ENROLLED
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 139
BY REPRESENTATIVES ARMES, STEVE CARTER, COX, CREWS, CROMER, FOIL,
GAINES, GISCLAIR, HAZEL, HOWARD, AND TERRY LANDRY
A RESOLUTION
To commend the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the Louisiana Military
Advisory Council, Barksdale Forward, Fort Polk Progress, and the Southeast
Louisiana Military Alliance for their support of the military installations and military
personnel in this state.
WHEREAS, Louisiana is host to a number of military installations across the state,
representing all branches of the armed forces defending our nation; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Military Advisory Council was established within the
Louisiana Department of Economic Development and is charged, in part, with proposing and
sponsoring activities and programs that support and enhance the military's activities in this
state; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Military Advisory Council is also charged with
developing an economic impact analysis of the state's military assets; and
WHEREAS, business development advisors conducted this analysis of the military's
economic impact in Louisiana and this analysis highlights the importance of our military
assets as economic drivers, not just for their respective regions, but for the state as a whole
and determined that every region of Louisiana benefits economically from the payroll,
spending, contracted work and other activity arising from Department of Defense spending
in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the total annual statewide economic impact of military spending is $7.7
billion; and
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WHEREAS, military spending creates over 77,000 direct and indirect jobs with over
$279 million in taxes paid to the state which equates to approximately 4% of total state
payroll employment; and
WHEREAS, total military contract spending in Louisiana for 2016 was $1.52 billion
which is the highest level of spending since 2012; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana ranks No. 32 for military contracts, No. 1 for Department of
Homeland Security prime awards (due largely to Coast Guard contracts with Louisiana
shipyards) and No. 20 among the fifty states and the District of Columbia for the combined
total value of military and homeland security contracts in 2016; and
WHEREAS, these installations are represented by community advocacy groups that
work tirelessly to maintain the viability of their respective installations and improve the
quality of lives of their servicemen and servicewomen and their families; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Military Advisory Council considers the state's military
installations and their affiliated advocacy groups as key economic development partners; and
WHEREAS, these organizations, such as Barksdale Forward, supporting Barksdale
Air Force Base near Bossier City, Fort Polk Progress, supporting Fort Polk at Leesville, and
the Southeast Louisiana Military Alliance, supporting the several military facilities in the
greater New Orleans area, do important work on behalf of our military facilities and
personnel.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend the Louisiana Department of Economic
Development, the Louisiana Military Advisory Council, Barksdale Forward, Fort Polk
Progress, and the Southeast Louisiana Military Alliance for their tireless support of
Louisiana's military installations, military personnel, military families and communities and
for the advocacy demonstrated in the U.S. Congress and at the Pentagon, supporting a strong
Department of Defense presence in Louisiana, supporting our vital role in the defense of our
nation, and contributing to the state's vibrant economy.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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