Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved funding of $70.4 million in military construction projects.
The projects that will receive additional funding included the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Hattiesburg and the 172 Airlift Wing at the Jackson International Airport.
The committee approved the funding as part of the FY2022 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Bill. The bill passed committee by 25-5 and will now head to the full senate.
“The Senate MilCon-VA bill would fund several Mississippi projects that have been on the drawing board for a while, all of which are designed to improve the operational efficiency of the military units working and training in our state,” Hyde-Smith said. “I am pleased to help advance the projects for Camp Shelby and the 172nd Airlift Wing, and to move this measure forward to benefit all service members, their families, and veterans.”
The Senate MilCon-VA measure recommends:
- $15.5 million to construct a 52,495-square-foot addition to the Maneuver Area Training Equipment Site (MATES) at Camp Shelby to improve National Guard vehicle maintenance and repair.
- $9.3 million to construct a Fire, Crash, and Rescue Station at the Jackson International Airport.
- $34.5 million to construct a 10-megawatt natural gas generation plant connected to the primary substation at Camp Shelby and to install a micro grid control center.
- $11.5 million to place the Camp Shelby electrical distribution infrastructure underground to create a more resilient energy supply system.
Some items that will particularly impact Mississippi include $30 million to the U.S. Army’s laboratory revitalization program in Vicksburg, $50 million that was not included in President Biden’s budget request to fund the Department of Veterans Affairs grants for construction of state extended care facilities, and an increase in funding for the Armed Forces Retirement Home which operates facilities in Gulfport and D.C.
In addition to the MilCon-VA measure, the Appropriations Committee on Wednesday also approved the FY2022 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill and the FY2022 Agriculture Appropriations Bill.
