U.S. Sens. Joseph Lieberman and Richard Blumenthal said today that the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2012 strongly supports military systems made in Connecticut.

The Senate Armed Services Committee, of which both senators are members, approved the bill unanimously Thursday. Lieberman said today that the bill means job security for defense workers in the state and the potential for hiring at the major defense firms.

The bill includes $3.2 billion for Electric Boat to build two submarines in 2012 and about $1.5 billion in advanced procurement funding for two submarines in 2013 and in 2014, as well as more than $1 billion for the program Electric Boat is working on to replace the Ohio class of submarines,

Lieberman said.

Blumenthal said the funding decisions were made based on merit, and are an endorsement of the quality of work done in the state.

The bill does not include any language to start another round of base closings, like the one in 2005 that almost closed the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Lieberman said.