WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) announced today that $11.5 million in funding for military construction at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines has been included in the Senate Committee on Appropriations’ FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill as a result of their collective efforts. The provisions are part of bipartisan legislation that was introduced Monday by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees and could be voted on as early as tomorrow.

“These investments in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard – particularly during a time of so many budgetary challenges – highlight the installation’s importance to our Navy and our national defense,” said Senators Collins, King, Shaheen, and Ayotte in a joint statement. “The $11.5 million investment in our shipyard, the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines, and sufficient funding and predictability to avoid furloughs is a huge win for our economy, the skilled men and women who work at the shipyard, and our national security.”

“Moving forward we will continue to partner in support of the shipyard and its dedicated workforce,” they added.

The $11.5 million in military construction funding will go towards the consolidation of structural shops, which will improve the efficiency of operations at the Shipyard.  The project is funded even as the Department of Defense has delayed or cancelled $4.1 billion in military construction projects during the next five budget years. The project was originally scheduled for 2015 before being accelerated to 2014 following efforts by members of the Maine and New Hampshire delegations to increase investments to address modernization needs at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Last year, the Senators advocated for funding included in the omnibus appropriations bill and Senators Collins, Shaheen, and Ayotte also included a provision in the fiscal year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act that required the Navy to develop a plan to modernize the infrastructure at our public shipyards. 

The appropriations bill also provides funding for two Virginia class submarines in FY 2014. The three also worked together to restore funding in the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act to build a second Virginia class submarine in FY 2014.

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