Dreier Votes for Increased Defense Funding

June 23, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas,CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, voted earlier this week to increase funding to support our troops as they fight in the Global War on Terror and protect the homeland. H.R. 5631, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, was approved with bipartisan support 407-19.

"In wartime, there is nothing more important than protecting, training and supporting our troops. This bill does all three," said Dreier. "We have increased funding so the military can aggressively wage and win the war on terror and keep us secure here at home. With a commitment to more research and development on programs such as missile defense, we are also focusing on emerging threats."

The Department of Defense Appropriations Act funds the operational activities of the United States military and its worldwide commitments, makes investments in the future of the military, and provides benefits to American servicemen and women. To support U.S. troops, the bill funds a 2.2 percent military pay raise and provides more funding for the equipment needs of the Army National Guard, which will be primarily used for domestic defense and disaster response. Additionally, the bill contains $50 billion to continue to pay for ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This includes $1.5 billion to test and field new jammers to counter improvised explosive devices and an additional $725 million for personnel force protection items and gear for troops in the field, such as body armor.

Additionally, the bill provides funding for programs championed by local business and research facilities. Specifically, the bill provides: $3.85 million in Air Force Operations and Maintenance for the MBU 20/P Oxygen Mask with Mask Light as produced by Gentex Corporation of Rancho Cucamonga; $5 million in Defense-Wide Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDTE) for Angelfire for FCLAS active protection system for helicopters and thin-skinned vehicles, produced by Chang Industry of La Verne; $2 million for the Micro-Seeker System for Small Steerable Projectiles, in order to develop "smart" munitions, produced by Tanner Research of Monrovia; and $3 million for the Advanced Molecular Medicine Initiative at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte.