Dear friend,
As a veteran and former commander of the 55th Wing, strengthening Offutt Air Force Base has always been one of my top priorities. Offutt is one of Omaha's top three employers and is vital to our national security and community. Base leaders at Offutt had shared concerns about the runway condition for years, but national leaders said it was in "very good condition." When I ran the base in 2012, my four-star commander once had to circle Offutt while emergency runway repairs were being made. After engineers had studied the runway's condition in 2015, they rated it the worst in the Air Force's Combat Command. I knew we needed to take our runway from the worst in the nation to the best.
Before I was elected in 2016, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James committed $50 million to repairing the runway. But I knew we needed more than a repair; we needed a full replacement. Early in my first term I personally reached out to Secretary Wilson to press for just that. Along with the Nebraska Congressional Delegation, I was able to secure $171 million to rebuild the 80-year-old runway at Offutt Air Force Base.
While the runway was under construction, the 55th Wing and its partners operated their flying missions from Lincoln Airport. The Nebraska National Guard, Lincoln Airport Authority, and the 55th Wing Runway Program Management Office worked tirelessly to ensure the seamless transition of Offutt operations. I obtained $30 million to carry out this transition and am grateful for the 750 Air Force personnel who made the trip to Lincoln each day.
In 2022, we celebrated the reopening of Offutt's runway, a project 15 years in the making. I am thankful for the work of the Nebraska Congressional Delegation, whose collaboration made the full replacement possible. Our nuclear survivability and deterrence depend on Offutt, and I am happy to report that Nebraska has the best runway in the Air Force.
As a House Armed Services Committee member, my work for Offutt Air Force Base is ongoing. I believe we must strengthen our base to keep our military performing at the highest level within our district and our nation.
As always, I am proud to represent the people of Nebraska's Second District. If you need help with a federal agency or other assistance, please get in touch with me here or call my office at 402-938-0300.
