{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.britt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wtas-senator-britts-appropriations-leadership-delivers-again-for-alabama-41-2-million-appropriations-win-helps-complete-new-advanced-individual-training-complex-at-fort-rucker/", "WTAS: Senator Britt\u2019s Appropriations Leadership Delivers Again for Alabama, $41.2 Million Appropriations Win Helps Complete New Advanced Individual Training Complex at Fort Rucker", "2026-07-14", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "AL", "Katie Boyd Britt", "B001319", "www.britt.senate.gov", "britt", "https://www.britt.senate.gov/media/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Katie Britt\u2019s (R-Ala.) leadership on the Senate Appropriations Committee led to the opening of the brand-new PFC Garfield M. Langhorn Training Complex on Fort Rucker. Thanks in part to the $41.2 million she secured in Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations, Fort Rucker last week held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new barracks facility that will train and house over 300 Soldiers going through advanced individual training (AIT) on the base.\n\nHere is what they are saying about Senator Britt\u2019s role in Fort Rucker\u2019s new facility:\n\nCity of Enterprise Mayor William E. Cooper:\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the City of Enterprise and the entire Wiregrass region, I want to express our sincere appreciation to Senator Katie Britt for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to Fort Rucker, Army Aviation, and the men and women who serve our nation. For too long, many in our region felt that South Alabama and the Wiregrass did not receive the same level of federal attention or investment as larger metropolitan areas elsewhere in our state. Senator Britt has helped change that narrative.\n\n\u201cFort Rucker is much more than a military installation\u2014it is the home of Army Aviation, the fifth-largest employer in Alabama, and an economic engine generating more than $9 billion annually for our state. More importantly, it is where America\u2019s Army aviators are trained to defend our nation, and where thousands of soldiers and military families call home.\n\n\u201cSenator Britt understands that investing in Army Aviation is investing in our national security. Her leadership has helped ensure that Fort Rucker remains the premier location for training the world\u2019s finest military aviators while strengthening the communities that proudly support them. Our soldiers and their families deserve nothing less than the very best, and Senator Britt has been a true champion in making certain they receive the attention and investment they have earned. We are grateful for her partnership and her continued commitment to the future of Army Aviation, Fort Rucker, and the Wiregrass.\u201d\n\nCity of Daleville Mayor Jayme Stayton:\n\n\u201cFort Rucker is more than our neighbor\u2014it is part of who we are. The soldiers, civilian workforce, retirees, and military families who call the Wiregrass home strengthen our schools, businesses, churches, and communities every single day. As Mayor of Daleville, I have seen firsthand the tremendous impact Army Aviation has on our quality of life and our local economy.\n\n\u201cThat is why we are grateful for Senator Katie Britt\u2019s strong advocacy on behalf of Fort Rucker and Army Aviation. She recognizes that maintaining America\u2019s dominance in military aviation requires continued investment in the installation, its infrastructure, and the communities that support its mission. Her leadership sends a clear message that the men and women who train here\u2014and the families who stand beside them\u2014matter to Alabama and matter to our nation.\n\n\u201cThe Wiregrass has always answered the call to support our military. It\u2019s encouraging to have a United States Senator who is equally committed to supporting us. We appreciate Senator Britt for being a consistent champion for Fort Rucker, for the future of Army Aviation, and for ensuring that this region continues to play a vital role in America\u2019s national defense.\u201d\n\nCity of Ozark Mayor Charles R. Ward:\n\n\u201cSenator Katie Britt has been a true friend to Ozark, the Wiregrass, and Fort Rucker. We are thankful for the strong support she continues to show our Soldiers, military families, and the people of Southeast Alabama. Her commitment to our military community, economic growth, and the success of our region has made a real difference. We truly appreciate all she does for our community and our state.\u201d\n\nCity of Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba:\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the citizens of Dothan, the Wiregrass region, and in partnership with our neighboring communities, I want to express my gratitude to our entire federal delegation for their dedicated service to Alabama and to our nation. Every day, they represent us in Washington, D.C., drawing upon their unique experiences and perspectives to serve the people of our state.\n\n\u201cWhile every member of our delegation is committed to strengthening Alabama and supporting our military installations, today\u2014as we officially cut the ribbon on the PFC Garfield M. Langhorn AIT Complex\u2014I want to offer special recognition to Senator Katie Britt. Her vision, leadership, and determination guided this project through the appropriations process and helped secure the funding necessary to bring it to fruition.\n\n\u201cSenator Britt is not only an Alabama native but also a friend and steadfast advocate for the Wiregrass and Fort Rucker. Her commitment demonstrates that continued investment in Army Aviation ensures the next generation of Army aviators will continue to train, excel, and uphold the proud tradition of being \u2018Above the Best.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe Wiregrass would not be what it is today without the men and women who pass through the gates of Fort Rucker each day. From the soldiers training to defend our nation to the civilian workforce that equips and supports them, these dedicated individuals are the reason Fort Rucker remains the cornerstone of our region and a source of pride for the entire Wiregrass.