Programs connected to area receive funding
U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Johnstown) recently announced that the Defense Appropriation passed recently by the U.S. House contains funding to continue several key national programs that are managed or manufactured in the area. “The continued funding for these programs is based on their importance to our national security, but these programs also are key to our ongoing economic rebuilding and diversification,” Murtha said.
The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Included in the legislation were:
– Surface Ship Torpedo Defense, $7 million for production, which will be done in Fayette County by SenSyTech and Shumar’s Welding and Fabrication.
– Surface Ship Torpedo Defense, $2 million for research and development on the next generation system, which also will be done by SenSyTech and Shumar’s Welding and Fabrication, along with Concurrent Technologies Corporation in Johnstown.
– Surface Ship torpedo Defense, $8 million for research and development of sensors, part of which will be done by Advanced Acoustic Concepts in Fayette County.
– Anti-torpedo Torpedo, $.5 million for research and development involving Penn State University and the Penn State Fayette Campus.
– Bradley vehicle conversions, a program likely to be awarded to United Defense Systems, Uniontown, $60 million.
Meanwhile, Murtha also announced that a hearing is scheduled for today at 2 p.m. to receive testimony regarding his legislation to establish a national memorial at the crash site of United Flight 93 on Sept. 11.
Somerset County Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes is scheduled to testify along with a representative of the National Park Service and hopefully a family member of a passenger, Betty Kammerer.
Murtha said, “We’ve had enormous support for the idea of making a national memorial to honor the heroes of Flight 93, who were the first courageous Americans to fight back in our new war on terrorism.
“This hearing is an important step in moving the authorizing legislation forward.”