U.S. HOUSE MEMBERS JULIA Brownley and SCOTT DesJarlais RE-Launch Congressional Range and Testing Center Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Congressman Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) announced the formation of the Congressional Range and Testing Center Caucus (CRTCC). The bipartisan representatives, who represent large military communities in their districts, will serve as co-chairs of the forum to educate fellow Members of Congress about Department of Defense range and testing facilities, such as Naval Base Ventura County in California and Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee.

    They released the following statements about their common agenda in the current 116^th Congress:

    “As the proud representative of Naval Base Ventura County and the more than 19,000 personnel who work hard there every day to keep our nation safe and secure, I know how critical range and testing centers are to ensure our troops have the best technology available to help defend our country,” said Rep. Brownley. “I am looking forward to continuing to work with Congressman DesJarlais and other members of the Caucus to ensure our military has the resources needed to support our major range and test facility bases, which play a critical role in protecting the U.S. military’s technological advantages.”

    “Tennessee’s Fourth District lies at the heart of the Aerospace and Defense Technology Corridor spanning several states. It includes public and private enterprises developing cutting-edge technology to protect our country: unmanned aircraft, hypersonic flight and more. These facilities, such as Arnold Air Force Base, University of Tennessee’s Space Institute and Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, are crucial defense assets and economic resources, reliant on a high-skilled workforce,” said Rep. DesJarlais. “Congresswoman Brownley and I are helping to generate more public understanding and support for their work.”

    The CRTCC is comprised of bipartisan members from across the United States, representing an array of Air Force, Army, and Naval installations. As it did in the previous 115^th Congress, the Caucus will continue its efforts to educate elected officials and their constituents about range and testing centers’ capabilities, their infrastructure, budgetary and workforce needs.

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