WINDSOR LOCKS — The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday passed a bill allocating $6.3 million to construct a new air terminal at Bradley International Airport to support the Connecticut Air National Guard’s eight C-130s aircraft.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives. If passed, it goes to the president.
U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy, D-Connecticut, proposed the funding, which became part of the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill.

The terminal will be used for passenger processing, cargo preparation, parachute packing, and training in support of Connecticut’s 103rd “Flying Yankees” Airlift Wing’s C-130 operations.

In 2013 the U.S. Air Force reassigned eight C-130 aircraft to Bradley. In 2014 the Flying Yankees had their first cargo mission, first airdrop, first assault landing, and first paratrooper jump from the C-130s. They departed from the current temporary air terminal that was quickly built at Bradley to support the mission. However, it has insufficient space or equipment and was judged inadequate for long-term use.

The new terminal — to be 17,800 square feet — will allow training on cargo-handling functions, which are fundamental to C-130 operations, and will enable air crews to simulate real-world cargo operations, officials said. Without this training, the officials said, air crews or aircraft could be injured during real airlift missions.
On Monday at 11:30 a.m. Murphy, Major General Thaddeus Martin, and other Connecticut National Guard members will gather at the Air National Guard base, where Martin will reveal the plans, timeline, and a drawing of the new terminal.

The Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill allocates $75.1 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, up $3.4 billion from last year’s budget, including Murphy’s bipartisan amendment to help merchant seamen who served during World War II earn veteran status.

The bill also provides an additional $20 million more than the president requested for the Supportive Services for Veterans Families line item to support homeless veterans. In addition, there is funding for 100 more staffers in the VA Office of Inspector General and an additional $20 million for female health concerns.

The bill will “better provide Connecticut’s 200,000 veterans with the timely crisis care and housing support they deserve,” Murphy said.