[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 85 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1029-E1031]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2008

  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, in accordance with the 
Republican Conference standards regarding Member initiatives, I rise 
today to provide a description for how funds authorized in response to 
my requests submitted to the House Armed Services Committee will be 
allocated. In making those requests, I submitted a financial. 
certification letter to Chairman Skelton which accompanied my requests, 
and included the following information:
  I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge these requests (1) 
are not directed to any entity or program that will be named after a 
sitting Member of Congress; (2) are not intended to be used by any 
entity to secure funds for other entities unless the use of funding is 
consistent with the specified purpose of the earmark; and (3) meet or 
exceed all statutory requirements for matching funds where applicable. 
I further certify that should any of the requests I have submitted be 
included in the bill, I will place a statement in the Congressional 
Record describing how the funds in each of the included requests will 
be spent and justifying the use of federal taxpayer funds.
  In order to fully comply with these standards, Madame Speaker, I 
hereby submit a description of how the funds authorized in the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 will be used for the 
projects to follow.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: RDT&E.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: THY Enterprises, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 440 Hillabee St., Alexander City, AL 
35010 USA.
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 to continue 
research and development of the Next Generation of Tactical 
Environmental Clothing (NGTEC) being conducted with the AFSOC. 
Approximately, $1,000,000 is for research and development of a lighter, 
quieter, waterproof material; $400,000 for engineering and 
manufacturing; $75,000 for laboratory analysis; $25,000 for field 
assessment; and $500,000 for risk and plan management. Special 
Operations Command (AFSOC) Special Tactics Teams and Combat Controllers 
operate in environments where the extreme effects of physical exertion 
over difficult terrain result in hypothermia and other related 
conditions that degrade mission effectiveness. Current clothing 
articles provided to our combat airmen do not offer the best protection 
or prevention of these debilitating conditions. Recent developments in 
fibers research indicates that better materials can be made available 
for use in under and outer garments to greatly reduce the effects of 
moisture on the body. These capabilities, which now include a thermally 
efficient wicking concept, combined with water-proof and tear resistant 
fibers should produce a garment with superior protective 
characteristics. This technology is at hand, and THY's early prototypes 
have been field tested and found to resolve several of the shortcomings 
highlighted by troops from cold weather training exercises in Montana, 
and from the current combat theaters of operation.

  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: RDT&E, Army.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Auburn University.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 202 Samford Hall, Auburn, AL 36849 USA.
  Description of Request: Earmark additional funds $1,000,000 to PE 
0203735A of the DoD Combat Vehicle Improvement Program for Auburn 
University in FY 2009. The DoD Combat Vehicle program provided funds of 
$1,000,000 to Auburn University in FY 2008 to initiate the project. All 
of the $1,000,000 requested will be used by Auburn University to 
research and develop sensors for the detection of oil breakdown in the 
Abrams tank and associated military vehicles. Since this is an ITAR DoD 
restricted project, no corporate or other non-federal funding is 
anticipated for this project. Total projected cost of the project is 
$6,000,000. This research project benefits the public and non-profit 
segments of our economy (citizens and government). Implementation of 
condition based maintenance on military vehicles will improve vehicle 
readiness, reduce personnel injury, increase battlefield efficiency and 
result in a reduction of maintenance costs. No congressionally 
appropriated funding has been received by this project to date.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: RDT&E, Army.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: GKN Westland Aerospace.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 3951 Alabama Highway 229, Tallassee, 
Alabama 36078.
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $2,000,000 for the 
development of a composite floor sub-structure to be demonstrated on 
the Black Hawk helicopter. Approximately $75,000 is for program 
management, $50,000 is for engineering planning, $200,000 is for 
tooling, $200,000 for design engineering, $75,000 is for material 
purchase, $500,000 is for generation of material mechanical property 
testing for use in design/analysis of the test structure, $400,000 is 
for process development through part manufacture, $500,000 is for 
structure testing.
  Current and new helicopter designs are experiencing weight increases 
through the addition new electronic systems that enhance the 
performance and effectiveness of the aircraft. Recent DoD requested 
changes to the Black Hawk helicopter (H-60) includes Common Missile 
Warning Systems (CMWS) and Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) 
configurations. Studies have identified the aircraft airframe as the 
area for potential weight reduction. Lightweight airframe development 
has been conducted in SARAP (Survivable Affordable Repairable Airframe 
Program) through the demonstration of a lighter, low cost cabin for the 
Black Hawk. As part of this technology demonstrator cabin, a floor sub-
structure used thermoplastic composite materials to reduce the weight 
by almost 25% over the baseline metal structure while, at the same 
time, reduced costs. Further development is required to take full 
advantage of the savings that composite materials technology can offer. 
Work for this program will occur in Montgomery and Tallassee, AL.

