Murkowski Introduces Bill to Keep Eielson Open

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By Sam Friedman - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner / sfriedman@newsminer.com

Story Created: Jan 25, 2013 at 8:40 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jan 25, 2013 at 8:42 AM AKDT

Three F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation over the Pacific Alaska Range Complex. Photo courtesy: USAF

FAIRBANKS — “America Needs Eielson.” First it was a T-shirt, now U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski wants to make it a law.

The “America Needs Eielson Act of 2013” Murkowski introduced Thursday would add to and consolidate existing legislation designed to keep Eielson’s F-16 Aggressor squadron in the Interior.

“America needs Eielson, plain and simple,” Murkowski stated in a news release announcing the bill. “It’s common-sense to Alaskans, and it’s what the buttons and T-shirts read that we wore in 2005 when the Pentagon’s BRAC Committee considered and rejected a plan incredibly similar to the one the Air Force is considering now — by using the same faulty reasoning rejected by the 2005 BRAC.”

Much like in 2005, there’s been a “save Eielson” campaign going on since the Air Force announced last February it would move the 21-plane squadron and about half the base’s jobs to Anchorage as a cost-cutting measure. Losing the F-16 squadron would not immediately close the base, but local leaders worry it would hurt the local economy and make it easier to close the base in the future.

Murkowski’s bill would make it harder for the Air Force to transfer the aircraft to Anchorage by requiring the Air Force to have a series of documents before any planes can be moved. In addition to an environmental report the Air Force is working on and a congressional report due in spring 2014, the Pentagon would have to write a report on the strategic importance of Eielson Air Force Base.

Alaska’s other senator, Mark Begich, told the News-Miner on Friday he plans to co-sponsor the bill. However, he questioned whether legislation that specifically addresses Eielson will do well in the Senate.

He said he favors legislation created with other senators facing similar problems with their military bases.

Contact Fairbanks Daily News-Miner staff writer Sam Friedman at 907-459-7545.

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what threats? said on Sunday, Jan 27 at 9:41 AM

They are not removing this base and they are just crowing to the media to get attention...that is it! With Russia blowing a gasket lately with the adoption ordeal...and tensions rising...Eielson is not going anywhere...except to circulate as news...the merry-go-round of politics...

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Big Dan said on Friday, Jan 25 at 6:36 PM

You go Sickofhearingthethreats. I think we should pull all military bases out of overseas too. If they want/need our military presence then they should pay for it.

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Richard Dunford said on Friday, Jan 25 at 6:12 PM

Alaska and the rest of the USA need to find ways to cut spending. This cut everyone else but leave mine alone mentality has led to our 16.4 trillion debt problem. The US spends more money on defense than the rest of the world combined.

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yukonjack said on Friday, Jan 25 at 5:13 PM

America needs Eielson for Fit...err...Red Flag? Please!!! They could close this base and it wouldn't even put a dent in the economy. Besides, they are phasing out the F-16's with F-35's and when they replace these here at Eielson, they will move them to Nellis or Elmendorf. Besides, the Alaska Air Guard is the only active component on this base; unlike their active duty counterparts; because they have a real mission.

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Sickofhearingthethreats said on Friday, Jan 25 at 4:12 PM

I'm sick of hearing about this threat - Okay Fine! If the Federal Government wants to close Eielson so badly...perhaps we should demand they remove every other military person from Alaska and close all the millions of acres of military exclusive training grounds currently on ALASKAN SOIL to ALL American military and especially their NATO allies! The Pentagons' decades of "bait and switch" over the fate of Eielson is an obvious dog and pony show and wearing thin with many northern Alaskans! Alaskans need to stand up for themselves and tell the feds to fly a kite and get completely out of Alaska if their going to continue their bully threats! If Alaskans showed some backbone and faced these thugs in the Pentagon down - they would change their tune in a heart beat! Once we remove them from the state we could then take their sincere apology and decide if we would RENT them back their previous facilities and training ranges on our own terms - which should be pretty pricy!

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