BELLEVUE - The record-busting $768.2 billion defense authorization bill that cleared Congress last week contains a little sugar for Nebraska, courtesy of the state’s congressional delegation.

The bill, which passed the Senate 88-11, includes a 2.7% pay increase for military personnel while making landmark changes to the way the military handles sexual assaults, keeping women out of the draft, and laying the groundwork for a new war on terror memorial on the National Mall.

The House passed the bill 363-70 in September and is now awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature.

Sen. Deb Fischer and Rep. Don Bacon, who serve on the Armed Services Committees in their respective houses, claimed credit for steering some of that money to benefit military personnel and commands in Nebraska.

At least $150 million is slated for construction at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue. Of that, $100 million is for the reconstruction of parts of the base damaged in the 2019 flood.

That’s on top of more than $400 million for cleanup and repairs in previous years, and $234 million to replace RC-135 flight simulators destroyed in the flood.

The bill also authorized $50 million for the rehabilitation of family housing at Offutt.

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