Sen. Kelly Secures Funding for Key Arizona Priorities in Senate-Passed Budget Bill

Budget bill funds Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies and programs

Yesterday, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly secured funding for key Arizona priorities in the first government funding bill for fiscal year 2024, which passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support. The funds will strengthen our national defense, support veterans and their families, invest in Arizona’s transportation infrastructure and safety, support farmers and ranchers, and boost the supply of affordable housing.  

“This will responsibly fund essential programs that support veterans with the services they’ve earned, enable Arizona farmers to feed the country, and upgrade our roads and access to affordable high-speed internet,” said Kelly. “At the same time, it has taken far too long to pass these bills, and Republicans and Democrats need to work together to prevent a government shutdown that would be devastating for Arizonans, our economy, and our national security.”  

The bill funds key Arizona priorities including $98 million improve access to affordable high-speed internet in rural communities, dedicated funding for the Phoenix VA Hospital to expand in-patient care capacity, a provision directing the Food and Drug Administration to issue guidance to help researchers develop a Valley Fever vaccine, and a requirement for the Department of Transportation to prioritize critical Arizona transportation projects, including the construction of I-11 and widening of I-10. 

Kelly also secured the passage of two pieces of legislation in the budget bill including the Counting Veterans Cancer Act, the Highway Formula Modernization Act, and an amendment directing the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to examine its procedures for reviewing applications for the Rural Development Community Facilities program.  

Kelly also secured $60.9 million in critical facilities upgrades for Arizona military installations:  

• $15 million for the Surprise National Guard Readiness Center 
• $12 million for an Area Maintenance Support Activity in San Tan Valley  
• $11.6 million for aircraft arresting systems at the Morris Air National Guard Base 
• $2.2 million for the planning and design of the Gila Bend Consolidated Facility at Luke Air Force Base  
• $8.9 million for the planning and design of the water treatment plant at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma 
• $8.5 million for the Guardian Angel Preservation of the Force and Family Task Force Facility at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base 
• $2.7 million for the Luke Air Force Base Child Development Center 

Click here for a breakdown of Arizona projects across the state funded through Kelly’s Congressionally Directed Spending requests.   

The Senate-passed budget bill will now be considered by the House of Representatives. In order to fully fund the government for fiscal year 2024, the House and Senate must jointly negotiate and pass 12 separate appropriations bills or a continuing resolution. Federal funding currently expires on November 17^th.