[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 126 (Tuesday, September 25, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1724-E1725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002

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                               speech of

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 20, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2586) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2002 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, to prescribe 
     military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2002, and for 
     other purposes:

  Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Chairman, on September 20, 2001, during debate on 
the Defense Authorization bill for fiscal year 2002, H.R. 2586, I 
entered into a colloquy with Representative Skelton regarding the 
Marine Corps Air Station Tustin. I have attached related correspondence 
between myself and the Department of the Navy which was inadvertently 
left out of the Record.

                                     Congress of the United States


                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, July 19, 2001.
     Hon. Duncan Holaday,
     Deputy Assistant Secretary, Installations and Facilities, 
         Department of the Navy, Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Holaday: When you met with me and 
     representatives of the Santa Ana Unified School District in 
     my office on

[[Page E1725]]

     March 20, 2001 to discuss the Base Reuse Plan for Marine 
     Corps Air Station (MCAS) Tustin, we discussed the local 
     resolution of the City of Tustin's failure to include public 
     benefit conveyances to Santa Ana Unified and Rancho Santiago 
     Community College District in its Base Reuse Plan. You 
     assured me then, and in your follow-up letter dated March 26, 
     2001, that the Department of Navy would not convey MCAS 
     property until the parties concerned come to an agreement on 
     the allocation of land.
       We also discussed the possibility that, in implementing any 
     such agreement, the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Base 
     Reuse Plan may be required to be amended, to substitute a 
     public benefit conveyance to the Districts in place of 
     commercial development, or otherwise to accommodate a 
     compromise among the City and the Districts. You stated in 
     our meeting that such an amendment to the ROD would not 
     create a significant problem for the Department of Navy. 
     Furthermore, you stated that such a change may not even 
     require an amendment to the ROD, but that if an amendment 
     were required, that the Department of Navy could approve such 
     an amendment to the ROD expeditiously and without undue 
     delay.
       Could you please affirm these statements to me by way of a 
     short confirming letter. I would appreciate hearing from you 
     by August 3rd, 2001. Thank you very much.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Loretta Sanchez,
                                               Member of Congress.

                                  ____
                                  

                                           Department of the Navy,


                            Office of the Assistant Secretary,

                                   Washington, DC, August 3, 2001.
     Hon. Loretta Sanchez, 
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congresswoman Sanchez: Thank you for your letter of 
     July 19, 2001, regarding the need for local resolution of the 
     reuse-related issues concerning the conveyance of Marine 
     Corps Air Station Tustin to the Local Reuse Authority, the 
     City of Tustin.
       As you requested, I am re-affirming the statement I made to 
     you in my letter of 26 March: The resolution of the issues 
     surrounding conveyance of MCAS Tustin property for 
     educational needs is critical to any conveyance decision. 
     This is why the Navy continues to encourage a local agreement 
     addressing all requests for property for these requirements. 
     The lack of an agreement on educational transfers seriously 
     complicates any Navy decision to convey MCAS Tustin property.
       Regarding the Record of Decision (ROD), we continue to 
     believe that the final resolution of the issues between the 
     City of Tustin and the Santa Ana Unified School District can 
     be accommodated within the ROD as presently configured. If 
     the two sides reach a solution that would materially affect 
     the ROD, then Navy would have to reevaluate the issue.
       As always, if I can be of any further assistance, please 
     let me know.
           Sincerely,

                                               Duncan Holaday,

                                       Deputy Assistant Secretary,
                                   (Installations and Facilities).

                                  ____
                                  

                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                   Washington, DC, August 7, 2001.
     Hon. Duncan Holaday,
     Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Installations and 
         Facilities, Department of the Navy, Washington, DC.
       Dear Secretary Holaday: Thank you for your letter of 3 
     August 2001 reaffirming that the Navy will not convey any 
     Tustin MCAS property until the parties concerned come to an 
     agreement on the allocation of land. I appreciate your prompt 
     and helpful response. I write to again seek your assistance 
     on another matter, directly relating to the Record of 
     Decision (ROD).
       In our meeting of 20 March 2001, you indicated to me that 
     the following two potential compromise solutions to the 
     impasse between the City of Tustin and the Santa Ana Unified/
     Rancho Santiago Community College District would not require 
     an amendment to the ROD. Or, if an amendment would be 
     necessary, that it could be approved expeditiously.
       (1) A compromise involving swapping the zoning of 
     approximately 40 acres of commercially-designated land within 
     the Districts' boundaries for 40 acres of educationally-
     designated land within the ``Learning Village.''
       (2) The re-designation of approximately 100 acres of 
     commercially-designated property within the Districts' 
     boundaries to educational uses.
       Your written confirmation of this would be very helpful 
     relative to negotiations between the parties at this juncture 
     and, for that reason, I ask that you please respond to my 
     inquiry no later than August 14, 2001. Thank you, again, for 
     your continued assistance with this difficult matter, and for 
     your timely attention to this further request.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Loretta Sanchez,
                                               Member of Congress.

                                  ____
                                  

                                           Department of the Navy,


                            Office of the Assistant Secretary,

                                  Washington, DC, August 14, 2001.
     Representative Loretta Sanchez,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Sanchez: Thank you for your letter of 
     August 7 inquiring about the Department of the Navy's Record 
     of Decision (ROD) regarding MCAS Tustin.
       Let me assure you that the Department's principal interest 
     is that the parties directly involved--the City of Tustin, 
     the Santa Ana Unified School District, and Rancho Santiago 
     Community College--reach an agreement rapidly on how to 
     allocate the land so that we may begin to transfer the 
     property.
       The potential effect of an agreement on the ROD should not 
     stand in the way of the negotiations. The Department is 
     prepared to work with you and the parties directly involved 
     if doing so would help answer questions or resolve issues 
     associated with any proposals being considered.
       We will review any agreement to determine whether we need 
     to amend the ROD; if that proves necessary, we will do so 
     expeditiously. If I may be of further assistance, please let 
     me know.

                                               Duncan Holaday,

                                       Deputy Assistant Secretary,
                                   (Installations and Facilities).

     

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