Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment with the intent of bolstering funds for a worthwhile program in the National Guard that assists with securing our southwest border.

In my State of Arizona, we are under attack. The Arizona border is a main thoroughfare for the black market and trafficking. Guns, money, drugs, and people are smuggled over the border at an alarming rate. Once the smugglers make it to Interstate 10 in Tucson, they can make easier runs to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and beyond.

Let's be clear, the Guard's southwest border mission has bipartisan support. Even President Obama supported this program during his time in the White House. In fact, since 1981, Congress has authorized military support to civilian law enforcement agencies.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GOSAR. In fact, since 1981, Congress has authorized military support to civilian law enforcement agencies, and those narrow authorizations are prescribed in title 10, chapter 18 of the United States Code. In sum, they act to support law enforcement efforts, but they do not direct them.

Finally, I will remind my colleagues that a similar amendment was offered last year by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), and the amendment was accepted by voice vote. This amendment today seeks to achieve the same goal. The amendment is offset by a reduction to the defensewide operations and maintenance account, $30.2 billion account.

Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas are all struggling. We are in desperate need of expertise and support at our southwestern border. If you support efforts to secure the border and interdict illegal trafficking in guns, money, drugs, and humans, including sex slaves, then you should support this amendment.

I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their tireless efforts to prioritize resources in this bill.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I too am offering an amendment to bolster suicide prevention programs. I rise to offer an amendment which would provide additional resources for mental health programs for our Nation's servicemembers. Traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder have been consistently contributing to behavioral issues with our veterans, and all too often these ongoing mental health issues result in suicide. With an average of 18 to 20 veteran suicides per day, more resources are desperately needed.

The DOD is already an expansive bureaucracy, and I appreciate the work of the committee to prioritize resources and to provide appropriation levels for the defensewide operations and maintenance that are actually lower than those in fiscal year 2015.

My amendment takes a relatively small amount from that account--$1.5 million out of a $30.2 billion budget. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says the amendment would have no impact on budget authority or outlays.

Too many of our men and women in uniform are struggling with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of serving in combat. If you support improved mental health for our servicemembers, you should support this amendment. Let's prevent future suicides amongst our troops and ensure they are getting the help they need. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source