Powerful congressman visits military in region

The defense of the United States is going to require highly trained military intelligence professions, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said on a visit to Southern Arizona.

Preparing critical intelligence providers is being done at Fort Huachuca, said U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., who assumed the chairmanship of the committee in January.

Having an intelligence force that is the best will ensure the United States can counter any future enemy, he said.

“It’s going to be the intelligence world that makes the difference,” he said after spending an afternoon at Fort Huachuca.

The congressman had breakfast Saturday morning with soldiers before heading to Tucson, where he toured Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

The chairman was invited to three military installations in U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ 8th Congressional District, Forth Huachuca, the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing and Davis-Monthan.

The first-term Democratic congresswoman is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

“Fort Huachuca is one of the best kept secrets in the military,” said Giffords as she sat next to Skelton during a question-and-answer session with the media. “We’ve got to let the rest of the country know the assets we have at Fort Huachuca,” she said.

Skelton, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 1976, has been a member of the committee since 1980, reaching the position as ranking member in 1998 when the Democrats did not control Congress. He is considered to be a moderate Democrat who is hawkish on defense issues.

Skelton talked about the growing budget fight to provide an additional $50 billion for the war on terrorism, saying it is heating up to be a partisan political brawl.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said without the $50 billion, there is a potential to lay off 200,000 civil service employees and contractors by February.

The committee chairman said he supports the Democratic proposal for appropriating the extra $50 billion, which will include a time to start pulling U.S. forces from Iraq.

As for the potential of a Democratic versus Republican battle over the issue, Skelton hopes cooler heads will prevail.

Bill Hess is a reporter for the Sierra Vista Herald. Contact him at bill.hess@svherald.com.