JONES FIGHTS FOR ENC MILITARY BASES

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) joined 26 of his colleagues in urging the Department of Defense to identify excess military infrastructure overseas before attempting to close any facilities at home.  The bipartisan group sent a letter requesting that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel provide a comprehensive plan for eliminating military capacity abroad before asking Congress to further consider closures within the United States.  The congressional effort comes in response to President Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year 2014 budget request, which proposes another round of domestic military base closings.  The last round of base realignment and closures (BRAC) was in 2005.    

“Military communities are crucial to the health of the economy, particularly in Eastern North Carolina,” said Jones.  “By making our facilities at home a priority and cutting costs overseas, we can maintain military readiness while reducing unnecessary government spending in the most prudent way possible.”

The full text of the letter is available at the link below.