WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King today announced that the U.S. Senate passed the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) last night with key victories for Maine. The bill, passed by the Senate with a vote of 89-8, now heads to conference committee to reconcile differences with the NDAA passed by the House of Representatives.

            “The men and women in our Armed Forces and in defense related industries – including thousands of people in Maine – serve our country with honor and distinction,” Senator King said. “Maine has a long and storied history of working to strengthen our national security interests, and I am proud the 2018 NDAA builds on their good work and bolsters our state’s vital role in protecting our nation. By passing this bill the Senate has helped ensure these dedicated Americans have the resources they need to do their jobs, defend our country here at home, and support our servicemembers stationed around the globe.”

Senator King secured several major victories that will directly benefit Maine, including:

• NEW FACILITY AT PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD: The legislation authorizes $61,692,000 for the construction of a paint, blast, and rubber facility at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Senator King also supported an amendment authored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that calls for a study on dry dock capacity to identify and support the shipyard infrastructure needs at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

More broadly, the legislation also directs the Secretary of the Navy to submit a report detailing an engineering master plan and investment strategy for modernizing the Navy’s public shipyards, like Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. This report will require a review of the infrastructure, facilities, and major equipment at public shipyards and will result in a new modernization and investment strategy to ensure that public shipyards are able to fulfill their mission.

• NEW NATIONAL GUARD CENTER IN PRESQUE ISLE: The legislation authorizes $17,500,000 for the construction of a new National Guard Readiness Center in Presque Isle.

• FUNDING FOR SHIPBUILDING PRIORITIES: The legislation authorizes more than $5.62 billion for Navy destroyer programs, including more than $5 billion for the procurement of three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers in fiscal year 2018 that Bath Iron Works can compete to build, as well as more than $90.5 million for the continued production of DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at Bath.

Senator King also cosponsored an amendment authored by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) in support of the Navy’s Force Structure Assessment requirement for 355 battle force fleet ship. The amendment also requires the Secretary of the Navy to deliver a report to the congressional defense committees which shows a detailed business case analysis for a variety of options with which to reach the 355 ship objective.

• JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER: The bill authorizes the procurement of 94 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters of all three variants. Several Maine-based companies, including Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick and General Dynamics in Saco, are in the supply and production chain for this fifth generation fighter.

• LONG RANGE STRIKE BOMBER: The bill authorizes more than $2 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation of the long-range stealth bomber, B-21, which will be a central pillar of our national security strategy to deal with future threats. Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick will be the engine supplier for the B-21.

• CH-53K HELICOPTER: The bill authorizes more than $848 million to procure six CH-53K helicopters. Hunting Dearborn in Fryeburg manufactures the rotor shaft for this helicopter.

• NO NEW BRAC ROUND: This legislation rejects the President’s call in his Fiscal Year 2018 budget request for additional base closures under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The last BRAC process occurred in 2005 when a recommendation to close the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was ultimately overturned by the BRAC Commission, but Brunswick Naval Air Station was closed.

The Fiscal Year 2018 NDAA establishes policies and authorizes funding for the Department of Defense as well as the national security programs of the Department of Energy. It provides for the pay and benefits earned by members of the military and their families, provides for national defense including authorization of funds for military operations in places like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, and represents a vision of America’s national security goals, resources, and policies.

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