Sanford Bishop

What can we do? It seems as if the responsibility here is almost a matter of finger-pointing from one agency to another.

But it seems to me that this is a much bigger problem than the Department of Defense is recognizing.

Let me thank all of you for your service. Particularly let me thank Secretary Eastin, who I understand will be ending his service very shortly.

I thought I would ask that since we have the counterpart at the table.

I can assure you that the city would make whatever necessary accommodations for transportation. The security access would be the only challenge.

The problem is many of our families aren't there over time. They are there for a specific period.

If we don't do that, if we don't get these facilities up to Q-1 soon, we are going to have families elect to stay in the States and the service member comes alone.

We have taken and patched together school facilities, school infrastructure, fiscal--and we put patches on it because we never had enough money to be able to buy new in a quality facility.

I think you may have alluded in your testimony to your need for school construction in Europe.

In terms of your long-term military base needs for Afghanistan, do you see in EUCOM the need for any long-term military basing and access for the efforts in Afghanistan that this committee would have to fund?

I think--and what I am doing now, quite frankly, in EUCOM is we are beginning--I have started a review the command structure, a review towards our reorganization.

I have been interested in the conversation regarding the three Ds: defense, diplomacy, and development which is very much a part of the newest command: which is Africa Command.

Well, sir, I just came to support the chairman and to support PACOM.

Well, there is a gate now.

And we are quite pleased.

How are you getting the word down to the commanders of these units that they have to be sensitive to the wounded warriors?

His discipline and the loss of the funds accelerated the onset of the stress.

I am particularly concerned, though, about the suicide problem, particularly in the Army.

I would be happy to yield to Mr. Dicks.

This subcommittee intends to continue being a lobbyist for them in partnership with you, who has been such an eloquent voice on their behalf.

We ought to have them living in the kind of housing conditions that show respect from our country for their choice to sign up and serve our country.

I believe the troops and our veterans earned--these were dollars and programs that they earned through their service to the country.

The Army part is already appropriated. It is a done deal as far as the military part goes.

That is the question I am asking.

Please, I ask this House to join me in supporting this effort to ensure that the institution that we entrust to promote democratic principles remains open for review and discussion. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and help…