ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Moore, Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller, and the Moore-Miller Administration cabinet today continued the governor’s cabinet road tour in St. Mary’s County. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and cabinet members visited various locations throughout the county including the Naval Air Station Patuxent River and University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland campus.
“I'm proud to be back in St. Mary’s County with the opportunity to see firsthand the county’s economic growth, educational advancements, and its commitment to military service,”
said Gov. Moore. “Our administration is dedicated to making Maryland safer, more affordable, more competitive, and a state that serves — and in order to make that happen, we must work in partnership with every county leader and our local communities to help each of them thrive.”
In the morning, Governor Moore and Congressman Steny Hoyer visited the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Lexington River. Known as Pax River, the base specializes in developing and testing aviation technology. The base tour included stops at the Aircraft Simulation Division Manned Flight Simulator—which provides real-time, high fidelity flight simulation capabilities to support aircraft and system flight test and ground test activities—and the Anechoic Test Facilities, which provide a secure environment to perform testing on installed avionics and handheld equipment.
Lt. Gov. Miller attended the Leonardtown Main Street designation ribbon cutting ceremony and toured local businesses with Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day, Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu, Maryland Department of Budget and Management Secretary Helene Grady, Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Rebecca Flora, Department of General Services Secretary Atif Chaudhry and Small, Minority, and Women Business Affairs Special Secretary Maria Martinez.
“The Moore-Miller Administration is committed to growing Maryland’s economy in every part of the state,”
said Lt. Gov. Miller. “One of the keys to that growth is ensuring we have strong downtowns in each of Maryland’s 157 towns and cities. It was an honor to bring our cabinet to St. Mary’s County and to celebrate the Main Street designation that will help Leonardtown reach its full potential.”
At the University System of Maryland Southern Maryland campus, the governor toured the new Southern Maryland Autonomous Research and Technology, or SMART, building. The 84,000-square foot academic and research facility nearly doubled the educational footprint of the campus, created autonomous systems research space, and spurred economic growth in the region. The construction of the $86 million building was entirely state-funded, with a $1 million contribution from the county.
Throughout the day, Governor Moore also met with local elected officials, business owners, and community members about opportunities for economic growth around the St. Mary’s County Regional Airport. Lt. Gov. Miller and cabinet secretaries also visited local businesses including the Clover Hill Dairy Farm, the Garvey Senior Activity Center and Leonardtown Library, the James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center, and the Booz Allen Hamilton Pax River Mission Systems Integration Facility.