Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment to prohibit funding for any transfer of Apaches from the National Guard to the Active Army. In committee, Chairman Wilson and I worked very closely to authorize a congressional review no less than 60 days following the Commission's report release. And on the House floor, as an amendment to the NDAA, Mr. Palazzo and I thoroughly examined and determined a fixed transfer date of Apaches no later than June 30. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is being used as a backdoor scheme and a delay tactic. This ploy places devastating impacts and potential deactivation of the Army's Combat Aviation Brigades in States like New York, Kansas, Hawaii, Arizona, and overall Black Hawk modernization in California. As the Representative of Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division, any delay would cause this high operational tempo unit to be left without an Aviation Brigade. Let me be abundantly clear. Any Apache delay will have grave consequences on our Army's readiness, deployment schedule, and our soldiers' dwell time. A delay would severely limit the Army's ability to meet expected operational requirements and place an even greater burden on our Nation's brave servicemembers. So, Mr. Chairman, where I think some may be confused I want to clarify. In exchange for Apaches, the National Guard is set to receive fully modernized Black Hawks, which are essential to lift-and-rescue operations and remain critical to a State's emergency response.…”