(The Center Square) – Mississippi bases and defense contractors could receive millions if the defense spending bill is signed into law by President Joe Biden.
The National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday, would provide nearly $88 million for construction projects at Mississippi bases. Last year, bases in the Magnolia State received $211.8 million.
The measure would also provide money for several ship classes built at Pascagoula’s Ingalls Shipyard, including $1.56 billion for the Flight II San Antonio class landing ship dock program, $61 million for the replacement for the America class amphibious assault ships and nearly $1.52 billion for Arleigh Burke class destroyers, both construction of new Flight III ships and updates for older ships of the class.
The construction projects include $34.5 million for a 10 megawatt generation plant and $11.16 million for underground electrical grid hardening at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, the largest state-owned field training site for the Army National Guard. The post consists of 134,820 acres aid is used by Mississippi and other state National Guards, along with units from other services.
Southaven’s National Guard Readiness Center will receive $33 million. The Allen C. Thompson Air National Guard Base Field’s fire crash and rescue center will receive $9.3 million. The base co-located at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport operates a squadron of C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft.
The bill passed the full House by a 217-199 vote and will now head to the Senate.