The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved nearly $75 million in funding for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
The proposal includes $17.8 million for new housing for single sailors and married couples without children; $27 million for a new dental and medical clinic; and $30.1 million for utility improvements for nuclear platforms.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she's especially pleased to see funding to replace the 100-ear-old medical facility that she says does not meet standards for safety or accessibility.
The funding was approved during the committee's consideration of the 2017 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs spending bill. The bill was approved unanimously and now awaits final consideration by the full Senate.
