Hoeven: Senate Passes final FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill, Funds Military pay Raise & Advances North Dakota Priorities

Statement

Senator John Hoeven today joined the Senate in passing the conferenced Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Defense funding legislation. As a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Hoeven worked to ensure the final bill advanced North Dakota's priorities, including:

-Fully funding a 2.6 percent pay raise for military members.
-Modernization of the nation's nuclear forces by providing new engines and other upgrades for the B-52 as well as replacements for the nation's cruise missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) at Minot Air Force Base.
-Strong support to advance unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operations in the state, including $100 million to support the Global Hawk Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) at Grand Forks Air Force Base, allowing for the procurement of an additional aircraft.

"This funding legislation will help ensure our men and women in the armed forces are able to continue excelling in their missions," Hoeven said. "This includes updating the capabilities of our nuclear arsenal by procuring new engines for the B-52 and developing replacements for our cruise missiles and ICBMs. Further, we continue to advance our state's leadership in UAS by investing in the Global Hawk mission. This funding will help meet the increased demand for the Global Hawk BACN system, which is urgently needed to provide communications support for operations around the world. This is all about providing the support that our military members need and deserve."

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