Bordallo recognized by Association of Defense Communities

Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo received the Association of Defense Community’s 2016 Congressional Award for her work in support of active duty, reserve, and National Guard service members, their families, and the installations and communities that support them. She is pictured with Rep. Sam Farr (CA-20) and Assistant Secretary of the Army Katherine Hammack who received the 2016 President’s Award. (Contributed Photo)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo received the Congressional Leadership Award from the Association of Defense Communities for her work in support of active duty, reserve, and National Guard service members, their families, and the installations and communities that support them.

As the Ranking Member of the House Armed Forces Subcommittee on Readiness, Bordallo has been a leader in protecting funding for training and operational requirements, facility maintenance, construction, and improvement, and family housing.

She has been a fierce advocate for ending sequestration in order to ensure predictability and adequate funding of the Department of Defense, and has worked to protect funding for and provide flexibility to the Office of Economic Adjustment, which is the DoD arm responsible for supporting state and local government’s response to defense program changes.

The Association of Defense Communities works to unite the diverse interests of communities, state governments, the private sector and the military on issues of base closure and realignment, community-military partnerships, defense real estate, mission growth, mission sustainment, military privatization, military families/veteran support and base redevelopment. The Congressional Leadership Award recognizes a Member of Congress who has demonstrated leadership in supporting active, realigning or closing installations; building partnerships between the military and communities; advancing policy issues that support defense communities across the country; and supporting military families and veterans.

“The Association of Defense Communities has been a critical community partner in building strong relationships between the DoD and civilian communities. I appreciate their tireless advocacy on behalf of our servicemembers and their families and for working closely with me and other Members of Congress to form policies that contribute to the wellbeing and success of the Armed Forces and the civilian communities in which they reside. I am honored to receive their 2016 Congressional Leadership Award for my work on the House Armed Services Committee. On Guam we know the importance of the military as a responsible and responsive community partner, and I believe that strong military-civilian engagement and cooperation is essential to achieving mutual goals and maintaining a productive relationship. I appreciated working with ADC to combat an amendment offered by Congressman Russell of Oklahoma that would have gutted OEA’s ability to support local communities. I believe our strong working relationship helped to educate folks on why the amendment was unnecessary. I will continue to advocate for these strong community partnerships and work to support organizations that sustain them.” (PR)