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Legislative bills

Tennessee Receives Key Investments in Military and Agriculture with Senate-Approved Appropriations Bills

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn has announced that crucial priorities for the state have been included in the Senate-passed Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations Act and FY 2026 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. These bills must now be agreed upon in the House of Representatives. The investments aim to modernize Fort Campbell, strengthen the Tennessee National Guard, and support the state's thriving agriculture industry.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Senate-passed FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Act includes funding for modernization projects at Fort Campbell, including design funding for a new hangar to support operations.
  • The bill allocates funds for a new Air Traffic Control Tower at Fort Campbell, replacing the current 49-year-old tower that lacks modern safety standards.
  • The Military Construction-Veterans Affairs funding bill provides funding for the Army National Guard projects, including the planning and design for moving the Tennessee National Guard from Berry Field to Smyrna Airport.
  • The Tennessee National Guard's relocation to Smyrna Airport is expected to retain $145 million annually in local economic impact to Middle Tennessee and ensure continued state and federal response capabilities.
  • The move is also expected to benefit 1,700 full-time and drill status Guardsmen, with 73% living within 50 miles of Smyrna.
  • The Department of Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research conducted at institutions like Vanderbilt University will receive funding from the FY 2026 MilCon-VA Appropriations Act.
  • The FY 2026 Agriculture-FDA appropriations bill includes funding to support University of Tennessee (UT) System research projects, including Precision Poultry Farming research and capacity-building grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA).

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