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National Defense Authorization Bill Passes Senate
07/24/09 - 11:52 AM

Senator Mel Martinez’s Office

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U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today announced the U.S. Senate last night passed the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. This measure authorizes program and project spending for the United States military and includes a 3.4 percent pay increase for all uniformed personnel. The $680 billion in base and war operations funding authorizations meets the full request of the President’s budget, and helps to ensure the United States continues to have the best prepared and equipped fighting force in the world. The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 87 to 7.
“This important funding authorization provides our military men and women with the resources, training, and authority necessary to face today’s threats and carry out their missions,” said Martinez, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “It also institutes across-the-board pay raises and helps to continue providing Veterans with first rate health care, ensuring that all of our military personnel and their families are cared for. As our service men and women continue to protect and defend our nation during this critical time, I am pleased we are able to provide them with this support.”
The Defense Authorization Act includes the Navy’s funding requirement to dredge the harbor and turning basin at Naval Station Mayport. It authorizes $76 million towards the projects of Charlie Wharf repairs and the dredging of the Mayport channel requested by the Navy.

“The funding of these Mayport projects is vital for maintenance of the channel and turning basin,” said Martinez. “Providing an emergency location for the Navy to dock our aircraft carriers is necessary and important to our national security. Moving forward with these projects will help to meet the Navy’s requirement and promotes the safety of our ships.”
The FY 10 Defense Authorization Act will now be sent to conference to be reconciled with the U.S. House of Representatives version.
Senator Martinez secured $611.3 million in military construction and Base Realignment and Closure projects for the following Florida bases:
Defense Logistics Agency, Jacksonville, $11.5 Million. Funding will be used to replace a jet fuel storage complex.

Eglin Air Force Base, $330.1 Million (Total). Air Force - $118.534 Million. Funds will be used for projects needed for anticipated bed-down of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. Funding will also be used for Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) projects. Army, $148.8 Million - Includes funding for costs associated with Funds the move of the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group from Fort Bragg, NC to Eglin. Funding will also be used for BRAC projects. Navy, 59.8 Million - Includes funding for parking, hydrant refueling system, and enlisted quarters. SOCOM, $3 Million - Funds will be used for a military working dog facility.

Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, $18.6 Million (Total). Air Force, $10.5 Million - Funds construction of refueling vehicle maintenance facility and an electrical distribution substation. SOCOM, $8.1 Million - Funds will be used for construction costs associated with a simulator facility for MC-130.

MacDill Air Force Base, $38.3 Million - Includes funding for construction costs associated with a dormitory, child development center, and CENTCOM Commandant facility.
Naval Air Station Jacksonville, $5.9 Million - Funds will be used for Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft facilities modification.

Naval Station Mayport, $75.9 Million - Funds necessary dredging project to make station nuclear-carrier ready. Also funds needed improvements to the Charlie Wharf.
Naval Air Station Whiting Field, $4.1 Million - Provides funding for construction costs of a training operations paraloft facility.

Panama City Army Reserve, $7.3 Million - Funds costs associated with the Reserve Center.

Patrick Air Force Base, $8.4 Million - Funds will be used for costs associated with the Combat Weapons Training Facility.

Corry “A” School Bachelor Enlisted Quarters, Pensacola, $22.9 Million - Undergraduate Military Flight Officer Simulator Program, $3.2 Million
Southern Command Headquarters, Miami, $55.4 Million - Funds the third phase of construction for the new Southern Command Headquarters.
U.S. Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, $3.7 Million - Funds construction of port operations facility.

West Palm Beach Army Reserve, $26 Million - Funds costs associated with the Reserve Center.

Senator Martinez secured $59.9 million in funding authorization for the following programs:
UH60A to L Conversion, UTC-Sikorsky, $20.4 Million - Funding will be utilized to fulfill an Army National Guard requirement for engine and transmission upgrades for the Army’s fleet of UH-60’s prior to the UH-60M coming online.
 
Nanocomposite Materials Research (NOLES), Florida State University, $2 Million - Funds will be used to develop nanotubes as a material platform for a new generation of devices, structures and systems, giving special attention to the design and demonstration for defense applications.         
Combat Medic Training Systems, University of Central Florida, $2.5 Million - Funds will be used to develop a leg tourniquet trainer and a needle chest decompression trainer. Funding will also build prototypes for testing. The University will be working directly with CHI Systems, Inc, of Orlando, Florida on this project.
Nanoscale Research Program, University of Florida, $2 Million - Funds will be used for a facility to research and develop sensors based on nanotechnology materials and techniques.

In-Vitro Models for Bio-Defense Vaccines, University of Central Florida, $2 Million - Funds will be used to research and develop an in-vitro surrogate diagnostic lung construct that can mimic and predict immunologic responses in humans.
Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI), Nation-wide, $25 Million - Funding will be used to continue the initiative to reduce encroachment problems by protecting environmental areas within and around military installations.
Energy Systems Integration Research, Florida State University, $4 Million - Continuation of funding for this project (funded in FY09 at $4,500,000) will allow for research and development into the next-generation integrated power system (NGIPS) for the future war ships that have an all-electric platform of propulsion, and weapon loads, and electric power systems with rapid reconfigurable distribution systems for integrated fight-through power (IFTPS).
Laser Underwater Imaging and Communications Research, Florida Atlantic University, $2 Million - Funds will be used to research underwater high-resolution laser imaging for object detection and identification.