Senate and House Announce Defense Economy Commission

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Monday, February 07, 2011

GoLocalProv Business Team

Rhode Island's Senate and House of Representatives announced today appointments to the Special Legislative Commission on Defense Economy Planning, a organization charged with studying and making recommendations for improvements in the state's current defense economy.

The 25-member commission -- created during the 2010 General Assembly session -- will include six members of each the Senate and House, as well as 13 local people with extensive experience in commerce, state defense, and the defense economy. 

“The defense industry is critical to our state’s economy. It has an economic impact of $1.75 billion and employs more than 16,000 people," said Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed, who will also serve on the commission.

The commission will hold an organization meeting at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 14, at a location not yet determined. It is expected to make a complete report with recommendations on policies to help preserve the state's current defense economy and provide incentives for new investments at the end of the legislative year.

“This commission will make certain we promote our existing companies of all sizes and attract new firms by developing legislation to support Rhode Island’s critical defense economy," added Speaker of the House Gordon D. Fox. 

The following is a full list of commission members:
-Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown)
-Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence)
-Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere (R-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown)
-Sen. Walter S. Felag Jr. (D-Dist. 10, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton)
-Sen. Christopher Scott Ottiano (R-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol)
-Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 11, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton).
-Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly)
-Rep. J. Russell Jackson (D-Dist. 73, Newport, Middletown)
-Rep. Stephen R. Ucci (D-Dist. 42, Johnston, Cranston)
-Rep. Doreen Marie Costa (R-Dist. 31, North Kingstown, Exeter)
-Rep. Daniel P. Gordon Jr. (R-Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Little Compton, Tiverton)
-Mary O’Rourke, Co-Chair of the Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance
-Judy Sullivan, Director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce
-Laurie White, President of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce
-Keith Stokes, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation
-Michael Lewis, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation
-Major General Robert Bray, the Commanding Officer of the Rhode Island National Guard
-Raymond DiPasquale, President of the Community College of Rhode Island
-Scott Donnelly, Chairman and CEO of the Textron Corporation
-John Casey, President of the Electric Boat Corporation
-Joe Marino of Middletown, President of Rite Solutions
-Kevin Peppe of Portsmouth, Vice President of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems
-Cheryl Snead, President and CEO of Banneker Industries
-Kevin Sullivan, deputy division head of SAIC Enterprise Solutions 

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