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By Joseph Morton
From: Omaha World Herald
WASHINGTON - More than half a billion dollars would flow to a new U.S. Strategic Command headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base under the budget proposal released Monday by President Barack Obama.
That budget proposal would authorize $564 million to construct the new headquarters, which is expected to break ground in 2012, said Sen. Ben Nelson. The Nebraska Democrat is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
"The president’s commitment to a new headquarters is extremely good news for Nebraskans, for those charged with ensuring that StratCom meet its challenging missions in the years ahead, and for America’s national security," Nelson said. "Not only is the existing facility outdated and showing signs of troubling decay, StratCom has new responsibilities in the 21st Century that require a modern headquarters to carry out its nuclear, space, and cyberspace missions."
The budget requests an initial appropriation of $150 million for the upcoming fiscal year to start the first phase of construction, Nelson said. The headquarters could be ready for occupancy in 2016.
Obama’s budget plan still must win congressional approval. With a new House majority and increased numbers in the Senate, Republicans are chomping at the bit to trim Obama’s budget. Still, they are likely to target other areas before the country’s nuclear security infrastructure.
StratCom’s existing headquarters has seen little renovation since its construction in 1957 and has experienced problems with flooding and fires as well as failures in its electrical and cooling systems.
Nelson said its important for the nuclear command and control operations center to have all resources necessary to carry out its mission, particularly as the country acts to comply with the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia.
"The facility’s serious shortcomings put at risk its mission and personnel," Nelson said. "As such, a continued acceleration of the development and construction of the new headquarters is in the best interest of national security."
Nelson has been pushing to get funding for the new headquarters for years. That included securing a $10 million earmark in 2009 to begin planning and design for the new headquarters. Subsequent budgets have included another $23 million for planning.
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