[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1005-E1006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARK E. SOUDER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2008

  Mr. SOUDER. Madam Speaker, the following are my explanations of each 
earmark in this bill. I have always released my requests. I believe all 
requests and detailed explanations should be part of this process. 
Transparency is the best protection against abuse.
  Bill: H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
of Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Airforce, Milcon, Air National Guard.
  PE No.: N/A.
  Line No.: N/A.
  Project Name: IN Air National Guard-Fort Wayne Aircraft Shelter/Fuel 
Fill Project.
  Entity: Indiana Air National Guard, 122 Fighter Wing.
  Address: 3005 Ferguson Road, Fort Wayne IAP, IN 46809.
  Amount: $5,600,000.
  Justification for use of federal taxpayer dollars: Construct a two 
aircraft bay parking shelter addition to the existing two aircraft bay 
parking shelter providing a total of four parking spots under shelter 
as required for a base A/C Readiness Shelter. The base requires 
adequately sized, appropriately configured, and functional aircraft 
readiness shelters with supporting taxiway system to support four-ship 
F-16 aircraft mission requirements. Due to previous funding restraints 
the current shelter facility was constructed with two parking spots 
with a plan to add two more at a later date. Readiness shelters are 
necessary for mission support, operations safety, and protection of 
aircraft and flightline personnel from inclement weather. The project 
will also provide a refueler vehicle fill stand on the operational side 
of the railroad tracks to support the flying mission.
  The 122nd is one of the premier Air National Guard units in the 
United States. They have a proven history with deployments during the 
Berlin Crisis, Desert Storm, Hurricane Katrina, Guantanamo Bay, 
Operation Jump Start and the current global war on terrorism in 
Afghanistan and Iraq. The 122nd has received four AF Outstanding Unit 
awards for these efforts. In addition to the 60 years of fighter 
expertise, the Guard Unit also has a history of safety. Currently, they 
have over 16,000 hours of accident free F-16 flying operations. The 
construction of this readiness shelter and fill stand will help the 
122nd carry out their current mission and train for future endeavors.
  Finance Plan: Project consists of the following: Construct reinforced 
concrete foundation and painted floor slab with grounding points; 
masonry and metal siding walls; steel frame; and standing seam metal 
roof; include a high expansion fire suppression system and overhead 
infrared heating; provide hangar style doors for drive through 
capability; remove existing asphalt and provide new concrete taxiway 
entry and exit; provide asphalt transition to the south apron area; 
construct stainless steel underground piping, reinforced concrete for 
curbed access pavement, and refueler fill stands.
  Bill: H.R. 5658, The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
of Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Procurement, Defense-wide.
  PE No.: 0.
  Line No.: 83.
  Project Name: Multi-Band Multi-Mission Radio (MBMMR).
  Entity: Raytheon Network Centric Systems.
  Address: 1010 Production Road, Ft. Wayne, IN 46808.
  Amount: $9,500,000.
  Justification for use of federal taxpayer dollars: The AN/PSC-5D 
MBMMR is the U.S. Special Operations standard man-portable tactical 
Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Satellite communications (SATCOM) terminal. 
MBMMR is the primary mission radio for Special Operations Forces (SOF) 
units, providing tactical and worldwide connectivity playing a key role 
in the GWOT. It enables SOF to communicate on a user-selected frequency 
30 to 512 megahertz (MHz) utilizing a single man-pack radio with 
embedded communications lifeline to SOF teams operating under hazardous 
circumstances such as isolation from possible reinforcement by U.S. 
ground forces. MBMMR reduces the need for multiple man-pack radios, 
reducing the weight and size of communications equipment which must be 
carried out by SOF. U.S. Special Operations Forces have a requirement 
for approximately 400 additional MBMMR radios and ancillary equipment 
to satisfy requirements of the Global War on Terror.
  The Raytheon facility in Fort Wayne is a technology leader 
specializing in innovative technology to make U.S. warfighters more 
effective and secure. With a history of innovation spanning more than 
80 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission 
systems integration, and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; 
effects; command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as 
well as a broad range of mission support services. There are over 1,100 
engineers in the Fort Wayne facility working everyday to make our 
soldiers the best equipped in the world. This funding will allow them 
to create the high-tech radios needed by Special Operations Forces.
  Finance Plan: The funding would be used for procurement of 400 radios 
for U.S. Special Operations Forces.
  Bill: H.R. 5658 The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
of Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Army, RDT&E.
  PE No.: 0602787A.
  Line No.: 28.
  Project Name: Orthopedic Implant Design and Manufacturing for 
Traumatic Injuries.
  Entity: University of Notre Dame.
  Address: 416 Main Building, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556.
  Amount: $2,000,000.
  Justification for use of federal taxpayer dollars: Approximately 40-
50 percent of Army, Navy, and Marine Corps injuries in Iraq and 
Afghanistan require orthopedic procedures. This unusually high 
percentage is primarily due to improvements in body and head armor that 
inhibit severe trauma to internal organs--injuries which in the past 
would have been fatal. Limbs and joints, however, are more exposed. At 
the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, over 20,000 orthopedic procedures 
are performed annually on active duty and retired military personnel. 
The National Naval Medical Center performs approximately 10,000 
orthopedic procedures annually. These procedures include total hip, 
knee, and shoulder replacement, ligament repairs, foot surgery, spine 
surgery, bone fixation, amputations, and prosthetic limb fixation.
  Notre Dame will partner in their research with three leading 
orthopedic manufacturers in Warsaw, Indiana (Zimmer, Depuy and Biomet.) 
It is imperative the new orthopedic industry is nurtured and allowed to 
continually invent and develop new products not only for our soldiers 
but also for all Americans. As the global market continues to grow 
companies such as these are being pulled offshore to other nations 
because of the lure of cheap labor, subsidized materials and energy. 
Providing companies with the opportunity to further their research and 
development with local universities will help foster the economic 
environment that will keep burgeoning industries, like orthopedic 
manufacturing, in the U.S.

