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The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations approved 28-0 the 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which would allocate nearly $434 million to military installations in Alabama, as requested by committee member Sen. Katie Britt, R-Alabama.
In total, the bill would provide $297 billion for military construction and veterans affairs for the 2024 fiscal year, with further advance funds for the 2025 fiscal year. The $135.3 billion in discretionary spending is a decrease from the $154.168 billion provided in fiscal year 2023.
“We have an obligation to take care of our veterans when they come home—and a responsibility to ensure we have the world-class military infrastructure we need to support our servicemembers and keep our nation safe. Despite working under challenging circumstances, we’ve put together a strong, bipartisan bill to fund VA and military construction,” committee chair Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said.
The bill would allocate $68.2 million to Fort Novosel, near Daleville. Funds are provided for a radar aircraft control facility, hazardous materials storage, a building for the on-call MEDEVAC crew, a barracks complex, and storage facilities for aircraft parts and vehicle maintenance.
Maxwell Air Force Base, near Montgomery, would receive $13.9 million to construct a fitness center and two additions to the Air Command and Staff College.
Redstone Arsenal, near Huntsville, would receive $25.3 million for an airfield fire and rescue station, a new access control building, updated gas meter stations, runway overruns, and the relocation of test area 7.
The bill allocates an additional $324 million to housing privatization at Maxwell, an F-35 Ops building at Dannelly Field, a power substation at Redstone, the Army Reserve Center in Birmingham, and a ground test facility for a potential Redstone tenant — possibly Space Command headquarters.
Language proposed by Britt requires that within 90 days of enactment, the secretary of the Air Force must provide a report on all funds spent toward the construction of Space Command headquarters.
“It’s far past time for the Pentagon to announce a final basing decision on the permanent location for Space Command Headquarters. Time and time again, objective analysis has confirmed that Redstone Arsenal is the best location for America’s national security interests. With this report language, we can help ensure that politics is kept out of this process,” Britt said.
With committee approval, the bill will head to the Senate floor.
