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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding Senate accomplishments:

“Every day this week, I’ve mentioned some of the significant accomplishments of a Senate under new management—a Senate that’s put its focus back on the American people.

“After years of inaction, this Senate took bipartisan action to help the victims of modern-day slavery.

“Many said the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act would never pass the Senate, but we proved them wrong—we proved it could actually pass by a wide, bipartisan margin.

“In a new and more open Senate, Senator Cornyn was able to work with Democratic partners to ensure it ultimately did.

“After years of inaction, this Senate took bipartisan action to protect the privacy of Americans.

“Many said the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act would never pass the Senate, but we proved them wrong—we proved it could actually pass by a wide, bipartisan margin.

“In a new and more open Senate, Senator Burr, a Republican, and Senator Feinstein, a Democrat, were able to ensure it ultimately did.

“After years of inaction, this Senate took bipartisan action to lift children up with better education opportunities.

“Many said the Every Child Achieves Act would never pass the Senate, but we proved them wrong—we proved it could actually pass by a wide, bipartisan margin.

“In a new and more open Senate, Senator Alexander, a Republican, and Senator Murray, a Democrat, were able to ensure it ultimately did.

“And, after years of inaction, this Senate took bipartisan action to meaningfully improve our roads and infrastructure over the coming years.

“Many said that a long-term Highway and Transportation Funding Act would never pass the Senate, but we proved them wrong—we proved it could actually pass by a wide, bipartisan margin.

“In a new and more open Senate, Senator Inhofe, a Republican, and Senator Boxer, a Democrat, were able to ensure it ultimately did.

“Today, we’re on the verge of passing that bill again. We’re on the verge of passing it into law.

“The revised legislation we’ll consider provides 5 full years of highway funding.

“It would be the longest-term bill to pass Congress in almost two decades.

“And it would provide long-term certainty in a fiscally responsible way.

“In other words, this bill will finally provide state and local governments with the kind of certainty they need to focus on longer-term road and bridge projects.

“That’s a significant departure from years of short-term extensions.

“There’s a lot more to say about what the new Congress has been able to achieve on behalf of the American people. I look forward to continuing to share those successes here on the floor.

“Tuesday’s announcement on the highway bill is just the latest reminder of what’s possible in a new and more open Senate. It builds the basis for more wins into the future. And most importantly, it’s an achievement for the American people—an achievement that only a new Congress has been able to deliver.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wrote an op-ed regarding the new planned medical clinic at Fort Knox, which was secured with enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Senator McConnell worked to obtain funding and authorization for the new $80 million, 102,000 square-foot medical facility at the base. The project will move forward with the President’s signing of the NDAA last week.

Major General (Ret) Bill Barron, Executive Director, CORE Committee, Inc., serving the Fort Knox community said, “the construction of a new medical facility at Fort Knox to replace the aging Ireland Army Hospital represents a smart investment by the Department of Defense, not only for current service members, families and military retirees but for the future of this premier Army installation. The Fort Knox community has worked closely with Sen. McConnell for a number of years to get this new medical facility built and it would not have been possible without his commitment to seeing it through. The community is deeply appreciative of the Senator’s ongoing support for this important project and for Fort Knox and its outstanding Soldiers and Civilians.”

In the op-ed, Senator McConnell wrote that “we made sure Kentucky’s military community was heard in Washington and ensured the new medical facility was included in a package of fiscal year 2014 bills that authorized the Department of Defense (DOD) to begin construction and appropriated funding to complete the project.

“Working with DOD, I saw to it that plans were developed to meet the needs of the Fort Knox community. DOD then committed to building an $80-million, state-of-the-art facility to replace Ireland Army Community Hospital (ACH), and the authorization of that planned facility was signed into law by the President last week. After years of denial and delay, and after three separate bills carrying the project were signed into law, DOD will construct a new medical facility that is worthy of the thousands of heroes in uniform, their families, and military retirees who call Fort Knox home.

“I have long been and will continue to be a vigorous advocate for Fort Knox and its servicemembers, families and civilians—we owe a great debt to them all. The soldiers, retirees, civilians and military families in the Fort Knox community can rest assured I will always go to bat for them when it comes to protecting their interests and this crucial and storied installation. Our men and women in uniform deserve the very best, and I am proud to have helped ensure that they will have the kind of medical facility they deserve.”

The text of the op-ed is below:

Congress Scores Major Victory for Fort Knox
Recently Signed Defense Bill Provides for Construction of New $80 Million Medical Facility
By Senator Mitch McConnell

The Fort Knox community scored a major victory last month when Congress passed a bill that directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to build a new, state-of-the-art medical facility at Fort Knox to replace the aging and obsolete hospital that’s currently there. Area residents have been advocating for the new facility for years, and I worked hard to ensure their message was heard in Washington. I am pleased that all our hard work has finally borne fruit.

