Richard Hudson: “I rise amongst a broad bipartisan coalition to oppose this misguided amendment offered by my colleague from Minnesota.…”

“I rise amongst a broad bipartisan coalition to oppose this misguided amendment offered by my colleague from Minnesota. Mr. Chairman, facts are a stubborn thing. The National Guard has reiterated time and time again the immense value of their recruiting and retention programs in professional motor sports. The facts of this program show a successful return on investment for the taxpayers. To demonstrate the success of this program, I would like to cite three crystal clear numbers which support strong opposition to this amendment: First, 90 percent. In the June 4 letter to House Appropriations, the National Guard Association of the United States and their counterpart, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard, stated that a recent independent study found that 90 percent of the Army National Guard soldiers who enlisted or reenlisted were exposed to the Guard from recruiting or retention materials featuring NASCAR drivers and their cars. That's a real return on your investment, a return on the invest of the American people; Second, 85 percent. Of those who enlisted or reenlisted during that time period, 85 percent agree that professional sports are beneficial to attracting and retaining good soldiers. That's, again, a good return on your investment; And the last number is 400,000. Since embarking on a more robust use of professional sport sponsorships in fiscal year 2007, the Army National Guard has added more than 400,000 new soldiers. That, Mr.…”