Senate Passes National Defense Bill with Provisions Secured by Peters to Strengthen Michigan’s Defense Footprint

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), a member of the Armed Services Committee, helped the Senate pass the annual national defense bill. The bipartisan legislation includes numerous provisions authored and secured by Peters to strengthen U.S. national security, invest in Michigan's military facilities and defense sector, clean up PFAS contamination, and give servicemembers a pay raise.

"This bill makes investments that will ensure Michigan is positioned to continue leading the way in keeping our nation safe and secure," said Senator Peters. "I'm proud to have secured provisions in this bill that will support transformational upgrades at Selfridge Air National Guard Base to prepare for its new missions, make progress to clean up PFAS contamination at our military bases, and support Michigan's defense sector, which is working to develop innovative technologies that protect American servicemembers around the globe."

The national defense bill sets annual policy for the Department of Defense (DOD) and has become law for more than 60 consecutive years. This bill has also passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.

Below are provisions in the bill successfully led or supported by Peters:

Investing in Michigan's Military Facilities

$9 million for Runway Improvement at Selfridge Air National Guard Base: The bill authorizes funding to allow for runway improvements at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County to prepare for basing of future missions, including the KC-46 Tankers and F-15EX fighter jets that were announced for Selfridge following years of persistent work and advocacy by Peters.

$5.2 million to Construct Two New Taxiways at Selfridge: The bill authorizes funding to support the construction of two new taxiways at Selfridge to prepare for basing of future missions including Selfridge's two new missions. This includes $2.8 million for the construction of Taxiway Alpha and $2.4 million for the construction of Taxiway Bravo.

$4.4 million for Camp Grayling All-Domain Warfighting Training Complex: The bill authorizes funding to kickstart the Camp Grayling All-Domain Warfighting Training Complex (ADWTC). The ADWTC provides a state-of-the-art facility where servicemembers can plan, lead, and execute realistic training. The ADWTC is critical to ensuring Northern Strike remains the premier training exercise in the country.

Permanent Funding for Northern Strike: Peters secured report language urging permanent funding for the annual Northern Strike Exercise, which is the largest all-domain reserve forces exercise. Northern Strike provides a realistic training environment and robust training experiences for units and leaders to strengthen joint all-domain warfighting - and helps keep Michigan central to our national defense operations.

Prohibits Early Retirement of Selfridge's A-10s: Peters fought for and secured language protecting the 107^th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge and their A-10 Warthog fighters from potential early retirement before Selfridge accepts a new squadron of F-15EX fighters. This provision prevents the Air Force from reducing the number of A-10s in their aircraft inventory and requires a briefing to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on the divestment plans for the A-10 aircraft. The briefing continues strict oversight of the Air Force's A-10 retirement efforts including by mandating reporting on the Air Force's proposals to replace the A-10s with new or existing aircraft, efforts to minimize negative impacts on personnel training and retention and a specific divestment timeline for each aircraft in their inventory.

Bolstering Collaborative Combat Aircraft Production: Peters secured language in the bill that directs the Air Force to move forward with initial full-scale production of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Peters has pushed for and secured language to support the development and integration of CCAs, including during a hearing with the former Secretary of Defense and a recent hearing with the current U.S. Air Force Secretary. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Peters has also secured language to help position Selfridge Air National Guard Base as a potential location for CCA fielding. He led a provision included in recent government funding legislation requiring a report regarding basing criteria of CCAs. This report will include an evaluation of whether existing Air National Guard bases with legacy fighter missions, such as Selfridge, may be appropriate locations for the basing of CCAs.

Connected Vehicle Cybersecurity Center at Selfridge: Peters led a provision in the bill underscoring the growing threat of cyberattacks on both manned and unmanned military vehicles and platforms, as well as critical infrastructure that interacts with advanced vehicles. The provision recognizes the work of the Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) in Warren, Michigan to identify cyber vulnerabilities to secure joint ground vehicle platforms and prevent cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. The bill encourages vehicle cybersecurity at places like GVSC who is working to establish its Connected Vehicle Cybersecurity Center, which will also be located in Michigan at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. In addition to supporting our Armed Forces and servicemembers, the Connected Vehicle Cybersecurity Center will support Michigan's auto industry and help establish Southeast Michigan as a hub for all auto-cyber activity in the country. Peters has continuously used his role on the Armed Services Committee to support the GVSC, and recently warned DOD officials about the consequences of potential cuts at the GVSC.

