Sam Farr: “However, I believe my amendment addresses an important issue, and I would like to speak briefly on the matter before…”

“However, I believe my amendment addresses an important issue, and I would like to speak briefly on the matter before withdrawing the amendment. My amendment prevents the Army from wasting Federal tax dollars to implement a recommendation by the BRAC Commission. The recommendation would relocate the TEXCOM Experimentation Center from my district to another facility. In their proposal to the BRAC, the Army claimed this move would cost no more than $6.7 million. It is this figure which BRAC used as a basis for its final recommendation to move the facility. However, there are Army documents that show that it may cost as much in fact as $13 million or more. Mr. Chairman, let me quote from a recent U.S. Army Forces Command document which states that 'Significant one-time costs are $17 million for realignment. There are no savings to be realized in this action.' The purpose of my amendment is to hold the Army to its word that the relocation of TEXCOM would be cost-effective and save money important to the American taxpayers.”