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Sen.
Salazar Helps Secure Vital Funding for Colorado’s Military and Veterans’
Facilities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today,
United States Senator Ken Salazar announced funding for key Colorado
military and veterans projects has been included in the early/ initial
stages of the Fiscal Year 2008 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
Appropriations Bill. The nearly $530 million in funding for Colorado
projects was approved earlier today by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and is expected to be
considered by the full Senate Appropriations Committee tomorrow.
“We are the strongest
Nation in the world; to stay number one we have to have the best military
technology and facilities and we have to live-up to the promises we
gave to our veterans when they swore to defend us,” said Senator
Salazar. “Funding these key military and veterans facility projects
will ensure that our government lives up to its promise to take care
of its military families and war heroes. I am proud to fight for them
in this first step and will continue to support their inclusion in the
appropriations process.”
Fitzsimons VA Hospital
Senator Salazar secured $61.3 million for the Fitzsimons VA Hospital
to begin construction on the parking structure and the energy plant.
Senator Salazar is pushing to move the full $548 million authorization
through the Veterans Affairs Committee to allow completion of the project.
Supporting Fort
Carson Families Coming to Colorado Springs
Senator Salazar
fought to include military construction funds for Fort Carson to accommodate
the arrival of an additional 12,000 active duty and 18,360 active duty
family members that are currently moving to Fort Carson, or coming in
the next two years. Fort Carson is adding two brigades and will be the
new headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division, which is moving from
Fort Hood, Texas.
- $90 million for a brigade
combat team complex for the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at
Fort Carson;
- $27 million for an addition
to Evans Army Hospital at Fort Carson that will provide more space
for administrative and clinical functions, including more beds for
maternity care, psychiatric care, and emergency care;
- $53 million for construction
of barracks;
- $4.9 million for the
construction of an indoor range for the 10th Special Forces Group
to provide realistic training in an all-weather weapons training facility;
- $8.3 million for a Defense
Access Road, to provide access to the Arrival/Departure Air Control
Group at Peterson AFB, which will allow an Initial Ready Company of
personnel, equipment, and materials to deploy anywhere in the world
in 24 hours;
- $13.5 million for construction
of a facility support operations, training, vehicle and equipment
maintenance for the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Carson
- $72 million for Fort
Carson’s unit operation facilities;
- $20 million for construction
of a Division Headquarters Complex at Fort Carson, to house the 4th
Infantry Division, which is moving from Fort Hood;
- $13.2 million for a vehicle
maintenance facility at Fort Carson to support a brigade combat team
that is moving to Fort Carson as a result of BRAC; and
- $54 million for a new
troop health clinic at Fort Carson that will provide outpatient health
and dental care.
Space Operations
at Schriever AFB
Senator Salazar
worked to include $24.5 million for construction of an Air and Space
Integration Facility, which will house Air Force Space Command’s lead
units for space innovation, which are conducting a variety of testing
and space integration to support Air Force Operations.
Training Cadets
at the United States Air Force Academy
Senator Salazar succeeded in including $15 million for upgrades to academic
facilities at the U.S. Air Force Academy, including a renovation of
the cadet library, lecture halls, and cadet support areas. The project
will modernize deteriorating facilities and remove dangers from asbestos
and lead paint.
Chemical Weapons
Destruction at Pueblo Chemical Depot
Senator Salazar
succeeded in securing over $35 million for continued clean-up at the
Pueblo Depot. This increment of funding will be used for construction
of destruction facilities, with the goal of completing destruction by
2012. “I will continue to push the Department of Defense to proceed
as expeditiously and safely as possible because the citizens of Pueblo
deserve no less,” said Senator Salazar.
Supporting National
Guard and Reserves at Buckley AFB
Senator Salazar succeeded in adding $7.3 million to replace
the outdated squadron operations facility that houses the F-16’s of
the 140th Air Wing of the Colorado National Guard. He also worked to
provide $10 million for utility infrastructure improvements at Buckley
Air Force Base, to prepare for construction and renovation of facilities
to support the Air Reserve Personnel Center and the 926th Air Force
Reserve that is relocating from New Orleans.
If approved by the Appropriations
Committee, the FY07 MilCon Appropriations will go on to the full Senate
for consideration later this year.
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