Officials say defense spending bill bodes well for depot

By Brandon Tubbs
Star Staff Writer
05-08-2004

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved a defense spending bill that would bring $1.2 billion to activity at the Anniston Army Depot. Officials said the proposed funding is a good sign for the area’s largest employer as the nation’s military bases face a round of base closures next year. The $422.2 billion fiscal year 2005 defense spending bill includes $23.7 million for a maintenance facility at the depot; $905 million to build about 300 Strykers, which are assembled at the depot; $292 million for 67 Abrams tank modifications at the depot; and $15 million for the M113, which is produced by the United Defense Limited Partnership in Anniston. The bill also includes $5 million for rocket recycling and research on recycling propellant at the depot, which has the nation’s only missile recycling center. The presence of that facility also should bode well for the depot, said Gordon Williamson, director of the Anniston Munitions Center. “Having this kind of significant workload and this kind of significant mission in the 2005 budget, the timing’s pretty good,” said Jesse Poor, deputy commander of the depot. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, announced the bill in a Friday news release. “We continue to transform our military and increase spending, and because Alabama plays a large role in producing many of our nation’s weapons systems, the increased funding is good news for the state’s economy,” Sessions said. The bill also includes money that would boost soldiers’ pay by 3.5 percent. The bill, approved Thursday night, now moves to the Senate floor. The Senate is scheduled to take up the bill the week of May 17. The House has not yet passed a defense authorization bill. Once each chamber approves its respective bill, a Senate-House conference committee will work out differences before the final legislation is sent to the White House for the president’s signature later this summer. The proposed funding is a continued investment in the private partnerships the depot has with contractors such as General Dynamics and United Defense. “It continues to show that that investment continues to provide equipment that the troops need and are currently using in Iraq,” said Pete Keating, General Dynamics spokesman.

About Brandon Tubbs

Brandon Tubbs covers the city of Anniston for The Star.