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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Pentagon could realize significant savings by |
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relocating the United States Africa Command from Germany to |
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Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, When AFRICOM was created in 2007, the Department of |
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Defense chose a temporary location in Stuttgart; it intended to |
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select a permanent headquarters in Africa, but set this plan aside |
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due to cost projections and the sensitivities of African nations; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The Department of Defense conducted a study in 2012 |
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that found maintaining AFRICOM headquarters stateside would cost |
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$60 million to $70 million less per year; although relocation would |
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involve expense, this expense could be recouped within two to six |
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years; moreover, the relocation would create as many as 4,300 |
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additional jobs for U.S. residents, and it would have an annual |
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impact on the local economy ranging from $350 million to $450 |
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million; and |
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WHEREAS, Should the defense department decide to relocate |
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AFRICOM, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston would be an |
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ideal home for the headquarters; the base features strong joint |
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service military value of active duty, reserve, and guard units |
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from all five U.S. armed services, some of which presently conduct |
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training and operational missions for AFRICOM; it is also equipped |
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to handle military aircraft, and the city boasts one of the nation's |
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most vibrant ports; moreover, the community is exceptionally |
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supportive of the military, and the Greater Houston area has strong |
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cultural, educational, medical, and diplomatic ties with Africa; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The Government Accountability Office has concluded |
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that the relocation of AFRICOM to the United States would generate |
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tremendous cost savings and economic benefits, and Ellington Field |
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Joint Reserve Base offers advantages that would enhance the |
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effectiveness of the headquarters; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to direct the |
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Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command |
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to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the secretary of the Department of Defense, to the president of the |
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Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United |
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States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to |
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Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the |
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Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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States of America. |