{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://donyoung.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398000", "Congressman Young Commends Senate Passage of NDAA", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "AK", "Don Young", "Y000033", "donyoung.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Alaskan Congressman Don Young today shared the following statement after Senate passage of S. 1847, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015 (NDAA), which authorizes $521.3 billion in national defense spending, provides a number of key reforms for military operations across the nation, and approves a number of critical Alaska lands provisions.\n\u00a0\u201cWhile I would\u2019ve preferred to see passage of this important legislation months ago, I\u2019m pleased to see the House and Senate come together in our final days to find common ground,\u201d said Congressman Don Young. \u201cIn these divided times, it\u2019s often difficult to achieve perfect legislation, but this bipartisan, bicameral agreement works to put our military men and women first and provide them with the resources and reforms they need to train, fight, and protect our country.\u201d \n\u201cIn addition to making important reforms to stem the tide of sexual assault and suicide, this legislation also takes significant steps to support military operations in Alaska,\u201d Young said. \u201cI was proud to see the inclusion of language that reaffirms the F-35 basing at Eielson Air Force Base, begins the process of getting our 168th Air Refueling Wing the manpower they need to execute their missions, and makes a number of Alaskan land conveyances reality.\u201d\nS. 1847, a bipartisan compromise hatched between the House and Senate, also includes three Alaska public land provisions previously passed in the House under the leadership of Congressman Young.\u00a0 The bill includes:\n \n    The conveyance of 1,518 acres of federal land at the former Distant Early Warning Site near Wainwright, Alaska to the Olgoonik Corporation. The House bill, H.R. 5167,\u00a0passed by voice vote\u00a0on November 13, 2014.\n \n \n    The Sealaska land entitlement finalization, which conveys 70,075 of acres of land to Sealaska. On September 10, 2013, the House Natural Resources Committee reported a version of this bill, which also passed in the House during the 112th\u00a0Congress.\n \n \n    The removal of federal reversionary interest to three parcels of land conveyed to the Municipality of Anchorage. Under the existing title, a reversionary clause requires the land ownership revert back to the federal government should the land no longer be used for \u201cmunicipal purposes.\u201d This\u00a0bill passed the House\u00a0on February 6, 2014.\u00a0\n \n\u00a0\nProvisions included in the 2015 NDAA of Alaskan benefit and interest:\u00a0\n \n    Ground-Based Missile Defense:\u00a0 Authorizes a $40 million increase to the Ballistic Missile Defense System at Ft. Greely for upgrades to the current system of ground-based missile interceptors.\u00a0 This bill also blocks funding to explore an East Coast missile site and instead directs funding to improving Alaska\u2019s capacity.\n \n \n    Ballistic Missile Defense Sensors:\u00a0\u00a0Authorizes $392.9 million for Ballistic Missile Defense Sensors, one of which is located at Clear Air Force Station.\n \n \n    Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR):\u00a0 This bill authorizes funding to begin building the LRDR, a vital missile defense radar which will be constructed in Alaska within ten years.\n \n \n    Clear Air Force Station Military Construction:\u00a0Authorizes $11.5 million for an Emergency Power Plant fuel storage.\n \n \n    F-35:\u00a0 $6.7 billion for the procurement for 34 aircraft and continued research and development.\u00a0 Currently, Alaska is home to Eielson AFB the preferred location for the Air Force\u2019s OCONUS F-35 basing of two squadrons for F-35As.\n \n \n    Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC):\u00a0Includes a provision explicitly stating nothing with the NDAA should be construed as authorizing an additional round of BRAC.\n \n \n    National Guard Force Structure Adjustments:\u00a0Includes a provision to have the Government Accountability Organization (GAO) study the appropriate balance between the Active force and the Guard.\u00a0The re-distribution of important Guard aviation assets are also blocked in FY2015.\n \n \n    Nome Land Transfer: Transfers seven acres of federal land \u2013 the West Nome Fuel Tank Farm \u2013 from the Air Force to the City of Nome for future economic purposes.\n \n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://donyoung.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398000"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1155270040035248, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}