LITTLE ROCK — Sens. Mark Pryor and John Boozman say they are disappointed in a defense spending bill that’s headed to the White House without a provision to block the Air Force from moving it’s A-10s from Fort Smith.
The bill passed the House on Thursday and cleared the Senate on Friday.
After the last round of base closings, the 188th Fighter Wing was moved to Fort Smith, where the A-10 combat jets have been based since.
Pryor, a Democrat, and Boozman, a Republican, both voted for the measure because of other elements in the bill.
The bill includes $26 million for Little Rock Air Force Base to replace hangars and $4.2 million to build a new flight simulator. The Army National Guard base in Searcy would get $6.8 million for construction.
Read more about the defense bill and its impact on both Arkansas and the nation in tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.