| 1 | 1 | | 85R13646 RMA-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Paul, Miller, Gonzales of Williamson H.C.R. No. 87 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Pentagon could realize significant savings by |
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| 7 | 7 | | relocating the United States Africa Command from Germany to |
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| 8 | 8 | | Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, When AFRICOM was created in 2007, the Department of |
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| 10 | 10 | | Defense chose a temporary location in Stuttgart; it intended to |
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| 11 | 11 | | select a permanent headquarters in Africa, but set this plan aside |
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| 12 | 12 | | due to cost projections, security, and the sensitivities of African |
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| 13 | 13 | | nations; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, The Department of Defense conducted a study in 2012 |
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| 15 | 15 | | that found maintaining AFRICOM headquarters stateside would cost |
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| 16 | 16 | | $60 million to $70 million less per year, and now those savings |
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| 17 | 17 | | would be even greater due to significant increases in Overseas Cost |
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| 18 | 18 | | of Living Allowances rates; although relocation would involve |
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| 19 | 19 | | expense, this expense could be recouped within two to six years; |
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| 20 | 20 | | moreover, the relocation would repatriate about 1,400 direct jobs |
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| 21 | 21 | | and create as many as 4,300 additional jobs for U.S. residents, and |
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| 22 | 22 | | it would have an annual impact on the local economy ranging from |
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| 23 | 23 | | $400 million to $500 million; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Should the defense department decide to relocate |
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| 25 | 25 | | AFRICOM, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston would be an |
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| 26 | 26 | | ideal home for the headquarters; the base features strong joint |
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| 27 | 27 | | service military value of active duty, reserve, and guard units |
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| 28 | 28 | | from all five U.S. armed services, some of which presently conduct |
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| 29 | 29 | | training and operational missions for AFRICOM; it is also equipped |
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| 30 | 30 | | to handle large military aircraft, and the city boasts one of the |
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| 31 | 31 | | nation's most vibrant ports, which handles 40 percent of all U.S. |
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| 32 | 32 | | trade with Africa; moreover, the community is exceptionally |
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| 33 | 33 | | supportive of the military, and the Greater Houston area has strong |
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| 34 | 34 | | cultural, educational, medical, and diplomatic ties with Africa; |
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| 35 | 35 | | and |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, The Government Accountability Office has concluded |
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| 37 | 37 | | that the relocation of AFRICOM to the United States would generate |
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| 38 | 38 | | tremendous cost savings and economic benefits, and Ellington Field |
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| 39 | 39 | | Joint Reserve Base offers advantages that would enhance the |
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| 40 | 40 | | effectiveness of the headquarters; now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to direct the |
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| 43 | 43 | | Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command |
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| 44 | 44 | | to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and, be it further |
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| 45 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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| 46 | 46 | | copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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| 47 | 47 | | the secretary of the Department of Defense, to the president of the |
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| 48 | 48 | | Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United |
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| 49 | 49 | | States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to |
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| 50 | 50 | | Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the |
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| 51 | 51 | | Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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| 52 | 52 | | States of America. |
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