Expected investments for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base include $45 million for a new Human Performance Wing Laboratory and provisions to support long-term infrastructure improvements at the Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton, located at the base.
With roughly 38,000 employees prior to the Trump administration, the base is widely seen as the largest single-site employer in the state of Ohio.
“These NDAA wins are a testament to our commitment to improving the lives of our service-members and strengthening our national defense,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton.
What else is happening in southwest Ohio?
• Forever chemicals: The latest version of the new defense policy bill also gives the Department of Defense more time to continue using firefighting foam laced with “forever chemicals.” The phase-out of the chemicals would be delayed by a couple of years, said Jared Hayes, a senior policy analyst with the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group.
• Farm aid: The Trump administration’s announcement of $12 billion in one-time aid payments to the nation’s farmers is being viewed by Ohio farm leaders as a stopgap measure in an industry that has been hit hard by rising input costs and stagnant commodity prices. Some growers, who are longtime supporters of Trump, are still optimistic about a recovery beginning next year, and farmer sentiment is at the highest level since June on hopes for trade with China. But the fundamentals aren’t pointing to a turnaround anytime soon.
• Obamacare subsidies: Lawmakers continue to debate whether or not to extend government subsidies for Americans who buy insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, with subsidies approaching their expiration at the end of this year. The premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace health insurance plans are refundable credits that help eligible individuals and families cover the premiums for their health insurance purchased through the Marketplace. If Congress doesn’t vote on a deal to extend them, Marketplace premiums could more than double, according to a KFF analysis.
Other federal updates
• Inflation: Trump said inflation is no longer a problem and that Democrats had used the term “affordability” as a “hoax” to hurt his reputation. During an event in Pennsylvania, he displayed a chart comparing price increases under his predecessor, Joe Biden, to prices under his own watch to argue his case. But the overall inflation rate has climbed since he announced broad tariffs in April and left many Americans worried about their grocery, utility and housing bills.
• Immigration: Also during Trump’s speech in Pennsylvania, he admitted that he used a slur to disparage Haiti and African nations during a 2018 meeting with lawmakers, bragging about a comment that sparked global outrage during his first term. Trump said he issued a “pause on Third World migration, including from hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries,” when someone in the crowd yelled out the 2018 remark.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
About the Author
