AUGUSTA – State Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx, D-Brunswick, was the lead sponsor of a joint resolution memorializing President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress to support Maine’s National Guard facilities. A bipartisan group of almost fifty fellow legislators from both the Senate and the House co-sponsored the joint resolution and it passed unanimously in both chambers on June 10.

“Support of the Maine Army and Air National Guard is not only vital to Maine’s and the Nation’s security, but also to Maine’s economy,” said Cornell du Houx, a Marine and Iraq War veteran. “Unfortunately a lack of adequate funds for the maintenance of the over 300 Maine National Guard facilities and training areas throughout Maine has left them in need of rehab and modernization.”

The Maine National Guard has responded to natural disaster situations in Maine and provided other types of community service on numerous occasions. They also have deployed 37 units since September 11, 2001 and 2,231 Maine Army National Guard soldiers have been deployed since that time. The Maine Air National Guard flew over 180 missions in 2008.

“The Maine National Guard has been called upon time and time again in recent years to respond to our nation’s military and security needs,” said Rep. Charlie Priest, D-Brunswick, a co-sponsor of the resolution and a veteran of the U.S. Navy who served in Vietnam. “Our men and women have performed their duty with pride and effectiveness on behalf of the demands of our federal government, but, in order to remain as well trained and well prepared as they must, we need an appropriate level of funding from Washington.”

Copies of the resolution have been sent to President Barack Obama, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.

The Resolution:

(4-1) On motion of Representative CORNELL du HOUX of Brunswick, the following Joint Resolution: (H.P. 1044) (Cosponsored by Senator SULLIVAN of York and Representatives: BEAUDETTE of Biddeford, BEAUDOIN of Biddeford, BECK of Waterville, BICKFORD of Auburn, BOLAND of Sanford, CAREY of Lewiston, CLARK of Millinocket, CLEARY of Houlton, COHEN of Portland, CONNOR of Kennebunk, CROCKETT of Augusta, EATON of Sullivan, FITTS of Pittsfield, GREELEY of Levant, HASKELL of Portland, WALSH INNES of Yarmouth, KNIGHT of Livermore Falls, LEGG of Kennebunk, MARTIN of Eagle Lake, NASS of Acton, NELSON of Falmouth, PIEH of Bremen, PILON of Saco, Speaker PINGREE of North Haven, PIOTTI of Unity, PRATT of Eddington, PRIEST of Brunswick, ROTUNDO of Lewiston, RUSSELL of Portland, SANBORN of Gorham, SMITH of Monmouth, STEVENS of Bangor, THIBODEAU of Winterport, TRINWARD of Waterville, VALENTINO of Saco, WAGNER of Lyman, WATSON of Bath, WHEELER of Kittery, WRIGHT of Berwick, Senators: BARTLETT of Cumberland, COURTNEY of York, DIAMOND of Cumberland, GERZOFSKY of Cumberland, GOODALL of Sagadahoc, President MITCHELL of Kennebec, PLOWMAN of Penobscot) (Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 214)

JOINT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL GUARD FACILITIES

WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the First Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the President of the United States and the United States Congress as follows:

WHEREAS, stronger investment in upgraded United States National Guard facilities is needed not only for the security of our states and for the military readiness of the nation, but also as a powerful way to create and preserve jobs; and

WHEREAS, in today’s global environment, our National Guard is called upon far more frequently than in the past for overseas deployments, becoming an operational force whose readiness, training and equipment must be on par with our nation’s active duty force; and

WHEREAS, the National Guard provides crucial capabilities to alleviate suffering and help communities recover from damage when disaster strikes and these critical homeland and overseas missions of today’s National Guard demand higher readiness and greater capability; and

WHEREAS, the Maine National Guard has deployed 37 units since September 11, 2001 and 2,231 Maine Army National Guard soldiers have been deployed since that time and the Maine Air National Guard flew over 180 missions in 2008; and

WHEREAS, in 2008 the Maine National Guard fulfilled 75 requests for general military support; it supported relief efforts during the May 2008 flood in Aroostook County; the Maine National Guard rendered 1,665 Military Funeral Honors; and the 195th Army Band performed 61 times in over 27 communities across the State; and

WHEREAS, the average age of an Army National Guard facility is 41 years, with 24% being more than 60 years old, and the Maine National Guard has over 300 facilities and training areas throughout Maine; and

WHEREAS, Maine has one of the highest energy costs in the country and therefore retrofitting Maine National Guard facilities would help to reduce energy costs and our country’s overreliance on fossil fuels; and

WHEREAS, modernization of our National Guard facilities will put people to work and enhance the quality of life for our troops who regularly train in these facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Maine National Guard contributes over $150,000,000 to our State’s economy through military pay and allowances, civilian payroll and the purchase of goods and services; and

WHEREAS, Army and Air National Guard facilities are not concentrated on large military installations but are instead widely distributed across more than 3,200 communities in America; and

WHEREAS, the average National Guard military construction project is less than half the cost of an active component military construction project so that National Guard facility investments go further and assist communities more broadly; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED: That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to respectfully urge and request that President Barack H. Obama request, and the United States Congress authorize and fund, an increase in military construction and facilities maintenance for both the Army and the Air National Guard; and be it further

RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.