DeLauro Applauds Air Force Support for the Combat Rescue Helicopter Program

Potential contract award in June supports our troops and CT workforce

WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) released the following statement today in response to the Air Force announcement of intent to award the Combat Rescue Helicopter contract. DeLauro spoke with Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James about the contract this afternoon. The contract would support the manufacture of 112 helicopters by Sikorsky’s workers.

“The combat rescue helicopters are critical life-saving assets that the Air Force has needed for years to replace its current fleet of worn down aircraft. I was very pleased to hear the Secretary of the Air Force’s personal commitment to this important program and to see the Air Force’s intent to award the contract in June. I will continue to fight for the necessary funding and to work with the Air Force as it takes the steps needed to award the contract so that we can field these helicopters for our warfighters while supporting good jobs for the men and women in Connecticut building them.”

While funding for the Combat Rescue Helicopter is not included in the President’s Air Force budget released today, the Air Force announced that this is an emerging requirement and that it intends to take the steps necessary to award the contract in June. In December 2013, DeLauro led a bipartisan letter of 74 representatives in support of the Combat Rescue Helicopter program. In November, she led a bipartisan letter to the House Appropriations Committee supporting funding for the program, ultimately included in the Fiscal Year 2014 spending law.