Political Quotes

“today I urge your consideration of the authorization of $14.3 million for land acquisition to preserve access to the Barry M. Goldwater Range. This land acquisition would serve to prevent incompatible land uses and encroachment, and to increase the margin of safety in the Live Ordnance Departure Area located southwest of Luke Air Force Base. The Barry M. Goldwater Range, a 2.7 million acre land and airspace area in southwest Arizona, is the crown jewel of all flight ranges, providing the Air Force with the space necessary to conduct live-fire training and simulating realistically the dimensions of a modern battlefield. Luke Air Force Base-with its year-round idyllic weather-is the training home to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. With an average of 170 sorties flown each day, access to the Barry M. Goldwater Range is an essential part of the advanced training and practice required of the Air Force fighter pilots. The southern departure corridor from Luke Air Force Base is the only air corridor where live ordnance can be carried out by F-16 Fighters. The threat of advancement and increased pressure of residential development from what has traditionally been isolated farmland places the mission and the future of Luke Air Force Base at risk.”