Portman/Brown amendment requires Air Force to report on C-130s

Staff report

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. Senate has passed its version of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes an amendment crafted by Ohio Sens. Rob Portman and Sherrod Brown that requires the Air Force to report on how it will prioritize C-130 aircraft upgrades.

This could strengthen special-mission units like the 910th Airlift Wing at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

Brown, a Cleveland Democrat, and Portman, a Cincinnati-area Republican, have been urging the Air Force to replace YARS’ 910th Airlift Wing’s fleet of C-130H aircraft with new C-130J aircraft to ensure that the 910th’s Department of Defense-mandated specialized aerial spray mission continues safely and without interruption.

The 910th is the DOD’s only large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray unit.

In separate statements, the senators commented on the amendment they proposed.

This bipartisan legislation will help support U.S. troops and increase their pay; is critical to ensure that the military has the resources needed to accomplish its national security missions around the world; and will help better prepare this administration and the next one to confront and defeat the threat from radical Islamist terrorists, Portman said.

“Upgrades for new C-130 aircraft will ensure that special-mission units like the 910th at YARS have the unique capabilities needed to carry out their critically important national and homeland security missions,” Portman said.

“The dedicated men and women at YARS provide unique capabilities to important missions that keep us safe and provide humanitarian aid. YARS deserves our full support and I’m glad that the Senate-passed bill included this important amendment,” Brown said.