Martha Roby: Always fighting for Fort Rucker and Maxwell AFB
The recent district work period provided me valuable time on the road in Alabama’s Second District to have in-person meetings with many of the people I represent in Congress. I firmly believe that hearing directly from you and having face-to-face conversations about the issues that impact our community daily enables me to be a better representative for your priorities in Washington. As you know, our district has a very large military footprint and is home to two of the finest military installations in the country – Fort Rucker and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. It is critically important that I stay up-to-date with the needs and priorities of our military bases, so during the last district work period I met with leadership at both installations. I recently spoke on the House floor to share an update about my visits. At Fort Rucker, I was thoroughly briefed by General William Gayler, and I truly appreciate him for taking the time to talk with me. At Maxwell, I was given the opportunity to speak to the Squadron Officer School, and then I had a productive meeting with Lt. General Anthony Cotton, Commander of Air University. This vital operation serves as our Air Force’s center for professional military education. As a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, properly funding our military is one of my top priorities. As I told General Gayler and Lt. General Cotton, I remain committed to ensuring that our district’s large military footprint continues to have the resources necessary to carry out their important missions. Earlier this month, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base celebrated 100 years of operation – what a remarkable milestone. Their weekend-long celebration included a military tribute at a Montgomery Biscuits baseball game and a 5k race. Additionally, students from local schools participated in an art and essay contest themed “100 Years of Leadership in Airpower.” I’m confident that I speak for the entire Second District by saying that we appreciate all that these men and women do for our country and our community. I know our region looks forward to many more years of continued partnership with Maxwell. The outstanding individuals who work there truly invest so much in our state. I will always work to ensure that Fort Rucker and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base remain strong components in our national defense infrastructure. Over the last year, I have greatly appreciated finally working alongside an Administration that has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to rebuilding our military after years of damaging cuts. I am proud to serve as the representative for these two fine military installations, and I will continue to fight to provide the brave men and women of our military with the best possible resources to ensure they are well prepared for whatever challenges they may face as they work to keep us safe. It is truly a great honor and privilege to be an advocate for Fort Rucker and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force base in Congress. I will never stop fighting on behalf of our service members and their families. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
Martha Roby: Highlighting outstanding 2nd District STEM programs
Studies increasingly show that the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are the drivers of our global economy and that these disciplines are the primary source of all innovation. Reports also show that many firms desperately need STEM-skilled employees but are struggling to find qualified individuals. It has become clear that we’re simply not producing enough individuals trained in STEM fields to fulfill current demand, and that’s a big problem if we want our country to remain globally competitive. I’m proud to report that our district’s own military installations, Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base and Fort Rucker, are taking their own measures to expose elementary school students to the STEM fields and encourage students to pursue educations in these disciplines. This past Monday I had the opportunity to visit Starbase, Maxwell Air Force Base’s five-week STEM education program, that is available to 5th graders in the River Region. Students from Montgomery, Autauga, and Elmore Counties visit Maxwell Air Force Base for classes once per week for five weeks for classroom instruction and hands-on learning experiences leading up to a final robotics project. The Starbase experience is offered to all 5th graders, regardless of learning abilities, physical challenges, and disciplinary concerns. Starbase will serve approximately 2,000 students this year alone, but due to funding limitations, schools must rotate participation from year to year, meaning that each school participates in the program approximately every other year. I’m excited to report that Congress has restored $25 million to the national Starbase program in the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which went to President Trump’s desk this week. I also recently had the opportunity to meet with COL Craig Taylor, Commander of the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) at Fort Rucker, and he filled me in on their program called Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS). GEMS is an extracurricular STEM education program that enables 4th-11th grade students from the Wiregrass region of our state to engage in grade-appropriate, hands-on experiments. These students learn valuable math and science concepts, gain exposure to laboratory settings, and interact with military and civilian technicians, scientists, and engineers. USAARL’s GEMS program aims to reach those students who are underserved or underrepresented in STEM fields. GEMS is provided at no cost to students and since 2011 has been offered to more than 950 students from Fort Rucker, Enterprise, Ozark, Daleville, Dothan, and other communities. The Wiregrass is fortunate to have GEMS available to students in the area, and I’m excited to see its continued development of STEM students for our state. It is critically important that we train up future generations of STEM professionals in order to maintain our competitive edge in innovation. Our district’s military installations are answering that call in a big way, and we are fortunate to have the Starbase and GEMS programs available to our students. I’m proud of the work being done for STEM education at Maxwell and Fort Rucker, and I am eager to see it continue and flourish. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
Martha Roby meets with military leaders, discusses Alabama installations
Upon returning to Washington, D.C. this week, Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby has been meeting with top military leaders to discuss the future of Alabama’s military installations. On Wednesday, Roby met with General David Goldfein, United States Air Force Chief of Staff, to discuss priorities going into the new year, including those related to Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery. Roby said items on her list to discuss were continuing Maxwell’s unique role in military education, the potential for the Alabama-based 187th Fighter Wing to land the F-35 program, and the the upkeep of on-base military housing, which has concerned community leaders recently. “Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base is such a vital part of not just the River Region but the entire State of Alabama, and I appreciated the opportunity to discuss Maxwell’s future as the intellectual center of the Air Force,” Roby said of her meeting. “When it comes to the military’s impact on Alabama, there is no shortage of topics. With an incoming presidential administration, there is obviously a lot changing. Part of my job is building relationships with our military leaders so that we can communicate clearly about decisions that will have an effect on Maxwell and other installations around the state.” On Tuesday, Roby met with Army Maj. Gen. Eric Peterson, who oversees Army Aviation at the Pentagon. Fort Rucker in the Wiregrass is home to the Army Aviation Center of Excellence, making this meeting particularly relevant to the 2nd District Congressman. Watch Roby discuss her meeting with General Goldfein below:
Martha Roby: New commander at Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker this week will host a change of command ceremony, a time honored military tradition marking a transition of leadership. Major General William Gayler will officially assume command of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker taking the place of the departing commander, Maj. Gen. Michael Lundy. I want to thank Maj. Gen. Lundy for his exemplary leadership at Fort Rucker for the past two years. Fort Rucker is an important post, not just for the Wiregrass region and the State of Alabama, but for our nation and its defense. Every Army aviator is trained at Fort Rucker. Despite the changing landscape of the modern battlefield, Army aviation has remained an essential component of warfare, and Fort Rucker has dutifully delivered the best-trained aviators for assignments all over the world. Commanders like Maj. Gen. Lundy have an enormous responsibility of fulfilling that vital mission while dealing with any number of challenges. Maj. Gen. Lundy’s command of the Army Aviation Center of Excellence came during an especially difficult time, as budget cuts forced military leaders to make tough decisions. It was about this time last year when many feared steep reductions by the Army would significantly affect the post and the surrounding community. Thankfully, the Army’s force reduction had minimal impact on Fort Rucker, and particularly the aviation student load and flight training hours. I can tell you that having Maj. Gen. Lundy’s steady leadership during such moments of uncertainty has been invaluable. The Army has not yet announced Maj. Gen. Lundy’s next assignment. Wherever it is, that organization will be gaining an exceptional leader. Fort Rucker’s new commander, Maj. Gen. William Gayler is a Georgia native who most recently served as the Deputy Commanding General for the U.S. Army in Europe and Commander of U.S. Army NATO. Maj. Gen. Gayler is a Master Army Aviator and has a distinguished service career that includes deployments in Desert Storm, Bosnia conflict, Iraq and Afghanistan. He is also no stranger to Fort Rucker, having previously served in multiple assignments including Aide-de-Camp to the commanding general. On behalf of Alabama’s Second Congressional District, I am pleased to welcome Maj. Gen. Gayler back to our state and wish him the best as he begins his command of Fort Rucker. I look forward to working with him as I have past commanders in supporting the important mission at the Army Aviation Center of Excellence. It is my great honor to serve a district that is home to two of our nation’s finest military installations: Fort Rucker in the Wiregrass and Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery. Supporting our military and serving veterans remain top priorities for me in Congress and some of the most rewarding parts of my job. • • • Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, Riley, and their two children.
Martha Roby, Richard Shelby: Housing immigrant detainees at Maxwell-Gunter AFB ill-advised
Republican U.S. Rep. Martha Roby had harsh words for an Obama administration plan to evaluate the feasibility of housing undocumented immigrant minors at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Bace in Montgomery as they await deportation. Roby on Wednesday called the plan, proposed by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, a “terrible idea,” and vowed to oppose it. “The Air Force personnel at Maxwell-Gunter, like members of the U.S. Military stationed at bases throughout the country, are working hard to keep America safe. That mission is challenging enough without the added responsibility of housing, feeding and securing detainees,” Roby wrote. Roby pointed to her past advocacy on the issue, saying she helped “shut down” a past attempt to house immigrants detained at the Mexican border along with the Alabama delegation, and that they are “working every angle to shut it down again.” U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby also registered his displeasure with the proposal in an announcement. “This Administration has once again ignored what is in the best interest of the American people. The decision to assess the possibility of housing illegal immigrants at Department of Defense facilities, like Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, will only exacerbate our illegal immigration problem by not enforcing the laws on the books,” said Shelby, Alabama’s senior senator. “President Obama’s disregard for the rule of law and his attempt to push executive amnesty has led us to where we are today,” Shelby inveighed. “I remain steadfast in my opposition to illegal immigration, and I will fight against allowing those who break our laws to be housed at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base.”
Martha Roby: Provide for the common defense
Good news: the House of Representatives passed the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. The NDAA is the annual bill that authorizes spending and policy for the entire military, including programs and efforts at installations in Alabama. This one wasn’t easy, as ill-advised cuts in recent years have left Congress and military leaders with difficult choices. However, I’m pleased to report that this NDAA does right by our troops and authorizes necessary spending levels for the coming year. Specific to Fort Rucker, this year’s NDAA authorizes: $187 million for the procurement of 28 new Lakota helicopters for the Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker; $47 million for elementary school improvements on post at Fort Rucker. Specific to Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, the NDAA authorizes: Critical funding for C-130 aircraft improvements, including $75 million for Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) installation and $33.2 million for C-130 engine upgrades; A $10 million budget increase for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), which has a facility at Gunter; $7.6 million to replace the squadron operations facility at Dannelly Field; $33 million for elementary and middle school renovations at Maxwell Air Force Base; and $75 million in cyber operations procurement for the Commander of United States Cyber Command (CYBERCOM). Maxwell’s Air University recently launched the Air Force Cyber College which is focused on instruction in this emerging front of global warfare. The bill also contains important authorizations for military personnel, including a 1.3 percent pay raise for troops, $281 million in funding to ensure commissaries stay open; and empowering commanders to permit service members to carry firearms at installations, reserve centers, and recruiting centers. Overall the 2016 NDAA authorizes $611.9 billion, which includes both the base Department of Defense budget and funds for Overseas Contingency Operations. This is a great deal of taxpayer money, no question. But, I strongly believe that Congress must fulfill its Constitutional responsibility to “provide for the common defense” of this nation by equipping our Armed Forces with everything they need to fight the enemy and deter threats. In fact, one of my top priorities as your Representative in Congress has been to fight against harmful cuts to our military that erode our readiness capabilities and compromise national security. Unfortunately, President Obama had previously threatened to veto this legislation, and some in the Senate may still try to block it. That will not stop me from fighting to get it passed. Over the last year I have been actively building a bi-partisan coalition of lawmakers to make the case for protecting national defense in the budget. Working together, we will fight to build pressure on the Senate and President Obama to enact this 2016 NDAA into law and then follow it with a defense appropriations bill that fills in this funding authority structure. Martha Roby represents Alabama’s 2nd Congressional District. She is currently serving her third term.
