BILL ANALYSIS �
AJR 52
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AJR 52 (Linder and Nestande)
As Introduced August 7, 2014
Majority vote
VETERANS AFFAIRS 7-0
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|Ayes:|Quirk-Silva, Chavez, | | |
| |Brown, Fox, Grove, | | |
| |Melendez Salas | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Declares that the Legislature joins the County of
Riverside in opposing base realignment and closure (BRAC)
affecting the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division, and
March Air Reserve Base.
Specifically, this resolution declares that the Assembly and the
Senate of the State of California join the County of Riverside
in opposing another round of BRAC affecting the Naval Surface
Warfare Center, Corona Division, and March Air Reserve Base.
EXISTING LAW :
The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990 (Public Law
101 to 510) provides the basic framework for the transfer and
disposal of military installations closed during the BRAC
process.
FISCAL EFFECT : None. This measure is keyed non-fiscal by the
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : According to the author:
AJR 52 will join efforts from around the Inland Empire
and the County of Riverside's Office of Military and
Defense Services in their opposition to a proposed
round of base realignment and closure. The Naval
Surface Warfare Center and March Air Reserve Base are
both assets to the Armed Forces and both support the
national security of the United States. Combined,
both bases currently generate over $1 billion dollars
AJR 52
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for local workers in the civilian and military work
forces. It is important to continue to maintain these
bases in Riverside County.
In March of 2013, in an effort to protect and expand the
military's vital role in national security and California's
economy, Governor Brown established the Governor's Military
Council (Council) and appointed former Congresswoman and Under
Secretary of State Ellen Tauscher as chair. According to Chair
Tauscher of the Council,
According to the Council:
California is home to 29 federal military
installations and the Department of Defense (DOD)
directly employs more than 236,000 people in
California. California receives close to $60 billion
of the DOD's direct expenditures. The Governor's
Military Council will work to protect California's
military installations and operations amid ongoing
Department of Defense budget cuts, and leverage
changes in federal military strategy to position the
state to continue innovation and leadership in its
military mission.
"California's military infrastructure is critically important to
national security," Tauscher said. "The Council will send a
unified message to Washington, D.C., that highlights the value
of our military bases.? The development and articulation of a
unified narrative on the military and California is critical to
shaping these [defense] budget decisions."
The White House called for two new BRAC rounds to occur in 2013.
However both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees
produced 2013 spending bills that did not include the
administration's request to establish a BRAC in 2013. The
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014
specifically prohibits authorization of future BRAC rounds:
No future Base Realignment and Closure round for
military installations within the United Sates, its
commonwealths, territories, and possessions for
realignment or closure shall be authorized until, at
the very earliest, the Department of Defense has
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completed and submitted to Congress a formal review of
the overseas military facility structure, which
incorporates overseas basing consolidations, an
assessment of the need for bases to support overseas
contingency operations, and the Department of
Defense's Strategic Choices and Management Review.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced earlier this year that
there would be no BRAC in 2015 or 2016, but that another was
being planned for 2017.
Policy Questions for Members:
Unified Narrative: In an effort to send a unified California
narrative to Congress and the White House and in alignment with
the goals of the Council, should this measure not take a broader
position, stating the crucial importance of the Department of
Defense installations throughout California, not just the Naval
Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division and March Air Reserve
Base?
Timing: As evidenced by the formation and work of the Council,
it is not too early to oppose and prepare for BRAC. However, as
no BRAC appears likely until 2017 or after, is this the best
time for the State to take a position and have it achieve
maximum impact?
Analysis Prepared by : John J. Spangler / V. A. / (916)
319-3550
FN: 0005526