releases: https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=519b75f3-5367-40ce-bf32-d9840a83cca8
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=519b75f3-5367-40ce-bf32-d9840a83cca8 | Provision to Modernize Mansfield and Youngstown Aircraft Headed to the President for Signature | 2014-12-12 | 2014 | 2014-12 | Republican | House | OH | Rob Portman | P000449 | www.portman.senate.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Today the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate and is now headed to the President for signature. The bill includes language requiring modernization of the C-130 fleet in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. Portman co-sponsored an amendment to the Senate NDAA with U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) that would allow the Air Force to use alternative programs and funding in addition to the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to modernize the C-130 aircraft fleet. The language included in the conference bill requires the Air Force to move forward with the AMP program while permitting the service to make near-term airspace compliance improvements. “I’m pleased this provision will now become law,” said Portman. “We must ensure we keep these planes compliant with upcoming airspace changes, but we can’t lose sight of the very real needs the aircraft fleet has for more robust modernization. It’s important we keep the Air Force on track to ensure these planes in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve are mission capable for decades into the future.” In October, Portman penned an op-ed in the Youngstown Vindicator outlining the issues facing the C-130 fleet, including the following excerpt: “The Air Force had a production-ready program to address many of [the aircraft’s] shortcomings. Unfortunately, similar to their fielding plan that leaves the Reserve and National Guard getting the short straw, the Air Force has been trying to cancel that upgrade program and only focus on the bare necessities for the aircraft — chiefly, making sure they have some of the tools necessary to fly in the national airspace that will be required in 2020. This plan is woefully inadequate to address the needs of the aircraft our airmen are flying every day and should not be the Band-Aid that allows us to put our head in the sand for another decade regarding the condition of our C-130 fleet as we call on our Reserve and National Guard Airmen to continue to put their lives on the line in old aircraft. Airspace compliance upgrades must be done, but should be integrated as part of longer-term improvements. This integration up front will save money, avoiding concurrent and potentially nonstandardized modifications, while ensuring we don’t fail to see the forest through the trees.” In May, Portman pressed the Senate Armed Services Committee in a letter on the need for this C-130 modernization and securing important language in the Senate NDAA to help the C-130 fleets located in Mansfield and Youngstown. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |