Senator James Inhofe spoke to an assembly of dignitaries at the groundbreaking for the new Altus Air Force Base Digital Airport Surveillance Radar (DASR) system on Friday, Jan. 22. Senator Inhofe said this modernization of AAFB will help give it more insurance for the next round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). This radar project, and the fairly new AAFB fire station, will help to show the investment the community and the nation has made in the base. These Altus projects, combined with 2 new air traffic control towers, one at Enid's Vance AFB and one at Tinker AFB in OKC, help insure Oklahoma's military installations against future BRAC activities.

This radar project will help save lives and bring a higher level of security, said Inhofe. The DASR will coordinate with other regional radar sources and help cover the whole SW corner of our state.

This project was authorized and appropriated, Inhofe explained, not an earmark for our area. Senator Inhofe wants citizens to understand that earmarks differ from authorizations and appropriations. Using the radar system as an example, that program has been authorized by the Armed Services Committee. It was established through legislation. From there, the radar system was provided authority to be funded through an appropriation. That is budget authority to provide payments to build and equip the radar system. Had the radar system been an earmark for our region, if something stopped the construction, or the technology was recalled, those earmarked funds would go back to the executive branch of our government to spend on something else. Earmarked funds that go back into the pot, so to speak, shift power, changing the authority of our 3 co-equal branches of the government, according to Inhofe. Our senior Senator is also on the Environment and Public Works Committee. Currently he is working diligently for transportation, which he sees as another important area for our economy.