Louie Gohmert: “I know my friend from Maryland to be a very smart person. But I also know, I was around when--and I had a 4-year Army…”

“I know my friend from Maryland to be a very smart person. But I also know, I was around when--and I had a 4-year Army commitment--when we went from draft to having all-volunteer. And I said back at the time, well, this means we are going to have to spend a lot of money recruiting, encouraging people, advertising to get people to join the military. In recent years, there has been so much anti-American sentiment, and polls are showing that it has been rising, that that does have an effect on recruiting. I was out there, it was a fantastic--it rained. That brought the temperature down, but it was fantastic. And I have already heard about two young people who said, I saw that on television. I was thinking about the military. I am now not thinking about it; I am joining. Now, just so you know--let's see, we spend, between the Army Active Duty and the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Air Force Active Duty, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Navy Active Duty, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Active Duty and Marine Corps Reserve, actually $662 million in 2015, but only $574 million in 2017. So it had been down from where it was in 2015. But this costs the military, it is projected around $1.2 million. I cannot imagine a more effective use of that money for showing people what they can be a part of if they join in the defense of this country.…”