Bill Text: MO HCR47 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Strongly urges the Department of Defense and the Missouri Congressional delegation to protect, promote, and leverage Missouri's military bases and agencies during the upcoming federal defense budget
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-05-01 - Public Hearing Held (S) [HCR47 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2012-HCR47-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
House Concurrent Resolution No. 47
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ALLEN (Sponsor), FLANIGAN, LEARA, ZERR, LAUER, LANT, SATER, LICHTENEGGER, BERNSKOETTER, COX, BAHR, ROWLAND, SHUMAKE, JONES (89), NANCE, HOSKINS, RICHARDSON, CRAWFORD, AND CONWAY (14) (Co-sponsors).
WHEREAS, United States Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta recently announced that the Pentagon will seek new rounds of base closures, mission realignments, and procurement decreases as part of the federal budget cutting process; and
WHEREAS, Secretary Panetta states that, in an effort to cut $487 billion over the next decade, the number of soldiers in the United States Army will drop over the next five years from 562,000 to 490,000, and the number of marines in the United States Marine Corps will drop over the next five years from 202,000 to 182,000; and
WHEREAS, the President's FY 2013 Budget adjusts Air Force military end strength to 501,000, with net reductions of 3,900 active duty, 5,100 Air National Guard, and 900 Air Force Reserve billets, reflecting an especially severe impact on the Guard and Reserves; and
WHEREAS, the Pentagon planners intend to reduce procurement of weapons systems by more than 10% in FY2012 to $108.5 billion, down from $120.6 billion in FY2011; and
WHEREAS, Missouri is currently home to a number of major military bases and agencies, including Whiteman Air Force Base near Knob Noster and its 509th Bomb Wing, the only Air Force Unit that operates the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber; the United States Army Maneuver Support Center at Fort Leonard Wood and its Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Radiological School (CBRN), Military Police, and Army Engineer Schools; the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in Arnold; the Missouri National Guard's Ike Skelton Training Center (ISTS) in Jefferson City; the Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group (TASMG) in Springfield; and the 139th Airlift Wing in St. Joseph, among numerous other facilities and locations; and
WHEREAS, according to the latest available data, the Department of Defense employs approximately 26,000 civilian and active duty military personnel in Missouri at more than 11 major locations across the state, and provides additional funding for approximately 26,000 members of the Reserves and National Guard; and
WHEREAS, civilian and active duty military personnel and members of the Reserves and National Guard are paid $1.9 billion in wages and salary and contribute $3.4 billion to the gross state product; and
WHEREAS, Missouri's defense industry plays a vital role in the state's economy, employing 160,000 Missourians working to support, either directly or indirectly, over $12 billion in Department of Defense procurement contracts awarded to Missouri companies, ranking 5th among the states in total dollars; and
WHEREAS, Missouri's defense procurement contracts are heavily oriented toward research and operational systems and manufacturing companies, particularly aerospace manufacturing at the Boeing Company, Missouri's 3rd largest employer, and its supply chain; and
WHEREAS, Missouri is home to several outstanding universities, including the University of Missouri, Washington University, and St. Louis University, that conduct cutting edge defense research for the government, providing the innovation needed to keep our military the finest in the world and creating the academic environment necessary to produce critical talent for government and industry workforce; and
WHEREAS, the nation's primary concern must always be national defense and the security of the United States, including Missouri; and
WHEREAS, Missouri is heavily committed to providing for our national defense and security as an accommodating partner and a proud home to major military installations and agencies, 52,000 military personnel, and 160,000 citizens who work at companies that manufacture defense systems, provide valuable services, and perform critical research; and
WHEREAS, Missouri has a vital economic interest in maintaining its military installations and agencies, and in presenting to national leaders evidence of Missouri's capacity to provide additional, cost effective, and flexible support to defense missions during the federal government's efforts to re-establish its basing, costing, and capabilities:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-sixth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby strongly urge the United States Department of Defense and Missouri's Congressional delegation to protect, promote, and leverage Missouri's military bases and agencies, keep the number of military personnel in the state intact, and preserve defense industry procurement so that Missouri may continue to support the defense and protection of the state and the United States and keep its economy in sound condition; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for United States Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and each member of the Missouri Congressional delegation.
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