releases: https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ab4181c1-389f-4d8c-9d6a-90e5a4c6e181
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
This data as json
| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| https://www.isakson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ContentRecord_id=ab4181c1-389f-4d8c-9d6a-90e5a4c6e181 | Senators Heitkamp, Isakson Hold Inaugural Defense Communities Caucus Event | 2013-12-11 | 2013 | 2013-12 | Republican | House | GA | Johnny Isakson | I000055 | www.isakson.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) today held their inaugural Senate Defense Communities Caucus event to help build stronger partnerships between communities and local military bases. The event brought together lawmakers, employers, veteran advocacy organizations, and community leaders. Specifically, they focused on ways communities can support veterans and servicemembers as they transition out of the military and into civilian life, and highlighted successful economic development in defense communities through partnerships between military bases and local universities, businesses, governments, and organizations. Heitkamp and Isakson launched the bipartisan coalition this year to focus on the unique issues facing defense communities across the country and develop strategies to improve the lives of our servicemembers, veterans, and the communities in which they live. Seventeen Senators are now members of the Caucus. “In North Dakota we’re proud of the example that our defense communities in Minot, Grand Forks, and throughout the state with our National Guard members, provide in supporting servicemembers and their families. We have a long history of support and collaboration that is second to none,” said Senator Heitkamp, who received the 2013 Association of Defense Communities Award for her steadfast support of North Dakota’s military installations. “The Senate Defense Communities Caucus will help bring to light the unique issues these communities face, and work to create and strengthen mutually beneficial partnerships between the private sector, military installations, and their communities. Our defense communities play an essential role in supporting our military – and they deserve the best we can provide. Today’s event will allow us to harness these successes and continue to build on them across the country.” “The communities surrounding military installations play an integral role in supporting our men and women in uniform,” said Isakson, whose home state of Georgia is home to several key military installations. “I’m proud to join Sen. Heitkamp in launching the Defense Communities Caucus so that we can better understand the issues facing our military and work through public-private community partnerships to address some of these needs. I hope that today’s inaugural event will be the beginning of a productive effort, and I look forward working on this initiative with my colleagues.” “I applaud all efforts which seek to better integrate and partner our military installations and service members with our civilian communities,” said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, adjutant general for the North Dakota National Guard. “Regardless of whether you are active duty, reserve or national guard, strong community support is imperative to our military’s overall mission accomplishment.” “In Grand Forks, we know how important our Air Force Base is to the community. UND and the community of Grand Forks have successfully worked with the base to promote economic development in the region, support growth at UND including through its UAS program, and build programs that help our servicemembers transition smoothly in order to stay in the community after they exit the military,” said University of North Dakota UAS Course Manager Mike Corcoran. “Today’s inaugural Senate Defense Communities Caucus event was an opportunity to talk about these types of partnerships and help other defense communities learn how they can develop similar initiatives across the country. We look forward to working with Senator Heitkamp and the Defense Communities Caucus to continue to find ways to strengthen our defense communities and our veterans throughout North Dakota.” Today’s event included presentations by: Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Kathleen Ferguson; Grand Forks County Commissioner John Schmisek; University of North Dakota UAS Course Manager Mike Corcoran; Ed Mason, Principal Analyst for CALIBRE where he works to develop effective transition strategies for our military and Diana Gonzalez, President of DMG Consulting. Gonzalez coordinates the Miami-Dade Defense Alliance and Economic Development strategies for Miami/Dade County and its military installations. Background: Heitkamp and Isakson believe it is a critical time for our nation to come together in support of our defense communities. According to a White House report in February, between 240,000 and 360,000 servicemembers leave the military each year, and as we continue to draw down from the war in Afghanistan, it’s expected that a million servicemembers will exit the military over the next few years. Sadly, the unemployment rate for these veterans peaked at an alarming 13.1 percent in 2011 and remains at 10 percent today. The Senate Defense Communities Caucus aims to: Develop strategies to make sure servicemembers are a part of their communities: What are the best programs around the country? How can we best share this information? Highlight and further develop transition assistance programs for returning and transitioning service members: How can both families and communities prepare for their loved ones to return from deployment or transition from the military? Build economic development strategies: How can we best use skilled veterans and military base employees to improve economic development and build economically beneficial relationships in our communities? Stay at the forefront of base redevelopment issues: As our defensecommunities react to changes in our national security environment, what canthey learn from other communities who have gone through similarchallenges? | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |