House Passes $108.6 Million for Fort Meade Improvements

A bill that could send $108.6 million in federal funding towards improvements at Fort Meade took a big step Tuesday after the House of Representatives voted 411-5 in favor of the proposal.

The money was included in the Military Construction – Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill for the Fiscal Year 2012. The bill includes $72.5 billion in funds for military construction projects, with $721.6 million for projects in Maryland.

“America’s men and women in uniform courageously answered the call to serve their country and deserve support for their sacrifices,” said Rep. CA Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) in a statement.

Ruppersberger said in the statement that the bill would fund defense hospitals and address the most pressing needs at Maryland military facilities.

If passed by the Senate, Fort Meade specifically could receive $43 million for the Applied Instruction Facility, $36 million for the Brigade Complex and $29.6 million for the National Security Agency’s High Performance Computer Complex.

Other projects included in the bill are listed below:

• $15.5 million for Auto Technology Evaluation Facility (Aberdeen Proving Ground)
• $63 million for Command and Control Facility (Aberdeen Proving Ground)
• $22.8 million for U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense Replacement (Aberdeen Proving Ground)
• $16 million for Army National Guard Readiness Center (Dundalk)
• $4.9 million for Air National Guard’s C-27 Conversion (Martin State Airport)