Written for 7 News on July 2, 2020

WASHINGTON (WWNY) – It’s early in the process, but there’s good news for Fort Drum in a House of Representative committee’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act.

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is the lead Republican on the Intelligence, Emerging Threats, and Capabilities subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee.

In a release late Wednesday, she said the version the committee is passing along to House membership names Fort Drum as the preferred site for a land-based missile defense installation.

It’s something the Pentagon has said it doesn’t want, but its construction and operation will bring millions of dollars to the north country Army post.

The Senate version of the NDAA is farther along in the process than the House’s. Lawmakers are voting on amendments on the floor of the Senate.

The two bills will have to go through a reconciliation process between the two chambers before a law can be passed.

The House committee’s version also calls for a 3 percent raise for U.S. troops.

You can read the full article at https://www.wwnytv.com