Congress orders review of barracks problems

[unhappycamper]

Congress orders review of barracks problems
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Sep 26, 2008 15:29:54 EDT

Lawmakers are ordering a defense-wide survey of all barracks and dormitories to determine how many do not meet health and safety standards.

The survey, to be completed by Feb. 27 under an order from the powerful House and Senate appropriations committees, is intended to provide details on the extent of problems, the estimated cost of fixing them and when this might be done.

The order comes in a report on the 2009 defense appropriations bill, which provides $493 million more than the Bush administration requested for maintenance and repair of barracks. That money, added to the $2 billion requested for facilities maintenance and restoration, may be spent only on barracks, with a full report due to Congress on how the money is used.

The Defense Department “has not directed sufficient management attention to maintaining and repairing facilities, and the department is deferring maintenance on barracks and other facilities, affecting the qualify of life of service personnel,” lawmakers said in the report.

The extra money is aimed solely at repairing existing barracks. Fifity-eight barracks construction or major renovation projects are included in the 2009 military construction funding bill, which is part of a larger omnibus appropriations bill.


Article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/military_barracks_review_092608w/%2e