MO HCR20

Missouri General Assembly urges the U.S. Department of Defense and Missouri's Congressional delegation to protect Missouri's military bases, maintain military personnel levels, and preserve defense procurement contracts in the state

Federal defense budget cuts announced in April 2014 would reduce Army soldiers from 562,000 to 420,000, Marines from 202,000 to 175,000, and cut up to 25,000 Air Force airmen and 550 aircraft over five years

Pentagon plans to reduce weapons procurement by $66.2 billion from FY2016 to FY2019 as part of $1 trillion in cuts over the next decade

Missouri's defense sector generates $39.8 billion in total economic activity, supports 275,000 jobs, and produces $11.6 billion in household earnings, with the state ranking 5th nationally in defense procurement contract dollars at over $12 billion

Major Missouri military installations include Whiteman Air Force Base (home to B-2 Stealth Bombers), Fort Leonard Wood, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and defense contractors including Boeing (state's 3rd largest employer)