WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate passed the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes funding for Camp Ravenna and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS). Brown helped secure these funds as a member of the NDAA Conference Committee. The final NDAA conference report is headed to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law, and includes the following investments:

  • $7.4 million to construct an automated multipurpose machine gun range at Camp Ravenna’s Joint Military Training Center, and
  • $8.8 million for upgrades to ensure Youngstown Air Reserve Station’s (YARS) main gate meets safety requirements.

“The men and women serving our country at Camp Ravenna and at Youngstown Air Reserve Station deserve the best tools and facilities available as they train for future missions,” said Brown. “This investment will make critical upgrades to those facilities and will provide important support for those who have sworn to protect us.   I will continue working to secure these funds in the final appropriations bill that Congress passes.

Additional Background on Brown’s Work for Camp Ravenna’s Joint Military Training Center

In March, Brown joined Sen. Rob Portman (D-OH) and the Ohio Delegation in urging Secretary of Defense James Mattis to select Camp Ravenna as the East Coast Missile Defense site. And in February, at Brown’s urging, the President included the $7.4 million investment for Camp Ravenna in his budget proposal.

In 2015, Brown helped secure funding for improvements to the Camp’s indoor firing range facility in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The funds improved the existing training for both overseas contingency operations as well as routine preparedness.

In 2014, Brown announced $5.2 million in federal funds for the Camp to extend the Ravenna water/sewer line. This infrastructure and utility funding is crucial to the growth of Camp Ravenna, which the Ohio National Guard continues to expand and develop as a major training site. 

Additional Background on Brown’s Work for YARS.

In December 2017, Brown – co-chair of the Senate Air Force Caucus – joined a bipartisan group of Senators to call on the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to increase investment in the C-130J planes flown at YARS.  

In April 2017, Brown met with both the Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson ahead of her confirmation to highlight the need for upgrades to the C-130H planes flown at YARS

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