Daines Delivers Big Wins for National Defense, Troops, Veterans
Press Release
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
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