Armed Services Committee member Duckworth visits Scott, backs NGA site
From Illinois Business Journal news services
SCOTT AFB – Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, a candidate for U.S. Senate and a member of the Armed Services Committee, spent her morning at Scott Air Force Base discussing base readiness as well as national defense priorities with Col. Laura Lenderman, the commander of the 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott AFB.
Duckworth, a Democrat from Hoffman Estates, is challenging Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat, in his campaign for re-election to the Senate.
During her visit to the area, the congresswoman received a briefing from St. Clair County officials about their efforts to land the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) new West Campus, which is being being relocated from its current, outdated site in St. Louis. Three other sites have been proposed.
Duckworth also toured the county’s proposed site for the campus.
Earlier this month, Duckworth spoke with NGA Director Robert Cardillo about the benefits Scott AFB could provide should his organization select Scott as the site for the new facility.
“As the only member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation serving on the Armed Services Committee, I know the clear economic and security advantages that locating NGA West at Scott Air Force Base will bring to our state and our country as a whole,” she said. “It’s clear that Scott AFB its surrounding communities can provide the best support for NGA’s mission in addition to the benefits for our workforce and national security — it’s an obvious choice that all Illinoisans should support.”
With 13,000 personnel and support staff, Scott Air Force Base “is both an important driver of our state’s economy and vital component of our nation’s defense network,” Duckworth said. “The work being done here is something all Illinoisans can be proud of and I am honored to be a strong advocate for Scott AFB as a member of the House Armed Services Committee. As Congress works on the national budget, I look forward to doing everything I can to ensure Scott AFB receives the support it needs and deserves.”
