The U.S. Air Force halted the rebuilding Wednesday of two bases damaged by natural disasters because of a lack of Congressional funding.
Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida sustained $4.7 billion in damages in October 2018 from Hurricane Michael. Nearly 700 buildings were damaged, and 11,000 personnel and 46 aircraft were relocated. A massive flood damaged Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska in March that submerged dozens of buildings.
The halt on construction and rebuilding applies to the opening of new contracts. It does not affect contracts that already have been funded.
Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson announced the work stoppage earlier this year. She also announced the deferral of 61 infrastructure projects in 18 states and five overseas locations worth $272.4 million.
“Homeowners and businesses purchase insurance to protect themselves from these kinds of disasters, but that’s not an option for the military,” Wilson said. “When unavoidable catastrophes strike our facilities, supplemental funding from Congress is our only recourse. If they don’t step in, our communities, our readiness, and our security all pay the price.”
The Air Force also expects it will be forced to stop depot-level aircraft repairs this month. That will create a long-term backlog for aircraft maintenance.