H.R. No. 1210 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Its history and economy long intertwined with the 1-2 various military installations in and around the city, San Antonio 1-3 is proud of the role it has played in our country's system of 1-4 national security, a role that has greatly benefited the nation, 1-5 the community, and the countless individuals who have served in 1-6 both civilian and military capacities over the years; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Among those who have benefited the most from this 1-8 longstanding relationship between the military and the community 1-9 have been San Antonio's Hispanics, who have enjoyed unparalleled 1-10 opportunities for economic advancement through the jobs these bases 1-11 have afforded; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The impact of the various bases on the local economy 1-13 and on the economic well-being of Hispanics in the city cannot be 1-14 underestimated; the ninth largest city in the U.S., San Antonio is 1-15 one of the nation's truly multicultural cities with a population 1-16 that is 54 percent Hispanic, many of whom enjoy a measure of 1-17 prosperity that otherwise would be unattainable but for the jobs 1-18 created by the presence of such a large employer in the area; and 1-19 WHEREAS, This well-established avenue for upward mobility for 1-20 a minority population historically hindered by higher-than-average 1-21 poverty rates, low income, and poor job opportunities has been 1-22 jeopardized by the placement of two of the area's most important 1-23 bases, Brooks Air Force Base and Kelly Air Force Base, on the 1-24 Department of Defense list of military facilities to be reviewed by 2-1 the 1995 Base Closure and Realignment Commission; and 2-2 WHEREAS, The Kelly AFB workforce includes approximately 2-3 6,500 Hispanics, who earn an average of $27,000 per year, an annual 2-4 income 25 percent higher than the mean income for San Antonio's 2-5 average Hispanic worker; another 18,600 Hispanics work in jobs that 2-6 are attributable to its presence in the community; and 2-7 WHEREAS, These 25,100 jobs made possible by operations at 2-8 Kelly AFB together with the sizable number of jobs filled by 2-9 Hispanics at Brooks AFB represent opportunities for advancement in 2-10 socioeconomic status that would be lost if the base were to be 2-11 closed; and 2-12 WHEREAS, The impact of the proposed closures on Department of 2-13 Defense operations also would be severe; Kelly AFB is at the heart 2-14 of the Department of Defense's strategic air lift and boasts the 2-15 best aeronautical engine depot in the department, while Brooks AFB 2-16 has been a critical asset to the department with its nationally 2-17 renowned biomedical research and teaching activities; and 2-18 WHEREAS, These base closings also would have a negative 2-19 impact on the Department of Defense's workforce and its affirmative 2-20 action programs; operations at the bases benefit from a quality 2-21 workforce that is not only highly skilled, efficient, and dedicated 2-22 but ethnically diverse as well, and closing the bases would not 2-23 only devastate San Antonio's rising Hispanic economic middle class 2-24 but would raise concerns throughout the state's minority 2-25 populations about the federal government's commitment to minority 2-26 populations in general; now, therefore, be it 2-27 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 3-1 Legislature hereby express its support for the retention of Kelly 3-2 Air Force Base and Brooks Air Force Base and the vital mission they 3-3 serve as critical components in our national security system.