(Washington, D.C.)  Today, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers secured $4.15 million to replace an outdated and cramped refueling vehicle maintenance facility at Fairchild Air Force Base as the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010.    McMorris Rodgers, as a member of the House Armed Services Committee, voted to approve funding levels for the upcoming year. 

Currently, crews from the Air Force's 92nd Air Refueling Wing and the National Guard's 141st Air Refueling Wing work in separate, undersized, substandard and environmentally deficient buildings as they repair vehicles that support the KC-135 air refueling tankers.  McMorris Rodgers’ $4.15 million authorization will combine the two crews into one building. 

“The aging KC-135 tankers at Fairchild Air Force Base and the vehicles that support the planes are critical components of our country’s defense,” McMorris Rodgers said.  “It’s important the men and women have adequate facilities to maintain the support vehicles the tanker fleet relies upon.”

Eastern Washington businesses, biofuel producers and troops will also benefit from additional key provisions McMorris Rodgers added into the bill.  This language:

• Encourages the Secretary of Defense to explore using online self-help tools for soldiers seeking mental health treatment
• Creates a more competitive bidding process that will allow small technology companies to compete for defense contracts
• Supports the use of biofuels in domestic military transportation

McMorris Rodgers also praised the provisions in the bill which give military commanders the support and reinforcement they need to fight terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as a 3.4 percent pay raise for our troops.

Contact:
Destry Henderson
202-225-2006
202-279-0418