WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04), whose district includes Barksdale AFB and Fort Polk JRTC, secured passage of five amendments to the annual defense bill currently being considered in the House. If signed into law, Johnson’s amendments would help expand Barksdale AFB’s mission, counter Chinese and Russian aggression, and promote human rights and religious freedom.
Specifically, Johnson’s amendments would:
*Position Barksdale AFB as the potential home for a high-priority U.S. Air Force telecommunications testing program
*Require the Defense Department to issue recommendations to increase awareness and help combat the Chinese Communist Party’s operations in the United States
*Protect U.S. intellectual property from foreign adversaries by identifying vulnerabilities in our system and making recommendations to address them
*Combat human rights violations and promote religious freedoms in Afghanistan
*Establish efforts to deter Russian aggression as a top U.S. priority at future NATO summits
“I’m proud to have been able to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure Louisiana’s priorities are included in this bill. I will always be a fierce advocate for our men and women in uniform, Louisiana’s military installations – including Barksdale AFB and Ft. Polk JRTC, and efforts to counter China, Russia, and other adversaries of freedom and democracy.” Johnson said.
“It is vitally important everyone in Congress work together to present the American people with a defense bill that gives our military service members the resources they need to keep our nation safe and secure. It is my sincere hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will resist the urge to play politics and turn this critical, bipartisan legislation into a vehicle for radical policies that have nothing to do with our national defense.”
