2015 Federal Agenda

Federal Agenda

2015

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF HUNTSVILLE/MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA

To the Members of the Alabama Congressional Delegation and their staff: We are grateful to the Alabama Congressional delegation for their leadership on the issues critical to the Huntsville/Madison County region, especially those concerning our Nation’s defense and space policies. With our delegation’s support, our region continues to prosper as a science and technology powerhouse.

The current 2016 budget situation, including the gap between the President’s proposed budget and spending guidelines included in the Budget Control Act – including the specter of sequestration – have created tremendous uncertainty for all those who work with the federal government. Addressing this issue is of primary importance to our community.

Listed below is a summary of the most critical federal issues facing our region. Additional information regarding these issues and a number of other important federal programs and issues that have significant local and national impact, is included in an accompanying Issue Book.

Thank you from the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County U.S. Human Space Flight & Exploration Policy

• Support Marshall’s leadership role in the management of the Space Launch System and its National role in enabling future government and commercial space transportation systems.

The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 calls for the development of a Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Space Launch System (SLS) to explore beyond Low Earth Orbit, and to serve as a backup transportation system to the International Space Station (ISS). Over 3,600 local jobs are currently supporting the SLS and ISS. A smooth transition to the follow-on Space Launch System and recognition of MSFC’s National leadership role in space transportation systems development is critical to a healthy MSFC and its surrounding Redstone community.

• Support core MSFC operations by fully funding NASA’s Cross Agency Support budget line item.

Requested Actions:

Space and Air/Missile Defense Mission Area

• Full funding for the Space Launch System and Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle at current appropriations levels will ensure that Space Launch System funding is focused toward the development of the flight vehicle.

• Ensure that the Space Launch System is ultimately capable of delivering at least 130 metric tons to Low Earth Orbit, is in service by no later than 2018, develops the core and upper stages in parallel, and is focused on enabling beyond Earth orbit applications as soon as possible.

• Fund the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) at the annual levels required to ensure its readiness for EM-2 flight in 2021 • Support the SLS advanced booster and advanced development efforts as a means of bringing more affordable solutions to NASA. • Urge Congress to ensure that NASA not redirect funding from SLS/Orion to pay for commercial crew.

• Support continued funding and extension of the International Space Station to realize its full potential, including the MSFC mission carried out through the ISS Operations Support Center.

• Maintain and enhance MSFC’s critically important roles in Earth, Space, and Planetary Science research and applications.

America requires a robust space and air/missile defense architecture composed of highly sophisticated capabilities that are networked and integrated from earth to space. Systems include: space-based sensors/communications, ground-based ballistic missile defenses, ground-based air defenses, and Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) defenses. The Huntsville aerospace and defense industry provides the core of the intellectual, technical and production capabilities necessary to meet our nation’s needs today and well into the future. Combat experience over the past decade, combined with rapidly evolving threats, reinforces the need for a fully integrated space and air/missile defense architecture that is responsive, resilient and lethal against current and future enemy threats. Supporting our National Defense and interests at home and overseas, requires a strong space and air/missile defense posture. Meeting these obligations requires a strong aerospace and

FEDERAL AGENDA, continued defense industry that is agile, robust and visionary.

As we look at future Missile Capabilities, the ability to obtain and defend against Advanced Hypersonic Weapons being developed by the Russians and Chinese is crucial to our National Security and our Technical Industrial Base. The Conventional Prompt Global Strike program (CPGS) addresses the need for the United States to build the newest generation of Offensive Missile Capability.

Huntsville/SMDC has been a key element in the CPGS program with the Army’s Advanced Hypersonic Program. Although OSD redirected CPGS efforts to a Navy Lead in FY 2015, with Army support; continuation of the Army Program is necessary. The Army program will act as a risk mitigation effort to ensure the Nation has a Limited Operational Capability, if required, by 2020.

Further, the Nation should develop a defensive capability to defeat the emergence of the Hypersonics programs of our potential adversaries.

Community Impact: More than 8,000 local jobs are tied to various missile defense programs. While Huntsville has always been on the leading edge of Missile Development, the potential loss of the AHW program and no visible effort to develop a counter to Hypersonic Weapons may cause these efforts to be done elsewhere.

Requested Actions: • Sustain full funding for these existing critical programs.

• Support a strategy to continue the Army /SMDC program to transition to an operational weapon system.

• Support efforts to develop defensive capabilities against Hypersonic weapons.

Support Army Aviation S&T Funding Army Aviation is widely recognized as an indispensable capability because of what it brings to the fight across the spectrum of warfare, from major combat operations to Homeland Defense.

It should be noted that no new combat helicopter has entered service in nearly 30 years, and all three active production lines are scheduled to shut down within the next 15 years. Two Aviation S&T Programs are critical to improve current capabilities and develop our next generation rotorcraft. These programs are the Improved Turbine Engine (ITE), and the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) inclusive of Joint Multirole Rotorcraft (JMR) Technology Demonstration (TD).

The ITE will be a new 3,000 Shaft Horse Power turbo shaft engine that will replace the T700 family of engines for the UH-60 BLACK HAWK and AH-64 Apache fleets, which comprise 75% of the total Army helicopter fleet. The ITE provides significantly increased operational capability, fuel efficiency, range and payload to meet Army mission requirements. The FVL concept, which ultimately plans to engineer a light, medium and heavy fleet of future aircraft, is starting with a medium-lift attack/utility variant. The focus of FVL is to get at the three major tenets: (1) improve the performance, (2) improve the survivability and (3) significantly reduce the operating cost. The FVL will conduct a first flight in 2017 as a series of first steps toward developing a next-generation fleet of helicopters.

The DOD plans to begin fielding a new fleet of next-generation helicopters by 2030.

Requested Action: Increase and support Aviation S&T funding at a level that allows the Army to keep the current fleet technologically relevant as well as invest in future capabilities that maintain the Nation’s position as a leader in Aviation technology and capabilities.

Biosciences The United States must continue to be the global leader for advancing the biosciences to improve quality of life and well-being.

This is accomplished, in part, through robust funding for scientific research. Through the work funded by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy, among others, these advancements are taking place across the country, including important work in Huntsville-Madison County.

Federal funding through these agencies has allowed for innovation and commercialization of technologies, diagnostics and treatments in diseases and disorders, which in turn lead to better quality of life.

The impact is seen in human health, but also through numerous improvements in agricultural areas. Additionally, there is tremendous direct economic impact of the federal funding in non-profit research along with the growing community of biotechnology and pharmaceutical based companies in the area.

The non-profit research organization, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, the companies that reside on the HudsonAlpha Biotech campus, the companies that are in the greater Huntsville area, and the colleges and universities in north Alabama, including the University of Alabama in Huntsville, are an important part of this growing innovation economy. HudsonAlpha and this growing bioscience hub of companies are generating discoveries and applying the results in therapeutics, medical devices and equipment, scientific services and life science product development.

Requested Action: The Chamber strongly supports increased scientific research funding levels for the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, which has direct and indirect economic impact for the Huntsville/Madison County area. Additionally, the Chamber supports action taken to decrease the impact of the sequester in the biosciences as well as in other industries vital to the growth of this region.

Cyber Security and Supply Chain Risk Management The Congress has been very supportive of the Chamber’s requests the past few years to improve the posture of the defense community to address an ever-growing cyber threat to our weapon systems and platforms. Specifically, space-based and missile systems have received vital funding to begin developing assessment tools, models and simulations, threat characterization methodologies and new vulnerability analysis processes for defensive cyber capabilities. As a result of recent Congressional support, Team Redstone is also postured to develop a “cyber campus” with research personnel, test facilities, and laboratories on Redstone Arsenal to provide lifecycle cyber-security support for weapon systems and platforms.

Further, if the cyber funding continues in FY16-17 there are plans to provide system-of-system level demonstrations of defending against cyber threats in FY17-18 involving many of the Team Redstone defense organizations and systems. As funding support continues from the Congress and expands in support of aviation systems, Team Redstone will be pioneering the way within DoD to properly defend our battlefield systems and soldiers against these invasive threats and their effects. As the growth of the cyber security threat increases exponentially we must be ever vigilant and continue to permeate into areas of cyber defense efforts such as

supply chain risk management to achieve trusted systems, critical infrastructure security for industrial control systems, and education and training.

• Alabama Highway 53: Keep this project on schedule to begin construction of the next segment to Harvest Road in 2015 and continue to build on the progress made.

Community Impact: Huntsville and Madison County is being positively impacted with the focus at Redstone on cyber challenges to weapons and platforms as the government, industry, and academic communities cooperate and synchronize efforts for cyber security.

Cyber Huntsville is providing a forum whereby these communities are educating one another as the share information, methodologies and solutions. Increased funding coupled with the use of existing test ranges, laboratory facilities and research capabilities at Redstone can be utilized and expanded to help establish a “cyber campus.” The overall effect is that the Huntsville and Madison County community will become an increasingly recognized center of excellence for cyber security and supply chain risk management (SCRM) activities.

• Research Park Boulevard from I-565 to North of US 72 (SR255): Provide funding to begin the design and construction of adding additional lanes to SR255 to support the recent exponential growth in traffic at Redstone Arsenal and Cummings Research Park.

Requested Actions:

• I-565/Research Park Boulevard Interchange Modification at Gate 9: Funding these needed interchange modifications to support exponential growth in traffic at Redstone Arsenal and the adjacent Redstone Gateway development.

• I-565 and Madison Boulevard (Exit 13) Interchange Modification for Resolute Way access at Redstone Arsenal: Improvements through the commercial corridor to address major traffic issues on a route critical to Redstone Arsenal and Research Park commuters.

• Add research and development funding to the Aviation and Missile RD&E Center for aviation and missile technology development as well as a good foundation for a Redstone “cyber campus” to support all Team Redstone members

• Arsenal Eastern Connector: Provide support and funding for implementing a final Corridor Study and Preliminary Engineering.

• Increase research and development funding to the Space and Missile Defense Command for space and directed energy technology development.

Oppose EPA’s Proposed Ozone Rule

• Increase cyber security funding for Army aviation research and platforms to include Unmanned Aerial Systems.

• Increase cyber security funding for PEO-Missiles and Space and PEO-Aviation for supply chain cyber security analyses in support of both aviation and missile systems.

• Add funding to the Aviation and Missile Command to structure a formal program for protecting against cyber-attacks the aviation and missile industrial base.

• Add funding to local schools, universities, community colleges, and technology schools to advance training, curriculum development and continuing education for cyber security.

• Support the establishment of the Regional Computer Forensics Lab (RCFL) under the Department of Justice, to assist regional law enforcement agencies with the forensic analysis of electronic devices used in criminal activity.

Improve Local Infrastructure • US 72 East/ARC Corridor V from Shields Road eastward to the county line: Funding be allocated and appropriated through any remaining ARC dedicated monies and any eligible MAP-21 funds as soon as possible to improve this much needed corridor for extending Interstate 565.

• US 231 North and South Overpasses and Corridor Improvements: Funding is also requested for the preliminary engineering, right of way acquisition, and construction of the planned capacity projects required for Memorial Parkway and Mountain Gap Road and Winchester Road.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd/Northern Bypass: Interchange at Memorial Parkway and extending the Northern Bypass from US 231 to US 72. Request support funding for this project to provide more capacity and accessibility from a regional workforce traffic demand.

On December 17, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed tightening the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to between 65– 70 ppb. An updated analysis by NERA Economic Consulting and commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) finds that the EPA’s proposed ozone rule could reduce GDP by $140 billion annually and eliminate 1.4 million job equivalents per year.

In total, the costs of complying with the rule from 2017–2040 could top $1 trillion, making it the most expensive regulation ever issued by the U.S. government. More than 60 percent of the controls and technologies needed to meet the rule’s requirements are what the EPA calls “unknown controls.” Because controls are not known, the new regulation could result in the closure of plants and the early scrappage of equipment used for manufacturing, construction and agriculture. Ozone-forming emissions have already been cut in half since 1980, and dozens of regulations already on the books will drive improvements to ozone levels over the next decade. If the EPA simply let the current law be implemented, emissions would be cut by another 36 percent from current levels. In some parts of the country, air quality is already at or approaching background or natural levels.

Local Impact: Huntsville would be designated as a “non-attainment” area, making it difficult to attract new industry and infrastructure improvements.

Requested Action: Maintain the current standards, support clean air and manufacturers. The Chamber urges the EPA and the Obama Administration to maintain the current ozone standard—the most stringent standard ever, which has not even been fully implemented.

We can have a clean environment and strong economy, but only with balanced and reasonable policies.

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225 Church Street NW, Huntsville, AL 35801 ph: 256-535-2000 | fax: 256-535-2015

www.hsvchamber.org

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Congressional Delegation

Senator Richard Shelby (R)

Senator Jeff Sessions (R)

Representative Mo Brooks (R)

Representative Robert Aderholt (R)

Washington, D.C. Office

Washington, D.C. Office

Washington, D.C. Office

Washington, D.C. Office

304 Russell Senate Office Bldg.

326 Russell Senate Office Bldg.

1230 Longworth HOB

235 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Washington, D.C. 20510-0104

Washington, DC 20515

Washington, DC 20515

Telephone: 202-224-5744

Telephone: 202-224-4124

Phone: 202-225-4801

Telephone: 202-225-4876

Fax: 202-224-3416

Fax: 202-224-3149

Fax: 202-225-4392

Fax: 202-225-5587

senator@shelby.senate.gov

senator@sessions.senate.gov

Email available on website

Email available on website

shelby.senate.gov

sessions.senate.gov

brooks.house.gov

aderholt.house.gov

Huntsville Office

Huntsville Office

Huntsville Office

Cullman Office

Huntsville International Airport

200 Clinton Avenue NW

2101 Clinton Avenue W

205 Fourth Avenue NE

1000 Glenn Hearn Boulevard

Regions Center

Suite 302

Suite 104

Box 20127

Suite 802

Huntsville, AL 35803

Cullman, AL 35055

Huntsville, AL 35824

Huntsville, AL 35801-4932

Phone: 256-772-0460

Phone: 256-533-0979

Phone: 256-551-0190

Serving Blount, Cullman,

Fax: 256-772-8387

Fax: 256-533-0745

Fax: 256-551-0194

Lawrence, and Marshall

District Director:

District Director:

District Director:

(City of Arab) counties.

Carrie Suggs

Lisa Montgomery

Tiffany Noel