Legislation passed by the U.S. House Tuesday would block the Pentagon from retiring the refueling planes now stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst until their replacements arrive.
Under the $741 billion legislation agreed to by House and Senate negotiators, the Defense Department would have to keep most of its KC-10 planes at the base until the new KC-46 refueling planes arrive at the base, New Jersey’s second-largest employer. The Pentagon could retire just six of the 30 KC-10s next year and 12 in each of the subsequent two years.
“This bill, once signed into law, will deliver big for our Joint Base and New Jersey,” said Rep. Andy Kim, D-3rd Dist., whose district includes the Joint Base.
Eventually, 24 new KC-46 aircraft will be deployed at the Joint Base, with the first planes scheduled to arrive next year.
“This timetable should allow the critical air mobility mission at JB-MDL to continue without major disruptions,” said Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., whose district also includes part of the facility.
The provisions are part of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which is the way Congress sets defense policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon every 12 months.
The House passed the bill, 335-78, far more than the two-thirds support needed to override President Donald Trump’s threat to veto the bill because it requires renaming military bases that now honor Confederate generals who took up arms against the United States to preserve slavery.
“Renaming our military structures is the right thing to do, and the president’s consistent choice to side with Confederates that fought against America to keep people in chains is disgusting and just plain wrong,” said Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1st Dist.
Every New Jersey representative voted yes, including Republicans Smith and Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd Dist., defying Trump’s veto threat.
The legislation also approved $37 million in construction at the Joint Base for a munitions storage area and a National Guard readiness center.
The bill speeds up the phasing out of PFAS chemicals, which pose serious health risks. The chemicals were found in firefighting foam used at the base.
Under the legislation, the Defense Department would work with industry experts and research groups to an alternative foam.
The state Department of Environmental Protection earlier this year adopted strict new drinking water standards for PFAS.
Previous testing of groundwater at the Joint Base found PFAS levels up to 264,000 parts per trillion, one of the most contaminated sites in the nation, according to the advocacy organization Environmental Working Group.
The act also includes a 3% pay raise for all members of the Armed Forces and hazard duty pay up to $1,200 a year for members of the National Guard and Reserve. Around 60% of those stationed at the joint base are members of the Guard or Reserve.
For Picatinny Arsenal, there is $110 million for missile-delivered long-range munitions and $5 million for research into new casings to reduce the weight of ammunition.
In addition, there is a location adjustment for projects to take into account the higher costs at building at Picatinny and other northeastern facilities.
“Picatinny Arsenal is critical to our national security and our North Jersey economy,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., whose district includes Picatinny. “The men and women working at Picatinny ensure the safety of our service members in the field.
There also is $5 million for Rowan University to continue its research into construction materials for the Arctic region.
In his veto threat, Trump also said he wanted Congress to remove the provision in a separate law, Section 230, that protects Facebook, Twitter and other social media companies from lawsuits over content posted by others on their sites.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at [email protected].
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