ATLANTA – House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) recently appointed State Representative Darrel Ealum (D-Albany) to the House Study Committee on Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).
“I deeply appreciate Speaker Ralston appointing me to this critically important committee,” said Rep. Ealum. “We will have the opportunity to examine all available avenues to protect our Georgia military installations from a future federal base realignment and closure action. In doing so, we can ensure the livelihood of Georgia’s military and the continued economic success for our communities and our state.”
Georgia has the fifth largest military population in the United States, with an economic impact of more than $20 billion annually. A realignment and closure is expected as early as fiscal year 2017, and many installations in Georgia have recently faced significant reductions. Other states across the country are also working to protect their military installations from realignment and closure.
“With our Marine Corps Logistics Base located in the heart of District 153, I have a distinct responsibility to work diligently to ensure our Marine Base and our Southwest Georgia issues come before our committee, and I take that responsibility very seriously,” added Rep. Ealum. “As a retired Marine and with two daughters who are also Marine Officers, I have a deep admiration and appreciation for our Corps. Our Marine Corps Logistics Base and our remaining military installations throughout Georgia are vital economic engines for our entire state, and we must take every opportunity to protect them from realignment and closure. We must develop a plan and fight for our military installations before the next round of base realignments and closures occur. I look forward to serving on this study committee with my House colleagues and fellow southwest Georgia Representatives Mike Cheokas and Ed Rynders.”
This fifteen member study committee, Chaired by State Representative Dave Belton (R-Buckhead), is established by House Resolution 1135 and will examine how to protect Georgia’s military installations from a future federal base realignment and closure action.
For more information on HR 1135, please click here.
Representative Darrel Ealum represents the citizens of District 153, which includes portions of Dougherty County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2014, and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging, and State Properties committees.
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