines at sea for years to come.”
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