Over $710 Million for BRAC in NOVA Included in Omnibus Bill

Washington, D.C., December 21st – Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat and senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, supported a number of BRAC-related funding requests in the FY’08 Omnibus Appropriations bill (HR 2764).  Congress approved the Omnibus bill earlier this week.  The bill was sent to President Bush’s desk and he has indicated he will sign it into law.
 
“The ’05 BRAC decision had a major impact on Northern Virginia,” said Moran. “But the region has come together and worked hard to meet the challenges it imposed upon our community. In the Omnibus Appropriations bill, significant funding to tackle the upgrades to Ft. Belvoir was included in the bill, along with transportation dollars to resolve some of the traffic disruptions caused by increased security that followed 9/11.”

• $428.8 million to support the 1st phase of construction for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). Construction has already begun at the Engineer Proving Ground. The facility will accommodate 8,500 personnel and cost $1.25 billion overall. It is expected to be completed by 2011.
  
• $219 million for the new hospital at Ft. Belvoir. The new medical facilities will provide a 120-bed, world class medical care center to replace Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The total cost is over $750 million, which Moran has helped authorize expedited funding for in the FY ’08 National Defense Authorization Act.     
  
• $25 million for the new Missile Defense Agency Command Center at Ft. Belvoir.  
  
• $20 million to support realignment of Army leased space. Funding will help support agencies with their transition costs for relocation to Ft. Belvoir.  
  
• $13 million for the Old Mill Rd. extension to resolve traffic disruptions caused by the closure of Woodlawn Rd through Ft. Belvoir. Moran has provided earmarks totaling $34 million for the extension since Woodlawn Rd and Beulah St. were closed in the wake of 9/11.
  
• $5 million for gate security improvements at the Defense Logistics Agency. The security enhancements will better protect one of Ft. Belvoir’s most important tenants, strengthening security checks of vehicles entering the facility.  
  
• $288,000 to fully fund the design of the new Emergency Services Center at Ft. Belvoir. The new center will replace the outdated firehouse at Ft. Belvoir, which serves both the installation and surrounding areas of Fairfax County. There was some concern that the facilities would be delayed several years, but inclusion of this design funding will allow the project to move forward more expeditiously.