Senate passes bill securing C-130 planes for Air Force
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday evening to secure C-130 aircraft for the Air Force.
There was concern that funding for the planes could be cut.
The C-130 planes are involved in a lot of critical missions at home and overseas. They're important for delivering supplies into hostile areas or national disaster areas.
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At her press conference Friday morning with the National Guard's 133rd Airlift Wing, Sen. Amy Klobuchar talked about bipartisan support for the bill; it passed by a vote 86 to 11 in the Senate Thursday night.
Guard members say the planes have played a crucial role in Afghanistan and other countries. Klobuchar's amendment is part of the National Defense Authorization Act, meaning the military would carry at least 271 of these planes in their fleet.
"That is the magic number that ensures we will have planes here," said Klobuchar. "We know plane by plane what that number has to be to make sure we don't get on the chopping block."
She teamed-up with Republican Senator John Barraso of Wyoming, to create the amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act.
"During a medical emergency in a hostile area or a natural disaster, anyone in danger could take comfort in knowing that the C-130 is on the way," said Klobuchar.
Part of the appeal of the C-130's is their versatility. Not just transporting troops and supplies, but with unique missions as well.
"There was a blizzard in North Dakota and there were cattle that were stranded and didn't have food. They loaded up the back with hay bales and pushed them out the back and fed the cows and got them through until they could get through the blizzard to get them their food," said Col. Jesse R. Carlson, 133rd Airlift Wing, MN National Guard.
Carlson looks forward to the future of the C-130's. Whether they're working in a war zone overseas or a natural disaster closer to home.
"Having that 271 numbers is going to ensure that we can meet the National Security strategy and the National Defense strategy," said Carlson.
Klobuchar said the National Defense Authorization Act also includes more help for veterans with PTSD and a roughly 5% pay increase for military service members.
Some of that legislation is still being debated in the House.