[[Page E1006]]

  Finance Plan: Research will address soldier recovery, readiness, and 
quality of life in orthopedics and tissue engineering. The project 
addresses unmet needs in several areas, including: (1) smart orthopedic 
implants--such as hip, knee, and shoulder joints; (2) 3-D woven 
material to provide a new surface to localized damaged areas and 
cartilage, such as occurs in younger patients; and (3) test and 
evaluation of new implant designs.
  Bill: H.R. 5658 The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
of Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Army, Other Procurement Army.
  PE No.: 0.
  Line No.: 118.
  Project Name: Select Availability Anti Spoofing Module (SAASM) 
Precise Positioning System (PPS) GPS Upgrade.
  Entity: ITT.
  Address: 1919 West Cook Road, Ft. Wayne, IN 46801.
  Amount: $2,000,000.
  Justification for use of federal taxpayer dollars: The program will 
implement software upgrades to current SAASM based GPS receivers to 
expedite the replacement of less secure systems in the near term. This 
upgrade will provide a more robust and militarized survey solution and 
eliminate parts obsolescence issues facing the legacy GPS-S; as well as 
provide the warfighter protection against today's threats from jamming 
and spoofing.
  Improving our high-tech defense capabilities is paramount for 
continuing our superior military strength throughout the world. The ITT 
facility in Fort Wayne is one of the leading suppliers of this type of 
technology in the United States. Along with the SAASM System, this 
facility has the potential to produces 10,000 SINCGAR radios a month 
for our warfighters throughout the world. These dollars allow ITT to 
update and integrate new technology that makes our warfighters more 
capable and also provides them with a higher level of safety.
  Finance Plan: The $4,000,000 will support the integration and test of 
SAASM-based GPS survey equipment for the US Army. Specifically, 
$1,950,000 to update and integrate real-time kinematic algorithms, and 
modify and test SAASM software, $550,000 to modify, integrate and test 
data collection software and hand-held controller, $250,000 to select 
and test suitable, high-precision survey antennas, and $1,250, to 
complete prototype systems and system test including data 
communications. This is all the funding needed to perform and complete 
the work as outlined.
  Bill: H.R. 5658 The Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act 
of Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Other Procurement, Navy.
  PE No.: N/A.
  Line No.: 90.
  Project name: Sonobuoys--All Types.
  Entity: USSI.
  Address: 4578 East Park 30 Drive, Columbia City, IN 46725.
  Amount: $112.6M.
  I am pleased the House Armed Services Committee has granted my 
request to support the President's budget and included $112.6 million 
for the procurement of sonobuoys. I am glad the committee has 
recognized the serious deficiency in sonobuoy inventories and has 
provided an authorization level that begins to correct the shortfall.
  The Navy's Non-Nuclear Ordnance Requirement (NNOR) currently 
identifies annual peacetime requirements at approximately 120,000 
sonobuoys of all types. Due to other priorities, the Navy has 
understated its sonobuoy budget requirement for several years. This has 
resulted in a steady decline in inventories, as well as a serious 
degradation in combat readiness in the airborne anti-submarine warfare 
(ASW) area.
  ASW continues to be a core mission area of the United States Navy. 
Largely ignored in the aftermath of the Cold War, the ASW mission has 
recently re-emerged as a priority for the Navy. This change is caused 
by a clear recognition of the dangers inherent in the proliferation of 
modem, highly capable submarines to Third World countries operating in 
littoral waters. To ensure its ability to effectively participate in 
regional conflicts and the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) by projecting 
power from the sea, the Navy must remain capable of defeating the 
submarine threat in the acoustically demanding coastal regions.
  The sonobuoy remains the Navy's primary sensor for detection and 
localization of submarines by air ASW platforms. Launched from fixed 
wing and rotary wing ASW aircraft, sonobuoys provide the only means to 
rapidly sanitize large areas of water prior to fleet units arriving in 
the area. The improved technology of the modem diesel/electric 
submarine, operating near the coastline, makes for a significantly more 
difficult target than previously faced by the Navy during the Cold War. 
Operational planning indicates significantly higher sonobuoy usage 
rates over historical levels when confronted with this threat.
  With fleet sonobuoy inventories continuing to decline to historic 
lows, ASW aviation units are necessarily limited in the number of 
sonobuoys available for training. This has caused a rapid decline in 
aircrew preparedness in the ASW mission area. This authorization level 
for sonobuoys addresses this issue and provides funding in line with 
fleet requirements and usage rates.

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