Dear friend,
In March 2019, the Midwest faced historic flooding caused by intense winter storms and heavy rainfall. Nebraska was hit particularly hard. The Platte, Missouri, and Elkhorn Rivers washed out highways, bridges, farmland, and homes. The Papio Creek also overflowed and hit Offutt Air Force Base with 720 million gallons of floodwater. During my nearly 30 years in the United States Air Force, I served at Offutt Air Force Base as the Wing Commander of the 55th. I know how vital the base is to our national security and country, and I was devastated when one-third of it was covered in floodwaters. One hundred thirty-seven base facilities, 1.2 million square feet of workspace, and 3,000 feet of the runway were affected. The flood drove about 3,200 personnel out of their workspaces.
In addition, the waters of the Platte River overtook Camp Ashland, an Army National Guard training center used for over 100 years. Between Omaha and Lincoln, Camp Ashland is considered one of the most important military training centers, with 80,000 to 100,000 service members training there each year. In 2019, 70 percent of the camp was covered in up to eight feet of water, heavily damaging or destroying 51 of the 62 buildings.
I needed to see first-hand the areas impacted in Nebraska's Second District to see the effect of these raging floodwaters and thank first responders for braving the cold water to rescue our neighbors. While it was clear we had a long recovery ahead of us, I was impressed by the resiliency of those affected and was fortunate to watch two families rescued from the King Lake area.
As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I work each year on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which specifies the Department of Defense's annual budget and expenditures. In 2019, Offutt estimated that $600 million was needed to rebuild the base. I fought to obtain under $800 million in flood relief for the base in H.R. 2500, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020.
However, inflation and rising construction costs proved to be a barrier in rebuilding Offutt. The newly estimated repair cost rose to between $1.1 and $1.2 billion in 2021. I know the importance of keeping Offutt, the second-largest employer in Nebraska, fully functional. That's why I secured an additional $100 million in H.R. 4350, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, and $300 million in H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, bringing the total funding to $1.2 billion.
Col. Shane Martin, Camp Ashland's construction and facilities management officer, said that $62.3 million in funding would be required for the camp's complete restoration. Along with Sen. Deb Fischer, I got Camp Ashland $48.4 million in federal funding through H.R. 2500, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020.
March 2024 marked the fifth anniversary of the historic flood. Today, Offutt Air Force Base construction is progressing and is expected to continue until 2028. Camp Ashland has been rebuilt to withstand even more intense flooding in the future. With higher stilts for new buildings, elevated utilities, rebuilt levees, and new barracks, Camp Ashland has been restored to its position as one of the nation's top National Guard training facilities.
The rebuilding of Offutt Air Force Base and Camp Ashland perfectly represents what we do as Nebraskans and as Americans. When we fall, we get back up even stronger.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to represent the people of Nebraska. If you have any questions or need assistance with a federal agency, please get in touch with me here or call my office at (402) 938-0300.
