Shaheen Delivers Remarks to New England’s Defense Industry Leaders at Defense Innovation Days
(Newport, RI) – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services, Appropriations and Foreign Relations Committees, joined New England’s Defense Industry Leaders at the Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance’s (SENEDIA) 10th annual Defense Innovation Days conference. In her remarks, Shaheen highlighted the essential role that New England businesses play in advancing U.S. national security interests, such as the ability to innovate and compete with global adversaries. Shaheen also spoke with Granite State businesses in attendance, including Granite State Manufacturing and Exail. You can find photos from the event here.
“The defense economy in New England provides many good jobs and plays an outsized role in safeguarding our national security and helping prepare and keep our Allies safe from global threats,” said Senator Shaheen. “Thank you to SENEDIA for hosting this annual event that helps foster collaboration and communication between innovative leaders across New England’s defense industry.”
"Defense Innovation Days brings together the most influential voices in national security, paired with the most innovative leaders of the defense industry. This year's 10th anniversary event continues to illustrate the power of that partnership and the importance of the defense sector to our economy. We are grateful to Senator Shaheen for her leadership on behalf of the sector and for providing remarks at our opening reception," said Molly Donohue Magee, CEO of SENEDIA. "When we collaborate in service of our nation, we maintain and advance our strength at home and abroad."
SENEDIA was established in 2002 to advocate for Newport’s Navy base and warfare centers before the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) of 2005. They since expanded to advocate for workforce development for the defense industrial base in Southeastern New England. In 2020 SENEDIA was selected to support the US Navy’s submarine shipbuilding workforce development effort using submarine supplier development funding, which broadened their workforce and economic development focus throughout New England. To date, SENEDIA has helped facilitate the training of over 6,000 trade and industrial skilled workers who now support the New England submarine shipbuilding supply chain.
Last month, Senator Shaheen helped kick off the Farnborough International Airshow by welcoming Granite State and other New England businesses to the airshow as part of SENEDIA’s New England Breakfast in London. Shaheen has been a leading advocate for New England’s defense industrial base during the ongoing FY 2025 Appropriations process. Recently, Shaheen secured $600 million in the bipartisan Appropriations Defense Subcommittee bill to restore six F-15EX aircraft which would directly support New Hampshire businesses like BAE Systems and others critical to national defense and security. Shaheen also advanced funding for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Shipbuilding Industrial Base.
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