  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: RDT&E, Air Force.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Davidson Technologies.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 530 Discovery Drive, Huntsville, 
Alabama 35806
  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $10M to finalize 
development and validation of the Space Control Test Capability for the 
United States Air Force. Of the funds provided approximately $5 million 
dollars or \1/2\ of the available funding is for final development of a 
Monte-Carlo version of SCTC which will join the already developed 
closed-form version to give a new combined capability to analyze 
important transient command/control situations (e.g. satellite 
outages). The combined closed-form/Monte-Carlo version provides both 
closed-form steady-state and transient-event analysis capabilities 
builds upon Air Force selected analytical engines and is already in the 
hands of the users in support of Terminal Fury. The Monte-Carlo 
addition completes the required analytical suite. Approximately $5 
million dollars or \1/2\ of the funding is for tool validation. When 
completed, the combined closed-form/Monte-Carlo SCTC tool is the only 
tool of its type and caliber in the Air Force analytical inventory. 
Completion of this combined closed-form/Monte-Carlo tool in GFY 2009 is 
needed to provide quantitative data support for acquisition decisions. 
The tool will provide decision time-lag and throughput data for 
combination steady-state and transient situations to quantify 
performance of alternative system implementations. The Air Force will 
use these performance predictors to make sound, quantitative-based 
acquisition decisions for upcoming space systems in areas such as OCS, 
DCS, SSA and communications now and in the future, providing additional 
AF funding to enhance operational capabilities as required.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: RDT&E, Army.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Frontier Technology, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 75 Aero Camino Suite A, Goleta, CA 
93117, for work in Alabama.
  Description of Request: May it be noted for the record that a 
technical error was made and it is anticipated that the remedy will 
occur in the conference report. The correct Identification Number, 
0603005A, Line 33 should be

[[Page E1030]]

substituted for the incorrect Identification Number that was originally 
given, 0206623M, Line 181.
  The Enhanced Military Vehicle Maintenance System identifies difficult 
to detect failure modes that must be serviced while the vehicle is 
undergoing maintenance. It models vehicle conditions to ensure that the 
vehicle is restored to an optimum state of operation prior to return to 
service. This cost effective technology can be modified for various 
military vehicles to detect problems not typically reported using 
threshold or trend systems. It can detect problems before they happen, 
preventing breakdowns in battlefield environments. The system will 
successfully verify that vehicles repaired at the Depot have been 
restored to an optimum state of operation prior to redeployment. The 
Enhanced Military Vehicle Maintenance System provides the cutting edge, 
cost effective technology that can help ensure more rapid and reliable 
deployment of critical military vehicles during this period when our 
equipment is under extreme and extended use.

  The funding for the program is broken into two components: system 
analysis, development, integration, validation and training, and field 
installation, optimization and support. The first incorporates salaries 
and O/H (FTI and Subcontractors, e.g. Auburn University), materials and 
supplies (sensors, communications and computer equipment), with a 
subtotal of $3,000,000. The later includes site specific licenses and 
equipment (sensors, communications and computer equipment), salaries, 
expenses, and OIH (FTI and Subcontractors, e.g. Auburn University), 
with a subtotal of $1,000,000. The total earmark is $4,000,000.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Aircraft Procurement, Air Force.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK).
  Address of Requesting Entity: 5050 Lincoln Drive, Edina, MN, 55436, 
for work in Alabama.
  Description of Request: The RC-26B performs critical intelligence, 
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in support of national 
disaster response by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs 
and Border Protection (CBP), Air National Guard, and in direct support 
of Special Operations Forces. The Air National Guard (ANG) operates a 
fleet of eleven RC-26B aircraft that provide support to individual 
states for disaster relief and counter-drug missions. The RC-26B 
platform provided excellent, real-time imagery during the 2007 extended 
fire season and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As the 
demands for the RC-26Bs proven utility increased, non-availability of 
the platform have prevented ANG crews from performing their domestic 
assigned missions. Special Operations Command funded the modification 
of five RC-26B aircraft--to provide ISR missions in support of deployed 
operations. With five RC-26B aircraft deployed in support of missions 
outside of the continental United States, an availability vacuum at the 
state level has occurred. The remaining six RC-26B aircraft (from 
Mississippi, Arizona, Florida, Texas, West Virginia and New York) are 
not sufficient to support the disaster relief and counter-narcotics 
missions of both the ANG and DHS/CBP. Without additional FY2009 funding 
to upgrade the RC-26B aircraft, the ability of the ANG to respond to 
future DOD ISR, DHS/CBP, counter-narcotics and disaster relief missions 
will be impaired, even as the demands for this low density asset 
increases. Maintenance work, operational and functional flight testing 
will occur in Montgomery, AL.
  The program will provide improved military capability to fulfill an 
unmet requirement or need identified by the Department of Defense.
  The $3.0M funding is needed for concept development, design, 
integration and flight verification (one aircraft only) of the 
following technologies that would enhance the current Block 20 RC-26B 
performance and effectiveness. Specific capability improvements would 
include:

