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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Pentagon could realize significant savings by |
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relocating the United States Africa Command from Germany to |
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Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, When AFRICOM was created in 2007, the Department of |
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Defense chose a temporary location in Stuttgart; it intended to |
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select a permanent headquarters in Africa, but set this plan aside |
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due to cost projections, security, and the sensitivities of African |
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nations; and |
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WHEREAS, The Department of Defense conducted a study in 2012 |
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that found maintaining AFRICOM headquarters stateside would cost |
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$60 million to $70 million less per year, and now those savings |
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would be even greater due to significant increases in Overseas Cost |
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of Living Allowances rates; although relocation would involve |
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expense, this expense could be recouped within two to six years; |
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moreover, the relocation would repatriate about 1,400 direct jobs |
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and create as many as 4,300 additional jobs for United States |
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residents, and it would have an annual impact on the local economy |
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ranging from $400 million to $500 million; and |
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WHEREAS, Should the defense department decide to relocate |
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AFRICOM, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston would be an |
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ideal home for the headquarters; the base features strong joint |
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service military value of active duty, reserve, and guard units |
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from all five United States armed services, some of which presently |
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conduct training and operational missions for AFRICOM; it is also |
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equipped to handle large military aircraft, and the city boasts one |
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of the nation's most vibrant ports, which handles 40 percent of all |
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United States trade with Africa; moreover, the community is |
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exceptionally supportive of the military, and the Greater Houston |
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area has strong cultural, educational, medical, and diplomatic ties |
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with Africa; and |
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WHEREAS, The Government Accountability Office has concluded |
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that the relocation of AFRICOM to the United States would generate |
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tremendous cost savings and economic benefits, and Ellington Field |
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Joint Reserve Base offers advantages that would enhance the |
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effectiveness of the headquarters; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the United States Congress to direct the |
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Department of Defense to relocate the United States Africa Command |
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to Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the secretary of the Department of Defense, to the president of the |
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Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United |
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States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to |
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Congress with the request that this resolution be entered in the |
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Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress of the United |
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States of America. |
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