Zinke Requests Funds to Acquire New Helicopters at Malmstrom

Press Release

Today Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced he and a bipartisan coalition of 14 Members of Congress formally requested funding to replace the Vietnam-era helicopters at Malmstrom in the FY2017 Department of Defense Appropriations and the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act. A letter requesting the funds be included in the upcoming legislation was sent to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. Rep. Zinke is the only member of Montana's Congressional delegation on an Armed Services Committee. The letter to HASC can be found here. The letter to House Appropriations can be found here.

Zinke said, "I started this process last year. As a former Naval officer and the only member of the Montana delegation to sit on the Armed Services Committee, I look at the helicopters and I see glaring weaknesses and vulnerabilities which put our nation and our the mission at stake. If there are helicopters that are readily available and will save the taxpayer money, we need to get them in the field now. I know the Black Hawk well from my time in the SEALs. It is fully capable and stands ready to fill the need before us. This is not a mission that can fail. Our nuclear triad is at stake."

Source