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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) today announced that early this morning the House approved $926.5 million to fund Lockheed Martin's Marine One helicopter project. Hinchey, who is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and Boehlert lobbied hard for the funds along with other members of the New York congressional delegation to ensure that the Lockheed Martin Marine One helicopter project would get funded.
"Earlier this year, we fought and won the Marine One contract for Lockheed Martin and now we fought and won funding from Congress so that this important project can move forward," Hinchey said. "Today, the House officially wrote the check for Lockheed Martin to begin construction of the Marine One helicopter. These funds will help pay for the production of what will be the most sophisticated aircraft a president has ever used and will also create hundreds of new jobs and give a significant boost to the Southern Tier economy. I look forward to working to secure additional funds for the Marine One project in the years ahead."
Boehlert said, "The decision made by Congress to provide the first installment of funding for construction of the new line of Marine One Helicopters is yet another example of the federal government's commitment to construct the most safe and reliable helicopter for our Commander in Chief. This funding will allow Lockheed Martin-Owego to move forward with Marine One, and at the same time create more jobs in the Southern Tier region."
The funds are the first major installment of federal dollars for the new Marine One helicopter contract and the first appropriation since Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract. On January 28, 2005, the U.S. Navy awarded the next Marine One Presidential Executive Transport helicopter contract to Team U.S. 101, led by Lockheed Martin - Owego. Hinchey, Boehlert, and other members of the New York congressional delegation lobbied the Pentagon persistently to ensure that Lockheed would win the Marine One contract.
The funds for Lockheed Martin's Marine One helicopter are included in the House version of the Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2006. The Senate is still debating the Defense Appropriations bill and is expected to vote on it this week, but the Marine One funding is not considered to be in jeopardy.
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