U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie says the House Appropriations Committee has approved $553 million in military spending for Hawai'i.

The money is included in the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill still must be approved by Congress and signed by the president before it can become law.

About half the funds — or $279 million — would build barracks and other infrastructure at Schofield Barracks.

Another $40 million would be spent on a wideband satellite communications operations center in Wahiawa.

Abercrombie says the budget will provide the military with equipment, training and facilities.

He says it should help improve military readiness, something he says has suffered during the war in Iraq.