Kelly Secures Funding to Strengthen Border Security, Enhance Military Readiness, Support Workforce Programs, and More in Final Annual Government Funding Package

Package includes $650 million for border communities, overtime pay for Border Patrol agents, and a 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers and civilians

Today, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly announced that he successfully secured key funding priorities for Arizona in the second and final deal to fund the government for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) that the Senate passed last night. 

This package supports border communities as they continue to manage the migrant crisis, invests in military technology and innovation, takes care of servicemembers and their families, funds job training programs, and bolsters education and healthcare initiatives. The legislation also includes Kelly’s Udall Foundation Reauthorization Act, which extends operations for the Tucson-based foundation, named in honor of Arizonans Morris and Stewart Udall.  

This second package of bills to fund the government for the rest of FY24 includes funding for Defense, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Labor-HHS, the Legislative Branch, and State-Foreign Operations.  

“Last night, Congress finally fulfilled its basic duty to fully fund the government and prevent a disastrous shutdown. The passage of these final funding bills is overdue, but they include major wins for Arizona and our country. These investments will enhance border security, boost military readiness, get more Arizonans the career skills they need, and improve quality of life for servicemembers and their families,” said Kelly.   

The package now heads to the president’s desk where it will be signed into law. For a breakdown of Arizona projects across the state funded through Kelly’s Congressionally Directed Spending projects, click here.  

See below for a breakdown of key funding priorities Kelly secured in the government funding package:  

ARIZONA AS A LEADER IN NATIONAL DEFENSE  

Mission Acceleration Center (MAC)

Kelly secured $65 million for the Mission Acceleration Center program that he created, including the MAC in Arizona. This funding will be used to expand ongoing efforts across the five MAC regions in Hawaii, Arizona, Washington, Kansas, and Ohio to create an interconnected and collaborative defense innovation “network of networks” with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, universities, and local and federal partners in support of national security.  

Irregular Warfare Center  

Kelly championed $5 million for the establishment of a permanent Center of Excellence for the John S. McCain III Center for Security Studies in Irregular Warfare. Congress authorized the creation of the Center in 2021, and Kelly led the effort to name the Center in honor of Senator McCain in the 2023 defense bill. By securing this funding, DOD is now able to move forward with selecting a permanent location for the Center of Excellence.

EIS & Area Development Plan for Davis-Monthan Power Projection Wing    

Kelly advocated for $5 million for planning to facilitate the establishment of the 492nd Power Projection Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.  

Luke AFB Munitions Storage Area (MUNS)  

Kelly championed a $3 million increase to the Air Force facilities, sustainment, restoration, and modernization budget. Upgrades to Luke AFB’s Munitions Storage Area are urgently needed to ensure safety of airmen and base personnel.  

ENHANCING OUR MILITARY READINESS AND PROTECTING DEFENSE COMMUNITIES  

As a combat veteran, Kelly has a unique understanding of the need to invest in technology and innovations that strengthen our national defense.   

F-35 Procurement  

Kelly secured funding for the procurement of 86 F-35s and engine spares. This includes three additional F-35As for the Air Force for a total of 51, 16 F-35Bs for the Navy, and 19 F-35Cs for the Navy and the Marine Corps. The F-35 is flown at Luke Air Force Base and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.   

HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter – LRIP  

Kelly secured an increase for the procurement of an additional 10 HH-60W helicopters, which are a growing presence at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.   

U.S. Global Readiness 

• $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).  

• $20 million for the Baltic Security Initiative, for a total of $228 million.  
• $26.2 million for security cooperation with Taiwan, for a total of $108 million.  

 PROTECTING THOSE PROTECTING US  

Pay and Housing  

This bill has a 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers and civilians, as well as $29.6 billion for military housing and $8.4 billion for subsistence for military families.    

Childcare  

The bill fully funds $167 million for childcare initiatives. This includes:  

• $33 million requested to allow the Department to offer a 50% discount for the first child of DOD child development centers’ employees to improve recruitment and retention.  
• $94 million, an increase of $66.5 million, for full-day universal pre-K to double enrollment from 1,810 to 3,625 children of servicemembers.  