The current medical facility at Fort Knox, the Ireland Army Community Hospital (IACH), was built some 57 years ago—making it one of the oldest hospitals in the Army. Maintenance on a facility nearly six decades old is expensive. Fort Knox is home to more than 40,000 servicemembers, Army civilians, and military families, many of whom depend on IACH for their primary and specialty care. For years it’s been clear that the Army needed to build a modern medical facility that could provide the care our servicemembers, retirees and others deserve.

That’s why I continually raised my concerns about the condition of the current hospital with DOD officials both in meetings and through my seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Finally in 2013, DOD requested funding from Congress to build a new replacement facility. Within months of DOD making this request, however, the Obama Administration made several decisions that complicated the project’s future.

I wasn’t going to let the project be knocked off course. We made sure Kentucky’s military community was heard in Washington and ensured the new medical facility was included in a package of fiscal year 2014 bills that authorized DOD to begin construction and appropriated funding to complete the project.

Working with DOD, I saw to it that plans were developed to meet the needs of the Fort Knox community. DOD then committed to building an $80-million, state-of-the-art facility to replace IACH, and the authorization of that planned facility was signed into law by the President last week. After years of denial and delay, and after three separate bills carrying the project were signed into law, DOD will construct a new medical facility that is worthy of the thousands of heroes in uniform, their families, and military retirees who call Fort Knox home.

The Obama Administration has been determined to reduce the size of the Army, and postings in Kentucky have often been targets. But with the DOD’s commitment to invest $80 million in a new,102,000-square-foot medical facility at Fort Knox, the government is making a wise investment in the post, which is vital not only to Kentucky but to the nation.

I have long been and will continue to be a vigorous advocate for Fort Knox and its servicemembers, families and civilians—we owe a great debt to them all.

The soldiers, retirees, civilians and military families in the Fort Knox community can rest assured I will always go to bat for them when it comes to protecting their interests and this crucial and storied installation. Our men and women in uniform deserve the very best, and I am proud to have helped ensure that they will have the kind of medical facility they deserve.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding Senate accomplishments:

“The past few days, I’ve noted some of the achievements of a new Congress that’s back to work on the side of the American people.

“We’ve passed bills no one ever thought Washington could touch. We’ve made reforms that had previously languished for years without result.

“Even more remarkably, we’ve often done so on a bipartisan basis.

“Consider just the bills I’ve mentioned already.

“A landmark, bipartisan education bill that would take decision-making power away from distant federal bureaucrats in order to empower parents and teachers instead.

“The pundits said we’d never pass it. We did, 81 to 17.

“A breakthrough, bipartisan highway bill that would finally provide state and local governments the kind of certainty they need to focus on longer-term road and bridge projects.

“After years of short-term extensions, this long-term highway bill passed the new Senate 65 to 34.

“A milestone, bipartisan cybersecurity bill that would protect the personal information of the people we represent by defeating cyberattacks through the sharing of information.

“The issue languished in previous Congresses, but this Senate passed it with 74 votes.

“Today, I’d like to mention another important bill this new Congress has passed.

“It’s hard for many Americans to believe that human trafficking — modern-day slavery — could happen where they live.

“But it does.

“Right here in the United States. All 50 of them. In Kentucky alone, the commonwealth has been able to identify more than 100 victims since it began keeping relevant records in 2013. And this kind of abuse often begins around the age of 13 or 14.

“The victims of modern slavery deserve a voice. They deserve justice. And after years of inaction, a new Congress was determined to give them both.

“Of course there was an unforeseen impediment, to put it mildly, to getting this bill done. But success was possible because the new majority kept its focus on facts, on substance, and on good policy for the people who always remained our focus throughout the debate — the victims of modern slavery.

“The bill we ultimately passed with strong bipartisan support, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, represents a vital ray of hope for the countless victims of modern slavery who need our help. Victims groups and advocates told us that this human-rights legislation would provide ‘unprecedented support to domestic victims of trafficking.’

“They urged Congress to pass it.

“We did.

The President signed it into law too.

“It just proves that with unwavering compassion and unbowed determination — something Senator Cornyn knows a thing or two about — justice can prevail. I’m grateful to him and so many other Senators for working so hard to ensure it ultimately did.

“The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act is another important step forward for our country. It’s another example of what we can achieve in a new Congress that’s back to work for the American people.”

Recent Press Releases

Long-term Highway Bill Another Senate Accomplishment under Republican Leadership

December 3, 2015

McConnell Comments on New Medical Clinic at Fort Knox

Recently Signed Defense Bill Provides for Construction of New $80 Million Medical Facility

December 2, 2015

Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act Another Senate Bipartisan Achievement

‘The Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act is another important step forward for our country. It’s another example of what we can achieve in a new Congress that’s back to work for the American people.’

December 2, 2015