Montana Senator Working To Strengthen National Security

Senator Steve Daines has secured important funding to strengthen national security.

“Our government’s first and most important mission is to protect the American people and our national security,”  said Daines. “Our troops must be armed with the resources and tools necessary to defend our freedoms at home by combatting our adversaries – wherever they may be.”

A member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Daines fought for resources for Montana in the Appropriation Committee’s Fiscal Year 2018 Defense Appropriations Act:

Prioritizing Strategic Deterrence:
·      $25 million increase for improvements to the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent and $11 million for sustainment of the Minuteman III missiles.
·      Continued funding for the development of a UH-1N replacement.

Promoting Guard and Reserve Readiness:
·      $12 million increase for National Guard defensive cyberspace training. Senator Daines recently wrote Secretary Mattis regarding the need for increased cyber capability in the National Guard.
·      $15 million increase for National Guard C-130H propulsion upgrades and full funding for avionics upgrades to become FAA compliant.

Supporting University Research
·      $60 million increase for research on Traumatic Brain Injuries.
·      $34 million for research on human resources including critical languages.
·      $29 million for research on additive manufacturing and three dimensional printing.
·      $18 million for technology transfer. Senator Daines recently sent a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force on Montana’s contributions to technology transfer.
·      $12 million for research on aerospace sensors and advanced aviation composites.

Sustaining Montana’s Defense Industrial Base
·      $29 million to advance additive manufacturing capability.
·      $25 million to help Montana manufacturing firms to meet DoD supply chain requirements.
·      $10 million to advance composite barrel technology.
·      $5 million to develop new security tools for sensitive information systems.
·      $4.3 million to advance tactical utility and personal protective equipment.
·      Funding for 8 additional Joint Strike Fighters.
·      Full funding for Patriot missile sustainment.

Promoting Medical Research, Civic Outreach
·      $10 million increase for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis research
·      $7.9 million increase for Civil Air Patrol aircraft

Senator Daines also got a $268 million increase for Israeli to include the Iron Dome and Arrow missile defense systems.

Dominick