OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

Date: June 8, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Defense Government Budget and Spending

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Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chair, I would like to thank Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz for their hard work on behalf of the 63,000 veterans in my district, as well as servicemembers and veterans across the country.

Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to once again have the opportunity to offer this important amendment, which would simply prohibit any funds made available in this act from being used to propose, to plan for, or to execute a new or additional round of BRAC.

Mr. Chairman, I am privileged to represent the Fourth Congressional District of Texas, which is home to the Red River Army Depot. The Depot has supported the warfighter since 1941; and although the Depot community has weathered a lot of changes over the years, its commitment to mission has remained the same. On the placards inside of every vehicle are the words ``We build it as if our lives depend on it. Theirs do.''

The Depot is a vital job creator in northeast Texas, and it is a critical component, Mr. Chairman, of our national defense. In this fiscal environment, we have to be careful stewards of taxpayer dollars and focus our limited resources on addressing critical national security objectives and our military readiness. Having another round of BRAC simply won't help us achieve this goal.

To that point, the Government Accountability Office said that the last round of BRAC back in 2005 cost the American taxpayers over $35 billion, which was 67 percent more than the original cost estimate.

Starting another round of BRAC would weaken our capabilities while increasing our vulnerabilities in the face of critical threats facing our Nation right now.

I would like to thank my colleagues who have supported this important amendment for the past 3 years, and I look forward to having this amendment included in the MILCON-VA appropriations bill.

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Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chair, I yield to my colleague from Texas, Chairman Carter.

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Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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