Durbin's FY15 Defense Bill Passed by Senate Appropriations Committee

Press Release

Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chairman of the Senate's Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, applauded the committee's bipartisan approval of the $549.3 billion spending bill for the Department of Defense, intelligence community, and Overseas Contingency Operations, including the war in Afghanistan and other military operations worldwide.

The bill prioritizes the support of our Armed Forces, veterans and their families, invests in innovation to maintain our technological edge, cuts wasteful, unnecessary and duplicative programs across the Department in order to do more with less and improves military readiness by using the savings to fund high priority programs.

"Today's bill makes targeted investments in support of the Defense Department's most valuable resource - the three million active duty, reserve and civilian employees. It sets clear priorities, removes $11.7 billion in unnecessary funding and reinvests those funds where they are needed the most. It also sets out to maintain the U.S. defense industrial base for the long term," said Durbin

"This bill also protects America's leadership at the cutting edge of innovation. For decades, Defense Department technologies have revolutionized the world. Many of these breakthroughs began as a novel solution to a military problem and ultimately gave the world life-changing technology like GPS and the internet. We must continue to invest in medical breakthroughs and technological advancements that keep us at the forefront of innovation, improve the health and safety of our troops and contribute to our overall national security."

The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015 emphasizes the following priorities:
Supporting our Troops, Veterans, and their Families

Investing in Innovation to Maintain our Technological Edge
Restoring Readiness and Supporting High Priority Programs
Instituting Reforms

U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement:

"I am proud of this bill and I am also proud of all that Marylanders contribute to our nation's defense. Maryland is home to 10 major defense facilities which house crucial and iconic agencies from Fort Meade's National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, to Fort Detrick's Headquarters for the Army's Medical Research Command, which makes cutting edge breakthroughs in medicine and defends against biological and chemical weapons, just to name two. Maryland stands ready and the core of this bill is readiness to defend and protect the United States of America against all foes. This bill makes sure our troops are ready now through training and state of the art weapons, as well as tomorrow with key investments in cutting edge research to fight new cybersecurity threats.

"Readiness isn't just about having the best weapons. This bill also includes the one percent pay raise for all Department of Defense (DoD) employees -- military and civilian -- and ensures our troops and their families have really outstanding health care. The bill also supports improving health and wellness on military bases with $3 million for the Healthy Base Initiative, which is one of my biggest priorities. Under the Healthy Base Initiative, DoD is working with 14 military installations, including Fort Meade in Maryland, to improve military health and well-being through a prevention-oriented approach.

"Finally, I'm pleased that the bill provides $621 million for Israeli Missile Defense programs, an increase of $117 million from fiscal year 2014 levels. Of this, $351 million is provided for the Iron Dome System, doubling the requested funding for the very system that is right now intercepting rockets with amazing accuracy that are being fired indiscriminately by Hamas into Israel."

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