Dreier Votes For Troop Pay Increase
Congressman David Dreier voted today to increase pay for our troops and provide them with the vital resources needed to protect our country. H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, was approved by the House with overwhelming bipartisan support.
"I am proud to support our military personnel and their tireless dedication, determination, and professionalism in times of peace and conflict," Dreier said. "This bill provides our troops with the pay raise and benefits they deserve and ensures that our military has the tools, equipment and support critical to safeguard our country at home and abroad."
H.R. 2647 increases pay for all service members by 3.4 percent in 2010 and provides enhanced benefits for wounded veterans and military families, such as improved mental healthcare, $2.1 billion for family support initiatives and $1.95 billion for family housing programs. To help protect our troops, the bill authorizes $5.5 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAP) and improves the planning and procurement process for body armor.
H.R. 2647 also authorizes funding for two local companies to work with the Department of Defense to provide military personnel with vital equipment and develop technology to enhance troop protection. Specifically, the bill authorizes $2 million for Fire Shield, an Active Protection System (APS), developed by Chang Industry of La Verne to protect armored vehicles from rocket propelled grenades. The bill also authorizes $6 million to complete the Air National Guard's fleet-wide implementation and standardization to the MBU-20A/P Oxygen Mask and Mask Light, used by pilots to illuminate maps during night missions, which is manufactured by Gentex of Rancho Cucamonga.