WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement on final passage of the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

A large spending authorization bill like the NDAA will always have a lot to be happy about, and a lot to be displeased with too. The inclusion of a provision authorizing U.S. military assistance to Syrian rebel opposition groups is of particular concern, which is why I worked with Senator Schatz on an amendment to strike that language. Unfortunately, that amendment was ultimately not considered, but I supported the overall bill because of several very important provisions for Connecticut, all of which I fought hard to have included in this package.

From funding for the submarines made by Electric Boat in Groton, to the Joint Strike Fighter engines built by Pratt & Whitney in Middletown, to Sikorsky’s helicopters in Stratford, this bill not only provides cutting edge military hardware for our Armed Forces, but is also an acclamation of the thousands of men and women who have made Connecticut manufacturing the best in the nation. I fought tooth and nail for each of these provisions on behalf of Connecticut manufacturers, and I couldn’t be more proud of today’s result.

The NDAA also supports Connecticut veterans and service members in big ways. For one, we can celebrate authorization to construct a new Connecticut Air National Guard maintenance facility at Bradley International Airport. This facility will support the eight C-130s that recently became the mainstay of the Connecticut’s Air National Guard. The bill also includes increased resources for veterans’ mental health, something I’ve been pushing passionately for alongside mental health advocates across Connecticut. By supporting mental health services for veterans, we’re recognizing the important fact that mental health treatment can save lives and prevent other unfortunate outcomes – like veterans’ homelessness – that result from untreated mental health issues.

Finally, I’m glad that a provision to designate Coltsville as a national park was included in this package. Years and years of hard work have gone into this effort, and with this designation, Hartford's Coltsville will get the national recognition it deserves, allowing future generations to appreciate Connecticut’s powerful role in advancing the industrial revolution and strengthening manufacturing in the United States. I’m proud to have helped get this bill through the Senate with Senator Blumenthal, but we all have John Larson to thank when it is signed into law. His crusade of over a decade to get this done will be taught in classrooms as an example of persistence, persistence, and more persistence, paying off in the end.

It’s an honor to fight every single day for people in Connecticut. Today is a great day for our state, and I’m so proud that hard work paid off in this NDAA so that Connecticut gets support it deserves.

The measure supports the following Connecticut programs:

  • The bill authorizes $5.9 billion for the procurement of two Virginia-class submarines. 
  • The bill fully supports the Block IV multiyear contract completed earlier this year to build ten submarines between 2014-2018 at a rate of two per year.
  • The bill establishes a "National Sea-based Deterrence Fund" to finance the construction of new submarines to replace today's Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines.
  • $1.3 billion is authorized for further research and development into the Ohio-class replacement and
  • The bill authorizes $132 million for development of the Virginia Payload Module.
  • The bill authorizes $5.9 billion in total funding for the continued development of the Joint Strike Fighter program, to include the acquisition of 34 JSF aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.
  • Specifically, the bill includes funding for 26 F-35As for the Air Force, six F-35Bs for the Marine Corps, and two Navy F-35Cs.
  • The bill authorizes over $2.4 billion in funding to procure Sikorsky helicopters, to include 85 UH-60 Black Hawks, 29 MH-60R Seahawks and 8 MH-60S Knighthawks. 
  • This represents a budget request increase of $103 million to procure six additional UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in order to modernize the Army National Guard. 
  • The bill authorizes $573 million in research and development of the Marine Corps CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter.
  • The bill authorizes $351 million for the Israeli Iron Dome missile defense system.
  • The bill authorizes $37.3 million for M4 carbines to support the Kurdish and Iraqi security forces combat ISIL (CT based manufacturing).
  • The bill authorizes an additional $450M for the production of five E/A-18 Growlers (CT components).
  • The bill authorizes $16.3 million for construction of the C-130 Fuel Cell and Corrosion Control Facility at Bradley International Airport to support the new 8 C-130 in the Connecticut Air National Guard.

Support to Military Personnel and their Families

  • The bill authorizes a 1 percent across-the-board pay raise for all members of the uniformed services, except all flag officers.
  • The bill provides for continued changes to the scourge of sexual assault in the military, including increasing access to special victims’ counsel and enhancement of victims’ rights.
  • The bill requires that mental health professionals participate in boards for correction of military records and on boards for review of discharge or dismissal for all members of the armed forces. 
  • The bill authorizes a pilot program be established to assist members of the military obtain civilian employment upon discharge from service.
  • The bill also directs the military services to enable service members to obtain professional credentials to help translate military training and skills into civilian occupations.

Other Priorities:

  • The bill authorizes the Department of Defense to clean up unexploded ordnance on Puerto Rico’s Culebra Island, previously a US Navy live-fire range. Senator Murphy has been a strong supporter of cleaning up this island for the safety of the resident of Culebra.
  • The bill increases to 4,000 the number of special immigrant visas available to be issued to former interpreters and translators who served for at least one year alongside United States military personnel in Afghanistan. 
  • The bill includes provisions forbidding the Department of Defense from entering into contract with Russian helicopter manufacturer, Rosoboronexport, a known munitions supplier to Bashar Al-Assad and the Syrian regime.
  • The bill prohibits the Army from carrying out sweeping cuts to the Army National Guard and freezes Army National Guard force structure in place until an independent commission can assess the validity of the Army’s proposed cost savings.