Webb Hails Passage of Legislation to Support National Defense, Military Construction in Virginia, Veterans Welfare

Washington, DC—Today, Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) announced that the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations (MilCon/ VA) for Fiscal Year 2010, passed in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday with a 100-0 vote, contains important provisions for the nation’s defense, Virginia, and the welfare of the men and women in uniform, their families, and veterans.

The legislation appropriates more than $133.9 billion in total funding, including $23.2 billion for Department of Defense military construction and $53 billion in fiscal year 2010 discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Senator Webb said, “This strong bipartisan bill will support our troops and their families, as well as necessary upgrades to Virginia’s key military installations. Funding in this bill will also help to expand access to veterans’ health care services, address necessary improvements to VA medical centers, and increase staff to process an unacceptable claims backlog.”

The MilCon/ VA Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010 included a number of provisions sponsored by Senator Webb to support projects associated with the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission’s (BRAC’s) realignment of military installations and Virginia’s veterans’ community. Senator Webb also included a statement for the record emphasizing that funding appropriated in the bill for dredging at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, is not associated with the Navy’s proposal to homeport a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier there. [To read Senator Webb’s statement for the record, visit: http://webb.senate.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2009-11-10-02.cfm]

Following is a partial list of the bill’s provisions highlighting those of special significance to Virginia’s veterans, military service members and their families, military installations, and the defense industrial base.  [For a summary of the bill, visit: http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=6b6cf582-075d-4a01-9755-db31863e3528]
 

Provisions Sponsored by Senator Webb

• $450,000 Webb/Warner Measure to Conduct Transportation Study to Address BRAC Growth, Relieve Traffic Congestion:  The measure offered by Senators Webb and Mark Warner makes $450,000 available to the Secretary of Defense to arrange a Transportation Research Board study of improvements needed to accommodate growth and traffic associated with the 2005 BRAC. The provision aims to address the lack of adequate funding and time for BRAC-affected communities to undergo needed transportation projects.  The study could identify new criteria for determining funding eligibility and lead to a more appropriate sharing of costs by the Department of Defense. BRAC-related consolidations have generated several requirements for major road-improvement projects to address increased congestion at Fort Belvoir, Quantico Marine Corps Base, and Fort Lee, among others.
  
  “There is no question that, as a result of BRAC consolidations, many communities are facing dramatic and sudden population growth, and the increased traffic congestion and quality-of-life challenges that come with it,” said Senator Jim Webb. “Virginia is fortunate to host a number of military facilities that will see significant growth by 2011 under BRAC consolidations.  While that growth provides a welcome economic boost, it also places a burden on the surrounding communities.  We have a responsibility to work with those communities to find ways to address their urgent transportation and infrastructure needs.  Webb continued: “Many of the affected communities and local governments lack the funding and time to complete major projects before BRAC growth occurs. This study will explore what federal, financial remedies could be available.” 
  
  
• “Advanced Appropriations” Measure to Secure Timely, Reliable Funding for Veterans’ Health Care:  With the support of Senator Webb, the legislation contains a provision to secure timely funding for veterans’ health care delivered through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).  The bill authorizes an “advance appropriation,” providing the Department of Veterans Affairs funding on a two-year basis to prevent lapses in services. In 19 of the past 22 fiscal years, final VA appropriations have been enacted several months late and have frequently required supplemental appropriations to sustain veterans’ health care.
  
  “In order to provide quality care for the six million veterans using VA health care, it is vital that funding be sufficient, timely, and predictable,” said Senator Webb. “Congress made the responsible choice to address years of chronic funding failures for VA care.”

Military Construction Funding for Virginia

The legislation appropriates $476.1 million for Virginia military construction projects, incorporating two projects specifically requested jointly by Senators Webb and Mark R. Warner (D-VA):

• $3.66 million project for the expansion of an electromagnetic research and engineering facility at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, VA., and
• $8.9 million project to upgrade the marshalling area at Ft. Eustis, requests supported by the Navy and Army, respectively.
  

The bill also includes the following military construction funding in line with the administration’s budget request:

• Naval Support Facility Dahlgren AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense Facility expansion:  $24.5M
• Dam Neck Special Operations Forces Operations Facility (Increment III):  $15.967M
• Fort A.P Hill Automated Infantry Platoon Battle Course:  $4.9M
• Fort A.P. Hill Field Training Area:  $9M
• Fort A.P. Hill Training Aids Center:  $9.1M
• Fort Belvoir Flight Control Tower:  $8.4M
• Fort Belvoir Road and Access Control Point:  $9.5M
• Fort Pickett Regional Training Institute (Phase II):  $32M
• Langley Air Force Base West & LaSalle Gates Force Protection/Access:  $10M
• Little Creek Special Operations Forces Activity Operations Facility:  $18.669M
• Little Creek Naval Construction Division Operations Facility:  $13.095M
• Norfolk E-2D Trainer Facility:  $11.737M
• Norfolk Facility Upgrades for E-2D Program:  $6.402M
• Oceana Naval Air Station C-40 Hangar:  $30.4M
• Pentagon Electrical Upgrade:  $19.272M
• Pentagon Secondary Uninterruptible Power Raven Rock:  $8.4M
• Portsmouth Ship Repair Pier Replacement:  $126.969M
• Quantico Student Quarters – The Basic School (Phase IV):  $32.06M
• Quantico Marine Security Guard Battalion Training Facility:  $10.34M
• Quantico Marine Corps Information Operations Center:  $29.62M
• Quantico Aircraft Trainer:  $3.17M
• Quantico Dining Facility – The Basic School:  $14.78M
• Quantico South Mainside Electrical Substation:  $15.27M

Provisions to Help Veterans

The legislation includes key funding to improve veterans’ access to healthcare in rural areas, address critical maintenance to VA medical facilities, and increase human resources to deal with an unacceptable backlog in claims processing.

• Appropriately Funding the Post 9/11 GI Bill:  The bill adds $4.8 billion in veterans’ readjustment benefits for the implementation of the post-9/11 educational assistance program.
  
  
• Expanding Veterans Access to Rural Health Care:  The bill includes $250 million to build on the 2009 Rural Health Initiative, providing a total of $440 million in 2010 for medical care for veterans in rural and highly rural areas. The bill also provides an additional $50 million in medical services to establish Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in rural areas that are currently underserved by VA health care facilities.
  
  
• Properly Maintaining VA Medical Facilities:  A funding measure of $1.3 billion ($300 million above the President’s request) is included for the VA to address critical non-recurring maintenance and the backlog of code violations at existing VA hospitals and clinics. Additionally, $1.9 billion is provided for the construction of VA hospitals and clinics. The bill includes $685 million for minor construction projects ($85 million above the President’s budget request) for construction at existing VA medical facilities.
  
  
• Addressing the Backlog in Claims Processing:  The bill provides the Veterans Benefit Administration with the resources to hire 1,200 new claims processors in fiscal year 2010. This will bring the Compensation and Pensions workforce level to 14,549 in 2010 as compared to 7,550 in 2005.