After urging House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs to provide increased funding for military construction earlier this year, Rep. Cunningham announced Friday that the Subcommittee had voted to approve an additional $546 million to fund Navy and Marine Corps construction projects that were not included in the President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2020.
Among those unfunded projects was the Marine Corps’ request for $37.2 million to modernize and improve a live-fire training range aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. Cunningham also advocated for Parris Island’s range modernization project in his March testimony before the House Committee on Armed Services.
Before recruits aboard Parris Island are able to graduate, each of them must qualify with their service rifles on the depot’s training ranges. Without the funding necessary to complete the Marine Corps’ range modernization and improvement project, training may need to be curtailed, potentially disrupting the flow of new Marines and diminishing military readiness.
“As one of two training depots in the country that makes enlisted Marines, and the only depot that makes enlisted women Marines, Parris Island plays a critical role in ensuring our national security,” Rep. Joe Cunningham said. “It is absolutely critical Parris Island has the resources it needs to continue to prepare our best and brightest to fight and win our nation’s battles. I urge House Appropriators to protect this funding during the full Committee markup so that we can get it through the House floor later this year.”
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