Brown Secures Dayton & Wright-Patterson Priorities in Key Defense Bill

DPA Increased Funding

The Manufacturing Technology Division of Wright-Patterson’s Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) helps run a key defense manufacturing program, which is housed at Wright-Patt, that allows the federal government to support defense-related manufacturing when domestic capabilities aren’t able to meet national security needs. The program was created under the Defense Production Act (DPA), and supports Ohio jobs and brings investments to the region through contracts awarded to the program. The DPA is overseen by the Senate Banking Committee, on which Brown sits as Ranking Member.

Anticipating a major increase in the need for leading edge industrial base technology projects in the next several years, identified by Pentagon planners, Brown led the effort with Sen. Crapo (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, to increase authorized funding under the DPA from $133 million annually to $250 million annually for the next four years. This authorization will provide an additional $117 million annually over the next five years and will help the DOD address risks to the manufacturing and defense industrial base. This funding will be used for projects across the country and will help support jobs at Wright-Patt.

https://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-secures-dayton-and-wright-patterson-priorities-in-key-defense-bill