In a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pressed Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth and Chief of Staff of the Army General James C. McConville for answers about military housing at Fort Leonard Wood.
Last June, Senator Hawley asked the Secretary and General McConville for information about the Army’s plans to replace housing on base. Following that exchange, the Army confirmed it had allocated funding for housing at Fort Leonard Wood. More recently, however, the Army informed the Senator's office that funding was no longer available. Concerned by the Army's lack of progress, Senator Hawley demanded answers directly from the Army's leaders.
Senator Hawley said, “I asked you and General McConville both last year, at this hearing, about the Army’s plans to replace aging homes at Fort Leonard Wood. You both assured me that that would be a priority. Army Materiel Command followed up with my office afterward and said that the Army would be earmarking funds for this. However, as of this week, I am not aware that the Army has allocated any funds toward replacing housing at Fort Leonard Wood – zero. So, my question is why hasn’t the Army put together a plan to replace the again housing at Fort Leonard Wood, despite agreeing that they needed to be replaced?”
He continued, "I was told last year there were $341 million that were going to be allocated towards replacing housing. Then I was told later only $50 million would be available for Fort Leonard Wood. Then I was told after that it would be zero. So you can imagine, I’m not very happy about it.”
“In Missouri, it’s a pressing issue. And when I’m told that there’s going to be funds available for housing in Missouri, and then there aren’t, I’m not happy about it. And I am not happy about getting the runaround about what it’s going to be and what it’s not going to be. And frankly, what I want to hear is that Fort Leonard Wood is going to be a priority, and that it is going to get done,” he concluded.