At the grand opening of his Fifth Congressional headquarters in Colorado Springs in February, Rep. Doug Lamborn held a news conference for reporters and discussed a variety of issues, from the expansion of Fort Carson into PiÒon Canyon to life in Washington D.C.Lamborn said the logistics of opening offices in Colorado Springs and Washington D.C. have been daunting. But with the help of 15 employees and more than 20 volunteers, new computer and phone lines are now in place so he can communicate with both offices and his constituents.Adjusting to life in Washington D.C. has also been difficult, he said. “The House of Representatives has no regular schedule Ö you are really at the beck and call of the leadership,î Lamborn said, adding that the sessions lasted until 1 a.m. every night during the week-long debate on the Iraq war resolution.Bells in his congressional office ring 15 minutes before a vote takes place in the House. He said he often has to interrupt conversations with visitors to get to the House floor in time to vote.Major issues covered by the House during the first 100 hours included debates on prescription drug prices, stem cell research, energy policies and college student loans, he said.Lamborn is currently sponsoring a bill to create a veterans cemetery in the Pikes Peak Region so families will no longer have to drive to Fort Morgan to bury their loved ones.He also talked about impending water legislation. ìJohn Salazar has recently introduced a water bill, but I ‘m a little concerned because the bill may not be totally friendly to Colorado Springs,î Lamborn said. However, he said before making a final decision about the legislation, he needs to do more research.Erin Emery, reporter for the Denver Post, questioned Lamborn about the Army’s plan to extend the training facility at Fort Carson by obtaining 235,000 acres in PiÒon Canyon. Lamborn said, “Warfare has changed; there is more technology, more communications, and if they (the Army) make the case that 21st century warfare requires more terrain to properly train, then that will show me, and hopefully other people, that there is a national mission component that will be helped by the expansion.îBut first the Army must make a strong case that the land is needed, he said. Lamborn said he wants the Army to work with the landowners on the purchase of the land or use creative methods to acquire the land via conservation easements and long-term leases, before considering eminent domain.Ralph Routon, executive editor for the Independent, asked if Lamborn could find a way to streamline the Veterans Administration system concerning the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder. Routon said he received a call from the stepfather of a veteran suffering from PTSD. The stepfather told Routon that his stepson had to complete a 26-page application before he could receive treatment. ìThat was too much of a hurdle for someone suffering from this disorder to overcome,î Routon said.ìThat does strike me as unrealistic and too much of a burden to place on anyone in need of help,î Lamborn replied, promising to check into the issue immediately after he returned to Washington D.C.Lamborn also responded to questions on upcoming immigration legislation. ìI’m against any bill that will give immigrants Social Security benefits for (the) years that they lived in this country illegally,î he said. President Bush is working on a bill with Congress, but if the legislation proposes to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants, it may have trouble passing, he added.Lamborn invited the media to contact him about any issues of concern.
