(The Center Square) – Nearly $400 million in construction spending and a 5.2% raise for service members could be coming to North Carolina from the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
The single biggest authorization of federal spending is pending on the Senate floor after clearing the Armed Services Committee with a vote of 24-1 last week. The legislation must be reconciled with a House version of the bill that cleared the House Armed Services Committee 58-1 on Thursday, before it heads to President Joe Biden for approval.
The bill authorizes $844 billion to the Department of Defense, about $2 billion more than the White House proposed.
“As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I know how much North Carolina contributes to America’s strength on the world state,” said Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C. “The Old North State has a proud tradition of supporting our military, and it is my honor to vote for an NDAA that supports North Carolina’s service members, their families, and our military installations. This year’s package also helps the United States confront the Chinese Communist Party, invests in American manufacturing, and secures critical supply chains.”
Both the Senate and House versions would provide a 5.2% pay raise for service members, the largest in two decades, included with hundreds of billions in spending, and scores of policy provisions.
The Senate package would spend $398.9 million on military construction, planning and design for North Carolina military installations.
Fort Liberty, home of the 82nd Airborne and formally known as Fort Bragg, would receive $165 million. The spending includes $85 million for new prototype barracks, $50 million for other barracks, $19.5 million for a new automated record fire range, and $10.5 million for a microgrid and backup power for Camp Mackall, the Army airfield near Fort Liberty.
The bill would also require the Army to develop a plan to improve roadway infrastructure on the base to meet the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s minimum standards.
Camp Lejeune, the Marine Corps base on the coast near Jacksonville, would receive $110 million, with $70 million to construct a Marine Raider Battalion Operations Facility, $20 million to start construction of the 10th Marines Maintenance and Operations Complex, and $20 million for a corrosion repair facility.
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, to the northest of Camp Lejeune at Havelock, is slated to receive $109.5 million. It includes $40 million to construct a maintenance facility and Marine air group headquarters, $50 million for a new Maintenance Operations Facility for the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, and $19.5 million for an aircraft maintenance hangar.
Another $12 million from the Senate plan would go to the Army Reserve Center in Asheville, while $2.2 million would complete planning and design of the North Carolina National Guard’s Aviation Support Facility in Salisbury.
In addition, the Senate legislation advocates against reductions to special operations force structure that could negatively impact communities around Fort Liberty and Camp Lejeune, Budd said.
