Senate supports funding for innovative demining technology
On May 11th, 2026, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with 35 other Senators, submitted a letter to the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee leadership requesting continued funding for the Army’s Strategic and Low Intensity Conflict Demining (SLIC-Demining) program.
The letter requests $36.349 million for the Army’s Strategic and Low Intensity Conflict Demining (SLIC-Demining) program, which develops new landmine and UXO-clearing technology to make demining safer and more efficient for U.S. forces, humanitarian demining organizations, and DoW-supported, host-nation-conducted demining operations.
By developing improved technology for every step of the demining process, the SLIC-Demining program enables the military to address emerging threats, saves civilian lives abroad, reduces costs for the State Department by increasing the efficiency of DOS-funded demining programs, and helps humanitarian demining organizations work in challenging environments.
With support from Congress, SLIC-Demining has performed over 300 operational field evaluations in 46 countries since 1995, and SLIC-Demining technology has destroyed over 420,000 landmines and other UXO, and cleared over 27,675 acres of land.
The $36.349 million requested in the letter matches the FY26 allocation and will enable the program to continue their work developing innovative new technology, preserving the ability of the U.S. military to safely detect and address explosive threats, while also saving civilian lives.
HALO thanks Senator Baldwin for leading this letter, and all the Senators who signed to support this lifesaving work.
Signatures on the FY27 Baldwin Army Demining R&D Letter include: Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Ruben Gallego, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Mark Kelly, Sen. Angus King, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Chris Murphy, Sen. Jon Ossoff, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Jack Reed, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Brian Schatz, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and Sen. Ron Wyden.
