PRESS RELEASE
from the office of
CONGRESSMAN JOHN SHIMKUS

website: www.house.gov/shimkus
e-mail: steven.tomaszewski@mail.house.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Steven Tomaszewski
June 21, 2006
618/344-3065; 618/322-9246



SHIMKUS AND COSTELLO ANNOUNCE DEFENSE BILL CONTAINS $33.5 MILLION TO MAINTAIN C-9S, BEGIN C-40 MISSION AT SCOTT

Washington, DC…..Congressmen John Shimkus (R, Illinois-19) and Jerry Costello
(D, Illinois-12) announced today that they have secured $33.5 million to maintain the
C-9 airplanes and begin the new C-40 mission of the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air
Force Base. The funds are part of the Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007.

"This is another strong endorsement of the critical role Scott Air Force Base plays in
our national defense," said Costello. "The tremendous efforts of the men and women
at Scott cannot be overstated. These funds are particularly important as we are less than
a year away from the arrival of the first C-40."

"Jerry and I continue to work together to provide Scott Air Force Base with the highest
levels of funding for the military personnel serving at Scott and for the military
equipment necessary to carry out the duties assigned to Scott," stated Shimkus.

Personnel costs will account for $6.2 million of the total, with the rest being used for a
variety of functions related to maintaining the C-9s and preparing for the arrival of the
C-40s. The C-40 is the military version of the 737 and has numerous airlift capabilities.

Scott AFB is the largest employer south of Springfield and is the fourth-largest employer
in the St. Louis region. The 932nd Airlift Wing employs 1,000 Reservists and civilians.
It is estimated that Scott has an economic impact of more than $2 billion on the local
and regional economy every year.

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