House Joint Memorial 2 Ordered by the Senate June 14 Including House Amendments Dated April 19 and Senate Amendments Dated June 14
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73rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2005 Regular Session B-Engrossed House Joint Memorial 2 Ordered by the Senate June 14 Including House Amendments dated April 19 and Senate Amendments dated June 14 Sponsored by Representative NELSON; Representative BARNHART, Senators ATKINSON, BATES, BEYER, BROWN, BURDICK, CARTER, COURTNEY, DECKERT, DEVLIN, FERRIOLI, GEORGE, GORDLY, JOHNSON, KRUSE, METSGER, MONNES ANDERSON, MORRISETTE, MORSE, NELSON, PROZANSKI, RINGO, SCHRADER, SHIELDS, B STARR, C STARR, VERGER, WALKER, WESTLUND, WHITSETT, WINTERS SUMMARY The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor′s brief statement of the essential features of the measure. [Urges Congress to introduce and pass legislation to allow veterans in Oregon to receive health care from health care facilities in addition to Department of Veterans′ Affairs health care facilities.] Urges Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission to reject Department of De- fense recommendation to reduce 142nd Fighter Wing′s jet fighter coverage for Pacific Northwest airspace. 1 JOINT MEMORIAL 2 To the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress as- 3 sembled: 4 We, your memorialists, the Seventy-third Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, in legis- 5 lative session assembled, respectfully represent as follows: 6 Whereas the Pacific Northwest is a vital economic region of the United States and is the gate- 7 way to the Pacific Rim; and 8 Whereas the Pacific Northwest′s rivers, dams and other power facilities are an integral part of 9 the nation′s energy infrastructure; and 10 Whereas the Pacific Northwest is the home of significant investments in plant and personnel for 11 major international corporations such as Microsoft, Boeing and Intel; and 12 Whereas the Pacific Northwest deserves the same level of protection from enemies, including 13 terrorist groups and rogue nation states, that is enjoyed by any other region of the United States; 14 and 15 Whereas the Oregon National Guard has defended the airspace over the entire Pacific North- 16 west with its 142nd Fighter Wing for more than half a century; and 17 Whereas the physical protection of the entire United States of America is the central mission 18 of the Department of Defense; and 19 Whereas the purpose of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission is to ensure that 20 our national military infrastructure is optimally arranged to support the defense of the entire nation; 21 and 22 Whereas the Department of Defense has made a grave error in recommending to the Defense 23 Base Closure and Realignment Commission that the 142nd Fighter Wing′s F-15 jet fighter coverage 24 for Pacific Northwest airspace be reduced from 15 aircraft on alert to just two; and NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted. New sections are in boldfaced type. LC 1553 B-Eng. HJM 2 1 Whereas the department has made this recommendation even while recommending that the 2 number of aircraft on alert in other regions of the United States be increased; and 3 Whereas such a significant reduction in the number of aircraft on alert to protect the airspace 4 over the Pacific Northwest will directly and immediately increase the vulnerability of this region 5 to attack from enemies of the United States; and 6 Whereas the Department of Defense has also recommended relocating certain resources of the 7 939th Air Refueling Wing to other regions of the country, even though the department has expended 8 $30 million in the past three years to upgrade the Portland Air Base for the 939th Air Refueling 9 Wing, thereby creating a world-class air tanker base; and 10 Whereas the 939th Air Refueling Wing plays a vital role in the support of the air defense 11 mission of the Pacific Northwest; and 12 Whereas our nation has relied on citizen soldiers since its founding; and 13 Whereas citizens of Oregon and Washington have given years of their lives as citizen soldiers, 14 serving this nation at a tremendous cost savings to the people of the United States; and 15 Whereas the National Guard and Reserve have proved their vital importance to our nation′s 16 security; and 17 Whereas Oregon ranks 48th among all states in expenditures by the Department of Defense; and 18 Whereas the face of the Department of Defense in Oregon is the National Guard and Reserve; 19 now, therefore, 20 Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon: 21 (1) The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission is respectfully urged to carefully 22 examine the basis for the Department of Defense′s recommendation, to reject that recommendation 23 as inconsistent with the department′s central mission to protect the entire United States, and to 24 recommend to the President of the United States and to Congress that the 142nd Fighter Wing be 25 maintained at its present level as a fully manned and equipped fighter wing to defend the Pacific 26 Northwest. 27 (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to each member of the Oregon Congressional Delega- 28 tion. 29 [2].