The members of the delegation said they are pleased the FY2008 Department of Defense Appropriations Act includes a 3.5% pay raise for military personnel, an additional $70 million to better meet the medical needs of wounded service members, $11.6 billion for body armor and mine resistant vehicles, $980 million to equip the National Guard and Reserve forces and $2.6 billion to provide military families with the immediate need for more counselors, teachers and child care providers.  

The House of Representatives passed the final version of the legislation today.  Following Senate passage expected this week, the legislation will head to the President for his signature.

“Arkansas’s military installations and defense industry continue to contribute significantly to our nation’s security,” said Pryor.  “Every day thousands of Arkansas men and women in uniform courageously serve in combat zones, while many more here at home find innovative ways to make our troops safer and more effective.  These projects are wise investments that will ensure our servicemen and women have the very best resources they need in order to accomplish their mission.”

“A strong national defense requires the very best in military training, equipment, and technology, and Arkansas’s military installations and growing defense industry are key to achieving America’s national security goals,” said Lincoln.  “These state and local priorities will boost our state's economy and allow Arkansans to continue to play a critical role in strengthening the U.S. military."

"Congress is committed to supporting our servicemen and women in uniform and their families in every way we possibly can," said Berry.  "This bill will give our troops the equipment they need for combat, preserve our ability to deter terrorist threats, give them a well-deserved pay raise, and help keep them safe from harm. I'm proud to have worked to secure these resources.  The sacrifice our men and women in uniform and their families make for our country is enormous and we cannot do enough to repay them for their service."

"Our troops and families deserve this strong bipartisan vote for this important defense funding,” said Snyder.

“Providing for the defense of our country is one of our most fundamental duties, and I am relieved that we were able to finally complete our work on this important funding,” Boozman said. “The talents and technology of Arkansas will play a key role in the protection and provision of our men and women who wear their nation’s uniform. I am proud of the work of the Arkansas delegation to secure these projects for our state, its workers, and the nation’s military.”

“Investments in our national defense and in our domestic defense manufacturers are critical to our military’s ability to keep us safe from threats both here at home and overseas,” Ross said. “Arkansas's defense facilities and military installations also play a key role in protecting our men and women in uniform throughout the world, and I am proud to fight each year to secure funding for defense contractors and supplies which employ hundreds of hard-working Arkansans who call the Fourth Congressional District home.”

Russellville, AR

Future Medical Shelter System - $6 million to allow the design and manufacturing for two sets of prototypes for mobile medical shelters. The shelters would provide medics with a more modern and sterile environment in which to treat patients on the battlefield. Development of the prototype would be contracted out to several companies, including European Aeronautic Defense and Space (EADS) North America, which has agreed that if the Army selects the EADS prototype and buys the mobile units, then final assembly, testing and maintenance will take place in Russellville, AR.

Fayetteville, AR

Center for Nanoscale Bio-Sensors, University of Arkansas - $2.5 million was secured to support recent breakthroughs in nanostructures for research and development of nanoscale biological sensors.  This initiative is vital to the Army’s vision to protect soldiers and civilians from bacteria, viruses and biological weapons.

Intelligent Free Space Optical Satellite Communications Node – $1.6 million was secured to assist Space Photonics of Fayetteville develop products that support the Air Force and improve the performance, reliability and security of space communications. 

Little Rock, AR

Activated Nanostructures for De-icing, UALR - $1.2 million was secured for the development of activated nanostructures for aircraft de-icing.  This program will use a combination of nanostructures and electrical charges to provide a safe de-icing alternative for surfaces retrofitted to existing aircraft. 

Surgical Wound Disinfection and Biological Agents - $1.6 million was secured for Exoxemis, Inc. for the continued research and testing of myeloperoxidase – a major breakthrough in wound decontamination and the prevention of surgical site infection.  The key technical objectives of the project are to provide safe and effective means of disinfecting and preventing infections in wounds received in the field of surgery.

Pine Bluff, AR

M291/M295 Chemical Decontamination Kits - $5.6 million was secured for production of M291/M295 Skin/Equipment Chemical Decontamination Kits at the Pine Bluff Arsenal.  These portable decontamination kits have been fielded by U.S. Armed Forces since the early 1990’s and were deployed in Desert Storm.  They are currently used in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Earlier this week, the Senate authorized $14 million for these kits.

M18 Grenades - $4 million was secured to replenish training and operational stocks of the M18 Grenade produced at the Pine Bluff Arsenal.  The M18 Grenade is a small hand-held grenade, approximately the size of a soup can, that emits a dense colored smoke and is used by all military services for signaling, marking, and screening operations.  The M18 Smoke Grenade has been in high demand as a result of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Earlier this week, the Senate authorized $13 million for these grenades.

