Reid: Spare air guard, Hawthorne depot

Thursday, June 16, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- Nevada's Air National Guard and the Army ammunition depot in Hawthorne should be spared from Defense Department budget cuts, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday.

Reid announced a June 24 hearing in Clovis, N.M. to draw attention to the importance of the state's air guard troops and to Hawthorne. Senior senators in each state can call for hearings on proposed Pentagon cutbacks. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission chose Clovis for a regional hearing.

The Pentagon in May recommended a major round of base closures and cutbacks nationwide. The commission, which is just beginning its work, will finalize that list before sending it to the president. The Pentagon's recommendations quickly drew the criticism of anxious members of Congress who represent the bases.

Included were proposals to shutter the munitions facility at Hawthorne, which claims to be the "World's Largest Depot" and employs 326, and to trim 263 jobs at the Reno-Tahoe International Air Guard Station.

National Guard troops represent military forces necessary in war overseas and for responding to natural disasters, Reid said. He said the Pentagon analyses used to justify cuts were flawed.

"Fortunately, those are just recommendations and only the first step of a detailed process," Reid said. "As part of the next step in the process, I have the ability to make sure Nevada has a chance to defend our state-of-the-art facilities."

Reid announced a witness list for the hearing that includes Gov. Kenny Guinn, Nevada Homeland Security Director Giles Vanderhoof and several state lawmakers.

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission will review the Pentagon findings and attend hearings before submitting its recommendations report to President Bush by Sept. 8. If Bush rejects the report, it goes back to the commission for resubmittal by Oct. 20. If Bush approves the report, Congress can reject it, subject to his veto.