E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 104 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1995 No. 139 House of Representatives The House met at 9 a.m. and was CUNNINGHAM] come forward and lead Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield called to order by the Speaker pro tem- the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. myself such time as I may consume. pore [Mr. KOLBE]. Mr. CUNNINGHAM led the Pledge of Mr. Speaker, today, the House will f Allegiance as follows: consider whether to disapprove the rec- I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the ommendations of the independent De- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO United States of America, and to the Repub- fense Base Closure and Realignment TEMPORE lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Commission to close 28 major military indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- installations and realign the mission at fore the House the following commu- f another 77 bases. I rise in opposition to nication from the Speaker: DISAPPROVING THE REC- House Joint Resolution 102, which WASHINGTON, DC, OMMENDATIONS OF THE DE- would disapprove the Commission's September 8, 1995. FENSE BASE CLOSURE AND RE- recommendations, and I urge my col- I hereby designate the Honorable JIM ALIGNMENT COMMISSION leagues to oppose it as well. KOLBE to act as Speaker pro tempore on this We are currently in the fourth round day. Mr. SPENCE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant of base closures since 1989, and the NEWT GINGRICH, to section 2908 of Public Law 101±510 Speaker of the House of Representatives. and by direction of the Committee on third and final round under the Com- mission's present charter. We all recog- f National Security, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 102) disapproving nize that base closures are a reality in PRAYER the recommendations of the Defense the post-cold-war world, particularly in The Chaplain, Rev. James David Base Closure and Realignment Com- view of the reductions in force struc- Ford, D.D., offered the following pray- mission, and ask unanimous consent ture that have taken place over the er: for its immediate consideration in the past 6 years. O gracious God, from whom we have House. The Department of Defense is count- received our very lives and in whom is The Clerk read the title of the joint ing on the savings resulting from base our hope and confidence, we express resolution. closure and realignment to fund cur- our thanksgiving for this new day and The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there rently underfunded modernization and the opportunities that are before us. objection to the request of the gen- infrastructure improvements late this We place before You our needs, those tleman from South Carolina? decade and into the next century. Ac- attitudes and feelings and hopes that There was no objection. cording to the Commission, implemen- are dear to us, asking that You would The text of House Joint Resolution tation of their recommendations would bless us so we choose the better way, 102 is as follows: result in one-time costs of approxi- confirm us in all truth, and forgive us H.J. RES. 102 mately $3.6 billion. However, the Com- in the depths of our hearts. May what Resolved by the Senate and House of Rep- mission expects $1.6 billion in annual we say and do and think this day be to resentatives of the United States of America in savings and net present value savings Congress assembled, That Congress dis- of $19.3 billion over the next 20 years to Your glory and honor. In Your name, approves the recommendations of the De- we pray. Amen. fense Base Closure and Realignment Com- result from the 1995 base closure rec- f mission as submitted by the President on ommendations. July 13, 1995. Personally, I am concerned about on- THE JOURNAL The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- going force structure reductions as The SPEAKER pro tempore. The ant to section 2908 of the Defense Base well as the closing of a number of in- Chair has examined the Journal of the Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, stallations already in the works under last day's proceedings and announces the gentleman from South Carolina BRAC. At least some of these bases are to the House his approval thereof. [Mr. SPENCE] and the gentleman from unique national assets that we will Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- Texas [Mr. TEJEDA] will each be recog- never reconstitute even if needed in the nal stands approved. nized for 1 hour. future. f The Chair recognizes the gentleman A number of Members, including my- from South Carolina [Mr. SPENCE]. self, have been skeptical when it comes PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE (Mr. SPENCE asked and was given to the rosy projections that have been The SPEAKER pro tempore. Will the permission to revise and extend his re- made in previous base closure rounds gentleman from California [Mr. marks.) concerning the savings that will accrue b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H 8685 H 8686 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE September 8, 1995 to the military services. To date, sav- ings. The committee voted 43 to 10 to addressed, and I look forward to a live- ings have fallen well short of expecta- report House Joint Resolution 102 ad- ly discussion during the next 2 hours. tions while the up-front costs of clo- versely. In the committee's judgment, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of sures have soared beyond initial esti- this resolution should be defeated. I my time. mates and remain underfunded. Reluc- urge a ``no'' vote to my colleagues. Mr. FAZIO of California. Mr. Speak- tantly, however, I realize that with the Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of er, I appreciate the gentleman from growing pressures on defense resources my time. Texas sharing his time with me, and I we simply cannot afford to keep all the Mr. TEJEDA. Mr. Speaker, I ask yield myself such time as I may installations and facilities open that I unanimous consent to divide my 1 hour consume. believe our military may one day need of debate so the gentleman from Cali- Mr. speaker, I rise in strong opposi- again. fornia [Mr. FAZIO] is able to control 20 tion to the BRAC Commission's 1995 Speaking from experience, I under- minutes of that time and I will control base closure list and in support of this stand the pain and dislocation that a 40 minutes. resolution. I do so for the first time. base closure or major realignment can The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there While this is the fourth round of base inflict on a community, even a region. objection to the request of the gen- closure, it is the first time that I have In the past, even if I was not support- tleman from Texas? risen in opposition, despite the fact ive of the closing of bases, I was at There was no objection. that it is the third of four rounds that least satisfied that the Commission The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- have impacted the community, Sac- and the closure process had essentially tleman from Texas [Mr. TEJEDA] will ramento, CA, that I represent along worked as intendedÐthat politics had be recognized for 40 minutes, and the with several of my colleagues who will not been the determining factor in the gentleman from California [Mr. FAZIO] appear later today. will be recognized for 20 minutes. development of the administration's or I want to join with the comments The Chair recognizes the gentleman the Commission's numerous rec- that my friend, Mr. TEJEDA, of San An- from Texas [Mr. TEJEDA]. ommendations. tonio has made with reference to my (Mr. TEJEDA asked and was given In this sense, I was especially con- particular opposition to the decision to permission to revise and extend his re- cerned about the administration's han- close two of the five Air Logistics Cen- marks.) dling of the Commission's rec- ters under the Materiel Command Mr. TEJEDA. Mr. Speaker, I yield ommendations. There is no question based in Dayton, OH. I strongly sup- that Presidential politics were para- myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this resolution rep- ported the position that the Air Force mount in the White House's very public and DOD took to downsize in place. I and tortured consideration of the Com- resents the end of a long and painful process for many communities and think that was the right decision, both mission's recommendations. The ve- in terms of keeping capacity available neer of a national security justification their citizens. While these commu- nities are now turning their attention for any international emergency that for rejection of the list was dropped as would have required surge capability. politics quickly took center stage. For- toward reuse efforts and planning for I regret the decision, which was very tunately, common sense prevailed over the future, we have this final oppor- hard fought within the Commission, to politics and the administration ulti- tunity to overturn the Base Closure close the two facilities that now will mately backed down and allowed the Commission's recommendations. undergo privatization. As my friend process to proceed.