Maine Senator Susan Collins (R), who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has been successful in getting funding for another DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyer in the defense budget bill. She says a billion dollars was appropriated for the ship last year. This measure would provide the additional $433 million to build the ship.
“If I hadn’t been able to get the funding in the bill, in the appropriations process, than we would have virtually no chance of getting the funding,” Collins says.
She says the House has yet to consider defense spending bill but she expects they will also approve the funding. Her big worry is if no budget bill is approved and lawmakers pass another continuing resolution which would mean new spending, like for the destroyer, will not be allowed.
