Bill Text: TX SR451 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Urging Congress to direct the Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (N/A - Dead) 2015-03-30 - Referred to Vet Affairs & Military Installations [SR451 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SR451-Introduced.html
| 2015S0579-1 03/27/15 | ||
| By: Taylor of Galveston | S.R. No. 451 | |
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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 the Africa command 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 the Africa command 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 | ||
| the United States Africa Command, the 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 the command; 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 the Africa command 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 Senate of the State of Texas, 84th | ||
| Legislature, 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 secretary of the senate 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. | ||
