| 1 | 1 | | 84R17368 BPG-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Paul, Miller of Fort Bend, H.C.R. No. 109 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | Bonnen of Galveston |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, The Pentagon could realize significant savings by |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | relocating the United States Africa Command from Germany to |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, When AFRICOM was created in 2007, the Department of |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Defense chose a temporary location in Stuttgart; it intended to |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | select a permanent headquarters in Africa, but set this plan aside |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | due to cost projections and the sensitivities of African nations; |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | and |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, The Department of Defense conducted a study in 2012 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | that found maintaining AFRICOM headquarters stateside would cost |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | $60 million to $70 million less per year; although relocation would |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | involve expense, this expense could be recouped within two to six |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | years; moreover, the relocation would create as many as 4,300 |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | additional jobs for U.S. residents, and it would have an annual |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | impact on the local economy ranging from $350 million to $450 |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | million; and |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Should the defense department decide to relocate |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | AFRICOM, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston would be an |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | ideal home for the headquarters; the base features strong joint |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | service military value of active duty, reserve, and guard units |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | from all five U.S. armed services, some of which presently conduct |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | training and operational missions for AFRICOM; it is also equipped |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | to handle military aircraft, and the city boasts one of the nation's |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | most vibrant ports; moreover, the community is exceptionally |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | supportive of the military, and the Greater Houston area has strong |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | cultural, educational, medical, and diplomatic ties with Africa; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | and |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, The Government Accountability Office has concluded |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | that the relocation of AFRICOM to the United States would generate |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | tremendous cost savings and economic benefits, and Ellington Field |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | Joint Reserve Base offers advantages that would enhance the |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | effectiveness of the headquarters; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to direct the |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and, be it further |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | the secretary of the Department of Defense, to the president of the |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | States of America. |
|---|