Funding supports local job growth and economy

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) secured $21.1 million in the continuing resolution (H.R. 2638) signed into law by the president last night. The House of Representatives approved the funding last Wednesday and the Senate followed on Saturday. The funding will help create more than 100 new high-paying jobs and sustain over 2,200 positions in western Pennsylvania.

“Western Pennsylvania is leading the way in the development of advanced, innovative technology for use by the military,” said Congressman Altmire. “Our region has many of the best and brightest entrepreneurs in the country and I am pleased to be able to help support their efforts through the creation of partnerships with the federal government. This funding will help create jobs and strengthen our local economy.”

Congressman Altmire secured the following funding:

• Accipiter Systems, Inc. (Wexford, PA) – $1.2 million – Accipiter Systems will use the funding to continue the development of high bandwidth, energy efficient communications systems for the U.S. Army.
• Axion Power International, Inc. (New Castle, PA) – $1.2 million – Axion will use the funding to develop a hybrid capacitor supercell in order for the U.S. Marines to replace the “heavy lead acid battery” in all vehicles with a new high energy power source that is much lighter and more reliable.
• Commissary and Post Exchange (Moon Township, PA) – $8.2 million – The Defense Commissary Agency will use the funding to construct a new Commissary and Post Exchange that will serve the approximately 160,000 active and retired military and dependents living in the region.
• Curtiss–Wright Corporation, Electro-Mechanical Division (Cheswick, PA) – $0.8 million – Curtiss-Wright EMD will use the funding to develop an advanced electric drive ship propulsion motor for the U.S. Navy.
• Mine Safety Appliances (Cranberry Township, PA) – $0.8 million – MSA will use the funding to develop a hearing protection system with integrated communication capabilities for the U.S. Army.
• Municipality of Murrysville (Murrysville, PA) – $0.1 million – The municipality will use the funding to purchase communications equipment to improve its emergency operations and response.
• Penn State Special Metals (Beaver Falls, PA) – $1.2 million – Penn State Special Metals will use the funding to develop advanced gunner protection kits made from lightweight ballistic-grade titanium for the use on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle by the U.S. Army.
• Plextronics, Inc. (Harmar Township, PA) – $1.2 million – Plextronics will use the funding to develop technology for flexible and light-weight printed electronics for the U.S. military. This technology has the potential to be used in future products and applications, such as flexible solar panels for tent tops, foldable blankets, helmet-mounted panels, printed lighting, flexible displays and printed circuitry.
• PPG Industries (Allison Park, PA) – $1.2 million – PPG will use the funding to integrate high strength glass and plastic materials technologies into current and future tactical vehicle weapon systems platforms developed by the U.S. Army.
• II-VI Incorporated (Saxonburg, PA) – $5.2 million – II-VI will use the funding to initiate production of a domestic source of high-powered lasers for use by the Department of Defense.