WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) says the Department of Defense will invest more than $84 million on 57 projects in Missouri through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 

          “Missouri military facilities, including Fort Leonard Wood, Whiteman Air Force Base, and the Missouri National Guard Training Center, will see work begin on many important facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization projects.  Repairing training barracks at Fort Leonard Wood and repairing roofs and ventilation systems at Whiteman Air Force Base are a few of the items that need to be addressed to take proper care of facilities our nation has invested in through the years,” said Skelton.
       
          “Many of the maintenance projects will significantly improve energy efficiency.  Other projects will improve quality of life for service members and their families.  These projects will create jobs, but will also ensure that our men and women in uniform have the facilities they need to train and maintain the quality of life Americans expect to provide for our troops and their families,” said Skelton.

          On March 20, 2009, the Department of Defense announced the details of approximately 3,000 military construction and facility improvement projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The $5.9 billion budget for these construction and repair projects represents the bulk of the approximately $7.4 billion in defense-related funding provided by the ARRA.      

          A list of the Missouri projects can be found by clicking here.  A complete list of the specific projects is available online at defenselink.mil/recovery/ and at recovery.gov.  The Department of Defense will continue to use these websites to post future announcements related to ARRA funding.

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Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO) serves as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee . For further information, please contact Lara Battles at 202-225-2539 or Rebecca Loving  at 202-225-2876 or check Congressman Skelton’s website at http://www.house.gov/skelton.