Sanford Bishop: “let me first take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for the leadership shown by my chairman, Mr.…”

“let me first take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation for the leadership shown by my chairman, Mr. Knollenberg, and my ranking member, Mr. Edwards, on the housing privatization issue. I would also like to commend the leadership shown by Chairman Young, and Ranking Member Obey on this important issue as well. As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, I know of no other issue which is more important to our military and their families than housing. There is no other issue which has more of an impact on the quality of life of the men and women serving in the military than housing. This year we heard witness after witness testify before our subcommittee--each describing the lack of adequate housing as 'the' major quality of life issue facing the military. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to have two major military facilities--Ft. Benning and the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Albany, Georgia, in my district. However, just as important, I represent thousands of other military personnel who work at Moody Air Force Base and Warner Robbins Air Force Base, both of which are now adjacent to my district. Unfortunately, according to the Department of the Army's installation status report for fiscal year 2004, approximately 71 percent of the Army's residential quarters located in the United States require some level of improvement or replacement, in order to meet the department's own adequacy standards.”