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By PETER ROPER
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A ban blocking the Army from spending money to expand the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site was renewed for a sixth year by the full House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Colo., had the funding ban included in the 2013 military construction budget for the Pentagon. That budget was approved by the full House committee which oversees the federal budget each year. That means the ban is almost guaranteed to stay in effect for a sixth year. Tipton, who represents Pueblo and the 3rd Congressional District, doesn't serve on the appropriations panel, but asked Texas Rep. John Culberson, who chairs the military construction panel, to include the funding ban in the chairman's recommended budget.
Tipton, a newly elected congressman, had to scramble last year to get the funding ban restored when the military construction subcommittee left the ban out of its 2012 budget plan. Tipton didn't lose time this year in getting the wording included in the subcommittee's mark-up of the 2013 budget. "Representative Tipton got the funding ban renewed in short order this year by going directly to Chairman Culberson for his support," said Jean Aguerre, of the Not 1 More Acre! group. It has opposed the Army expanding Pinon Canyon since 2006, both in Congress and the courts.
"This was a great example of a legislator listening to the will of the people," Aguerre said. Tipton inherited the funding ban from his predecessor, Rep. John Salazar, and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave. The Democrat and Republican lawmakers first got the House to adopt the ban in 2007. In a statement after Wednesday's committee vote, Tipton said, "The goal remains of finding a long-term solution that provides certainty for the farmers, ranchers and citizens of the Pinon Canyon region and the inclusion of language to prohibit funds from being used for expansion provides some added certainty while we continue to work toward that end."
While the Army's effort to expand Pinon Canyon has been a bitterly contested issue in the 3rd District, according to newly drawn congressional district boundaries, Las Animas County and Pinon Canyon will be shifted into the 4th District next year.
That district, which includes the Eastern Plains, is currently represented by Rep. Corey Gardner, R-Colo.
proper@chieftain.com
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