Liz Saville Roberts: “Not only is the air brigade in danger of losing all of their support facilities--they need a new runway, specifically…”

“Not only is the air brigade in danger of losing all of their support facilities--they need a new runway, specifically they need a $17 million runway. That is in danger of being cut from this $3.1 billion earmark. That is what I call it--a cut in an earmark going to nondefense programs. I find it unacceptable to move these people and then inadequately support them when they return home. Fort Riley is also in danger of losing an $87 million division headquarters, a sustainment brigade headquarters, to support another group of soldiers who will be returning from their current deployment in Iraq. If these facilities are not done by the time they return, they will be required to live in trailers, modular buildings. That is not acceptable. These soldiers are already sacrificing for the Nation. I refuse to ask them to also sacrifice when they return home from a deployment. As a result of the BRAC process, nearly 11,000 soldiers and their families have already begun moving back to Fort Riley. This is unprecedented growth. But Fort Riley does not have the support facilities to ensure these soldiers and families have full access to health, dental, and childcare.”