By State Sen. Daryl Schmitt (R-Jasper)
As the home of Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, the nation's third largest naval base, and many other military installations, Indiana is a strong supporter of our country's defense sector.
Our state is also home to multiple highly ranked universities for computer science, informatics and engineering like Rose-Hulman, Purdue, Notre Dame and Indiana, which help support the innovation needed for our future defense needs.
A bill I am sponsoring this year would help support the mission of military bases located in our state.
House Bill 1268 would add the Adjutant General of the Indiana National Guard, or his designee, as a member of the Indiana Defense Task Force.
The task force was established in 2019 by the Indiana General Assembly to promote our defense industry and identify how our state can collaborate with the military and contractors to work toward our common goals.
The bill would also require the task force to make budget recommendations to the Indiana Office of Defense Development, and creates more transparency for spending within the office.
While Naval Surface Warfare Crane is not directly located in Senate District 48, many of our neighbors work on the base, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure it remains an economic hub in southwest Indiana.
As always, constituents can reach out to me with any questions or concerns by email at s48@iga.in.gov or by phone at 1-800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Daryl Schmitt (R-Jasper) represents Senate District 48,
which includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
