Some $66 million in projects for Montana, including $4.7 million for the Great Falls area, were approved by a joint House-Senate conference committee, U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., announced Thursday.
Meanwhile, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., praised the Senate Appropriations Committee for setting aside $36.6 million for Great Falls-area projects he and Burns requested in the fiscal year 2005 Military Construction Appropriations bill. Most of the money is earmarked for Malmstrom Air Force Base improvements.
Burns, a senior member of the full Appropriations Committee, said he was able to get money included for the Montana projects by working with Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, the committee chairman.
The bill must be voted on by the full House and Senate and sent to President Bush for his signature.
The bill includes:
$3.2 million for Precision Lift Inc. so the Monarch-based company can produce more external load carriers for military reserve helicopters at its Lewistown plant.
$1.5 million to the McLaughlin Research Institute in Great Falls to help its scientists develop a blood test to identify infectious prion diseases such as mad cow disease.
Both amounts, as well as the total for Montana, have been reduced since the defense appropriations bill was approved by the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in late June.
At that point, Burns had helped steer $85 million toward Montana projects, including $4.5 for Precision Lift and $2 million to McLaughlin Research Institute.
"Every state's projects got trimmed back a little bit," said Burns spokesman J.P. Donovan. "Congress strives for a balance between more research and development funds for the military and being fiscally responsible."
Still, Chris Croff, Precision Lift president, praised Burns for his effort.
"We are absolutely thrilled, especially in a tight budget year, to see us included in this appropriation," he said.
In the Senate Appropriations Committee, Baucus said Malmstrom Air Force Base is slated to receive $29 million to replace and renovate family housing units, $5.6 million to build a new facility to help modernize and care for Minuteman III missiles and other equipment and $200,000 to construct a new access road to the base.
The appropriations bill includes $900,000 for a new Montana Air National Guard police security annex at the Great Falls International Airport. The annex project will include construction and upgrades for all utilities, pavements, fire protection, site improvements and communications support, Baucus said, noting the new facility also will serve as storage for weapons and equipment.
Upon learning of the committee's action today, Great Falls Mayor Randy Gray hailed the news and praised Baucus and the delegation.
"This is really good news," said Gray, a leading community advocate for Malmstrom. "We owe many thanks to Max and the delegation for their work for the base. Malmstrom is a huge economic and social neighbor to northcentral Montana and these kinds of upgrades and investments are critical to the base's mission and critical to jobs the economy of Great Falls and Montana."
The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the bill Thursday, readying it for full Senate consideration. The legislation must pass both chambers of Congress before being sent to President Bush to be signed into law. The House has already passed a similar bill.
