Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) released the following statement after the President’s budget requested funding for the remaining $120.9 million of the $182 million for a new building for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC):

“This important project is moving forward with the Administration’s support for full funding approval this year. I fought strongly to have the full $182 million for a new building at NASIC authorized last year, surpassing the President’s budget at the time. Now that all $182 million has been authorized by law and the the first $61 million of that project were made available to NASIC last year, the President’s budget requests the remaining funds be appropriated for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20). I strongly support this request and will work to get this funding into the final bill the President signs.

The work being done at NASIC keeps us aware of our adversaries’ activities and ensures the U.S. remains on the forefront of intelligence collection. This monumental investment in our community is a testament to the critical national security work being done at Wright-Patt.

I have worked diligently to make this project a reality and will continue to do so until this project is completed. I remain adamantly opposed to any use of military construction funds being cannibalized to secure our border. I have made this abundantly clear to the Administration and will continue to do so in order to protect funding for much needed national security projects, including the new building at NASIC.”

Turner has repeatedly opposed reallocating funds from military construction projects to secure the border. Last month, Turner joined a letter led by Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-8) to the Administration urging against use of funds to secure the southern border that have previously been allocated for military construction.

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