PRESS RELEASES
5/10/2005
Contact: Adam Terry
(202) 225-8490
ALEXANDER ANNOUNCES FORT POLK'S FUTURE STABLE CENTRAL LOUISIANA'S 'NATIONAL TREASURE' UNTOUCHED BY BRAC
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, today released the following statement after it was announced that Fort Polk will not be affected by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process.
"Central Louisiana has waited for months to hear this good news," Alexander said.
"Now, Central Louisiana can breathe and celebrate that its national treasure will remain intact. Fort Polk has a distinguished history of training American soldiers for any task, and with this good news, Fort Polk will continue to prepare our soldiers to protect American freedoms and ideals. This news is vindication for Central Louisiana after the closure of England Air Base years ago."
According to a press release from Department of Defense, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said BRAC recommendations will generate an estimated net savings of nearly $50 billion over the next two decades.
However, so many communities around the nation depend on military bases for economic strength, including Fort Polk.
"It took Central Louisiana years to rebound from the closure of England," Alexander said.
"But the area survived, and with the announcement that Fort Polk dodged the BRAC bullet, Central Louisiana should continue to thrive. I will continue to work with local, state and congressional leaders in the future to make sure that Fort Polk continues to grow and expand."
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