  $0.5 M--Incorporation of digital video recorders capable of recording 
the increased data rates associated with the new digital imagery;
  $1.75 M--Incorporation of new digital EO/IR frame camera capability 
to replace the obsolete cameras eliminated from the prior modification;
  $0.75M--Incorporation of a new high capacity down link system that 
can manage the transfer of the increased data flow from the airborne 
RC-26B to a ground station;
  The above capabilities would need to be incorporated at the same time 
because of the large cost associated with the integration/installation 
of the aircraft subsystems identified above. Additional funding would 
be required to install this capability into the remaining Air National 
Guard fleet. Funding execution and expenditure plans shall be developed 
and approved by the responsible program manager for the Department of 
Defense, and Air National Guard, pursuant to applicable federal 
acquisition laws, regulations and guidelines.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: Aircraft Procurement, Army.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: United Technologies Corporation.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 1401 Eye Street, NW #600, Washington, 
DC 20005, for the Alabama National Guard.
  Description of Request: The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is an 
essential capability of the National Guard. It provides units in every 
state with a multi-mission aircraft for search & rescue, utility lift, 
disaster relief and medical evacuation. The Army National Guard (ARNG) 
is authorized 782 Black Hawk aircraft, but is short of this 
authorization by almost 100 aircraft. This shortage requires ARNG units 
to loan or transfer Black Hawks in support deployments, training or 
state missions, resulting in a higher usage rate of available 
airframes. Additionally, more than 500 of the 782 National Guard 
aircraft are older UH-60A models, with an average age of approximately 
25 years. The Army is procuring over 1200 UH-60M Black Hawks for 
utility, special operations and MEDEVAC missions to replace the aging 
UH-60A from operational units by 2016. The Alabama National Guard uses 
these helicopters for disaster recovery. The funding may have a small 
manufacturing impact in Alabama.
  The Army acquired 33 UH-60M Black Hawks by the end of FY07, and from 
FY09 to FY13, the Army plans to procure an additional 300 UH-60M Black 
Hawks (70 of those aircraft are programmed for ARNG units). However, 
without an accelerated procurement of the UH-60M; the Army National 
Guard will be operating more than 400 UH-60A helicopters beyond 2020. 
The ARNG and the Active Army developed a program to support the 
continued modernization of the ARNG Black Hawk fleet. Unfortunately, 
this program is not fully funded. The ARNG plan is to accelerate the 
fielding of UH-60M Black Hawks by 10 aircraft per year. Although the 
Active Army has programmed UH-60A recapitalization for the ARNG with 
Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funds, which includes an airframe life 
extension, fleet-wide product improvements and the replacement of 
components, the UH-60A to L upgrade is not funded. The UH-60L Black 
Hawk is more economical to operate and has 1000 lbs of additional lift 
than the UH-60A. The desired rate of UH-60 A to L upgrades is 38 per 
year. Funding the UH-60 A to L upgrade will significantly improve the 
Black Hawk fleet, and assure that ARNG units are ready, deployable, and 
available to protect our national interests both abroad and at home. 
This ARNG aviation initiative has been identified by the Chief of the 
National Guard Bureau (CNGB) as FY09 ``Essential 10--Top 25'' unfunded 
priorities. The funding for this request is $5 million. The UH-60L 
Upgrades are $1.5 million each and include: UH-60L Improved Durability 
Gearbox; UH-60L Flight control upgrades; UH-60L (IVHMS) Integrated 
Vehicle Health Maintenance System; UH-60L Overhead rescue hoist 
provisions; UH-60L Overhead Rescue Hoist; UH-60L Rescue Hoist Cable 
Guard; UH-60L Digital engine control unit; UH-60L Hydro mechanical 
unit; UH-60L Signal data converter; UH-60L Cargo hook upgrade to 9000 
Ibs.

