Bill Text: MI HR0029 | 2015-2016 | 98th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to require the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure that replacement aircraft are assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base to compensate for the proposed elimination of the A-10 fleet.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 8-5)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-21 - Adopted [HR0029 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2015-HR0029-Enrolled.html
Reps. Lucido, Goike, Farrington, Barrett, LaFontaine, Forlini, Derek Miller, Yanez, Chirkun, Sarah Roberts, Lane, Maturen and Webber offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 29.
A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to require the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure that replacement aircraft are assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base to compensate for the proposed elimination of the A-10 fleet.
Whereas, The proposed U.S. Department of Defense budget would eliminate the nation's A-10 fleet, including aircraft at Michigan's Selfridge Air National Guard Base. Selfridge currently is home to 18 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, directly supporting 535 jobs related to that mission; and
Whereas, The proposed cuts would have a dramatic effect on the lives and morale of the dedicated men and women who choose to serve our country at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and other U.S. military bases. The elimination of the A-10 fleet would place in jeopardy more than 400 jobs at Selfridge alone; and
Whereas, In Michigan, these proposed cuts would have immeasurable impacts on Macomb County and the local communities surrounding the Selfridge Air National Guard Base. For nearly a century, the base has been a source of community pride and local jobs, with the local economic benefit worth more than $700 million to residents and businesses in several surrounding cities and townships. In addition, the base is a key component of disaster response for the entire state and a vital base for our nation's homeland security; and
Whereas, The A-10 fleet should not be eliminated until an enduring fighter aircraft mission, or suitable enduring non-fighter mission supplementary to the KC-135 Air Refueling Tanker, can be assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The elimination of the A-10 fleet will make Selfridge vulnerable to closure in future Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations. Assigning replacement aircraft would not only maintain the viability of this important base for homeland security, but would also be cost-effective: the Air National Guard can operate aircraft at about half the cost of an active duty unit; and
Whereas, The brave pilots and crew who serve in the A-10 unit based at Selfridge Air National Guard Base have performed brilliantly against the enemies of freedom on battlefields across the globe providing desperately needed close air support for our nation’s warriors. It is vital to our national security that those skilled airmen continue to be utilized to defend our nation; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to require the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure that replacement aircraft are assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base to compensate for the proposed elimination of the A-10 fleet; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
