Washington, D.C. -- “This Congress and this Administration have taken a major step toward keeping our promise to the nation’s military veterans,” said Representative Neil Abercrombie, as the House of Representatives passed the funding bill for military construction projects around the world and for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the VA Healthcare system. “This legislation increases funding for veterans medical care, claims processors, and facility improvements, all essential to provide quality health care for our 5 million veterans.” 

With passage of this Fiscal Year 2010 bill, the Congress has increased veterans health care and benefit funding by 58% in the past two and a half years.

The measure also has $308.59 million in military construction projects for Hawaii, including funding for key facilities requested by Abercrombie:

• $5.4 million for construction design of the Hawaii National Guard’s Joint Forces Readiness Center; and
• $4.0 million for construction of a ground control tower at Hickam AFB.
• $850,000 for construction design of dry-dock facilities at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard;

The legislation has $30 million in funding for a Warrior in Transition complex at Schofield Barracks.  Warrior Transition Units help soldiers whose injuries or illnesses require complex medical care, and help them recover and return to duty or make the transition to civilian life. They include Soldier and Family Assistance Centers, and provide services, from assistance with ID cards to education and information on insurance and VA benefits.   

There is $33 million for two construction projects at Hickam Air Force Base to accommodate the F-22 Raptor fighters headed for the Hawaii Air National Guard next year, including improvements to parking aprons and taxiways at Hickam, and a Low-Observable Composite Repair Facility, necessary to maintain the high tech fighter’s radar-absorbing skin.

“These military construction expenditures are necessary and prudent investments in the military’s ability to maintain high levels of personnel and equipment readiness, and their mission capability,” Abercrombie said.

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