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Resolution
SUPPORT THE PERMANENCE OF FORT
BUCHANAN IN PUERTO RICO, THE ONLY BASE WITH
ACTIVE PERSONNEL IN THE CARIBBEAN
Whereas,
according to the plan of the Government of
United States, the Secretary of Defense shall
refer to the Base Realignment and Closure
Committee a preliminary list of installations to
be closed no later than May 10, 2005. It has
been estimated that there are 500 military
bases; and
Whereas,
Fort Buchanan was established 82 years ago, and
it is the only base with active personnel in the
Caribbean; and
Whereas, before the
Southern Command was established in Puerto Rico
in 1999, Fort Buchanan had more or less the same
labor population: 100 soldiers and 600
civilians; and
Whereas,
Fort
Buchanan serves as liaison to 15,000 reservists
and members of the National Guard, many of whom
have been activated and are currently serving in
different fronts fighting against terrorism;
and
WHEREAS,
Fort Buchanan renders services to retired
soldiers, veterans of the Department of Defense
and their families, which added to its
employees, reservists, contractors and retired
persons, the Fort serves more than 104,000
persons; and
WHEREAS,
the military installation has an economic impact
of approximately $197.8 million in Puerto Rico.
(This includes payment of military and civilian
personnel, contracts and domestic markets); and
WHEREAS,
Fort Buchanan is needed to maintain the long and
glorious military tradition on our Island, since
other military bases such as Camp Garcia in
Vieques, Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba and Ramey in
Aguadilla have closed, Buchanan being the only
military installation remaining in Puerto Rico;
and
WHEREAS,
all Puerto Ricans who treasure their U.S.
citizenship must defend the permanence of Fort
Buchanan for the services it provides to our
soldiers who are, at present, fighting in the
war against terrorism, for its meaning to
thousands of veterans, and for what it
represents to the military history and tradition
of the Island; and
WHEREAS,
the Puerto Rico LULAC Chapter wants to express
its solidarity with the National Foundation for
Women Legislators and its Resolution of Veterans
Affairs Policy Committee, thus joining this
request; and
NOW
Therefore, Be It Resolved, that
the Puerto Rico LULAC Chapter and the National
Foundation for Women Legislators’ Veterans
Affairs Committee, through its members from the
various states, call to support the permanence
of Fort Buchanan in Puerto Rico.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that LULAC take any and all appropriate action,
including advocacy at the local, state and
national levels; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that should these efforts fail to provide a
remedy for this national crisis, LULAC will
pursue every legal avenue available to address
the problem.
Submitted by Senator Lucy Arce,
LULAC Council 14004
Adopted this 2nd day of July
2005.
Hector M. Flores
LULAC National President |
