Congressman Cole's Statement upon BRAC Announcement

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Cole made the following statement after the announcement this morning of the Secretary of Defense's recommendations to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission:

"I am very pleased that the Secretary's recommendations recognized the importance of all the major military instillations in Oklahoma. With gains at Tinker Air Force Base, Fort Sill, Vance Air Force Base and Tulsa International Airport Guard Station, we can be very proud of our bases. The survival of Altus Air Force Base and McAlester Army Ammunition Depot is also good news for Oklahoma. Oklahoma bases have survived through the past several rounds of closures. This says a lot about our bases and it says a lot about the communities around them that support them."

"Oklahoma is one of the very few states in the country that has never lost a major facility in a BRAC round, and perhaps the only state that has made a net gain in each of the five BRAC rounds. This year the Secretary recommended that over 33 major installations be closed, which is over 10 percent of the total 318 bases in the U.S. military. A total of 97 major facilities were closed in previous BRAC rounds."

"In the last two years I have worked with our Oklahoma Senators to provide about $200 million in additional funds to bases in Oklahoma's Fourth District. This has enhanced their value to the military and was surely a component in today's good news."

"I am also very proud of the congressional delegation and other community and state leaders of both parties that have worked together over several decades to achieve this result. Today, we see the fruits of our efforts over the past years. Upon the completion of the BRAC process this year, we can be confident that Oklahoma bases will be safe for a long time to come. At this point, no additional BRAC rounds have been authorized or even contemplated by Congress."

"I am particularly pleased with the gain of the Air Defense Artillery Center and School and the Net Fires Center to Fort Sill. I have been working with the Pentagon over the past few years on this and I believe it is a real win for Fort Sill. This is not only an addition of personnel but a new mission that will enhance Fort Sill's value to the American military and secure its future role in our national defense for many years to come."

"Despite the good news today, I do have a few concerns. Although there is a net positive gain to facilities in our state, we are losing some reserve centers across the state and the Defense Finance and Accounting Center in Lawton. I will be working with the Oklahoma delegation to understand why these recommendations were made and to educate the BRAC Commission on the value and importance of these centers."

After the Commission reviews the list and makes deletions or additions it will be sent to the President for approval. The President must submit a list to Congress by November 7, 2005.

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