[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 11, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                             BASE CLOSINGS

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I stand here to talk to my colleagues about 
base closure. I think many of us realize we just went through a base 
closure operation not too long ago and I was involved with it. We are 
having another one in 1995. I want to point out to my colleagues we had 
a vote on the House floor to slow down this process and I think it is 
important we do that.
  Now that Republicans are in control, I hope all of us will realize we 
have an opportunity to preserve some very important bases around this 
country, which brings me to my point about a very important base in my 
congressional district in Jacksonville, FL. It is a naval depot. My 
friends, it is creating a profit.
  After all is said and done, here is a government operation that is 
creating profit every year, so why should we be shutting down something 
like that? The community is coming together very strongly to protect 
it. In fact on Monday the First Coast Manufacturing Association kicked 
off a campaign of 500,000 postcards in support of the Jacksonville 
depot.

                          ____________________