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Ryan Secures Subcommittee Seat with BRAC Oversight
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan today announced he has received a prime subcommittee seat that will enable him to keep close watch on the upcoming base closing process as he lobbies to keep open the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.Ryan was appointed to the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. The subcommittee was Ryan's first choice, he said, because it has oversight over the Base Re-Alignment and Closure (BRAC) process."The BRAC process is going to be extremely competitive," Ryan said. "This subcommittee assignment will allow me to closely monitor the BRAC process and will further help my efforts to effectively coordinate with local, state and federal officials in trying to keep our base off the closure list."Ryan is co-chairman of Operation: SOAR, a community campaign to keep the Youngstown Air Reserve Station open. The secretary of defense will present a list of recommended base closings May 16 to the BRAC Commission."We have a good base, but good bases will still be closed," Ryan said. "With that in mind, I intend to continue working as hard as possible to ensure that as a community we make the best possible case for keeping our air base."The Readiness Subcommittee oversees military training, logistics and maintenance issues and programs. It is also responsible for all military construction, installations and family housing issues.Ryan was also appointed to the Armed Forces Committee's Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, which is responsible for Army and Air Force acquisition programs (except strategic weapons and lift programs, special operations and information technology accounts). In addition, the subcommittee is responsible for Navy and Marine Corps aviation programs, National Guard and Army and Air Force Reserve modernization, and ammunition programs.The Youngstown Air Reserve Station is home to the 910th Airlift Wing along with the marine and navy reserve units. It is one of the area's five largest employers and contributed an estimated $120 million into the local economy last year."