Capital District Times

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Chairman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee John Carter (R-TX) have sent a letter to Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Director Lieutenant General Heath Collins. The letter emphasizes that it is Congress’s intent for MDA to use the $10 million secured by Stefanik for planning and design funds in the FY24 Consolidated Appropriations Act for constructing a third missile defense site at Fort Drum in Jefferson County, New York.

The correspondence follows testimony given by Lieutenant General Collins at a House Armed Services Committee hearing in April. During this hearing, Stefanik demanded accountability from Collins and the MDA to adhere to Congress’s intended use of the funds.

In their letter, the lawmakers state, “We are writing you today to reiterate that it is the intent of Congress for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to use the $10 million increase in MDA’s planning and design funds included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42) to support construction of a missile defense interceptor site at Fort Drum, New York. The use of these funds for such purpose by MDA is needed to execute the intent of the House Armed Services Committee National Defense Authorization Act Fiscal Year 2024 (H. Rept. 118-125) report language titled East Coast Missile Defense Site.”

The lawmakers continue, “Unfortunately, your recent testimony in front of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee makes it clear that MDA is not planning to execute this $10 million increase as Congress intended. This must be remedied immediately and, as the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, it is your responsibility to execute the $10 million increase in planning and design funds to begin construction of a third homeland missile defense site at Fort Drum, New York in accordance with Congressional intent. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response confirming these funds will be executed to begin construction planning and design activities at Fort Drum, New York.”

Read the full letter here.