Cramer: Defense Appropriations Bill Includes Troop Pay Raise, Huey Helicopter Replacement Funds

Press Release

Congressman Kevin Cramer supported funding for several programs that impact North Dakota's military installations in H.R. 4253, the Fiscal Year 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill, which passed the House of Representatives today.

"As the United Sates faces continued threats from around the world, this bill provides funding to keep our armed forces the best equipped and best trained military in the world," said Cramer. "North Dakota remains crucial in defending our freedoms and this bill provides continued support of the Air Force Bases in Minot and Grand Forks, as well as our state's Air and Army National Guard."

Cramer said the greatest asset of the United States military remains the men and women who defend freedom every day. "Our commitment to them and their families must always be providing them the tools and resources to accomplish their missions and come home safely."

The $575.8 billion bill includes a 2.1 percent pay raise for active-duty, Guard and Reserve troops, an increase from the 1.6 percent raise requested in the President's budget. It funds readiness programs to prepare troops for combat and peacetime missions, including flight time and battle training, equipment and facility maintenance and base operations. It also denied the President's proposed troop reductions.

The bill's $120.8 billion funding for equipment and weapons procurement is among the appropriations highlights directly affecting North Dakota's military installations. It funds Air Force research, development, test, and evaluation of the UH-1N Huey helicopter replacement program at $14.1 million and procurement at $18.3 million. Cramer co-sponsored an amendment sponsored by Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT) that increased procurement funding by $80 million, which is fully offset. The nuclear ICBM missile fields, including around Minot Air Force Base, continue to use Huey helicopters for security purposes, even though the Air Force identified deficiencies in speed, range, and payload limitations as far back as 2003.

"I'm pleased our amendment to move $80 million to replace the Vietnam era Huey Helicopters passed and is part of the bill," said Cramer. "While our nuclear triad secures our nation, the Huey secures the nuclear triad. Unfortunately, in 2003 the Air Force cited the Huey's deficiencies in speed, range and payload. It even failed to repel aggressor forces during an exercise at the Minot Air Force Base last year, so we need to expedite its replacement."

He said the bill contains important national defense priorities in North Dakota. "This includes fully funding ICBM and B-52 modification at Minot, along with MQ-9 Reaper procurement, replacing the MQ-1 Predator flown by the North Dakota Air National Guard in Fargo, and RQ-4 Global Hawk modifications, which are flown out of the Grand Forks Air Force Base."

Other North Dakota highlights of the Defense Appropriations bill include:

Fully funds nuclear ICBM modifications at $85.8 million.
Fully funds B-52 modifications at $109 million and post production support at $28.1 million, which are flown out of the Minot Air Force Base.
Fully funds MQ-9 Reaper procurement at $122.5 million, which replaces the MQ-1 Predator flown by the North Dakota Air National Guard in Fargo.
Fully funds RQ-4 Global Hawk modifications at $32 million, which are flown out of the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Source