U.S. Congressmen Dan Boren (D-OK) and Walter B. Jones (R-NC) have united to establish the House Military Depot and Industrial Facilities Caucus for the 112th Congress. This bipartisan group of House Members will be dedicated to policy issues that affect military industrial facilities, including aviation depots, shipyards, arsenals, ammunition plants, and energetic material production facilities. The caucus will also educate other members of Congress on matters of importance to the military depot and industrial facility community, as well as advocate for necessary changes in policy.
Boren's Congressional district contains the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, the largest conventional ammunition storage facility in the Department of Defense, and he has been a member of the Caucus since first being elected to Congress in 2004.
"I welcome this opportunity to co-chair the House Depot Caucus with my colleague, Congressman Jones, during the 112th Congress. This leadership role will give me the opportunity to work on important issues that affect the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, which plays a vital role in our national defense and provides quality jobs for hundreds of eastern Oklahomans. Since first being elected to Congress, protecting the best interests of the ammunition plant in McAlester has been among my top priorities. I look forward to working with Congressman Jones to strengthen the military industrial facilities across the country," said Boren.
Congressman Jones represents Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East), a military depot service provider located at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station specializing in support of Marine aircraft, engines and components. FRC East is the only source of repair within the continental United States for many jet engines and rotary wing engines, as well as turbofan vectored thrust engines.
"As a longtime member and co-chair of the House Military Depot and Industrial Facilities Caucus, I have worked hard to ensure that the industrial capacity of our military depots to regenerate equipment is at a maximum. Military depots and other industrial facilities, like Fleet Reserve Center East, play a vital role in the health of our Armed Services and allow our fighting forces to continue their mission without delay. I look forward to working with Congressman Boren, co-chair of the House Military Depot and Industrial Facilities Caucus, to create a stronger, more resilient system," said Jones.
The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP), located in the Second Congressional District of Oklahoma, is a government-owned, government-operated facility. Among its central missions are ammunition production, ammunition and missile maintenance, ammunition and missile demilitarization, and power projection. Spanning 45,000 acres in Pittsburg County, MCAAP is the largest conventional ammunition storage facility in the Department of Defense.