Reps. Forlini, LaFontaine, Graves, Lauwers, Goike, Crawford, Denby, Hooker, LaVoy and Roberts offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 319.  

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to oppose the U.S. Department of Defense's budget proposal that would potentially close commissaries at U.S. military bases and to ensure that replacement aircraft are assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base to compensate for the proposed elimination of the A-10 fleet.

            Whereas, The proposed U.S. Department of Defense budget would dramatically cut commissary services throughout the nation and eliminate the nation's A-10 fleet, including aircraft at Michigan's Selfridge Air National Guard Base. Selfridge currently is home to 18 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and the more than 400 personnel related to that mission; and

            Whereas, Our brave men and women in uniform benefit greatly from commissaries, and we should continue to provide them as part of their service. Slashing the commissary budget would likely lead to the closing of commissary stores at military installations throughout the nation. Commissary stores currently provide military families an affordable and convenient location to shop for groceries and other necessities. The U.S. Defense Commissary Agency found that commissaries save shoppers an average of 30.5 percent annually compared to off-base options; and

            Whereas, The proposed cuts would have a dramatic effect on the lives and morale of the dedicated men and women who choose to serve our country at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and other U.S. military bases. The elimination of the A-10 fleet would place in jeopardy more than 400 jobs at Selfridge alone. Closing commissaries would increase living expenses for military families, essentially helping to balance the defense budget at the expense of the men and women who serve; and

            Whereas, In Michigan, these proposed cuts would have immeasurable impacts on Macomb County and the local communities surrounding the Selfridge Air National Guard Base. For nearly a century, the base has been a source of community pride, local jobs, and local revenue as well as a key component of disaster response for the entire state and a vital base for our nation's homeland security; and

            Whereas, The A-10 fleet should not be eliminated until replacement aircraft can be assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base. The proposed cuts would compound past, short-sighted decisions to transfer the A-10 aircraft to Selfridge despite the knowledge that these aircraft would be phased out. These decisions have made Selfridge vulnerable to closure in future Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommendations. Assigning replacement aircraft would not only maintain the viability of this important base for homeland security, but would also be cost-effective: the Air National Guard can operate aircraft at about half the cost of an active duty unit; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to oppose the U.S. Department of Defense's budget proposal that would potentially close commissaries at U.S. military bases and to ensure that replacement aircraft are assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base to compensate for the proposed elimination of the A-10 fleet; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.