Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today announced that a key spending bill working its way through the Senate contains $26.4 million he requested for a military construction project at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis.

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved the fiscal year 2009 Military Construction Appropriations Bill.  The bill sets aside $18.1 million to construct a Special Operations Forces Maintenance Hangar and $8.3 million for a CV-22 simulator training facility. 

The funding in the FY 2009 Military Construction bill is in addition to a recent $8 million allocated in the recent emergency supplemental spending bill for a childcare center.

“The funding included in this bill is vital to Cannon Air Force Base as it begins its transition to Special Operations Command mission,” Bingaman said.

The bill, which contains a total of $66.75 million for New Mexico bases, included the funding for the following projects:  

• $14.4 million to construct a fuel storage replacement facility at Kirtland;
• $14.5 million to construct a Low Observable Composite Repair Facility at Holloman;
• $3.15 million for the additions and alterations to the Flight Simulator Facility at Holloman;
• $4.6 million to construct an Aerospace Ground Equipment Facility at Holloman;
• $2.15 million to construction a Jet Engine Maintenance Shop at Holloman;
• $1.05 million for additions and alterations to Aircraft Maintenance Units at Holloman;
• $495,000 for design of a consolidated munitions handling facility at Holloman.

The FY 2009 Military Construction Appropriations bill is ready for full Senate debate.  It will be several months before the bill can be finalized.