PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — As the Blue Angels celebrate 70 years with Pensacola, Florida lawmakers are working to spend the next 70 and beyond there.
On Friday, July 11th, Florida District 1 president Jimmy Patronis submitted an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026, which prevents law funding from moving the US Navy flight demonstration squadron known from the current base in Pensacola, according to a news release from his office.
Blue Angels screaming in the sky at Pensacola Beach Air Show
“The Blue Angels have been a staple of the Pensacola and the Emerald Coast for 70 years,” Patronis said. “To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Blue Angels, who call the area home, I was proud to submit an amendment to the Defense Budget Act that simply ensures that no funds will be used to relocate the Blue Angels from their historic base in Pensacola.”
Patronis said he had no plans to move the flight team from Pensacola, but he wanted special measures to ensure it stayed like that.
“The Blue Angels are amazing, create economic opportunities and foster pride across the community,” he said. “I wanted to take the extra step to make sure the Blue Angels stay here forever.”
According to Patronis, the Defense Budget Act funds key U.S. military functions, including personnel, operations and maintenance.