[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11777]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                               FORT HOOD

  (Mr. WILLIAMS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, as a representative from the 25th 
Congressional District of Texas, it is my pleasure to represent Fort 
Hood in the United States Congress.
  From its state-of-the-art training facilities to its experienced 
leadership and world-renowned reputation, Fort Hood demonstrates 21st 
century training for the 21st century soldier. Fort Hood is a treasure 
of Texas, but it is also the gold standard for the Army, the Department 
of Defense, and our Nation's overall national security posture.
  Last week, in an address to the National Commission on the Future of 
the Army, I presented my thoughts on the recent troop reduction 
announcement and how it relates to Fort Hood.
  If sequestration takes effect in October as planned, the U.S. Army 
will have to cut 30,000 soldiers in addition to the 40,000 soldiers 
that will be removed from ranks over the next 2 years. At this level, 
our military may not be able to commit to current deployments, let 
alone successfully take on new challenges.
  Mr. Speaker, with the expansion of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the 
instability of governments in the Middle East, and an aggressive Russia 
and China, I do not believe this is the time to be cutting our Army to 
pre-World War II levels.
  Mr. Speaker, Fort Hood is a resilient community made up of the finest 
soldiers I have ever met. They have been dealt some serious challenges 
in recent years, and each time, they have overcome them.
  Fort Hood is the Great Place; even so, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative 
this Congress relieves the strain the sequester has put on Fort Hood 
and our entire military. It is not fair for our brave men and women to 
suffer the consequences of our inability to properly govern.
  I would like to express my gratitude to Fort Hood, the Department of 
the Army, our soldiers and their families, and fellow Texans.
  May God bless our troops; may God bless the Great Place, and God 
bless the United States of America.
  In God We Trust.

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