Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Just-Passed National Defense Bill Authorizes $119 Million In Funding For Capital Region Projects – Including NY Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry[...]

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Just-Passed National Defense Bill Authorizes $119 Million In Funding For Capital Region Projects - Including NY Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division Headquarters & Watervliet Arsenal

Dec 17, 2025

Current 42^nd Infantry Division HQ Armory Built in 1971 Has Long-Been Running Out Of Space, As Well As The Technology & Infrastructure Needed To Maintain Modern US Army Division HQ And Support Training, Readiness And Mission Requirement

After Months Of Work, Senators Deliver New $90M Authorization - Unlocking The Funding Process - For New HQ & $29M For Watervliet Arsenal Electrical Switching Station

Schumer, Gillibrand: One Giant Step Closer To A Much-Needed New Armory For NY Army National Guard's 42^nd Infantry Division!

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that, following their push, building a new armory and readiness center for the NY Army National Guard's 42^nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division Headquarters cleared a major hurdle to secure federal funding. The senators explained that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, just passed, will authorize full funding for a new HQ, which will be located in Colonie at the former site of the old Heritage Park minor league baseball stadium that was home to the Albany-Colonie Yankees. The NDAA also authorized $29 million in federal funding for a new electrical switching station at Watervliet Arsenal, which was fully funded in the FY 2026 military construction budget bill.

"We are one critical step closer to building a much-needed new armory for the 42^nd Infantry 'Rainbow' Division. NY's Army National Guard is critical to our national security, but the Rainbow Division's current headquarters was built over 50 years ago and needs more space and modern infrastructure to meet the Army's growing requirements. This project aims to build the new, modern facility we need while breathing new life into the former site of the Heritage Park baseball stadium in Colonie," said Senator Schumer. "This funding authorization in the just-passed final national defense bill is a major milestone for securing future federal funding and getting shovels in the ground to build a new state-of-the-art armory and readiness center for the Rainbow Division. I will continue fighting to secure this funding in future appropriations so we can hit the ground running to build this new Armory."

"This year's NDAA is a win for service members, New Yorkers, and all Americans," said Senator Gillibrand. "I was especially proud to fight for and secure key provisions in the final bill that will directly impact the Capital Region, including authorizations for the 42^nd Infantry Division Headquarters and the Watervliet Arsenal. Protecting our troops and our national security is of the utmost importance, and I am glad to see Democrats and Republicans work together to pass this vital legislation."

Schumer and Gillibrand explained that the 42^nd Infantry Division Armory in Troy was constructed in 1971 for a smaller organization, but the current Armory headquarters does not meet the Army's facility requirements for a division headquarters, with the Division growing and needing a larger space. The senators additionally secured $29 million to build a new electrical switching station at Watervliet Arsenal. This project was fully funded in the FY2026 military construction budget bill.

Building a new, modernized Armory and headquarters would ensure that the 42^nd Infantry Division has the centralization, resources, infrastructure, and capabilities needed to maintain the division's mission readiness and its training and deployment activities. Simultaneously, the Watervliet Arsenal is modernizing its manufacturing facilities and production streams. However, as a result, this will displace the National Guard Division's warehouses located on Watervliet Arsenal grounds by 2028. The New York Army National Guard will move the warehouses at Watervliet Arsenal to the site of the current Armory in Troy, which will continue to be used by the NYNG.

The $90 million authorization they secured for the project in the final FY 2026 NDAA is a critical milestone that unlocks the federal funding process and is a massive step forward for the NY Army National Guard, which has long been pushing for a new, modern, expanded armory and readiness center. Schumer and Gillibrand will be pushing to deliver this funding in future federal spending bills.

Schumer and Gillibrand took action to push for the federal funding needed to support the Army's operations in the Capital Region. NY State has already provided $5 million to acquire a new Capital Region location for a headquarters facility near the Albany International Airport that is shovel-ready and capable of handling large military vehicles. The state has also delivered $10 million to advance design and has obligated an additional $30 million to begin construction if the federal government is able to deliver the $90 million needed to complete the project.

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