El Paso Gains Big from BRAC

EL PASO GAINS BIG FROM BRAC
5/13/2005

The U.S. Department of Defense released its 2005 BRAC report today, detailing good news for the El Paso region.

Washington, D.C.

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"We have prepared for eight years for BRAC and today's announcement is the result of a solid strategy and lots of hard work by our community," said Congressman Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso.

"Ever since being elected to Congress in 1997, the preparation of our regional military facilities - Fort Bliss, White Sands, and Holloman - for a BRAC has been one of my highest priorities. These three bases are essential to our nation's defense and the local economies of our region.

"Together with our Texas and New Mexico Senators, state officials, local officials, and community leaders, I have worked for the past eight years on behalf of the military interests of not only El Paso, but Alamogordo and Las Cruces, which led to important partnerships between all three local communities. I believe the partnerships formed through this regional approach have been the key to our success," said Reyes.

"Over the years, we have secured approximately $250 million in military construction funds for our regional military facilities, as well as $24 million for the soon-to-be-constructed Desalination Plant at Fort Bliss. We have worked to get senior Army and Pentagon leaders, as well as many of my colleagues in Congress, here to visit our bases and cities. I have also spent countless hours with general officers and the Pentagon leadership to ensure that there is open and engaged dialogue about our world-class military complex. And I have worked with many of our great community leaders in Team El Paso who visit Washington each year, helping them to bring their message to key Pentagon leaders.

"As today's announcement shows, we have convinced the Department of Defense that Fort Bliss, White Sands and Holloman comprise an extremely valuable air-ground military complex and that, although in a desert environment, we will have plenty of water far into the future. We have been blessed with outstanding base commanders who have worked closely with me and with my colleagues on Capitol Hill - both Democrat and Republican, Texans and New Mexicans - to ensure that we were in the best shape for this BRAC round.

"Much of our work was done behind the scenes, laying the groundwork that resulted in the 3,800 new troops, today's BRAC gains and any future reassignments of overseas troops. I applaud our community for the strong partnerships we've formed making El Paso, Fort Bliss, White Sands and Holloman an attractive and welcoming home for our servicemembers and their families."

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