HR0457 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0457 LRB094 12379 HSS 46682 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, through the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission, has made recommendations about which military installations are to be considered for closure or realignment in cost-cutting measures for the military; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has a distinct and important military installation that is listed for realignment, the Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, Under the U.S. Department of Defense recommendations, the Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield will suffer a net loss of 163 jobs; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Defense recommendations, if adopted, would force the Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield to eliminate approximately 20% of the approximately 774 job positions currently utilized by this facility; and

WHEREAS, The Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield provides combat ready aircraft, pilots, and required support personnel capable of global deployment to perform tactical, general purpose warfare as directed by major command authority; and

WHEREAS, The Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield is one of the remaining bases at the center of the continental United States that are perfectly situated for expedient transportation anywhere in the nation; and

WHEREAS, The Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield is a fully capable, active-duty military airfield in the central United States and is indispensable in both our current and future efforts to counter threats to our security; and

WHEREAS, The Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield has unencumbered airspace for training and exercise missions and has plenty of space for expansion, even for housing other branches of the military; and

WHEREAS, The Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield is nearing completion of a $10 million, state of the art headquarters building; and

WHEREAS, The Army National Guard has begun the process of replacing its current fixed-wing utility fleet with a fixed-wing cargo fleet; and

WHEREAS, The people of the State of Illinois have long been at the forefront of our Nation's defense, are first to join and send troops in any conflict, and have a strong tradition of support and appreciation for the bases within our borders; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we take this opportunity to convey our appreciation for the advocacy and support for the Capital Airport Air National Guard Station in Springfield that the Congress of the United States and the Illinois Congressional Delegation have provided over the years, and we strongly urge the Congress of the United States to consider the importance of this installation in this time of war on terrorism and the vital need to protect our Nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President Pro-Tem of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation, to each member of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC), and to the President of the United States of America.