| June 13, 2006 - (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter held a meeting today with U.S. Department of Defense officials, including Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, and U.S. Reps. Rodney Alexander and Bobby Jindal to persuade the U.S. Navy not to close the West Bank portion of the Naval Support Activity, in agreement with the BRAC recommendations released last year. “The BRAC Commission was very clear about its intent to realign the NSA, specifically moving Marine Forces Reserve Headquarters to the West Bank facility and leaving it open if the state fulfills its commitment to begin construction of Federal City by September 2008,” said Vitter. “We got a commitment from the Secretary of the Navy today that they will keep the facility open and that the state can move forward with the Federal City proposal.” During the BRAC review process in 2005, the Commission voted to realign the NSA New Orleans, overturning the Defense Department’s recommendation of closure. In the realignment decision, the Commission specifically stated the intention to, “relocate headquarters, Marine Forces Reserve to Naval Support Activity West Bank Property, New Orleans, La.” In the meeting today, the BRAC staff director reiterated that this was the BRAC Commission’s intent. And the Secretary of the Navy committed to work with the state of Louisiana in good faith to pursue the Federal City proposal instead of closing the West Bank portion of NSA New Orleans. “We want to make sure that the BRAC recommendations are followed,” Vitter said. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the federal government should be looking to enhance the New Orleans area economy and I think the Federal City proposal is one way to get there.” |