Contact: Antonia Ferrier (202) 224-5344
Friday, September 23, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC—U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) today announced that $8.1 million has been included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). This funding was requested by Snowe and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME). The appropriations bill passed the Senate today.

Also included is $23.816 billion in funding for a variety of veteran’s projects that Snowe supported throughout the appropriations process.

“This provision is a validation of the high-quality work conducted at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and its Acoustic Test and Calibration Facility,” said Snowe. “The decision by the BRAC Commission to maintain PNSY is clearly in the best interest of our national defense. I pledge to continue to fight to not only preserve but expand the work at our nation’s most efficient shipyard.”

The funding for PNSY will be used to replace the existing deteriorating hydrophone/transducer test and calibration tank at the Acoustic Test and Calibration Facility at PNSY. The PNSY acoustic testing and calibration facility is the only Navy testing and calibration facility certified to test, calibrate, and verify submarine and all other ship borne equipment of this type. The existing acoustic test and calibration facility will continue to deteriorate at an accelerated rate. This funding will allow the Navy to replace this tank before the Navy is left without a certified hydrophone/transducer testing facility.

“For Maine’s veterans, I am pleased to announce that this legislation includes essential funding for veterans health services. I remain committed to ensuring that our veterans, who have sacrificed so much for our nation, have the necessary support they have so rightly earned,” said Snowe

Senator Snowe sent a letter to Appropriators earlier this year requesting additional funding for a number of priorities that will assist our nation’s veterans, including:

$23.3billion for veterans medical services. $412 million for medical and prosthetic research. $104 million for state veterans homes grants.

Also included in this bill is a rejection of the Bush Administration's veteran fee proposals. The language states that “these new proposals… would force hundreds of thousands of needy veterans to leave the VA system. To this end, the Committee recommendation reflects the real fiscal needs of the VA without charging the veteran population to make up the shortfall and has included direct appropriations to cover the differences.”

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