Tony Thurmond: “After months of negotiating on the depot maintenance issue, we finally achieved a breakthrough when those Members of…”

“After months of negotiating on the depot maintenance issue, we finally achieved a breakthrough when those Members of Congress who have depots agreed to a compromise heretofore believed to be unachievable. Those Members who have depots gave up on issues extremely important to them substantively and politically. At that time, those of us who had worked over many months to achieve such a compromise believed that we could finally put this very divisive issue behind us. It was simply unthinkable to us that after those with depots had come so far toward the other side's position that the Senators from Texas and California would oppose this compromise. They have always said they only wanted the opportunity to compete. This compromise gives them that opportunity on what the Armed Services Committee believes is clearly a level playing field. All 18 members of the Armed Services Committee have signed this conference report indicating their support of the compromise.”