PRINTER'S NO. 2022
No. 339 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY MARSHALL, J. WHITE, BELFANTI, BEYER, CALTAGIRONE,
CAPPELLI, CLYMER, COHEN, EVERETT, GIBBONS, GOODMAN,
HENNESSEY, HESS, JAMES, KORTZ, KOTIK, KULA, MILNE, MOUL,
MOYER, MURT, RAPP, READSHAW, SAYLOR, SOLOBAY, STERN, TURZAI,
VULAKOVICH, WATSON, JOSEPHS AND MUSTIO, JUNE 21, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
JUNE 21, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the United States Department of Defense to reverse
2 its decision and preserve the Charles E. Kelly Support
3 Facility Commissary in Oakdale and the Willow Grove Naval
4 Exchange and to move forward with previously approved plans
5 to build a new commissary at the Willow Grove Naval Air
6 Station and approve construction of a new commissary in
7 western Pennsylvania.
8 WHEREAS, The United States Armed Forces, a total force
9 comprised of active, National Guard and reserve personnel, are
10 now undertaking courageous and determined operations against
11 insurgents in Iraq and terrorist forces in Afghanistan and other
12 parts of the world; and
13 WHEREAS, The men and women of our armed forces, while
14 continuously in harm's way, perform their duties and missions in
15 all military conflicts in which the United States is currently
16 engaged; and
17 WHEREAS, In time of war, each member of our armed forces may
18 have to pay the ultimate sacrifice in the performance of duty to
1 our nation; and
2 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has 215,000
3 military members who patronize commissaries and Navy Exchanges
4 located on Department of Defense installations; and
5 WHEREAS, The facilities provide discounts between 10% and
6 40%, and a reversal in the decision to close these facilities
7 will ensure accessibility of vital and critical services that
8 benefit service members, families of armed forces members killed
9 in action, retirees and disabled veterans; and
10 WHEREAS, The closing of these facilities would be a great
11 economic loss to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and to
12 military families who may be forced to drive distances in excess
13 of 200 miles to utilize commissary and exchange facilities; and
14 WHEREAS, This places unnecessary burdens on elderly and
15 disabled persons and on the facilities which would be forced to
16 serve a new influx of customers; and
17 WHEREAS, In some extreme circumstances, retirees will be
18 forced to sell their homes in order to move closer to
19 commissaries; therefore be it
20 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
21 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize the United States
22 Department of Defense to reverse its decision and preserve the
23 Charles E. Kelly Support Facility Commissary in Oakdale and the
24 Willow Grove Naval Exchange and to move forward with previously
25 approved plans to build a new commissary at the Willow Grove
26 Naval Air Station and approve construction of a new commissary
27 in western Pennsylvania; and be it further
28 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
29 the President of the United States, to the Secretary of Defense
30 and to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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