Congress and President Trump are expected to enact a spending bill that will provide $50 million for the first-ever investment in the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP). On Base asked ADC President Joe Driskill about the significance of the measure.
What does funding for DCIP mean for defense communities?
For the first time, there will be a dedicated DOD funding source specifically for infrastructure outside the gate that supports military missions on installations. The funding is important, but what I think is equally important is the recognition from Congress that our critical defense infrastructure – and the military value it supports – does not stop at the fence line. This is a game-changer as we think about the future of military-community collaboration.
How did we get here?
This idea started a few years ago within ADC, and to be honest, many people did not think it would go anywhere. But through the hard work of our staff, the Federal Outreach Advisory Committee and dozens of ADC members around the country, the support for the idea continued to grow. Our support on the Hill has been deep and bipartisan, and that will be critical as we begin implementation.
What comes next?
Now the real work begins. We look forward to learning more about how DOD plans to implement the program and fast, since we are already late in the fiscal year. In the meantime, ADC will be releasing its ideas on the program’s implementation in the coming days and sharing that with DOD. We want this to be a success in year one, and we will work actively with our partners in DOD and Congress to make that happen.
ADC photo by William Noonan