18th May 2022

On May 20, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) submitted a letter to the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee leadership along with 15 other Senate members requesting increased funding for the Army’s Humanitarian Demining Research and Development (HD R&D) program. This is the first time such a letter has been submitted in the Senate chamber.

The letter calls for an allocation of $21 million of the fiscal year 2023 budget to the HD R&D program, that advances and analyzes innovative demining technology. HALO is a partner of this program, conducting evaluations of groundbreaking technology to support the effort to make demining more efficient and effective for humanitarian and military deminers – while in the process removing explosive hazards that pose a threat to communities.

“Everyone at The HALO Trust would like to express their gratitude to the Senators who have made humanitarian demining a priority. Technological advancements from the Army’s Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program help keep our deminers safe while allowing us eliminate explosive hazards that threaten communities at a much faster pace. To Senator Tammy Baldwin and every Senator who signed onto this letter, thank you for creating a safer world.”

Kristen Stevens, Head of Congressional Affairs, The HALO Trust (USA)

Read the final letter

The Senators who signed onto this letter include: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Dick Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Angus King (I-ME), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR).