Belvoir to Receive $740 Million in Infrastructure Improvements

Washington, D.C., July 14th – Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat and senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, supported a number of Northern Virginia BRAC-related military facility funding requests in the FY’10 Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill (H.R. 3082).  The bill was approved by the House on a 415-3 vote and provides $53 billion in discretionary funds for veterans’ assistance and $24.6 billion for military construction projects.

“This is another down payment on the infrastructure improvements required to handle the 19,000 new employees that will be relocated to Fort Belvoir because of BRAC,” said Moran.  “We increased funding for veterans’ and included language providing a TurboTax-style pilot program so that vets can file their disability and pension benefits online, making the process a little easier for our service men and women.”

Moran Veterans’ TurboVet Language -- The Moran language encourages the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to report by January 29, 2010, on the feasibility of using TurboTax-style technology for veterans’ disability and pension claims’ filings. 

The processes involved with submitting disability compensation and pension claims with the Department is one of the most challenging obstacles to the timely and accurate receipt of veterans benefits.  While the Department has made progress in deploying electronic records for veterans, further advances in technology will enable the automation of even the most complicated claims. 

Military construction projects supported by Moran (total: $740 million):

• Fort Belvoir Access Road -- $9.5 million. To construct a new entrance from Richmond Highway (U.S. Route 1) onto the North Post of Fort Belvoir. Currently, the only access point from US Route 1 onto the North Post is via Woodlawn Gate (Route 618).

• Road and Infrastructure -- $20 million.  The National Museum for the US Army will be located at Fort Belvoir’s North Post which is bounded by the Fairfax County Parkway and Kingman and Beulah Roads.  Transportation and utility infrastructure at the site is not adequate to support the projected one million annual visitors. The funding will be used to improve road and parking access to the proposed museum site.  

• Flight Control Tower -- $8.3 million.  The flight control tower at Davison Army Airfield on Fort Belvoir was constructed in 1958, and is outdated, posing an aviation safety risk.  Funding will be used to upgrade the flight tower with more modern equipment.
 
• Fort Belvoir Hospital Construction -- $106.3 million.  Funding will support construction of the new Fort Belvoir community hospital which is scheduled to replace the current DeWitt Hospital and portions of the Walter Reed Medical Center. 

• Washington Headquarter Service Office Complex -- $336.3 million. Funding will be used to relocate the Washington Headquarter Service to the Mark Center in Alexandria in accordance with the 2005 BRAC decision.

• WRAMC HQ Building -- $17.5 million.  To relocate the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) headquarters facilities to Fort Belvoir, VA, adjacent to the new hospital. 

• Dental Clinic -- $12.6 million.  A new dental clinic will be constructed at Fort Belvoir in accordance with the 2005 BRAC decision which calls for quality dental care to be provided in accordance with its relocation actions at Fort Belvoir.

• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency -- $168.7 million.  Funding will go towards consolidating and relocating the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) facilities to the Engineer Proving Ground (EPG) at Fort Belvoir in accordance with the 2005 BRAC requirement. 

• BRAC Infrastructure -- $61 million.  This project will provide infrastructure improvements for units and agencies relocating to Fort Belvoir as a result of the 2005 BRAC requirement.

--30--