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(Washington, D.C.) Fourth District Representative Mike Ross (AR-04)
testified Monday in San Antonio, Texas at the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Regional Hearing for Red River Army Depot and Lone Star Army Ammunition
Plant. Ross was joined by members of the BRAC Commission including
BRAC Commission Chairman Anthony Principi, Texas Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson
and John Cornyn, Arkansas Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, and
Congressman Ralph Hall (TX-04). Hundreds of people from the Texarkana
community made their way to San Antonio to show their support for Red River
and Lone Star.
Several bases slated for closure or realignment, including Red River
Army Depot and Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, had the opportunity to
demonstrate to BRAC Commissioners their military value. Ross testified
specifically on discrepancies regarding the Office of the Secretary of
Defense’s (OSD) evaluation of Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, which provided
the basis for the Department of Defense’s recommendation for closure.
“I am extremely appreciative that Chairman Principi was able to personally
attend the regional BRAC hearing on Red River Army Depot and Lone Star
Army Ammunition Plant in San Antonio today,” said Ross. “We have
made an outstanding case for the crucial role that Lone Star and Red River
Army Depot play in our nation’s security. The functions carried out
by Red River Army Depot and Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, such as making
protective armor for humvees, are imperative in keeping our soldiers safe
abroad, and other depots around our nation simply do not have the capacity
to manufacture the equipment necessary. I am cautiously optimistic
that the Commissioners will feel the same way after hearing today’s testimony.”
Ross joined Chairman Principi on Sunday morning for a site tour of Red
River Army Depot, his third meeting with the Chairman of the BRAC Commission.
Both Sunday’s site tour and Monday’s hearing are part of Ross’s continuing
efforts to demonstrate the military value of Lone Star Army Ammunition
Plant and Red River Army Depot. Following today’s hearing in San
Antonio, the commission will send a report to President Bush on September
8, 2005, outlining reasons for either accepting or rejecting the BRAC Commission’s
recommendations. |
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