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As U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn prepares to retire after 17 years in office, his contributions to five military installations in the Pikes Peak region could amount to billions of dollars.
Preserving Space Command in Colorado Springs is at the top of his list of accomplishments, with an annual economic impact of $1 billion.
But Lambourn has committed nearly $50 million to the dedication of Pikes Peak National Cemetery, new construction at Fort Carson and Peterson-Schriever Space Force Base, renovations to Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Base, $500 million for space and missiles, and more. He also fought for many permanent investments. Defense missions in the region, among many other investments. Lamborn’s military construction projects have totaled $3 billion, according to a statement on his website.
Johnna Rieder Kreimeyer, president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporation, praised his accomplishments in a statement Friday.
“His bipartisan work as a partner in the Colorado Senate, leaders in El Paso County and the city of Colorado Springs, and the House Armed Services Committee has been invaluable to national security, military readiness, local military missions, and the people who serve them. “He has had an incredible positive impact and worked tirelessly to protect our freedoms,” she said.
Bob McLaughlin, executive director of the Mount Carmel Veterans Association, said Lambourn began construction work on the cemetery on his second day in Congress in 2007, a decision he made after his election to serve as the nation’s largest veteran population. He said it was an important achievement for the district. Service center. The cemetery was established after nearly two decades of push by local veterans who opposed VA policies that forced local veterans to seek final refuge at Fort Logan in Denver.
Lamborn is also an avid listener and has attended 10 roundtables organized by McLaughlin to hear directly from the center’s veterans, McLaughlin said.
“He was very open and his team was very open in terms of communication and getting the facts,” McLaughlin said.
Mr. Lamborn has also worked on new facilities that improve the lives of active-duty military personnel, including a dormitory consolidation project at the U.S. Air Force Academy and a state-of-the-art fitness facility at Fort Carson.
Other investments are more mission-focused, including the Special Operations Forces Tactical Equipment Maintenance Facility at Fort Carson and digital upgrades to U.S. Northern Command’s long-range radar sites, according to a news release.
Although he was vastly outnumbered in the recent battle over whether the Space Force should go to Alabama or stay in Colorado Springs, his years of service in Congress and as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces Subcommittee Position helped increase influence.
At a Space Force gala at America’s Beautiful Park, Lamborn pointed out that Alabama has seven members on four commissions and is the most focused on making permanent base decisions. . Mr. Lamborn is Colorado’s only speaker on either committee.
“His leadership will be sorely missed by our district,” said Wayne Williams, former City Councilman and El Paso County Commissioner.
He said Lamborn has a history of working with Democrats on important issues such as cemeteries, and anyone who follows him will need a similar ability to build relationships on behalf of the district.
“Whoever is involved needs to be able to work with people from all walks of life, both inside and outside the party,” he said.
McLaughlin is seeking a successor who represents the town’s large veteran community and is equally committed to addressing their issues, including holding the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable.
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