House panel to hold hearing at Nellis

WASHINGTON -- A House subcommittee will leave the Beltway behind and visit Nellis Air Force Base Friday to evaluate the challenges the nation's military training centers face on the eve of the 21st century.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., a member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Readiness, said the hearing is important because it "gives us the chance to educate some members on the necessity to provide full funding for the nation's military centers."

Gibbons, a veteran combat pilot of both the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, suggested to the subcommittee that it begin the series of field hearings at Nellis.

"Overall, our nation's level of training and readiness in the military has been hampered by years of budget cuts and an increase in operational deployments," Gibbons said. "These cuts, coupled with the increased number of deployments that our military men and women are tasked with, are pushing our military readiness levels to the critical zone."

The subcommittee will focus on readiness-related areas of President Clinton's proposed fiscal year 2000 budget plan.

Gibbons said Friday's visit will provide Nevada the opportunity to "showcase one of the nation's premier military installations" to members of Congress.

The public hearing will be held at the Nellis Air Force Base Officer's Club, and is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

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