Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $9.2 Billion Spending Bill to Fund Military Construction, Housing, and
Remediation Projects

- Includes language requiring the Department of Defense to identify sources of perchlorate contamination on BRAC properties and develop a plan to remediate contamination -
June 26, 2003

Washington, DC - The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee today unanimously approved a $9.196 billion spending package to fund construction, housing, and remediation projects at U.S. military bases across the nation and around the world. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) is Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is Ranking Member of the subcommittee.

"When we put together the Military Construction Appropriation bill every year, we try to fund the military service's highest priority projects," Senator Feinstein said. "Despite tight budgetary constraints, this year we were able to fund almost $9.2 billion dollars for military construction, family housing, and environmental remediation programs for fiscal year 2004. This is a balanced program that will help provide the infrastructure that continues to allow our military to be a highly effective fighting force."

The package contains:

• $4.6 billion for military construction projects - used for the construction of barracks, child development centers, hospitals and medical facilities, security investments, and funding for guard and reserve units.



• $3.95 billion of Family Housing Projects -- used for the construction of new family housing and improvements and operations and maintenance to existing units and for operation.



• $370.43 million for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) projects -- including $21.6 million for clean up at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.

The legislation also includes provisions to:

• Establish an Overseas Basing Commission. This would be a Congressionally appointed commission to study the structure of U.S. overseas military facilities and report its conclusion and recommendations to Congress and the President by August 30, 2004. Senators Hutchison and Feinstein introduced legislation to create this commission on April 29, 2003.

• Ensure that the Department of Defense will respond appropriately to clean up perchlorate contamination after a federal perchlorate standard is set by:


-Requiring that the Department submit a report by December 31, 2003 on the activities of the Interagency Perchlorate Steering Committee, which was established to examine how Perchlorate contamination has affected drinking water supplies and irrigation water supplies.

-Identifying sources of perchlorate on BRAC properties and develop a plan to remediate perchlorate contamination on BRAC sites that can be implemented quickly once state or Federal perchlorate standards are set.

"Senator Hutchison and I understand the importance of maintaining strong military ties with our allies overseas and supports the Defense Department's efforts to ensure that our overseas basing structure reflects the international realities of the post-Cold War environment," Senator Feinstein said. "For this reason, we are recommending a pause in funding a number of proposed construction projects in Europe and South Korea until the Defense Department completes its overseas basing review and presents a comprehensive plan to Congress. The overseas basing commission that is included in this bill will provide another important layer of oversight to this process."

"Additionally, the bill urges the Department of Defense to take perchlorate contamination seriously and to be prepared to remediate the contamination quickly once standards are set. Perchlorate contamination at defense, and defense contractor sites, is a serious problem, and up to this point, the Department has been unresponsive to requests to test for perchlorate at BRAC properties or other defense sites. It is my hope that the Department will get the message and begin to adequately address the situation."

A list of California projects funded in the bill is attached.

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