DOD Impact Aid  

Kelly advocated for $50 million for DOD Impact Aid and $20 million for Impact Aid for children with disabilities. Impact Aid provides support for school districts with high concentrations of military students and school districts that enroll children of military families with severe disabilities.  

 Defense Communities  

Additional $265 million for defense environmental mitigation activities, including PFAS cleanup, AFFF removal and disposal, the Military Munitions Response Program, the Installation Restoration Program, and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program.  

STRENGTHENING BORDER SECURITY  

As a border senator, Kelly understands the challenges faced by law enforcement, local governments, and nonprofits due to a lack of federal support as they work to manage the crisis at the border.  

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)  

Kelly championed an increase in funding for CBP, achieving a total funding of $19.6 billion which includes $1.7 billion for operations at Border Patrol processing facilities, medical support, and transportation along the Southwest border. 

Homeland Security Workforce  

• 2,145 Border Patrol additional agents to maintain an increased workforce of 22,000, and additional overtime pay.  
• 150 additional CBP officers.  

Border Security, Technology to Combat Fentanyl and Trafficking Rings  

Kelly championed CBP technology procurement, enhancements, and deployment to help CBP combat fentanyl and other illicit drug trafficking at the Southwest border. This funding will also increase the percentage of passenger vehicles scanned at land ports of entry, which are the primary means by which fentanyl is trafficked into the U.S.  

• $283.5 million for border technology to effectively monitor and secure the border, including improving mobile surveillance capabilities, new integrated surveillance towers, and the CBP cross border tunnel threat program.  
• $491 million for CBP to improve detection and seizure of fentanyl and other narcotics at ports of entry with non-intrusive inspection (NII) screening equipment, forward operating labs, and personnel.   
• $75.5 million for NII inspection for inbound and outbound to ensure CBP has dedicated outbound operations on the Southwest border to stop the flow of currency, firearms, and other illicit gains resulting from the sale of fentanyl.  
• $2.5 million for roads on Tribal land used by Border Patrol for its operations.    

Shelter and Services Program (SSP)  

To help prevent migrant releases across Southern Arizona and support the work of local officials and nonprofits, Kelly fought to include funds for this program, resulting in an allocation of $650 million.   

Operation Stonegarden Program (OPSG)  

$81 million for the Operation Stonegarden Program, which supports enhanced joint efforts among CBP, Border Patrol, federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to secure the U.S. borders and improve overall border security.  

Combating Drug Trafficking   

Kelly championed $298.6 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), which provides assistance to federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking regions of the United States. HIDTA funds are used to enhance and improve the collective efforts of law enforcement to interdict, investigate, and prosecute drug traffickers.  

SUPPORTING WORKING FAMILIES  

As Arizona experiences rapid economic growth thanks to Kelly’s work to rebuild the state’s infrastructure and bring back manufacturing jobs, these programs support working families with job training and affordable childcare.    

Aid for Students  

Kelly fought for $1.6 billion for the Impact Aid Program, designed to assist local school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt federal property, or that have experienced increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected children, including children living on Indian lands. Arizona is one of the top recipients of Impact Aid in the country, due to our high proportion of public land.  

A stronger workforce  

Kelly championed $2.9 billion for state training opportunities. This funding supports the base of the American workforce development system through grants to states, which are distributed to state and local workforce boards to support skills training, connect available workers to employers, and connect individuals to needed wraparound services.  

Investing in Childcare  

• $12.2 billion for Head Start, representing a $275 million increase from Fiscal Year 2023.  
• $8.7 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grant, representing a $725 million increase from last year.   

Funding Healthcare   

• Kelly secured $286.4 million for Title X, the only dedicated source of federal funding for family planning.  
• $1.86 billion for Community Health Centers, including $55 million for school-based health centers.  
• $8 million increase for CDC work on fungal diseases, including CDC collaboration with the Valley Fever Institute and the Cocci Study Group.  

Addressing the Drug Epidemic  

At Kelly’s request, this bill funds the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program at $109 million. DFC grantees are capable of producing major reductions in youth substance use rates in underserved communities.