By SHAWN PIATEK
Congress on Wednesday passed the fiscal year 2009 Defense Appropriations bill, including at least $80.7 million earmarked for local organizations out of the $487.7 billion budget.
After the bill passed, U.S. Rep. John Murtha announced directed funding to 10 Johnstown-area companies and agencies included in the bill.
The earmarks announced by the Johnstown Democrat, who is chairman of the house appropriations subcommittee on defense, do not represent all of the directed funds he included in the bill.
The bill now awaits Senate approval, which is expected this week, before going to President Bush.
Murtha on Wednesday said that products and services provided to the Department of Defense by local companies offer the highest quality and save taxpayer money.
“The partnerships created by local companies and organizations with the Department of Defense have resulted in reduced costs for weapons programs, savings to the American taxpayers, and have provided our troops with quality equipment, technology and health care,” Murtha said.
Of the directed funds, more than half – $44 million – are targeted for the National Drug Intelligence Center in downtown Johnstown, funding the center for another year and allowing it to grow.
The remaining $36.7 million was spread among nine other Cambria- and Somerset-county companies as follows:
n$10 million is provided for Northrop Grumman Corp. and Conemaugh Health System, both of Johnstown, to continue working on a digital health-care testbed to evaluate electronic health-care technologies in a rural setting.
• $3.2 million is included for MTS Technologies Inc., Johnstown, for the Joint Collaborative Medical Information System. The bill also includes $2.4 million to develop a computerized training tool for recruits that simulates virtual training environments and combat scenarios.
• Kuchera Defense Systems, Windber, will receive $4 million to continue development of Roll-On, Roll-Off reconnaissance technology. The bill also includes $2.5 million for a support facility that will be used for the repair and maintenance of unmanned ground and aerial vehicles.
• $4 million is included for DRS Technologies, Richland Township, to continue upgrading the combat information center consoles on Aegis class Navy ships.
• Gautier Steel, Johnstown, will receive $3.2 million to continue transitioning its capabilities as a Defense Department regional supplier of titanium steel.
• Environmental Systems Research Institute, Johnstown, will receive $3 million to produce highly sophisticated geographic information systems software for the military to map battle terrain more effectively.
• MountainTop Technologies, Johnstown, will receive $2.4 million to develop distance learning modules for Joint Task Force teams.
• $2 million is provided to research improvements to body armor being developed by KDH Defense Systems, Johnstown.