  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: RDT&E, Army.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Honeywell International, Inc.
  Address of Requesting Entity: 101 Columbia Road, Morristown, NJ 
07962, for work in Alabama.
  Description of Request: Conditioned Based Maintenance (CBM) is a set 
of maintenance capabilities and technologies aimed at performing 
``just-in-time'' maintenance versus ``after-the-fact'' maintenance. CBM 
improves reliability by increasing predictive maintenance while 
decreasing corrective maintenance. Fleet Mission Readiness merges 
individual onboard reporting, diagnostics reasoning, and trend 
assessment with decision support tools that aggregate individual 
performance into fleet assessments. Honeywell estimates that the $4 
million requested for the ``Tactical Wheeled Vehicle Conditioned Based 
Maintenance: Fleet Mission Readiness'' project would be broken down as 
follows: 80% software engineering and development ($3,200,000); 10% 
testing ($400,000); and 10% evaluation and certification ($400,000). 
The Army has already invested $250 M to implement CBM for the Future 
Combat Systems (FCS) program to include Automated Reasoning software 
for the FCS fleet using Honeywell technologies. These same technologies 
can be spiraled into tactical wheeled vehicle fleets with a small 
investment to achieve the same 30% reductions in maintenance costs 
projected for the FCS fleet. This funding would

[[Page E1031]]

be used to adapt Fleet Mission Readiness technologies from FCS to the 
tactical wheeled vehicle fleet to provide timely and accurate 
information for the Anniston Army Depot (ANAD) personnel deployed 
around the world in support of the warfighter.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: MILCON, Army.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Congressman Mike Rogers.
  Address of Requesting Entity: Anniston Army Depot, 7 Frankford 
Avenue, Anniston, AL 36201.
  Description of Request: This earmark provides $1,463,000 for the Lake 
Yard Interchange. The funding will be used to construct an interchange 
and inspection building in the ammunition and explosives classification 
(Lake Yard) area of the Anniston Army Depot. This includes the move of 
ammunition classification from Turner Yard to the Lake Yard. 
Additionally, the site utilities will include electrical power, 
information technology, water, septic tank/field lines. The railroad 
track work will include new track for the interchange and spur.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Mike Rogers (Alabama).
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658, the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2009.
  Account: MILCON, Army National Guard.
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Congressman Mike Rogers.
  Address of Requesting Entity: Alabama National Guard, 1720A 
Congressman W.L. Dickinson Drive, Montgomery, AL 36109.
  Description of Request: The $200,000 earmark will be used toward 
Project #010263, a project currently in the Future Years Defense 
Program for 2012. In the FYDP in FY2012, the complete project is 
budgeted for $15,267,000.00. The increase in total project cost is due 
to the updated DOD Facility Pricing Guide dated 2 July 2007. The 
updated FY09 cost is $20,205,000. If the project is left in the FYDP 
for FY12, the cost will need to be revised to $21.3 M. This project is 
for the Readiness Center Phase II of the Ft. McClellan Training Center. 
The construction will provide for an additional 112,375 square feet to 
the facility. Phase I is currently under construction 96,195 square 
feet for a total of 208,571 square feet when both phases are complete. 
The facility is required to house nine units with a required strength 
of 1,035 personnel. The 167th Theater Support Command will move from 
Birmingham to Anniston and be stationed in this facility when Phase I 
is completed in FY09. Phase II was programmed in the FYDP for FY10 and 
was pushed out last year to FY12. Nearly half (42%) of the 167th TSC 
administrative space in the facility is being built in Phase II. This 
space is critical for the 167th TSC in meeting the unit's CENTCOM 
mission and training objectives. If the project stays in the FYDP for 
FY12, it will be FY14 before Phase II is completed, five years after 
the unit moves from Birmingham to Anniston. This will have an adverse 
effect if personnel are not provided with adequate facilities to 
accomplish mission and training objectives. The lack of proper and 
adequate training, storage, and administrative areas could impair the 
attainment of required mobilization readiness levels for the unit and 
the daily support efforts for CENTCOM. The site of the project is on 
federal property. Approved by the Joint Services Reserve Component 
Facility Board 6/27/07.

                          ____________________