[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 125 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11356-S11357]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE CLOSURE OF NSWC-ANNAPOLIS

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, today I want to speak about the end of 
an era for the David Taylor Research Center, and the beginning of a 
promising future for this facility and many of its workers. On 
September 25, 1999, the Navy will formally close the Naval Surface 
Warfare Center, Carderock Division's Annapolis Site, more commonly 
known as the David Taylor Research Center (DTRC). While the Navy marks 
the occasion of its departure from this successful and accomplished 
lab, we must not dwell solely on its past. On this occasion we should 
also recognize the help and cooperation of Anne Arundel County, the 
Navy, and relevant businesses in developing a reuse strategy that will 
enable the lab to continue conducting important maritime research into 
the 21st century.
  The Navy has a right to be very proud of the legacy of this lab. I 
want to touch on a few of its most important contributions throughout 
our maritime history. From its inception in 1903 by Rear Admiral George 
Melville, it has served a crucial role in the development of our modern 
Navy.
  First established as the US Naval Engineering Experiment Station 
(EES), it served to fill the need for the testing of Naval equipment 
and the development of Fleet standards for Naval machinery. During WWI, 
the EES assisted the Navy with the procurement of naval machinery, 
crafting guidelines for optimum fuel usage, developing metal corrosion 
deterrents, and pioneering the first use of sonar. Before its expansion 
during WWII, the lab's research on sound led to the development of the 
first sonic depth and range finders.
  In 1941, Dr. Robert Goddard established a Bureau of Aeronautics at 
the facility which led to the expansion of five additional Naval 
Laboratories on the site during WWII. The newly expanded Annapolis lab 
served to make many critical contributions to WWII Naval Fleet 
development, ranging from high capacity water stills for submarine use 
to improvements in Marine Corps landing craft.
  By 1963, the facility had evolved into one of the Navy's premiere 
research and development centers, and was renamed the U.S. Marine 
Engineering Laboratory. During the Vietnam war, the lab provided 
support to our forces from 1966 until the end of the war. During that 
time, its projects included boat quieting systems, engine cooling, 
bunker busting, aluminum boat corrosion abatement, and the development 
of ferro-cement boats.
  During the late 1970s, the work of the Annapolis lab was concentrated 
into two technical departments, Propulsion and Auxiliary Systems, and 
Materials Engineering. The lab's contributions to today's Navy range 
from cutting edge superconducting electrical machinery to patented 
approaches to isolating and silencing machinery on every submarine 
class.
  In addition to these and other truly remarkable accomplishments, the 
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division's Annapolis Site has 
served as the technical training ground for thousands of scientists, 
machinists, technicians, engineers, and other related lines of 
employment. It is through their innovation, expertise, and hard work 
that this facility has been such a critical proving ground for the 
Navy, and I am proud to say that because of our redevelopment strides, 
many of these experts will continue their excellent work for the Navy 
and other customers in Anne Arundel County.
  As many of these employees will recall, I fought very hard in 1993 
when the Navy recommended that this site be shut down. And I fought 
again in 1995 when the BRAC Commission made the final decision to close 
the Annapolis Center. I continue to believe that the decision was 
unwise, unjustified and failed to take into account the critical 
capabilities of the highly skilled and experienced team of scientists 
and engineers who have contributed so much to the Navy over the years.
  After the Navy's decision, many of these dedicated scientists and 
researchers could have walked away and gone to Philadelphia or found 
jobs elsewhere. However, through reuse ventures such as those of VECTOR 
Research these individuals have made the best of the situation and 
worked to convert this unique facility into a maritime R&D park. As 
these businesses continue to expand their marine customer base, we can 
envision the park as a focal point for maritime high technology into 
the next millennium. In fact, this month has seen a major milestone in 
the site reuse process. As some of you know, DTRC houses a Deep Ocean 
Simulation Facility which is world class in nature, and is uniquely 
designed and equipped to evaluate commercial and military machinery 
targeted for deep ocean environments. I am delighted to say that on 
September 15th, operation of this complex was officially transferred 
from the Navy to a private firm. As a result of efforts such as this 
one, the Navy will also continue to benefit, since a large fraction of 
this reservoir of essential capability might otherwise have been 
dispersed or lost. Anne Arundel County's decision to take this approach 
for reuse and its coordinated and innovative strategy in

[[Page S11357]]

this regard, should serve as an example for the nation.
  With the spirit of cooperation, and innovative reutilization 
reflected in this effort, I have no doubt that the DTRC will continue 
to contribute not only to the maritime high technology sector of Anne 
Arundel County and the State of Maryland, but also to our nation's 
technological advancement into the 21st Century.

                          ____________________