Kathy Castor: “I thank my colleague. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Castor amendment, which is an amendment in support of…”

“I thank my colleague. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of the Castor amendment, which is an amendment in support of military families across the country. It expresses the sense of Congress that, when it comes to housing military members, the Pentagon should factor in the commuting times for base personnel and the land available for on-base housing. On-base housing is a critical readiness issue. Having our servicemembers as close to their assignments as possible is vital. DOD must ensure that the decisions relating to base housing take into account relevant factors, and each base is different. For example, at MacDill Air Force Base in my hometown in Tampa, Florida, it is home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing, United States Special Operations Command, and United States Central Command. The recent expansion of on-base housing for military families has been a great success. Pursuant to a public-private partnership that was authorized in 2007, 572 homes have been constructed on the base. This has been a godsend for the families at MacDill, and here is why: the neighborhoods closest to the base are expensive and out of reach for many military families, so servicemembers oftentimes buy homes about 30 miles away and then commute to the base. This recent public-private partnership at MacDill has been a win-win for the military and the families who serve.…”