Congressmen Johnson, Abraham Advocate on Behalf of Fort Polk

Press Release

Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04) led the delegation of new Louisiana members of Congress in sending a letter to the Army advocating for Fort Polk to be considered in the Army's growing mission demands and force structure decisions. The letter was signed by Senator John Kennedy, Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D. (LA-05) and Congressman Clay Higgins (LA-03). Congressman Johnson presented the letter during a joint meeting with Brigadier General Brito, Commander of JRTC and Fort Polk, and Dr. Abraham.

Congressman Johnson released the following statement:

"I look forward to supporting efforts to restore the Army's force structure, readiness and modernization. However, as President Trump has made clear, we cannot simply sit back and assume the right decisions are going to be made. Even at a glance, it is clear Fort Polk is an extraordinary asset to our military and it should be utilized as such. I will actively engage with Army leadership to ensure they are using the most accurate and up-to-date information as they make important decisions regarding their future plans."

Dr. Abraham released the following statement:

"Under the leadership of Gen. Brito, Fort Polk is poised to take on more responsibilities in preparing our troops to defend the nation. It provides not only an invaluable service to our nation, but it is a major economic driver for Louisiana. The community support for the base is overwhelming, and I look forward to working with Rep. Johnson to ensure the military leaders in D.C. know all of us are in the Fort Polk area are ready to take on any role the nation asks of us."

During the meeting, the congressmen highlighted Fort Polk's contribution to total Force and Military Value across all of its components -- reinforcing the value of the base's existing Brigade Combat Team and the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC). According to previous Army documents, Fort Polk has the necessary infrastructure and capabilities to host the active mission with no additional military construction needs. Maximizing the Army's resources, like those at Fort Polk and the JRTC, is essential to strengthening our national security and continuing to reinforce the resources available to our soldiers at one of the nation's premier training centers.

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