Members of Maine’s congressional delegation say a new defense spending bill scheduled for a House vote this week will include more than a billion dollars that could benefit the Bath Iron Works, the shipyard that is one of the state’s major employers.

“Because of my amendment, this bill now authorizes funding for one additional DDG-51 destroyer, makes necessary investments in shipyard infrastructure, and provides further military aid for Ukraine, among many other critical provisions...I look forward to passing it through the House later this week," Golden said in an exclusive statement to Spectrum News. 

On Tuesday, the House Rules Committee will meet on the bill, which authorizes defense spending for the budget year that begins Oct. 1. Last Thursday, Rep. Jaren Golden (D-Me) and other members of the House Armed Services Committee inserted their latest spending requests into the bill. Among them is an amendment that would add more than $1 billion to construct a third DDG-51 destroyer and millions more to improve shipyard infrastructure – money that most likely would benefit the Bath Iron Works.  

“We were able to pass this amendment because of thoughtful negotiations that included the feedback of many members of this committee both Democrat and Republican,” Golden said. 

While Bath Iron Works is not specifically listed in Golden’s amendment, the shipyard has been building the DDG-51 destroyers since 1987. Owned by General Dynamics, the shipyard employs more than 1,300 people. Golden and the rest of Maine’s delegation have been major advocates for the facility. Earlier this year, they worked to ensure funding for a second DDG-51 destroyer was included in this year’s federal budget. Previously, the Biden Administration had proposed cutting its order to one ship for the year.  

“The bill authorizes one of the largest-ever multi-year procurement of DDG-51 destroyers, which Bath Iron Works can compete to build, bringing important stability to the Maine shipyard’s planning, and allowing them to scale up their production in the years to come. These ships – known as the workhorse of the Navy – are absolutely critical to our national security, and are an important economic driver for Maine communities,” said Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) of the Senate’s version of the defense bill, passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee last month. 

According to King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate version of the legislation includes authorization of a “multi-year contract for up to fifteen DDG-51s that Bath Iron Works can compete to build”.

Once the House and Senate versions of the defense bill are passed by each chamber, lawmakers will have to hammer out a compromise. 

“The two bills will go to conference for differences to be ironed out and if a provision like mine is not in the House bill, then we're going to have to be sure it gets retained in conference. So there are lots of steps before it gets to the President's desk,” King added.