from staff
U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw today secured $50.84 million for military construction projects and veterans programs for Northeast Florida. This funding was included by Crenshaw in the original fiscal year 2008 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill (Mil-Con/VA), which was later included as part of the FY08 Omnibus Appropriations bill. Crenshaw is a member of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. The FY08 Omnibus Appropriations bill passed the House Wednesday with a vote of 272-142.
“As a member of the House Appropriations committee, allocating funding to ensure a strong national defense and to provide for those who have defended our nation is one of our most important responsibilities,” said Crenshaw. “It is essential that we have a timetable for preparing Mayport to homeport a nuclear carrier. This legislation takes that landmark step.”
Crenshaw included report language in the MilCon/VA Appropriations bill which directs the Navy to provide a report to the Appropriations Committees that identifies Naval Station Mayport’s military construction requirements and estimated timetable for completion of the necessary infrastructure and dredging required to make Naval Station Mayport a nuclear capable homeport. This report must be filed within 30 days after the release of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), approximately March 2008. This language also acknowledges the Navy’s publicly stated policy to maintain two nuclear carrier capable homeports on the east coast.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill also includes:
• $10.24 million in security improvements for Blount Island to ensure its protection from land and water based threats. This includes $7.57 million for Blount Island Main Gate Improvements and $2.67 million for the Slipway Barrier.
• $12.2 million for 267,000 square foot hanger and ground support operations area to accommodate new CH-47 Helicopters being assigned to the 111th Army Aviation Battalion at Cecil Field.
• $6 million to construct a state of the art, properly sized facility for the Communications Flight personnel of the 125th Fighter Wing stationed at Jacksonville International Airport. This unit provides all telephone, radio and computer capabilities for over 2,000 Air National Guard personnel throughout Florida.
• $22.4 million for the initial design and construction funding of the Jacksonville National Cemetery.
This includes funding for 1,800 new VA caseworkers who will be available to reduce the backlog in reviewing VA disability claims.