WASHINGTON, DC – Today the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3082, the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which includes $9.1 million in new federal funding for the Connecticut Air National Guard at Bradley Airport requested jointly by the five members of the Connecticut Congressional delegation in the House. The annual appropriations bill passed the House of Representatives today by a final vote of 415-3.

Congressman John B. Larson, Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said, “Connecticut’s Air National Guard serves a vital role in our national defense. This critical funding will provide our brave men and women in uniform with a state-of-the-art 24-hour command and control center to support their new mission, meeting security requirements and protecting our classified missions. I am proud to support this program that will give our National Guard the support they deserve and improve infrastructure at Bradley Airport.”

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro stated, “I am delighted that we were able to secure funding to upgrade the Connecticut Air National Guard facilities. By moving forward quickly with these upgrades, the entire Air National Guard will be able to benefit from the talented men and women of the Connecticut Guard as they conduct the high-tech and highly-skilled work necessary to ensure the Guard is able to meet air combat operations around the globe.”

Congressman Chris Murphy stated, “These funds accelerate a project that the Connecticut Air National Guard needs completed in order to accomplish their important mission. Our men and women in uniform in Connecticut deserve a state-of-the-art facility as they play a key role in our national security efforts, and I’m pleased to have worked with my fellow members of the Connecticut delegation to move this funding through the process.”

Congressman Joe Courtney, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, stated, “Our ‘Flying Yankees’ play an absolutely critical role in the defense of our state and our nation. Beginning this project in 2010 will ensure that our Connecticut Air National Guard can continue to train and prepare for their Air Operations mission – which will put them on the cutting edge of military operations and logistics around the world. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues in the Connecticut delegation to secure this funding, and look forward to ensuring that this project makes it way into law.”

Congressman Jim Himes stated, “This project will help ensure our brave service men and women have access to state-of-the-art facility to protect us. I am pleased that I was able to work with the other members of the Connecticut delegation in securing this investment in Connecticut’s national security workforce.”

The joint request by Connecticut’s House delegation resulted in an additional $9.1 million to upgrade the Connecticut Air National Guard’s TFI -cNAF BEDDOWN facilities. The funding, if approved by the Senate, will be used to build facilities needed to support the 103rd Airlift Wing's Component Numbered Air Force (cNAF) Air Operations Command Center.

This mission, assigned to the 103AW following the removal of their A-10s through the 2005 BRAC process, will engage the CT Air National Guard in high tech, highly-skilled work that will support the planning operations, intelligence, logistics, combat service support, and communications-electronics needs of air combat operations around the globe.

While this project is currently planned for 2011, acceleration to 2010 is needed to adequately support the training of personnel to meet the needs of their new mission - and without acceleration, there will be a gap in the 103AW's ability to adequately accomplish this important mission.

This legislation must now be considered by the Senate and signed into law by President Obama.