Congress Passes $886 Billion Defense Bill With Funding for Connecticut Manufacturers

The U.S. House of Representatives passed an annual defense spending bill on a bipartisan vote Thursday, sending legislation to the president that includes billions for Connecticut defense sector manufacturers.

The House voted 310 to 118 to approve the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act following a 87 to 13 vote in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. The roughly 3,000-page bill, which won the support of every member of Connecticut’s congressional delegation, authorized a total of $886 billion in national defense funding.

In spite of recent congressional politics, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said Congress had been able to approve a NDAA for 63 consecutive years.

“It’s a real hallmark to the Armed Services Committees, both House and Senate, that despite the real difficult polarization that exists in Washington with divided control in the Congress and all the drama that we’ve seen over the past year, that we were still able to get this across the finish line,” Courtney said during a press conference following the House vote.

At stake were billions of dollars in funding for Connecticut manufacturers, including investments in the state’s submarine industrial base.

According to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s office, the bill contains $5.8 billion to support the construction of the new Columbia Class sub, for which Groton-based Electric Boat is the prime contractor, and another $10.3 billion to pay for two Virginia Class submarines.

The legislation also authorized the sale of three nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, as part of an agreement known as AUKUS between that country, the U.S. and England.

“I fought for the authorization of the trilateral AUKUS agreement –proving the world-class talent of our workforce in Groton constructing Virginia-class submarines,” Blumenthal said in a press release.

Meanwhile, the bill dedicates $9.42 billion to the construction of 83 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets, according to Blumenthal’s office. The authorization of the funding follows news that East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney will be the sole contractor on a project to upgrade F-35 engines.

The legislation will also support work by Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft, including nearly $1.7 billion for 15 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters and $821 million for 50 Black Hawk helicopters, according to U.S. Rep. John Larson’s office.

In a press release, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, said the nation’s defense program was more critical than ever given recent attacks against U.S. allies Ukraine and Israel.

“I am particularly glad that this legislation contains significant funds for Connecticut-based companies, expanding our state’s role as a leader in defense technology development and bringing jobs to our district,” Himes said.

The bill provides raises for military service members, including a 5.2% increase in their base pay and increases in the Basic Allowance for Housing reimbursements for enlisted members living off-base.

Courtney said the raises would help thousands of sailors and officers attached to the naval submarine base in Groton deal with increases in the cost of living.

“That is really going to — particularly for enlisted personnel — be incredibly important in terms of letting them concentrate on their work and not worry as much about themselves and their families,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said the legislation included provisions of a proposal he introduced that would allow junior sailors to reside in commercial housing when their ships are docked for long term maintenance. Murphy’s bill was named for Xavier Sandor, a Shelton resident who took his own life while assigned to the USS Washington while the ship was undergoing lengthy repairs.

In August, Sandor’s family told WTNH their son suffered due to poor living conditions associated with residing on the ship while it underwent the maintenance.

Murphy said Thursday the defense funding bill included elements of his legislation “to make sure junior sailors aren’t forced to endure the horrible conditions of a ship undergoing extended maintenance overhauls.”

“I’m grateful to the Sandor family for sharing their son’s heartbreaking story and working with me to ensure the Navy takes better care of its brave men and women,” Murphy said.