Hoyer Delivers $40 Million for VXX
Presidential Helicopter Program To Be Located at Pax River
House Passes Defense Authorization and Military
Construction Appropriations Conference Reports
WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives today passed
the fiscal year 2005 Defense Authorization and Military Construction Appropriations
Conference Reports, providing $40 million to begin construction on a new facility at
Patuxent River Naval Air Station to house the Marine Corps' Presidential Helicopter
Replacement Program. The Defense
Authorization Conference Report also directs the U.S. Navy to expedite a land transfer of
5 acres to the State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Congressman
Hoyer led the effort in the Congress to ensure that the VXX Presidential Helicopter
project was funded in today's Conference Reports. In
May, Congressman Hoyer helped secure authorization for the new state-of-the-art facility
in the House version of the Defense bill and ensured that the funds were also included in
the Military Construction Appropriations bill passed in the House of Representatives in
July.
However, this program was in jeopardy during the Conference
Committees, where differences between the House and Senate versions of the bills are
worked out, because the program was not included in the Senate-passed Defense
Authorization or Military Construction Appropriations bills. By coordinating the effort between the Navy, the
Congress and others, and because funds were secured in the House bills for this project,
Congressman Hoyer was able to preserve $40 million to begin construction on the new VXX
facility at Pax River.
"Earlier this year, the House of Representatives made a
substantial commitment to fund the VXX Presidential Helicopter program," said Hoyer. "I am pleased that by working with the Navy,
my colleagues in both the House and the Senate and other interested parties we were able
to ensure that $40 million remained in the appropriations bill to begin construction on a
new state-of-the-art facility for the Marine Corps' VXX program, which the Navy recently
announced will be located at Pax."
"I especially congratulate the talented men and women at Pax
River. Each new program that comes to Pax is
a testament to their first rate work and illustrates the important role they play in
securing our nation and the world," added Hoyer.
"Additionally, last year, I helped secure $3.9 million to
relocate the Theodolite Tracking System at Naval Air Station Patuxent River from a fragile
piece of land that has been plagued by erosion and is subject to harsh weather to a safer,
more secure location. This relocation is an
important step in transferring the historic Point Lookout Lighthouse to the State of
Maryland so that it can become part of the State Park and eventually be opened again to
the public. I am pleased that the Defense
Authorization Conference Report contains the language necessary for the Navy to execute
this land transfer so this historic Lighthouse may be re-opened for public access,"
Hoyer concluded.
The funding to benefit Pax River included in the Military
Construction Appropriations and Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2005 Authorization
Conference Reports is listed below:
VXX Presidential Helicopter Program Support Facility,
$40 Million
The Marine Helicopter Squadron is responsible for transporting the
President and Vice President of the United States, foreign heads of state, and other White
House officials. This aircraft travels
worldwide and operates in varying environmental conditions.
It must have the capabilities to ensure that the President can do his job no
matter what the circumstances.
Currently only two types of helicopters are utilized by the
Squadron to transport the President. These
helicopters are not able to incorporate all of the latest technology and the need for
improved capabilities has grown beyond the current fleet's structural and performance
growth ability.
The Replacement Helicopter Program, currently referred to as VXX,
will be a conventional helicopter designed to meet current threat requirements, as well as
other yet unseen challenges, to provide the President of the United States with robust and
efficient transportation.
The $40 million included in the Defense Authorization Conference
Report will be used to construct new facilities to support this program. While the VXX Helicopter Program is still in the
procurement stage, the Navy recently announced that the program will utilize the
capabilities at Pax River.
The language included in the Department of Defense Fiscal Year
2005 Authorization Conference Report to facilitate the land transfer is below:
Relocate Range Theodolite Tracking Station P-987
The Theodolite tracking equipment is a critical asset to the
Atlantic Test Range at Pax River, a world class tracking range used heavily for the
purpose of tracking high performance aircraft being tested over the Chesapeake Bay by Pax
River. Last year, at Congressman Hoyer's
request, $3.9 million was included in the Military Construction Appropriations bill to
move the Theodolite Tracking System at Naval Air Station Patuxent River from a fragile
piece of land that has been plagued by erosion and is subject to harsh weather. Congressman Hoyer requested that the Defense
Authorization bill passed today reflect the importance of the relocation of this facility
and authorize the Navy to conduct the necessary land transfer. The following language was included in the bill at
Congressman Hoyer's request:
"The United States Navy shall transfer approximately 5 acres of land to the State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources. This site, owned by the United States Navy and under the custody of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, encompasses four buildings and one archaeological site. These resources include the Point Lookout Lighthouse, a buoy and coal shed all within a fence, and a small smokehouse just outside the fence, as well as an archaeological site and all relevant archaeological collections pertaining to the Civil War era U.S. General Hospital, Point Lookout. In return, the Navy shall receive approximately 1.5 acres located north of the site for relocation of the range currently within the fence line."