WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., were in Frankfort Thursday to celebrate Kentucky National Guard projects moving ahead thanks to new federal funding.

What You Need To Know

  • Sen. Mitch McConnell joined Gov. Andy Beshear Thursday to highlight federal funding for the Kentucky National Guard

  • The money is part of a $1.2 trillion funding package passed by Congress

  • The funding includes more than $16 million to build a vehicle maintenance facility in Burlington, $7 million for a new machine gun training range in Greenville and $2 million to finish construction of a state administrative building in Frankfort

McConnell stressed the importance of investing in defense amid threats from around the globe.

“We cannot and should not let political differences hold our national security hostage any longer,” McConnell said. “If we want a world with less conflict and fewer challenges to America, we must preserve our strength.”

The leaders spoke of the Iran-backed drone attack in January that killed three American soldiers in Jordan, where members of the Kentucky National Guard were stationed.

“That was an attack on our country, and it was an attack on our people,” Beshear said. “And I'm grateful about the senator talking about the fact that national security cannot be partisan and our response to it cannot be partisan.”

The $1.2 trillion funding package Congress passed in March has money for three facilities for the Guard in Kentucky, including more than $16 million to build a vehicle maintenance facility in Burlington, $7 million for a new machine gun training range in Greenville and $2 million to finish construction of a state administrative building in Frankfort.

Guard leaders have said the machine gun range made possible by the funding has been in the works for two decades and will allow units to complete weapons training requirements in one location.

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