Emergency Response Authority Act: Peters successfully secured an amendment to give states more flexibility in deploying Army Guard and Reserve (AGR) personnel with specialized skills for emergency response. This proposal would allow AGR forces to respond to state declared emergencies, such as floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters, for a total of 14 days per person. This provision empowers states to respond to major disasters more quickly and effectively.

Supporting Our Servicemembers and Their Families

Pay Raise for Servicemembers: This bill includes pay raises of 3.8 percent for military servicemembers.

Addressing PFAS Contamination

Improving the Speed and Transparency of DOD PFAS Cleanup Efforts: Peters successfully included a provision that requires DOD to develop a PFAS remediation acceleration strategy and submit a report to Congress that details the criteria that the Department uses to prioritize response actions, timelines for completing each phase of the cleanup process, a plan for deploying additional resources to reduce delays in remediation efforts, and standards for evaluating performance. The provision also requires DOD to publish - on a public online dashboard - up-to-date PFAS cleanup data, funding, timelines, and community points of contact for each and every military installation and National Guard facility where efforts are planned or underway. Peters has worked with communities across Michigan for years on PFAS remediation efforts. Peters convened the first-ever hearing on PFAS contamination in the Senate, and convened a field summit in Grand Rapids in November 2018 to shine a light on how local, state, and federal governments are coordinating responses to address PFAS contamination. He has also passed numerous bills into law to help address PFAS contamination and protect Michiganders. Michigan is home to a number of military installations where PFAS contamination has been detected, including Camp Grayling and the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda.

Ensuring Access to Clean Drinking Water for Households with PFAS-Contaminated Drinking Water Wells: The bill contains a Peters-led initiative that establishes new requirements for DOD to provide alternative drinking water - such as bottled water - to households with private drinking water wells that have been contaminated by PFAS as a result of DOD activities.

Supporting Michigan's Defense Sector

Supporting Munition Production in Grayling: The bill authorizes $31.9 million to support production of the Army's Individual Assault Munitions (IAM), which will soon be made at a new production facility being constructed in Grayling, Michigan. This new facility is expected to employ 70 people in 2025 and expand to an estimated 100 employees by 2027.

Boosting Made in Michigan Ground Vehicle Production: The bill authorizes robust funding for the Army to produce new, modernized Strykers as well as Abrams tanks. This funding would help ensure that Made in Michigan testing and development of ground vehicles like the Strykers are operating with cutting edge technology designed to keep our servicemembers safe.

Bolstering Military Aircraft Engine Industrial Base: Peters secured a provision that requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a roadmap for bolstering our military aircraft engine industrial base to support existing and planned platforms.

Strengthening U.S. Cybersecurity

Protecting Against Phishing Attacks: The bill includes report language Peters secured to require DOD to issue a strategy on implementing the adoption of phishing-resistant authentication across the Department. There has been an increase in phishing attempts targeting officials at DOD to retrieve personal information that allows hackers and foreign adversaries to gain access to sensitive national security information. This provision would ensure that DOD takes steps to protect sensitive national security information and protect American lives.

Preventing Manipulation of DOD-Generated Media: Peters secured report language in the bill which would require DOD to implement digital content provenance across the Department. Digital content creation, editing, and distribution tools are increasingly more accessible, and can be easily weaponized against the U.S. by our foreign adversaries who seek to threaten our national security, spread anti-American propaganda, and weaken our institutions. The amendment would help prevent DOD media content from being manipulated and used maliciously against our country by creating a pilot program to implement authenticity information on DOD-generated media. This builds on Peters' bipartisan Digital Defense Content Provenance Act, which he secured in a previous national defense bill and requires DOD to create a course at the Defense Information School to teach personnel about the threats posed by synthetic media such as deepfakes, as well as emerging technologies and key concepts of digital content provenance. The bill also created a pilot program at DOD to assess the feasibility of establishing content standard technologies on DOD-produced and owned media content.

