Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

“This bill is extremely important to New Mexico because our state plays such a critical role in our national security.  Because of this bill, our military installations and national laboratories will have the support they need to carry out the important work they do,” Bingaman said.

The FY 2011 Defense Authorization Bill sets funding levels for defense-related spending, but a separate bill actually funds the programs.  While this bill does not contain all of the specific funding requests Bingaman made for the labs and military installations, the senator said he will be working to ensure that all of New Mexico’s base and lab needs are met.

The bill does authorize funding for the following:

Cannon Air Force Base

• $14 million for 96-room dormitory
• $20 million for Squadron Ops Facility
• $13.287 million to Add/Alter Simulator Facility for MC-130J
• $26 million for C-130 Parking Apron Phase I
• $12.636 million for Aircraft Parking Apron (MC-130J)
• $24.622 million for Hanger/AMU (MC-130J)
• $39.674 million for Operations and Training Complex

Holloman Air Force Base

• $15.47 million: Alter Maintenance Hanger
• $22.5 million: Maintenance Hangar

Kirtland Air Force

• $3.8 million: Aerial Delivery Facility Addition
• $6.46 million: Armament Shop
• $14.142 million: H/MC-130 Fuel System Maintenance Facility

White Sands Missile Range

• $29 million: Barracks
• $22.9 million: TRICARE Health and Dental Clinics

Army National Guard

• $8.5 million: Readiness Center (Farmington)

Army Reserves

• $11.4 million: Army Reserve Center/Land (Las Cruces)

National Laboratories/Other

• Stockpile Stewardship $7.029 billion, a 10% increase over FY10
• Non Proliferation $2.667 billion, a 24% increase over FY10
• Clean up of nuclear weapons sites $5.588 billion a 1% decrease over FY 10 but enabling the funding for the President’s request of WIPP ($220M) and LANL ($200M).
• Extends the Los Alamos Land Transfer authority through Fiscal Year 2022 to transfer excess land at Los Alamos National Laboratory to the City of Los Alamos and other entities.
• A provision that puts stringent cost overrun conditions on major projects greater than $50 million when they exceed 25% of their baseline cost including a certification by the National Nuclear Security Administration that the management structure is in place to adequately manage the cost overrun project.  This is important as the NNSA moves forward with the multibillion dollar Chemistry Materials Research Replacement building project.
• Requires the Secretary of the Air Force to report to the Armed Services Committee within 90 days of enactment on measures it is taking to clean up the fuel spill around Kirtland Air Force Base.