Congressman Tony Gonzales Secures Funding for Defense Priorities in Appropriations Bill

by Tony Gonzales on August 4, 2021 at 10:15 AM

I secured funds for defense priorities for Texas’s 23^rd Congressional District in the FY 2022 Defense Appropriations bill.

The funds provided in this Appropriations bill will be critical for supporting the defense priorities in our district and strengthening our national defense. Specifically, it is crucial that we secured funding to provide a safe passage for our Afghan Allies. They have provided honorable service and support to the United States – all while risking their own safety – and should be protected as such.

I helped to include funding for a variety of defense programs across the district:

2.7 percent pay increase for all Active-Duty
$619 million for Air Force One Modernization to be completed in San Antonio.
$4 million for analytical tools to optimize the transition from the T-38 to T-7 trainer at Laughlin Air Force Base
$72 million for Rare Earth Supply Chain Activities
$25 million for Defense Community Infrastructure Program
$442.7 million for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs
$325.2 million for Defense Research Services
$25 million to provide transport and safe passage to Afghans who have provided faithful and valuable service to the United States
Report language directing the Air Force to address its pilot training shortfall
Report language directing the DoD to collaborate with colleges and universities to recruit cyber focused students.
$5 million for a pilot program for military spouse apprenticeships and fellowships.
$200 million to support the Israeli Cooperative procurement programs.
$184 million for National Security Space Launch to develop new launch vehicles
$2.9 billion for the continued development of the B-21 Bomber
$23.5 billion to procure eight new Navy ships
$1.1 billion to procure F-15EX aircraft
$170 million for CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters
$8.5 billion to procure 85 F-35 aircraft
$3 million for Space Force’s L-Band Active Phased Array Demonstration
$35.3 million for STRATCOM’s Rapid Engineering Architecture Collaboration Hub
$30 million for the Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Research Program
$10 million for the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research
$10 million for the Combat Readiness Medical Research Program
$275 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative