Alaska's senior senator, Lisa Murkowski met with Defense Secretary nominee Senator Chuck Hagel on Wednesday to discuss the proposed move of the F-16s from Eielson Air Force Base, and on Thursday introduced Senate Bill 152, the "America Needs Eielson Act of 1013."

When Senator Murkowski met with Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel, she discussed with him his views regarding the Middle East as well as the Pentagon’s shift to Asia and the Pacific. She also spoke of Alaska’s superiority when it comes to military bases with that shift of focus.

The senator also expressed her concern over the proposed move of the F-16 Agressor Squadron. to Jopint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Speaking of the five years that she has worked with Senator Hagel and their meeting today, Senator Murkowski said, “I appreciated his skeptical brand of thinking and straight talk when we served together, and it was good to see it in our meeting today. While those elements of his personality have generated a lot of negative attention lately, it was refreshing to hear him take responsibility for them while also demonstrating his full command of the new realities we face in 2013.

“Our next Secretary of Defense needs to be flexible and forceful as we encounter threats from around the globe, while also recalibrating our national defense to address our country’s fiscal concerns.

“I told him that I will listen carefully to him during the upcoming hearings, which will rightfully be thorough, as he makes his case to be the man charged with such responsibilities.”

On Thursday, Alaska’s senator introduced Senate Bill 152, the America Needs Eielson Act of 2013. The bill is designed to amplify the importance of Eielson Air Force Base to our national security within the Pentagon and Congress.

Laid out in the bill are conditions that should be met before a move of the base is considered. Those conditions are:

1. The findings of the Commission on the Structure of the Air Force are released (scheduled release date: March 2014);
2. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is completed on the proposed move of the F-16 Aggressor Squadron to Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson;
3. A Pentagon study is conducted on the Strategic Importance of Eielson Air Force Base.
4. A Record of Decision is released that explains how any proposed action is consistent with the findings of the EIS #2) and the Pentagon study of Eielson’s strategic future (#3).

Additionally, the bill specifies that personnel or equipment cannot be moved for at least six months after all of these conditions are met satisfactorily.

“America needs Eielson, plain and simple,” said Senator Murkowski. “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. I’m proud that one of the first actions I am taking during this new 113^th session of Congress is a testament to Alaska’s unique military relationship and our geographic advantage to defend and protect our nation from emerging threats.”

Senator Murkowski is urging Alaskans to express their views on the future of Eielson with the Air Force at public hearings that are scheduled to begin around the state during the month of February.