During groundbreaking, Tester and Baucus reaffirm dedication to Malmstrom

Senators secured $7 million for base’s Community Activity Center

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus reaffirmed their dedication to creating good-paying jobs and new opportunities at Malmstrom Air Force Base today, as workers broke ground on a new Community Activity Center at the Great Falls base.

Tester, a member of the influential Senate Appropriations Committee, and Baucus secured $7 million in federal funding for the base’s Community Activity Center.  Congress approved the funding in late 2007.

When completed, Malmstrom’s new Community Activity Center will improve physical and mental fitness for airmen and their families, and it will promote family well-being.  The new facility will also include a conference center and a kitchen.

“Malmstrom plays a key role in our national security and the economy of all of Montana, which is why Max and I worked so hard for this funding,” Tester said.  “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will always go to bat for Malmstrom—and the people who live and work there.  Investing in this base  is a smart, worthwhile way to get the most bang for our taxpayer dollars.”

“As a member of the Appropriations committee, Jon Tester has been a strong voice for the Great Falls area, and together we will continue to work for important funding, like these much deserved dollars for Malmstrom,” said Baucus, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.  “Building this Community Activity Center will create good-paying jobs, and it will make Malmstrom an even stronger, top-notch facility for generations to come.”

In 2008, Tester and Baucus secured an additional $10 million for Malmstrom Air Force Base to upgrade its weapons storage area.

Both Tester and Baucus sent representatives to today’s groundbreaking ceremony at Malmstrom.