Congressman Steny Hoyer
Hoyer Comes Through Again!
Southern Maryland Thrives on BRAC Moves
By Kenneth C. Rossignol
ST. MARY’S TODAY
WASHINGTON, D.C. --- “I have never done anything in public life with almost a weekly focus with all the leaders of the community, as we have done in the past ten years, always with a view towards what is best for our community, for our nation and for the men and women who work in these missions at our bases which support our national defense,” Congressman Steny Hoyer (D. Md. 5th) said today in an interview with ST. MARY’S TODAY.
Hoyer said that he was pleased to see the results of the BRAC decisions which added jobs to Maryland and once again added jobs to Pax River.
Twelve years ago, Pax River was nervously awaiting the results of the lists being prepared by the Department of Defense on recommended closings and shifting of military installations after Webster Field at St. Inigoes had been hit hard in 1991, losing most of the jobs at the facility to South Carolina.
In that BRAC, Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (R. Md. 1st) had just won election to Congress over Roy Dyson and didn’t have a clue as to how to protect Webster Field from the BRAC process. The South Carolinians went to work on pulling down the Maryland jobs and the base nearly closed completely.
In the past ten years, Hoyer has made strong arguments for the continued expansion of missions at St. Inigoes and was able to restore jobs and move in many more.
The St. Inigoes facility has been a primary testing and development arena for the drones used in the current war on terror and for the Aegis missile system used in the Gulf War.
Pax River was brought the Naval Air Systems Command by Hoyer’s work in the last BRAC round, a move which has girded the successful retention of major missions at the Naval Air Warfare Center at Pax River.
Rumors and gossip about the Navy’s Test Pilot School, a high-profile facility, moving to Edwards Air Force Base, swept the base this past week as well as talk of closing Solomon’s Rec. Center.
While limited military functions are performed at Solomon’s, the chunk of waterfront land is prime for development and worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But for the near future, this facility will stay as a nearby asset of space and buildings for missions at Pax River as well as continue to serve as a recreation facility for Washington area military service members and retirees.
With Hoyer presiding over the ground-breaking for the new marine helicopter for replacing the existing fleet of presidential transport aircraft, this past Monday at Pax River, the area has gotten a double shot of Uncle Sam's money in one week.
Hoyer was first elected to Congress in 1981 to fill out the unexpired term of former Congresswoman Gladys Noon Spellman, who fell into a coma.  In 1992, Hoyer ran for the newly realigned congressional district that united the three Southern Maryland counties with the half of Prince Georges County outside the beltway. In that race, Hoyer beat Republican Larry Hogan Jr., who's father had served in Congress from Maryland and had won the post of county executive in Prince George's County. 
That race was the best one ever for the Republicans and since they have lined up a list of sacrificial lambs who never were able to give Hoyer a serious contest.   The GOP has continued to try to unseat the hardworking Hoyer but each day he gets up early and works late, making him a hard man to beat.
With strong support from around the state urging him to make a run for Governor next year, Steny Hoyer said he appreciates the support but will focus on his job in Washington and not make the race for governor.
"This is where I am most effective and can bring about the most good for the people of Southern Maryland," Hoyer told ST. MARY'S TODAY.