HYDE-SMITH SUPPORTS FINAL APPROVAL OF BILL THAT WILL FUND MILITARY WORK IN MISSISSIPPI

HYDE-SMITH SUPPORTS FINAL APPROVAL OF BILL THAT WILL FUND MILITARY WORK IN MISSISSIPPI

Hyde-Smith Outlines How FY24 Defense Spending Bill Benefits Mississippi 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, today supported final passage of a defense spending measure that increases overall national security funding for the nation and supports defense-related work in Mississippi.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hyde-Smith worked to advance Mississippi interests in the FY2024 Defense Appropriations Bill, which the Senate approved as part of a six-bill package that now heads to the President to be signed into law.

“The U.S. military faces growing pressures in its mission to protect our nation and its interests around the world.  Our final agreement provides the Defense Department resources that exceed the levels sought by the President in his budget request, including more pay and investments in quality of life for our service members,” Hyde-Smith said.

“For Mississippi, the defense bill makes significant investment in shipbuilding, equipment, and research and development into cutting-edge technologies to benefit our military capabilities including unmanned vehicles,” the Senator continued.  “I’m proud of Mississippi’s contributions to our national security, and I’m pleased we’ve finally finished our work on this bill to give our military the resources it needs.”

The bill increases defense funding to $824.4 billion, with a notable $33.7 billion increase for U.S. Navy shipbuilding.  With restrictions on Navy disinvestments, the appropriations bill will fund six more ships than in the President’s budget.

The following are some of the FY2024 Defense Appropriations Bill highlights for Mississippi:

Navy Shipbuilding – $78.8 billion to fully fund eight battle force ships, including:

• $250 million LPD-33, the #1 Marine Corps unfunded priority
• $1.28 billion in advanced procurement for an additional DDG-51
• $72 million for Auxiliary Personnel Lighter (APL)

Army Procurement

• $8.0 million for Family of All Terrain Cranes (FOTAC) Type 1

Civil Air Patrol

• $34 million for Civil Air Patrol Aircraft and Vehicle Procurement

Research – Work involving Mississippi universities and defense firms as part of Defense Department modernization initiatives

• $25 million for Advanced Composite Wet Submarine Applications
• $15 million for Rapid Advanced Deposition Technologies
• $10 million for Multi-Functional Thermal Protection Aerospace Composites Materials
• $6 million for Weapon Terminal Effects in Extreme Temperatures
• $5.5 million for Cybersecurity for Autonomous Ground Vehicles
• $3 million for Autonomous Surface & Underwater Dual-Modality Vehicles
• $3 million for Rapid Applied Materials and Process Development

The overall bill fully funds the 5.2 percent pay raise for servicemembers, the largest pay raise in 40 years.  It also increases funding to support defense communities and military facility infrastructure.

The bill also provides $1.2 billion for counter-drug programs, including interdiction.  It also includes $335 million for the National Guard to provide training and further assistance to states and local enforcement agencies in combatting illegal drug trafficking.

Overall, the FY2024 Defense Appropriations Bill adheres to the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 which capped discretionary funding and made other reforms to reduce the budget deficit by roughly $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years.

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