1)      Crane Gets $3 Million for a Research Program That Will Enable 
North American Printed Circuit Boards Manufacturers Methods to Determine 
the Applicability of New Technologies and Meeting Military Requirements 
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Linton Daily Citizen
WASHINGTON, DC?U.S. Rep. John Hostettler voted Thursday for legislation 
that funds the Department of Defense, ongoing operations in Afghanistan 
and Iraq, and projects at the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center.
The Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2005 provides 
$417 billion for the Department of Defense, including a 3.5 percent 
military pay raise, $25 billion for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq 
,nearly $10 billion for missile defense programs and $10 million for 
projects at Crane.
?The threats to our national security come in many forms, from advanced 
weapons systems to low-tech attacks like those of Sept. 11, 2001,? said 
Hostettler, a member of the House Armed Services Committee. ?This bill 
provides funds for varied and layered systems designed to protect the 
American people during a dangerous and unpredictable time. Our military 
personnel, who are the key to our national security, are provided the 
tools they need to carry out their tasks.
He pleased the Crane projects were included in the bill.
?Crane remains a vital component in our national defense system,? 
Hostettler added. ?The workforce there provides complex, high-tech answers 
for the challenges encountered by the Navy and the other services. I?m 
grateful that the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee continues to 
recognize the critical nature of the work performed at Crane.
The bill includes:
$4 million in research, development, testing and evaluation for Compact 
Ultra-fast Laser System Development, a collaborative effort between Crane 
and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology?s Center for Applied Optics 
Studies. The project will create a capability for ultra-fast laser system 
development to develop a compact, rugged ultra-fast laser system to be 
used in the defense of military and civilian aircraft and naval vessels 
from missile attack.
$3 million for the Embedded Passive Manufacturing Research and Development 
Test Bed at Crane. This program will provide the research of new methods 
and the refinement of current technology to enable North American Printed 
Circuit Boards manufacturers to determine the applicability of new 
technologies and meet the requirements of military services. Crane is a 
leader in the manufacture, design and engineering of printed circuit 
boards critical to many military functions.
$1 million for Agile Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) and 
Nano-technology Center for Security and Defense Applications. This joint 
project between Rose-Hulman, Crane and U.S. Army Aviation and Missile 
Research will establish a MEMS and Nano Technology Center that will focus 
on the application of these state-of-the-art technologies to our national 
security needs.
$2 million for a program to develop Naval ?Smartships? that anticipate and 
manage threats and needs of the crew. Crane, working with Purdue 
University, would manage the project, develop prototypes, provide 
technical assistance, provide assets for establishing a ?Living 
Laboratory? and assist in testing these assets.
The chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee praised Hostettler 
for his work on behalf of the military and Crane. ?Your input and 
contributions have been extremely helpful to me,? said Chairman Jerry 
Lewis. ?Thanks to your advocacy,? the bill included the provisions for 
Crane, he added, and commended Hostettler?s ?efforts and dedication to 
national defense.?
For military personnel, the bill fully funds a military pay raise, higher 
Imminent Danger Pay, Family Separation Allowances for servicemen and 
women, increased levels for Basic Allowance for Housing, eliminating 
service members? average out-of-pocket housing expenses from 3.5 percent 
to zero in fiscal year 2005. Nearly $18 billion is recommended for the 
Defense Health Program, an increase of $2.2 billion over fiscal year 2004.
The bill also provides funds to:
Support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and fight the Global War on 
Terrorism;
Increase growth in the Intelligence budget and maintain the overall 
readiness of U.S. military forces worldwide;
Start a major initiative to recapitalize Army and Marine Corps ground 
forces;
Support the initial deployment of national missile defenses and continue 
investment in theater missile defenses;
Continue production of major platforms such as the Virginia class 
submarine, the C-17, C-130, and V-22 transport aircraft, and the F/A-18 
and F/A-22 fighter aircraft; and
Provide program increases in support of ?military transformation,? while 
making measured adjustments to ensure that future costs, as well as 
development, testing, and production profiles, are efficiently managed.