From the office of U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski:
U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced the fiscal year 2014 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs (VA) and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill makes critical investments in Maryland’s defense assets. The bill, which passed the full committee this morning, will now move to the Senate floor for a vote, which has not yet been scheduled.
“A stronger America begins at home. That’s why I fight every year to make sure our military has the tools it needs to keep us safe,” Senator Mikulski said. “These funds in the federal checkbook are about investing in our national security and economic security. They create jobs today in construction that support jobs tomorrow of those fighting to keep us safe.”
These funds in the federal checkbook include $84 million to establish a 148,000 square foot Marine Corps Forces Cyber Headquarters. The project will build space for cyber operations and command headquarters for the integration with our cyber defense efforts. The Cyber Headquarters will be home base for 450 marines working to protect our nation from cyber terrorists, thieves and thugs.
“Maryland is the global epicenter of cyber security, leading the way in finding cyber tech solutions that make our country safer and developing the cyber workforce to make our economy stronger,” Senator Mikulski said. “Because of Maryland’s incredible federal assets, dynamic private sector and iconic academic institutions, America’s cyber defense starts in Maryland. We are Fort Cyber. The battlefield is real but the battleships are being built right here in Maryland. As the Senator from Maryland and the Senator for Maryland, I will continue to be laser focused on protecting our country from cyber terrorists, spies, thieves and thugs.”
Senator Mikulski remains committed to protecting the American soldier both on and off the battlefield which is why she specifically requested and secured $13 million in funding to continue upgrading the Infectious Disease Research Institute at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Maryland remains the preeminent infectious disease research location in the world protecting millions of soldiers deployed overseas.
The funding bill includes the following funding to support several key projects at Maryland’s military bases:
Aberdeen Proving Ground:
$21 million to build operations and maintenance landing pads and facilities for advanced radar systems.
Baltimore
$25 million for the Bowie Army Reserve Center to build a 15-acre site with facilities to support 600 personnel facilitating administration, medical operations and vehicle maintenance.
Bethesda Naval Hospital
$47 million for installation-wide infrastructure upgrades to improve the capacity of the power distribution infrastructure. This project is necessary to support sufficient power to Bethesda Naval Support Activity.
Fort Detrick
$13 million for the next phase of new the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease. This facility is the cornerstone of our military’s effort to stay one step ahead of potential threats to our troops from biological agents. The more modern facility will ensure the engineers and scientists at Fort Detrick have the tools to complete their mission. They will also ensure that they carry out their work in facilities that have the most modern safety and security features.
Fort Meade
$431 million for a National Security Agency (NSA) High Performance Computer Center. This project is the second increment of the High Performance Computing Center building project that will provide state-of-the-art computing capability at NSA.
$84 million for the Marine Corps Forces Cyber Headquarters. This project will build space for cyber operations, command headquarters and administrative support. Here cyber warriors will work to protect our nation from cyber terrorists, thieves and thugs.
Hey Babs, How about back pay for furloughed DOD employees and laid off contractors.
What’s the matter? You don’t like not getting what you were promised?
Join the club.
Suck it up like the rest of us.
You’ll take your cuts and like it.
Barbie…Barbie….Barbie, you are the problem and not the solution. You so freely spend others $ to tout thyself. At 70 (+) yrs. OLD and 30 (+) plus yrs. as a politician, you’ve lost it! Isn’t there a MANDATORY retirement age for you folks? GO! Retire! Get! Move on! Come live with the common folk!