Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009

DUNCAN HUNTER NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009 -- (House of Representatives - May 22, 2008)

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Ms. SCHWARTZ. Madam Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to directly address the concerns of a community in my district that is impacted by BRAC 2005.

The BRAC Commission's recommendations related to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove call for a significant continued presence of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and other military units and for maintenance of the airfield for their use.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is currently working with DOD to transform Willow Grove into a Joint Interagency Operation Installation dedicated to national defense, homeland security, and emergency preparedness. This effort is supported by Federal, State, and local leaders of both parties, including the Governor and both U.S. Senators.

Despite the outpouring of local support for the base and a unified voice which we are supporting for continued military presence at the base, there remains a significant concern in the community that the base could be used for commercial passenger and cargo operations.

My amendment, jointly with Patrick Murphy, my colleague from Pennsylvania, which was drafted in coordination with Pennsylvania's Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, would address this local concern and strengthen the future capabilities of the base by codifying what Governor Rendell and bipartisan elected officials at all levels of government have been saying all along: Willow Grove will not become a commercial cargo or passenger airport.

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