• October 25 Council Letter Re: Final Recommendations to the Governor (MSWord, 2 MB)
• November 3, 2005 Council Press Release Re: Final Report (MSWord, 2 MB)

• Asm. Oropeza Reacts fo Plans to Keep L.A. AFB Open, (PDF, 88 kb)
• Governor Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Release of U.S. Military Base Realignment and Closure List
• Statement by Senator Dianne Feinstein on Proposed Base Closure in California
• Protecting California From Base Closures: Statement of Senator Feinstein on Proposed 2005 BRAC Round
• Harman Applauds Decision to Protect Los Angeles Air Force Base
• United States Delegation, Governor's Leadership Convince Pentagon to Minimize California Base Closures
• Base Realignment and Closure Commission: 2521 South Clark St., Arlington VA 22202, (707) 699-2950
• Gov. Schwarzenegger Issues Statement on Release of U.S. Military Base Realignment and Closure List

• Chamber Joins Local Government and Business Leaders in Military Base Retention Efforts

• The Governor has announced his appointment of a BRAC Council to help lead the state in protecting bases from closure duing the 2005 round of base closures by the Department of Defense. Press Release
• The Honorable Andrea Seastrand, Executive Director of The California Space Authority, has been appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the Governor's Council on Base Support and Retention. Press Release

May/June publication of the Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB) Regional Alliance newsletter, Alliance.

• Page 1 (jpeg, 94kb)
• Page 2 (jpeg, 94 kb)

Assembly approved an augmentation of $1 million for OMBRR

The State Assembly's Budget Subcommittee #4, which deals with the Office of Military Base Realignment and Reuse (or as it is sometimes called the Office of Military Support), approved an augmentation to the Governor's budget proposal of $1 million. This funding will be added to the existing $180,000 in the budget for that office. The duties of this office are to assist California's communities in their efforts to defend against base closures.

Assemblyman George Nakano from El Segundo made the motion for the augmentation and it passed the committee unanimously.

CSA's press release

Assemblyman George Nakano's press release [MS Word, 21kb] May 20, 2004

Hunter Committee Backs Defense Bill With 2-Year Base Closure Delay

By a vote of 60-0 late on Wednesday, May 12, 2004, the House Armed Services gave final approval to H.R. 4200, a Department of Defense Authorization Bill for 2005. The bill, shepherded by full committee Chairman Duncan Hunter (Alpine), provides $422 billion for defense salaries, operations, procurement, and R&D for the fiscal year that begins October 1, 2004.

The bill, expected to be considered on the House floor next week, would delay a round of military base closures from 2005 until 2007. The delay was approved as an amendment by Rep. Joel Hefley (CO) in lieu of a rejected alternative proposed by Rep. Gene Taylor (MS) that would have cancelled the upcoming closure round altogether.

A Senate version of the DOD authorization bill, approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 6, 2004, is also expected to be on the floor next week. For additional information on the House bill, visit http://armedservices.house.gov/.

From the California Institute for Federal Policy Research.

Congratulatory Letter from CSA to the California Congressional Delegation

"On behalf of the entire Board of Directors of the California Space Authority, we congratulate you and your colleagues on your efforts to protect the remaining military installations and missions located in California..."

This 4-page letter from Gov. Schwarzenegger to Mr. Peter Petochney, Director, Base Realignment and Closure, proposes amendments to the proposed BRAC criteria, including significant discussion regarding the rationale.

Letter from Senator Barbara Boxer to the Senate Select Committee on Defense and Aerospace Industry: page 1, page 2.

For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Contact: Margita Thompson
Rob McAndrews
916-445-4571

Gov. Schwarzenegger Sends BRAC Letter to Defense Secretary Rumsfeld

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today released the following letter sent to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld regarding the upcoming Base Realignment and Closure activity:

January 12, 2004

The Honorable Donald H. Rumsfeld
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

Dear Mr. Secretary,

As you undertake the upcoming base realignment and closure (BRAC) round, I am writing to respectfully request your consideration of the unparalleled opportunities which exist in California to achieve the Department's goal to produce an operational infrastructure which maximizes fighting capability as well as efficiency.

I share your high regard for our military forces. I have personally visited troops in Iraq and elsewhere. My commitment, as outlined in my first State of the State message, is to ensure that California's current military sites, and the resulting resident intellectual capital and logistic infrastructure around each base, remain and prosper in California.

California is a defense hub for the nation. It has a proud history of support for our armed forces in every major conflict since World War II. For many reasons California has attracted Department of Defense sites and defense industry partners because of its temperate climate, available space, existing range complexes, natural resources and innovative spirit attracting the best and brightest minds in the country. This unique complex of synergies represents a dynamic core capacity and a platform of support that benefits not only California, but also the nation at large.

In the previous rounds, California bore a disproportionate share of base closures. The California Congressional delegation is fully committed to reducing the impact of base closures in the state.

The sheer size of California's economy directly links its financial health to that of the nation. The state's economy has been uniquely challenged in recent years. I am confident that California's economic situation will improve significantly, but our efforts will be obstructed considerably by additional base closures, which result in job losses.

Given the historical significance and key mission capacity of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps bases in the state, I am hopeful that the composition of the BRAC Commission will reflect the role California has played, and continues to play, in national defense strategy and the resultant training and operational requirements.

California has the largest coastline, international ports, an international border, and extensive resources ready, willing, and able to handle virtually any mission the Nation may place here. Our history of technological excellence and cutting edge leadership in electronic research will enable California to respond to future defense force restructuring in the Quadrennial Review. California is well-suited for realignments of other activities, or new missions, to existing infrastructures with fully trained, professional, resident workforces.

California has already undertaken a number of efforts. A new California law (Senate Bill 1468) mandates that local land use planners consider adjacent military installation mission requirements in the strategic land use and General Plans update process. This gives local military commanders a "seat at the table" and ensures that local planners are aware of the need to collaborate so that these military missions are not adversely impacted by local land use decisions without consultations and consideration of that impact on existing military site.

In closing, I want to reiterate my personal support for the Department of Defense's current and long-term presence in California. I support your efforts to transform the Department and believe California can continue to play an even greater role as you address force structures, equipment and training.

I look forward to meeting with you personally to discuss solutions which serve our mutual interests.

Sincerely,

COPY
Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered his first State of the State speech [full text, PDF, 22kb] last night to a packed Legislative Chamber. By all accounts, it was probably one of the most intriguing speeches ever delivered by any recent Governor. Of particular note were his commitments that his administration would act aggressively to protect California in the 2005 round of base closures. He showed strong leadership and motivation in protecting California from any loss of missions.

The Governor's specific comments in the text of his speech were:

"... During the campaign, I said that I would make sure that California got its fair share of federal tax dollars. The congressional delegations of other states work together to bring home federal dollars, but the divisions in California have been too deep to do that effectively. In December, however, we held a historic meeting in Palm Springs. At a bipartisan retreat, the California congressional delegation and I agreed to put party and district boundaries aside and to speak with one united voice in Washington. We agreed to fight side-by-side to get more federal tax money for homeland security, for criminal aliens, water resources, highways and other needs."

"... Let me tell you another area where we must cooperate. California's naval facilities, our air bases, our supply centers, our training commands have helped our nation produce the best trained and equipped military in the world. I was in Baghdad last year. I met soldiers who call California home. I met soldiers who trained here and served here California has a proud history of military support. The Pentagon will make the next round of base closures in 2005. This could mean thousands of lost jobs to California. These bases are important to national defense, and they are important to our steady economic recovery. As a state, we will fight to keep our bases open."