Cathy Osten

Osten’s Submarine Bill Moves Forward in Finance Committee

A concept bill to provide state aid for job training and improvements at Electric Boat in Groton moved forward on a voice vote in the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee today—another important step on Sen. Osten’s path to provide the workforce and the infrastructure needed to meet the demand of new submarines to be built in Connecticut.

While the exact language of Sen. Osten’s “Submarine Jobs and Opportunities Building Success Act” (Senate Bill 3) has yet to be finalized, the concept of state support for job training and industry was approved in a unanimous and bipartisan manner. The bill will now be scheduled for a public hearing.

“I’m happy for the support of the Finance Committee today and I look forward to testifying before them at the public hearing about the need for good-paying, family-supporting jobs in Connecticut, and especially in eastern Connecticut, which was especially hard-hit by the national recession,” Sen. Osten said.

Sen. Osten is proposing to dedicate $100 million in state bonding over five years for building infrastructure in and around Electric Boat to meet the demand of increased submarine contracts; she is also proposing investing another $50 million over 10 years in workforce programs, community colleges and high schools that correspond with the demands of defense contracts for submarine design, construction, repair and maintenance.