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Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative William Jefferson, D-LA, announced New Orleans area projects have been awarded millions of dollars this year in the Defense appropriations conference report, including almost $300 million in funding for the Navy’s LPD-17 shipbuilding program.
“I am pleased with the commitment we have shown to both the Navy and to our region’s shipbuilding industrial base,” Jefferson said. “By funding the LPD-17 at its original budgeted amount, we are ensuring that the Avondale shipyard will remain a vital component of our local economy.”
The following projects were funded in the Defense appropriations conference report:
- The LPD-17 amphibious ship project, funded at over $297 million. The LPD is built at Northrop Grumman’s Avondale Shipyard in Jefferson Parish and will provide over 50% of the amphibious cargo lift capacity for the United States Marine Corps. It will serve as an integral part of an Expeditionary Strike Force and is also able to support humanitarian operations.
- The Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System (DIMHRS) was funded at $35.5 million. While the program is temporarily operating in Virginia, this funding will keep the program operational in anticipation of its relocation back to New Orleans. The system integrates current human resources and business processes into a modern joint system which serves all uniformed services.
- The SPAWAR Systems Center was funded at $8.25 million and will present enterprise solutions for managing Department of Defense personnel systems and for DIMHRS implementation. It will also conduct joint Navy and local university information systems research and develop homeland security and disaster preparedness tools.
- Tulane University’s Biodefense Vaccine Development and Engineering program received $1 million. A joint venture with Xavier University, this program will deliver vaccines against biological threat agents.
- The Defense Leadership and Technology Initiative was funded at $1 million. Coordinated by the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, this initiative will create a network and facilitate collaboration of public HBCUs to help meet defense-specific missions and needs.
“Not only will each of these projects serve a valuable role for our military, but each will contribute to our local economy by providing jobs and opportunities,” Jefferson said. “I appreciate their inclusion in the conference report and I will continue to work to ensure federal support for projects in the New Orleans metro area.” |
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