“The U.S. Strategic Command plays one of the most important, but least known roles, in America’s national security,” said Senator Ben Nelson at Offutt Air Force Base. “As our world grows more interconnected, American ideals and interests will continue to spread further, and continue to be under siege. These new challenges and threats require new thinking and new resources. As STRATCOM continues to play a more vital role in our nation’s security, we must give them the resources needed to carry out their mission and that is exactly what this project has done.”
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Chairman of the Sub Committee on Strategic Forces, Senator Nelson has played a key role in securing funding for the $564 million headquarters. The new headquarters will replace the half-century old facility that has experienced numerous problems in recent years.
The project began to take shape in 2009 when Nelson was able to direct a $10 million federal earmark for the headquarters. Full funding for the project was finally approved in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act.
With construction now beginning, Nelson told the audience at the groundbreaking ceremony, “I’m not ashamed to say that I pushed hard for STRATCOM… Not just because it’s in Nebraska and good for our economy, but because STRATCOM is a necessary tool to deter conflict and prevent war. Our major defense against enhanced nuclear, biological, chemical and cyber attacks is vital to our way of life. This new facility is vital to ensuring that STRATCOM is properly equipped to keep handling these challenges now and in the future.”
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