Daines Applauds Passage of Critical National Defense Bill

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today applauded the bipartisan passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides critical resources for national security missions and support programs for military families.

“Montana’s Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard servicemembers stand ready to defend our country from rogue nations and extremist groups,” Daines stated. “I’ve secured important measures to ensure that our nation’s heroes have the resources they need to focus on the mission and get the job done.”  

Daines secured the following provisions that bolster Montana’s critical role in nuclear deterrence, power projection, mobility and domestic emergency response: 

UH-1N Replacement:  Funded at $108.6 million with instructions to use existing production lines to field a capability as soon as possible.

ICBM Sustainment and Modernization:  $91 million for Minuteman III modifications and $215.7 million for research and development on the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent 

C-130 Avionics Modernization Program, Increment 2:  $10.2 million to bring the Montana National Guard C-130s into compliance with FAA standards. 

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter:  Full funding for all three variants, including increases for the Marine and Air Force variants. 

Solider Enhancement Program:  Increased funding to help the Army evaluate and classify prototypes and commercially available items such as tactical utility backpacks and personal protective equipment.

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