Daines Delivers Big Wins for National Defense, Troops, Veterans

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines yesterday voted to support and fund several critical defense and veterans priorities. 

This critical funding ensures America maintains the best military in the world, gives our troops a much needed pay raise, provides support for Montana veterans and strengthens Montana’s defense priorities,” Daines said.

  

Strengthens Montana’s and the Nation’s Defense Forces:

  • $180 million for Air Force C-130 propeller upgrades (4-blade to 8-blade)
  • $368 million for Army’s CH-47 Chinook helicopters
  • $923.4 million for National Guard Counter-Drug Program, which includes an increase of $100 million for the National Guard State Plans program and $20 million for the National Guard Counter-Drug schools program 

Supports Montana Veterans:

  • $10.3 billion for Montana veterans mental health care
    • $312 million for suicide prevention outreach
  • Supports the request for medical care accounts, including amounts supporting VA MISSION Act programs.
  • $300 million for VA Office of Rural Health and the Rural Health Initiative to overcome barriers to access in large rural states. 
  • $5 million for pilot program in agritherapy to train veterans in agricultural vocations in no less than three locations
  • $661 million for women’s health care
  • Provides $2.6 billion for Electronic Health Record Modernization
  • Provides $1.9 billion for Montana veteran homeless assistance programs

Supports Military Research at Montana Universities and Small Businesses:

  • $20 Million for Lightweight Composite Barrel research (Proof Research in Columbia Falls)
  • $15 Million for Language Training Centers with report language at University of Montana (UM)
  • $5 Million for Warfighter Physiology Research with report language at UM
  • $5 Million for Hearing restoration research with report language at UM
  • $4 Million for TechLink at Montana State University (MSU)
  • $3 Million for MilTech at MSU
  • $10 Million for Extreme Battery research at MSU
  • $7 Million for Quantum cryptography research at MSU
  • $3 Million for Department of Defense Partnership Intermediary Assistance to Marine Corps Warfighting Lab at MSU

Supports Military Youth Programs:

  • $75 Million for National Guard Youth Challenge
  • $4.3 Million for Naval Sea Cadet youth programs
  • $22.8 Million for Civil Air Patrol youth programs