Published: October 04, 2008 10:46 am      

McAAP benefits from big defense measure

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., a senior member of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, a member of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, welcomed President Bush’s signing of the Defense Appropriations Act this week.

This legislation includes $1.6 million for the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and TSM Corporation, supporting bomb line modernization at the plant. The funding supports new load requirements and much needed modernization upgrades. McAAP is the only load facility for all Navy and Air Force general purpose and penetrator bombs.

“Once again I am proud to have teamed up with Congressman Boren to support important defense legislation. Here in Oklahoma, we can boast about having some of the greatest military installations in the nation. Southeastern Oklahoma shares in this proud tradition of service. This year, the United States military will spend over $3 billion in ammunition procurement and the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant will perform a sizeable portion of this work. McAlester and the rest of Southeastern Oklahoma will greatly benefit from the legislation signed into law by the President. In turn, the nation will greatly benefit from the tremendous work being done at McAlester,” Inhofe said in a statement released on Friday.

“The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant and our state’s other military installations make Oklahoma a critical component of our nation’s defense apparatus. This role is especially important during this time of war. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have dedicated my time and effort to ensuring our state’s military facilities have the funding they need to exceed their mission standards. They have never disappointed. I’m pleased to provide these vital resources to expand their capabilities and to invest in the future of our nation’s security. I would also like to thank Senator Inhofe for his dedication to Oklahoma’s military infrastructure and the proud and brave military service members who have never hesitated to answer the nation’s call to duty,” Boren said in a statement released Friday from his Capitol Hill office.

“The defense bill signed into law is a tremendous victory for our men and women in the Armed Services, Oklahoma, and for our efforts to win the War on Terror,” Inhofe said. “I am pleased to have worked in a bi-partisan manner to get this bill passed. Oklahoma leads the nation in ensuring our service men and women have the best equipment in the world, providing and maintaining weapons and equipment, conducting research, and developing and fielding new technologies. I believe the legislation signed into law only strengthens that tradition.”