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Date: 8/3/2018
WASHINGTON, DC – If the Senate and the president agree, Westover Air Reserve base will receive needed funding.
On July 26, Congressman Richard Neal announced the House had passed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. The Act provides $42 million for a new hanger at Westover.
Neal’s hope is the Senate will finish their part of the legislative process, so President Donald Trump can sign the bill before a deadline of Oct. 1.
Neal released the following statement: “Today, I voted for the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. As one of the conferees that helped shepherd through this important legislation, I paid a great deal of attention to the interests of the First District of Massachusetts. In western and central Massachusetts, there are two military bases and numerous companies with nearly 11,000 jobs that help drive the economy of the region. Westover Air Reserve Base and Barnes Air National Guard Base alone contribute over $350 million to the local economy. It is vital that these large employers such as Westover and Barnes, as well as General Dynamics, and Warren Pumps have adequate support from the federal government to continue their work supporting the national security interests of the nation.
“FY19 NDAA significantly benefits the First District in many tangible ways. Most notably, this legislation authorizes the construction of a $42.6 million Regional ISO Maintenance Hangar at Westover Air Reserve Base. I have advocated for this state-of-the-art facility throughout my tenure in Congress. It will replace the current 70-year-old hangar and better equip Westover to fulfill its mission now and into the future. In addition, NDAA authorizes a 2.6 percent pay raise for all military personnel, as well as establishes a prescription drug-monitoring program to help combat opioid drug abuse inside the military.
“I am confident that this legislation will be valuable for our troops, their families, and for all constituents in the First District in the coming years.”
Margaret Boyle of Neal’s office explained the next step in the process.
“The bill now goes to the Senate (Senator Warren was also a conferee with Congressman Neal on the negotiation committee for this bill) for their vote. Because the Senate’s August recess has been cancelled, they are in session all month. Congressman Neal is hopeful that because they have extra legislative days that the bill will pass the Senate and be on President Trump’s desk for signature ahead of the Oct. 1 deadline. If that happens, it will be the first time the NDAA passes on time in about 20 years,” she said.