National Defense Authorization Act planned to be signed into law, Lauren Boebert says it will create 1,000 jobs for Puebloans
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO)- Each fiscal year, Congress is tasked with passing a new National Defense Authorization Act. It's the Pentagon's entire yearly budget and one of the few bills that must be signed into law annually.
This year Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert successfully attached her own "Pueblo Jobs Act" as part of the package.
"This is a very large piece of property that won't just be bulldozed over. Now we can put this back to beneficial use and create more jobs in Pueblo and strengthen our economy," said Rep. Boebert about the Pueblo Chemical Depot
Following the decommissioning of the Pueblo Chemical Depot, the Jobs Act aims to spur development and create jobs at the site.
The bill makes it possible to transfer the remaining 7,000-acre parcel of land to Puebloplex, the state-run authority overseeing economic development at the site.
It's believed future rail and industrial jobs there could be as many as 1,000.
"Now we are working with with military agencies to ensure that the process is in place and it's rigorously followed and we can keep this very valuable piece of infrastructure and create new jobs that would otherwise be gone," said Boebert.
Rep. Boebert believes this takes away some of the uncertainty surrounding the closure.
"There are so many people who are suffering from the current economy, from inflation, rising gas prices, and energy costs. And this will just be one step in helping create good paying jobs in Pueblo to boost our economy," said Boebert.
The National Defense Authorization Act is now awaiting the president's signature. He has already expressed his support for the budget and will be signing it into law soon.