CTG, Mortar, 120 MM, All types - $111.6 million was protected as part of the President’s budget for the production  of the M929 120mm WP Smoke Mortar, which is designed for use with the M120/M121 120mm Battalion Mortar System.  This system is currently fielded to all Armor and Mechanized Infantry units in the Army, and for the Soltam Recoiling Mortar System which is planned for the Stryker Brigade Combat Team.  The round is used to provide smoke, with some incendiary effect, for various screening uses.

Camp Robinson, North Little Rock, AR

Meteorological Measuring Set - $2.5 million was secured for Meteorological Measuring Set Profilers, such as those used by the Arkansas National Guard.  These advanced systems provide meteorological information in order for munitions to accurately and precisely hit their target.  Earlier this week, the Senate authorized $2.8 million for this system.

Jonesboro, AR

Standoff Hazardous Agent Detection and Evaluation System (SHADES), Arkansas State University - $2 million was secured to assist ASU, in conjunction with industry, in further sampling and analysis technologies to detect ultra-low concentrations of weapons of mass destruction.  These technologies will include Solid Phase Micro-Extraction (SPME) samplers and unique Gas Chromatography (GC) and Laser Spectroscopy (LS) techniques.

Standoff Improvised Explosive Detection Program (SIEDP), Arkansas State University - $3.2 million was secured for the SIEDP to improve the detection of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).  Funding for this program will allow Arkansas State University to explore and develop new capabilities in areas of IED standoff detection and forensic tracing.  Earlier this week, the Senate authorized $5 million for this program.

Biological Air Filtering System Technology (BAFST), Arkansas State University - $1.6 million was secured for the BAFST program to conduct research, experiments, test and demonstration of biological air filtering system technology integrated into space and missile defense systems.

Camden, AR

AEGIS (SM-3) Ballistic Missile Defense Deployment - $75 million was secured above the President’s budget of $1.06 billion in order to increase the manufacturing rate of SM-3 and also produce long-lead material for 12 additional Block 1B missiles.  These systems, when integrated on U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers, provide the capability to detect, track, intercept, and destroy short to intermediate range ballistic missiles.  A significant portion of these funds will be used in Camden, Arkansas.

Tomahawk Procurement - $383 million was protected as part of the President’s budget to replenish Tomahawk inventory and ensure fleet returns to levels adequate to support warfighters with critical long-range, precision strike missions against high-value, heavily defended and politically sensitive targets.  A significant portion of these funds will be used in Camden, Arkansas.

Standard Missile-6 Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM) Insensitive Munitions – $159.6 million was protected as part of the President’s budget to permit the implementation of IM technologies for the SM-6 ERAM as it enters the Navy fleet.  A significant portion of these funds will be used in Camden, Arkansas.

PAC-3 Missiles – $472 million was protected as part of the President’s budget to fund the Defense Department’s priority anti-tactical missile interceptor program, the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC).  It is designed to counter all threats armed with weapons of mass destruction.  Camden’s portion of the PAC-3 Missile production supports approximately 460 jobs. 

Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems (SWORDS) - $1.6 million was secured for the National Technical Systems, Inc. to expand a program that supports a lightweight unmanned ground robot which can be armed with a range of standard automatic weapons that allow soldiers to engage combatants and to disrupt and destroy Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Texarkana, AR

Arsenal Depot AIT (AD-AIT) Initiative - $1.6 million was secured to install commercial, off-the-shelf automatic identification data collection technologies and equipment at the Anniston and Red River Army Depots. Red River funding will also allow component tracking to be extended to individual work centers on the Bradley line, allowing significant reduction in the paper tracking of inventories and work flow. 

Projectile 155mm DP Basebleed M864 (E68500) - $88 million was protected as part of the President’s budget for the refurbishment of M864 artillery projectiles to provide the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams with an increased operational capability.

40mm Ammunition - $239.1 million was protected as part of the President’s budget for the procurement of M55 and M59 Detonators.  Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant is the only qualified source to produce these specialized detonators.  An additional $23.9 million was appropriated to increase readiness for Marine Corps operations. 

Woodberry, AR

Hydra-70 Rockets - $186.3 million was protected as part of the President’s budget to acquire the Hydra-70 rocket system, which is used in the accomplishment of anti-material, anti-personnel, and air-to-ground suppression missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Hot Springs, AR

Vanadium Safety Readiness - $3 million was secured for the Strategic Minerals Corporation to support a defense-led study of the health and safety risks of vanadium in order to develop biomarkers of exposure, conduct epidemiological and toxicological studies needed for scientifically based risk assessment.  The military has been using vanadium, a well-known element that enables higher steel strength, to either increase armor or reduce the weight of current combat vehicles, tactical vehicles, tactical bridges, material handling equipment, aircraft, watercraft, rail, trailers, steel structures, and virtually every application involving the use of steel.