House approves money for Rock Island Arsenal

ROCK ISLAND -- The U.S. House of Representatives has approved $4 million for the Rock Island Arsenal.

The northwest Illinois facility is one of the county's largest government-owned and operated arsenals. It dates back to the 1800s when the Mississippi River island was set aside as a federal military reservation by Congress.

Congressman Phil Hare's office says $2 million's slated to go to encouraging companies to invest at arsenal facilities to reduce costs.

The other $2 million will enable a Quad Cities lab to develop manufacturing processes for the arsenal's Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center.

Hare says the money will help create jobs and boost manufacturing at one of the region's most important economic pillars.