Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff today secured a commitment from the U.S. Army to continue advancing efforts to build a new elementary school for families at Ft. Benning.
Sen. Ossoff, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, today held a hearing about funding priorities for military construction projects and highlighted key projects in Georgia, including the need to build a replacement for Dexter Elementary School, which was built in 1968.
Last February, Sen. Ossoff delivered $500,000 for the planning and design of a new elementary school at Fort Benning after Sen. Ossoff secured the authorization for the project in the annual National Defense Authorization Act.
Sen. Ossoff serves as the top Democrat on the Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittee, positioning him to fight for and deliver Federal funding for key Georgia projects impacting national security, military readiness, quality-of-life for servicemembers and military families, and more.
During the hearing, Sen. Ossoff spoke with Lieutenant General David Wilson, Deputy Chief of Staff for the United States Army, and raised the importance of Ft. Benning to the Chattahoochee River Valley, the State of Georgia, and the entire nation.
“The Chattahoochee Valley in Georgia, proud home of Ft. Benning, The Maneuver Center of Excellence, as well as elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment. And I’m particularly concerned, as I mentioned in my opening statement, about quality-of-life for servicemembers at Benning and across the country,” Ranking Member Ossoff said. “In FY24, I helped to secure the funding to plan a new elementary school at Ft. Benning to replace Dexter Elementary School on post. Dexter was built in 1968.”
“It is an aged facility. The children of our servicemembers deserve the very best. Again, we have already funded planning and design. Do I have your commitment, General Wilson, to work with me and the Subcommittee to try to expedite the construction of that new school for military families at Ft. Benning?”Ranking Member Ossoff continued.
Sen. Ossoff secured Lieutenant General Wilson’s commitment to work with him, the Subcommittee, the community, and Ft. Benning leadership to continue advancing the project forward.
Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff’s line of questioning about Ft. Benning.
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