(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Defense
Subcommittee announced that she has included critical funding for Central
Washington companies in the Fiscal Year 2011 Defense Appropriations bill.
The funding will create jobs and help Washington state remain at the forefront
of technology, research, and innovation.
The key
job-creating bill passed through the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee today,
and will now move to the full Appropriations Committee for consideration.
“This investment in companies right here in Washington state will
help create family-wage jobs while supporting our national defense,” said Senator
Murray. “This is about bringing Washington state tax dollars back to
companies in our own backyard. And the plain truth is that if I’m not fighting
for these job investments to be made here in our state, they will go to other
states like Texas and California. Our state’s innovative companies deserve
their fair share of federal funding so they can hire, expand and provide our
service members with tools to keep them safe. I’m proud to have secured this
support for local companies to help them create jobs.”
Central
Washington projects are listed below:
Project Title: 2.0kW Stirling Tactical Cogeneration System (STaCS)
Recipient: Infinia Corporation
Amount: $3,500,000
Location: Kennewick, WA
This investment would be used to further develop a small, low maintenance
engine for the Army that uses solar power to simultaneously produce hot water
and electricity for troops in the field. In addition to supporting jobs in
central Washington, this would improve field conditions and safety for
warfighters by allowing them to generate hot water and electricity more
reliably, efficiently and quietly.
Project Title: National Guard CST/CBRNE Enhanced Response Force
Package Sustainment Training and Evaluation Program (CST/CERFP STEP)
Recipient: Volpentest HAMMER
Training and Education Center
Amount: $1,500,000
Location: Richland, WA
This investment would bring specialized National Guard teams from across the
country to the Volpentest HAMMER Center in Richland, where they would receive
critical hands-on training in responding to potential Weapons of Mass
Destruction (WMD) incidents. This would boost the National Guard’s WMD response
capabilities, addressing the 2008 Commission on the National Guard and Reserve
finding that the U.S. “does not have sufficient trained, ready forces
available” for WMD incident response.
Project Title: The Biological and Chemical Warfare Online
Repository of Technical Holdings 2 System (BACWORTH2)
Recipient: Battelle Northwest
Amount: $2,000,000
Location: Toppenish, WA
This investment would provide access to comprehensive, detailed data on
chemical and biological warfare to Department of Defense analysts. This would
allow military analysts to better understand threats posed to our country and
its citizens by Weapons of Mass Destruction.
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