Durbin Secures Support For Illinois Priorities In Newly Enacted Military Construction And Veterans Affairs And Agriculture Funding Bills

U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced the various priorities for Illinois he secured in the newly enacted funding bills for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Related Agencies for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

“As the government reopens under a continuing resolution, Congress also passed appropriations bills that bolster our nation’s military readiness, support our veterans, and fund programs that our rural communities rely on,” Durbin said. “The appropriations process is far from over, and Congress must come together to fund the other critical programs that help Illinoisans thrive.”

The two funding bills include the following Illinois priorities secured by Congressionally Directed Spending requests:

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs

• Forging Equipment Annex, Rock Island, Illinois. $5 million in Minor Construction funds to house the expanding forging capability at Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center. This funding will help build a new annex to support a wide array of weapon systems across all of the services and expand the existing limited forging area consistent with DoD safety and building standards.

• Marseilles Range Control, Marseilles, Illinois. $3.05 million in Minor Construction funds to renovate and modernize an existing operations and maintenance facility for the Illinois Army Guard. The current facility has no classroom for instruction and is in hazardous condition with no functioning bathroom and electrical problems.

• National Guard Readiness Center, Peoria, Illinois. $8 million in Major Construction funds for a new readiness center facility for the Illinois Army Guard. The current facilities are rated failing and a new, consolidated single facility will support nearly 300 soldiers. In addition, the State of Illinois has committed to providing $20 million as part of a cost-share effort, reducing the overall financial burden on the federal government.

• New Weapons Quality Assurance/Calibration Facility, Rock Island, Illinois. $4.25 million in Minor Construction funds for a new building for the Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center. The new building will replace five buildings that are reaching the end of their usefulness.