Mike Rogers: Visiting across east Alabama this August
Each August, Congress recesses for the August District Work Period to allow members of Congress the chance to get back and spend time in their home state. I am looking forward to this upcoming work period so I can start making my way across the 3rd District. Having the opportunity to visit with folks and hear what’s on their minds helps me better represent their interests in Washington. Throughout the month, I will be holding “Congress on Your Corner” events, which are like town hall meetings. I will hold these events in different areas of east Alabama to give folks a chance for a face-to-face update on what’s been going on in Congress. It also gives people the chance to ask questions and let me know about issues that are on their minds. Keep checking your local papers and radio stations to learn more. I hope to see you at one. I will be making several stops to tour different industries in east Alabama. These companies are vital to creating good paying jobs. I will also be making a few visits to some of our senior centers from Heflin to Odenville. Some of the best conversations occur there. Additionally, I’m looking forward to speaking at a couple of different Rotary clubs. Later on, I will get an update on first responder training while visiting the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston. As well as touring Maxwell Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery with U.S. Rep. Martha Roby. In Auburn, I’ll attend a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) demonstration and get to see first-hand the training they are doing with their canine program. With so much going on in Congress and across the globe, this month will provide a good opportunity to ensure I keep working to represent each of you. I look forward to seeing you in August! Mike Rogers represents Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District. He is in his third term.
Rick Santorum wishes Jeb Bush well during Alabama campaign stop
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Monday said he wished the best to Jeb Bush hours before the former Florida governor announced his White House bid. “I sent him a note this morning, an email, just to congratulate him and wish him the best, tell him that he is in our prayers,” Santorum said. “I’ve done that with several of the other folks who I’m friendly with in the campaign. I know how hard it is. I mean, this is not an easy thing to do, particularly someone who has a lot of the pressure that he’s feeling right now.” Bush officially kicked off his campaign Monday afternoon in Miami, becoming the newest candidate vying for the Republican presidential nomination. Santorum made the comments during a brief campaign stop in Montgomery while here for his son’s field training graduation at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base. The former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania said “the more the merrier” in the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates. Santorum won Alabama’s presidential primary in 2012 and said he believes he can win the state again in 2016. He joked that the GOP primary already has “265 candidates.” “I think it could be a very long, long competitive primary process, and you can’t just be a one-trick pony,” Santorum said. “I mean, you can’t just win an early state and expect everything to go well.” Santorum toured MMI Outdoor, a Montgomery-based business that designs and manufactures equipment for the military and U.S. Forest Service firefighters. MMI Outdoor CEO David Cobb said he was “pleasantly surprised” about Santorum’s visit. Cobb said he hasn’t decided which candidate he’ll support for president but would support Santorum if he wins the Republican primary. He said he’s looking for a candidate who “uses sound economic principles.” “You tax what you want to discourage; you don’t tax productivity, and that’s what we do,” Cobb said. “It’s hurt my ability to hire people and grow this company. Santorum said he opposes the “fast-track” trade bill in Congress that would allow President Barack Obama to finalize a Pacific trade agreement. “If we had a president that would actually abide by the law, stick to what trade deals are supposed to be about, and not use trade deals to further other goals, then I’d be more supportive,” he said. Santorum also outlined his plan for raising the federal minimum wage, which he said should be increased by 50 cents each year for three years to bring the minimum hourly wage to $8.75 from $7.25. “It’s hard to say you have a minimum wage when hardly anyone gets paid the minimum wage,” he said. “Minimum wage is supposed to be just that, to make sure there is a little distance between the floor and what workers are paid and right now there isn’t.”
