Federal budget bill includes $207.9 million for foreign pilot training center in Fort Smith (Updated)

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The U.S. House approved Friday (March 22) a federal budget bill that could not only avoid a partial government shutdown but would direct $207.947 million to the ongoing process of establishing a foreign military pilot training center at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith.

The Senate early Saturday morning also voted to approve the spending package. U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., voted for the bill.

The funding approved Friday and Saturday is in addition to the $83 million included in the MilCon-VA bill approved early in March and pushed through the legislative process primarily by U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark.

Federal budget bill includes $207.9 million for foreign pilot training center in Fort Smith