Bill Text: TX HCR109 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub
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.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-22 - Laid on the table subject to call [HCR109 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HCR109-Comm_Sub.html
84R17368 BPG-D | ||
By: Paul, Miller of Fort Bend, | H.C.R. No. 109 | |
Bonnen of Galveston |
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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 U.S. 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 U.S. 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. |