Federal funding could include $433 million for BIW work

Courtesy / Bath Iron Works Bath Iron Works christened the U.S. Navy's newest guided-missile destroyer, Thomas Hudner, on April 1 in a public ceremony at the Bath shipyard. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, reported Monday that the federal budget agreement reached Sunday could include $433 million for construction of an additional Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that she said is likely to be awarded to BIW.

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By Staff

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the federal budget agreement reached Sunday night could include $433 million that would likely go to Bath Iron Works.

The deal calls for funding for construction of an additional Arleigh Burke class destroyer (DDG-51) that is likely to be awarded to BIW.

“The budget deal is also great news for the hardworking men and women at BIW” and would provide “greater long-term certainty” for the shipbuilding operation, Collins said in a statement.

Other funding would include a $2 billion increase in National Institutes of Health funding, bringing the total to $34.1 billion. The agreement also offers relief to the cap on H-2B visas, “which are heavily relied upon by Maine’s tourism and hospitality businesses that are in need of seasonal, temporary workers beyond the number that they can hire in our state and region,” Collins said. “This provision, which I pushed for, will help small businesses thrive, protect American workers, and expand economic opportunities for local residents.”

The agreement is also expected to provide funding for infrastructure improvements.

The budget agreement will be considered by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, with a likely vote in the House on Wednesday and a vote in the Senate later this week.

Collins is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee and the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.