Courtney Lauds Comittee Passage of Defense Authorization

Press Release

Last night, Congressman Joe Courtney joined a unanimous bipartisan majority on the House Armed Services Committee in voting 61-0 to pass the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill fully supports continued investment in programs critical to Connecticut's economy and industrial base. Among its provisions, which are detailed below, the bill supports continued two-a-year production of Virginia Class Submarines, ongoing development of the Ohio Replacement Program (ORP) and denies a request for a new Base Realignment and Closure round (BRAC).

"Despite a difficult budget outlook across the federal government, the bipartisan bill we reported out today makes critical investments in programs that will enhance our national security," Courtney said. "Chief among those is continued support for submarine construction to maintain our superior undersea fleet--a priority I have fought vigorously for since I was first elected to Congress. The unparalleled work of the men and women at Electric Boat in Groton has yielded a high degree of confidence and increased investment in the Virginia Class construction program, the Virginia Payload Module, and the Ohio Replacement Program. While other areas of the defense budget will see cuts, I am pleased that these reliably successful--and strategically critical--programs are securing full funding, and I hope to see this bill adopted by the House soon."

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