Gardner defends Pinon Canyon amendment

Congressman Cory Gardner is defending his amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to require a congressional vote before the Army can ever expand its Pinon Canyon training site.

Gardner told a citizens’ meeting in Trinidad on Tuesday his amendment is a better way to stop any expansion than funding bans that have been in effect since 2008.

The Pueblo Chieftain reports that Gardner says his amendments ends uncertainty over whether Congress would keep the funding ban in the budget each year.

Gardner says the Army has assured him it has no plans to eventually expand the training site.