Bell County Wins $7.5 Million in Defense Grants

$7.5 million in funding for national defense projects are headed to Bell County, after the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense approved requests by Congressman John R. Carter (TX-31).

$5 million was approved for the Army National Guard M939A2 Repower Program, which will help maintain 160 of the Army’s current fleet of trucks, which are used extensively in Homeland Security operations, including disaster relief and emergency response.  The repower project is being performed by the Oshkosh Corporation Midwest Regional Logistics Center in Killeen.  

$2.5 million was approved by the Subcommittee for the Fort Hood Training Lands Restoration and Maintenance project.  Texas AgriLife is conducting the project, which will rehabilitate the rangelands which play a vital role in troop readiness and training.

“Central Texas plays an important role in our nation’s defense capabilities, and I am pleased to see that funding for these critical projects were included in the Subcommittee markup,” Carter said.  “Success builds upon success, and these projects only prove once again the strong connection that exists between Fort Hood, Central Texas, and the role they play in securing our nation,” Carter added.

Congressman Carter also supported $2.5 million in funding for an Army study on a Techniques to Manage Noncompressible Hemorrhage Following Combat Injury project at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, as well as $25 million in Neurofibromatosis research.  The Fiscal Year 2010 (FY2010) Defense Appropriations Bill must still be approved by full committee, pass the House and Senate, and be signed into law by the President.