December 22, 2010

Washington, DC—Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement after Congress passed the 2011 Defense Authorization bill by unanimous consent:

“Supporting our troops and giving them the resources they need to succeed is one of our most important duties. Today we provided them with a well-deserved pay raise, and the funding, equipment and other resources they need to keep America safe, and defeat our enemies in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. This is a commonsense issue with broad bipartisan support, and I am glad Congress was able to fulfill this critical duty as the year draws to a close.

“This legislation includes critical provisions that will bolster some of Nevada’s military bases, ensuring they stay up-to-date and prepared to keep our country safe. I will always leverage my position as Majority Leader to provide the resources Nevada’s men and women in uniform deserve.”

As part of DOD Authorization, Reid secured the following funds for Nevada after they were requested by DOD:

•   $11,710,000 for Creech Air Force Base – Airfield Crash and Rescue Station

•   $51,649,000 for Nellis Air Force Base projects (Many of these projects are in preparation for the F-35 joint strike fighter squadron that will be based at Nellis.)
o   F-35 Maintenance Hangar: $28,760,000
o   F-35 Flight Simulator Facility: $13,110,000
o   F-35 Test Evaluation Squadron Facility: $7,870,000
o   F-35 Flight Test Instrumentation Facility: $1,900,000