Bill Text: TX SCR37 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Urging Congress to encourage the Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston.
Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-15 - Signed by the Governor [SCR37 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SCR37-Enrolled.html
| S.C.R. No. 37 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The Pentagon could realize significant savings by | ||
| relocating the United States Africa Command from Germany to | ||
| Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and | ||
| WHEREAS, When AFRICOM was created in 2007, the Department of | ||
| Defense chose a temporary location in Stuttgart; it intended to | ||
| select a permanent headquarters in Africa, but set this plan aside | ||
| due to cost projections and the sensitivities of African nations; | ||
| and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Department of Defense conducted a study in 2012 | ||
| that found maintaining AFRICOM headquarters stateside would cost | ||
| $60 million to $70 million less per year; although relocation would | ||
| involve expense, this expense could be recouped within two to six | ||
| years; moreover, the relocation would create as many as 4,300 | ||
| additional jobs for United States residents, and it would have an | ||
| annual impact on the local economy ranging from $350 million to $450 | ||
| million; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Should the defense department decide to relocate | ||
| AFRICOM, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston would be an | ||
| ideal home for the headquarters; the base features strong joint | ||
| service military value of active duty, reserve, and guard units | ||
| from all five United States armed services, some of which presently | ||
| conduct training and operational missions for AFRICOM; it is also | ||
| equipped to handle military aircraft, and the city boasts one of the | ||
| nation's most vibrant ports; moreover, the community is | ||
| exceptionally supportive of the military, and the Greater Houston | ||
| area has strong cultural, educational, medical, and diplomatic ties | ||
| with Africa; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Government Accountability Office has concluded | ||
| that the relocation of AFRICOM to the United States would generate | ||
| tremendous cost savings and economic benefits, and Ellington Field | ||
| Joint Reserve Base offers advantages that would enhance the | ||
| effectiveness of the headquarters; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to direct the | ||
| Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command | ||
| to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
| copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to | ||
| the secretary of the Department of Defense, to the president of the | ||
| Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United | ||
| States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to | ||
| Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the | ||
| Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United | ||
| States of America. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 37 was adopted by the Senate | ||
| on April 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 37 was adopted by the House | ||
| on May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 2, one | ||
| present not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| Approved: | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
