{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=f81e343d-6e06-4877-be6c-5aa4c837878b", "Senator Blunt Praises Key Defense Priorities In Passage Of Omnibus", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) applauded the U.S. Senate\u2019s passage this weekend of key defense priorities, which were included in the bipartisan omnibus agreement that is heading to President Barack Obama\u2019s desk. Blunt, who serves as a member of the defense authorizing and appropriations committees, led several key priorities that were included in the final legislation. \u201cI\u2019m very pleased this bill funds important defense priorities for Missouri jobs, including $337 million to keep the Air Force\u2019s A-10 Warthog flying this fiscal year, and $1.46 billion for 15 additional Growler aircraft, which are built in St. Louis,\u201d said Blunt. \u201cThe legislation also commits important resources for the operations to fight ISIS and ensures our servicemen and women have the resources they need to protect America.\u201d Missouri is home to more than 17,000 active duty servicemen and women, more than 8,000 civilian Department of Defense employees, and more than 20,000 reservists and members of the National Guard. Blunt currently serves as a member of both the defense appropriations and authorizing committees. Additional Highlights:\r\n \r\nArmy Emergency Management Training Center: Directs the Secretary of the Army to report to the congressional defense committees by no later than June 2015, the feasibility of consolidating homeland defense functions across Army installations to better support the consequences management and homeland defense missions and of establishing an Emergency Management Training Center to facilitate comprehensive doctrine, training, and leader development for Installation Emergency Management and Defense Support to Civil Authorities.\r\nC-130 Fielding Plan: Directs the Air Force to develop a modernization, recapitalization and fielding plan for the current C\u2013130 fleet that addresses the most recent Quadrennial Defense Review requirement that the Air Force maintain 300 intra-theater lift aircraft and addresses the recommendations of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force.\r\nMilitary Batteries: States that the committee \u201crecognizes the critical nature of high quality batteries to power military wheeled and tracked vehicles in austere, demanding environments\u2026understands that utilizing batteries based on decades-old design poses potential risks to equipment and personnel, and that the Army has increased use of batteries based on modern designs that deliver improved performance in tactical environments.\u201d\u00a0The report language directs the Secretary of the Army to provide with the fiscal year 2016 budget submission a report detailing safety incidents by different types of battery models used.\r\nFort Leonard Wood General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital (GLWACH) Language in the Milcon/VA Report: Expresses that the Committee \u201cis concerned that the Future Years Defense Program\u2026 proposes indefinite deferral of\u2026 the Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, hospital replacement project\u2026 to fiscal year 2020 or later.\u201d\u00a0The report goes on to emphasize that \u201cthe Surgeon General of the United States Army testified\u2026 that this hospital replacement project is the Army\u2019s top priority for medical military construction projects\u2026 the existing hospital at Fort Leonard Wood last underwent a major renovation nearly 40 years ago\u2026\u201d and that \u201cthe Committee strongly encourages the Department to prioritize and restore medical military construction projects within the FYDP submitted for fiscal year 2016.\u201d\r\nReport Requirement on the Resettlement Plan for Iranian Dissidents: Provision includes a) \u201ca description of measures taken to improve the security and welfare (including quality of life and access to medical care) of residents at Camp Liberty; b) an analysis of attacks against such dissidents since February 2009, including whether any weapons or training provided by the US were used in the attacks, and safeguards to ensure that no such weapons or training are used in the future; and c) options for the resettlement of Iranian dissidents outside Iraq, including in the United States.\u201d\r\n\u00a0Preserves National Guard Apache Helicopter Force Structure: Prohibits the Army from transferring Apache attack helicopters stationed in Missouri (and seven other states) out of the National Guard and into the active component Army during Fiscal Year 2015.", 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://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=f81e343d-6e06-4877-be6c-5aa4c837878b"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.3476830683648586, "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"}