Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Dent and Ranking Member Bishop for their hard work on behalf of servicemembers and veterans all across the country.

The Ratcliffe-MacArthur-Bost amendment that I am offering today with my colleagues, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. MacArthur) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost), will prohibit any funds made available in this act from being used to propose, plan for, or execute a new or additional round of base realignment and closure, or BRAC.

My congressional district in northeast Texas is home to the Red River Army Depot, which has maintained a steadfast commitment to supporting America's Armed Forces since 1941. While the depot has endured many challenges over the years, it has remained dedicated to fulfilling its motto: ``We build it as if our lives depend on it. Theirs do.''

Not only is the depot a vital job creator, employing more than 5,000 people in northeast Texas and southern Arkansas, it is a critical component of our national defense. The depot acts as an insurance policy for America's security, one capable of bolstering production in a manner that simply can't be duplicated by civilian industries. So the need for this amendment is clear.

In a fiscal environment where every penny is carefully scrutinized, we have to ensure that taxpayer dollars truly address our national security needs, and another round of BRAC certainly won't help us achieve this important goal. In addition to jeopardizing our defense readiness, BRAC has proven to be incredibly expensive. According to the Government Accountability Office, the last round of BRAC in 2005 cost the American taxpayers a whopping $35.1 billion. At the same time, the expected savings from the last round of BRAC haven't materialized, and those promised savings have since been revised downward by 73 percent.

Mr. Chairman, at a time when the terror threat level hovers at an all-time high, it is especially important that we do everything possible to ensure that our military is prepared for the call of duty. The amendment that I have introduced today does just that. I urge my colleagues to support it on behalf of the safety of our Armed Forces and the American people.

I yield to the chairman.

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

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