HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

39

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

Urging the united states president, congress, and department of defense to maintain the current number of soldiers and civilian Workers at fort shafter and schofield Barracks.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, active since 1907, Fort Shafter is the oldest military base on the island of Oahu, and as of 2013 has a population of 7,431 working soldiers and civilians; and

 

     WHEREAS, Schofield Barracks has been active since 1908, and as of 2013 has a population of 18,441 working soldiers and civilians; and

 

     WHEREAS, both Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks are integral parts of United States military operations in the Asia-Pacific region with Fort Shafter serving as the United States Army Pacific headquarters; and

 

     WHEREAS, due to recent budget restrictions, the United States Army is currently considering options to realign troop levels at various posts and bases by fiscal year 2019-2020; and

 

     WHEREAS, in October 2014, the United States Army Environmental Command released a Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Army 2020 Force Structure Realignment evaluating the many challenges of realigning troops; and

 

     WHEREAS, this assessment finds that reduction in soldiers and civilian workers at Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks has the potential of creating significant socioeconomic impacts and significant but mitigable impacts to cultural resources in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United States Army has proposed as a worst case scenario a reduction of 19,800 soldiers and civilian workers from Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks.  Assuming that entire families would likely leave the island if their soldier or civilian worker is sent to a different duty station, the proposed reductions could result in a loss of up to five per cent of Hawaii's population; and

 

     WHEREAS, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii reports that military expenditures in Hawaii add $14,700,000,000 and more than 102,000 jobs to the state economy; and

    

WHEREAS, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has estimated that in the event of a worst case scenario reduction, sales in the State would drop by $1,300,000,000, and the State would stand to lose $9,200,000 in general excise tax revenue; and

 

     WHEREAS, given the rising threats to national security from the Asia-Pacific region, it is crucial that troop levels remain as service-people stationed in Hawaii are best equipped to protect the United States from threats from the Asia-Pacific region; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the Senate concurring, that the United States President, Congress, and the Department of Defense are urged to maintain current soldier and civilian worker levels at Fort Shafter and Schofield Barracks as a means of preserving Hawaii's economy and protecting our nation from emerging threats in the Asia-Pacific region; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if soldier and civilian worker levels at Fort Shafter or Schofield Barracks must be reduced, this body urges Congress, the President, and the Department of Defense to increase troop levels at other military bases in Hawaii to offset the loss; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, Majority Leader of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, United States Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Commander, United States Pacific Command, United States Army Garrison-Hawaii, Hawaii's congressional delegation, and the Governor of Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

United States Army; Troop Reduction; Fort Shafter; Schofield Barracks