Strengthening U.S. Cyber Workforce: Peters secured language that would require a report on the implementation of the DOD Cyber Workforce Strategy. DOD has struggled to attract and retain a skilled cyber workforce despite efforts such as bonus pay for skilled cyber professionals and expedited hiring pathways. The DOD Cyber Workforce Strategy was designed to identify difficulties and provide specific activities to increase the recruitment and retainment of the cyber workforce, both military and civilian. A skilled DOD cyber workforce benefits all Americans.

Enhancing DOD Weapons Systems to Protect Against Real-Time Cybersecurity Threats: The bill includes specific directives for the DOD to enhance its weapons systems with technology to track cybersecurity threats. This will allow for weapons systems at military bases in Michigan and across the country to track cyber threats in real time and constantly update the health and security of their cybersecurity operations.

Bolstering Advanced Technology Capabilities & Critical Industries

Strengthening Counter-UAS Authorities for Law Enforcement: This bill includes a provision which allows state, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement agencies to protect large mass gatherings, critical infrastructure, and airports from potential unmanned aircraft system (UAS) threats. This provision, which includes core tenants of Peters' bipartisan Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act, will allow SLTT law enforcement officials to protect large mass gatherings, such as college football games, concerts, festivals, and sensitive sites such as critical infrastructure facilities and airports from potential UAS threats. The provision requires the FBI to train state and local law enforcement officers on the proper use of counter-UAS technology before it is deployed, and it makes DOJ grant funding available to allow state and local law enforcement to purchase approved counter-UAS equipment. Additionally, the provision increases the scope DHS and DOJ's C-UAS authority to allow federal law enforcement officers to protect additional facilities and assets from UAS threats, including major airports, such as Detroit Metro Airport, seeing an influx of UAS incursions. Finally, the provision would impose criminal penalties for certain offenses committed using a UAS. This provision is particularly critical as the U.S. prepares to host major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Developing U.S. Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Capabilities: The bill would provide increased funding for the development of new and innovative design and production of low-cost, uncrewed systems. The bill would also require a strategy to develop a secure domestic supply chain of critical components for small UAS systems.

Supporting U.S. Security Interests Around the World

Planning for Enhanced Operations in Arctic Region: The bill includes a provision authored by Peters that recognizes the current geopolitical challenges and opportunities presented by the Arctic region, and supports efforts to better understand the emerging need to enhance operations in the region. Specifically, the bill encourages the Secretary of Defense to partner with interagency organizations, including the Center for Arctic Security and Resiliency and the Joint All Domain Weather Operations Center, to coordinate federal agency planning for Arctic operations as well as testing of systems to support Arctic operations.

Protecting Americans' Genetic Data from Foreign Adversaries: The bill includes an amendment secured by Peters that helps prevent foreign adversaries from stealing Americans' sensitive genetic data and personal health information. This provision, which is based on Peters' bipartisan Prohibiting Foreign Access to American Genetic Information Act, would ban all biotechnology companies that are owned or controlled by a foreign adversary such as the Chinese Communist Party, and whose business practices threaten national security, from receiving U.S. taxpayer dollars through federal contracts, grants, and loans.

Support Israel's Defense Against Emerging Threats: Peters authorized funding in the bill to help increase U.S. collaboration with Israel to develop emerging defense technologies to meet the warfare challenges of the future. Peters also secured a provision that would establish a cooperative program between the U.S. and Israel for advancing C-UAS technologies and joint research. Peters introduced bipartisan legislation last Congress to bolster collaboration between the United States and Israel on emerging technologies.

Strengthen Efforts to Combat Anti-Tunneling Activity: The bill authorizes additional funding to strengthen current collaborative efforts between the U.S. and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to combat Hamas and strengthen anti-tunneling activity in the Gaza Strip. As part of the DOD's collaboration with the IDF, Israel shares its counter-tunnel technology with the DOD and Department of Homeland Security to combat growing threats at our borders, as well as similar threats faced on the Korean Peninsula and in multiple locations in the Middle East.

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