Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mrs. ELLMERS of North Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to continue my fight against the Air Force's misguided decision to shutter the 440th Airlift Wing.

As I have stated time and time again, the removal of the 440th Airlift Wing at Pope Army Airfield injects avoidable and unreasonable risks to our military readiness. Given the instability and uncertainty in the Middle East and around the world, I find it baffling that the Air Force has chosen to close such an efficient airlift wing that provides critical training to special operations forces and units such as the 82nd Airborne's Global Response Force.

I have failed to see the true cost savings and any benefits associated with this shortsighted proposal, and I will continue working with my colleagues to pursue every option possible in order to prevent the closure of the wing. Furthermore, I find it troubling that the Air Force has made a concerted effort to hollow out this wing before allowing congressional efforts to come to fruition.

Mr. Chairman, I simply lack the confidence that there will be no negative impacts to the training of Fort Bragg paratroopers and special operations forces. I will, therefore, continue to work with my North Carolina colleagues to prevent its closure.

I believe that this is a necessary effort to preserve the 440th Airlift Wing because of the vital and unique training mission that it has at Fort Bragg with our paratroopers. Our paratroopers have to be packed and ready at any given moment for their Global Response Force. I have paratroopers who simply live day-to-day, ready to leave at a moment's notice--within hours--around the world.

I believe that this is, again, a shortsighted, myopic decision on the Air Force's part, and I believe we need to be protected.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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