HR1008 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1008 LRB093 22224 KEF 51150 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Camp Lincoln and the Springfield Air National Guard Base are valuable assets to the Springfield area and provide critical support to the Illinois National Guard, the United States Armed Forces, the Department of Defense, and our allies; and

WHEREAS, Camp Lincoln contains the Illinois National Guard State Headquarters, the Illinois Department of Military Affairs, and the 129th Regiment Regional Training Institute, with a mission to train current and future leaders in those skills and traits necessary to meet United States Army standards; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois National Guard conducts an annual youth camp at Camp Lincoln for children of Illinois National Guard members and Department of Defense employees; and

WHEREAS, Located at Capital Airport, the Springfield Air National Guard Base is home to the 183rd Fighter Wing, which provides combat ready aircraft, pilots, and support personnel capable of global deployment to perform tactical, general purpose warfare as directed by major command authority; and

WHEREAS, The Air National Guard Base in Springfield contributes nearly $60 million to the local economy and employs 330 full-time and 1,140 part-time workers; and

WHEREAS, The Springfield Air National Guard Base is continuously expanding to become more efficient and is currently constructing a 45,000 square-foot, $10 million building to house an auditorium, dining hall, medical clinic, chaplains' office, and support services for troops; and

WHEREAS, Springfield is an ideal location for 183rd Fighter Wing to provide homeland defense and back-up for protecting aircraft from Chicago to St. Louis, Kansas City and Indianapolis; and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Defense is in the process of selecting military bases for the 2005 round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) in order to eliminate a 25 percent excess capacity in armed services facilities; and

WHEREAS, Armed forces and National Guard facilities in Illinois that provide invaluable economic and employment opportunities to the State and serve an important role in military operations have been targeted for closure; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Department of Defense, members of Congress, and the President of the United States to realize the significance of the National Guard bases in Springfield and ensure that these facilities are not included in the 2005 BRAC selection; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the Illinois Congressional delegation to make the effort of saving Camp Lincoln and the Springfield Air National Guard Base a priority; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to the Secretary of Defense, the President of the United States, and each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation