Congressman Gonzalez Urges Acting Secretary of the Navy to Prioritize Facility Upgrades at NAS Kingsville

April 29, 2026 Press Release Contact: Alexis Torres Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) urged Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao to include two pressing infrastructure projects at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville in the Navy’s 2027 Unfunded Priority List (UPL) request to Congress. The first project is the construction of a new pass & tag facility to expedite visitor credentialing and enhance security measures. The second is the replacement of the current fire station, which will allow it to meet safety standards and accommodate modern firefighting equipment. “NAS Kingsville, located in the 34th Congressional District of Texas, has been essential to training the next generation of U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviators since it first opened its doors in 1942. Today, it is home to Training Air Wing Two and trains nearly half of Navy and Marine Corps’ tactical jet pilots each year. The base also employs over 4,000 people and contributes at least $1 billion to the Texas economy annually,” wrote Congressman Gonzalez. “As you can see, NAS Kingsville is vitally important to my district and to the nation. That is why the Navy must act quickly to address these long overdue infrastructure issues,” he continued. The Navy’s UPL is an annual report, which identifies certain programs, activities, or mission requirements that are in need of federal appropriations funding but was not requested in the President’s most recent Budget. In addition to today’s letter, on April 15th, Congressman Gonzalez testified before the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) to advocate for both facility upgrades as the Committee begins to craft the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027. Today’s letter in full can be viewed here . Issues : Veterans & Our Military