[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 51 (Tuesday, May 3, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   DOD ACCOUNTING CENTER IN ROME, NY

  Mr. MOYNIHAN. Madam President, last year the citizens of New York 
were jolted--I think that is fair to say--when the Base Closure 
Realignment Commission, closed three of the very small number of 
military installations in the State of New York: The Staten Island 
Naval Base; the Plattsburg Air Force Base, an installation that had 
been there on the shores of Lake Champlain since 1818 and which was not 
recommended for closure; and the flying mission at Griffiss Air Force 
Base, in Rome. This seemed to us, for a State that has had very large 
outlays in Federal taxes over the years for maintaining bases elsewhere 
in the country, an unusual and disappointing decision.
  On the other hand, I can report today there has been a remedial 
measure of genuine consequence to the Rome region and to Griffiss Air 
Force Base. The Department of Defense has decided to locate one of 20 
new Defense Finance and Accounting Service [DFAS] Centers there. This 
move is part of the consolidation of the Department's payroll 
operation; 750 permanent jobs will be located on the base. And in 
consequence, the position of Rome Laboratory is considerably enhanced 
in that the infrastructure that the laboratory requires will also be 
required by this new defense facility, and the combination is a more 
efficient one.
  The Rome lab is one of four super laboratories in the Air Force, and 
it is the center of our present research in the fields of both 
electronics and photonics. The whole area of photonics is rapidly 
expanding, and that work is centered in upstate New York. The DFAS 
center and Rome Laboratory will be able to share some operating costs.
  So I can report that, to some measure at least, the Defense 
Department has responded to our concerns. I thank Secretary Perry for 
his attention to this matter. The whole of the New York delegation 
wrote to him. I know my colleague, Senator D'Amato, would join me in 
this regard. There has been some alleviation of what was a very real 
blow, one we did not think was warranted.

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