For Release: Thursday, November 8, 2007
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661
HOUSE PASSES FINAL DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, INCLUDES FUNDS FOR LOCAL PROJECTS
Washington - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) announced today that the final version of the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill contains funding he secured for two projects in the 12th Congressional District. The legislation will next be considered by the Senate.
The projects include:
- $1.6 million for Ultra Lightweight Metallic Armor - Produced by Magnesium Elektron North America, located in Madison, this advanced armor design will help the Army meet operational weight requirements while better protecting our soldiers. As the lightest of all structural metals, and the only metallic material lighter than advanced ceramic armor components, magnesium alloys represent a potential breakthrough in armor technology. Funds are needed to establish casting and rolling processes to produce the optimal physical properties of high strength magnesium alloys, and will also be used to develop constitutive models to predict high strain rate behavior of magnesium alloys to be used in developing new armor alloys.
- $1.6 million for the Copper Air Quality program at Olin Corporation - Fungal (mold) growth in air-handling systems contaminates indoor air. Funds will be used to evaluate improvements to indoor air quality and energy efficiency through the use of antifungal copper and copper alloys in air-handling systems.
"These are important projects for protecting our soldiers and improving our national security," said Costello. "Local companies are making extremely important contributions to our national defense, which in turn help our regional economy."
###
