Veterans Affairs Panel Votes to Save Navy and Joint Forces Bases

Resolutions to protect the and the from defense department cutbacks just moved one step closer to State Assembly approval.

The Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee unanimously passed Senator Tom Harman’s (R-Huntington Beach) resolutions urging Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and Congress to preserve the bases. 

The two resolutions, Senate Joint Resolution 24 and Senate Joint Resolution 25 would help to protect the bases from being considered by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) commission for closure during the proposed rounds of defense spending cuts and base closure periods, according to a Harman spokesperson.

“The Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach is the primary military operation that services and supplies the entire Pacific Fleet based in San Diego and the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base is the sole remaining military airfield in greater Los Angeles and Orange County area. Both are essential to our nation’s security and local, regional and state economies,” Harman said in a written release. “Losing either of these two bases would have severely crippled our ability to respond to threats and actions taken by people that wish to harm Californians and all Americans,” Harman continued, “I’m excited to see my colleagues on both sides of the aisle stand together in support of our California military bases and the overwhelming benefits they bring to our great state.”

The measures will now move to the Assembly Floor for a full vote.