Baucus, Tester announce jobs-stimulus funding for National Guard facilities

$580,000 will upgrade facilities across Montana, senators say

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – All of Montana’s National Guard facilities will get a dose of ‘green’ thanks to the recently passed stimulus bill, Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester announced today.

Both Baucus and Tester helped write, supported and voted for the jobs-stimulus bill which was signed into law in February.  The funding announced today will create jobs by upgrading National Guard facilities with energy efficient lighting.  The funding will also upgrade bathrooms at the Guard’s readiness centers in Malta and Culbertson.

Baucus and Tester said the Department of Defense is investing the following funding in Montana’s National Guard facilities:

• $103,000 to install energy efficient lighting in 16 of the Guard’s cold storage buildings across Montana.
• $25,000 to install energy efficient LED lighting fixtures in all Montana National Guard buildings.
• $226,000 to repair and upgrade bathrooms at the Culbertson Readiness Center.
• $226,000 to repair and upgrade bathrooms at the Malta Readiness Center.

TOTAL: $580,000

“This is great news for the Montana National Guard and all Montanans who rely on their hard work, said Baucus, chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee.  “This is money that will improve our National Guard facilities for all Guardsmen and women, and it will create good-paying jobs in the process.”

“I voted for the Jobs Bill because it rebuilds our economy by putting folks back to work and investing in our infrastructure,” said Tester, a member of the National Guard Caucus and the influential Senate Appropriations Committee, which oversees funding for the military.  “Our Guardsmen and women represent the best of our communities.  We owe them the best facilities possible, and I’m pleased that the Jobs Bill will make that happen.”

Today’s funding brings Montana’s share of Jobs Bill funding to $982 million so far.  The measure also cuts an estimated $575 million in taxes on Montana residents.