WASHINGTON (WMBD) — Illinois’ two Democratic senators joined a Republican colleague and a Democratic congressman to urge their colleagues to establish a minimum workload requirement at U.S. Army arsenals, including Rock Island Arsenal in the Quad Cities.
U.S. Sens. Richard “Dick” Durbin and Tammy Duckworth were joined by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen on the “Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act” which would require a 50% workload threshold for government-owned and government-operated Army factories and arsenals
The bill would have a direct impact on Rock Island Arsenal, helping the arsenal to maintain existing union jobs, attract new projects and workers, and keep costs down, according to the lawmakers.
In a news release, Durbin’s office said the act would “incentivize private industry to partner with arsenals by giving preference to public-private partnerships in Army contracting.”
“As no workload requirement currently exists for Army arsenals, the legislation would provide arsenals with a more predictable, sustained workload throughout the year and allow them to keep costs low while remaining competitive with private industry in the manufacturing or procurement of defense products,” the news release stated.
The bill would require the Defense Department to provide relevant congressional communities with an annual report on workload at the arsenals and capital investments to help ensure sustainment of the arsenals.
“The Rock Island Arsenal is a pillar of the Quad Cities and our national security industrial base. It must receive the workload necessary in peacetime to ensure readiness in the event of emergency,” Grassley said. “The economic and national security reasons for encouraging investments in our industrial base are many. I’m glad to be teaming up with the bistate congressional delegation on this effort to benefit our constituencies.”
