U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik representing New York's 21st Congressional District | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik representing New York's 21st Congressional District | Official U.S. House headshot
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, voted to pass the Servicemembers Quality Of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for FY25 on the House Floor.
“As a senior member on the House Armed Services Committee, I am proud to have crafted and voted to pass the national defense bill for fiscal year 2025 and secure critical wins for Fort Drum, the 10th Mountain Division, and all of Upstate New York. This bill includes significant investments in emerging technology, provides for our military families, and equips our service members with modern capabilities and platforms as they fight to protect our nation and deter our adversaries,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. “House Republicans are stepping up where the Biden Administration has failed to deliver peace through strength and preserve American values.”
Stefanik secured numerous provisions to support Fort Drum, the 10th Mountain Division, Upstate New York, and military families. Key measures include:
Strengthening Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division:
- Establishing a requirement for the Department of Defense to construct an East Coast Missile Defense Site at Fort Drum by 2030.
- Establishing Additional Skill Identifiers for Soldiers who attend Advanced Mountaineering Courses.
- Requiring alignment of the 10th Mountain Division’s Alpine Initiative with the Army’s Arctic Strategy.
- Developing plans to field tethered-unmanned aircraft systems used during Hunter EMS electronic warfare exercises.
- Rapidly fielding passive multi-static radar technology in counter-unmanned aircraft systems platforms.
- Establishing plans to resource advanced AI-enabled counter-unmanned aircraft systems.
Fighting for Wins for Upstate New York and the North Country:
- Authorizing funding for Air Force Research Lab – Rome’s Future Flag testing in Lewis, NY.
- Allocating $63 million for engineering required to recapitalize New York Air National Guard’s LC-130 skibird planes.
- Supporting electric vertical take-off and lift aircraft development at Plattsburgh Airport by BETA Technologies.
- Procuring blast exposure monitoring sensors from Med-Eng.
- Expanding work with non-profit research institutions like Trudeau Institute in NY-21.
- Ensuring aluminum extrusions' role in defense industrial base made by Arconic Corporation in NY-21.
- Funding silicon carbide flexible bus node development involving Wolfspeed in Upstate New York.
Supporting Service Members and Their Families:
- Streamlining educational assistance processes between DoD and Department of Education.
- Supporting Army’s Future Soldier Preparatory Course.
- Authorizing a 19.5% basic pay increase for junior enlisted service members.
- Offering competitive pay for Child Development Center staff.
- Establishing pilot programs to prevent maternal mental health conditions among service members’ spouses.
Confronting CCP and Foreign Adversaries:
-Prohibiting DoD contracts with companies lobbying for Chinese military firms.
-Mandating full teardown of Communist Chinese drones by DoD.
Keeping Pace with Emerging Technologies:
-Requiring definitions and acquisition plans related to unmanned aircraft systems.
Strengthening U.S.-Israel Defense Cooperation:
-Funding U.S-Israel anti-tunnel cooperation initiatives.
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