|
Washington,
D.C.
–
This
afternoon,
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
voted
in
support
of
the
National
Defense
Authorization
Act
for
Fiscal
Year
2019,
a
major
step
forward
toward
authorizing
$716
billion
for
our
Department
of
Defense
(DoD).
The
measure
passed
the
Senate
with
a
vote
of 85
to
10:
“For
years
our
military
has
had
to
plan
its
priorities
around
a
predetermined
budget,
but
in
this
year’s
NDAA
we
were
able
to
closely
consider
DoD’s
priorities,
needs,
and
overall
strategy
when
writing
this
critical
legislation,”
said
Scott.
“This
is
amazing
progress
and
I
look
forward
to
continuing
our
work
to
ensure
our
troops
are
equipped,
trained,
and
prepared
to
tackle
all
current
and
future
challenges.
I
am
also
grateful
I
could
advocate
for
provisions
that
will
directly
support
many
of
our
soldiers
and
Marines
going
through
their
basic
training.
Today
is
a
win
for
the
military,
and
frankly,
a
significant
win
for
our
country
and
our
national
defense.”
As
a
member
of
the
Senate
Armed
Services
Committee,
Senator
Scott
was
able
to
support
the
inclusion
of
a
number
of
his
priorities,
which
are
included
below:
- Base
Improvements
–
- Enhancements
to
MCAS
Beaufort’s
electrical
grid
and
build
a
needed
support
facility
for
F-35s.
- Construction
of
a
recycling
and
hazardous
waste
facility
at
MCAS
Beaufort.
- Significant
overhaul
and
improvement
of
Trainee
barracks
at
Fort
Jackson.
- Range
improvements
and
modernization
initiatives
at
MCB
Parris
Island.
- Resources
to
support
the
MQ-9
Reaper
mission
control
element
at
Shaw
AFB.
- Troop
Readiness
–
Requires
the
Army
and
the
Director/
Operational
Test
and
Evaluation
to
collaborate
with
academic
experts
to
determine
effective
personal
equipment
to
protect
against
blast
injuries
in
training
and
combat,
including
traumatic
brain
injury.
- Resources
to
Advance
Shipbuilding
–
Added
more
than
$650
million
in
resources
to
support
amphibious
ship
building
and
procurement,
an
initiative
that
will
benefit
our
national
security
readiness,
naval
forces,
and
jobs
in
the
shipbuilding
industrial
base
across
South
Carolina.
- Military
Pay
Raise
–
2.6%
pay
raise
for
all
service
members
effective
January
1,
2019.
- Directs
DoD
to
study
faster
ways
to
reimburse
South
Carolina
when
it
calls
up
the
National
Guard
to
respond
to
natural
disasters.
- Directs
the
Air
Force
to
report
on
needed
security
and
access
controls
to
JB
Charleston.
- Acknowledges
the
important
work
done
by
the
Navy’s
Nuclear
Power
Training
Center.
- Directs
additional
investment
in
science
and
technology
for
advances
needed
to
counter
threats
from
China
and
Russia.
### |