At the end of last week, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that he had secured provisions for Florida in the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
These provisions build on Rubio’s efforts in the FY20 NDAA. The Senate plans to consider the FY21 NDAA this week.
The FY21 NDAA includes multiple provisions Rubio requested, including an additional $15 million for the Gulf Range Modernization and the next phase in the Gulf Test Range telemetric modernization process at Eglin Air Force Base.
“The Joint Gulf Range Complex is critical to our national security and military readiness, and I was proud to secure funds in this year’s NDAA that will ensure the next phase of the Gulf Range Modernization continues,” Rubio said. “I also remain committed to ensuring Tyndall Air Force Base makes a full recovery from the damages suffered as a result of Hurricane Michael. This year’s NDAA includes significant federal funding for military construction at Hurlburt Field, which played an integral role in providing aid to Tyndall in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael and is a key installation for our nation’s military.”
The NDAA includes the following provisions requested by Rubio:
- $15 million for the Gulf Range Modernization and the next phase in the Gulf Test Range telemetric modernization process.
- Industrial capacity vulnerability study that requires the Secretary of Defense to do a study of the DoD supply chain dependence on foreign pharmaceuticals.
- Joint Interagency Task Force-South (JIATF-S) Operations Center Facility Planning and Design to provide $8 million for the planning and design of a Category 5 hurricane-rated Command and Control facility to enable consistent drug interdiction operations managed by JIATF-S.
The NDAA also includes the following provisions that directly impact Florida:
- Tyndall Air Force Base: The FY21 NDAA gives guidance on the continuing reconstruction of the base.
- Hurlburt Field: $83.1 million for military construction; $44.8 million to build a Special Operations Forces Special Tactics Operations Facility; and $38.3 million to build a Special Operations Forces Combat Aircraft Parking Apron.
- Army Reserves in Gainesville: $36 million to build Environmental Control System Warehouse.
- Panama City: The FY21 NDAA transfers 1.23 acres of land from the Department of the Interior to the Secretary of the Navy.
