Hoyer Announces $11 Million for New Special Communications Engineering Facility at Webster Field

WASHINGTON, DC - The FY2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill that passed the U.S. House today contains $11.043 million for the construction of a Communications Engineering Facility at Webster Field Annex at St. Inigoes. The project funding was included at the request of Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), and will enable the base to accommodate growing workloads, which have exceeded current capacity. The bill also provides funding for critical veterans health services and the construction of key facilities for training and housing our military.

"As mission operations have expanded at Webster Field, so too has the need for secure workspace," stated Rep. Hoyer. "This investment, which will provide the additional facilities necessary for Webster Field to continue its important work, underscores the strategic role Southern Maryland's installations continue to play in our nation's defense operations."

The funding will be used to build an additional Special Communications Engineering Facility at Webster Field. This additional workspace will increase the number of Secure Compartmented Information Facilities to accommodate increased workloads, allowing this special unit to continue work on communications and special operations missions from fixed-base, tactical, shipboard, and other environments.

The legislation also strengthens quality health care for more than six million veterans- including 419,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - and provides advance funds for veterans health services in 2011, so that funding for our veterans' health care is timely and reliable. In addition, funds the construction of training and housing facilities, addressing the unfunded backlog of barracks for the young men and women entering the service - and takes additional steps to support the military families who give so much in service to this country with military child care centers, military family housing, and additional Vets Centers to provide community-based readjustment counseling for veterans and their families.

"Supporting our troops and veterans means taking action to provide them with the resources they need and the benefits they have earned," said Rep. Hoyer. "I am grateful for the immeasurable sacrifice of the brave men and women who have served our country, and I wholeheartedly support this legislation to give them the services they have earned."

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