WASHINGTON - Congress on Tuesday gave final approval to nearly $40 million to fund projects for Edwards Air Force Base and China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station. The funding was included in the conference report for the Military Construction Appropriations Act for 2004. "The nation's most advanced weapons systems and aircraft are developed and tested at Edwards and China Lake," said Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield. "Having modern facilities and infrastructure at both bases is absolutely essential. Some of the buildings these funds will help replace were built in the 1950s. "The use of half-century-old buildings to prepare for modern warfare...