“This is important for the political and national security work done at NASIC and good for the base,” Portman said.
In a House version of the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, the authorization bill combined what had been two years of funding for the project — $116 million one year, and $66 million for the next — into one year.
Portman spokeswoman Emily Benavides said Friday while the Senate version wasn’t expected to impact construction, the senator would advocate for the full amount when it takes up the issue in June.
RELATED: Massive project could be one of the largest in Wright-Patt history
The Air Force had initially asked for the funding in two separate amounts over different years.
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, whose district includes Wright-Patterson, had advocated for the funding in one year in the House legislation.
The House Armed Services Committee member said in an interview sit was a “big win” for the base “which gives us the assurance this is a project that will go forward.”
As national decision makers and others have demanded more intelligence, NASIC’s workforce has increased by about 1,500 employees, or 100 a year between 2000 and 2015, according to the agency.
The building would bring employees in six different locations into one facility. An expansion would add 900 seats to house intelligence analysts and engineers and add labs.
NASIC expects the Army Corps of Engineers to award a final contact by 2020 with a 2½-year construction schedule. Total funding in future years will determine the size of the expansion, however the Air Force has said NASIC has a deficit of 255,000-square-feet, she said.
MUST READ QUICK STORIES
Wright-Patt treating tainted water in contaminated wells
Military base water safety questions remain as fight for study continues
About the Author