WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called on Senate Democrats to abandon their ill-advised strategy to block the defense appropriations bill, which would provide funding for America’s military.

“Just last week, the Senate acted in a bipartisan way to provide a two-year framework for federal spending,” Wicker said. “Republicans and Democrats responsibly agreed to a defense budget that would give our troops the tools they need to combat threats to our country. The defense appropriations bill considered by the Senate today adhered to that agreement. Yet, for the third time this year, Senate Democrats have chosen to block this much-needed troop funding over unrelated partisan demands. Americans are right to wonder why Democrats are using our men and women in uniform as leverage in their procedural games.”

Earlier this year, the Appropriations Committee voted to approve the “Defense Appropriations Act” by a vote of 27-3.

Last week’s budget agreement also provided a path for Congress to complete its work on this year’s “National Defense Authorization Act” (NDAA). A revised NDAA is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives as early as today.

Together, NDAA and the defense spending bill would impact Mississippi in the following ways:

• Columbus/Meridian: Wicker succeeded in securing a provision to the defense authorization bill to authorize $187.2 million in procurement for 28 UH-72A Light Utility Helicopters (LUH). These helicopters would be used to replace the Army’s legacy aviation training aircraft. Another provision would allow student pilots to have adequate training and flying hours at Columbus Air Force Base and Meridian Naval Air Station.
• Gulfport-Biloxi: Supports a new Army National Guard Aviation Depot at the Gulfport-Biloxi Airport, as well as the continued mission of over 11,000 Americans who work at Keesler Air Force Base.
• Pascagoula: Wicker included a provision in NDAA to authorize $476 million in advance procurement for an additional America-class amphibious assault ship, as well as $250 million in research and development funding for the next generation of amphibious ships. The nation’s current amphibious fleet of 30 ships falls short of Global Combatant Commander requirements, which call for more than 50 amphibious ships. The measure also authorizes more than $3.5 billion for the construction of two new DDG-51 destroyers, $550 million for a new LPD-17 amphibious ship, and approximately $476 million for a replacement LHA amphibious ship.
• Starkville: Completes the Army Reserve Center for equipping and training military personnel.
• Tupelo: Recognizes the importance of the Army’s Apache helicopters and the Tupelo Army Aviation Support Facility.
• Ensuring the Vitality of the National Guard: NDAA includes provisions supported by Wicker to maintain National Guard personnel levels and prevent additional Apache helicopters from being transferred away from the Army National Guard. Last year’s defense bill included a provision authorized by Wicker and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., that created a commission to study the future of the Army. This independent commission is required to make a recommendation on size and force structure to Congress by February 2016. 
• Preventing Military Suicide: NDAA includes provisions based on the “Military and Veterans Mental Health Provider Assessment Act of 2015” coauthored by Wicker and Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., requiring the Secretary of Defense to ensure that all primary care and mental health care providers of the Department of Defense receive evidence-based training on the recognition, assessment, and management of individuals at risk for suicide.
• Ensuring Religious Freedom in the Military: Finally, the defense bill includes a Wicker proposal to encourage the Department of Defense to continue supporting service members’ rights to express sincerely held religious beliefs.