Houston, TX-  Today, Congressman Gene Green (TX-29) released the following statement following his meeting with Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commissioner James V. Hansen, during the Commissioners visit to Ellington Field.

 

Commissioner Hansen visited Ellington Field to assess whether the Department of Defense’s proposal to retire the 147th Fighter Wing’s 15 F-16s will take affect.

 

“Our main motivation in keeping the 147th Fighter Wing at its current levels at Ellington Field is homeland security,” said Congressman Green.  “Houston presents one of the most vulnerable targets in the US with the fourth largest city in the country, the Johnson Space Center, the largest medical center in the world, the largest port for foreign tonnage in the US, and one of the most crucial segments of our nation’s economy, a petrochemical complex that stretches the length of the Houston Ship Channel in close proximity to Ellington Field.

 

“The Port of Houston is the second largest petrochemical complex in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, which produces over 35% of the nation’s gasoline at a great many refineries,” continued Congressman Green.  “Numerous chemical plants also line the channel, producing a number of volatile compounds.  According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 7,600 deep draft vessels arrive each year, and 60% of those ships carry sensitive oil/chemical cargos. 

 

“I want to thank Commissioner Hansen for taking the time to visit Ellington Field and the 147th ,” concluded Congressman Green.  “So that he may have a first hand look at the critical role the Fighter Wing plays in protecting Houston’s air space and deterring an attack on one of the most susceptible areas of our country.  Anything less than maintaining the 147th at its current levels will remove the strong deterrent the Fighter Wing provides and leave Houston less protected against possible terrorist attacks.”

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