DeLauro Visits Sikorsky, Discusses Jobs Benefits in New Defense Bill

New Haven, CT— Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3) visited the Sikorsky Stratford Plant today, touring the facility with company officials and local Teamster leadership, meeting with employees, and discussing how the FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year will sustain and create American jobs.

The FY2011 National Defense Authorization Act invests in all aspects of our nation's military, ensuring that our soldiers have the tools they need to do their jobs, and that they are their families are supported. These investments will sustain and create jobs for American workers in a wide variety of industries, from the manufacture of aircraft to their maintenance, and from arming our soldiers to caring for our veterans. And more that $3.5 billion of these federal funds are being spent to authorize projects and aircraft from Sikorsky, the recognized worldwide leader in military and commercial helicopters and airplanes.

Since 1929, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation has designed and manufactured world-class military and commercial helicopters and airplanes in Stratford, CT. Their designs are by all five branches of the United States armed forces and account for nearly half of all maritime helicopters in service today. Sikorsky's innovation has been on full display in recent weeks with the introduction of "Project Firefly," an electric helicopter on the cutting edge of green technology. Additionally, the new Sikorsky X2 Technology™ Demonstrator set an unofficial speed record for rotorcraft, reaching a top speed of 225 knots, almost 50 knots faster than a traditional helicopter.

"Sikorsky produces the best helicopters in the world, made by the best employees in the world, right here in Stratford. They are truly industry leaders, and have employed generations of families in Connecticut while continuing their extraordinary record of excellence and innovation. The federal investments made by the National Defense Authorization Act, which we in the House of Representatives passed earlier this year, will have an impact on both the talented employees here at Sikorsky and workers around the country who provide the support the heroic men and women of our armed services need," said Congresswoman DeLauro. "Sikorsky represents the future of aviation, and the future of our economy, and I am very proud to have them here in Connecticut."