Mike Michaud: “today, the House will likely vote not to reject the recommendations of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission…”

“today, the House will likely vote not to reject the recommendations of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, moving the BRAC process one step closer to an end. This has been a very difficult BRAC round for the State of Maine. When the list came out 5 months ago, all of Maine's three facilities were in great jeopardy, and few believed that we had a chance of saving any of them. But the entire delegation, the governor, and the communities came together and presented the best possible arguments in all three cases, and as a result, Maine did better than anyone thought we could. We saved Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and in a victory that would have been unthinkable only a few months before, we actually grew DFAS Limestone, bringing jobs to an area that desperately needs them. These two actions represent tremendous victories for the people of Maine. I strongly disagree with the recommendation to close Naval Air Station Brunswick. It was the wrong decision and I have fought it every step of the way together with the whole Maine delegation. Today's vote is difficult. I deeply believe that Naval Air Station Brunswick should not be closed. Yet, when this process began, Maine stood to loose everything, and now we have saved and expanded two of the three endangered facilities. The likely alternatives for the State were far worse.…”