WASHINGTON, D.C. - In the predawn hours today the U.S. Senate cleared the way for passage of a national defense spending bill that, according to U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, includes several major projects in Florida

“These projects will be a boon for the Florida economy and help our military defend our nation,” Nelson said this morning after the vote.

In a rare pre-dawn session, senators by 63 to 33 voted to end debate on the $626-billion plan, which was easily passed by the House earlier this week. Today’s Senate vote was the major hurdle the spending bill needed to clear in the Senate before the formality a final vote to pass the bill, which is expected to take place tomorrow.

For Florida, the bill will mean more than $238 million for defense-related projects, including funding for the development of vaccines for anthrax to protect troops encountering bio-warfare, laser imaging to protect U.S. military ships from under-water threats and expansion of the Florida National Guard’s counter-narcotics program. Among other significant projects is money for a third E-2D aircraft, which is used to detect missile threats.

The spending bill also includes two other key measures backed by Nelson. The first would help sexual assault victims by barring the Defense Department from doing business with contractors that force sexual assault victims into legal arbitration. The second is aimed at blocking a reduction of tactical aircraft at Tyndall Air Force Base.

Below are further details on some of the above-mentioned measures, followed by a New York Times article on the broader bill:

· University of Central Florida: $1.52 million to develop unique In Vitro surrogate diagnostic lung technologies to combat infectious diseases and pursue development of anthrax vaccines for our Armed Services.

· Florida Atlantic University: $2 million to build on advances made by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at FAU in using lasers for imaging objects in turbid underwater environments, such as in ports and coastal waters. The purpose is to protect U.S. ships from submerged threats.

· Florida National Guard: $2.9 million to ensure continued successful execution of the president’s counter-narcotics initiatives and operationally posture the program to meet evolving threats.

· JSTARS: $75.1 million in procurement and $186.7 million in research and development for upgrading the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft, which provides critical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage for American troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.

· E-2D Advanced Hawkeye: Sen. Nelson worked with the Department of Defense and his colleagues to secure funding for a third E-2D aircraft, which is essential to detecting missile threats and protecting our armed services. The E-2D program was funded at $649 million, $142 million above the president's budget request. The extra funding allows for the purchase of a third aircraft. There is also $362.5 million for continued development.

· Helping Sexual Assault Victims: Sen. Nelson cosponsored an amendment that denies funding to Defense Department contractors who use mandatory arbitration clauses to force sexual assault victims into legal loopholes that prevent them from getting the justice they deserve. For the past two years, Nelson has been in frequent contact with the departments of Defense, State, and Justice on this issue. He also offered an amendment to the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act, which required government contractors to report crimes committed by or against employees in Iraq or Afghanistan to the appropriate U.S. government authorities. That law now requires contractors to have in place resources to assist victims and witnesses of crimes, so that there is a place to go for help.

· Tyndall Air Force Base: Sen. Nelson pushed for a provision in the bill that would prohibit the Combat Air Forces (CAF) reduction of certain tactical aircraft until reports on the criteria and impact of the reduction are submitted to Congress. In May, the Air Force announced a plan to retire 48 F-15s at Tyndall Air Force Base in their Combat Air Forces Restructuring Plan.