An Update From Washington - Weekly Column

Statement

And Update from Washington

Last Friday, I supported the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for 2010. The bill funds the Department of Veterans Affairs and funds military construction projects and support services at installations across the country, including specific funding for Fort Rucker. The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support and passed 415 - 3. It now goes to the Senate for full consideration.

The bill appropriates a total of $109 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical care, additional claims processors, and facility improvements. For the first time, VA health care funding will be appropriated a year in advance, ensuring that funding for VA hospital will never be held up due to Congressional inaction. Advanced funding has been a top priority for many veterans' advocacy organizations. H.R. 3082 also appropriates $24.6 billion for military construction, including base facilities and housing. The bill represents a historic 12% increase in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I was able to add specific funding in H.R. 3082 for the Water Survival Training Facility (WSTF) at Fort Rucker. The facility will provide Fort Rucker with a world class training facility for both the Army Aviation Water Egress Center of Excellence and the Aviation Life Support Equipment Center of Excellence. This funding will allow Fort Rucker to make final preparations to build a single facility for required pilot survival training, one of Fort Rucker's top construction priorities.

This Congress has made critical investments in both troops currently serving and veterans who have sacrificed for our country. I was proud to support this legislation, which continues historic investments in veterans health care and support services and needed construction projects for military installations. I would like to thank the Appropriations Committee for crafting a bill that funds top priorities we have previously passed through the Armed Services Committee.

Funding the Farm Bill

The House of Representatives also passed the Agriculture Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010. The bill funds the Department of Agriculture, including provisions included in the Farm Bill passed last year. Additionally, the bill contains two projects I sponsored to aid agricultural research in Alabama. H.R. 2997 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

The Farm Bill, or the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, governs the bulk of Federal agriculture and related programs for the next four years. In addition to providing the funds for the Farm Bill, H.R. 2997 provides more than $2.8 billion for USDA programs for rural communities such as rural housing, water projects, community facilities and economic development efforts, including high speed broadband internet. These programs help create new opportunities for growth and development in rural areas across the nation.

The Agriculture Appropriations Bill contained two projects I requested that will benefit Alabama farmers. The Research Center on Detection and Food Safety and the Tri-State Joint Peanut Research Project, both at Auburn University, will ensure the safety and viability of the peanut industry in Alabama. The Second District is home to one of the highest concentrations of peanut producers in the country, and these projects go a long way in preserving and strengthening this important crop.

This is a good bill that ensures the future of our nation's agriculture community by providing farms and farmers with the support they need and deserve. I look forward to working on the Agriculture Committee to continue to support American agriculture and strengthen rural America.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our offices in Montgomery at (334) 277-9113, Dothan at (334) 794-9680, Opp at (334) 493-9253, or Ozark at (334) 445-4600. You can also visit the website at www.bright.house.gov to sign up for the e-newsletter. It is my great pleasure to serve you and the entire Second District of Alabama.

Source