Senator Lamar Alexander, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Thursday voted in committee to approve $181.5 million in funding for a new federal courthouse in Nashville. The funding bill passed the committee by a vote of 16-14.
“Senate Appropriations Committee approval today of $181.5 million in funding for a new federal courthouse in Nashville is extremely good news because, in a rare move, the bill approved by the Committee includes what is intended to be all the funding needed to build the new courthouse in one fiscal year instead of being spread out over several years,” Senator Alexander said.
“This means the courthouse project will finally get completed, which is desperately needed.
“Nashville’s new courthouse is the Federal Judiciary’s number-one priority because construction of a new courthouse is the only solution to address serious security problems and meet future space needs in Nashville. I want to thank Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) for including funding for the Nashville federal courthouse in their appropriations bill because it will increase safety for those working and visiting the courthouse. With a 38 percent caseload increase in 2014 and since the courthouse is also home to nine other federal agencies and offices, Nashville is long overdue for a new courthouse. I will continue to work to ensure the courthouse is finally funded this year as it moves from committee to consideration by the full Congress.”
The Nashville Federal Courthouse has been on the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Five Year Plan for 18 years. Congress has already appropriated $26.1 million for the new courthouse, and the site has been acquired and is ready for construction. The current federal building and courthouse faces several security concerns.
The bill approved by the committee on Thursday is the fiscal year 2016 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.