SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

House Concurrent Resolution No. 13

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

5423H.03C

                                                                                                                                                WHEREAS, the state of Missouri has a long history of supporting the military in their mission to protect the American people; and

            WHEREAS, Whiteman Air Force Base, home to the 442^nd Fighter Wing, is dedicated to delivering dynamic air power for the United States and acting as both a powerful deterrent to enemies and as an assurance to American citizens and allies; and

            WHEREAS, the 442^nd Fighter Wing has a rich legacy of defending the United States and its allies through its involvement in World War II, the Cold War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

            WHEREAS, the mission of the 442^nd is to maintain and support the A-10 Thunderbolt II at the highest level of combat readiness; and

            WHEREAS, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the Air Force’s only fighter plane designed for close-air support providing critical front-line support for American forces on the ground and conducting combat search and rescue missions; and

            WHEREAS, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is vital to providing Missouri civilian and military jobs as the 442^nd Fighter Wing is the largest tenant unit at Whiteman Air Force Base and has a payroll of around $40 million dollars, a personnel force of 1,100 people, and an economic impact of millions of dollars in the local community; and

            WHEREAS, newly proposed federal budget cuts for the Department of Defense would impact the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade, which has three units located in Missouri; and

            WHEREAS, the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade includes the 1-135th Aviation Battalion, located at Whiteman Airforce Base, which conducts attack reconnaissance, security operations that compliment other maneuver forces, and has 24 AH-64 D Apache Longbow attack helicopters assigned to it; and

            WHEREAS, the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade includes the 3-135th Aviation Battalion, located in Lebanon, Missouri, which provides mission command, administration, and logistics support; and

            WHEREAS, the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade includes the 935th Aviation Support Battalion, located in Springfield and Warrensburg, Missouri, which provides maintenance, maneuver, signal, and logistics support; and

            WHEREAS, the impact of the proposed budget cuts would result in a loss of over $34 million dollars and over 400 military personnel:

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-seventh General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby strongly urge the United States Air Force not to eliminate the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft fleet and strongly urge the United States Department of Defense to reconsider its proposed budget cuts to find a solution that fully takes into account national security needs as well as state domestic response obligations; and

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Air Force, and each member of Missouri’s congressional delegation.

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