Fort Benning may get almost $5 million to build hanger for drone-type aircraft
Fort Benning may get almost $5 million to build a Special Operations Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Hangar in the fiscal 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill approved by the House.
U.S. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, said Thursday that H.R. 4974 will now go to the Senate for consideration after it was approved by a 295-129 vote.
“The fiscal year 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill continues to demonstrate strong support for our service members and military construction, but also recognizes the serious challenges remaining in fulfilling our responsibility to veterans and moving the appropriations process forward using the limited resources we have been allocated,” said Bishop, D-Albany.
With approval from the Senate, the bill would help the Maneuver Battle Lab at Fort Benning where unmanned or drone-type aircraft have been tested since 2004 to perform tasks that may help reconnaissance missions for brigade units. Some of the testing has been conducted in a joint effort between the Battle Lab and Georgia Tech Research Institute.
Unmanned aircraft have been tested to search for targets on the ground. Aircraft could also help infantry soldiers look around corners or on roof tops.
The bill also maintains tough reporting requirements for Department of Defense — Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Records integration, prioritizes the elimination of the VA claims backlog and includes funding for the Board of Veterans Appeals. It also provides necessary funding for military maintenance and construction of military family housing, medical and prosthetic research and medical facilities.
Language is included in the bill to limit performance awards to senior executives at the VA, Bishop said.
“As I have stated time and again, this language will not provide any solution in the short-term and, in fact, may have more long term consequences by compounding the very problem it attempts to address,” he said. “By limiting such bonuses, the VA becomes a less attractive option than other agencies when it comes to recruiting and retaining quality executive leaders. Instead, we must do more to attract and retain exceptional talent to the department in order to better serve the needs of our nation’s veterans.”
Ben Wright: 706-571-8576, @bfwright87
Military Projects in Georgia
Defense-Wide
▪ $4.8 million for a Special Operations Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Hangar at Fort Benning
▪ $25 million for a replacement medical clinic at Fort Gordon
Army
▪ $14.8 million for an automated qualification / training range at Fort Stewart
▪ $90 million for a cyber protection team operations facility at Fort Gordon
Air Force
▪ $30.9 million for a four-bay, personnel recovery helicopter hangar at Moody Air Force Base.
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION: $5.621 billion, an increase of $894 million below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $120 million below the president’s request, is provided for military construction programs.
The total recommended funding for the Reserve components is $676.6 million, which is $122 million above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and equal to the FY 2017 budget request.
The bill fully funds the fiscal 2017 budget request for Family Housing construction at $1.3 billion, which is $84.4 million below the fiscal 2016 level.
The total recommended funding for the Base Realignment and Closure account is $230.2 million, a decrease of $36 million from the fiscal 2016 enacted level and $25 million above the fiscal 2017 budget request.
The bill continues to carry language preventing the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
VETERANS AFFAIRS: The committee recommends a total of $176 billion for fiscal year 2017 programs, of which $73.5 billion is discretionary funding, representing an increase of $2.1 billion above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level.
The Board of Veterans Appeals, the General Operating Expenses account, the construction accounts, the Office of Inspector General, the Medical Research account, and the grants accounts are funded at the fiscal year 2017 request level.
As authorized by Congress in 2009, the VA medical services accounts are provided funding one year in advance. The recommendation includes $850 million of the $1.07 billion requested for the current year budget request, which is in addition to the fiscal year 2017 advance appropriation provided in the fiscal year 2016 Omnibus.
The subcommittee recommendation provides $663 million for Medical and Prosthetic Research, which is $32 million above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level, and equal to the fiscal 2017 request.
The subcommittee recommendation provides $528 million for construction, major projects, which is $1.2 billion below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and equal to the President’s request.
The bill continues the practice first established in fiscal year 2016 and restricts the availability of funding for major construction projects costing more than $100 million until VA certifies it has signed an agreement with an appropriate non-VA government entity to serve as the design and/or construction agent for the project.
This story was originally published May 19, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Fort Benning may get almost $5 million to build hanger for drone-type aircraft."