mr. chairman , i rise today in strong support of the resolution and join the growing chorus of the members of congress who are coming down to the floor today disappointed in the recommendations of the base realignment closure commission . 
i can not understand why , in a time that we are fighting a global war on terror , a war where we are actively engaged on two fronts and obligated to also increase domestic defense against terrorism here at home , the department of defense has suggested , in fact recommended , that we close bases across the nation . 
more troubling is the fact that the department of defense has moved ahead in this brac round by applying a cold war model to a post-cold war security environment . 
remember , the department of homeland security has not been consulted , mr. chairman , on the impact these base closures pose to our domestic security . 
mr. chairman , the world has changed enormously since the last brac round . 
our threats are not static as they once were . 
today we face an asymmetric threat from an enemy that knows no borders nor rules of warfare . 
the threat of international terrorism requires us to have the best tools available to respond to threats on our allies , our interests , and our homeland at a moment 's notice , and i am afraid that the current brac recommendations hamper our ability to do so . 
take , for instance , the recommendation that the largest joint reserve base on the east coast should be closed . 
the willow grove joint reserve base directly borders my district in pennsylvania . 
hundreds of my constituents rely on that base for their national guard training . 
thousands of my constituents rely on the customer traffic the servicemen and women stationed at willow grove provide for their local businesses that surround the base . 
and , on a larger scale , both my constituents and americans from new york to baltimore benefit from the base 's protection . 
willow grove 's strategic position allows its air assets to protect the ports of philadelphia , wilmington , and baltimore . 
it serves as a fema alternative site , providing a staging ground so federal resources can be distributed in the event of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack . 
militarily the base has a great track record of achievement by training combined arms jointly for over a decade , practically setting the standard for interoperability between branches of the armed services . 
i urge my colleagues to support this resolution . 
