Napolitano Secures $2 Million for the 38th District
in Defense Appropriations Bill

(Washington D.C.)- Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk) is pleased to announce that the House of Representatives is expected to pass tonight the 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill (H.R. 5631).  The bill includes $2,000,000 in funding requests by Congresswoman Napolitano that will provide vital financial support to local projects.  The Senate has already passed the bill, and after passing the House Tuesday evening, it goes to the President for his signature.

Funds requested by Congresswoman Napolitano:

$1,000,000 for upgrades to Cal Poly Pomona’s Aerospace Engineering Laboratory Facilities

• This funding helps purchase and install a small hypersonic wind tunnel, a water tunnel and aerospace computer simulation systems.  The equipment will be used to research fluid dynamics and heat transfer in aerospace engineering.  A growing number of students in Cal Poly’s Aerospace Engineering programs receive critical training from these resources, enabling local firms to continue hiring highly skilled graduates.  Congresswoman Napolitano has already secured $2 million for this project over the past two years, contributing to the $4.5 million needed to finish upgrades to the laboratory.

$1,000,000 for Central Atmospheric Monitoring Systems in Navy Submarines

• This funding will upgrade air systems on older Los Angeles Class Navy submarines with significantly improved air monitoring capabilities.  The upgrades will be produced by Hamilton Sundstrand’s Sensor Systems Division in Pomona.  Hamilton Sundstrand is a subsidiary of United Technologies that employs approximately 250 people at this Pomona facility.  Congresswoman Napolitano also secured $1 million in funding for this project last year.

“Federal funding for these two programs will provide vital support to growing Defense-related research and development, continuing to expand the reach of our academic institutions and enhancing our local economy,” remarked Congresswoman Napolitano. 

“I remain firmly and totally supportive of our troops and am pleased that this year’s Defense Appropriations also provides for a 2.2% pay increase for military personnel in 2007, but unfortunately this is still not enough to make up for increases in the cost of living.”

The bill provides a total of $447.6 billion for the Department of Defense, including $70 billion in emergency spending for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  According to the Congressional Research Service, passage of the bill brings to the total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to $507 billion.  Additional reports by the Congressional Budget office indicate that $287 million is spent in Iraq per day, or $11 million an hour.

“We must continue to be mindful that our key local projects at home are receiving only a small share of these critical funds, while the lion’s share is going overseas to support the ongoing War in Iraq,” noted Napolitano. 

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