massive defense bill means construction in the west

A defense funding bill for fiscal year 2019, named in honor of the late Senator John McCain, will see new facility project construction in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, among other states.

The John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act contains more than $670 million in defense spending, and has now been signed into law by President Trump.

Passed by overwhelming majorities in both the House and Senate, the legislation takes effect on Monday, October 1—the first day of the new fiscal year.

Among the facility projects to be funded in the bill is the $40 million construction of an F-35 aircraft maintenance facility at the Luke Air Force Base, just west of Glendale, Arizona; and a vehicle maintenance shop at the Fort Carson Base near Colorado Springs, a project receiving $40 million in funding.

In New Mexico, up to $70 million will be used for the construction of a new MQ-9 Formal Training Unit Operations Facility at the Holloman Air Force Base near Alamogordo; while $40 million is targeted for the building of a new information systems facility at the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico.

Altogether, the legislation provides $11 billion for new construction on military bases across the country. That construction additionally includes family housing projects.

Before his election to Congress, McCain, who died in August, served in the U.S. Navy and was a prisoner of war for more than five years in Vietnam.

By Garry Boulard

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