Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 837, which is led by my friend from Arizona, Representative Crane. This is a good bill that would transfer land from the Forest Service to create a retreat facility in Gila County, Arizona, for veterans and their families. Over 5,000 veterans call Gila County home, and there are over 500,000 veterans in all of Arizona. Creating this facility will help the brave men and women who have served our country find healing, reconnect with nature, and ease the transition back to civilian life. Nearly 60 percent of the land in Gila County is Federally owned, which creates significant limitations on available land for commendable efforts like the veterans' retreat center. The proposed location of this new center is a Forest Service site that is scheduled to be torn down. This 232-acre site includes 17 buildings, 2 residences, 2 barracks, a historic ranger house and barn, and helipads. Gila County plans to remodel and renovate many of the buildings to provide an excellent experience for veterans and their families. Repurposing the site is a win-win, as it will be a great resource for Arizona's veterans while freeing the Forest Service from maintaining property it no longer needs. I commend Representative Crane for his leadership on this effort on behalf of his constituents. As a veteran himself, I know he understands how important this center will be for his community.…”