DeLauro on Proposed Defense Budget

Statement

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) released the following statement today in response to the new spending priorities and strategy outlined by Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta:

"While I support the Defense Department's overall new strategy, I am concerned about some of the consequences that these decisions may have on jobs and the industrial base in Connecticut. In particular, I am concerned with the slow procurement process for the Joint Strike Fighter, a critical part of Connecticut's aerospace industry. I fought to end the alternate engine program to ensure Connecticut manufacturers were the sole suppliers of Joint Strike Fighter engines and I will continue to work to ensure jobs are maintained so that Connecticut has the skills and knowledge base to support the program, which the Department of Defense is still committed to over long term. We have a long history of good, highly-skilled manufacturing jobs for the defense industry in our state, and I will continue to fight for these jobs."

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