State Sen. Harman Vows to Fight for Local Bases Targeted in Spending Cuts

State Sen. Tom Harman announced Friday he has introduced two resolutions urging Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Congress to preserve the Naval Weapons Station in Seal Beach and the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base.

"These bases are not only important for their military service, but also for their impact on local, regional and state economies," Harman said. "These bases are responsible for nearly 1,500 California jobs, not to mention the business they bring to the communities surrounding them. The Orange County economy will suffer and our national security will be compromised without these bases."

The two bases have been targeted for closure during the newly proposed rounds of defense spending cuts and base closures. Harman's Senate Joint Resolution 24 and Senate Joint Resolution 25 outline the military and economic importance of each site, and urges California's congressional delegation to prevent them from closing.

"The Naval Weapons Station, Seal Beach is the primary military operation that services and supplies the entire Pacific Fleet based in San Diego," he said. "It is a vital part of our nation’s security and defense efforts...The Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base is the sole remaining military airfield in greater Los Angeles and Orange County area. It is the largest Army airfield operated by the National Guard, and is able to accommodate nearly every class of aircraft the used by the United States military today. It makes no sense to close it."