For Immediate Release
November 8, 2007
Media Contact: Ray Yonkura
(202) 225-2676
Major Funding for JSMC Included in Defense Spending Bill,
Jordan Announces
Washington, DC -- Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) hailed passage of the final version of the Fiscal Year 2008 Department of Defense spending bill, which includes significant funding for work performed at Lima’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC).
“This bill is a big victory for both our troops and JSMC as a whole,” Jordan said. “The men and women of this outstanding facility rise to every challenge presented to them, providing our military with the cutting-edge equipment it needs to defend our nation.”
The bill passed with Jordan’s strong support by a vote of 400 to 15 today. The Senate is expected to pass the legislation later this week.
Contained in the bill is $925 million for procurement of the Stryker light armored vehicle, the upper hull of which is produced at JSMC. Citing the solid performance and exceptional protection afforded by Strykers deployed in Iraq, Jordan led efforts in Congress to maximize Stryker funding in the bill. Fourteen of his Ohio congressional colleagues joined him in letters earlier this year to the House Appropriations Committee and the House Armed Services Committee in support of the Stryker program.
Also included is full funding of the President’s budget request for Abrams tank upgrades performed at JSMC and related sites. Jordan expressed his support for Abrams upgrades to the Appropriations and Armed Services Committees in March.
Further, the bill includes $2.8 million for a flexible high-speed manufacturing cell at JSMC. The cell will satisfy manufacturing requirements for the Stryker program and other high-tech military equipment, leading to streamlined production and reduced costs to the taxpayer for JSMC-made vehicles. Congress provided $3 million for this project in Fiscal Year 2007.
Also contained in the legislation is $253 million for continued research and development work on the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), an amphibious vehicle cited by the Marine Corps as a top acquisition priority. JSMC performs all EFV manufacture and assembly work.
Overall, the bill provides $460 billion in discretionary funding to the Department of Defense, including $925 million to address critical equipment issues in our Reserve and Guard forces. It authorizes $11.6 billion for mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles, allows for significant increases in military health care programs without fee or premium increases, and fully funds a previously authorized 3.5-percent military pay raise.
“Having visited Iraq earlier this year, I saw firsthand the difficult tasks being undertaken by our troops,” Jordan said. “I’m honored that our district plays such an important role in providing them the equipment and support they need to complete their mission.”