\n\n\u201cThe investments Senator Britt secured in the Fiscal Year 2024 funding package\u2014and her continued commitment to supporting Fort Rucker in the years since\u2014help ensure that the Home of Army Aviation remains at the forefront of military readiness and continues to play a vital role in the defense of our nation for generations to come.\u201d\n\nTown of Pinckard Mayor Bobby Borland:\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Town of Pinckard, Mayor Bobby Borland, and the entire Wiregrass region, we extend our sincere appreciation to Katie Britt for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to the continued success of Fort Rucker.\n\n\u201cSenator Britt has been a strong advocate for the soldiers, military families, civilian workforce, and surrounding communities that make Fort Rucker an essential part of our region and our nation\u2019s defense. Her continued support for the installation and its mission reflects a deep understanding of the vital role Fort Rucker plays in our local economy, our national security, and the quality of life throughout the Wiregrass.\n\n\u201cMayor Bobby Borland\u2019s connection to Fort Rucker is deeply personal. Having grown up just outside the installation, Fort Rucker has always been more than a neighboring military post\u2014it has been an integral part of his family\u2019s heritage and way of life. His mother, father, and grandfather each dedicated their careers to Fort Rucker before retiring, creating a multigenerational legacy of service that instilled in him a profound respect for the men and women who serve our nation.\n\n\u201cToday, Mayor Borland continues that legacy through his unwavering support of Fort Rucker and its mission. As Mayor of Pinckard, he recognizes the installation as an invaluable economic engine, community partner, and source of pride for southeast Alabama. He also proudly serves on the Board of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), where he actively advocates for the installation, its soldiers, military families, veterans, and the surrounding communities. He has always been willing to step forward in in support of Fort Rucker and work alongside others to ensure its continued success.\n\n\u201cTogether, we are grateful for Senator Britt\u2019s leadership, advocacy, and commitment to preserving and strengthening Fort Rucker\u2019s mission. Her partnership with our military communities and the people of the Wiregrass has made a lasting impact, and we thank her for her continued service to Alabama and our nation.\u201d\n\nAL.com: $41 million investment: Ft. Rucker opens new barracks, facility championed by Katie Britt\n\n\u201cSen. Katie Britt secured $41.2 million in federal funding in a 2024 defense budget for the complex at Fort Rucker, which will be used to house and train more than 300 soldiers going through advanced individual training.\n\n\u201c\u2018Fort Rucker is special,\u2019 Britt said in remarks Thursday. \u2018I\u2019m looking at many men and women who have answered the call.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018I remain committed to ensuring that our war fighter is best trained, equipped, and ready across the planet,\u2019 she said.\u201d\n\nYellowhammer News: Britt celebrates new Fort Rucker barracks completed with $41.2 million she secured: \u2018A long time coming\u2019\n\n\u201cThe complex represents Fort Rucker\u2019s first new barracks since 1998 and will house approximately 320 soldiers. Britt secured the final $41.2 million needed for construction through the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill.\n\n\u201c\u2018The men and women that serve here are heroes,\u2019 Britt said during the ceremony. \u2018They deserve the quality of life and experience that their sacrifice put forth.\u2019\n\n\u201cBritt said the new facility will finally provide aviation soldiers with the modern living conditions they have needed for years.\n\n\u201c\u2018I know that this is going to modernize the living conditions for aviation soldiers in training, and it\u2019s going to provide them with the facilities they have long awaited,\u2019 she said. \u2018Look, this has been a long time coming. I\u2019m grateful to our military leaders and grateful to our communities, and grateful to those who continue to bring attention to this.\u2019\u201d\n\nAlabama Daily News: Fort Rucker opens new barracks bolstered by federal funds\n\n\u201cU.S. Sen. Katie Britt touted how she secured $41.2 million as part of a military construction spending bill to help complete the construction of the complex, which began in 2024.\n\n\u201c\u2018The men and women\u2026 that serve here are heroes,\u2019 Britt, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said in remarks. \u2018I know that this is going to modernize the living conditions for aviation soldiers in training, and it\u2019s going to provide them with the facilities they have long awaited.\u2019\u201d\n\nAlabama Political Reporter: Sen. Britt opens new Fort Rucker training complex for soldiers\n\n\u201cBritt said she looked forward to soldiers moving into the barracks and to the continued presence of Army aviation in the Wiregrass.\n\n\u201c\u2018It is an honor to represent you and work shoulder to shoulder with so many of you here,\u2019 Britt said. \u2018God Bless our troops. God Bless our Army. God Bless our Army aviators. And God Bless the United States of America.\u2019\n\n\u201cBritt grew up near Fort Rucker in Enterprise and said she has supported construction, training and operations at the base throughout her time in the Senate.\n\n\u201cBritt secured an additional $28.4 million for Fort Rucker in the fiscal 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The funding includes construction of flight control towers, a medical evacuation support facility and an aircraft maintenance hangar.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-15T07:12:08Z", "2026-07-15T07:13:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.britt.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wtas-senator-britts-appropriations-leadership-delivers-again-for-alabama-41-2-million-appropriations-win-helps-complete-new-advanced-individual-training-complex-at-fort-rucker/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.931383041664958, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}