HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.R. NO.49            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO HOMEPORT 
   AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER ALONG WITH ITS SUPPORT GROUP AT PEARL 
   HARBOR, HAWAII.


 1       WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor has supported the operations of the
 2   United Sates Navy since 1887, has established a rich tradition
 3   of service to important fleet units, including aircraft
 4   carriers until the end of World War II, and serves now as the
 5   headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief, United States Pacific
 6   Fleet; and
 7   
 8       WHEREAS, as a major naval base and America's primary
 9   defense position in the Pacific, Pearl Harbor is endowed with
10   exceptional shoreside facilities to support operating naval
11   forces, command and communications capablities necessary to
12   insure the effective operations of homeported units and of
13   those that are operationally deployed into the Pacific Ocean
14   Theater of operations; and
15   
16       WHEREAS, the Legislature supports making the airfield and
17   supporting facilities at Barbers Point Naval Air Station, which
18   is scheduled to close in July of 1999, available to accommodate
19   the air wing associated  with the operations of an air craft
20   carrier; and
21   
22       WHEREAS, the Naval Air Station Barbers Point Redevelopment
23   Plan provide Kalaeloa Airport to be used primarily as a general
24   aviation airport, and the DOT is willing to support future
25   plans needed to accommodate the aircraft carrier airwing with
26   Class B runways reserved at Hickam Airforce Base for an
27   additional portion of the carrier; and
28   
29       WHEREAS, Pearl Harbor currently serves as the homeport for
30   approximately forty ships and submarines, and it is anticipated
31   that this number will diminish as a projected drawdown in the
32   size of the naval operating forces occurring in the years
33   ahead; and
34   
35       WHEREAS, a drawdown in the number of ships could adversely
36   affect the opperations of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard,
37   Hawaii's largest industrial employer, and create a surplus of
38   shoreside facilities and shipyard capacity; and
39   

 
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                                  H.C.R. NO.49          
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1       WHEREAS, the homeporting of an aircraft carrier at Pearl
 2   Harbor would contribute approximately 4,200 military personnel,
 3   with a positive imact on the Hawaiian economy 
 4   of $375,000,000; and
 5   
 6       WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii and its citizens have long
 7   been proud  of the Naval presence in the Islands, supportive of
 8   its operations and enthusiastic about the possibility of
 9   homeporting an aircraft carrier and battle group at Pearl
10   Harbor again; now, therefore,
11   
12       BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
13   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
14   of 1999, the Senate concurring, that this body urges the United
15   States Department of Defense to designate Pearl Harbor as the
16   homeport of an aircraft carrier, its airwing, battle group, and
17   attached personnel; and
18   
19       BE IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED that the Military Affairs Council
20   of the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii in partnership with
21   Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism; the
22   Department of Transportation; the Barbers Point Redevelopment
23   Commission; the City and County of Honolulu; and the private
24   industry; are requested to report on the feasability of
25   providing an incentive package to the United States Department
26   of Defense, for the opportunity to be selected as the homeport
27   of an aircraft carrier battle group at Pearl Harbor; and
28   
29       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
30   concurrent resolution be transmitted to the President of the
31   United States; the United States Secreary of Defense; the
32   Secreary of the United States Navy; the Commander-in-Chief,
33   United Pacific Command; the Commander-in-Chief, United States
34   Pacific Fleet; the Commander, Naval Base Pearl Harbor; the
35   members of Hawaii's Congressional Delegation; the Governor; the
36   Mayor of City and County of Honolulu; the Barbers Point
37   Redevelopment Commission; the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii;
38   and the Director of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. 
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43                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________
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