05.13.16

Sullivan Fights for Alaska Priorities in National Defense Authorization Bill

WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan’s (R-AK) support, passed out of committee legislation to authorize $602 billion in critical defense spending for Fiscal Year 2017.

“A critical piece of legislation, the National Defense Authorization Act sets our nation's security priorities and allocates the resources our military needs to rapidly respond to threats against the homeland and across the globe,” Senator Dan Sullivan said. “Today the world faces an increasingly aggressive Russia in the Arctic, a rogue North Korean regime testing nuclear weapons, China’s militarization of reefs in some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and continuing disarray in the Middle East. Now is the time to implement necessary reforms, support our servicemen and women, and send a signal that the United States military remains the greatest, best-equipped force for good anywhere in the world."

Working with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, Senator Sullivan successfully included 22 amendments in the Senate mark-up of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. His amendments advanced initiatives that will play an important role in Alaska and America’s security.

Arctic Strategic Port Designation:

“From the Secretary of Defense to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, many agree we are woefully behind in the Arctic,” Senator Sullivan said. “Last year, I drove the Department of Defense to write a new Arctic strategy that focuses on real threats in the region. This year, I doubled-down and included language to drive the development of critical port infrastructure in the Arctic to address increasing activity and mission requirements.”

Senator Sullivan’s amendment requires the Secretary of Defense – in coordination with the Coast Guard and others – to both create the designation and associated criteria for a “Strategic Arctic Port” and submit a plan, within two years, to begin the process of designation. 

Missile Defense:

“With North Korea’s rapidly advancing ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs, our nation’s missile defense system is more important than ever,” Senator Sullivan said. “However, in order to ensure its effectiveness, give confidence to the warfighters, and provide a credible deterrent to rogue nations, we need to visibly test the system at least once a year.”

Senator Sullivan’s amendment mandates that the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) conduct a flight test at least once per year to show Americans and, more importantly, North Korea that we have a missile defense system that works.

Additional Strategic Priorities for Alaska:

“I’ve often said that Alaska has a triad of military power, and in this bill, I worked to reaffirm that triad,” said Senator Sullivan. “I successfully fought to include provisions to help ensure Alaska’s F-35As arrive with the maintainers they need to fly, and to show congressional support for the Army’s decision to halt the reduction of the 4-25 Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Additionally, I was pleased to include the Rural Guard Act, first sponsored by Alaska’s Congressman Don Young, ensuring that Alaska Guardsmen living in remote locations no longer have to pay out of pocket to merely go to training.”

Background on Senator Sullivan Amendments:

Missile Defense – Defend and Deter Act:

  • This amendment requires the Missile Defense Agency to conduct a flight test of the ground-based midcourse defense element of the ballistic missile defense system, like those at Ft. Greely, at least once every fiscal year.

Arctic Strategic Port Designation: 

  • This important amendment would require the Secretary of Defense – consulting with the Coast Guard and others – to create the designation of a “strategic Arctic port” to create a security need for appropriate investment of surge-type infrastructure in the Arctic. The intention is to allow for better response to maritime warning, search and rescue, and oil spill response missions, among others. 

High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) Land Transfer: 

  • This amendment directs the U.S. Air Force to convey the HAARP facility to the University of Alaska, and its surrounding areas to AHTNA, Inc., which originally owned the underlying land. Senator Sullivan worked closely with Senator Lisa Murkowski and Congressman Don Young on this important issue. 

Galena Land Transfer: 

  • A priority of the Alaska Congressional delegation, this amendment transfers 1,300 acres of land from the U.S. Air Force on Campion Air Force Radar Station to the town of Galena.

Remote Travel Reimbursement for National Guard Members:

  • This amendment allows the Secretary of Defense to authorize higher reimbursement to reservists and guardsmen that reside in the same state as the inactive duty training location, reside outside of a population of 50,000 or more, or must commute via aircraft or boat from a distance of 75 miles or greater.

Congressional Support for Keeping the 4-25 Brigade Combat Team in Alaska: 

  • This amendment expresses the Sense of Congress supporting the Army’s decision to halt the reduction of Alaska’s 4-25 IBCT (ABN) and asserts that the state of “high military risk” assumed by reduced Army force structure is unacceptable given the growing need to counter medium- to high-intensity threats. 

HH-60/Combat Rescue Helicopter Report:

  • This amendment ensures that the HH-60G (the helicopter that the Alaska Air National Guard Combat Rescue Squadron flies) continues to be maintained, aircrew trained, and supported until Alaska gets the new Combat Rescue Helicopter in 2027-2028.

Arctic Search and Rescue Report:

  • This amendment directs the DOD to develop a strategic plan for resourcing Arctic capabilities like the Arctic Sustainment Package (ASP) and the tactics, techniques, and procedures required to test and deploy these capabilities.

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