Senator Eric Schmitt, Senator Roger Wicker Tour National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Boeing Facilities in St. Louis, Host Defense Supplier Roundtable

ST. LOUIS – Yesterday, Senator Eric Schmitt and Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, toured the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) current and future headquarters, hosted a defense suppliers roundtable, and inspected Boeing Defense’s production facility:

“It was great to show off the Show-Me state’s defense capabilities to Senator Wicker. Through the Senate Armed Services Committee, both Senator Wicker and I are working to strengthen our nation’s military, increase our preparedness and lethality, and ensure the United States is prepared to meet any challenge. This year’s NDAA is the perfect opportunity to continue to work towards those objectives. I’m proud to work alongside Senator Wicker on the Senate Armed Services Committee and appreciate his leadership as Ranking Member of the committee. I’ll continue to work to benefit Missouri’s critical military installations and shape St. Louis into the defense technology capital of the country,” said Senator Eric Schmitt. 

“I appreciated the opportunity to travel with Senator Schmitt to Missouri, where we visited with some of our nation’s leading defense innovators and agencies. As Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I have benefitted from Senator Schmitt’s thoughtful and effective contributions to our shared work, all of which have made our country safer and the defense industrial base stronger,” Senator Roger Wicker said. “I look forward to continuing to work with Senator Schmitt as I lead a national effort in support of a ‘peace through strength’ defense agenda.”

Senator Schmitt and Senator Wicker began the day at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s current headquarters, and received briefings on how NGA’s work is crucial to the success of military and civilian infrastructure. The Senators then toured the construction site of NGA’s new campus in North St. Louis.

The Senators also hosted a defense suppliers roundtable where they heard from a number of St. Louis-based companies that supply our military with the critical technology and equipment they need for success. 

Lastly, the Senators toured Boeing Defense’s production facility in Hazelwood. The Senators were briefed by senior Boeing officials on a number of projects.

BACKGROUND:

• Senator Roger Wicker has served in the United States Senate since 2007 and is currently the Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• Senator Schmitt and Senator Wicker ensured stable support for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program in the NDAA process, which was followed by the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee (SAC-D). 
• Senator Schmitt recently announced the National Geospatial Innovation Hub Advancement Act, which would be administered through NGA West and play a direct role in developing a skilled geospatial workforce that can be leveraged in both the public and private sector. 
• Senator Schmitt has worked to secure funding for family housing at Fort Leonard Wood and funding for Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, fought to get Whiteman Air Force Base included on the CFIUS protection list, and has introduced bills that would support military spouses during relocation and increase financial literacy among servicemembers.
• Additionally, Senator Schmitt has fought for provisions in the NDAA both this year and last that would root out divisive DEI in our nation’s military.