Wilson Working for Federal Support for Key National Security Priorities
Washington, DC - Congresswoman Heather Wilson today announced $12 million in federal funding for defense-related projects based in New Mexico. The funding has been included in the Defense Appropriations bill, which passed in the U.S. House today as the Congress adjourns for the August district work period.
"New Mexico is known for research and technology in support of our nation's security," Wilson said. "These projects continue that tradition."
"Although I am pleased with the projects here in New Mexico, I am disappointed in the cuts to the Future Combat System and Missile Defense. Those are also important projects for our nation's security."
$12 Million in Wilson-Requested Projects for NM in the Defense Appropriations Act:
- $2 million, Lumidigm - Development of a Robust, Mobile, Multispectral Fingerprint Capture Device Employing Multispectral Imaging. A rugged, portable, compact, easy-to-operate, affordable fingerprint scanner that solves problems with image capture is urgently required in field operations. Force protection, civilian disaster assistance, border security, law enforcement and intelligence collection efforts would be greatly enhanced. When deployed, this will be a significant enhancement to our efforts in the Global War on Terrorism.
- NMSU - GeoSpatial Science Initiative - amount in classified annex. The National Geo-Spatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), Physical Sciences Lab, and the Depts. of Geography and Surveying Engineering will help meet the critical workforce development needs of America's intelligence community through education and training in geospatial techniques. Substantial workforce development and research needs exist in automatic feature extraction, change detection, remote sensing, data fusion, and the use of Geographic Information Systems. This project deals with workforce development and the efficient delivery, retrieval, and analysis of data in geospatial and intelligence communities. NMSU seeks to become an official Academic Partner of NGA by providing critical education and training in geospatial sciences.
- $2 million, Goodrich - Advanced Modular Avionics for Operationally Responsive Space Use. The Air Force has an operational need to be able to launch satellites on demand. Current ORS avionics systems, however, are not designed to support rapid deployment.
- $1 million, Stolar Research - EDIT Advanced Shallow Subsurface Tunnel, Bunker and Cache Detection - a project also requested by Rep. Tom Udall. The Electromagnetic Detection and Imaging Transceiver (EDIT) Advanced Shallow Subsurface Tunnel, Bunker, and Cache Detection Program will modify the successful EDIT technology to result in a practical tool for irregular warfare applications requiring the detection and confirmation of the presence of shallow (up to 30 feet) subsurface tunnels, bunkers, and caches. A recent discovery involving an innovative method allows a deeper detection range to be achieved with the EDIT detection technology that has proven successful in detecting and confirming the existence of metallic and non-metallic landmines and unexploded ordnance at much shallower depths.
- $2 million, NMSU - UAV Systems and Operations Validation Program - a project also requested by Rep. Steve Pearce. This program will develop certification requirements for UAV operators, develop training programs for UAV operators and designers, and further develop unique surface materials to provide camouflage coatings for small- to mid-sized UAVs.
- $3 million, UNM - University Strategic Partnerships. This program funds explosives surveillance and situational awareness including new sensors, materials and disease signatures for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
- $2 million, NM Tech - Magdalena Ridge - a project also requested by Rep. Steve Pearce. The United States Office of Naval Research and the Naval Research Laboratory have joined a consortium of research universities, including the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech) and Cambridge University, in a unique teaming arrangement to build a state-of-the-art observatory in the Magdalena Mountains near Socorro, New Mexico. This project will fund research to improve imaging of space objects.
Other key provisions in the bill include:
- Addressing Guard and Reserve Equipment Shortfalls: $925 million, $635 million above 2007, specifically to address equipment shortfalls in order to help forces meet the demands of overseas deployments and respond to natural disasters here at home. This amount meets the requirements identified by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in the "Essential 10 Equipment Requirements for the Global War on Terror."
- Supporting Military Families: $2.9 billion, $558.4 million above the President's request, for programs including childcare centers, education programs and the family advocacy program which provides support to military families affected by the demands of war and episodes of child or spouse abuse.
- Defense Health: $22.957 billion, $1.7 billion above 2007 and $416 million above the President's request, rejecting the President's proposal to inflict $1.9 billion in TRICARE fee and premium increases on our troops. Invests in improving the Department's electronic medical records and fostering better coordination between DoD and the Department of Veterans Affairs, enhancing preventative medicine programs and military medical research.
- Military Pay Raise: $2.2 billion is provided to cover the cost of a 3.5% military pay raise, as approved in the House version of the Defense Authorization bill.
- Research, Development, Test and Evaluation: $76.229 billion, $1.112 billion above the President's request and $508 million above 2007. These funds are used for basic research, advanced research on and development of weapons systems, and military medical research.
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