[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 146 (Thursday, September 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              FT. HUACHUCA

  Ms. SINEMA. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in opposition to 
cutting congressionally mandated support from critical military 
construction projects in Arizona, the United States, and around the 
world. This misguided effort takes $30 million away from Ft. Huachuca, 
home to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence, where all Army 
intelligence professionals train at least once in their careers.
  The $30 million was set to fund construction of a long-needed, new 
facility to protect and maintain equipment used to replicate the 
communications networks and threat displays of our adversaries. This 
investment is critical to ensuring our Army intelligence professionals 
receive the training they need to keep our country safe. Backfilling 
these cuts will likely delay several other needed projects at Ft. 
Huachuca and may lead to wasted taxpayer dollars as the cost of 
construction goes up over time.
  I recently saw firsthand how the training our soldiers receive at Ft. 
Huachuca is essential in preparing our country to respond to threats 
from Russia, China, and other bad actors around the globe. As we 
continue to counter terrorism, we must consider threats our adversaries 
pose across multiple domains--notably disinformation campaigns, cyber 
warfare, and conventional military operations. Our intelligence 
training mission at Ft. Huachuca is critical to our national security, 
and our intelligence soldiers deserve our full support.
  Ft. Huachuca is the largest employer in Cochise County, and the 
residents of Sierra Vista and the surrounding communities remain 
steadfast supporters of our brave servicemembers and America's 
intelligence mission. They know personally that taking $30 million from 
the base risks military readiness and our security.
  This misguided plan weakens our national security and will likely 
cost American taxpayers more money in the long-run, which is why I 
thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have rejected taking 
money away from these important military projects. We all support the 
men and women of our Armed Forces and must work together to ensure they 
have the resources and support to do their jobs and keep us safe.

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