IV
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 200
Expressing the sense of Congress in opposition to the retirement of 33
B–1 Lancer aircraft as proposed by the Air Force.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 25, 2001
Mr. TIAHRT (for himself and Mr. CHAMBLISS) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress in opposition to the retire-
ment of 33 B–1 Lancer aircraft as proposed by the
Air Force.
Whereas the United States Air Force has proposed retiring
33 of a total of 93 B–1 Lancer bomber aircraft and con-
solidating operations of the remaining 60 B–1 aircraft
from five bases to two as part of the Air Force Program
Budget Decision (PBD) 824;
Whereas the 33 B–1 Lancer aircraft proposed to be retired
include all of the B–1 aircraft that are assigned to units
of the Air National Guard;
Whereas the Air National Guard has been an integral part
of the ‘‘total force’’ structure of the Air Force, but this
consolidation would in effect eliminate the Air National
Guard as a participant in the ‘‘total force’’ concept;
•HCON 200 IH
Whereas the Air National Guard has a proud history of flying
combat missions in support of United States national in-
terests;
Whereas the Department of Defense did not consult with
Congress before making the B–1 retirement and consoli-
dation decision in PBD 824;
Whereas the Air Force did not consult with the Air National
Guard before making that decision;
Whereas the Air Force initiated a paper clearly stating cer-
tain political effects of that decision, thus calling into
question the strategic value of the decision;
Whereas the Air Force has not produced a follow-on mission
for the Air National Guard units and members who will
be affected by the decision, although thousands of Air
National Guard members with years of experience oper-
ating the B–1 combat system will have to be retrained
for other missions and many of those personnel will sim-
ply lose their jobs;
Whereas all of the pilots from Air National Guard bases fly-
ing B–1 aircraft will be out of work at a time when the
Air Force is experiencing a shortage of pilots;
Whereas, while it is the case that the B–1 aircraft must be
modernized in order to be an effective fighting force in
the future, the Air Force program budget decision was
made without any strategic planning or in the context of
a larger force structure review; and
Whereas Congress needs time to review and determine what
the proper number of B–1 aircraft is: Now, therefore, be
it
•HCON 200 IH
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress does not support the proposed
retirement of 33 of a total of 93 B–1 Lancer aircraft and
consolidation of the operations of the remaining 60 B–
1 Lancer aircraft from five bases to two as part of the
Air Force Program Budget Decision (PBD) 824, and that
proposed retirement and consolidation should be deferred
during fiscal year 2002 while Congress review the pro-
posed retirement and consolidation.
SEC. 2. It is the sense of Congress that all procure-
ment and research and development funds for the B–1 air-
craft program in the President’s fiscal year 2002 budget
for the Department of Defense should be reallocated to
the Operations and Maintenance account for the Air Na-
tional Guard, to be available for continued operations of
the 33 B–1 bomber aircraft proposed to be retired in Air
Force Program Budget Decision 824.
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