Sen. Katie Britt (R-Alabama), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined her colleagues on Friday to pass funding for military construction, veterans affairs, and related agencies in fiscal year 2024. transportation, housing and urban development, and related agencies. Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies. commercial, judicial, scientific, and related institutions; Energy and water development. Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of the Environment, and related agencies.
The bill, which overwhelmingly passed the House on Wednesday, also passed the Senate 75-22 and now heads to the president's desk. This bill directly appropriates more than $786 million to Alabama's key priorities, including more than $232 million dedicated by Senator Britt for strategic and targeted investments across the state. secured.
Importantly, the package retains all traditional riders, including Hyde and Second Amendment protections, and includes many conservative gains, including targeted spending cuts.
“As I have emphasized since taking office, my priorities are to restore order to the spending process and pass responsible and prudent legislation that is consistent with our commitments to the American people. Thanks to the strategic victories we have secured, more of Alabamians' hard-earned taxpayer dollars will be returning home instead of going to New York or California,” said Senator Britt. . “I am proud to support Alabama’s military installations, veterans, family farmers, great law enforcement, infrastructure, economic development, and big wins for our communities. , will make significant investments in Alabama and expand 21st century opportunities across the state through the most robust and transparent committee and floor amendment process we have seen in years. The American people deserve better than a broken federal spending process, and I will continue to fight to restore fiscal sanity and decency to our nation's capital.”
A detailed breakdown of the Alabama projects secured by Senator Britt that were funded by the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Act can be found below.
Fort Novosel ($68.2 million):
- Barracks Complex – $41.2 million
- This funding will complete the construction of a barracks complex for the soldiers of Fort Novosel.
- Army Radar Approach Control – $7 million
- Build an Army Radar Approach Control Complex (ARAC) to support Army aviation training missions.
- Hazardous materials storage facility – $3.85 million
- Build a new Hazardous Materials Warehouse (HMW) and Hazardous Waste Warehouse.
- MEDEVAC Ready Building – $6.1 million
- Construct a ready response building to support the 24-hour operations of the On-Call Aeromedical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) personnel at Cairns Army Airfield.
- Aircraft parts storage facility – $4.95 million
- The funding will complete the construction of a facility to store aircraft parts.
- Vehicle maintenance storage facility – $5.1 million
- The funds will be used to complete the construction of a facility to store the vehicles.
Maxwell Air Force Base ($13.9 million):
- Construction of Air Force Command and Staff College – $5.1 million
- Construction of a one-story addition and a two-story addition to the Air University's Air Command and Staff College (ACSC).
- Gunter Fitness Center Replacement (Construction) – $8.8 million.
- Build facilities to ensure military strength and readiness.
Redstone Arsenal ($25.3 million):
- Airport runway extension (overrun) – $5.5 million
- Construct overruns at the north and south ends of the runway to support multiple Department of Defense and Department of Justice missions at Redstone Arsenal Airfield.
- Airfield Fire and Rescue Station – $5.6 million
- Provides three airfield fire and rescue stations.
- Access Control Building – $4 million
- Construct new access control buildings to support the Redstone Arsenal.
- Natural Gas Expansion and Metering Station – $4.8 million
• Build and update gas meter stations in redstone.
5. Relocation of Test Area 7 – $5.4 million
•. Funds to relocate Test Area 7 on Redstone.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Act includes more than $369 million in funding for construction projects at military installations across Alabama, supported by Senator Britt. These include $65 million for a military housing privatization project at Maxwell Air Force Base Air Education and Training Command, $50 million for a substation power project at Redstone Arsenal, $57 million for the Army Reserve Center in Birmingham; Includes $147,975,000 for ground test facility infrastructure. Redstone Arsenal.
Additionally, Senator Britt would require the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report within 90 days of enactment of the bill detailing all funds expended or obligated for the construction, renovation, or improvement of Space Command facilities. We have secured language requiring submissions within a certain period of time. .
The Transportation, Housing, Urban Development and Related Agencies Act includes more than $42 million in directed spending secured by Senator Britt to modernize and upgrade transportation infrastructure in communities across Alabama. These investments in Alabama's key priorities include infrastructure improvements to rural roads, regional airports, and inland ports that improve safety while promoting economic development and supporting local communities. jobs can be created.
Senator Britt also supported funding for the bill, which sets aside $7.5 million for the National Scenic Highways Program and $100 million for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which includes the Beltline north of Birmingham. Alabama has the most unfinished miles of any state in the system and will receive a significant portion of the total ADHS budget.
Additionally, Sen. Britt secured $28 million in directed spending for specific surface transportation infrastructure in communities across the state.
The legislation includes an amendment authored by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) that would allow the U.S. Department of Transportation to implement or enforce mask mandates of any kind on airplanes, trains, buses, and public transportation. It will no longer be possible to force it. Senator Britt voted in favor of this amendment on the Senate floor and is a co-sponsor of Senator Vance's proposal. free breathing method, Similar bans would then be introduced.
The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Act includes Sen. Britt's mandate to invest in state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime, combat the fentanyl crisis, and invest in economic development programs. Includes over $10 million in directed expenditures secured. Importantly, the bill would prohibit the Department of Justice from using funds to target parents who peacefully protest at school board meetings and would prohibit investigating religious institutions based on religious beliefs. It is prohibited to use the funds for These two actions are the most egregious actions taken by the school board. Biden administration.
Sen. Britt also supported funding for legislation to ensure that the Artemis program remains on track and that the United States, not China, is the first to return humans to the moon. In addition, Sen. Britt will invest $4.2 million in the City of Birmingham's Real-Time Crime Center to support local and state law enforcement officers and their ability to respond quickly and even immediately to ongoing or recently occurring crimes. I secured the dollar.
The Energy and Water Development Act includes approximately $73 million in directed spending for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, secured by Senator Bullitt. This includes his more than $20 million to restore and repair the George W. Andrews Lock and Dam, and his more than $18 million to support maintenance dredging, disposal site maintenance, and recreational facilities in the Tennessee-Tombibee Waterway. Masu. These funds will also be used to operate and maintain locks and dams along the waterway, including Demopolis Lock, which was damaged earlier this year and is currently being repaired.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Act provides numerous Alabama benefits supported by Senator Britt, including robust funding to combat chronic wasting disease (CWD) and continue the National Feral Swine Damage Management Program. Investing in state agricultural priorities.
The legislation, authored by Sen. Britt, includes $1 million in research funds to study how peanut farmers in Alabama and across the country can most effectively deal with the drought currently impacting their crops. Contains proposed amendments.
Sen. Britt also worked with Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) on a bipartisan basis to support the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a streamlined and uniform process for tracking and disclosing all foreign investments. We worked together to include funding amendments into this legislation. On American farmland.
Additionally, the legislation would provide significant federal funding to USDA-managed rural public works and rural development programs that support infrastructure improvements and economic development in rural communities across Alabama.
Finally, the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Act includes approximately $18 million in directed spending for water infrastructure projects secured by Senator Britt. Additionally, the bill would reduce the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) regulatory budget by 10 percent.
