Military Reductions Send the Worst Possible Message to our Adversaries

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Texas. Madam Speaker, I have long opposed reductions in our military, and I continue to believe that our Nation should maintain a robust land force. The announcement to reduce the Army by 40,000 troops sends the worst possible message to our Nation's adversaries. Cuts that extend into heavy armored combat units go even further to weaken our national defense and put us at risk.

I am especially disappointed about the Army's plan to cut so heavily from Fort Hood and the State of Texas. The Army's decision to implement a roughly 9 percent reduction at the Great Place is outrageous. I have serious concerns about the logic and analysis that went into this decision to reduce so many troops from Texas.

Perhaps the most sickening part of the whole matter, however, is the damage these cuts will do to the soldiers and their families who will be asked to leave the Army after decades of sacrifice in time of war. In the coming days, I will be pressing the Army for clarification on their analysis and justification for their decisions.

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