Ander Crenshaw: MILCON Bill Good for Defense Operations on First Coast

On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, R-Fla., who sits on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, backed the 2015 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MILCON) Appropriations Bill which he says will help defense projects on the First Coast. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate.

Naval Station Mayport and Naval Air Station Jacksonville are central to our national security, Crenshaw said. With my strong support, Congress underscored that point one more time today by passing a comprehensive, bipartisan MILCON bill that funds defense infrastructure projects on the First Coast the only ones in the state of Florida. Construction of a Littoral Combat Ship operational training facility at Naval Station Mayport and expansion of the MH-60R helicopter parking apron and improvements to Naval Air Station Jacksonville runways and taxiways are critical to keeping our Navy forces strong and ready to serve whenever they are called to duty.

Equally important, we also keep our commitment to funding military family housing and quality-of-life programs around the country as well as veterans benefits and programs, Crenshaw added. The comprehensive, bipartisan MILCON bill is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars, providing our men and women in uniform with the resources they need and our veterans with the support they have earned through years of dedicated service.

The bill sends $20.5 million to Mayport for the Littoral Combat Ship operational training facility and more than $30 million to Naval Air Station Jacksonville to expand the MH-60R apron and improve the P-8A runways and taxiways.