The House Appropriations Committee passed legislation funding veterans programs and improvements at military facilities, including $7.6 million for a new test fabrication facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground championed by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. 

In all, the $314 billion Military Construction-Veterans Affairs funding bill for fiscal year 2023 provides $601 million for improvements at Maryland installations.

The bill, which now moves to the full U.S. House of Representatives for consideration, funds construction of, and improvements, to family housing on bases, hospitals and child care centers at military installations across the country. It also supports veterans’ healthcare programs including substantial investments in women’s healthcare, mental health, suicide prevention and homelessness.

A defense appropriator, Ruppersberger requested and secured much-needed funding to replace APG’s existing test fabrication facility, which was built in 1918 and no longer meets the requirements of modern tactical vehicles and equipment.

The project is one of 15 Community Project Funding Requests submitted by Ruppersberger in the 12 various appropriations bills for 2023 and among more than 4,700 projects submitted by members of the House of Representatives collectively, only some of which were approved after careful vetting.

In addition to the $7.6 million for APG, the bill includes:

● $140 million for a Mission Operations and Records Center at NSA, located at Fort Meade

● $378 million for improvements to aging buildings at NSA

● $75.5 million for Bethesda Naval Hospital