Senator Wicker Statement on Senate Appropriations Committee Defense Markup

WASHINGTON - Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee concluded its markup of the Defense subcommittee's (SAC-D) Fiscal Year 2025 defense funding bill, which provides funding for the Department of Defense. The bill, when combined with the Military Construction and Energy and Water bills, provides $21 billion for much needed weaponry ammunition, and equipment for our troops.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, previously secured a $25 billion funding authorization increase on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Senator Wicker released the following statement about the Appropriations Committee's markup:

"The Senate Appropriations Committee has done important work to revitalize our national defense by making a necessary down payment on our military preparedness. Overall, their bill is a big step toward rectifying the Pentagon's lack of focus on China," Senator Wicker said. "This effort from my colleagues reaffirms the conversation I have started about returning to the 'peace through strength' defense policies that this dangerous moment requires."

Senator Wicker also lauded several areas where the defense appropriations bill makes reinforces funding strategies in the NDAA:

• Prevents shrinking Air Force: The defense appropriations bill provides money to keep 32 F-22 and 26 F-15E fighter aircraft flying, produce six more F-15EX fighters, and buy spare parts so that hundreds of aircraft can stay ready for operations.

• Prevents shrinking Navy: The defense appropriations bill finishes the purchase of an extra destroyer, provides forward financing to complete an amphibious ship multi-buy, and primes the pump for an additional attack submarine. Additionally, the bill invests heavily in the shipbuilding industrial base and pays for the construction of numerous additional logistics ships. The bill reverses the administration's disastrous decision to cancel the SM-3 Block IB interceptor, accelerates new Patriot launchers, and adds funding for the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, Mk48 torpedoes, and the Precision Strike Missile.

• Munitions: The defense appropriations bill provides $500 million more for the Defense Production Act, which the administration failed to fund sufficiently. It also funds $500 million in additional critical minerals purchases through the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund. Both efforts are absolutely key to rebuilding the Arsenal of Democracy.

• INDOPACOM Unfunded Priority List: The defense appropriations bill again funds the highest priorities of our commander in the Pacific: $181 million to accelerate the crucial Guam Defense System, $123 million for the Joint Fires Network for command and control, and $651 million for critical military exercises in the western Pacific.

• Nuclear Modernization: The defense appropriations bill, alongside the Energy and Water bill, supports strong bipartisan efforts to modernize and adapt our nation's nuclear deterrent to meet rapidly growing strategic threats from China, Russia, and North Korea by fully funding critical efforts such as the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ($3.9 billion) and the Nuclear Sea-Launched Cruise Missile ($252 million).

• Defense Infrastructure: The defense appropriations bill adds $3.8 billion to the budget for building maintenance to begin chipping away at the military's $180 billion backlog in this area. The companion military construction bill also adds $2.9 billion for key domestic and front-line military construction projects.