The U.S. Senate passed a 2023 Defense Bill earlier this week that could benefit projects at Fort Campbell.
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says the bill provided $38 million for a Multipurpose Training Range and $2.5 million to plan and design a new Air Traffic Control Tower, both at Fort Campbell.
The bill also includes $16.4 million for a modern maintenance facility at the Kentucky Army National Guard and $3.3 million to plan and design a state-of-the-art munitions supply facility at the Blue Grass Army Depot.
The Senate-approved bill also included a 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers, the highest in 22 years. Additionally, it would provide scholarship opportunities for recruits enrolled in community and junior colleges and increase scholarship opportunities for those pursuing military health careers. The bill also authorizes quality improvements for military enlisted barracks, including the replacement of barracks that do not meet basic standards.
The Senate’s bill comes nearly a month after the U.S. House of Representatives approved its own version of the bill. Politico reports that the next step is for Senate and House leadership to come together to produce a compromise version of the annual National Defense Authorization Act that could win President Joe Biden’s signature.
