Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2012

SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE FINAL CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF NEARLY $140 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION AT FORT DRUM

Gillibrand, Member Of The Senate Armed Services Committee, Fought Hard For Federal Resources For New and Improved Facilities

Schumer, Who Has Long Led Efforts to Deliver for Fort Drum, Lauds Latest Success as a “Shot in the Arm for the North Country Economy”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that $138.2 million in funding for the construction of several facilities at Fort Drum, including a new specialty care clinic, a new aircraft maintenance hangar, and a complex for missile tracking technology has now passed both chambers of Congress. The funding for construction is included as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which now heads to President Obama to be signed into law.

“Fort Drum and its brave soldiers now has some great news before the holidays, with the delivery of funding for a new specialty clinic, aircraft maintenance hangar and missile tracking complex,” said Senator Schumer. “These funds will ensure that Fort Drum remains an integral part of our national defense, provide essential support to the men and women who serve our country in uniform, and provide a shot in the arm for the North Country economy.”

“This is a great investment for Fort Drum to help upgrade our military facilities, provide better resources for our Soldiers and attract new missions, while creating new construction jobs,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “This federal funding would help improve support services for the Soldiers stationed at Fort Drum and ensure our men and women in uniform have the very best facilities and opportunities. They and their families have sacrificed for all of us and we owe them for their incredible service.”

The military construction funding for Fort Drum would help complete the following projects:

· $95 million to construct a new aircraft maintenance hangar to support maintenance and storage of the Combat Aviation Brigade Aircraft at Ft. Drum. Additionally, the funding will help construct hangar maintenance bays and aircraft storage bays, as well as constructing a new control tower.

· $25.9 million to construct a new missile defense data terminal complex that would bolster the nation’s eastern ballistic missile defense system.

· $17.3 million to construct a new specialty care clinic that would be used for primary care purposes. Ft. Drum has recently experienced an increase in personnel as a result of stationing actions taken by the Army.

Federal defense spending must be authorized before it can be appropriated. The House of Representatives approved the NDAA conference report last night, with the Senate voting for its approval today.

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