Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (D-NY-28) today said she would do everything possible to make the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station a crown jewel of the U.S. Air Force.

Slaughter attended a ribbon-cutting for the Airman’s Visiting Quarters at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station this morning. Since 2006, Slaughter has helped secure almost $17 million for the visiting quarters which today provide another 80 rooms for visiting airmen.

“I can assure you that I will continue to do everything I can in Congress to ensure that additional federal investments are made here at NFARS,” said Slaughter. “With continued investments and the continued great work of the 914th and the 107th, I know that it is not long before NFARS will be considered a crown jewel of the U.S. Air Force.”

In 2005 the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station was removed from the BRAC list, ensuring its short-term survival. Slaughter worked to keep the base open at the time in order to protect local jobs and preserve a valuable military asset. The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station is the largest employer in Niagara County

“Since we successfully removed the Niagara Air Base from the 2005 BRAC list, I have been committed to bringing more federal dollars to the base and continuing to strengthen its position within the Armed Forces,” said Slaughter. “This lodging facility, along with the new state of the art dining facility that was approved last year are the types of federal investments that allow the base to serve a greater number of our military personnel with the best possible equipment and facilities.”

The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Center is home to the 914th and 107th Airlift Wings.