Chet Edwards For Congress

Waco Trib: New hospital at Fort Hood will be completed 6 years earlier than first planned

Waco Tribune-Herald | By Michael W. Shapiro, Tribune-Herald staff writer | Wednesday, September 30, 2009

New plans announced Tuesday for the construction of a military hospital to replace Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center at Fort Hood move up the completion date by six years to 2013.

The Department of Defense originally planned to build the hospital in two phases, finishing the second phase in 2019, but Reps. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, and John Carter, R-Round Rock, both announced in news releases that the facility would be built in one phase and at a savings to taxpayers.

Jul 23, 2009

KBTX: Edwards Secures Funding for National Defense Programs at A&M

Reporter: Josh Taylor |

(WASHINGTON) – A spokesperson for U.S. Representative Chet Edwards office says the Congressman has secured funding for national defense research at Texas A&M University under the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill, passed by the House Appropriations Committee this week.

“I am very pleased that the defense bill includes my request for key defense research projects at Texas A&M. These defense projects are part of a long-term plan to enhance and strengthen Texas A&M’s historic partnership with the Department of Defense,” said Edwards, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “These priority programs will strengthen our nation’s defense, and support jobs and economic growth in the Brazos Valley.”

CQ TODAY: With Edwards as Chairman, VA Funding Sees an Increase

CQ Politics
June 15, 2009 | By Matthew M. Johnson, CQ Staff

Since taking the helm of the House Appropriations panel responsible for military construction and veterans’ issues, Chet Edwards has applied his center-right political philosophy to deliver the two largest budgets in history for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Texas Democrat says the $17.7 billion increase in total funding provided to the VA since his tenure began in 2007 amounts to more money than the combined total provided by the GOP-controlled Congress in the previous 12 years.

As a result of his work on the panel, both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, two of the nation’s largest and most influential veterans’ service organizations, honored Edwards with their highest awards in 2008.

B-CS Eagle: TEEX awaits word on funds

By ERIKA JARAMILLO
Bryan-College Station Eagle
Monday, June 29, 2009

Officials at a College Station-based training facility that prepares first responders for terrorist attacks are awaiting word on federal funding that would ensure its nationally recognized programs continue.

If a spending bill pending in the U.S. Senate is approved and signed into law, the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center at Texas A&M will receive a $23 million grant for anti-terrorism training.

B-CS Eagle: Reserve unit may get new home

By MATTHEW WATKINS
Bryan-College Station Eagle

Thursday, June 25, 2009

The home of the 420th Engineer Brigade of the U.S. Army Reserve is falling apart.

Built in 1958, the building on Carson Street in Bryan has foundation problems, cracked floors and damaged walls and ceilings. It also violates modern federal "force protection" requirements because it is too close to the street.

"The current Moore Memorial Center was constructed nearly half a century ago, to support a very different force than we have today," said Col. James Doty, commander of the 420th Engineer Brigade. "It is, quite frankly, beyond its useful life and wholly inadequate to serve as an Army Reserve headquarters."

A piece of legislation may provide the unit with a new headquarters that works, he said.

U.S Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, announced Wednesday that he had included $12.2 million in the 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill to pay for a new headquarters for the unit.